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Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the most common types of congenital heart defects, occurring in about 25% of children. An atrial septal defect occurs when there is a failure to close the communication between the right and left atria. It encompasses defects involving both the true septal membrane and other defects that allow for communication between both atria. There are five types of atrial septal defects ranging from most frequent to least: patent foramen ovale, ostium secundum defect, ostium primum defect, sinus venosus defect, and coronary sinus defect. Small atrial septal defects usually spontaneously close in childhood. Large defects that do not close spontaneously may require percutaneous or surgical intervention to prevent further complications such as stroke, dysrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension., (Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.)

Left ventricular false aneurysm, also known as pseudoaneurysm, is a rare and highly morbid pathology. It most commonly presents as a complication of myocardial infarction (MI). It occurs when an ischemic left ventricular free wall rupture (due to acute infarction) is contained as a hematoma communicating with the ventricular cavity. The rupture could become sealed by an adherent pericardium, organizing hematoma, thrombus, or scar tissue and gives the appearance of an aneurysm.[1][2] The wall of the false aneurysm consists only of fibrous tissue or pericardium and lacks the true layers of the ventricle (endocardium and myocardium).[3] False aneurysms tend to appear on the posterior and lateral wall segments and demonstrate a tightened neck compared to the aneurysm sac diameter.[4] These aneurysms have a higher propensity to rupture and necessitate timely diagnosis and management.[2], (Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.)

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death in the United States of America. It is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Many patients die within the first few hours of presentation, making an early diagnosis and treatment paramount to survival. Pulmonary embolisms are categorized into three main risk categories: low risk, intermediate (sub-massive), and high risk (massive). Submassive PEs are further sub-divided into intermediate-high and intermediate-low risk PEs. Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) is one of the newest treatment options for massive and submassive pulmonary embolisms with hemodynamic instability. CDT involves the infusion of a thrombolytic agent intravascularly adjacent to the clot burden through a percutaneous transcatheter. This article will review the anatomy involved in the pathology of pulmonary embolisms, indications for CDT, contraindications for CDT, an overview of the CDT procedural technique, possible complications of CDT, and the clinical significance of CDT for PE., (Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.)

Aortic valve disease, specifically aortic valve stenosis, is one of the most common valvular disorders in the United States and worldwide. While traditional aortic valve replacement via open heart surgery was historically the preferred--and only--definitive treatment option, transcatheter therapy now plays a significant role. Since the first reported case of transcather aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in a human in 2002, TAVR has evolved rapidly and now has become the preferred first-line treatment option for many patients with aortic stenosis.[1]  While the earliest TAVR patients were those deemed either prohibitive or very high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), the use of TAVR has expanded to include those who are intermediate and low risk.  The evolution has TAVR has encountered numerous pitfalls and technical modifications that have improved safety and efficacy.[2]  Landmark trials including the PARTNER 1 and PARTNER 2 studies have demonstrated the benefits of TAVR compared to medical management and SAVR. We describe here an overview of TAVR for aortic valve stenosis., (Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.)