Medical Decision Making for Cardiac MRI with CFD “Detection of Severe Stenosis Using a 5D Model of the Descending Aorta”

The aim of this study is to develop a reliable 5D (x, y, z, time, flow dimension) model for medical decision making. Sophisticated techniques for the assessment of serious stenosis were developed using time-dependent instantaneous pressure gradients through the aorta (flow rate, Reynolds number, velocity, etc.). A 74 cardiac MRI scan and 3057 scans were performed on a 10-year-old patient with congenital valve and valvular aortic stenosis on sensitive MRI and coarctation (operated and then dilated) in the sense of shone syndrome. The occlusion rate was estimated to be 80.5%. The stenosis area was approximately 15 mm long and 10 mm high. The fluid solver (NS) exhibited a significant shear stress of −3.735 × 10−5 Pa within the first 10 iterations. There was a significant drop in the flux mass of −0.0050 (kg/s), as well as high blood turbulence in vortex field lines and low geometry Reynolds cells. The fifth dimension was used for negative velocity prediction (−81.4 cm/s). The discoveries of the 5D aortic simulation are convincing based on the evaluation of its physical and biomedical features.

Absent Pulmonary Valve with L-Transposition of Great Arteries: A Case report

Absent pulmonary valve syndrome and L-transposition of the great arteries are rare congenital anomalies. To our knowledge, patients with both have not been previously reported. We present a case of surgical success in the patient with absent pulmonary valve, L-transposition of the great arteries, dextrocardia, double outlet left ventricle, hypoplastic anatomical right ventricle, valvular aortic stenosis and tracheomalacia. We performed anatomical left ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt using an 8-mm expanded polytetrafluoroethylene bicuspid-valved conduit, pulmonary artery plication, and tracheostomy. The patient was discharged in a stable condition while waiting for the Glenn procedure until getting her parent’s permission.

Pregnancy-related changes in Doppler gradients and left ventricular mechanics in women with subvalvular or valvular aortic stenosis.

Background: The aim of our study was to characterize echocardiographic changes during pregnancy in women with known LVOT obstruction or AS compared to the healthy pregnancy controls, and to assess the relationship with pregnancy outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 34 pregnant patients with congenital LVOT obstruction or AS with healthy age-matched pregnant controls. Patients with other significant valvular lesions, structural heart disease (LVEF <40%), or prior valve surgery were excluded. All LVOTO/AS patients underwent a minimum of 2 consecutive echocardiograms between 1 year pre-conception up to 1 year postpartum, with at least 2 studies during the pregnancy. Comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation was performed including speckle-tracking LV global longitudinal strain. Results: A total of 83 echocardiograms from the study group and 34 echocardiograms from the control group were evaluated. Over the range of LVOTO/AS, a significantly greater increase in the AV gradients and LV and LA volumes were observed as compared with the controls. In the sub-group of LVOTO/AS pregnant women with > moderate (n=8) vs.

Trimetazidine may normalize left ventricular systolic function and U wave polarity in severe calcific aortic stenosis

A case of severe calcific valvular aortic stenosis with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction is presented. Patient did not agree for surgery. He was advised trimetazidine (60 mg twice a day) in addition to Torsemide, Digoxin, Aspirin and Clopidogrel. After one month, patient showed significant improvement in symptoms, normalization of U waves in electrocardiogram and significant improvement in ejection fraction. Metabolic effects of trimetazidine could be responsible for improvement in left ventricular function in spite of no change in aortic stenosis. Keywords: Aortic valve stenosis; Electrocardiography; Left ventricular systolic function; Trimetazidine; U wave

Children and Adolescents Treated for Valvular Aortic Stenosis Have Different Physical Activity Patterns Compared to Healthy Controls: A Methodological Study in a National Cohort

Previous research in children and adolescents with congenital heart defects presents contradictory findings concerning their physical activity (PA) level, due to methodological limitations in the PA assessment. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to compare PA in children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis with healthy controls using an improved accelerometer method. Seven-day accelerometer data were collected from the hip in a national Swedish sample of 46 patients 6–18 years old treated for valvular aortic stenosis and 44 healthy controls matched for age, gender, geography, and measurement period. Sports participation was self-reported. Accelerometer data were processed with the new improved Frequency Extended Method and with the traditional ActiGraph method for comparison. A high-resolution PA intensity spectrum was investigated as well as traditional crude PA intensity categories. Children treated for aortic stenosis had a pattern of less PA in the highest intensity spectra and had more sedentary time, while the adolescent patients tended to be less physically active in higher intensities overall and with less sedentary time, compared to the controls. These patterns were evident using the Frequency Extended Method with the detailed PA intensity spectrum, but not to the same degree using the ActiGraph method and traditional crude PA intensity categories. Patients reported less sports participation than their controls in both age-groups. Specific differences in PA patterns were revealed using the Frequency Extended Method with the high-resolution PA intensity spectrum in Swedish children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis.

Treatment of Cheyne–Stokes respiration with adaptive servoventilation—analysis of patients with regard to therapy restriction

Purpose The SERVE-HF study revealed no benefit of adaptive servoventilation (ASV) versus guideline-based medical treatment in patients with symptomatic heart failure, an ejection fraction (EF) ≤45% and a predominance of central events (apnoea-hypopnea Index [AHI] > 15/h). Because both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were higher in the ASV group, an EF ≤ 45% in combination with AHI 15/h, central apnoea-hyponoea index [CAHI/AHI] > 50% and central apnoea index [CAI] > 10/h were subsequently listed as contraindications for ASV. The intention of our study was to analyse the clinical relevance of this limitation. Methods Data were analysed retrospectively for patients treated with ASV who received follow-up echocardiography to identify contraindications for ASV. Results Echocardiography was conducted in 23 patients. The echocardiogram was normal in 10 cases, a left ventricular hypertrophy with normal EF was found in 8 patients, there was an EF 45–50% in 2 cases and a valvular aortic stenosis (grade II) with normal EF was found in 1 case. EF <45% was present in just 2 cases, and only 1 of these patients also had more than 50% central events in the diagnostic night. Conclusion The population typically treated with ASV is entirely different from the study population in SERVE-HF, as nearly half of the patients treated with ASV showed a normal echocardiogram. Thus, the modified indication for ASV has little impact on the majority of treated patients. The current pathomechanistic hypothesis of central apnoea must be reviewed.