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Background and Aim of the Study: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) and aortic valve calcification (AVC) are predictive of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, no data exist concerning the association between preferential CAD side localization to the left or right coronary arteries and MAC or AVC., Methods: A cohort analysis was performed of 1,000 consecutive coronary angiographies recorded in patients with CAD. The angiographies were divided according to the distribution of CAD to the isolated right coronary tree disease, left coronary tree disease, or both. The echocardiograms were reviewed for MAC, AVC or combined valvular calcification (CVC)., Results: Significant CAD (lumenal stenosis > 70%) was observed in 688 patients, among whom 167 had isolated (right or left) CAD and 521 double-sided coronary tree disease. Valvular calcification (VC) was observed in 70 (42%) of the isolated CAD patients; of these, 41 had isolated left CAD and 29 isolated right CAD. Among the isolated left CAD patients with VC, 13 (32%) had AVC, 22 (53%) had CVC, and only six (15%) had MAC (p < 0.01). Among the isolated right CAD patients with VC, 18 (62%) had MAC, nine (31%) had CVC, and only two (7%) had AVC (p < 0.01). VC was observed in 266 patients (51%) with mixed CAD; of these, 152 (57%) had CVC, 103 (39%) had AVC, and 11 (4%) had MAC (p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Isolated left CAD is associated with AVC or CVC more frequently than with MAC. In contrast, isolated right CAD is associated with MAC or CVC, but rarely with AVC.

Background and Aim of the Study: Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a rare and histologically benign tumor, but it may have malignant propensity for life-threatening complications. Herein are described four cases of PFE which reflect the clinical diversity of this lesion. The diagnostic and surgical approach utilized is also briefly reviewed., Methods: The files of four patients with cardiac valvular PFE treated at the authors' center between January 2002 and November 2003 were reviewed. The diagnosis was strongly suggested by echocardiography. Tumors were noted in aortic (n = 2), mitral (n = 1) and tricuspid (n = 1) sites. Indications for surgery were myocardial infarction (both aortic tumors), previous stroke (mitral tumor), and preventive (tricuspid tumor)., Results: Surgical excision with a conservative, valve-sparing approach was performed in all cases. For the first aortic tumor, the aortic valve was reconstructed with a patch of autologous pericardium. None of the patients had evidence of valvular regurgitation after excision on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, and all had an uneventful recovery. There were no cases of recurrence or regurgitation on follow up echocardiography., Conclusion: PFE is an uncommon but increasingly recognized cause of embolic phenomena. Prompt identification allows for surgical excision, which seems to be curative, safe and well-tolerated. A conservative valve-sparing approach is recommended because of the absence of recurrence after total excision.

Background and Aim of the Study: Valvular heart disease, with a propensity for the left valves, is the most important cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Libman-Sacks endocarditis complicating SLE has rarely been reported to cause hemodynamically significant valvular lesions necessitating valve replacement., Methods: This report describes a young woman with moderate aortic regurgitation and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation due to Libman-Sacks endocarditis., Results: Treatment consisted of aortic and mitral valve replacement with mechanical prostheses due to intractable heart failure. The patient's recovery was uneventful., Conclusion: A literature survey disclosed only nine reports of double-valve replacement in patients with SLE. These findings, together with the present experience, suggest that valvular disease in SLE changes frequently with time, appears to be temporally unrelated to the other clinical features of SLE, and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroid treatment may slow the progression of valvular regurgitation. If surgery is necessary, replacement with a mechanical valve may be better than with a bioprosthesis.

Acquired left ventricle-to-right atrium communications are a known complication of valvular heart surgery. Previous reports have described the clinical features and diagnosis using cardiac catheterization. We report two cases of acquired left ventricle-to-right atrium fistula following mitral valve replacement. Particular emphasis is placed on the diagnosis using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, obviating the need for cardiac catheterization before repair.

Background and Aim of the Study: Increasing numbers of elderly (aged > 80 years) patients are being referred for cardiac surgery, and results for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are generally better than for combined CABG and valve replacement., Methods: During the past 55 months, 77 octogenarians underwent cardiac intervention in our institution. Forty-five patients (mean age 82.5 years) underwent CABG alone; surgery was elective in 33% of patients and 2.7 +/- 1.0 grafts per patient were performed. Thirty-two patients (mean age 82.4 years) underwent combined CABG and valve surgery (28 aortic, four mitral); 2.1 +/- 0.8 grafts per patient were performed and 65% of cases were emergencies., Results: In patients undergoing CABG alone, the operative mortality rate was 2% and rose to 4% (n = 2) at the end of follow up. Mean NYHA functional class improved significantly from 3.5 +/- 0.5 to 1.4 +/- 0.3 after surgery (p < 0.05) and most patients reported marked improvement in their quality of life. In CABG + valve surgery patients, the operative mortality rate was 6% (n = 2) and reached 18% by the end of follow up. In these patients the complication rate was 24% and mean hospitalization stay 11.0 +/- 2.9 days, while mean NYHA functional class improved from 3.4 +/- 0.6 to 1.2 +/- 0.5. Data analysis revealed that mitral regurgitation combined with coronary artery disease (p < 0.03) and prolonged cross-clamping time (p < 0.01) were the most important independent factors for mortality., Conclusion: This study confirms that, in selected elderly patients, combined CABG and cardiac surgery can achieve good postoperative results.

Background and Aim of the Study: Significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) can contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in patients after mitral valve replacement (MVR), both in the immediate and late postoperative period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the clinical importance of TR late after MVR, as assessed both clinically and echocardiographically., Methods: The study group comprised 65 patients (39 women, 26 men; mean age 61+/-12 years) with rheumatic heart disease who had undergone MVR without tricuspid valve surgery between one and 30 years (mean 11.3+/-8 years) before their last clinical examination. All patients underwent a complete color-Doppler echocardiographic examination. The predominant presurgical mitral lesion was stenosis in 44 patients and regurgitation in 21. The severity of the tricuspid valve disease was assessed echocardiographically using color-Doppler flow images and flow direction in the inferior vena cava or hepatic veins, and by clinical evaluation., Results: Echocardiography revealed significant late TR in 44 patients (67%), which was moderate in 16 and severe in 28, and evident on physical examination in 24 cases (37%). Age (relative risk (RR) = 1.1; C.I. 1-1.1) and female sex (RR = 1.8; C.I. = 1.0-3.2) were identified as statistically significant predictors for late clinical TR development, but only age was found as a statistically significant predictor for echocardiographic TR development. An elevated RR for organic TR and predominant mitral regurgitation was found. In contrast, pre- and postoperative pulmonary artery pressure, predominant mitral lesion, prosthetic valve gradient and regurgitation were similar in patients with and without late TR., Conclusions: Significant TR diagnosed by echocardiography late after MVR is common, and clinically evident in more than one-third of patients. Therefore, a lower threshold for tricuspid valve repair should be considered when mitral valve surgery is carried out.