Faculty Bibliography

AIM: Concentric hypertrophy is thought to transition to left ventricular (LV) dilatation and systolic failure in the presence of long standing hypertension (HTN). Whether or not this transition routinely occurs in humans is unknown. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled African American patients hospitalized for acute decompensated volume overload heart failure (HF) in this retrospective study. All patients had a history of HTN and absence of obstructive coronary disease. Patients were divided into those with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and reduced LVEF. LV dimensions were measured according to standard ASE recommendations. LV mass was calculated using the ASE formula with Devereux correction. RESULTS: Patients with normal LVEF HF were significantly older, female and had a longer duration of HTN with higher systolic blood pressure on admission. LV wall thickness was similarly elevated in both groups. LV mass was elevated in both groups however was significantly greater in the reduced LVEF HF group compared to the normal LVEF HF group. Furthermore, gender was an independent predictor for LV wall thickness in normal LVEF HF group. CONCLUSION: In African American patients with HF our study questions the paradigm that concentric hypertrophy transitions to LV dilatation and systolic failure in the presence of HTN. Genetics and gender likely play a role in an individual's response to long standing hypertension.

BACKGROUND Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF TAVR) can be performed under general anesthesia (GA) or moderate sedation (MS). Despite observational studies suggesting a shorter length of stay (LOS), shorter procedural time and a similar mortality rate with MS, only 5% of patients undergoing TF TAVR in the United States are done with this type of anesthesia. We reviewed the implementation of a MS for TF TAVR protocol at a single institution with no previous experience with this technique. METHODS Patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), likely difficult intubation, inability to tolerate supine position due to musculoskeletal disease, or barriers to communication including altered mental status were performed under GA with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. All others received MS with an ilioinguinal nerve block and intraoperative transthoracic echocardiography. The MS for TF TAVR protocol was implemented on October 9th, 2014. The records of patients undergoing TF TAVR 6 months before and after protocol implementation were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS In the pre protocol group 33 patients underwent TF TAVR under GA and no patients received MS. In the post protocol group, 97 underwent TF TAVR, 81 (83.5%) of which received MS. OSA was the most common reason for GA (N=10, 62.5%). Conversion from MS to GA occurred in 2 cases (2.5%) due to procedural complications, of which 1 resulted in death. All other cases involving MS were tolerated well and there were no anesthesia related complications. Post procedural LOS (3.2 days vs. 5.0 days, p=0.002) and procedure time (144.0 minutes vs. 96.1 minutes, p<0.001) were both significantly shorter in post protocol group. The post protocol group was also significantly less likely to require a skilled nursing facility upon discharge (24.2% vs. 8.2%, p=0.027). In hospital mortality was similar between groups (N=2 6.1% vs. N=3, 3.1%, p=0.601). (Table Presented) CONCLUSIONS The MS for TF TAVR protocol appears safe and can be rapidly implemented at institutions with no previous MS experience. This technique is feasible in the majority of patient undergoing TF TAVR. Post procedural LOS and procedural time are multifactorial, but this data further suggests MS may be beneficial in select patients

A 48-year-old male with history of chronic arthritis and uveitis presented with 1 year of progressively reduced exercise capacity and nonexertional chest pain. Physical examination was consistent with severe aortic insufficiency. An electrocardiogram demonstrated sinus rhythm with first degree atrioventricular block. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated severe lone central aortic insufficiency of a trileaflet valve due to leaflet thickening, retraction of leaflet margins and mild aortic root dilation in the setting of left ventricular dilatation. In addition, computed tomographic angiography revealed a small focal aneurysm of the distal transverse arch. He was found to be positive for the immunogenetic marker HLA-B27. The patient subsequently underwent uncomplicated mechanical aortic valve replacement. The diagnosis of HLA-B27 associated cardiac disease should be entertained in any individual with lone aortic insufficiency, especially if accompanied by conduction disease.

Coronary artery embolism is an uncommon cause of acute myocardial infarction (MI). We present a patient with pulmonary atresia and severe right heart hypoplasia who underwent a lateral tunnel Fontan procedure in childhood and presented with an acute ST-segment elevation MI at 19 years of age. In addition to the known risk of thrombotic complications associated with a Fontan circulation, potential predisposing factors to thromboembolism in this patient included a right ventricle to left anterior descending coronary connection and a Fontan baffle leak. The patient was treated with device closure of the baffle leak and anticoagulation. This is one of the first reports of an embolic MI in a patient with a Fontan circulation. The optimal method of reducing thromboembolic risk in this patient, and those with a Fontan circulation in general, is complicated and no consensus exists.

New devices designed for minimally invasive closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) may be a viable alternative for patients in whom anticoagulation is considered high risk. The Lariat (Sentreheart, Redwood City, CA), which is currently FDA-approved for percutaneous closure of tissue, requires both trans-septal puncture and epicardial access. However it requires no anticoagulation after the procedure. Here we describe a case of effusion and tamponade during a Lariat procedure with successful completion of the case and resolution of the effusion.

PURPOSE: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is routinely used to assess for thrombus in the left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. However, little is known about the outcome of AF ablation in patients with documented LAA sludge. We hypothesize that AF ablation can be performed safely in a proportion of patients with sludge in the LAA and may have a significant benefit for these patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing AF ablation at New York University Langone Medical Center (NYULMC) from January 1st 2011 to June 30, 2013. Patients with sludge found on their TEE immediately prior to AF ablation were identified and followed for stroke, AF recurrence, procedural complications, major bleeding, or death. RESULTS: Among 1,076 patients who underwent AF ablation, 8 patients (mean age 69 +/- 13 years; 75 % men) with sludge were identified. Patients with sludge in their LAA had no incidence of early or late occurrence of stroke during mean follow-up of 10 months. One patient had a left groin hematoma, and two patients had atrial tachycardias that needed a repeat ablation. TEE at the time of repeat ablation demonstrated the presence of spontaneous echo contrast (smoke) and resolution of sludge. There were no deaths. CONCLUSION: In a cohort of eight patients with LAA sludge who underwent AF ablation, no significant thromboembolic events occurred during or after the procedure. AF ablation can be performed safely and may be beneficial in these patients. Larger studies are warranted to better determine the most appropriate management route.

Primary tumors of the aorta are rare entities. We report the unusual manifestation of an aortic intimal sarcoma that presented as a brain metastasis in a 56-year-old, otherwise healthy woman. After the brain mass had been resected, multiple imaging methods revealed pseudocoarctation and the primary tumor in the aortic arch. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the diagnosis of an aortic intimal sarcoma with use of real-time, 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is a significant cause of embolic stroke. Although systemic anticoagulation is the primary strategy for preventing the thromboembolic complications of AF, anticoagulants carry major bleeding risks, and many patients have contraindications to their use. Because thromboembolism typically arises from a clot in the left atrial appendage (LAA), local therapeutic alternatives to systemic anticoagulation involving surgical or percutaneous exclusion of the LAA have been developed. Surgical exclusion of the LAA is typically performed only as an adjunct to other cardiac surgeries, thus limiting the number of eligible patients. Furthermore, surgical exclusion of the LAA is frequently incomplete, and thromboembolism may still occur. Percutaneous LAA exclusion includes two approaches: transseptal delivery of an occlusion device to the LAA and epicardial suture ligation of the LAA, the LARIAT procedure. In the LARIAT procedure, a pretied snare is placed around the epicardial surface of the LAA orifice via pericardial access. Proper snare placement is achieved with epicardial and endocardial magnet-tipped guidewires. The endocardial wire is advanced transvenously to the LAA apex after transseptal puncture. The epicardial wire, introduced into the pericardial space, achieves end-to-end union with the endocardial wire at the LAA apex. The snare is then placed over the LAA, tightened, and sutured. On the basis of early clinical experience, the LARIAT procedure has a high success rate of LAA exclusion with low risk for complications. The authors describe the indispensable role of real-time transesophageal echocardiography in the guidance of LAA epicardial suture ligation with the LARIAT device.