OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of early thrombosis, its prognostic significance, and the therapeutic implications. BACKGROUND:Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the method of choice for detecting symptomless early postoperative thrombosis of prosthetic valves. However, the clinical significance is not yet known. METHODS:Between June 1994 and December 2000, 680 consecutive patients underwent TEE on day 9 after mechanical mitral valve replacement, to search for early thrombosis. Initially, end points were the in-hospital outcome and treatment. Patients were also evaluated 34 +/- 22 months after surgery. RESULTS:Sixty-four early thrombi were detected (9.4%). Two early obstructive were treated by redo-surgery. Sixty-two nonobstructive benefited from medical treatment. The patients were allocated into two groups as a function of the maximum size of thrombus: <5 mm in 29 patients (group A) and > or =5 mm in 35 (group B). During early follow-up, we observed one complicated course in group A and eight in group B. In the long-term survey, three complications were noted in group A and 11 in group B. Incidence of early (p = 0.027) and long-term (p = 0.04) complications were significantly different in the two subsets. CONCLUSIONS:This study confirms the incidence of early thrombi after mechanical mitral valve replacement detected by TEE. A small (<5 mm) nonobstructive thrombus seems benign, and our experience argues in favor of medical treatment. Prognosis appears more serious for large thrombi. Medically aggressive therapy and further surgery should be considered in cases of obstructive thrombosis or large and mobile nonobstructive thrombosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Following aortic valve replacement (AVR), a residual transprosthetic gradient can develop which has detrimental long-term effects, especially with regard to left ventricular mass regression and subsequent mortality. The Advanced Performance-ATS valve (AP-ATS) was developed to overcome this potential patient-prosthesis mismatch. In the present study, the early postoperative transprosthetic gradient was determined after AVR with ATS valves 18 to 25, to confirm the promise of superior hemodynamic performance of the AP series and to define respective indications. METHODS This prospective study included 302 consecutive patients operated on for AVR between December 1997 and December 2000. In all patients, body surface area (BSA), associated with mean transprosthetic gradient and paravalvular leaks (measured echocardiographically) was monitored, between the 5th and 8th postoperative days. RESULTS A significantly lower mean transprosthetic gradient was found for size 22 and 24 valves, compared with size 23 and 25 valves. Results for size 18 and 20 valves were in concordance with those obtained for size 22 and 24 valves. For size 23 valves the mean gradient was significantly higher when the BSA was >1.9 m2, but the use of size 22 valves in these patients overcame this potential patient-prosthesis mismatch. No patient was reoperated on for paravalvular leakage, and no greater degree of paravalvular leakage was found with AP-ATS than with Standard ATS valves. CONCLUSION These results confirm the global good hemodynamic performances of Standard ATS and especially of the AP-ATS valves. However, the significantly lower mean gradient found in the AP-ATS valves recommends their use in patients with larger BSA.

A 78-year-old man was admitted with thoracic pain and hemoptysis. Computed topography scan was performed showing an ascending aorta bleed tracking along pulmonary artery (Fig. 1). Prior pericardial adhesion explained the impossibility of rupture in free pericardium and a bleed localized between aorta and right pulmonary artery causing its compression (Fig. 2). Because of important pericardial adhesions and localization of the rupture (near the origin of supraaortic arteries), ascending aorta replacement was performed under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with good outcome.

Aneurysms of saphenous vein graft are a known but rare complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In this report, we present a case of a 59-year-old man who presented 16 years after CABG, three aneurysms of the saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery compressing right atrium but with low symptoms. Transoesophageal echocardiography and CT scan were used to identify the aneurysm which was confirmed by cardiac catheterization. A favourable course was obtained after surgical treatment. We also review the literature on saphenous vein graft aneurysms interesting symptoms, diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatments.

Objectives: Prosthetic heart valve obstruction (PHVO) is a potentially fatal complication of heart valve replacement with mechanical substitute mainly due to thrombosis. The purpose of this report is to present a single-center experience of 136 consecutive patients operated on between 1978 and 2001. Methods: The diagnosis of PHVO was mainly assessed by fluoroscopy and/or echocardiography. Thrombosed valves were bileaflet (82), tilting disc (47) and ball cage (7) valves; of these, 90 were in mitral, 38 in aortic, six in aortic and mitral position, and two in tricuspid position. The mean interval between the first implantation and valve thrombosis was 7.4 +/- 6.6 years (range I day to 28 years); in 37 patients preoperative medical therapy (fibrinolysis in 21, and heparin alone in 16) was unsuccessful. Results: Operative procedures included valve re-replacement in 104 cases and declotting-pannus excision in 32 cases. Early hospital mortality was 10.3% (14 patients), all in NYHA class III or IV, and one patient suffered a perioperative cerebral embolic event. Surgery was then successful in 121 of 136 patients (89%), but during a 3.15-year follow-up, prosthetic heart valve thrombosis recurred in ten out of 122 survivors (8.1%). Conclusion: From this experience, it can be concluded that for most PHVO, early operation is currently effective and safe, especially in patients in stable hemodynamic condition preoperatively. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of mobile thrombus of the thoracic aorta has become increasingly common thanks to routine exploration using transesophageal echography (TEE) after any embolic event. Although the indication for treatment remains controversial, there is a growing interest in understanding this potential source of arterial emboli and in defining proper diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of different diagnostic and therapeutic modalities used in our department over the last 6 years. Between 1995 and 2000, mobile thrombus of the thoracic aorta was diagnosed in 9 patients (5 men, 4 women) with a mean age of 49.2 years (range, 28 to 68 years). In all patients, aortic thrombus was suspected after a peripheral (n = 4) or cerebral (n = 5) vascular event. Treatment using intravenous heparin was attempted in all patients and allowed complete dissolution of thrombus in four. In the remaining five patients, repeat TEE demonstrated persistent thrombus and operative treatment was undertaken. In three patients with thrombosis in the aortic arch, thrombectomy was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass, and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. In two patients presenting thrombosis in the descending thoracic aorta, thrombectomy was performed with an atriofemoral shunt. Thrombectomy was associated with repair of a wall defect in two patients and resection of atheromatous plaque in one patient. Postoperative recovery was uneventful but recurrence was noted in one patient because anticoagulation therapy was stopped too soon. On the basis of our experience and previous reports, we have defined the following therapeutic strategy. All patients are first treated with heparin. In case of failure, thrombectomy may be undertaken in young patients. Because of the highly invasive nature of the procedure, careful work-up including TEE should be performed to rule out any other cause of embolism and to determine that the lesion presents a high potential for embolism. Follow-up must include long-term coumadin therapy and routine surveillance using TEE or magnetic resonance imaging, since long-term outcome is unclear.

Objective: Repair of post infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) is still a challenging procedure with a high risk of recurrence of the VSD and subsequent mortality. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess if technical change in the surgical procedure was followed by an improvement in recurrence of the VSD and operative results. Method: This retrospective study from 197 1 to 2001 included 85 patients operated on early (< 15 days) after the occurrence of a post infarction VSD. Double patch technique was introduced in 1986. A total of 44 variables were studied by a uni- and multivariate analysis. Results: Hospital death occur-red in 36 patients. Significant factors for hospital mortality included: preoperative and evolution of the clinical status, right ventricular function and type of repair (one or two patches). Moreover, no recurrence was observed in patients repaired with the double patch technique (P = 0.09). None of the studied variables were significant for long term survival. Concomitant CABG was not associated with higher hospital mortality and long-term survival rate was similar in patients with or without concomitant CABG. Conclusion: The use of the double patch technique and glue by avoiding recurrence of the VSD played a role in the reduction of the hospital mortality. This technique has to be recommended in the early repair of post infarction VSD. Concomitant CABG can be done safely to control the added risk of an associated coronary artery lesion. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

We report a tricky case of endocarditis because of the localization, aortic coarctation, and the pathogenic bacteria Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Furthermore, we underline the leading role of transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of aortic endarteritis. First, aortitis was treated with antibiotics and, second, successfully operated on.

Primary Cardiac leiomyosarcoma is a very rare condition. The authors report the case of a 64 year old woman admitted to hospital for suspected pulmonary embolism, confirmed by thoracic angio-CT scan. Despite thrombolytic therapy. a persistent poor haemodynamic condition associated with a superior vena cava syndrome led to a transoesophageal echocardiographic examination which demonstrated an abnormal intra-right atrial mass obstructing the tricuspid valve. At surgery, a leiomyosarcoma was successfully resected under good conditions.During systematic three-monthly clinical and echocardiographic follow-up, transoesophageal echocardiography detected an asymptomatic local recurrence at 15 months, for which surgery was repeated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

The authors report two cases of spontaneous rupture of the ascending aorta complicating atheromatous disease but without traumatic or infectious factors. The clinical presentation is very similar to that of dissection of the aorta. The diagnosis is based on non-invasive and invasive investigations showing localised abnormalities of the aortic wall suggestive of localised dissection and haemopericardium. Surgery shows transverse tearing of the aortic wall without dissection of the media. It is a surgical emergency, the deceptive presentation of which should not be missed.

A 65 year old patient underwent surgery for mitral and aortic valves replacement. Four months later, a type I left ventricular rupture with pseudoaneurysm was discovered. The formation and surgical reparation are described.

Left ventricular rupture is the most frequent cause of death following myocardial infarction after ventricular arrhytmias and cardiogenic shock. Under these circumstances, only a prompt diagnosis and urgent surgical treatment can be lifesaving. A review of the literature is made and a simple surgical technique with GRF glue application is presented.