Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a routine procedure undertaken in adult patients. In children, the procedure remains rare and challenging due to a multitude of factors including but not limited to complex congenital heart disease anatomy, catheter and stent to patient size mismatch, and lack of data for post-PCI antiplatelet therapy. We present a case of PCI in an 8-month-old infant with anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) who developed severe ostial kinking of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) after surgical reimplantation of the anomalous coronary. A 3.5 × 8 mm Vision bare metal stent was successfully placed into the LMCA and postdilated with excellent results. Follow-up echocardiography at 6 months post-PCI demonstrated a patent stent with normal Doppler flow signals. Despite initial success, the infant developed severe heart failure and was listed for orthotopic heart transplantation at age 20 months, one year after PCI. Given the paucity of published data regarding PCI and outcomes in infants with ALCAPA after surgical reimplantation, we describe our case and present a review of the available literature.

Background:  In April 2020, most undergraduate medical education programs across the country ceased in-person activities.  In the months that followed, the return to clinical care was often inconsistent, sporadic and unpredictable.  As the pandemic wore on, the impact of COVID-19 on professional identity formation in medical students was an area ripe for investigation. This study reveals student perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on their developing sense of professional identity. Methods: Students in the Class of 2021 at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine were invited to participate. After approval from the Institutional Review Board, participating students submitted an image of themselves wearing a mask of their choosing ("selfie") with an accompanying reflective narrative describing the impact of the pandemic on their educational experience.  In addition, students submitted words to describe the self they projected (external) on the outside of a templated surgical mask and words to describe their true (internal) sense of self on the inside of the mask. Results: Common narrative themes that emerged included doubt, anxiety, fear, disconnection, loss of control, guilt, sacrifice, resilience and survival.  Analysis of descriptors of internal and external aspects of the templated surgical masks revealed common themes of anxiety, fear, confusion and hope. Conclusions: This study provides a glimpse into the student experience of COVID-19 through several lenses.  From the narrative perspective, students expressed elements of disconnection and doubt as well as resilience and grit. From the visual perspective, similar themes emerged from the mask descriptors.  Overall, COVID-19 significantly impacted the emotional experiences of this cohort of fourth-year medical students, particularly in the context of sustained uncertainty and feelings of anxiety.

Background: LVEDP is a representation of left ventricular diastolic function. An increased LVEDP correlates to decreased compliance and increased left ventricular workload, which can be seen in HOCM. In HOCM, the interventricular septum is hypertrophied creating a LVOT obstruction and elevated LVEDP. ASA induces a targeted septal infarction to reduce the size of the septum and relieve the LVOT obstruction. Non-targeted infarction in a MI can increase LVEDP. Our study aims to determine the immediate effect of ASA on LVEDP in HOCM patients. It is hypothesized that ASA immediately reduces LVEDP. Methods: Retrospective study of 113 patients where pre and post-ablation LVEDP were compared. LVEDP was measured at the end-expiratory R wave of the ECG tracing during the procedure. LVEDP measurements were recorded at the post-“a” wave points at the immediate start of the procedure (Group A), prior to the alcohol injection under mild sedation (Group B), and at the conclusion of the successful ablation (Group C). Results: Groups A, B, and C were compared using two-tailed t-tests. We found no statistical difference between groups A and B (mean A=31.34 vs. mean B=31.54; p=0.695). LVEDP was significantly lower in group C when compared to group A (mean A=31.34 vs. mean C=25.82; p=6.525E-9). LVEDP was also significantly lower in group C when compared to group B (mean B=31.54 vs. mean C=25.82; p=4.047E-9). A linear regression model showed no significant correlation between LVEDP and LVOT gradient reduction following ASA (R 2 =0.0258, Significance F=0.0891). Conclusion: This data supports our hypothesis that ASA immediately reduces LVEDP despite inducing an infarct of the septal myometrium. There is no effect of sedation on LVEDP during the procedure. Since LVEDP reduction does not seem to correlate with LVOT gradient reduction, the reduction in LVEDP is likely related to other hemodynamics improvements including reduction in mitral regurgitation and immediate improvement in diastolic function. Future studies can include evaluating a correlation between LVEDP reduction and immediate hemodynamic changes. They could also evaluate a correlation between the immediate drop in LVEDP and long-term outcomes to predict the prognosis of HOCM patients based on their ASA outcomes.

Introduction: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is an elective nonsurgical procedure proven to be effective for patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The intraprocedural change in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) is unknown. In this study we assessed the hypothesis that LVEDP decreases immediately post ablation during ASA in patients with HOCM independently of the effects of sedation and heart rate. Methods: We retrospectively identified 133 elective ASA procedures for patients with HOCM between 2015 and 2021 at our institution using an internally maintained database. Pre- and post-ablation LVEDP measurements were taken using the pressure tracing corresponding with end-expiratory R wave of the ECG tracing. LVEDP was recorded for post-“a” wave points on the pressure tracing at three distinct points during the procedure: the immediate start of the procedure (Group A), prior to alcohol injection after sedation had taken effect (Group B), and post ablation (Group C). Heart rate (HR) and left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) were obtained from the catheterization report. Paired t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics. Results: The average patient age was 64 years old; mean NYHA Class 2.7; and 67% were women. There was no difference between LVEDP of Groups A and B (32mmHg, 32mmHg, p=0.92). LVEDP between Groups A and C (32mmHg, 26mmHg, respectively; p<0.001) and Groups B and C (32mmHg, 26mmHg, respectively; p<0.001) were significantly different. There was no correlation between HR and LVEDP for the groups (R2A=0.002, R2B=0.000, R2C=0.054), and similarly, no correlation between the average change in LVEDP and the change in resting or provoked LVOTG (R2=0.033, R2=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: These results support that alcohol septal ablation causes an immediate reduction in LVEDP post-ablation independent of heart rate, reduction in LVOTG, and effects of sedation. In conclusion, this instantaneous change in LVEDP may account for the immediate resolution in symptoms reported by patients with HOCM undergoing ASA.

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