Intramyocardial Dissecting Hematoma after Acute Myocardial Infarction-Echocardiographic Features and Clinical Outcome.

Objectives: Intramyocardial dissecting hematoma (IDH) after acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a rare form of subacute cardiac rupture and hence management uncertainties. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical course of a small series of IDH patients and to review the available evidence for managing similar cases.

Methods: Eight IDH patients from our center had echocardiographic, coronary angiographic and clinical outcome data reviewed.

Pouched mitral isthmus is associated with incomplete linear block in atrial fibrillation patients with mechanical mitral valve replacement.

Background: Previous studies have described the impact of mitral isthmus (MI) anatomy on the likelihood of achieving MI linear block in patients with native mitral valves (NMV) who underwent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. However, none have investigated that issue in AF patients with mechanical mitral valve replacements (MMVR).

Methods And Results: Twenty-nine consecutive patients who developed symptomatic persistent AF post-MMVR and referred for ablation were enrolled.