Hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus. It is endemic in Asia, Africa, South America, and the Mediterranean region including Turkey. Cardiac involvement is rare. Surgery is the definitive treatment of cardiac hydatid cysts; however, to avoid recurrence after surgery, medical therapy should be also continued. Left ventricular free wall is the most common location, followed by the right ventricle and interventricular septum. Involvement of mitral valve is extremely rare. Herein, we present a case of hydatid cyst with myocardial involvement leading to severe mitral valve regurgitation which was successfully treated with surgery.

Dir Journal Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

Aim: Aortic ruptures are critical vascular emergencies with high mortality rates, typically involving the thoracic and abdominal regions. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) and Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) procedures in patients with ruptured thoracic and abdominal aortic pathologies, focusing on mortality, morbidity, and complications.Material and Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 32 patients treated with endovascular interventions for ruptured aortic pathologies between 2019 and 2024. Fourteen patients with thoracic aortic rupture received TEVAR, while eighteen with abdominal aortic rupture underwent EVAR. The causes of rupture were classified as aortic transection (due to trauma), type-3 dissection, aneurysm, pseudoaneurysm, aorto-enteric fistula, and iatrogenic perforation. Demographic and clinical data, procedural details, and post-operative outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results: The primary causes of rupture included aortic transection (50%) in the TEVAR group and aneurysm (56.2%) in the EVAR group. Mortality rates were 14.3% in the TEVAR group and 27.8% in the EVAR group, while morbidity rates were 7.1% and 16.7%, respectively. Intensive care unit (ICU) and ward stays were significantly longer in the TEVAR group. Follow-up imaging showed normal results in 100% of TEVAR patients and in 88.9% of EVAR patients; endoleak was observed in 11.1% of the EVAR group (p<0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, the presence of complications was identified as a significant risk factor for mortality (OR=3.06, 95% CI: 1.04–8.97; p=0.04).Conclusion: TEVAR and EVAR are effective endovascular treatment modalities that provide high efficacy and safety in managing ruptured aortic pathologies, especially in emergency settings. The capability to perform hybrid procedures promptly in urgent cases underscores the adaptability and rapid applicability of endovascular therapies. Despite the inherent challenges of ruptured aortic pathologies, our study emphasizes the clinical importance of TEVAR in thoracic and EVAR in abdominal aortic ruptures, offering valuable insights that enhance the current literature.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the ability of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 to provide accurate, comprehensible, and clinically relevant responses to common patient questions about coronary bypass surgery. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Bilkent City Hospital with 80 cardiovascular surgery specialists. Participants rated the responses of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 to 10 common patient questions about coronary bypass surgery based on four criteria: accuracy, understandability, clinical appropriateness, and overall evaluation. Statistical analysis included independent t-tests, Cronbach’s Alpha reliability analysis, and Cohen’s d effect size calculation. Results: GPT-4 significantly outperformed GPT-3.5 across all metrics. The mean scores for GPT-4 were higher in accuracy (3.02 vs. 1.77), understandability (2.99 vs. 1.81), clinical appropriateness (2.96 vs. 1.78), and overall evaluation (2.98 vs. 1.77) (p

Objective: The study aimed to assess the impact of preserving the aortic valve during supracoronary aortic interposition on aortic valve function in patients with type A aortic dissection. Methods: The study included 95 patients (65 males, 30 females; mean age: 58.94±11.4 years) who underwent supracoronary aortic interposition due to type A aortic dissection between 2019 and 2023. Patients who completed early- and mid-term postoperative follow-ups were included in the study. Patients who died or had aortic valve replacement were excluded. Preoperative and postoperative transthoracic echocardiography results were compared for aortic insufficiency (AI). Results: Preoperative echocardiography showed no AI in 39 patients. During follow-up, 27 patients still had no AI. Mild AI developed in eight patients, and moderate AI developed in four. Preoperative mild AI was present in 40 patients, with 24 maintaining the same degree of AI, six showing no AI, and 10 progressing to moderate AI. Of 16 patients with preoperative moderate AI, seven showed regression to mild AI postoperatively, while five had unchanged moderate AI. Five patients with moderate AI underwent aortic resuspension. Among these patients, AI persisted at the same level postoperatively in one patient, two patients had no AI, and two had mild AI. Conclusion: The degree of aortic valve insufficiency is crucial in type A dissection surgery. Assessing the aortic valve structure and preserving valves that do not require replacement can reduce cross-clamp time, complications, and mortality. Regular transthoracic echocardiography follow-up is essential to monitor the progression or regression of AI in these patients.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of preoperative right ventricular (RV) function on postoperative outcomes such as mortality, reoperation rates, valve size, and other clinical variables in patients undergoing tricuspid valve surgery. Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients who underwent tricuspid valve surgery. Patients were categorized into four groups based on preoperative RV function: normal, mildly depressed, moderately depressed, and severely depressed. RV function was assessed using echocardiographic parameters, including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAB), and valve size. Postoperative outcomes, including mortality and reoperation rates, were analyzed. Results: Patients with severely depressed RV function had significantly higher mortality rates (p=0.035). Reoperation rates also increased as RV function worsened (p=0.006). No significant difference was found between groups regarding valve size (p>0.05) or the type of surgery (sternotomy or thoracotomy) (p=0.714). Conclusion: Right ventricular dysfunction significantly increases postoperative mortality and reoperation rates in patients undergoing tricuspid valve surgery. Careful preoperative evaluation of RV function, including valve size, is critical for improving surgical outcomes.