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Ann Card Anaesth 2019 Jan-Mar;22(1):79-82

Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Tricuspid regurgitation in carcinoid syndrome leads to significant morbidity and mortality that may warrant a tricuspid valve replacement. However, for patients with high serotonin levels and known hypercoagulable risks, the optimum timing for surgery and postoperative anticoagulation approaches remain unclear. High serotonin-triggered hypercoagulability makes prosthetic valves susceptible to thrombosis. Read More

Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Rep 2019 Jan 8;8(1):e1-e4. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Triemli Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.

 Homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD) compounded with bacterial endocarditis makes open-heart surgery a multidisciplinary challenge.  A 45-year-old African male patient with homozygous SCD presented with right heart decompensation, tricuspid regurgitation, and endocarditis of the aortic valve. Blood coulters were positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci. Read More

Curr Opin Cardiol 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Division of Cardiology, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Purpose Of Review: Worldwide experience in transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention is increasing as more options become available for the treatment of severe tricuspid regurgitation. These devices can be categorized by their primary mechanism of action, including edge-to-edge leaflet devices, space occupying devices, annuloplasty devices, complete valve replacement and caval valve implantation. This review summarizes the current technologies in use, early clinical results and factors that may affect procedural success. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Department, St Luc's Hospital, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

Objective: To analyze our long-term experience with valve-sparing reimplantation technique for the treatment of isolated root aneurysm, aneurysm with significant aortic regurgitation, and for isolated aortic regurgitation.

Methods: Between 1999 and 2017, 440 consecutive patients underwent valve-sparing reimplantation in our institution. The mean age of this cohort was 49 ± 15 years. Read More

PLoS One 2019 11;14(1):e0209994. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America.

Main Objectives: Echocardiographic parameters have been used to predict outcomes for specific intensive care unit (ICU) populations. We sought to define echocardiographic parameters for ICU patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Design, Setting, Participants, And Measurements: This is a historical cohort study of consecutive ICU patients at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) who received CRRT from December 9, 2006, through November 13, 2015. Read More

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Background: Leadless cardiac pacing (LCP) has emerged as a new modality for permanent pacing. We sought to describe comparative outcomes between LCP and transvenous pacemakers.

Methods: Patients receiving LCP (Micra and Nanostim) between 2014-17 at the Mayo Clinic Heart Rhythm Enterprise practice (Rochester, MN; Jacksonville, FL and Scottsdale, AZ) were identified. Read More

ARYA Atheroscler 2018 Jul;14(4):177-182

Pediatric Cardiology Fellow, Pediatric Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is one of the most common cyanotic congenital heart diseases (CHD) in children. Various surgical procedures including palliative shunts and TOF total correction (TFTC) were done with some complications, of which, the most common is pulmonary valve regurgitation (PR). Tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor which reduces pulmonary vascular resistance, and improves right ventricular function and vascular endothelium, and may have some beneficial effects after TFTC. Read More

Int Heart J 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Internal Medicine, Tianjin NanKai Hospital.

Simultaneous left and right-sided native valve infective endocarditis (IE) is rare. Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant organism for bilateral IE. Shunt diseases are common risk factors of both-sided IE. Read More

J Card Surg 2019 Jan 9;34(1):14-19. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Background: We sought to analyze clinical features and surgical results of 10 cases of cardiac myxomas in Carney complex (CNC).

Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2013, 10 patients with cardiac myxomas in CNC underwent surgical resection. Associated cardiac lesions included moderate and severe mitral regurgitation in two cases, and moderate tricuspid regurgitation in one case. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Objectives: Surgical intervention is the main treatment for a ruptured congenital sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA). However, reports on the surgical experience are scarce. We retrospectively analysed the cases of our centre to summarize our 10-year experience. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Internal Medicine, Oberndorf Hospital, Salzburg, Austria.

Herein, we report the case of a 67-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnoea and oedema of the lower extremities. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe tricuspid and mitral regurgitation, and the leaflets of the tricuspid valve were found to be rigid and almost immobile. The plasma concentrations of serotonin and chromogranin A were elevated, and hence, suspicion for carcinoid heart disease was raised. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2018 Oct 25. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Tel-Aviv University Israel, Ramat Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Sackler Faculty of Medicine; Rabin Medical Center, 39 Jabotinsky St. Petah Tikva, Israel, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Background: Late tricuspid regurgitation is a common finding in patients with rheumatic valvular disease after mitral valve replacement surgery. However, the long-term benefit of concomitant tricuspid valve annuloplasty has not been established in this population.

Methods: A single center retrospective study in a tertiary hospital. Read More

Cardiovasc Pathol 2018 Dec 7;39:30-37. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. Electronic address:

Background And Aim Of The Study: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a progressive disease starting from mild valvular sclerosis and progressing to severe aortic stenosis (AS) with calcified valves. The origin of the calcification is proposed to be mesenchymal cells which have differentiated towards an osteoblastic phenotype. Podoplanin is a glycoprotein expressed in the endothelium of lymphatic vessels and in osteoblasts and osteocytes, mesenchymal cells, as well as in many carcinomas and aortic atherosclerotic lesions. Read More

J Invasive Cardiol 2019 Jan;31(1):E4-E5

Interventional Cardiology Unit, University Hospital Puerta de Hierro, c/ Manuel de Falla 1, 28220 Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.

LAA closure and MitraClip implantation in the tricuspid position in the same procedure is a feasible and safe option in patients with a high surgical risk suffering from severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation and bleeding complications under anticoagulant therapy. Read More

Eur Heart J 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.

Transcatheter heart valve interventions have transformed the outcomes of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) who are unfavourable candidates for surgery. Technological advances have allowed extension of these interventions to younger or lower risk patients and those with other forms of VHD and may in the future permit earlier treatment of VHD in less symptomatic patients or those with moderate disease. The balance of risks and benefits is likely to differ between lower and higher risk patients, and more evidence is needed to evaluate the net benefit of transcatheter technology in these groups. Read More

Am J Vet Res 2019 Jan;80(1):51-60

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between acute volume overload and echocardiographic indices of right ventricular (RV) function and dyssynchrony in healthy dogs. ANIMALS 7 healthy Beagles. PROCEDURES Right heart catheterization and echocardiography were performed in 7 healthy anesthetized Beagles at baseline and after induction of volume overload. Read More

Ann Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Nov;7(6):741-747

Intermountain Heart Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Surgical implantation of a complete or incomplete ring to reduce the mitral valve annulus and improve leaflet coaptation is the foundation of valve repair for degenerative and functional mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. The Cardioband system (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) is a catheter-delivered annular reduction system that mimics the surgical approach. Sequential anchors are used to secure the Cardioband implant from trigone to trigone. Read More

Perfusion 2018 Dec 31:267659118820776. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

1 Department of Cardiology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.

Objectives:: To evaluate the impact of concomitant tricuspid valve (TV) repair on the right ventricular (RV) function postoperatively and within the 6 months following degenerative mitral valve (MV) repair.

Methods:: The prospective study included 37 patients (mean age 57.32 ± 2. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Dec 19;70 Suppl 3:S68-S73. Epub 2018 May 19.

IGMC, Shimla, HP, India.

Objective: To report the prevalence, risk factors and consequences of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients of rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Methods: The Himachal Pradesh- Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic Heart Disease (HP-RF/RHD) Registry database of 1918 patients was analyzed. AF was diagnosed with 12-lead ECG recording at entry in to the registry. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Dec 2;70 Suppl 3:S241-S244. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Department of Cardiology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500082 India. Electronic address:

Background: The objective is to assess whether the squaring of tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) gives an improved estimate of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) or is equivalent to the ratio of TRV and time velocity integral of right ventricular outflow tract (TVI) (TRV/TVI) for assessing PVR in patients with high PVR values.

Methods: Thirty patients predicted to have PVR >6 WU by Doppler were included in the present study. TRV and TVI were measured by echo Doppler. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Dec 21. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.

Objectives: A large, prospective international registry was developed to evaluate the initial clinical applications of transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention (TTVI) with different devices.

Background: TTVI for native tricuspid valve dysfunction has been emerging during the last few years as an alternative therapeutic option to serve a large high-risk population of patients with severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Methods: The TriValve Registry included 312 high-risk patients with severe TR (76. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 29;13(1):133. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, China.

Background: The totally thoracoscopic procedure for mitral valve (MV) disease is a minimally invasive method. We investigated the procedure's feasibility, safety and effectiveness when it was performed by an experienced operator.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 53 consecutive patients with MV disease treated between December 2014 and April 2017 by minimally invasive procedures. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 22. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Department of Congenital Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy.

Objectives: Life expectancy of patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot is normal until adulthood, when it becomes burdened by major complications such as cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Ventricular tachycardia (VT), associated with electrical conduction abnormalities in anatomical isthmuses, is the most common complication and is refractory to medical therapy. The arrhythmogenic sources can be surgically ablated during reoperations for pulmonary valve incompetence. Read More

Int Med Case Rep J 2019 17;12:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran,

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is relatively prevalent in patients with thalassemia. PAH treatment is necessary as the prevalence of Doppler-estimated PAH and the resultant mortality is high in such patients.

Materials And Methods: This study aimed at evaluating the effect of bosentan therapy on patients with thalassemia suspected of PAH. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2018 Dec;71(13):1118-1121

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

We experienced an explantation of Wada-Cutter prosthetic tilting disk valve of 47 years after implantation. The patient was 53 years old female who underwent the 1st operation for Ebstein's anomaly, which included tricuspid valve replacement (TVR), closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) and posterior annulorrhaphy when she was 6 years old. She was doing well after the 1st operation without symptom,but dyspnea and systemic edema worsened recently though increased admission of diuretics. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2018 Dec;71(13):1114-1117

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yokkaichi Municipal Hospital, Yokkaichi, Japan.

A 73-year-old male was suffering from severe mitral regurgitation due to P3 torn chorda and moderate tricuspid regurgitation with absent right superior vena cava (RSVC) and persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). The patient successfully underwent mitral valve repair with 2 artificial chords (Gore-Tex CV3)and Cosgrove band 32 mm, tricuspid annuloplasty with Cosgrove band 34 mm, and maze procedure. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established with aortic and double caval cannulation. Read More

Cardiol Young 2018 Dec 27:1-3. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

3Department of Radiology,Children's National Medical Center,Washington,DC,USA.

Premature ductal constriction was diagnosed in a 30-week gestation fetus with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The fetus developed right ventricular hypertrophy and mild tricuspid regurgitation. Foetal neuroimaging showed slowed growth of the brain and increased lactate. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2018 Dec;98(47):3864-3867

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the second hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China.

To study the relationship between the intracardiac echogenic foci and the abnormal chromosome and the changes of Cardiac function. A total of 2645 cases with the gestational age between 14 to 22 weeks were tested in the department of gynecology and obstetrics of the Second Hospital of Jilin University from Jan.2016 to Dec. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Dec 22;11(1). Epub 2018 Dec 22.

General Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.

Acta Biomater 2018 Dec 21. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Healthy function of tricuspid valve (TV) structures is essential to avoid tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and may significantly improve disease prognosis. Mitral valve (MV) structures have been extensively studied, but little is known about the TV and right-sided heart diseases. Therefore, clinical decisions and finite element (FE) simulations often rely heavily on MV data for TV applications, despite fundamentally different mechanical and physiological environments. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pa; Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WVa. Electronic address:

Objective: Ideal heart valve solutions aim to provide thrombosis-free durability. A scaffold-based polycarbonate urethane urea tissue-engineered heart valve designed to mimic native valve microstructure and function was used. This study examined the acute in vivo function of a stented tissue-engineered heart valve in a porcine model. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Nov;11(11):e007145

Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy (V.M., S.M.E.).

Background Pediatric patients with atrioventricular valve disease have limited options for prosthetic valve replacement in sizes <15 mm. Based on successful experience with the stented bovine jugular vein graft (Melody valve) in the right ventricular outflow tract, the prosthesis has been modified for surgical valve replacement in pediatric patients with atrioventricular dysfunction with the intention of subsequent valve expansion in the catheterization laboratory as the child grows. Methods and Results A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was performed among patients who underwent atrioventricular valve replacement with Melody valve at 17 participating sites from North America and Europe, including 68 patients with either mitral (n=59) or tricuspid (n=9) replacement at a median age of 8 months (range, 3 days to 13 years). Read More

Respir Res 2018 Dec 19;19(1):258. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Thoraxklinik at Heidelberg University Hospital, Röntgenstraße 1, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany.

Background: Riociguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator approved for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTPEH). The objective of this study was to evaluate right heart size and function assessed by echocardiography during long term treatment with riociguat.

Methods: Patients who started riociguat treatment (1. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Dec 18. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California.

Transcatheter valve replacement offers a safe and effective alternative to traditional surgical techniques in patients with congenital heart disease, especially those at high surgical risk. The most common causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with D-transposition of the great arteries status post Senning or Mustard repair is severe tricuspid valve (TV) regurgitation. Replacement of the systemic TV may be useful in those without severe systemic ventricular dysfunction. Read More

Congenit Heart Dis 2018 Dec 18. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Pediatric Heart Center of Hessen, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to describe the special aspects of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSD) closure by utilizing Amplatzer Duct Occluder II (ADO II) devices with a rational request for bigger ADO-II sizes, based on our experience in transcatheter device closure of pmVSD.

Methods And Results: At our institution, placement of an ADO II device was used in 15 patients with pmVSD; the patients' age ranged between 6 months and 20 years. The indications for closure were CHF (n = 4), hemodynamically significant shunt (n = 7), tricuspid regurgitation (n = 3), and high risk for infective endocarditis (n = 2), respectively. Read More

Rev Port Cardiol 2018 Dec 13;37(12):991-998. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Cardiology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHLN, CCUL, Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.

Introduction: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is increasing worldwide, mostly because of aging. Percutaneous valve intervention is the preferred therapeutic option in high-risk patients.

Objective: To characterize the profiles of patients with VHD admitted to the cardiology ward at a tertiary referral center. Read More

J Crit Care 2018 Dec 8;50:201-206. Epub 2018 Dec 8.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.

Background: The association of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with sepsis is lesser understood.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit during 2007-2014 for sepsis and septic shock, with echocardiography performed <72 h. PH was defined as tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity (TRV) > 3 m/s on Doppler echocardiography. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan.

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Columbia University Medical Center/NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York.

Objectives: This study presents a single-site experience of 5 patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who underwent implantation of a novel transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement device.

Background: Functional TR is the most common etiology of severe TR in the developed world and is associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Although numerous transcatheter repair devices are currently in early clinical trials, most result in incomplete degrees of TR reduction and functional improvement. Read More

Multimed Man Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 6;2018. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Mie University Graduate School of Medicine 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.

Papillary muscle rupture is a rare complication after myocardial infarction and almost all cases occur in the mitral valve papillary muscle. Tricuspid regurgitation development after right ventricular myocardial infarction caused by papillary muscle rupture is extremely rare.  In this video tutorial we present a 70-year-old man with massive tricuspid regurgitation caused by papillary muscle rupture after percutaneous stenting of the right coronary artery. Read More

Eur Heart J 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

The Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, USA.

Aims: Prevalent right ventricular (RV) dysfunction (RVD) is associated with increased mortality in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but no study has characterized long-term changes in RV structure and function within the same patient.

Methods And Results: Patients with unequivocal HFpEF defined by either invasive haemodynamics or hospitalization for pulmonary oedema (n = 271) underwent serial echocardiographic evaluations >6 months apart. Clinical, structural, functional, and haemodynamic characteristics were examined. Read More

Heart 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lancashire Cardiac Centre, Blackpool, UK.

Objective: The objective of this multicentre study was to compare short-term and midterm outcomes between sternotomy and minimally invasive approaches for mitral valve surgery.

Methods: Data for all mitral valve procedures with or without concomitant tricuspid atrial fibrillation surgery were analysed from three UK hospitals between January 2008 and December 2016. To account for selection bias between minimally invasive approach and sternotomy, one-to-one propensity score calliper matching without replacement was performed. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 102, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.

There is paucity of long-term data on adult survivors after biventricular repair of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS) and pulmonary stenosis (PS). This study aimed to determine the cardiac and non-cardiac outcomes of adult survivors after biventricular repair of PAIVS and PS. The cardiac, neurodevelopmental and liver problems of 111 adults, 40 with PAIVS and 71 with PS, were reviewed. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California.

Objectives: To describe a multi-center experience of percutaneous transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) using the Edwards Sapien S3 Valve.

Background: Off-label use of the Sapien S3 valve can allow for TPVR in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and large diameter dysfunctional right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). The initial experience at five centers with the SAPIEN S3 valve for TPVR is presented with a focus on procedural techniques, success, complications, and efficacy. Read More

Rom J Morphol Embryol 2018 ;59(3):903-909

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania;

A 46-year-old female diagnosed several years ago with arterial hypertension and an ischemic stroke with significant recovery was admitted for dyspnea on usual physical activity and fatigue. Physical examination revealed signs of heart failure with crackles on both lung bases, distented jugular veins, accentuated pulmonic valve closure (P2) and tricuspid regurgitation murmur. Echocardiography identified a large tumor in the left atrium, suggestive of atrial myxoma, which caused a severe functional mitral stenosis and produced severe pulmonary hypertension. Read More

EuroIntervention 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Cardiology, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Ann Thorac Surg 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC 27705. Electronic address:

Background: Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) is a common finding immediately after cardiac transplantation. However, there is a scarcity of data regarding its implication if left untreated on long term outcomes and the role of early surgical repair.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the Duke University Medical Center transplant database from January 2000 to June 2012 and identified a total of 542 patients that underwent orthotropic heart transplantation (OHT). Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Oct 3. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Objective: Carcinoid heart disease is characterized by tricuspid valve regurgitation and varying degrees of pulmonary valve regurgitation or stenosis. Valve replacement procedures may be complicated by systemic effects of carcinoid syndrome, as well as hepatic dysfunction and right heart failure. This study was performed to identify factors that might be associated with improving early mortality rates and late outcomes. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2018 Dec 29;34(12):1687.e1-1687.e2. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

We provide an update on Canada's first neonatal heart transplant recipient who, after cardiac retransplantation, underwent a mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair. Twenty-seven years after his initial heart surgery and 13 years after his most recent transplant, this patient developed heart failure with severe mitral regurgitation secondary to a calcified mitral valve. The patient was highly sensitized with no evidence of allograft rejection; therefore, mitral and tricuspid surgery was performed. Read More