Research in Cardiovascular Medicine
Volume:2 Issue: 2, Jan-Mar 2013

Identifying End-Diastole (ED) and End-Systole (ES) frames is highly important in the process of evaluating cardiac function and measuring global parameters accurately, such as Ejection Fraction (EF), Cardiac Output (CO) and Stroke Volume.. The current study aimed to develop a new method based on measuring volume changes in Left Ventricle (LV) during cardiac cycle.. For this purpose, the Level Set method was used both in detecting endocardium border and quantifying cardiac function of all frames.. Demonstrating LV volumes displays ED and ES frames and the volumes used in calculating the required parameters.. Since ES and ED frames exist in iso-volumic phases of the cardiac cycle with minimum and maximum values of LV volume signals, such peaks can be utilized in finding related frames..

Indications for the use of the Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) have been greatly expanded in recent years, but the influence of sex on the efficacy of the ICD in eligible patients has still been remained unknown.. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of sex on the effectiveness of the ICD intervention for mortality and appropriate events.. This retrospective study was conducted on the outcome of the ICD therapy in 443 patients, including 341 men with a mean age of 55 ± 16 years and 102 women with a mean age of 54 ± 17 years, in our center between April 2001 and February 2007. Sex-specific cumulative probabilities of outcomes concerning mortality and appropriate ICD intervention were evaluated for the patients.. Among the 443 patients, enrolled in this study, the women and men had a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 35 ± 14.8% and 30 ± 13.5%, respectively (P = 0.03). Ischemic heart disease was more frequent in the men than the women (P = 0.0001).The average follow-up period was 3 years. Test for an interaction between sex and the ICD treatment regarding total mortality was not significant (23 men and 6 women). Additionally, there was no significant difference in appropriate events between the women and men (129 men and 33 women).. While women were significantly less likely than the men to receive the ICD therapy, no conclusive evidence could be found for the impact of sex factor on the effectiveness of the ICD intervention with respect to mortality and appropriate events..

Little is known about the natural history of aortic regurgitation (AR) in patients undergoing mitral valve procedures for mitral stenosis.. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) on coexisting AR.. A total of 327 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (282 females and 45 males; mean age at the time of intervention = 47 ± 11 years) were followed up for between 48 hours and 13 years after PMV. At the time of PMV, 142 (43.3%) patients had no AR, 124 (37.9%) had mild AR, and 61 (18.7%) had moderate AR. After PMV, the follow-up showed that 120 (36.6%) patients had no AR, 103 (31.5%) had mild AR, and 104 (31.8%) had moderate AR.. AR progression after PMV and during the follow-up was significant (P < 0.00), but there was no significant increase in aortic valve replacement (AVR) procedures. The rate of AVR was higher in the moderate AR group (3.8%). There were no significant changes in the left atrial size (LA) (P = 0.6), ejection fraction (EF) (P = 0.4), and rhythm (P = 0.4) before and after PMV, respectively.. Our findings indicate that among patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis, a considerable number have concurrent AR. Concomitant AR at the time of PMV does not influence procedural success and is not associated with inferior outcomes. Rheumatic aortic insufficiency progresses slowly by nature, and patients with AR and mitral stenosis can safely tolerate PMV without the possibility of undergoing AVR in the near future. Patients with moderate degrees of AR remain good candidates for PMV..

Sub-valvular apparatus preservation (SAP) during mitral valve replacement (MVR) is not a new concept. Some surgeons prefer to excise the apparatus.. The aim of this study was to reduce the risk of prosthetic valve dysfunction.. This retrospective study included 151 patients with the mean age of 46 years who underwent MVR (Female/male = 93/58). In the group I consisting of 39 patients, MVR with chordae preservation was performed (Bi-leaflet preservation = 20; posterior leaflet preservation = 19). In the group II consisting of 112 patients, sub-valvular apparatus was resected completely during MVR. Preoperative patients’ characteristics, including age, sex, functional status, left ventricular ejection fraction, and end-diastolic or end-systolic dimensions were statistically similar in both groups. Mean follow-up period was 60.3 ± 26 months.. The improvement of functional status was seen in almost all survivors but was more obvious in the group I. In early follow-up, 56.4% of group I cases and 44.1% of group II patients were classified as New York Heart Association class I. These rates were 84.2% and 71.2% in mid-term follow-up, respectively (P < 0.001). Mortality rate was significantly lower in the group I (2.6%) compared to the group II (8.9%) (P = 0.03). There was a trend for higher frequency of postoperative atrial fibrillation in the group II compared to that in the group I (52.7% vs. 38.5%, P = 0.12).The incidence of prosthetic valve dysfunction (PVD) was 5.1% in the group I and 4.5% in the group II, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.56).. Preservation of mitral annulus and papillary muscle continuity may enhance post- MVR cardiac performance with low mortality and morbidity rates. The risk of PVD was not significantly higher than conventional MVR in our series..

A 49-year-old man with Lutembacher''s syndrome associated with frontal meningioma referred to our hospital. He also suffered from exertional dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated mitral valve area of 1.48 cm2, moderate mitral stenosis, and left atrial dimension (LAD) of 5.6 cm with no clot. TEE revealed severe mitral stenosis, mitral valve area of 1.05 cm2 with wilkins 8-10 score, ejection fraction of 50%, and enlarged left atrium (LAD = 5.8 cm) with no clot. Induction of anesthesia was commenced taking into account the patient’s specific circumstances, which meant the risk of surgery was high. During surgery, the mitral valve was replaced and the atrial septal defect was repaired without a patch. This case underscores the significance of the adoption of an appropriate therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Lutembacher''s syndrome with meningioma before meningioma surgery..

Primary cardiac tumors are rare in all ages. Their reported prevalence ranges from 0.001 to 0.03 percent in autopsy series. 25 percent of primary cardiac tumors are considered to be malignant, the majority of which are sarcomas. On account of the late presentation of symptoms in malignant heart masses, finding locally infiltrative tumors or systemically widespread cases at initial presentation is common. We present a case of malignant heart tumor in a thirty-one-year old woman who was first examined here after the termination of pregnancy..

The preoperative and surgical management of a giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm(LVP) associated with aortic valve replacement in a 76 year old male Jehovah’s Witness patient is reported. The satisfactory recovery observed in this patient demonstrates the feasibility of this complex surgical procedure even in this particular patient population..