Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular non-compaction:Distinct diseases or variant phenotypes of a single condition?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM)is a genetically determined myocardial disease characterized by an increased thickness of the left ventricle(LV)wall that cannot be solely attributed to abnormal loading conditions.HCM may present with an intraventricular or LV outflow tract obstruction,diastolic dysfunction,myocardial fibrosis and/or ventricular arrhythmias.Differentiating HCM from other diseases associated with LV hypertrophy,such as hypertension,aortic stenosis,or LV non-compaction(LVNC),can at times be challenging.LVNC is defined by excessive LV trabeculation and deep recesses between trabeculae,often accompanied by increased LV myocardial mass.Previous studies indicate that the LVNC phenotype may be observed in up to 5%of the general population;however,in most cases,it is a benign finding with no impact on clinical outcomes.Nevertheless,LVNC can occasionally lead to LV systolic dysfunction,manifesting as a phenotype of dilated or non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy,with an increased risk of thrombus formation and arterial embolism.In extreme cases,where LVNC is associated with a very thickened LV wall,it can even mimic HCM.There is growing evidence of an overlap between HCM and LVNC,including similar genetic mutations and clinical presentations.This raises the question of whether HCM and LVNC represent different phenotypes of the same disease or are,in fact,two distinct entities.

Left bundle branch pacing vs biventricular pacing in heart failure patients with left bundle branch block:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Left bundle branch pacing(LBBP)is a novel pacing modality of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)that achieves more physiologic native ventricular activation than biventricular pacing(BiVP).AIM To explore the validity of electromechanical resynchronization,clinical and echocardiographic response of LBBP-CRT.METHODS Systematic review and Meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the standard guidelines as mentioned in detail in the methodology section.RESULTS In our analysis,the success rate of LBBP-CRT was determined to be 91.1%.LBBP CRT significantly shortened QRS duration,with significant improvement in echocardiographic parameters,including left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in comparison with BiVP-CRT.CONCLUSION A significant reduction in New York Heart Association class and B-type natriuretic peptide levels was also observed in the LBBP-CRT group vs BiVP-CRT group.Lastly,the LBBP-CRT cohort had a reduced pacing threshold at follow-up as compared to BiVP-CRT.

Double-chambered left ventricle with a thrombus in an asymptomatic patient:A case report

BACKGROUND Double-chambered left ventricle(DCLV)is an extremely rare congenital disease in which the left ventricle(LV)is divided by abnormal muscle tissue.Due to its rarity,there is a lack of data on the disease,including its diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis.Accordingly,we report a case in which DCLV was diagnosed and followed up.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old man presented to our hospital due to abnormal findings on an electrocardiogram recorded during a health check.He had no specific cardiac symptoms,comorbidities or relevant past medical history.Echocardiography revealed that the LV was divided into two by muscle fibers.There were no findings of ischemia on coronary angiography and coronary computed tomography angiography performed to exclude differential diagnoses.After comprehensive analysis of the images,DCLV was diagnosed.As it seemed to be asymptomatic DCLV,we decided the patient was to be observed without administering any medication.However,follow-up echocardiography revealed a thrombus in the accessory chamber(AC).Anticoagulant medication was initiated,the thrombus resolved,and the patient is currently undergoing follow-up without any specific symptoms.CONCLUSION Asymptomatic,uncomplicated DCLV was diagnosed through multimodal imaging;however,a thrombus in the AC occurred during the follow-up.The findings highlight that multimodal imaging is essential in diagnosing DCLV,and that anticoagulation is important in its management.

Left bundle branch pacing set to outshine biventricular pacing for cardiac resynchronization therapy?

The deleterious effects of long-term right ventricular pacing necessitated the search for alternative pacing sites which could prevent or alleviate pacinginduced cardiomyopathy.Until recently,biventricular pacing(BiVP)was the only modality which could mitigate or prevent pacing induced dysfunction.Further,BiVP could resynchronize the baseline electromechanical dssynchrony in heart failure and improve outcomes.However,the high non-response rate of around 20%-30%remains a major limitation.This non-response has been largely attributable to the direct non-physiological stimulation of the left ventricular myocardium bypassing the conduction system.To overcome this limitation,the concept of conduction system pacing(CSP)came up.Despite initial success of the first CSP via His bundle pacing(HBP),certain drawbacks including lead instability and dislodgements,steep learning curve and rapid battery depletion on many occasions prevented its widespread use for cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT).Subsequently,CSP via left bundle branch-area pacing(LBBP)was developed in 2018,which over the last few years has shown efficacy comparable to BiVP-CRT in small observational studies.Further,its safety has also been well established and is largely free of the pitfalls of the HBP-CRT.In the recent metanalysis by Yasmin et al,comprising of 6 studies with 389 participants,LBBPCRT was superior to BiVP-CRT in terms of QRS duration,left ventricular ejection fraction,cardiac chamber dimensions,lead thresholds,and functional status amongst heart failure patients with left bundle branch block.However,there are important limitations of the study including the small overall numbers,inclusion of only a single small randomized controlled trial(RCT)and a small follow-up duration.Further,the entire study population analyzed was from China which makes generalizability a concern.Despite the concerns,the meta-analysis adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the efficacy of LBBP-CRT.At this stage,one must acknowledge that the fact that still our opinions on this technique are largely based on observational data and there is a dire need for larger RCTs to ascertain the position of LBBPCRT in management of heart failure patients with left bundle branch block.

Left bundle branch area pacing:A new era of cardiac resynchronization therapy?

The recent systematic review and meta-analysis provided a comprehensive focus on the current state of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT).The authors determined the feasibility of physiological left bundle branch area pacing(LBBAP)in patients indicated for CRT through a careful analysis of trials.They found that LBBAP was associated with significant reductions in QRS duration,New York Heart Association functional class,B-type natriuretic peptide levels,and pacing thresholds as well as improvements in echocardiographic parameters compared to biventricular pacing.

Deep learning echocardiographic intelligent model for evaluation on left ventricular regional wall motion abnormality

Objective To observe the value of deep learning echocardiographic intelligent model for evaluation on left ventricular(LV)regional wall motion abnormalities(RWMA).Methods Apical two-chamber,three-chamber and four-chamber views two-dimensional echocardiograms were obtained prospectively in 205 patients with coronary heart disease.The model for evaluating LV regional contractile function was constructed using a five-fold cross-validation method to automatically identify the presence of RWMA or not,and the performance of this model was assessed taken manual interpretation of RWMA as standards.Results Among 205 patients,RWMA was detected in totally 650 segments in 83 cases.LV myocardial segmentation model demonstrated good efficacy for delineation of LV myocardium.The average Dice similarity coefficient for LV myocardial segmentation results in the apical two-chamber,three-chamber and four-chamber views was 0.85,0.82 and 0.88,respectively.LV myocardial segmentation model accurately segmented LV myocardium in apical two-chamber,three-chamber and four-chamber views.The mean area under the curve(AUC)of RWMA identification model was 0.843±0.071,with sensitivity of(64.19±14.85)%,specificity of(89.44±7.31)%and accuracy of(85.22±4.37)%.Conclusion Deep learning echocardiographic intelligent model could be used to automatically evaluate LV regional contractile function,hence rapidly and accurately identifying RWMA.

Prenatal Diagnosis of an Apically Located Congenital Left Ventricular Aneurysm: A Rare Case

Congenital ventricular aneurysm is a very rare cardiac anomaly.A diagnosis can be made during the prenatal period using fetal echocardiography.This study presents a very rare apically located left ventricular aneurysm case,and the relevant literature was reviewed and discussed.In this case,a 35-year-old,gravida 2,parity 1 preg-nant woman at 24 weeks of gestation,displayed a wide aneurysmal image in the left ventricular apical wall on fetal echocardiography.There was a 1.79 mm muscular ventricular septal defect at the apical region of the interven-tricular septum.In the course of the color Doppler ultrasonography examination,an aberrantfibrous band within the left ventricle and consequent turbulentflow during systole were observed.The baby,born via cesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation,is now in its postnatal seventh month.However,during echocardiographic follow-ups,changes have been observed,including mild to moderate mitral insufficiency and a decrease in systolic function.Despite thesefindings,the clinical condition remains asymptomatic.It is of great importance to use a multidis-ciplinary approach in managing these rare cases that could lead to potential adverse outcomes during the antena-tal or postnatal periods.

Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing Reveals Cardiac Macrophage Landscape in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Background:Hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS)is one of the most challenging congenital heart diseases in clinical treatment.In cardiac tissues,resident macrophages fulfill critical functions in maintaining a stable cardiac state and have strong regenerative capacity and organ specificity.However,the molecular mechanisms of macro-phages in HLHS remained unclear.Methods:Single-nucleus RNA sequencing(snRNA-seq)data of HLHS and healthy control(donors)samples obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database were normalized and clustered using the Seurat package.The“FindMarkers”function was used to screen differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between the HLHS and donor groups and to analyze the functional enrichment of the set of genes of interest.Finally,cell-cell communication,pseudotime,and single-cell regulatory network inference and cluster-ing(SCENIC)analyses were used to study the mechanisms of macrophages in HLHS.Results:Based on the snRNA-seq data of HLHS and donors,we identified a total of 9 cell clusters,among which the proportion of macrophages was significantly less in the HLHS group than in the control group.Subdivision of macrophage subpopulations(Macrophages 1,2,and 3)showed that Macrophages 1 was mainly involved in nervous system development,angiogenesis,and apoptotic processes.In addition,analysis of communication between Macro-phages 1 and cardiomyocytes revealed that ligand-acceptor pairs such as GAS6/AXL,IL6,IGF1,THY1,and L1CAM were present only in the donor group.Finally,pesudotime and SCENIC analyses demonstrated that FOXO3 and ELF2 played a critical role for Macrophages 1 to maintain cardiac function in patients with HLHS.Conclusion:Our study improved the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of macrophage devel-opment in HLHS,showing that manipulating the regulatory role of macrophages in the heart can be a novel treat-ment for HLHS.

Individualized anti-thrombotic therapy for acute myocardial infarction complicated with left ventricular thrombus: A case report

BACKGROUND Presently,there is no established standard anti-blood clot therapy for patients facing acute myocardial infarction(AMI)complicated by left ventricular thrombus(LVT).While vitamin K antagonists are the preferred choice for oral blood thinning,determining the best course of blood-thinning medication remains challenging.It is unclear if non-vitamin K antagonist oral blood thinners have different effectiveness in treating LVT.This study significantly contributes to the medical community.CASE SUMMARY The blood-thinning treatment of a patient with AMI and LVT was analyzed.Triple blood-thinning therapy included daily enteric-coated aspirin tablets at 0.1 g,daily clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate at 75 mg,and dabigatran etexilate at 110 mg twice daily.After 15 d,the patient’s LVT did not decrease but instead increased.Clinical pharmacists comprehensively analyzed the cases from the perspective of the patient’s disease status and drug interaction.The drug regimen was reformulated for the patient,replacing dabigatran etexilate with warfarin,and was administered for six months.The clinical pharmacist provided the patient with professional and standardized pharmaceutical services.The patient’s condition was discharged after meeting the international normalized ratio value(2-3)criteria.The patient fully complied with the follow-up,and the time in the therapeutic range was 78.57%,with no serious adverse effects during pharmaceutical monitoring.CONCLUSION Warfarin proves to be an effective drug for patients with AMI complicated by LVT,and its blood-thinning course lasts for six months.

Left ventricular thrombosis caused cerebral embolism during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: A case report

BACKGROUND Venoarterial(VA)extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO),an effective short-term circulatory support method for refractory cardiogenic shock,is widely applied.However,retrospective analyses have shown that VA-ECMO-assisted cases were associated with a relatively high mortality rate of approximately 60%.Embolization in important organs caused by complications of left ventricular thrombosis(LVT)during VA-ECMO is also an important reason.Although the incidence of LVT during VA-ECMO is not high,the consequences of embolization are disastrous.CASE SUMMARY A 37-year-old female patient was admitted to hospital because of fever for 4 d and palpitations for 3 d.After excluding the diagnosis of coronary heart disease,we established a diagnosis of“clinically explosive myocarditis”.The patient still had unstable hemodynamics after drug treatment supported by VA-ECMO,with heparin for anticoagulation.On day 4 of ECMO support,a left ventricular thro-mbus attached to the papillary muscle root of the mitral valve was found by transthoracic echocardiography.Left ventricular decompression was performed and ECMO was successfully removed,but the patient eventually died of multiple cerebral embolism.CONCLUSION LVT with high mobility during VA-ECMO may cause embolism in important organs.Therefore,a"wait and see"strategy should be avoided.

Left atrial appendage occluder detachment treated with transthoracic ultrasound combined with digital subtraction angiography guided catcher:A case report

BACKGROUND There are very few cases of cardiac occluder detachment,and it is rare to completely remove the occluder using interventional methods without undergoing thoracotomy surgery after detachment.This case innovatively used ultrasound guidance combined with digital subtraction angiography(DSA)to completely remove the occluder,accumulating some experience.CASE SUMMARY The patient underwent left atrial appendage occlusion surgery in our hospital due to atrial fibrillation.After the surgery,the occluder fell off and became free in the left ventricle,which is very dangerous.We innovatively used ultrasound guidance,combined with DSA,and interventional surgery to successfully capture the free occluder using a catcher,completely remove it,and then re implant a new left atrial appendage occluder.After the surgery,the patient recovered very well.CONCLUSION The size selection of the occluder is slightly conservative,and the shape of the left atrial appendage opening is irregular.

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy guided by indocyanine green fluorescence: A cranial-dorsal approach

BACKGROUND Advancements in laparoscopic technology and a deeper understanding of intra-hepatic anatomy have led to the establishment of more precise laparoscopic hepatectomy(LH)techniques.The indocyanine green(ICG)fluorescence navi-gation technique has emerged as the most effective method for identifying hepatic regions,potentially overcoming the limitations of LH.While laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy(LLH)is a standardized procedure,there is a need for innova-tive strategies to enhance its outcomes.important anatomical markers,surgical skills,and ICG staining methods.METHODS Thirty-seven patients who underwent ICG fluorescence-guided LLH at Qujing Second People's Hospital between January 2019 and February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The cranial-dorsal approach was performed which involves dissecting the left hepatic vein cephalad,isolating the Arantius ligament,exposing the middle hepatic vein,and dissecting the parenchyma from the dorsal to the foot in order to complete the anatomical LLH.The surgical methods,as well as intra-and post-surgical data,were recorded and analyzed.Our hospital’s Medical Ethics Committee approved this study(Ethical review:2022-019-01).RESULTS Intraoperative blood loss during LLH was 335.68±99.869 mL and the rates of transfusion and conversion to laparotomy were 13.5%and 0%,respectively.The overall incidence of complications throughout the follow-up(median of 18 months;range 1-36 months)was 21.6%.No mortality or severe complications(level IV)were reported.CONCLUSION LLH has the potential to become a novel,standardized approach that can effectively,safely,and simply expose the middle hepatic vein and meet the requirements of precision surgery.

Application of three-dimensional speckle tracking technique in measuring left ventricular myocardial function in patients with diabetes

BACKGROUND Diabetic cardiomyopathy is considered as a chronic complication of diabetes mellitus(DM).Therefore,early detection of left ventricular systolic function(LVSF)damage in DM is essential.AIM To explore the use of the three-dimensional speckle tracking technique(3D-STI)for measuring LVSF in DM patients via meta-analysis.METHODS The electronic databases were retrieved from the initial accessible time to 29 April 2023.The current study involved 9 studies,including 970 subjects.We carried out this meta-analysis to estimate myocardial function in DM compared with controls according to myocardial strain attained by 3D-STI.RESULTS Night articles including 970 subjects were included.No significant difference was detected in the left ventricular ejection fraction between the control and the diabetic group(P>0.05),while differences in global longitudinal strain,global circumferential strain,global radial strain,and global area strain were markedly different between the controls and DM patients(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION The 3D-STI could be applied to accurately measure early LVSF damage in patients with DM.

Modified hepatic left lateral lobe inversion in laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy: An analysis of 13 cases

BACKGROUND In laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy(LPG),the prolapse of the hepatic left lateral lobe near the lesser curvature and esophageal hiatus can obstruct the field of vision and operation.Therefore,it is necessary to retract or obstruct the hepatic left lateral lobe to ensure a clear field of vision.AIM To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of the modified hepatic left lateral lobe inversion technique for LPG.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 13 consecutive patients with early-stage upper gastric adenocarcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction treated with LPG from January to December 2023 at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery,Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University.The modified hepatic left lateral lobe inversion technique was used to expose the surgical field in all patients,and short-term outcomes were observed.RESULTS In all 13 patients,the modified hepatic left lateral lobe inversion technique was successful during surgery without the need for re-retraction or alteration of the liver traction method.There were no instances of esophageal hiatus occlusion,eliminating the need for forceps to assist in exposure.There was no occurrence of intraoperative hepatic hemorrhage,hepatic vein injury,or hepatic congestion.No postoperative digestive complications of Clavien-Dindo grade≥II occurred wi-thin 30 days after surgery,except for a single case of pulmonary infection.Some patients experienced increases in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels on the first day after surgery,which significantly decreased by the third day and returned to normal by the seventh day after surgery.CONCLUSION The modified hepatic left lateral lobe inversion technique has demonstrated satisfactory results,offering ad-vantages in terms of facilitating surgical procedures,reducing surgical trauma,and protecting the liver.

Relationship of inflammatory indices with left atrial appendage thrombus or spontaneous echo contrast in patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND Inflammatory indices derived from complete blood tests have been reported to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF).The data about the relationship between inflammatory indices and left atrial appendage thrombus(LAAT)or dense spontaneous echo contrast(SEC)are limited.AIM To explore the value of inflammatory indices for predicting the presence of LAAT or dense SEC in nonvalvular AF patients.METHODS A total of 406 patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent transesophageal echocardiography were included and divided into two groups based on the presence(study group)or absence(control group)of LAAT or dense SEC.Inflammatory indices,including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet–tolymphocyte ratio(PLR),and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio(LMR),were calculated from complete blood analysis.The associations of inflammatory indices RESULTS LAAT and dense SEC were detected in 11(2.7%)and 42(10.3%)patients,respectively.The PLR only showed an association with LAAT/dense SEC in the univariate model.Elevated NLR(odds ratio[OR]=1.48,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.11-1.98,P=0.007)and reduced LMR(OR=0.59,95%CI:0.41-0.83,P=0.003)were found to be independent risk factors for the presence of LAAT/dense SEC.The areas under the NLR and LMR curves for predicting LAAT/dense SEC were 0.73(95%CI:0.66-0.80,P<0.001)and 0.73(95%CI:0.65-0.81,P<0.001),respectively,while the cutoff values were 2.8(sensitivity:69.8%;specificity:64.0%)and 2.4(sensitivity:71.7%;specificity:60.6%),respectively.CONCLUSION Increased NLR and decreased LMR may predict LAAT/dense SEC in patients with nonvalvular AF.

Left inferior phrenic arterial malformation mimicking gastric varices: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Gastric submucosal arterial dilation resulting from splenic artery occlusion represents an exceedingly rare etiology of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Although endoscopy is a widely utilized diagnostic and therapeutic modality for gastrointestinal bleeding,it has limitations in detecting arterial abnormalities.CASE SUMMARY This report presents a rare case of massive UGIB in a 57-year-old male with a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery accompanied by splenic artery occlusion.“Gastric varices”was identified during the patient's endoscopy one year before hemorrhage.Despite initial hemostasis by endoscopic clipping,the patient experienced massive rebleeding after one month,requiring intervention with transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)to achieve hemostasis.CONCLUSION This is the first case to report UGIB due to a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery.This case highlights the limitations of endoscopy in identifying arterial abnormalities and emphasizes the potential of TAE as a viable alternative for the management of arterial bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

Misdiagnosis of hemangioma of left triangular ligament of the liver as gastric submucosal stromal tumor:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Extragastric lesions are typically not misdiagnosed as gastric submucosal tumor(SMT).However,we encountered two rare cases where extrinsic lesions were misdiagnosed as gastric SMTs.CASE SUMMARY We describe two cases of gastric SMT-like protrusions initially misdiagnosed as gastric SMTs by the abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)and endoscopic ultrasound(EUS).Based on the CT and EUS findings,the patients underwent gastroscopy;however,no tumor was identified after incising the gastric wall.Subsequent surgical exploration revealed no gastric lesions in both patients,but a mass was found in the left triangular ligament of the liver.The patients underwent laparoscopic tumor resection,and the postoperative diagnosis was hepatic hemangiomas.CONCLUSION During EUS procedures,scanning across different layers and at varying degrees of gastric cavity distension,coupled with meticulous image analysis,has the potential to mitigate the likelihood of such misdiagnoses.

Minimally Invasive Total Arterial Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Left Main Stem Disease

Objective: The aim was to show that Minimally Invasive total arterial revascularization for left main stem coronary artery disease, via a left anterior Mini thoracotomy using bilateral internal thoracic arteries is feasible, reproducible and safe. Further, there has been no exclusive data or experience with minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting in left main stem disease. Methods: From April 2019 to March 2024, 41 patients with left main stem stenosis, left main equivalent disease and unprotected left main with triple vessel disease underwent off pump minimally invasive multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting using either in situ pedicled Bilateral Internal Thoracic arteries or Left and Right Internal Thoracic artery Y composite conduits at three centers. Bilateral Internal Thoracic arteries were harvested under direct vision. All patients had an Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump inserted via the femoral artery prior to induction of anesthesia, to prevent any hemodynamic instability, arrhythmias, and was removed following completion of the procedure in the operating room without any complications. Efficacy and outcomes were evaluated by i) Primary (MACCE)-Major Adverse Cardiac and Cardiovascular events and ii) Secondary outcome measures including total length of stay, return to full physical activity and quality of life. Mean follow-up was 1.4 years (Maximum was 2.5 years). Results: 41 patients with left main stem coronary artery stenosis, underwent total arterial revascularization using bilateral internal thoracic arteries. Left main stem stenosis was present in 29 patients, Unprotected left main stem stenosis with triple vessel disease in 7 and left main equivalence in 5 patients. In this cohort, 29 patients with only left main stem stenosis had 2 grafts each, 7 patients with left main and triple vessel disease had 3 grafts and 5 patients with left main equivalent disease had 2 grafts respectively. The average number of grafts was 2.2. One patient was converted to open sternotomy as an emergency because of hemodynamic instability and myocardial revascularization was done on cardiopulmonary bypass (2.2%). The average hospital stay was 3.7 days. Ejection fraction was 45% ± 5%. There was one mortality (2.2%) but no major morbidity. The average ICU and hospital stay was 24 ± 4 hours and 3.7 days. All patients were free from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at follow-up. Conclusions: Multivessel total arterial revascularization using left and right internal thoracic arteries, was performed via a left anterior Mini thoracotomy on patients with left main stem disease and showed that it was safe, reproducible and will help extend the armamentarium of the surgeon in minimally invasive Coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitantly it helped enhance the potential for shorter hospital stay, increased survival, decreased morbidity, and earlier return to full activity. Furthermore, the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting in this high-risk group evaluated by primary and secondary outcome measures have been good in this study.

Unroofing Technique for Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery from the Right Sinus of Valsalva: Report of a Case

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery (AOLCA) from the right sinus of Valsalva constitutes a rare congenital coronary artery anomaly. Patients with an anomalous left main coronary artery face a significantly higher risk of sudden cardiac death compared to those with an anomalous right coronary artery. The anomalous coronary artery traversing between the ascending aorta and the pulmonary artery markedly heightens the risk of myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, and sudden death. Symptomatic patients often exhibit a longer intramural course of the coronary artery, which may necessitate earlier intervention or influence the choice of surgical repair method. Surgical intervention is advocated for patients with this anomaly, even in the absence of symptoms. For anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva with an intramural course, coronary unroofing is the preferred revascularization procedure. This report presents a case of AOLCA originating from the right sinus of Valsalva, treated surgically using the unroofing technique for the aortic intramural segment of the anomalous coronary artery traversing between the great vessels. The unroofing technique is recommended for treating AOLCA with an extensive intramural course that does not involve the commissure.

Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Short-Term Results from a Single Center in Bangladesh

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-term outcomes and functional improvements in LVD patients post-OPCAB. Methods: The study included 200 coronary artery disease patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients were categorized into Group 1, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% - 39%, and Group 2, with an LVEF of 40% or higher. Echocardiographic assessments of left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were performed preoperatively, at discharge, and one month postoperatively. Results: In Group 1, preoperative left ventricular internal dimensions during diastole (LVIDd) and systole (LVIDs) were 53.48 ± 4.40 mm and 44.23 ± 3.93 mm, respectively, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35.28% ± 2.26%. At discharge, these values improved to 51.58 ± 4.04 mm (LVIDd), 41.23 ± 5.30 mm (LVIDs), and 39.25% ± 3.75% (LVEF). One month postoperatively, further improvements were observed: 46.29 ± 3.76 mm (LVIDd), 37.45 ± 3.68 mm (LVIDs), and 43.22% ± 4.67% (LVEF). Group 2 showed similar positive outcomes, with preoperative values of 47.09 ± 5.06 mm (LVIDd), 35.11 ± 5.25 mm (LVIDs), and 50.13% ± 7.25% (LVEF), improving to 42.37 ± 4.18 mm (LVIDd), 31.05 ± 4.19 mm (LVIDs), and 55.33% ± 7.05% (LVEF) at one month postoperatively. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in left ventricular function and NYHA class, with most patients moving from class III/IV to I/II. Complications were minimal, and no mortality was observed. Conclusion: OPCAB is safe and effective for patients with LVEF 30% - 39% and LVEF ≥ 40%, providing significant short-term functional improvements without increased risk.