The ductus arteriosus, an essential fetal structure, normally closes spontaneously soon after birth. Its persistence into late adulthood is considered to be rare; infective endarteritis (IE) complicating a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is an even rarer event. The clinical picture of an infected PDA could be subtle, and the diagnosis is frequently delayed. We present the case of a young woman who presented with prolonged fever for whom we made the diagnosis of a PDA complicated by IE, with vegetations in both pulmonary and aortic walls with mycotic aneurysms of the descending aorta. She underwent surgery and the post-operative course was uneventful. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a PDA complicated with both pulmonary and aortic endarteritis.

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Severe left ventricular dysfunction increases the surgical risk of aortic valve replacement on aortic valvular stenosis. Several risk factors of hospital mortality have been reported in heterogeneous series. The aim of this study was to identify mortality risk factors of aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis and severe left ventricular dysfunction. To avoid biases of associated diseases, our study has been focused on isolated aortic stenosis. 46 patients, with AS and severe left ventricular dysfunction who underwent AVR were enrolled in this retrospective study. The mean age was 59 ± 12.70 years. 69.6% of patients were in class III or IV NYHA. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 32.3 ± 5.3%, and the mean EuroSCORE was 12.20 ± 8.70. The hospital mortality was 15.20%. The morbidity was marked mainly by low output syndrome in 30.4% of cases. A logistic regression in univariate analysis reveals functional class, renal failure, congestive heart failure and LVEF as factors related to the risk of hospital mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found renal failure (OR = 11.94, CI [2.65 -72.22], p = 0.03) and congestive heart failure (OR = 25.33, CI [3 43 -194.74], p = 0.009) as independents risk of hospital mortality. The mean follow-up was 59.6 ± 21 months. Late mortality was 5%. Congestive heart failure and preoperative renal failure are the main independents hospital mortality’s risk factors of aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis and severe left ventricular dysfunction. Late mortality might be inversely related to the LV recovery.

Hydatid cysts of the heart are very rare in child. In this report we describe an interesting and unique case of an 8-year-old boy with a large cardiac intracavitary hydatid cyst filling the left ventricle. Echocardiography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and serologic test were necessary for the diagnosis. Once assessing the diagnosis, an emergency open heart surgery was necessary to prevent the complications. Surgery associated to medical treatment provides good results as demonstrated in this case report.

Management of acute respiratory distress syndrome due to viral outbreak includes lower tidal volumes, lower inspiratory pressure, prone ventilation and conservative fluid management. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been proposed as rescue therapy in critically ill patients.However, in the absence of larger studies, the role of ECMO in reducing patient mortality rates remains unclear, since studies that reported such effect, both during the current as well as during previous outbreaks, were based on small sample sizes and their results are inconsistent. Furthermore, the use of ECMO might even be contraindicated in the presence of some conditions. Recurring to it has therefore to be discussed by qualified multi-disciplinary teams and based on a case by case strategy.