Search

Takayasu's Arteritis (TA) is a rare, chronic large-vessel vasculitis that can lead to severe cardiac complications and life-threatening outcomes. Early diagnosis is essential for improving patient prognosis, but its nonspecific clinical presentation and laboratory findings often cause delays. We present a 34-year-old woman with a history of heart murmur who presented with chest pain but no additional symptoms. Imaging revealed aortic regurgitation, ventricular septal defect, myocardial ischemia, pericarditis, aortic wall thickening, and multivessel stenoses, leading to a diagnosis of Takayasu's Arteritis, treated with coronary bypass and aortic tube graft surgery. Takayasu's Arteritis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with atypical clinical features and cardiac involvement, particularly in cases with valvular disease. This case highlights the essential role of multimodal imaging in the detection and management of TA.

A 46-year-old woman presented for a routine echocardiogram, which revealed a giant atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) with an atrial septal defect (ASD). We surgically excised the ASA and closed the ASD with a pericardial patch. ASA, although rare, poses embolic risks, thus necessitating closure when associated with shunts. Optimal stroke prevention remains uncertain.

Sr. Editor: La insuficiencia cardiaca crónica es la tercera causa de mortalidad cardiovascular en los países desarrollados, y mayoritariamente es de etiología isquémica1. A pesar del tratamiento médico óptimo según las guías, existe un importante número de pacientes que persisten sintomáticos y para ellos han surgido en los últimos años diferentes procedimientos con el objetivo de detener el remodelado ventricular patológico. El sistema Revivent (BioVentrix Inc., Estados Unidos) es un procedimiento de reconstrucción ventricular híbrida mediante el implante de microanclas por acceso endovascular y minitoracotomía izquierda para crear una plicatura longitudinal del tejido cicatricial sin precisar esternotomía media ni circulación extracorpórea. Está esencialmente indicado en pacientes con miocardiopatía isquémica y zonas aneurismáticas anterolaterales o apicales con escara transmural tanto en el ventrículo izquierdo (VI) como en el septo del ventrículo derecho (VD), determinadas por resonancia magnética, para evitar desgarros musculares, y que persisten con insuficiencia cardiaca crónica avanzada en clase > III de la New York Heart Association (NYHA) pese al tratamiento médico óptimo2. Biffi et al.3, en 203 pacientes, comunicaron una mortalidad hospitalaria del 1,4% y una supervivencia a 1 año del 90%. Los ensayos clínicos STICH4 y RESTORE5 registraron una mortalidad intrahospitalaria del 6% y del 5,1%, y una supervivencia a...

To the Editor, Chronic heart failure (CHF) is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in developed countries, and is mostly of ischemic etiology.1 Despite the optimal medical therapy based on the clinical practice guidelines, many patients remain symptomatic for whom different procedures have become available over the last few years to stop pathological ventricular remodeling. The Revivent system (BioVentrix Inc., United States) is a hybrid ventricular reconstruction procedure that works by implanting micro-anchors via endovascular access and left mini thoracotomy to create a longitudinal plication of scar tissue without the need for mid sternotomy or extracorporeal circulation. Basically it is indicated in patients with ischemic heart disease and anterolateral or apical aneurysmal regions with transmural scar in both the left ventricle (LV) and right septum (RS)—according to the magnetic resonance imaging—to prevent muscle tears, and who still have persistent advanced CHF and NYHA functional class (FC) > III despite the optimal medical therapy.2 Biffi et al. confirmed an in-hospital mortality rate of 1.4%, and a 1-year survival rate of 90% in 203 patients.3 The STICH4 and RESTORE5 clinical trials revealed in-hospital mortality rates of 6% and 5.1%, respectively, and 18-month survival rates of 85% and 88%, respectively, after surgical therapy in patients...

Resumen: Introducción y objetivos: La donación en asistolia controlada se ha convertido en una de las principales estrategias para aumentar el número de donantes. Hasta el momento el corazón de este tipo de donantes no era valorado por el riesgo de lesión isquémica durante la limitación del soporte vital. En los últimos años, con los sistemas de perfusión ex situ se iniciaron programas de donación cardiaca en asistolia controlada que demostraron la viabilidad miocárdica. El uso de perfusión regional normotérmica en nuestro medio y la experiencia de otros países en la recuperación cardiaca nos lleva a elaborar un protocolo de extracción cardiaca en asistolia controlada con valoración in situ y conservación en frío. Métodos: Se conforma un equipo multidisciplinar que realiza un protocolo de extracción cardiaca con donante en asistolia controlada. Tras una fase de experimentación animal, dicho protocolo es aprobado por el Comité de Ética para la Asistencia Sanitaria y por la Organización Nacional de Trasplantes. Resultados: Se realiza un protocolo que establece los criterios de selección de donantes y receptores y que regula el procedimiento de donación con perfusión toracoabdominal tras exclusión de los troncos supraaórticos. La valoración cardiaca es in situ y la conservación estática, en frío. Este protocolo se comunica al resto de hospitales donantes, y esto nos lleva a realizar el primer trasplante cardiaco en España con asistolia controlada. Conclusiones: El trasplante cardiaco con donación en asistolia controlada es una realidad clínica que permitirá aumentar el número de potenciales donantes. Las características técnicas del procedimiento hacen que este tipo de donación se deba concentrar en centros con experiencia. Abstract: Introduction and objectives: Donation after circulatory death has become one of the main strategies to increase the number of donors. Until now, the heart of this type of donor was not evaluated due to the risk of ischaemic injury during the withdrawal of life support. In recent years, ex situ perfusion systems have initiated cardiac donation programmes after circulatory death that have demonstrated myocardial viability. The use of normothermic regional perfusion in our environment and the experience of other countries in cardiac recovery led us to develop a protocol for cardiac procurement in donation after circulatory death with in situ assessment and cold preservation. Methods: A multidisciplinary team was formed to create a cardiac extraction protocol with donation after circulatory death. After a phase of animal experimentation, the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee for Health Care and by the National Transplant Organization. Results: A protocol was drawn up establishing the criteria for donor and recipient selection and regulating the donation procedure with thoracic-abdominal perfusion after exclusion of the supra-aortic trunks. Cardiac evaluation is in situ and static preservation in cold storage. This protocol was sent to the rest of the donor hospitals and this led us to perform the first heart transplant in Spain with this donation modality. Conclusions: Cardiac transplantation with donation after circulatory death is a clinical reality that will increase the number of potential donors. The technical characteristics of the procedure mean that this type of donation should be performed in experienced centres.

Resumen: El tratamiento quirúrgico preventivo de los aneurismas de raíz de aorta fue posible gracias a la técnica descrita en la década de los sesenta por Bentall-Bono, que permitió una mejora de la supervivencia en este tipo de pacientes. La cirugía de preservación valvular aórtica surge para evitar los efectos adversos derivados de la anticoagulación crónica y de las prótesis valvulares relacionadas con este procedimiento. Los resultados de estas técnicas en centros de referencia son excelentes, estableciéndose como una herramienta fundamental en el arsenal terapéutico del cirujano cardiovascular en esta patología. Para obtener los mejores resultados, su uso debe quedar limitado a centros de experiencia en este tipo de patologías. Abstract: The development of the Bentall-Bono technique in the 1960s allowed the prophylactic treatment of the aortic root aneurysms, increasing the survival of these patients. Valve sparing techniques were developed later, in a response to the potential complications related to mechanical prosthesis and long-term anticoagulation associated to the Bentall-Bono procedure. The results of these techniques in the hands of experienced teams are excellent, and they have become an important tool in the therapeutic arsenal of the cardiovascular surgeon in this pathology. In order to achieve the best surgical results, these techniques should be performed in experienced centres.

BackgroundThe use of cardioplegia solutions as a myocardial protection technique is essential during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The del Nido cardioplegia solution (DNS) has been widely used as a myocardial preservation technique for pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Its unique pharmacological features have created growing interest for adult cardiac surgery, especially for elderly patients or those with ventricular dysfunction who are more prone to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ever since its implementation, several retrospective studies have been published to validate the efficacy, safety, and efficiency of DNS in adult patients undergoing coronary revascularization, valve replacement, or combined procedures. Recently, a meta-analysis based on nine retrospective studies was published claiming the noninferiority of DNS compared to other conventional cardioplegia solutions. Few prospective randomized studies have been conducted whose primary outcome was the assessment of DNS clinical efficacy compared to other solutions commonly used in adult patients. ObjectiveThe aim of this randomized clinical trial is to assess the benefits of DNS compared to Cardi-Braun blood cardioplegia solution in clinical and biochemical terms regarding myocardial protection during adult cardiac surgery. MethodsThis is the protocol of a controlled, randomized, single-center clinical trial carried out at the Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda University Hospital in Spain. A total of 474 participants over the age of 18 years undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass will be assigned to groups by simple randomization to receive either DNS or Cardi-Braun blood cardioplegia solution. The primary outcome will be the differences between groups in myocardial protection in biochemical terms (ie, perioperative troponin levels) and clinical terms (ie, presence of the composite variable acute cardiovascular event). The clinical trial will be carried out under conditions of respect for the fundamental rights of the person and the ethical principles that affect biomedical research with human beings, as well as in accordance with international recommendations contained in the Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent revisions. ResultsThe inclusion process started in 2018. Data cleaning and analyses are expected to take place in the fall of 2020 and the results are expected in January 2021. ConclusionsThis study is particularly relevant as it will be one of the first to analyze the clinical effects of del Nido cardioplegia on the basis of direct myocardial protection parameters. In light of published studies, carrying out prospective studies based on primary clinical objectives with a larger sample, high-risk patients, and longer cardiopulmonary bypass times continues to be necessary. We believe that our study addresses an important gap in the knowledge of del Nido cardioplegia in adult patient cardiac surgery and will be able to clarify the possible benefits of this method in a large population of patients undergoing these procedures. Trial RegistrationEuropean Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT) 2017-005144-14; https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=2017-005144-14+; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04094168; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04094168 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/17826

Los hibernomas cardiacos son tumores benignos extremadamente infrecuentes. Suelen ser asintomáticos, pero pueden causar complicaciones como arritmias, embolización, derrame pericárdico y obstrucción del flujo sanguíneo. Presentamos el caso de un hibernoma en la aurícula derecha y alrededor de la vena cava superior en una paciente asintomática, con antecedentes de cáncer de mama en completa remisión. El tumor resultó ser un hallazgo casual en un FDG-PET/TC. El ecocardiograma transtorácico, transesofágico, así como la resonancia magnética cardiaca facilitaron el diagnóstico diferencial. No obstante, el diagnóstico definitivo de estos tumores es histopatológico. Aunque son tumores benignos y la malignización es excepcional, la resección quirúrgica es el tratamiento de elección para prevenir complicaciones potenciales. Se llevó a cabo una resección del tumor lo que permitió el diagnóstico definitivo de hibernoma benigno. La evolución posterior fue excelente.