Texas Heart Institute journal
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Varicella (chickenpox), a common childhood infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is self-limiting and usually benign. Although atypical manifestations of the virus are occasionally seen, it rarely presents with cardiovascular sequelae. Cardiovascular complications of varicella can include pericarditis, myocarditis, or endocarditis. ⋯ In 2 weeks, he was asymptomatic, and at 6 months, he was doing well and had normal electrocardiographic and echocardiographic results. To our knowledge, cardiac enzyme elevations to these levels have not been reported in cases of cardiovascular sequelae of varicella. We discuss the diagnostic challenges of this atypical case and suggest that clinicians be aware that varicella disease is most often, but not always, benign.
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In neonates, the major obstacle to transfusion-free complex cardiac surgery is the severe hemodilution that can result from the mismatch between the priming volume of the circuit and the patients' blood volume. Herein, we report the case of a 13-day-old, 2.96-kg preterm neonate who had a hypoplastic aortic arch and atrial and ventricular septal defects. ⋯ A specially designed cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with a priming volume of only 95 mL was the key component of an interdisciplinary effort to avoid transfusion while maintaining the patient's safety. To our knowledge, this is the 1st report of the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in blood-transfusion-free surgery to correct congenital heart defects in a small Jehovah's Witness neonate.
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Candida albicans infections after prosthetic graft implantation due to acute aortic dissection are rare. A combination of surgical resection and lifelong antifungal drug therapy is the gold standard for treatment of aortic graft infection, yet surgical interventions are associated with high mortality rates. Herein, we present the case of a 57-year-old man who presented with peripheral microembolism due to late-onset C. albicans infection of a prosthetic graft of the thoracic aorta, which was diagnosed by positron emission tomographic imaging. ⋯ During a follow-up of 500 days, he remained asymptomatic, with slightly elevated inflammatory markers. This case suggests that in some instances, particularly in patients with high operative risk, Candida prosthetic graft infection can be managed conservatively with antifungal therapy alone. However, such an approach should be applied with caution and necessitates close follow-up on a long-term basis.