Atheromas of the thoracic aorta: clinical and therapeutic update

AbstractAtherosclerotic lesions of the thoracic aorta have recently been recognized as an important cause of stroke and peripheral embolization, which may result in severe neurologic damage as well as multiorgan failure and death. Their prevalence is ∼27% in patients with previous embolic events. Transesophageal echocardiography is the modality of choice for the diagnosis of these atheromas, although computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound are complementary. Two clinical syndromes account for the embolic phenomena, atheroemboli and, more commonly, thromboemboli. In addition to such superimposed thrombi, plaque thickness (especially ≥4 mm) also correlates with embolic risk. This risk is high, with 12% of patients having a recurrent stroke within approximately one year, and up to 33% of patients having a stroke or peripheral embolus. In addition, aortic atheromas (as seen with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound) are an important cause of stroke during heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Such strokes occur during ∼12% of cardiac operations employing cardiopulmonary bypass when aortic arch atheromas are seen with transesophageal echocardiography (six times the general intraoperative stroke rate). Although anticoagulant strategies have been reported with encouraging results in nonrandomized studies, prospective, randomized data must be developed before an effective and safe treatment strategy can be determined. This review details the current state of knowledge in this area, including the clinical and pathologic evidence that thoracic aortic atherosclerosis is an important embolic source, data which guide current therapy and future directions for clinical investigation

Discrete atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysms: A study of 20 patients

The incidence, angiographic features and natural history of discrete atherosclerotic coronary aneurysms were evaluated in 20 patients with 22 aneurysms (0.2% of 8,422 patients referred for coronary angiography). Fifteen aneurysms (68%) were in the left anterior descending, four (18%) in the circumflex, two (9%) in the right and one (5%) in the left main coronary artery. Aneurysm diameter ranged from 4 to 35 mm (mean 8); 95% of aneurysms were adjacent to a severe obstruction.Seventy-five percent of patients had severe triple vessel disease that included severe left main disease in 15%. Total obstruction of one or two arteries was present in 75%. In patients with wall motion abnormalities, 78% of the abnormalities were in the distribution of the aneurysm. Follow-up (range 1 to 90 months [mean 30]) was obtained in all 20 patients. There were two cardiac and two noncardiac deaths; 12 patients had coronary bypass surgery and of 16 survivors, 13 were angina-free.In conclusion, discrete coronary aneurysms are much less common than diffuse ectasia. Unlike ectasia, they are never found in arteries without severe stenosis, and are most common in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Associated coronary artery disease is more severe in patients with discrete aneurysms than in those with diffuse ectasia. Discrete coronary aneurysms do not appear to rupture, and their resection is not warranted

Noninvasive diagnosis of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction caused by a porcine mitral prosthesis

A patient developed shortness of breath 8 years after mitral valve replacement with a porcine prosthesis. Doppler echocardiography revealed left ventricular outflow tract obstruction created by a protruding prosthesis