Intermittent, noncyclic dysfunction of a mechanical aortic prosthesis by pannus formation.

Mechanical aortic prosthesis dysfunction can result from thrombosis or pannus formation. Pannus formation usually restricts systolic excursion of the occluding disk, resulting in progressive stenosis of the aortic prosthesis. Intermittent dysfunction of a mechanical aortic prosthesis is usually ascribed to thrombus formation.

Atypical presentation of an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery with severe compression between the great vessels.

Anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery is a rare coronary anomaly which, in a minority of cases, can cause clinical manifestations such as ischemic chest pain or arrhythmic syncope. We describe a case of anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery characterized by signs of left heart failure associated with ventricular tachycardia.