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Concomitant severe mitral/tricuspid regurgitation is observed in up to 30% of patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. In symptomatic subjects at high surgical risk, transcatheter treatment is a viable option in the presence of suitable anatomy. We present a case of mitral regurgitation worsening after TriClip implantation in a patient with a previous successful MitraClip intervention. The correction of tricuspid regurgitation by catheter repair improves overall hemodynamics, but it can sometimes paradoxically worsen mitral regurgitation, as herein displayed. Clinical care is needed to detect tricuspid regurgitation-repair induced mitral regurgitation-worsening and ensure optimal management. We report a case of catheter-based tricuspid valve repair reversing the prior success of transcatheter mitral valve repair. The underline mechanism is likely related to the improved right ventricle forward output with a resulting greater preload on the left heart, with increased mitral regurgitation possibly related to increased tethering forces and/or tenting of the mitral valve apparatus.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an established treatment for severe aortic stenosis across a broad spectrum of patient risk profiles. Pre-procedural planning using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) is a fundamental component to ensure acute and long-term procedural success. MSCT can establish the procedural feasibility, the type vascular of approach as well as the device which is more likely to give a good result. Moreover, MSCT is a key tool to estimate the risk of potentially life-threatening complications. In this review, the role of MSCT for pre-procedural TAVR planning will be discussed providing a panoramic overview of the key elements that should be considered when performing TAVR. Additionally, the adjunctive role of fluoroscopy and echocardiography to plan and guide a TAVR procedure will also be discussed.

A 79-year-old man with heart failure was referred to our attention for a degenerated bio-Bentall Mitroflow 27. The Heart Team decided for a valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic valve implantation with an Acurate neo M associated to coronary protection due to high risk of coronary obstruction (CO). Besides the supra-anular design, this case shows additional potential advantages of the Acurate neo in ViV procedures: the upper crown, which is meant to favor supra-anular anchoring, also let to cap the bioprosthesis leaflets and minimize the risk of CO; there is not any interference between the valve cage and the stents protruding into the aorta, avoiding potential stent crushing and assuming an easier future coronary engagement.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) represents a common but serious complication of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI)-and in general of all those examinations requiring iodinated contrast injection-which affects not only renal function but also long-term prognosis. While several prophylactic approaches were designed in order to prevent CI-AKI, most failed to demonstrate clear benefits in randomized trials, and their implementation is therefore discouraged in clinical practice. The most notorious examples include pre-procedural bicarbonate or N-acetylcysteine, and preprocedural withdrawal of ACE inhibitors/Angiotensin receptor blockers. Those strategies that were instead demonstrated effective include the appropriate use of preprocedural hydration, reduction in contrast volume utilization, adoption of techniques for zero- or ultra-low-contrast procedures, and pharmacological treatments with statins. In this brief review, we summarize the main preventive strategies into brief and pragmatic recommendations designed to improve everyday clinical practice.

Background Whether fluoroscopic-echocardiographic fusion imaging (FI) might offer added value for intraprocedural guidance during transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair is yet unknown, and few data exist regarding the safety and feasibility of this novel technology. Methods The aim of this single-center study was to test and validate a FI protocol for intraprocedural monitoring of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair and assess its clinical usefulness. Eighty patients underwent MitraClip implantation using FI guidance (FI+) for either degenerative (35%) or functional (65%) mitral regurgitation and were compared with the last 80 patients before FI introduction, treated using conventional echocardiography and fluoroscopic monitoring (FI−). Results The number of patients treated for functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation was similar between the FI+ and FI− groups, as well as the number of devices implanted (1.51 ± 0.5 vs 1.58 ± 0.6, P = .46). The prevalence of complex mitral anatomy for percutaneous repair was high (32.5%, up to 39.2% in the hybrid arm). Fluoroscopy time was significantly lower in FI+ patients (37.3 ± 14.6 vs 48.3 ± 28.3 min, P = .003), but not kerma area product (91.5 ± 74.1 vs 108.8 ± 105.0 Gy · cm2, P = .23) or procedural time (92.2 ± 36.1 vs 103.1 ± 42.7 min, P = .086). After adjusting for confounding factors (MitraClip XT device and complex anatomy), FI reduced fluoroscopy time (coefficient = −10.4 min; 95% CI, −18.03 to −2.82; P = .007) and improved procedural success at the end of the procedure (odds ratio, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.00 to 8.24; P = .049) and discharge (odds ratio, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.04 to 4.80; P = .039). Rates of periprocedural complications were similar in both groups (8.9% vs 13.0%, P = .40). Conclusions The authors describe the systematic use of an FI protocol for intraprocedural guidance during transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair, demonstrating a reduction in fluoroscopy time and an improvement in procedural success in a population with a high prevalence of challenging mitral anatomy for percutaneous repair.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has a not negligible prevalence and its severity is correlated with poorer outcomes. However, surgical options are rarely offered to these patients because of their high surgical risk. Given that medical therapy plays a limited role in the management of these patients, there is an increasing clinical need for transcatheter treatment options. Although, transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVIs) are still at an early stage, emerging data suggests their clinical effectiveness and safety, with preliminary results highlighting the potential benefits of transcatheter treatments over medical therapy. In this review, we highlight the challenges and future directions of current and emerging technologies dedicated to the treatment of TR along with an analysis of the next steps required in future clinical trials and studies dedicated to the treatment of the forgotten valve.

Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV-TAVR) is an emerging alternative to re-do surgery. However, the challenge of coronary access (CA) following ViV-TAVR is a potential limitation as TAVR expands to younger lower-risk populations.Using post-implantation computed tomography (CT) scans to evaluate the geometrical relationship between coronary ostia and valve frame in patients undergoing ViV-TAVR with the ACURATE neo valve.Post-implant CT scans of 18 out of 20 consecutive patients treated with the ACURATE neo valve were analyzed. Coronary ostia location in relation to the highest plane (HP) (highest point of the ACURATE neo or surgical valve) was determined. Ostia located below the highest plan were further subclassified according to the gap available between the transcatheter heart valve frame and ostium (transcatheter-to-coronary [TTC] distance). The impact implantation depth has on these geometrical relationships was evaluated.A total of 21 out of 36 coronary ostia (58%) were located below the level of the HP with the left coronary artery (36%) more likely to be affected than the right (22%). Further sub-classification of these ostia revealed a large (6 mm), moderate (4-6 mm), and small (4 mm) TTC distance in 57% (12/21), 38% (8/21), and in 6% (1/18) of cases, respectively. At an implantation depth4 mm compared to4 mm, all ostia were located below the HP with no difference in post-procedural mean gradients (14.5 mmHg ± 4.7 vs. 12.6 mmHg ± 5.8; p = .5, 95%CI 3.8-7.5).CA following ACURATE neo implantation for ViV-TAVR could potentially be challenging in a significant proportion of patients and specific consideration should be given to the implantation depth.

TAVR in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) represents a challenging scenario. Valve sizing and positioning are the most important determinants of procedural success. In BAV the maximal prosthesis-anatomy interference occurs at the supra-annular level. Supra-annular prosthesis implantation may improve valve sealing and hemodynamic result. In this case series, we propose a new site for prosthesis implantation, guided CT scan supra-annular sizing for BAV undergoing TAVR.

Three-dimensional multiplanar reconstruction was used to diagnose recurrence of mitral regurgitation after MitraClip implantation in a 71-year-old man. Subsequent mitral valve surgery in such a case is high risk, and repeat MitraClip intervention could be feasible but is technically challenging. This imaging series demonstrates that LVAD implantation may be a solution to address MitraClip failure.

Aims Renal dysfunction is common in heart failure. Recent evidence suggests a pivotal role for systemic venous congestion and functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) in the pathophysiology of renal dysfunction. We investigated the role of FTR as a determinant of renal dysfunction and a predictor of long-term prognosis in chronic systolic heart failure patients. Methods and results Four hundred and thirteen consecutive patients (mean age 74.2 ± 11 years) with chronic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction below 50% were enrolled. The FTR severity was quantified by transthoracic echocardiography. Renal function was evaluated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate measured by the simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. The association between moderate/ severe FTR and renal dysfunction, and its impact on heart failure episodes and overall mortality were also assessed. The medianfollow-upwas36months(range1-144months). Through multivariate analysis, the interaction between moderate/severe FTR with tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion less than 16mm was found to be an independent determinant of renal dysfunction [odds ratio 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5, P U0.04]. Moderate/severe FTR (hazard ratio 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-2.7, P U0.02) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion below 16mm (hazard ratio 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-3.7, P U0.01) were significantly related to the heart failure episodes. Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a worse outcome in patients with moderate/severe FTR (log-rank test 8.6, P U0.003). Conclusions The combination of significant FTR and right ventricular dysfunction, but not FTR and right ventricular dysfunction alone, is independently associated with renal dysfunction. The presence of significant FTR is related to an excess event rate of heart failure and has significant impact on outcome. J Cardiovasc Med 2017, 18:60-68.

A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for severe tricuspid regurgitation caused by cardioverter-defibrillator lead impingement; treatment with MitraClip system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA) was attempted. After realizing the impossibility of grasping in the regurgitant area because of extensive leaflets gap, we implanted a clip in another commissure, even in the absence of regurgitation originating from that area. In this way, we achieved a significant acute valve remodelling, which allowed the subsequent successful deployment of a second clip in the regurgitant area. This proposed dual-staged approach can be considered systematically for the treatment of anatomies generally regarded as unfavourable or unsuitable.

Percutaneous treatment of tricuspid valve regurgitation using MitraClip can be performed safely achieving improvement in reduction of regurgitation. Tricuspid valve shows different anatomic variations, in particular regarding the number of leaflets, which could represent a challenge for transcatheter valve intervention. We present a case of massive tricuspid regurgitation in a 4-leaf clover valve. We implanted a first MitraClip into the anteroseptal commissure and then a second one between the 2 posterior leaflets, with a successful reduction of residual regurgitation. In conclusion, this approach can be safely performed in a 4-leaflet right ventricular valve.

Aim The aim of this study is to describe our 9-year experience in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as a routine intra-procedural imaging modality with trans-oesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a backup. Methods and results From January 2008 to December 2017, 1218 patients underwent transfemoral TAVR at our Institution. Except the first 20 cases, all procedures have been performed under conscious sedation, with fluoroscopic guidance and TTE imaging monitoring. Once the TTE resulted suboptimal for final result assessment or a complication was either suspected or identified on TTE, TEE evaluation was promptly performed under general anaesthesia. Only 24 (1.9%) cases required a switch to TEE: 6 cases for suboptimal TTE prosthetic valve leak (PVL) quantification; 12 cases for haemodynamic instability; 2 cases for pericardial effusion without haemodynamic instability; 4 cases for urgent TAVR. The 30-days and 1-year all-cause mortality were 2.1% and 10.2%, respectively. Cardiac mortality at 30-days and 1-year follow-up were 0.6% and 4.1%, respectively. Intra-procedural and pre-discharge TT evaluation showed good agreement for PVL quantification (k agreement: 0.827, P = 0.005). Conclusion TTE monitoring seems a reasonable imaging tool for TAVR intra-procedural monitoring without delay in diagnosis of complications and a reliable paravalvular leak assessment. However, TEE is undoubtedly essential in identifying the exact mechanism in most of the complications.

The right ventricle and tricuspid valve (TV) have long been neglected by cardiologists. Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is nowadays the most common cause of severe TR and is emerging as a prognostic factor in many heart diseases. A multimodality imaging approach is fundamental for defining the pathophysiology of TR, using both two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiography, as well as CT scan. In particular, 3D echocardiography can characterize TV apparatus and tricuspid annulus; CT offers complementary information about annular structure, and its relationship with the right coronary artery. The following review will describe TV anatomy, define transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic views for evaluating TV morphology, function and TR grading with some clues on interventional perspectives.

We report the case of a 78-year-old man admitted to the emergency department for typical angina onset with evidence of a large aneurysm of the coronary artery venous bypass graft, successfully closed using a percutaneous approach.

Myocardial ischaemia is usually caused by abnormalities of the epicardial coronary arteries. In the past 30 years, however, several studies have shown that abnormalities in the coronary microcirculation may also cause or contribute to myocardial ischaemia in several conditions. In a number of patients who present with anginal attacks in the absence of any apparent cardiac or systemic disease, coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has been suggested to be the unique cause of symptoms.w1 Myocardial blood flow (MBF) abnormalities and the consequent myocardial alterations related to CMD may differ substantially from those caused by flow limiting stenoses in epicardial coronary arteries. In the latter case, the impairment of MBF is generally regional and distributed within the territories subtended by the stenosed artery, resulting in detectable segmental impairment of contractile function. In contrast, in the case of CMD, the abnormality may not necessarily involve the territory subtended by a major coronary branch, but it may affect the whole left ventricle diffusely or be distributed in a scattered manner.1 w1 CMD may be sustained by several pathogenetic mechanisms including structural, functional, and extravascular alterations that can contribute to the condition in different ways. On the basis of the clinical settings in which it occurs, CMD can be classified into four types: (1) dysfunction occurring in the absence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial diseases; (2) dysfunction occurring in the absence of CAD, but in the presence of myocardial diseases; (3) dysfunction occurring concomitantly with CAD; (4) iatrogenic dysfunction.1 CMD in the presence of myocardial diseases is sustained in most instances by adverse remodelling of intramural coronary arterioles, and can be identified by invasive or non-invasive assessment of coronary flow reserve (CFR). CFR—the ratio of MBF during near maximal coronary vasodilatation to basal MBF—is an integrated measure of flow through both …

Background The diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is based mainly on the patient's medical history and physical examination. However, in severe cases a further evaluation including chest X-ray (CXR) may be necessary. At present, lung ultrasound (LUS) is not included in the diagnostic work-up of pneumonia. Aim To describe the ultrasonographic appearance of CAP at presentation and during the follow-up. Methods A total of 102 patients with clinical signs and symptoms suggesting pneumonia, who underwent a clinically driven CXR, were evaluated by LUS on the same day. LUS signs of pneumonia included subpleural lung consolidation, B-lines, pleural line abnormalities, and pleural effusion. The diagnostic gold standard was the ex-post diagnosis of pneumonia made by two independent experienced pediatricians on the basis of clinical presentation, CXR and clinical course following British Thoracic Guidelines recommendations. Results A final diagnosis of pneumonia was confirmed in 89/102 patients. LUS was positive for the diagnosis of pneumonia in 88/89 patients, whereas CXR was positive in 81/89. Only one patient with normal LUS examination had an abnormal CXR, whereas 8 patients with normal CXR had an abnormal LUS. LUS was able to detect pleural effusion resulting from complicated pneumonia in 16 cases, whereas CXR detected pleural effusion in 3 cases. Conclusions LUS is a simple and reliable imaging tool, not inferior to CXR in identifying pleuro-pulmonary alterations in children with suspected pneumonia. During the course of the disease, LUS allows a radiation-free follow-up of these abnormalities. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:280–287. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The diagnosis of bronchiolitis is based mainly on the patient’s medical history and physical examination. However, in severe cases, a further evaluation including chest X-ray (CXR) may be necessary. At present, lung ultrasound (LUS) is not included in the diagnostic work-up of bronchiolitis. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of LUS and CXR in children with bronchiolitis, and to evaluate the correlation between clinical and ultrasound findings. Only patients with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis, who had undergone a CXR, were enrolled in the study. Fifty-two infants underwent LUS and CXR. LUS was also performed in 52 infants without clinical signs of bronchiolitis. LUS was positive for the diagnosis of bronchiolitis in 47/52 patients, whereas CXR was positive in 38/52. All patients with normal LUS examination had a normal CXR, whereas nine patients with normal CXR had abnormal LUS. In these patients, the clinical course was consistent with bronchiolitis. We found that LUS is a simple and reliable tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of bronchiolitis. It is more reliable than CXR, can be easily repeated at the patient’s bedside, and carries no risk of irradiation. In some patients with bronchiolitis, LUS is able to identify lung abnormalities not revealed by CXR. Furthermore, there is a good correlation between clinical and ultrasound findings. Given the short time needed to get a US report, this technique could become the routine imaging modality for patients with bronchiolitis.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (tevar) is commonly performed in selected patients to treat thoracic aortic pathologies. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often used as adjunct to fluoroscopy and angiography (ANGIO) during TEVAR, mainly reducing radiation exposure and contrast load.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of contrast transesophageal echocardiography (cTEE) in the diagnostic characterization of acute aortic syndromes (AAS) [aortic dissection, intramural hematoma, penetrating ulcer]. We enrolled 66 non-consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of AAS. Standard transesophageal echocardiography and cTEE were performed prior to gated-CT angiography, which has been assumed as refer- ence standard. cTEE was obtained with a single bolus of contrast agent injection. The definitive diagnosis of AAS was made in 48 patients by gated-CT angiography: 22 aortic dissections, 15 intramural hematomas and 11 pene- trating aortic ulcers. Standard TEE and cTEE correctly diagnosed AAS in 87 and 100 % (P = 0.03) cases respectively. Standard TEE correctly diagnosed aortic dissection in 20/22 (91 %) and cTEE in 22/22 (100 %) (P = 0.5) cases. cTEE was superior than standard TEE in the visualization of false lumen entry tear (22/22 vs. 16/22, P = 0.03). Standard TEE correctly diagnosed intramural hematoma in 11/15 and cTEE 15/15 (P = 0.12) cases. Microtears were identified in 3 patients by cTEE an in 1 patient by standard TEE (P = 0.4). The presence of focal contrast enhancement was identified in 4 and 0 patients by cTEE and standard TEE respectively (P = 0.06). Both standard and cTEE correctly diagnosed penetrating aortic ulcer in 11/11 (100 %) (P = 1.0) cases. cTEE provides additional value over standard TEE in the diagnosis and in the anatomic and functional characterization of AAS.

We thank Dr Catalano et al. for their interest on our article. The comment raises two important issues, one regarding the test sensitivity and the second, more general, on test feasibility. Assuming the final diagnosis as a gold standard, lung ultrasound (LUS) showed an excellent sensitivity (47/52 vs 38/52 of chest x-ray, 90 vs 73 %), but we have to consider the observational characteristics of the study design, performed in a real-world setting with real patients, real problems, and real doctors, with clinically driven indication to chest xrays. This is typical of an observational effectiveness study; it is not an efficacy study, evaluating the technique under ideal conditions, and the observed results can be more directly relevant to clinical practice but also vulnerable to selection bias [1]. The authors raise concerns about the equipment setting and rationale for chest x-ray prescription. We reported this information in the Methods section: chest x-ray was always requested by the attending physician on the basis of the clinical picture; the equipment used for the lung ultrasound was a Toshiba Nemio machine, equipped with a high-resolution linear probe with frequencies ranging from 6 to 12 MHz. Regarding the second issue on the practical appeal of the method, we reported our gratifying experience in the demanding theater of a neonatal intensive care unit, consistent with the international consensus that the method is simple, safe, and sensitive—when challenged under controlled conditions versus appropriate gold standards [5]. Dr Catalano argues that lung ultrasound relying on artifacts, such as B-lines, is not an evidence-based best-practice imaging clue. We agree with that: LUS is not always able to provide a detailed anatomical definition, especially when we consider B-lines. However, we believe that the usefulness of LUS relies in being an additional imaging tool for the evaluation of the lung, which is quick, bedside, low-cost, non-ionizing, and very sensitive to detect the loss of air content. Of course, LUS should be integrated with other imaging modalities, when a detailed anatomical definition is needed. It is also true that every new diagnostic tool always raises many uncertainties when it is proposed. Given the high versatility and potential clinical implications of adding ultrasound to the regular imaging equipment, we believe it is of importance to deepen the knowledge of this technique to better understand its strengths and limitations. Cardiologists who experienced lung ultrasound as an adjunct to much more technically demanding echocardiography say that “from a technical viewpoint, in the echocardiographic cursus studiorum where 2D echo represents the elementary school, Doppler echo the secondary school, and stress echo University, B-lines correspond to kindergarten [3].” We also concur with Daniel Lichtenstein, who recently stated (Montecarlo Lung Ultrasound School 2013) that it takes 20 s to make a lung scan with V. A. Caiulo (*) School of Ultrasound of Italian Federation of Pediatricians, Piazza Angeli 3, 72100 Brindisi, Italy e-mail: antoniocaiulo@inwind.it

We report the case of a 63-year-old woman admitted to the intensive care unit because of acute decompensated right heart failure. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed severe right ventricular dysfunction with severe tricuspid regurgitation of unknown origin and a large membrane running from the inferior vena cava to the interatrial septum with significant diastolic transmembrane gradient, consistent with the diagnosis of cor triatriatum dexter. The clinical interest of our findings relies on the coexistence of multiple diseases, which actually contributed in a different but synergistic manner to right heart failure.

We describe the case of a young pregnant woman with moderate mitral regurgitation who was admitted to our department for dyspnea. The patient was treated with low-dose diuretic therapy and ventilatory support. At follow-up echocardiographic evaluation, a progressive improvement of mitral regurgitation and pulmonary artery pressure was observed. The most significant hemodynamic changes occurring during pregnancy are reviewed and discussed in the setting of associated mitral regurgitation.

Atrial myxoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor. Its clinical presentation spreads from asymptomatic incidental mass to serious life-threatening cardiovascular complications. We report the case of a 44-year-old man with evening fever and worsening dyspnea in the last weeks, admitted to our hospital for acute pulmonary edema. The cardiac auscultation was very suspicious for mitral valve stenosis, but the echocardiography revealed a huge atrial mass with a diastolic prolapse into mitral valve orifice causing an extremely high transmitral gradient pressure. Awareness of this uncommon acute presentation of atrial myxoma is necessary for timely diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention. © 2013 Andrea Fisicaro et al.

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for persistent fever, myalgias, articular pain, headache, and hypoaesthesia of the scalp. The clinical scenario was typical for giant-cell arteritis. During hospital stay, patient developed fugax amaurosis, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome. The definitive diagnosis of infective endocarditis, supported by transesophageal echocardiography, was confirmed only by culturing the material obtained during angiography and coronary thromboaspiration.

Aortic aneurysms (AAs) can develop in all parts of the aorta and a lot of them remain undetected unless incidentally discovered or until a lifethreatening complication occurs [1,2]. Thoracic aorta is usually studied with computed tomographic imaging (CT),magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography [1,2]. Transthoracic echocardiography (TE) is commonly performed prior to abdominal AA (AAA) repair to evaluate the cardiac structure and function. In a recent paper, a highprevalence of thoracicAA(ATA) inpatientswithAAAassessedbyCThas been reported [3]. In our study we retrospectively enrolled 1942 patients in order to evaluate the prevalence of the ascending thoracic aortic and aortic arch dilatation/aneurysm in patients with AAA that underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TE) prior to surgery. The exclusion criteriawere: the presence of bicuspid aortic valve, previous aortic valve and/or ascending aortic surgery, genetic syndromes (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and others), and inflammatory and traumatic diseases. Thus, 1305 patients were considered eligible for the study. The aortic root and the proximal ascending aorta segments were visualized in the left and rightparasternal long-axis views. Inparasternal view the Valsalva sinuses and the proximal portion of the ascending aorta were measured. In the parasternal short axis bicuspid aortic valve was rule out. The aortic arch was evaluated by suprasternal view between the innominate and left carotid artery. Standardmeasurements were made by the leading edge-to-leading edge diameter in enddiastole taking care to obtain a true perpendicular dimension and appropriate gain settings [4]. Views used for measurements were those that showed the largest diameter of the aortic segment and in particular the maximum diameter measured perpendicular to the long axis of the vessel in that view. All the measurements were achieved in twodimensional mode. We used the absolute values as normal standard references of aortic sizes as follows: 1. Valsalva sinuses: 37 mm inmen and 33 inwomen; 2. Proximal ascending aorta: 34 mm inmen and 31 mm inwomen; and 3. Aortic arch: 32 mm in men and 29 mm in women. Sex-specific criteria wereused todefineanascendingaortic aneurysm:womenN42 mmand men N47 mm, and aortic arch aneurysm: women N32 mm and men N37 mm [5–7]. The study complies with the principles and guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. The clinical characteristics of the study population and the median diameters of the aorta are reported in Tables 1 and 2. 50% of the population had increased diameters of the Valsalva sinuses and proximal portion of ascending aorta, and 25% had the diameter of the aortic arch greater than normal range. Valsalva sinuses were increased in 25% of men and 75% of women. 50% of men and 75% of women had increased diameter of the proximal ascending aorta. The aortic arch diameter was above the normal range in 25% ofmen and 50% ofwomen. On the basis of sex-specific criteria for aneurysm4% of the patients had an ascending aortic aneurysm and 6.5% an aortic arch aneurysm. Furthermore, 2% men had an ascending aortic aneurysm compared with 25.8% of the women (p b 0.0001), and 6.6% men had an aortic arch aneurysm compared with 10.5% of the women (p b 0.4). Thus, we demonstrate a high prevalence of dilatation/aneurysm of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch in patients with AAA evaluated by TE during pre-operative risk stratification. Our study supports the common idea that ATA is commonly misdiagnosed because of its lack of symptoms. Itani et al. estimated the prevalence of asymptomatic ATA between 0.16 and 0.34% [8]. Larrson et al. evaluated the prevalence of ATA in AAA with CT scan, and they reported the presence of thoracic aorta dilatation in more than 25% of 422 patients [3]. Other retrospective studies had already assessed a higher incidence of thoracic aorta repair in patients that had previously undergone to abdominal aortic repair, although in their reports patients with connective disease were included as well. Alegret et al. stated that

abnormalities during the course of the disease. In all cases, clinical improvement was associated with the disappearance of lung ultrasound findings. Lung ultrasound has certainly many limitations and many aspects still need to be clarified. Given the high versatility of the technique and the very promising data obtained in some pathological conditions, we believe it is of importance to describe the lung ultrasound patterns of specific disease, even when, as in bronchiolitis, the diagnosis is mainly based on the clinical signs and symptoms.