Giornale italiano di cardiologia : organo ufficiale della Federazione italiana di cardiologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di chirurgia cardiaca
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · Jan 2007
Case Reports[Prominent Eustachian valve mimicking a right atrial mass].
Eustachian valve, also called valvula venae cavae inferior, caval valve, sylvian valve, is an endocardial fold extending from the anterior margin of the inferior vena cava to the anterior part of the limbus fossa ovalis. In embryonic life it helps blood flowing through patent foramen ovale into the left atrium, thus shunting pulmonary circulation. After birth, Eustachian valve becomes an embryogenic remnant. ⋯ Right diagnosis of this membrane is necessary and clinically relevant in the rare cases of infective endocarditis or in the patent foramen ovale because sometimes a redundant valve interferes with Amplatzer PFO occluder placement. In this case report, we describe a prominent Eustachian valve previous interpreted as an endocardiac cyst. Integrated echocardiography (transthoracic, transesophageal and three-dimensional reconstruction) defines correctly diagnosis, anatomy and kinesis of prominent Eustachian valve.
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · Oct 2006
Review[Role of interventional catheterization in adults with congenital heart disease].
The advances in surgical and interventional treatment of congenital heart diseases have allowed a large number of patients with congenital heart disease to attain the adult age. This population involves almost 0.3/1000 of the total population in Western Europe and North America and can be estimated to be 25,000 patients in Italy. Patients with operated tetralogy of Fallot, benign forms of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect, simple or complex transposition of the great arteries usually survive beyond childhood. ⋯ More complex heart diseases such as single ventricle, rarely allow survival until the adult age. The majority of these patients undergo heart transplant, often made difficult by multiple cardiac surgical interventions, anomalies of the pulmonary arteries, chronic cyanosis, and aorto-pulmonary shunts. Patients with relatively simple or complex congenital heart diseases need to be followed in specialized units, like those existing in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · Jul 2006
Review[Surgical treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary endarterectomy].
Acute pulmonary embolism is the third most common cardiovascular disease in Italy with approximately 65 000 new cases a year. Appropriate medical therapy does not necessarily prevent evolution of acute pulmonary embolism into chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which occurs in 0.1-4.0% of cases. In our country, there are approximately up to 2600 new CTEPH patients a year. ⋯ Solid experience and close multidisciplinary collaboration allow appropriate patient selection, rigorous surgical technique, and adequate postoperative management. All these aspects represent the key to the success in the treatment of CTEPH. After PEA, quality and expected length of life are similar to the age-matched general population and the only therapy required is oral anticoagulation.
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · Jul 2006
[PROVA E TRASPORTA Project: results of tele-transmission of the electrocardiogram from community hospitals and emergency service ambulances in the management of ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes].
Availability of a telematic system of electrocardiogram (ECG) transmission may improve the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), by reducing time to treatment. The aim of this study was to show the effectiveness of telephone transmission of ECG in improving quality of care for patients with acute STEMI. ⋯ Our study confirms previous results in that an early availability of a 12-lead ECG, transmitted from peripheral community hospitals and BLS ambulances, is able to reduce time to management of patients with an acute STEMI, thus improving quality of decision-making and treatment.
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G Ital Cardiol (Rome) · May 2006
Case Reports[Coronary embolus and acute myocardial infarction in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and chronic atrial fibrillation].
We report the case of an acute myocardial infarction due to coronary embolism in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and permanent atrial fibrillation. The patient underwent thrombectomy and stenting. The authors discuss the acute treatment in this clinical situation and the problem of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with an indication for long-term oral anticoagulation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and stenting.