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Hydatidosis is a serious parasitic infection in endemic areas. A rare presentation is pulmonary arterial cysts causing thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. We report the case of a young man who presented with clinical and radiological findings of thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The patient was found to have hydatid cysts in both pulmonary arteries and in the right ventricular outflow tract. To remove all cysts without causing rupture, anaphylactic shock or systemic emboli, placing the patient under cardiopulmonary arrest was necessary, and in the case of pulmonary arterial involvement, total circulatory arrest was necessary. The cysts were removed successfully, and the patient survived the operation. The patient is being followed up on albendazole treatment. Myocardial preservation and management of total circulatory arrest are the cornerstones of a successful surgical outcome.

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Background: We aimed to investigate the predictive value of Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE II) scores for mortality in octogenarian cardiac surgery patients. Methods: Between January 2016 and December 2019, cardiac operations performed in 116 octogenarian patients (73 males, 43 females; mean age: 82.9±3.1 years; range, 80 to 97 years) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients with and without mortality were compared for their demographic and operative factors. The STS and EuroSCORE II scores, and observed mortality rates were assessed. Results: Mean STS score was 3.7±11.1 and mean EuroSCORE II was 5.2±5.4. For any operation type, the mean EuroSCORE II was significantly higher (8.1±7.4 vs. 4.1±4.0, respectively; p=0.006) in the patients with mortality. For elective operations, the mean EuroSCORE II was higher in cases with mortality (7.2±7.3 vs. 3.7±3.9, respectively; p=0.006); however, for urgent cases, there was no significant difference between the scores. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve, the EuroSCORE II had a higher area under the curve for all cases and elective cases than the STS scores. Conclusion: The EuroSCORE II performed better than the STS score for mortality prediction in octogenarians, whereas the predictions of either scoring system was unsatisfactory for urgent surgery and combined procedures. Population-based validation studies are needed for a better risk scoring system in this age group.

Objectives Inflammation is a component in the pathogenesis of critical limb ischemia. We aimed to assess how inflammation affects response to treatment in patients treated for critical limb ischemia using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocytes ratios (PLR) as markers of inflammation. Methods Patients in a single tertiary cardiovascular center with critical limb ischemia unsuitable for surgical or interventional revascularization were retrospectively identified. Data were collected on medical history for risk factors, previous surgical or endovascular revascularization, and outcome. A standard regimen of low molecular weight heparin, aspirin, statins, iloprost infusions, and a standard pain medication protocol were applied to each patient per hospital protocol. Patients with improvement in ischemic pain and healed ulcers made up the responders group and cases with no worsening pain or ulcer size or progression to minor or major amputations made up the non-responders group. Responders and Non-responders were compared for risk factors including pretreatment NLR and PLR. Results 268 included patients who were not candidates for surgical or endovascular revascularization were identified. Responders had significantly lower pretreatment NLR (4.48 vs 8.47, p < 0.001) and PLR (162.19 vs 225.43, p = 0.001) values. After controlling for associated risk factors NLR ≥ 4.63 (p < 0.001) and PLR ≥ 151.24 (p = 0.016) were independently associated with no response to treatment. Conclusions Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocytes ratio are markers of inflammation that are reduced in patients improving with medical treatment suggesting a decreased state of inflammation before treatment in responding patients.