Elaine M.C. Chau

Transcatheter treatment of a case of Lutembacher syndrome.

Lutembacher syndrome refers to the rare combination of congenital atrial septal defect and acquired mitral stenosis. This condition is usually treated by mitral valve operation with concomitant closure of the atrial septal defect. We describe a case of Lutembacher syndrome that was treated successfully with percutaneous transcatheter mitral commissurotomy using the Inoue balloon and closure of the atrial septal defect with the Amplatzer atrial septal defect occluder. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 50:68–70, 2000.

Pericardial effusion in adults undergoing surgical repair of atrial septal defect

The incidence of pericardial effusion and tamponade postatrial septal defect repair in adult patients are 16 and 1.5%, respectively. Small, medium, and large effusions progressed equally, and echocardiographic study on days 7, 14, and 28 best detects potentially significant effusion.

Large Unruptured Aneurysm in Sinus of Valsalva An Unusual Cause of Right Ventricular Inflow and Outflow Tract Obstruction

A 64-year-old man with a large cavitating squamous cell carcinoma (6×6 cm) in the right lower lobe of the lung was referred for prelobectomy cardiac assessment because of incidental finding of Q waves in leads II, III, and aVF on the ECG. Physical examination revealed an ejection systolic murmur at the left sternal edge. Cardiac size was normal on chest radiograph. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a large cavity at the aortic root, …

Coronary Artery Disease Obscuring Giant Cell Myocarditis A Case Report

A case in which the diagnosis of idiopathic giant cell myocarditis was obscured by the presence of severe coronary artery disease is described. A 47-year-old man presented with recurrent inferior myocardial infarction and complete heart block. Cardiac catheterization confirmed severe 2-vessel disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Incessant ventricular arrhythmia rapidly ensued, which did not respond to anti-arrhythmic therapy and overdrive pacing despite complete surgical revascularization. He eventually died. Autopsy revealed giant cell myocarditis superimposed on coronary artery disease. Acute myocarditis masquerading as myocardial infarction has been well known, but virtually all reported cases had normal coronary arteries. This case illustrated the fact that even in the presence of obvious coronary artery disease the remote possibility of myocarditis should not be entirely disregarded. Although giant cell myocarditis is a rare and frequently fatal disorder, recent studies suggest that combined immunosuppressive therapy may improve the prognosis.

Recurrent aortic valve prosthesis dehiscence secondary to aortoarteritis: three case reports and literature review

We report three young Chinese male patients who underwent aortic valve replacement for severe aortic regurgitation of subacute onset, complicated by recurrent dehiscence of the aortic valve prosthesis, due to aortitis. One of the three patients underwent aortic valve replacement three times and progression of the prosthesis dehiscence was arrested with the use of corticosteroids. A review of the literature on the prognosis and treatment of aortoarteritis with particular reference to the management of recurrent valvular dehiscence is discussed.