Postinfarction intramyocardial dissection, an interesting case report and systematic review

Interventricular septal dissection secondary to acute inferior myocardial infarction: case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Interventricular septal dissection is a critical disease characterized by the separation of the intraventricular septum into two layers, forming an intermediate layer with a cystic cavity that communicates with the root of the aorta or ventricle. It has low morbidity and high mortality rates.

CASE PRESENTATION

Case 1: A 58-year-old male with a history of hypertension and smoking presented to a local hospital due to chest tightness and pain for 4 days. Coronary angiography revealed diffuse lesions from the proximal to the middle segment of the left circumflex branch, with 80% stenosis at its most severe point, and complete occlusion of the proximal segment of the right coronary artery. A stent was implanted in the middle of the right coronary artery. Three months later, the patient was misdiagnosed with an aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum with defect via echocardiography at the local hospital. After the implantation of a stent in the left circumflex branch, the patient came to our hospital for further diagnosis and treatment. The first ultrasound of our hospital misdiagnosed it as ventricular septal rupture, and a senior ultrasound doctor diagnosed the patient with interventricular septal dissection secondary to myocardial infarction. The patient underwent follow-up echocardiography every 1-2 months for 6 months. The patient remains asymptomatic with stable hemodynamics. The original treatment regimen and follow-up continues. Case 2: A 70-year-old male was admitted to a local hospital due to repeated chest distress for more than 20 years that worsened over several hours. Coronary angiography revealed complete occlusion of the right coronary artery. Cardiogenic shock occurred after percutaneous coronary intervention. The initial several echocardiography of the local hospital and our hospital misdiagnosed it as interventricular septal rupture secondary to myocardial infarction. The later echocardiography diagnosed it as interventricular septal dissection with rupture secondary to myocardial infarction. The patient underwent interventricular septal repair and mitral valvuloplasty after 25 days of medical treatment and died of multiple organ failure on the fourth day after the operation.

CONCLUSIONS

These two cases illustrate a complication of acute myocardial infarction and highlight the importance of echocardiography in its diagnosis. By exploring the etiology, pathogenesis, and key diagnostic points of IVSD, this study aims to provide valuable insights for clinical practice.

Left ventricular dissecting haematoma and aneurysm formation in a patient who uses methamphetamines: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Myocardial dissection is a rare complication of ischaemic heart disease. It occurs when a haematoma forms within the cardiac muscle, either due to an endocardial rupture or rupture of an intra-myocardial vessel. Higher ventricular wall tension and reduced myocardial tensile strength increase the risk of dissection. We describe a young male who developed a myocardial dissection following an ST elevation infarction. We explore the possible pathophysiological connection between myocardial dissection and his amphetamine use.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 37-year-old Sri Lankan patient presented with progressively worsening heart failure for two weeks. One month before the presentation, he had developed an ischaemic chest pain, for which he had not sought medical advice. He was abusing inhalational heroin, crystal methamphetamines and cigarette smoke daily for five years. On examination, the patient had a blood pressure of 90/60 mmHg and a pulse rate of 110 beats per minute. The cardiac apex was deviated. The jugular venous pressure was elevated, bilateral pitting ankle and pulmonary oedema were present. The ECG had Q-ST elevations in the lateral leads. Serum troponin was elevated. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a poorly functioning dilated left ventricle with a mass within the myocardial apex. Cardiac MRI established that the mass was an intra-myocardial haematoma. A coronary angiogram demonstrated a critical plaque stenosis at the mid left-anterior-descending artery with poor distal flow. The patient did not have HIV or infective endocarditis. We treated the patient with diuretics and guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. We did not attempt surgical repair as the dissection was non-expanding, and the patient was at a high risk of operative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial dissection with aneurysm formation is a rare complication of ischaemic heart disease. Methamphetamines enhance the risk of myocardial dissection by inducing myocardial inflammation, causing a dilated cardiomyopathy and increasing the left ventricular pressures.

The effect of COVID-19 derived cytokine storm on cancer cells progression: double-edged sword

OBJECTIVE

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2) was first detected in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. The emerging virus causes a respiratory illness, that can trigger a cytokine storm in the body.

METHOD

Cytokine storm in patient's body is associated with severe forms of disease. It is one of the main complications of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), in which immune cells play a major role. Studies have shown immune cells in the tumor environment can be effective to induce resistance to chemotherapy in cancer patients.

RESULT

Therefore, considering the role of immune cells to induce cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients, and their role to cause resistance to chemotherapy, they are effective on disease progression and creation of severe form of disease.

CONCLUSION

By examining the signaling pathways and inducing resistance to chemotherapy in tumor cells and the cells affect them, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of severe forms of the disease in cancer patients with COVID-19; it is applicable using target therapy and other subsequent treatment strategies.