Cardiovascular Diseases & Diagnosis

Joel A Garcia

Publications

• Case Report
  Refractory Tamponade: - Use Of Ultrasound Contrast Agent to Distinguish Aortic Dissection from Cardiorrhexis
  Author(s): Joel A Garcia and Mori J KrantzJoel A Garcia and Mori J Krantz
  
  We report a case of a ruptured proximal aortic dissection with cardiac tamponade, which masqueraded as myocardial rupture or cardiorrhexis. An 84-year-old female had sudden onset of chest pain with loss of consciousness and a mechanical fall. Echocardiography demonstrated pericardial effusion with hematoma overlying the apical-lateral wall and an echo free space suggestive of contained, ventricular free-wall rupture. However, intravenous injection of ultrasound contrast agent revealed no flow into the pericardial space excluding cardiorrhexis. Refractory hemodynamic compromise required an emergency pericardial window, but the patient remained unstable. Surgical exploration revealed a Debakey Type-A aortic dissection with communication into the pericardial space. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the use of ultrasound contrast microbubbles as a diagnostic strategy to e.. Read More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2329-9517.1000139

  Abstract PDF