Faculty Bibliography

In a multicenter, retrospective analysis of 435 patients with refractory COVID-19 placed on V-V ECMO, cannulation by a single, dual-lumen catheter with directed outflow to the pulmonary artery was associated with lower inpatient mortality.

IMPORTANCE/OBJECTIVE:Cardiac tamponade requiring emergent intervention is a possible complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Favorable clinical outcomes are possible if timely management and drainage are performed unless ventricular failure develops. OBSERVATION/METHODS:Cardiac tamponade in COVID-19, based on the limited reported cases, seems to be more common among middle-aged men with observed complications in black and ethnic minorities. Prognosis is worse amongst patients with concomitant ventricular failure. DESIGN AND METHODS/METHODS:This is a case series of three COVID-19 patients complicated by cardiac tamponade, requiring surgical intervention at a single institution in New York. INTERVENTION/METHODS:Pericardial window, Pericardiocentesis. OUTCOME/RESULTS:One patient had recurrence of cardiac tamponade with hemorrhagic component but fully recovered and was discharged home. Two patients developed cardiac tamponade with concomitant biventricular failure, resulting in death. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE/UNASSIGNED:Cardiac tamponade with possible concomitant biventricular failure can develop in COVID-19 patients; incidence seems to be highest at the point of marked inflammatory response. Concomitant ventricular failure seems to be a predictor of poor prognosis.

Penetrating cardiac injuries are highly lethal and carry high mortality rate. Both blunt and penetrating cardiac injuries in patients who survive are known to present with well-known sequelae that often appear days to weeks after the initial insult. In the literature there have been documented cases of cardiac injury induced myocardial infarction, ventricular aneurysms, valvular dysfunction and even fistulous tracts between the coronary vessels and chamber. Although the most commonly injured vessel is the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, traumatic injuries to the left coronary artery result in early death in the majority of cases. We present a unique case of LAD pseudo aneurysm and stenosis presenting as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) months after the initial penetrating cardiac injury successfully managed by stenting. There are only few isolated case reports of coronary artery pseudoaneurysm following penetrating chest trauma published in English literature.

A 49-year-old African American male patient with no past medical history was admitted because of 3 months of difficulty swallowing solid and liquid foods. He had constant retrosternal discomfort and appeared malnourished. The chest radiograph revealed a right sided aortic arch with tracheal deviation to the left. A swallow study confirmed a fixed esophageal narrowing at the level of T6. Contrast enhanced Computed Tomography (CT) angiogram of the chest and neck revealed a mirror image right aortic arch with a left sided cardiac apex and a prominent ductus diverticulum (measuring 1.7 × 1.8 cm). This structure extended posterior to and indented the mid esophagus. A left posterolateral thoracotomy was performed and the ductus diverticulum was resected. A retroesophageal ligamentum arteriosum was found during surgery and divided. This rare combination of congenital anatomical aberrations led to severe dysphagia in our patient. Successful surgical correction in the form of resection of the ductus diverticulum and division of the retroesophageal ligamentum arteriosum led to complete resolution of our patient's symptoms.

Carotid blowout is a rare fatal complication most commonly observed in head and neck cancer patients, especially after radiation therapy. Traditional surgical approaches carry extremely high morbidity and mortality rates. We present a case of acute hemorrhage from extracranial carotid artery in a 64-year-old man with history of total laryngectomy, tracheostomy, and chemoradiotherapy for laryngeal cancer. Tumor was noted to be encasing and eroding into the internal and common carotid artery with a large soft tissue neck defect. Hemorrhage was successfully controlled employing 3 Viabahn covered stents of increasing diameter in the internal and common carotid artery in an overlapping fashion under local anesthesia. Deployment of tapering overlapped covered stents in common and internal carotid artery may safely be performed to obtain endovascular control of active hemorrhage in a hostile neck.

Mediastinal hematoma is a rare complication following insertion of a central venous catheter with only few cases reported in the English literature. We report a case of a 71-year-old female who was admitted for elective chemoport placement. USG guided right internal jugular access was attempted using the Seldinger technique. Resistance was met while threading the guidewire. USG showed a chronic clot burden in the RIJ. A microvascular access was established under fluoroscopic guidance. Rest of the procedure was completed without any further issues. Following extubation, the patient complained of right-sided chest pain radiating to the back. Chest X-ray revealed a contained white out in the right upper lung field. She became hemodynamically unstable. Repeated X-ray showed progression of the hematoma. Median Sternotomy showed posterior mediastinal hematoma tracking into right pleural cavity. Active bleeding from the puncture site at RIJ-SCL junction was repaired. Patient had an uneventful recovery. Injury to the central venous system is the result of either penetrating trauma or iatrogenic causes as in our case. A possible explanation of our complication may be attributed to the forced manipulation of the dilator or guidewire against resistance. Clavicle and sternum offer bony protection to the underlying vital venous structures and injuries often need sternotomy with or without neck extension. Division of the clavicle and disarticulation of the sternoclavicular joint may be required for optimum exposure. Meticulous surgical technique, knowledge of the possible complications, and close monitoring in the postprocedural period are of utmost importance. Chest X-ray showed to be routinely done to detect any complication early.