Balloon valvuloplasty for fungal endocarditis induced stenosis of a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve

Palliative treatment was provided without complications by double balloon valvuloplasty of a stenotic porcine tricuspid valve in a patient with fungal endocarditis. With two 15 mm diameter valvulotomy balloons the peak tricuspid gradient decreased from 21 to 7 mm Hg and valve area increased from 0.3 to 1.2 cm². After the procedure the patient clinically improved; however, valve replacement was not performed as planned because the patient developed an intracranial hemorrhage. She subsequently died of complications of fungemia. The present report demonstrates the possible use of valvuloplasty as a palliative procedure in selected patients with valvular stenosis involved with endocarditis.     

Percutaneous valvuloplasty for severe bioprosthetic tricuspid valve stenosis in the setting of infective endocarditis

Bioprosthetic tricuspid valve stenosis as a sequela of infective endocarditis is extremely rare. We describe the case of a 29‐year‐old male patient with a history of intravenous drug use and two previous bioprosthetic tricuspid valve placements who presented with recurrent endocarditis and severe tricuspid stenosis. He was deemed extremely high risk for redo valve replacement surgery. Intracardiac ultrasound‐guided balloon valvuloplasty was performed with good clinical outcome. We believe that interventional treatment of prosthetic valvular stenosis in the setting of endocarditis is a reasonable therapeutic choice when open surgical repair is associated with prohibitively high mortality. This can be performed either as destination therapy or as a bridge to valve replacement. The use of intracardiac ultrasound provided additive information to that obtained by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Catheter balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic aortic valves--Part II: Balloon valvuloplasty during life subsequent tissue examination.

This review describes 23 patients with aortic valve stenosis who underwent balloon valvuloplasty during life and had subsequent valve tissue examined at the time of aortic valve replacement or at necropsy. Of 23 stenotic aortic valves, 17 were examined within 30 days (early) after balloon dilation. Of these 94% had nonrheumatic (nonfused commissures) etiologies for the aortic stenosis. Of the 6 valves examined after 30 days (late) (restenosis), mechanisms of restenosis involve refusion of split commissures and probable elastic recoil. Clinical prediction of the aortic stenosis etiology prior to balloon valvuloplasty may help predict short- and long-term success of the dilation procedure.     

Treatment of prosthetic tricuspid valve thrombosis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator

Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was admministeredintravenously to a 64-years old female with thrombotic malfunctionof a Björk–Shiley prosthetic tricuspid valve. 150mg of single-chain rt-PA was infused over 8 hours followed byan additional dose of 50 mg over the next 8 hours. At the endof the first infusion, restoration of normal valve functionwas demonstrated by fluoroscopic and echo-Doppler examinations.Mild systemic activation of the fibrinolytic system occurred,with a decrease of fibrinogen and ₂-antiplasmin to 53% and 33%,respectively, of the preinfusion value at the nadir.     

Treatment of prosthetic tricuspid valve thrombosis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator

Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was admministeredintravenously to a 64-years old female with thrombotic malfunctionof a Björk–Shiley prosthetic tricuspid valve. 150mg of single-chain rt-PA was infused over 8 hours followed byan additional dose of 50 mg over the next 8 hours. At the endof the first infusion, restoration of normal valve functionwas demonstrated by fluoroscopic and echo-Doppler examinations.Mild systemic activation of the fibrinolytic system occurred,with a decrease of fibrinogen and ₂-antiplasmin to 53% and 33%,respectively, of the preinfusion value at the nadir.     

二尖瓣狭窄并中度反流的经皮二尖瓣球囊扩张术42例及随访观察

目的　探讨二尖瓣狭窄 (MS)并中度反流 (MR)患者经皮二尖瓣球囊扩张术 (PBMV)近远期疗效。方法　采用Inoue单球囊对 42例风心病二尖瓣狭窄并中度反流患者行PAMV治疗。结果　二尖瓣口面积由 (0 92± 0 2 2 )cm2 增至 (1 94± 0 2 5 )cm2 (P <0 0 1) ;二尖瓣跨瓣压差由 (2 7± 1 0 1)kPa降至 (1 0 2± 0 5 6 )kPa(P <0 0 1) ;心功能由 (2 6 1± 0 2 2 )级改善至 (1 42± 0 46 )级 (P <0 0 1) ;左室最大前后径无明显变化 (P >0 0 5 )。 2例患者二尖瓣反流较术前加重。随访 37例患者 (18± 4)个月 ,二尖瓣口面积、左室最大前后径及心功能与术后比较 ,均无明显变化 (P >0 0 5 )。结论　掌握好病例选择 ,严格把握球囊扩张尺度 ,风心病二尖瓣狭窄并中度反流患者PBMV近、远期疗效满意     

Assessing prosthetic heart valve function. Value of Doppler echocardiography and patient/prosthetic valve identity and follow-up card

Doppler echocardiography is being used increasingly in the follow-up of patients with valvular heart prostheses because it provides unique hemodynamic information about flow through prosthetic valves. A baseline checkup about 3 months after implantation is now recommended. We therefore now supply each patient with an identity and follow-up card for each particular prosthesis.     

Assessment of tricuspid valve by two‐ and three‐dimensional echocardiography with special reference to percutaneous repair and prosthetic valve implantation procedures

Moderate‐to‐severe tricuspid regurgitation affects approximately 1.6 million people in the United States. An estimated 8000 patients will undergo tricuspid surgery annually, leaving a large number of patients with this condition untreated. Many of these individuals who are not referred for surgery engender a large unmet clinical need; this may be primarily due to the surgical risk involved. In persons who are categorized as high‐risk surgical candidates, percutaneous procedures present a viable alternative. The majority of developmental attention as regards percutaneous approaches has been focused on the aortic and mitral valves recently, but few data are available about the feasibility and efficacy of minimally invasive tricuspid valve treatment. We review the usefulness of two‐ and three‐dimensional echocardiography in the assessment of the tricuspid valve with special reference to recent interest in percutaneous repair and prosthetic valve implantation procedures for severe functional tricuspid regurgitation.     

Pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome

Abstract

We report a successful treatment in a patient with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) presenting with left pulmonary truncal thromboembolism and right pleural effusion. A treatment with urokinase infusion by a Swan-Gants catheter near a left pulmonary thrombus was performed and left pulmonary arterial occlusions were recanalized completely. After corticosteroid therapy was started, right pleural effusion disappeared. Both anticoagulant and corticosteroid therapy was necessary for treatment in HES patients who had thromboembolic episodes.     

Pulmonary valvuloplasty in a case of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

A 15-year-old girl with known Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) type IV presented with severe pulmonary valve stenosis requiring intervention. We describe successful pulmonary valvuloplasty using a 90% balloon/annulus angioplasty balloon. The procedure was complicated by early restenosis suggesting an abnormal scarring response in EDS IV.     

Successful implantation of leadless pacemaker in a patient with giant right atrium and tricuspid valve stenosis

With the steadily increasing amount of leadless pacemaker implantations performed worldwide, it has called attention to the delivery difficulty in patients with severe large right heart. Nevertheless, limited studies have reported leadless pacemaker implantation in patients with tricuspid stenosis. Here, we report the successful implantation of leadless pacemaker in a 60‐year‐old female patient with giant right atrium and tricuspid valve stenosis. It is highlighted that leadless pacemaker should not be discouraged even if there are tricuspid valve stenosis and giant right atrium.     

Ross procedure after prosthetic valve thrombosis in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent bleeding

The Ross procedure allows replacement of a diseased aortic valve with pulmonary root autograft, possibly avoiding the highly thrombotic mechanical valves and immunologic deterioration of tissue valves in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Here, we present the use of the Ross procedure in a 42-year-old woman with mild intellectual disability, APS, and a complex anticoagulation history after she presented with thrombosis of her mechanical On-X aortic valve previously implanted for non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis.     

Catheter balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic aortic valves. Part I: Anatomic basis and mechanisms of balloon dilation

Catheter balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic aortic valves has met with generally poor short- and long-term clinical results. Part of this problem resides with the lack of recognition of various etiologies of aortic stenosis. Part I of this review discusses the various etiologies of aortic stenosis and provides an anatomic basis for successful valve dilation. Results of an in vitro study indicate stenotic aortic valves are dilated by various mechanisms (cracking, stretching) based in part upon the etiology of the aortic valve stenosis.     

Initial clinical experience with intracardiac echocardiography in guiding balloon mitral valvuloplasty: technique, safety, utility, and limitations.

The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility and technique of intracardiac echocardiography during percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty. Echocardiographic imaging is commonly used during mitral valvuloplasty. Intracardiac echocardiography is a newer technology that may provide superior imaging during complex valvular interventions. Intracardiac echocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography were performed in 19 patients undergoing percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty. Intracardiac ultrasound images were obtained via the femoral vein in all patients. Imaging projections and catheter locations that were useful for the performance of mitral valvuloplasty were defined. Intracardiac echocardiography guided transseptal puncture, augmented the assessment of valve apparatus deformity, facilitated balloon positioning across the mitral valve, and permitted postprocedural valvular assessment including identification of mitral regurgitation with color Doppler. Intracardiac echocardiography provided essential imaging guidance and procedural monitoring during percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty.     

Anatomic basis for and morphologic results from catheter balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic mitral valves

This report provides the anatomic basis for catheter balloon valvuloplasty procedures. The morphologic hallmark of mitral stenosis is commissural fusion and the major mechanism of successful balloon valvuloplasty is commissural splitting. Single and double dilating balloons are used to increase the cross-sectional orifice area of stenotic mitral valves. Double balloons appear to improve the luminal diameter and cross-sectional area compared with single balloons. This report also illustrates the anatomic basis for single and double balloon catheter placement and position using the transseptal approach.