1/29. Diffuse myocardial infarction caused by isolated bilateral coronary ostial stenoses in a young woman: report of a case.A young Japanese woman who appeared to be free from any coronary risk factors was admitted to a local hospital with chest pain. Serological tests showed no evidence of inflammation; however, an electrocardiogram revealed diffuse myocardial ischemia and a coronary angiogram demonstrated isolated bilateral coronary ostial stenoses. Moreover, her serum creatine phosphokinase level was high. On the day following admission, the patient developed severe cardiogenic shock, and she was transferred to our hospital where emergency coronary artery bypass grafting with the saphenous veins was performed using retrograde tepid blood cardioplegia. Recovery of cardiac function was immediate and her postoperative course was uneventful. We suspect that fibromuscular dysplasia was the most likely cause of the ostial stenoses in this patient.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/29. bupivacaine-induced myocardial depression and pulmonary edema: a case report.central nervous system and cardiovascular toxicity are well-known side effects of bupivacaine. We report a case of bupivacaine-induced myocardial depression and cardiogenic pulmonary edema. A previously healthy woman developed soon after bupivacaine epidural injection of 5 mL 0.5% (25 mg) cardiogenic shock complicated with pulmonary edema. There were pronounced rales on auscultation with a butterfly sign on chest radiograph. A cardiac ultrasound showed reduced myocardial contractility, diffuse hypokinesia, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 25%, mitral and pulmonary insufficiency. Right heart catheterization showed increased pulmonary artery wedge pressure (34 mm Hg) and a pulmonary artery pressure of 48 over 33 mm Hg. These findings suggest myocardial depression owing to bupivacaine sodium channel blocking of myocardial nerve and tissue and subsequent reduction of myocardial contractility. The patient completely recovered with normalization of clinical, roentenographic, ultrasound, and hemodynamic findings and discharged 10 days later in good condition.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.066202761736173keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/29. coronary vasospasm inducing dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.An 80-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department of our institution due to acute, anterior-wall myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed systolic anterior motion of the mitral leaflets with severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Although coronary angiography showed normal coronary arteries, an ergonovine provocation test induced diffuse coronary constriction of the left coronary artery, with chest pain, and ST-T changes seen on the electrocardiogram. These clinical signs caused us to suspect coronary spasm. The present case serves as a reminder that coronary vasospasm may be a factor in the development of dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Early detection and intensive efforts to relieve vasospasm, including emergency coronary angiography and intracoronary injection of nitroglycerin, are essential.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/29. A survival case of acute mitral regurgitation and cardiogenic shock caused by subtotal occlusion of the first diagonal branch.An 80-year-old woman was admitted with cardiogenic shock; she arrived in a deep coma with systolic blood pressure of 44 mmHg. An electrocardiogram showed ST elevation in I, aVL, V5 and V6, suggesting myocardial infarction in the lateral area of the left ventricle. A chest roentgenogram showed right pulmonary edema without cardiomegaly. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms revealed severe mitral regurgitation and a flailing anterior mitral valve leaflet, suggesting a ruptured papillary muscle. The patient was initially treated with high-dose dopamine, dobutamine and norepinephrine. Intraaortic balloon pumping was initiated after the patient's condition stabilized. She underwent emergency mitral valve replacement with a prosthetic valve. Complete rupture of the anterior papillary muscle was confirmed. Histological examination revealed necrosis of the anterior papillary muscle with inflammatory changes. She recovered uneventfully. Postoperative coronary angiography demonstrated subtotal occlusion of the first diagonal branch, and left ventriculography demonstrated akinesis of the lateral segment. This was a rare case in which subtotal occlusion of the first diagonal branch caused rupture of an anterior papillary muscle leading to severe mitral regurgitation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.066202761736173keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/29. Traumatic cardiogenic shock due to massive air embolism. A possible role for cardiopulmonary bypass.Systemic arterial embolism is a potentially lethal complication of bronchopulmonary venous fistula in trauma patients with blunt chest trauma or isolated penetrating lung injury on positive pressure ventilation. A high index of suspicion, early diagnosis and management in specialized centres are keys to a successful outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.066202761736173keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/29. Apical ballooning of the left ventricle: first series in white patients.BACKGROUND: A cardiac syndrome of "apical ballooning" was recently described, consisting of an acute onset of transient extensive akinesia of the apical and mid portions of the left ventricle, without significant stenosis on the coronary angiogram, accompanied by chest symptoms, ECG changes, and a limited release of cardiac markers disproportionate to the extent of akinesia. Until now, this syndrome has been reported only in Japanese patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe 13 white patients who presented with this syndrome over the previous four years. RESULTS: All but one of the patients were women with a mean age of 62 years. Eight of them presented with chest pain, of whom six had cardiogenic shock. In nine patients a triggering factor was identified: emotional stress in three, trauma in one, pneumonia in one, asthma crisis in one, exercise in two, and cerebrovascular accident in one. In all patients left ventriculography showed very extensive apical akinesia ("apical ballooning") in the absence of a significant coronary artery stenosis, not corresponding with the perfusion territory of a single epicardial coronary artery. Mean maximal creatine kinase MB and troponin rise were 27.4 microg/l (range 5.2-115.7 microg/l, median 16.6 microg/l) and 18.7 microg/l (range 2.0-97.6 microg/l, median 14.5 microg/l), respectively. Six patients were treated with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation. One patient died of multiple organ failure. On necropsy, no myocardial infarction was found. In the 12 survivors, left ventricular systolic function recovered completely within three weeks. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first series of "apical ballooning" to be reported in white patients. Despite dramatic initial presentation, left ventricle function recovered completely within three weeks in the survivors.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.0662027617362keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/29. churg-strauss syndrome with myocarditis manifesting as acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock: case report and review of the literature.A patient with a two-year history of worsening asthma presented with chest pain and shortness of breath. She developed cardiogenic shock. Analysis of blood chemistry detected increased troponin i concentration. Her electrocardiographic changes were consistent with a diagnosis of anteroseptal myocardial infarction. However, angiography showed normal coronary arteries. Left ventriculography showed severe mitral regurgitation and global hypokinesis. Peripheral eosinophilia was detected. Subsequent endomyocardial biopsy showed myocarditis with prominent eosinophil and plasma cell components. churg-strauss syndrome was diagnosed based on her history of asthma, evidence of peripheral eosinophilia and results of endomycardial biopsy. Treatment with a high dose of corticosteroids was initiated. As symptoms of heart failure improved - without recurrence of cardiac and respiratory symptoms - the dose of corticosteroids was gradually reduced. Eight months after her original presentation, she developed urticarial lesions on her abdomen and legs, with muscle soreness but no other associated symptoms. She was treated with a combination of prednisone and dapsone. After the diagnosis of churg-strauss syndrome, the patient remained symptom free with a normal ejection fraction for 15 months while taking prednisone.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/29. Congenital ventricular septal defect presenting as rupture of the ventricular septum subsequent to myocardial infarction.A 74-year-old female presented in cardiogenic shock four weeks following a severe episode of ischaemic chest pain. physical examination was suggestive of a ventricular septal defect, and this was confirmed by cross-sectional echocardiography and right heart catheterisation. As the resting electrocardiogram was consistent with an extensive anterior myocardial infarct of indeterminate age, a diagnosis of ventricular septal defect subsequent to infarction was made and the patient taken to the operating theatre for urgent repair. At operation, however, the defect was found to be congenital in origin.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/29. Fatal coronary artery anomaly presenting as bronchiolitis.During winter outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis from 2002 to 2004, three infants presented with a presumptive diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection and wheezing. The clinical condition in two cases was rapidly progressive and precipitated into intractable shock; clinical and instrumental examinations revealed a cardiac origin of their illness. A subacute presentation permitted a cardiological assessment and a proper treatment in the third infant. An abnormal origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk was demonstrated in all cases. The concurrent acute airway infection had a catastrophic effect on the underlying cardiovascular anomaly leading to refractory cardiogenic shock and death. CONCLUSION: Admission chest x-ray film and arterial gas analysis can raise the suspicion of cardiac involvement when treating a severe wheezing episode in young infants. Paediatric cardiological evaluation with two-dimensional echocardiography may eventually reveal this rare condition, whereas cardiac catheterisation with aortography remains the standard means of diagnosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.066202761736173keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/29. suicide by pencil.We report an unusual suicide, committed with a common pencil. A 72-year-old male inflicted himself a penetrating thoracic wound while being hospitalized for a hip prosthesis operation. Although the patient was immediately operated, the cardiac injury appeared to be fatal. Cases of suicidal penetrating wounds of the anterior chest wall are rare and they are mostly inflicted by knives, glass fragments, or other sharp instruments. The potential danger of a pencil should be taken into consideration, especially in psychiatric hospitals and imprisonment facilities. We examined the legislation in italy and finland concerning the regulation of privacy in special care institutions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.066202761736173keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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