Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the systemic right ventricle in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: A case report

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is a rare clinical entity, which usually presents during adulthood with associated defects; atrioventricular block, heart failure, systemic valve failure, and arrhythmias usually complicate the clinical course. Even rarer is associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which complicates the disease course and clinical decision-making. Herein, we present a patient with this condition who underwent heart transplantation, with adequate clinical resolution.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Adults With Moderate-to-Severe Complexity Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Palliation or Surgical Repair

Background

Congenital heart disease (CHD) survival rate has improved dramatically due to advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. However, concerning the unrepaired CHD population of moderate and severe complexity, the data regarding risk predictors and surgical outcomes are scarce. Our aim was to describe the surgical results and predictors of in-hospital outcomes in adult patients with moderate-to-severe complexity CHD that were not repaired in childhood.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included 49 adult patients with moderate-to-complex CHD who were treated in a single medical centre. Clinical and echocardiographic variables were obtained on admission, after surgical procedures and during follow-up.

Results

Most of the patients were female (66%). Left ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular outflow tract fractional shortening were within the normal range. The median pulmonary artery systolic pressure was 37 (27-55) mm Hg. The median time was 118 (80-181) minutes for extracorporeal circulation and 76 (49-121) minutes for aortic cross-clamping. The most frequent complication was postoperative complete atrioventricular block (12.2%). In-hospital survival rate was 87.7%. The development of low cardiac output syndrome with predominant right ventricle failure in the postoperative period was the most important predictor of in-hospital death (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Deciding to treat adults with CHD is challenging in moderate and severe unrepaired cases. Adequate clinical, functional, and imaging evaluation is essential to determine each patient's suitability for surgical management and to achieve the best clinical outcome for this population.

Acute right ventricular failure in COVID-19 infection: A case series

Severe forms of COVID-19 infection are associated with the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and thromboembolic complications; those can affect the cardiac function especially the right ventricle performance. Critical care echocardiography has rapidly evolved as the election technique in the evaluation of the critically ill patients. This technique has the advantage that it can be done at patient´s bedside and helps to provide the appropriate treatment and to monitoring maneuver's response. We present 4 patients with a confirmed COVID-19 infection who presented with sudden hemodynamic and / or respiratory deterioration, in which transthoracic echocardiogram showed acute right ventricular failure as the trigger for the event and helped to guide an early therapeutic intervention. .

[Analysis of mortality and hospital stay in cardiac surgery in Mexico 2015: Data from the National Cardiology Institute]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse hospital mortality in patients subjected to cardiac surgery in Mexico during the year 2015, and identify the mortality risks factors, and its correlation with days of hospital stay in the cardiovascular intensive care unit.

METHOD

The database of Cardiovascular Intensive Care of the National Institute of Cardiology was examined for this cases and controls study that included only adult patients subjected to cardiac surgery during the year 2015.

RESULTS

A total of 571 patients were subjected to a surgical procedure. The predominant indication was single or multiple valve replacement surgery, followed by coronary revascularisation surgery, and correction of adult congenital heart disease. Overall mortality was 9.2, and 8% died in intensive care. The main risk factors for death were preoperative organ failure or pulmonary hypertension, and prolonged time with extracorporeal circulation. The primary cause of death was secondary to cardiogenic shock. The hospital mortality observed in this population was higher for patients undergoing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, complex aortic disease surgery, and valvular surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The mortality of patients undergoing cardiac surgery in Mexico differs slightly from that reported in the world literature, primarily because there were more multivalvular surgeries and mixed complex procedures performed.

Interobserver agreement on the echocardiographic parameters that estimate right ventricular systolic function in the early postoperative period of cardiac surgery

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

To know the variability of transthoracic echocardiographic parameters that assess right ventricular systolic function by analyzing interobserver agreement in the early postoperative period of cardiovascular surgery.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility of these echocardiographic measurements.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study, double-blind pilot study was carried out from May 2011 to February 2013.

SETTING

Cardiovascular postoperative critical care at the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chávez", Mexico City, Mexico.

PATIENTS

Consecutive, non-probabilistic sampling. Fifty-six patients were studied in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery.

INTERVENTION

The first echocardiographic parameters were obtained between 6-8hours after cardiac surgery, followed by blinded second measurements.

MAIN VARIABLES

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity on tissue Doppler imaging (VSPAT), diameters and right ventricular outflow area, tract fractional shortening. The agreement was analyzed by the Bland-Altman method, and its magnitude was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval).

RESULTS

Both observers evaluated TAPSE and VSPAT in 48 patients (92%). The average TAPSE was 11.68±4.53mm (range 4-27mm). Right ventricular systolic dysfunction was observed in 41 cases (85%) and normal TAPSE in 7 patients (15%). The average difference and its limits according to TAPSE were -0.917±2.95 (-6.821, 4.988), with a magnitude of 0.725 (0.552, 0.837); the tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity on tissue Doppler imaging was -0.001±0.015 (-0.031, 0.030), and its magnitude 0.825 (0.708, 0.898), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

VSPAT and TAPSE were estimated by both observers in 92% of the patients, these parameters exhibiting the lowest interobserver variability.

[Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated to human immunodeficiency virus]

From the advent of the highly effective antiretroviral treatment, the life expectancy of patients with human immunodeficiency virus has increased significantly. At present, the causes of death are non-infectious complications. Between them, the pulmonary arterial hypertension has a special importance. It is important early detection to establish the therapeutic, with the objective of preventing a fatal outcome to future.

[Inhaled iloprost, a selective pulmonary vasodilator. Clinical evidence from its use in perioperative pulmonary hypertension cardiovascular surgery]

Inhaled iloprost is one of the most recent drugs from prostanoids group's in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. His place in pulmonary hypertension seen in the perioperative cardiovascular surgery has not been defined. In this review we analyze pulmonary hypertension group's susceptibles of cardiac surgery and its importance, besides the current clinical evidence from drug use in this context.