Echocardiography
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The coronary sinus (CS) has become a clinically important structure especially through its role in providing access for different cardiac procedures such as arrhythmia ablation, biventricular pacing and recently, percutaneous valvular interventions. Fluoroscopy with or without two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography is the widely used method for guidance. A 78-year-old female patient undergoing percutaneous CARILLON mitral annuloplasty device therapy for chronic severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation. ⋯ CS cannulation is not always feasible using fluoroscopy and/or two-dimensional Echocardiography guidance. Real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography can be used to guide CS cannulation as it provides an anatomically oriented and informative enface view of the CS ostium. It can help reducing fluoroscopic radiation time.
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Review Case Reports
Fibrous cyst of the chordae tendineae of the mitral valve: echocardiographic appearance and literature review.
Fibrous cyst of the chordae tendineae of the mitral valve (MV) is defined as a fibrous cyst arising from the chordae tendineae of the MV. It is extremely rare and its etiology is not clear. We present a case of a cystic structure within the left ventricle. ⋯ It moves freely, resulting in stenosis of inflow tract and outflow tract of the left ventricle. Intraoperative assessment and histopathologic examination revealed it as a fibrous cyst. Its echocardiographic appearance is unique and it must be resected immediately.
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The right ventricle (RV) can be described in terms of 3 components: the inlet, the apex, and the infundibulum. In the normal adult, the RV shows an arrangement suited for pumping blood against low resistance, with a mass about one sixth that of left ventricle (LV) mass, and a larger volume than the LV. The RV is able to manage a progressive increase in the afterload by increasing contractility and remodeling. ⋯ In case of increased afterload, the RA is enlarged, denoting high RA pressure, as a consequence of elevated RV diastolic pressure. RA area is a strong predictor of adverse clinical outcome in pulmonary arterial hypertension. In patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, in several congenital heart diseases, and in Eisenmenger syndrome, symptoms and prognosis are greatly dependent on RV function and its ability to adapt to a chronic increase in afterload.
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Comparative Study
Identification of prolapsing mitral valve scallops by a three-dimensional multiplanar reconstruction method.
The objectives of this study were twofold: to assess the diagnostic utility of three-dimensional (3D) multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in identifying prolapsing mitral valve (MV) scallops, and (2) to compare two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and 3DMPR to (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) approaches among patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP). ⋯ Three-dimensional MPR should be added to the armamentarium of complementary echo techniques in the evaluation of MVP. There is increased benefit in combining 3DMPR with 2DTTE findings as part of the preoperative evaluation of patients with MVP.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impaired right and left ventricular function in asymptomatic children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography study.
Early detection of right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is essential because dysfunction is correlated with a poor clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to assess RV and LV function in asymptomatic children with repaired TOF by two-dimensional ultrasound speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). ⋯ STE can identify abnormalities that may represent early impairment of RV and LV systolic function in postoperative TOF patients with a preserved EF. PR is associated with decreased biventricular performance in repaired patients. STE-derived strain and strain rate may be useful indices for detecting the early deterioration of biventricular performance in patients with TOF.