Endoscopic Mitral Valve Repair in a Patient With Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining Into the Coronary Sinus - Cannulation Technique and Surgical Management

Persistence of the left superior vena cava is often an incidental finding during cardiac surgical procedures. In minimally invasive valvular surgery, it may jeopardise venous drainage and myocardial protection. This How-To-Do-It paper describes the cannulation strategy in a case of minimally invasive mitral surgery in a patient with persistence of the left superior vena cava and absence of the anonymous vein detected with preoperative multimodality imaging.

Age-adjusted Reference Values and Z-scores of the Coronary Sinus Diameter among Healthy Children and Adolescents in Southern Iran

BACKGROUND

Coronary sinus dimension is an important factor for diagnosing some types of cyanosis as well as congenital heart diseases and insertion of some devices into the coronary sinus if required. This study was designed to access the diameter and Z-score of the coronary sinus among children under 18 years of age.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study on 95 individuals, the coronary sinus diameter was measured by transthoracic echocardiography in the four-chamber view at the connection to the right atrium, middle part, and distal end. The linear regression equation was utilized to determine age-adjust reference values, Z-scores, and the relationship between the individuals' coronary sinus diameter age, height, and body surface area. The study was conducted from March to July 2020 in Namazi hospital clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

RESULTS

The mean age of the persons who entered this study was 5.87±4.25 years. The mean coronary sinus diameter was 4.91±1.29 mm at the site of connection to the right atrium, 4.50±1.44 mm at the middle part, and 3.74±1.32 mm at the distal end. Coronary sinus diameter correlates positively with the participants' age, weight, height, and body surface area (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Coronary sinus diameter significantly correlates with the age, height, and body surface area of the cases. These features are useful in diagnosing some congenital heart diseases and insertion of suitable devices through it.

Insights Into Coronary Sinus Reducer Non-Responders

Refractory angina affects an increasing proportion of the population with advanced coronary artery disease and microvascular dysfunction. Limited effective pharmacological and interventional therapies exist for this patient cohort. The coronary sinus (CS) reducer, recently recommended in the 2019 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology for the management of chronic refractory angina, is a balloon-expandable, stainless-steel device designed for implantation in the CS. It acts by increasing CS pressure, thereby redistributing blood to ischemic myocardium, relieving symptoms, and improving quality of life. However, between 15%-30% of patients do not respond to this treatment. Six mechanisms appear to explain this poor response to CS reducer therapy: (1) inappropriate patient selection; (2) cardiac venous system heterogeneity; (3) CS size; (4) incomplete device endothelialization; (5) coronary artery disease phenotype and progression; and (6) limited myocardial ischemia at baseline. We hereby review these mechanisms in detail and highlight key areas that should be addressed in order to try and reduce the burden of non-responders following CS reducer implantation.

Coronary sinus atrial septal defects in adults over the past 20 years at new Tokyo hospital: case series

BACKGROUND

An isolated coronary sinus (CS) atrial septal defect (ASD) is defined as a CS unroofed in the terminal portion without a persistent left superior vena cava or other anomalies. This defect is rare and part of the wide spectrum of unroofed CS syndrome (URCS). Recently, several reports have described this finding. The database of New Tokyo Hospital was searched to determine the incidence of this defect. Additionally, to raise awareness of this condition, the findings from five patients with CS ASD who underwent surgical repair at New Tokyo Hospital are discussed.

CASE PRESENTATION

The patients were three women and two men with an age range of 63-77 years. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography, and one underwent magnetic resonance imaging. In two patients, the defect was found unexpectedly intraoperatively; left-to-right shunting was apparent in the other three patients preoperatively. The pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratio ranged from 1.42 to 3.1 following cardiac catheterization, and oxygen saturation step-up was seen on the right side of the heart. Valvular regurgitation was seen in 4/5 patients with different combinations and degrees of mitral, tricuspid, and aortic valve involvement. Right atrial and ventricular dilation were seen in 4/5 patients; three patients had left atrial dilation. Three patients experienced atrial fibrillation, and one of these also experienced paroxysmal ventricular contractions. All patients underwent surgical repair, and some underwent multiple procedures. One patient who had previously undergone kidney transplantation died approximately 1 year postoperatively; the remaining four patients are currently experiencing good activities of daily living without symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

CS ASD (Kirklin and Barratt-Boyes type IV URCS) comprised 1.3% of adult congenital heart surgeries and 0.07% of adult open-heart surgeries at New Tokyo Hospital from 1999 to 2019. At New Tokyo Hospital, cardiac surgery is performed mainly for patients with acquired cardiac disease, and CS ASD is rare. Early diagnosis is important, as well as early surgical repair in symptomatic patients, especially those with blood access shunts, which may overload the heart. The case of a poor prognosis in this series is noteworthy, as similar cases have not been reported previously.

Giant coronary sinus aneurysm misdiagnosed as an extracardiac mediastinal tumor

Coronary sinus aneurysm is a rare heart anomaly. Herein, we report a rare case with giant coronary sinus aneurysm misdiagnosed as an extracardiac mediastinal tumor. The preoperative diagnostic imaging failed to diagnose the correct location of the tumor and a simple resection was planned. It turned out to be coronary sinus aneurysm intraoperatively and required cardiopulmonary bypass support for the resection.

Incremental prognostic value of coronary flow reserve determined by phase-contrast cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance of the coronary sinus in patients with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Although non-invasive assessment of coronary flow reserve (CFR) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) provides prognostic information for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), the incremental prognostic value of CMR-derived CFR remains unclear.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the incremental prognostic value of CMR-derived CFR for patients with DM who underwent stress CMR imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 309 patients with type 2 DM [69 ± 9 years; 244 (78%) male] assessed between 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Coronary sinus blood flow (CSBF) was measured using phase contrast (PC) cine CMR. CFR was calculated as the CSBF during adenosine triphosphate infusion divided by that at rest. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as death, acute coronary syndrome, hospitalization due to heart failure exacerbation, or sustained ventricular tachycardia. The incremental prognostic value of CFR over clinical and CMR variables was assessed by calculating the C-index and net reclassification improvement (NRI).

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 3.8 years, 42 patients (14%) experienced MACE. The annualized event rate was significantly higher among patients with CFR < 2.0, regardless of the presence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (1.4% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.011 in the LGE (-) group; 1.8% vs. 16.9%, p < 0.001 in the LGE (+) group). In addition, this trend was maintained in the subgroups stratified by presence or absence of ischemia (0.3% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.007 in the ischemia (-) group; 3.9% vs. 17.1%, p = 0.001 in the ischemia (+) group). Adding CFR to the risk model (age + gender + left ventricular ejection fraction + %LGE + %ischemia) resulted in a significant increase of the C-index from 0.838 to 0.870 (p = 0.038) and an NRI of 0.201 (0.004-0.368, p = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

PC cine CMR-derived CFR of the coronary sinus may be useful as a prognostic marker for DM patients, incremental to common clinical and CMR parameters. Due to the high prevalence of coronary microvascular dysfunction, the addition of CFR to conventional vasodilator stress CMR imaging may improve risk stratification for patients with DM.

Right coronary artery-coronary sinus fistula diagnosed by three-dimensional echocardiography

Right coronary artery-coronary sinus fistula is a very rare congenital anomaly in which a right coronary artery fistula drains into the right atrium, right ventricle, or pulmonary artery. A right coronary artery-coronary sinus fistula was diagnosed in a 44-year-old man by three-dimensional echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography angiography and surgery. Relevant published experience in diagnosing this kind of anomaly is summarized.

Impact of Leaflet Laceration on Transcatheter Aortic Valve-in-Valve Washout: BASILICA to Solve Neosinus and Sinus Stasis

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate any potential leaflet washout benefits after bioprosthetic or native aortic scallop intentional laceration to prevent iatrogenic coronary artery obstruction during TAVR (BASILICA) in transcatheter valve-in-valve (ViV) in the context of leaflet thrombosis.

BACKGROUND

Leaflet thrombosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement is secondary to flow stasis in both the sinus and neosinus. Strategies to improve washout and ameliorate neosinus and sinus flow velocities may have the potential to mitigate the occurrence of clinical and subclinical leaflet thrombosis.

METHODS

A 23-mm Edwards SAPIEN 3 and a 26-mm Medtronic Evolut were deployed in a 23-mm transparent surgical aortic valve model before and after leaflet laceration. The valves were placed in the aortic position of a pulse duplicator flow loop. Particle image velocimetry was performed to quantify sinus flow hemodynamic status. A tracing fluorescent dye was injected to evaluate the number of cycles to washout in both regions of interest.

RESULTS

The leaflet laceration procedure led to an increase in the velocities in the sinus and the neosinus by 50% for Evolut ViV and 61.9% for SAPIEN 3 ViV. In addition, leaflet laceration led to a reduction in overall cycles to washout in the neosinus by at least 56% with the Evolut and 54.5% with the SAPIEN 3 and in the sinus by at least 16.7% with the Evolut and 60.8% with the SAPIEN.

CONCLUSIONS

Leaflet laceration using a BASILICA-type approach may hold the potential to mitigate neosinus and sinus flow stasis. Controlled in vivo trials are necessary to establish the potential benefit of BASILICA to reduce the occurrence of leaflet thrombosis.

Enlarged coronary sinus thrombosis after repair of Ebstein's anomaly

A 58-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with progressively increasing breathlessness. She reported a history of bioprosthetic valve implantation for tricuspid valve replacement and direct closure of an atrial septal defect for Ebstein's anomaly, 31 years before presentation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed prosthetic valve failure, an enlarged coronary sinus, and severe mitral regurgitation. Computed tomography revealed a giant coronary sinus with thrombosis and persistent left superior vena cava. She underwent successful mitral and tricuspid valve replacement; however, severe hemodynamic deterioration necessitated mechanical ventilatory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Left superior vena cava: cross-sectional imaging overview

Persistent left-sided superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the commonest systemic venous anomaly in the thorax with a reported prevalence of up to 0.5% in otherwise normal population and up to 10% in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). In the absence of associated CHD, it is usually asymptomatic, discovered incidentally. It may complicate catheter or pacemaker lead placement. PLSVC typically drains into the right atrium through the coronary sinus. In children with CHD, the presence of a PLSVC may affect the choice of certain surgical procedures. PLSVC is significantly more common in association with situs ambiguous than with situs solitus or inversus, up to 60-70%. In patients with situs ambiguous, the drainage of LSVC is variable, more commonly directly into the atria rather than through the coronary sinus (CS). Rarely, there is a PLSVC draining into the CS with absent right SVC. PLSVC draining into the right atrium via the CS will not usually cause blood shunting between the right and the left sides. However, shunting occurs when PLSVC is associated with unroofed CS, or when it directly drains into the left atrium. With an increased use of CT and MRI for chest and cardiac imaging, PLSVC is being more encountered by radiologists than before. In this article, we will discuss the embryology of PLSVC, its anatomic course and drainage pathways, as well as its clinical relevance and relation to congenital heart disease and viscero-atrial situs.

Coronary venous anatomy and anomalies

Coronary venous anatomy can be divided into the greater cardiac venous system and the lesser cardiac venous system. With protocol optimization, including appropriate contrast bolus timing, coronary veins can be depicted with excellent detail on CT. Knowledge of variant coronary venous anatomy can sometimes play a role in pre-procedural planning. Analysis of the coronary venous anatomy on CT can detect coronary venous anomalies that cause right to left shunts with risk of stroke, left to right shunts, and arrhythmias.

[Surgery in Elderly Patient for Coronary Arteriovenous Fistula and Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm Associated with Cardiac Failure;Report of a Case]

An 82-year-old woman visited the hospital with the chief complaint of dyspnea on light exertion. Computed tomography (CT) showed a coronary artery aneurysm and coronary arteriovenous fistulas. The pulmouary flow/systemic flow (Qp/Qs) ratio was 1.4, and the left-to-right shunt rate was 31%.Two anomalous vessels were identified. One arose from the right coronary artery, formed an aneurysm, and drained into the coronary sinus, while the other originated from the distal circumflex branch and drained directly into the coronary sinus. The aneurysm measured 50×45 mm. The anomalous vessel from the right coronary artery was ligated at the sites of flow from the right coronary artery and at the site of drainage into the coronary sinus. The circumflex artery was ligated at the last branch and at the site of drainage into the coronary sinus. The aneurysm was incised and the vessel flowing into the aneurysm was sutured closed. Postoperative CT showed no anomalous blood vessel and the circumflex artery was visualized up to the last branch.

Coronary sinus thrombosis: Echocardiographic visualization in a patient with known risk factors

Coronary sinus thrombosis is a rare and often overlooked diagnosis that can have fatal consequences. We report a case of acute coronary sinus thrombosis in a patient with systolic heart failure who had undergone recent right-heart catheterization. The patient presented with recurrent presyncope, syncope, and shortness of breath. An echogenic focus consistent with a coronary sinus thrombus was visualized on transthoracic echocardiography that had not been seen previously on recent imaging. The patient was managed on oral anticoagulation. Awareness of patients at risk for coronary sinus thrombosis can lead to early detection via bedside echocardiography and early management.

Unusual Implantation of a Coronary Sinus Reducer in the Middle Cardiac Vein

In patients with small or unfavorable coronary sinus (CS) anatomies, implantation of a CS reducer in atypical sites might be considered, if the target vein is of appropriate size and provides appropriate venous drainage.

A Bleeding Heart: Coronary-Cameral Fistula After Septal Myomectomy

Coronary-cameral fistulas are relatively rare communications arising within the coronary vasculature entering into one of the four cardiac chambers. This case highlights a striking angiographic example of coronary-cameral fistula occurring after septal myomectomy, a complication occurring somewhat frequently with typical spontaneous resolution.

Prognostic significance of myocardial energy expenditure and myocardial efficiency in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

In heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients, myocardial blood flow (MBF), myocardial energy expenditure (MEE), myocardial efficiency has been poorly evaluated because of the necessity of invasive procedures in the determination of these parameters. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can provide reliable data for MEE, MBF (via coronary sinus (CS) flows). Also, myocardial efficiency can be evaluated by the MEE to MBF ratio. We aim to assess MBF, MEE and energy efficiency and the prognostic value of these parameters in HFrEF. In this prospective study, a total of 80 patients with HFrEF due to either ischemic or non-ischemic etiology and 20 healthy control subjects were included. Median follow-up duration was 901 (27-1004) days. MBF was calculated via coronary sinus blood flow. MEE was measured from circumferential end-systolic stress, stroke volume and left ventricular ejection time. MEE to MBF ratio was determined as MEf. Primary composite end-point (CEP) was cardiovascular mortality, heart transplantation or mechanical circulatory support. MEE and MEf were lower and MBF per minute was higher in HF group compared to control subjects whereas MBF per 100 g left ventricular mass was not different. MEE and MEf have significantly negative correlation with troponin I, BNP, uric acid and positive correlation with epicardial fat thickness. In Cox regression analysis, per one calorie decrease of MEE was associated 4.3 times increased risk [HR 4.396 (95% CI 1.230-15.716)] and per one percent decrease of MEf was associated 3.3 times increased risk of CEP [HR 3.343 (95% CI 1.025-10.905)]. Our study demonstrated that while MEE and MEf diminished in HFrEF, MBF preserved with the symptomatic progression of HF. MEE and MEf were found to be associated with important prognostic markers and independent predictors of CEP in HFrEF. Evaluation of MEE, MBF and MEf with echocardiography may provide an additional data regarding prognostic assessment of HFrEF population.

Unroofed Coronary Sinus Syndrome: An Easily Corrected Congenital Anomaly But More Diagnostic Suspicion Is Needed

BACKGROUND

Unroofed coronary sinus syndrome (URCSS) is a spectrum of cardiac anomalies in which part (partial type) or the entire common wall (complete type) between the coronary sinus (CS) and left atrium is absent. It is commonly associated with a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). The PLSVC can even anomalously connect to the left atrium in complete type anomaly. URCSS has been reported to be associated with delayed diagnosis and life-threatening cerebral injury. The purpose of the present study was to review our experience with surgical correction of this often-concealed malformation and discuss methods for reducing diagnostic omission.

METHODS

Thirty-six patients with URCSS who underwent surgical treatment from 1998 to 2015 in our institution were enrolled in this retrospective analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 21.8±20.9 years. Type I anomalies were found in 15 (41.7%) patients, type II in 4 (11.1%), type III in 6 (16.7%), and type IV in 11 (30.6%). A patient presenting with URCSS without other defects was identified in six (16.7%). One patient (2.8%) had a history of paradoxical embolisation. Twenty-five patients (69.4%) were diagnosed before surgery. Ten patients (27.8%) were diagnosed with URCSS intraoperatively. One patient (2.8%) was diagnosed with URCSS by follow-up echocardiography after device occlusion for atrial septal defect. Coronary sinus ostium dilation was the most important clue leading to partial type lesion disclosure intraoperatively. The anomalous PLSVC of 15 patients was repaired using roof tunnel technique in four (26.7%) cases, baffle redirection in eight (53.3%) cases, posterior left atrial wall plicating in two (13.3%) cases, and extracardiac bypass in one (6.7%) case. Postoperative complete atrioventricular block occurred in one patient (2.8%). One patient died postoperatively (2.8%). All patients are doing well after discharge from hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic suspicion can contribute to lesion disclosure. Surgical correction has good long-term outcomes and low risks.