Staphylococcus aureus sepsis and hemoptysis as messengers of a rather impractically located mycotic aneurysm

BACKGROUND

Mycotic aortic aneurysms (MAA) arise due to infection of a pre-existent aneurysm or aneurysmal degeneration of an infected vascular wall. MAA of the thoracic aorta are relatively rare. Treatment is mainly guided by clinical experience as there are no large randomized trials available.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 79-year-old patient was hospitalized with staphylococcus aureus sepsis and MAA originating from the ostium of the left common carotid artery (CCA). Initial treatment consisted of high-dose antibiotics and blood pressure control. After 48 hours, a CT-angiography revealed rapid growth of the MAA with imminent rupture. Various treatment options were considered: a covered stent in the left CCA, a carotid-subclavian bypass with ligation of the left CCA ostium or arch replacement, or an extra-anatomical transposition of the supra-aortic vessels combined with a thoracic endoprosthesis. The last option was selected and, combined with six weeks of antibiotics, proved successful in controlling the impending rupture and treating the MAA.

CONCLUSIONS

Endovascular techniques are used if open surgery is refused, when surgical risks are prohibitively high (as definitive or palliative treatment), or as an emergency temporary treatment until definitive surgical treatment is feasible. Our high-risk patient underwent endovascular treatment for MAA as a definitive treatment. Endovascular treatment is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice due to the high morbidity and mortality of open surgical repair. Although the main concern using endovascular treatment is absence of debridement, recent studies show that combining endovascular treatment and long-term antibiotic therapy represents a potentially durable treatment and viable alternative to open surgical repair.

Symptomatic arterial thrombosis associated with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): report of two cases

Since December 2019, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China has rapidly spread throughout the world. During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, thrombotic complications have emerged as an important issue. We present two cases of symptomatic arterial thrombosis in patients with confirmed COVID-19. The first patient presented with digital ischemia due to distal embolization from a floating thrombus in the proximal left subclavian artery, and the second one with bilateral acute limb ischemia due to thrombosis of the right popliteal artery and left tibioperoneal trunk. This case report illustrates that arterial thrombosis associated with COVID-19 can occur even in the absence of severe respiratory disease and clinically relevant peripheral arterial disease.

Distal Radial Pseudoaneurysm After Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Resolved by Percutaneous Thrombin Injection

BACKGROUND

The distal radial approach was recently introduced with the hope to improve patients' comfort, particularly during left wrist access and maybe to reduce the rate of complications (mainly radial artery occlusion). However up to now, little is known about the real incidence and type of complications related to this access site.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a left distal radial pseudoaneurysm complicating a successful percutaneous recanalization of a right coronary artery chronic total occlusion with bilateral wrist approach (right radial artery retrograde and left distal radial artery antegrade). This complication was successfully resolved by percutaneous thrombin injection.

CONCLUSION

Our case proves that dTRA is not free from conventional vascular complications and this should be considered during the planning of the best strategy for our patients.