Cardiomegaly is a commonly encountered clinical presentation on simple chest radiographs, and it usually indicates the enlargement of one or more cardiac chambers. However, cardiomegaly less commonly comes from abnormalities in the structures adjacent to the heart, including pericardial effusion, enlarged great vessels, or mediastinal tumors. Pericardial lipoma is a rare primary cardiac tumor that can grow to a large size by the time of diagnosis and result in huge cardiomegaly because of a lack of symptoms. Here, we report a rare case of giant pericardial lipoma that presented as huge cardiomegaly on simple chest radiographs. Multi-modality cardiovascular imaging, including echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, played a key role in the diagnosis and development of a therapeutic treatment plan for the present case.
Cardiomegaly* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Neoplasms ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardium ; Radiography, Thoracic

A 76-year-old male underwent a left upper lobectomy with wedge resection of the superior segment of the left lower lobe using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for non-small-cell lung cancer of the left upper lobe. He presented with shortness of breath, fever, and leukocytosis. Chest radiography showed atelectasis at the remaining left lower lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed narrowing of the left lower bronchus with purulent secretion, and computed tomography showed downward kinking of the left lower lobar bronchus. He underwent exploratory VATS, and intraoperative findings showed an inferiorly kinked left lower lobar bronchus with upward displacement of the left lower lobe. After adhesiolysis, the kinked bronchus was straightened, and bronchopexy was performed to the pericardium to prevent the recurrence of bronchial kinking. Also, the inferior pulmonary ligament was reattached to prevent upward displacement. Postoperative follow-up bronchoscopy revealed no evidence of residual bronchial obstruction, and chest radiography showed no atelectasis thereafter.
Aged ; Airway Obstruction ; Bronchi* ; Bronchoscopy ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Ligaments ; Lung Neoplasms ; Male ; Pericardium ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Radiography ; Recurrence ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax

Congenital absence of the pericardium is a rare cardiac malformation and is most often asymptomatic. It is usually discovered as an incidental finding. Physical examination, chest radiography, and electrocardiogram are often unremarkable. Echocardiography provides valuable information, and sometimes computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is needed for subsequent confirmation.
Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Incidental Findings ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pericardium* ; Physical Examination ; Radiography ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: A preclinical study was conducted for evaluating a valved conduit manufactured with a glutaraldehyde (GA)-fixed bovine pericardium treated using an anticalcification protocol. METHODS: Bovine pericardia were decellularized, fixed with GA in an organic solvent, and detoxified. We prepared a valved conduit using these bovine pericardia and a specially designed mold. The valved conduit was placed under in vitro circulation by using a mock circulation model, and the durability under mechanical stress was evaluated for 2 months. The valved conduit was implanted into the right ventricular outflow tract of a goat, and the hemodynamic, radiologic, histopathologic, and biochemical results were obtained for 6 months after the implantation. RESULTS: The in vitro mock circulation demonstrated that valve motion was good and that the valved conduit had good gross and microscopic findings. The evaluation of echocardiography and cardiac catheterization demonstrated the good hemodynamic status and function of the pulmonary xenograft valve 6 months after the implantation. According to specimen radiography and a histopathologic examination, the durability of the xenografts was well preserved without calcification at 6 months after the implantation. The calcium and inorganic phosphorus concentrations of the explanted xenografts were low at 6 months after the implantation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that our synergistic employment of multiple anticalcification therapies has promising safety and efficacy in the future clinical study.
Biocompatible Materials ; Bioengineering ; Bioprosthesis ; Calcium ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Employment ; Fungi ; Glutaral ; Goats ; Heart Valves ; Hemodynamics ; Heterografts ; Pericardium* ; Phosphorus ; Radiography ; Stress, Mechanical

A 71-yr-old male patient with three vessel coronary artery disease underwent a coronary artery bypass graft. The patient was found to have a large pericardial defect at the apex of the heart that measured approximately 18 cm in circumference. The edge of the pericardial defect impinged on the epicardial coronary arteries. The left phrenic nerve descended via the dorsal boundary of the pericardial defect. Following coronary artery bypass grafting, the pericardial defect was repaired with a polytetrafluorethylene patch. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course.
Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; *Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardium/*abnormalities ; Phrenic Nerve ; Polytetrafluoroethylene/therapeutic use

A thymic cyst in the middle mediastinum adjacent to the right pericardium is extremely rare. We report a case of a large thymic cyst in the right cardiophrenic angle, compressing the right atrium, which was presented as a cardiomegaly on the chest radiograph and a pericardial cyst on the echocardiography. The definitive diagnosis was confirmed using surgical resection and biopsy.
Biopsy ; Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mediastinal Cyst* ; Mediastinum* ; Pericardium ; Radiography, Thoracic

Trousseau's syndrome comsists of migratory thrombophlebitis and thromboembolic disorders of the venous and arterial systems in a malignancy or occult cancer. The overall incidence has been reported to vary from 1 to 11%. Pancreatic, lung, prostate, and stomach cancer is associated with the greatest risk of thromboembolic events. We encountered a 49-year-old man who presented with painful swelling of his lower legs. The chest radiograph showed increased opacity of the Left middle lung fields and Doppler sonography showed a thrombus in the left superficial femoral vein. Chest Computed Tomography showed a 5cm sized left hilar mass invading the pericardium with lymphadenopathy. The bronchoscope biopsy demonstrated an adenocarcinoma of the lung. Platinum based chemotherapy and anticoagulant therapy with warfarin was carried out. The patient was later discharged with an improvement in the painful swelling of his lower legs.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Bronchoscopes ; Drug Therapy ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg* ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Middle Aged ; Pericardium ; Platinum ; Prostate ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Thorax ; Thrombophlebitis ; Thrombosis ; Warfarin

The gastric pedicle is commonly used for the reconstruction following the resection of esophageal cancer. We recently experienced a case in which gastric ulcer occurred eighteen months postoperatively. A 60 year-old man complaining of chest pain, dry cough, mild fever and chills was admitted to the emergency room. The patient had a history of esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy because of esophageal cancer. Chest X-ray and CT scan showed pneumopericardium. Upper GI contrast study showed a fistulous tract between the stomach pedicle and the pericardium. Upper GI endoscopy showed beating heart through the fistulous opening. The patient expired with sepsis on the twenty second days after an emergent operation. Gastropericardial fistula caused by a peptic ulcer perforation after the esophgectomy and esophagogastrostomy operation is a very rare complication and brings a fatal result. Early detection using the chest radiography, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, upper GI study and physical examination, and an immediate treatment are therefore mandatory.
Chest Pain ; Chills ; Cough ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Esophagectomy* ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Heart ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer Perforation ; Pericardium ; Physical Examination ; Pneumopericardium ; Radiography ; Sepsis ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report a very rare case of mediastinal tuberculosis in a 57-year old woman who presented with a large mediastinal cyst on chest radiography. She had a 10-year history of exertional dyspnea, but felt comfortable at a rest. A subsequent chest CT suggested a mediastinal cyst with mediastinal lymphadenopathy and communicating pericardial sac. She underwent a thoracotomy and excision of the mass, which was histologically revealed to be of tuberculous origin. Although rare, the apparent increase in the incidence of tuberculosis may result mediastinal cysts being diagnosed mediastinal tuberculosis. We also briefly review mediastinal lymphadenopathy due to tuberculosis.
Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mediastinal Cyst ; Middle Aged ; Pericardium* ; Radiography ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis*

A 56 year-old man complaining of dry cough, dyspnea, chest pain, fever, and chills was admitted to the emergency room. The patient had a history of esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy and subsequent radiotherapy because of an esophageal cancer. After the emergency echocardiography revealed a small amount of pericardial effusion and pneumopericardium. Upper GI contrast study showed a fistulous tract between the stomach and the pericardium, and an emergency operation was done under the diagnosis of gastropericardial fistula. The patient expired postoperative seven days later. Gastropericardial fistula caused by a peptic ulcer perforation after the esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy operation is a very rare complication and brings forth a disastrous result. Early detection using the chest radiography, electrocardiogram, upper GI study, echocardiography and a review of physical examination, and an immediate treatment are therefore mandatory.
Chest Pain ; Chills ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagectomy* ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Gastric Fistula ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer ; Peptic Ulcer Perforation ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardium ; Physical Examination ; Pneumopericardium ; Radiography ; Radiotherapy ; Stomach ; Thorax