Saddle pulmonary embolism on non-contrast CT

Background: A saddle pulmonary embolism (PE) is a large embolism that straddles the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk. This PE extends into the right and left pulmonary arteries. There is a greater incidence in males. Common features of a PE include dyspnea, tachypnea, cough, hemoptysis, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, hypotension, jugular venous distension, and severe cases Kussmaul sign. The Wells criteria for PE is used as the pretest probability. Diagnostics include D-dimer levels, CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA), ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy (V/Q scan), echocardiography, lower extremity venous ultrasound, chest x-ray, pulmonary angiography, and electrocardiography (ECG). Case description: We present a 65-year-old male that presented with a two-week history of dyspnea with non-radiating intermittent chest pressure. Initial V/Q scan showed a low probability for PE, but a subsequent non-contrast CT revealed that he indeed had a saddle PE.

P4553Clinical and prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with chagas heart disease during acute decompensated heart failure

Introduction The occurrence of right ventricular disfunction (RVD) is common in heart failure (HF) patients due to Chagas' disease (ChD). However, its clinical and prognostic value has not been studied during episodes of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Purpose Evaluate the prognostic value of RVD in ADHF patients with ChD during hospitalization and after 180 days of discharge compared to other etiologies. Methods We analysed a prospective cohort of consecutive 768 patients admitted for ADHF between March 2013 and October 2018; 490 (63.7%) patients were male and the median age was 58 (48.3–66.8) years and left ventricular ejection fraction was 26% (median) (IQR 22–35%). We compared the clinical characteristics and the prognosis of ChD patients according to the presence of RVD in the echocardiogram to other etiologies. Results RVD was presented in 289 (37.6%) patients. Among patients with non-chagasic etiologies, those with RVD were younger [53 (41–62) vs 61 (52–70) years, p<0.0001], had high levels of BNP in the moment of hospitalization [1195 (606–2209) vs 886 (366– 555) pg/mL], p<0,0001], received more inotropes (79.2% vs 57.9%, p<0,0001), had longer hospitalization [35 (17–51) vs 21 (10–37) days, p<0.001] and more clinical signs of congestion as hepatomegaly (49% vs 28.6%, p<0.0001); jugular venous distension (68.3% vs 41.2%, p<0.0001) and leg edema (65.4% vs 49.2%, p=0.001). Among patients with ChD, those with RVD were older [61 (48- 66) vs 58 (48 - 67) years, p=0.017], and had more frequently signs of hypoperfusion (56.8% vs 36.5%, p=0.029), jugular venous distension (72.8% vs 52.8%, p=0.01) and hepatomegaly (56.8% vs 31.1%, p=0.011), higher BNP levels [1288 (567–2180) vs 1066 (472–2007) pg/mL, p=0.006] and more frequent use of intravenous inotropes (88.9% vs 67.1%, p=0.003); additionally ChD patients with RVD had a higher rate of death and transplant during hospitalization (51.2% vs 38.3%, p=0.001). When all groups were compared together, ChD patients with RVD had the highest rate of death, transplant and readmissions at 180-days of follow-up (Figure). Figure 1 Conclusion Patients with RVD demonstrated a distinct clinical presentation, biomarkers and worse prognosis in all etiologies. ChD patients with RVD in ADHF had the worst prognosis with the highest rate of death, heart transplant e rehospitalization in follow-up.

Churg-Strauss vasculitis presenting with steroid-responsive left ventricular cardiac mass

A 35-year-old black Saudi man, with a known case of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis since childhood, presented with joint pain and swelling, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and lower extremity oedema. On examination, we found jugular venous distension, bilateral basal crepitation, wheezing and diffuse synovitis. Investigations were notable for peripheral blood eosinophilia, pericardial effusion and elongated structure in the left ventricular outflow tract on echocardiography, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy and right upper lobe infiltrate on high-resolution CT scan. Pulmonary infiltrate biopsy confirmed eosinophilic vasculitis. Intracardiac mass resolved shortly after pulse steroids indicating an inflammatory mass.

Calcific Pericarditis

An 84-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with progressive shortness of breath, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and fatigue. She had a past history of atrial fibrillation and was taking digoxin. Clinical examination revealed normal vital signs, 6 cm of jugular venous distension with Kussmaul’s sign, a pericardial knock, and pedal edema.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma to the Right Ventricle

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer in the world, but metastatic disease to the heart is rare. We present a case of a 63-year-old man with history of hepatitis C and cirrhosis, which had progressed to HCC. The patient had undergone two prior liver transplantations. He presented to the hospital complaining of worsening lower extremity edema. His exam was also pertinent for jugular venous distension, a 3/6 crescendo-decrescendo murmur, and hepatosplenomegaly. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a large irregular lobulated mass in the apex of the right ventricle with a mobile pedunculated component. An MRI of the heart revealed a 4.4 × 3.4 × 4.0 cm mass within the right ventricular apex, which was subsequently biopsied and found to be moderately differentiated HCC with myocardial fragments. The patient opted out of any further therapy, or intervention, and was enrolled in hospice care.