[Mitral valve replacement with St. Jude Medical mechanical heart valve in severely calcified mitral annulus; a simple and novel technique]

A 63-year-old woman who had been on hemodialysis for 20 years was referred to our institution to undergo mitral valve surgery for mitral valve stenosis. Intraoperative investigations confirmed severe calcification of the mitral leaflets and mitral annulus. We excised the only anterior leaflet, but preserved the posterior leaflet to prevent a fatal complication such as posterior left ventricular rupture or injury of the coronary artery. We passed 2-0 polyester mattress sutures through the anterior mitral annulus from the left ventricle to the left atrium, and then folded the posterior leaflet. Preserved posterior leaflet was fixed to posterior mitral annulus and prosthetic valve. The mitral valve was replaced using a St. Jude Medical mechanical heart valve with a specific structure, whose hinge shifts to the left atrial side and most of the leaflet to move its housing. This particular structure enables to perform this procedure without the need for excision of a severely calcified posterior mitral leaflet and annulus.

[Subdural hematoma following cardiac surgery]

We report 3 cases of subdural hematoma following open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. In 2 patients, emergency removal and drainage of a subdural hematoma was performed by neurosurgeons, and conservative management was performed in the remaining one. All patients belonged to a high risk group of bleeding due to anticoagulation therapy, and they had no episode of head trauma. Subdural hematomas may have been due to rapid alterations in cerebral volume, leading to a tearing of the dural bridging veins under cardiopulmonary bypass. Although early diagnosis and prompt treatment is very important, it is often difficult to examine neurological findings after cardiac surgery. We consider that patients who need long-term sedation under anticoagulation therapy must have their neurological status checked at least once in a few days.

[The Waffle procedure for constrictive epicarditis after direct closure of atrial septal defect; report of a case]

A 20-year-old man was admitted with a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis 6 months after direct closure of atrial septal defect (ASD). He complained of fatigue and dyspnea. Cardiac echo cardiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cardiac catheterization suggested pericardial and epicardial constriction. During the operation, the thickened pericardium was peeled off. Multiple longitudinal and transverse incisions were made in the thickened epicardium as reported by waffle. Postoperative hemodynamic state was improved. The cardiac index increased from 1.91 to 3.17 l/min/m2. The pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) decreased from 26 to 14 mmHg, although dip and plateau pattern was maintained. The postoperative course was uneventful.

[Aortic root abscess after percutaneous coronary intervention]

A 68-year-old man, who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention for right coronary disease 2 weeks earlier, was admitted to our hospital for investigation of a fever. Blood culture and echocardiography revealed isolated aortic valve infective endocarditis. He was treated with antibiotics for more than 1 week, but echocardiography showed an aortic root abscess with severe aortic regurgitation. Thus, we performed aortic root replacement using an artificial Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis valve. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and antibiotic treatment was continued for a further 8 weeks.

[Mid-term results of overlapping cardiac volume reduction for ischemic cardiomyopathy]

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular restoration (LVR) is thought to be effective for ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). We assessed the early and mid-term results of overlapping cardiac volume reduction (OLCVR) as an operation for LVR on patients with ICM.

METHODS

From February to June 2004, 4 patients with ICM underwent OLCVR in our department.

RESULTS

There was no death. Significant decreases in the left ventricular end diastolic volume index and in the left ventricular end systolic volume index were observed in the early postoperative period in all the 4 patients. These effects were still evident 1 year later, with improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and a smaller left ventricular diastolic diameter. One patient required implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator 16 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

The favorable early and mid-term results of the OLCVR indicate that it is an effective procedure for patients with ICM.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors reduce matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in human varicose veins

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in tissue degradation in varicose veins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) on the activity of MMPs in varicose veins. MMP-9 was present at significantly higher levels in varicose veins than in controls and was localized mainly in smooth muscle cells at the tunica media, where marked degradation of the extracellular matrix was observed. Both simvastatin and pravastatin strikingly suppressed MMP-9 activity in ex vivo culture of varicose veins. Simvastatin suppressed MMP-9 at both the mRNA and protein levels as well as at the urokinase-type plasminogen activator protein level, resulting in the dramatic suppression of MMP-9 activity induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Therefore, statins suppress MMP-9 activity by multiple mechanisms in varicose veins, suggesting they may have clinical potential for the treatment of this disease.

[Ruptured infected descending aortic aneurysm successfully treated by omentopexy and a rifampicin-soaked vascular prosthesis; report of a case]

A 73-year-old man was admitted for investigation of back pain, blood-stained sputum, and a high fever. Computed tomography (CT) showed a pseudoaneurysm in the descending aorta and intravenous antibiotic therapy was begun immediately after blood had been taken for culture. However, his temperature continued to spike daily, up to 38 degrees C, and his CRP was also elevated. The blood cultures were negative. The aneurysm ruptured and we replaced the descending aorta with a rifampicin (RFP)-soaked vascular prosthesis, and wrapped it with greater omentum. Postoperative antibiotic therapy with vancomycin hydrochloride, RFP, and amikacin sulfate was continued for 8 weeks. The patient recovered uneventfully. Thus, an infected aneurysm was effectively treated with a RFP-soaked vascular prosthesis and omentopexy.

[Left coronary ostial stenosis caused by syphilitic aortitis]

We report 2 cases of cardiovascular disease related to end-stage syphilitic infection, which is now relatively rare. A 49-year-old man (case 1), and a 45-year-old man (case 2) were admitted to our hospital for angina pectoris. Cardiac catheterization showed severe aortic regurgitation and left coronary ostial stenosis. Active syphilis was detected in both cases by routine blood examination on admission. Oral ampicillin was started immediately to treat the syphilis; however, during the course of treatment, acute heart failure developed in both patients. We performed emergency aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. Intraoperatively, the orifice of the left coronary artery was almost occluded, and retrograde perfusion of cardioplegia was needed to induce cardiac arrest. Both patients recovered uneventfully. When treating patients with antibiotics for syphilitic disease, it is important to prepare for the possibility of urgent surgery.

[Strategy for thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection]

The surgical treatment for thrombosed type A aortic dissection is controversial. We treated 15 cases (28.8%) with thrombosed type A acute aortic dissection among 52 cases of all type A acute aortic dissection during past 7 years and 8 months. Nine cases was treated conservatively and 6 cases received emergent operation due to cardiac tamponade, shock, and ulcer-like projection (ULP) in the ascending aorta (> 50 mm). In the group of conservative therapy, 2 cases in which the ascending aorta was enlarged (54, 60 mm), was converted to operation in the acute phase because of further enlargement of ascending aorta and increase of cardiac effusion. The other patients (aortic diameter: 40-46 mm) who received conservative therapy were well controlled by medical therapy in the early and late phase except 1 who died suddenly in the follow-up. There was no mortality and late death in the operated patients. From these results, we conclude that thrombosed type A aortic dissection in which the diameter of ascending aortic aorta is larger than 50 mm, have cardiac tamponade and ULP in the ascending aorta might needs operation.

Local implantation of autologous bone marrow cells for therapeutic angiogenesis in patients with ischemic heart disease: clinical trial and preliminary results

A new therapy for severe ischemic heart disease has been developed; therapeutic angiogenesis induced by the local implantation of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC). After confirming that no detrimental changes were induced by this treatment in a canine heart model, a clinical trial was commenced in 1999. Thus far, 5 patients have been given this new treatment concomitant with coronary artery bypass grafting and all have been followed up for at least 1 year. Autologous BMC were implanted into the ungraftable area and postoperative cardiac scintigraphy showed specific improvement in coronary perfusion in 3 of the 5 patients. Postoperative chest radiography, electrocardiography, echocardiography and blood tests did not reveal any detrimental changes. In conclusion, this new therapy appears to be safe and could provide a treatment option for patients with otherwise untreatable ischemic heart disease.

[A coronary artery bypass grafting using cardiopulmonary bypass with intraaortic balloon pumping in patient with low cardiac function combined with cerebral vascular disease]

We reported a 55-year-old man, who had coronary and cerebral vascular disease. Cerebral angiography showed occlusion at left internal carotid artery (ICA) and 50% stenosis at right ICA C4 portion. But acetazolamide reactivity was kept symmetrically. Coronary angiography showed severe three vessel disease, and left ventriculography showed diffuse severe hypokinesis/akinesis, and EF was below 30%. The patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using cardiopulmonary bypass with intraaortic balloon pumping to keep intraoperative blood pressure high. After the operation he recovered uneventfully without neurological complication.

Atheromatous plaque in the distal aortic arch creating the potential for cerebral embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass

The present study evaluated the risk in cardiac patients of rupture of a plaque by a jet stream from the arch cannula. The entire thoracic aorta and cardiac function were routinely monitored by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in 88 adult patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. The changes in the atheromatous plaque in the distal aortic arch were observed before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Of the 88 patients, 13 were found to have preoperative atheromatous plaque at the distal aortic arch and 8 (61.5%) of them suffered plaque rupture caused by jet stream from the arch cannula. Only 1 patient experienced apparent embolic episodes manifesting as cerebral and left leg embolisms; the remaining 7 had no clinical embolic symptoms. In order to prevent atheroembolic events, attention should be paid not only to the ascending aorta, but also to the distal arch and in this regard TEE is useful for detecting atheromatous changes of the aorta.

[J-sternotomy approach for aortic valve reoperation]

Recent progress in cardiovascular surgery has promoted less non-invasive surgery. We reoperated in a forty-two year old female for aortic valve regurgitation using the J-sternotomy approach and experienced good results. The patient was operated on with AVR 12 years after her first cardiac operation. Chest computed tomography revealed an adhesion between the anterior chest wall and the right ventricle. We made a sternal incision from the sternal notch down to the fourth right intercostal space (J-sternotomy). Ascending aorta was cannulated in the conventional manner. A conventional Two-stage cannula was placed in the auricle of the right atrium. A venting tube was also cannulated through the right upper pulmonary vein. J-sternotomy and minimal adhesionectomy made for a good operative field to establish cardiopulmonary bypass and to perform aortic valve re-operation.

Modified Bentall operation with concomitant total aortic arch replacement for DeBakey type I aortic dissection: report of a case

The successful implementation of a reoperative Bentall procedure with concomitant total aortic arch replacement after ascending aortic replacement for acute aortic dissection is infrequently reported. We performed a modified Bentall procedure with total replacement of the aortic arch in a patient suffering from worsening aortic regurgitation (AR) and residual dissection. Our strategy involved the button method for coronary reconstruction, selective cerebral perfusion, the use of a composite graft with four branches for aortic arch replacement, and the administration of high-dose aprotinin to decrease bleeding.

[An approach to the emergency surgery for arch and/or ascending aortic aneurysm]

The outcome of emergency surgery for the aortic arch aneurysm and/or dissecting aneurysm is worse than that of elective surgery. To decide the future strategy of the emergency surgery for these disease, 11 patients with emergency surgery (= group E: 8 for aortic dissection and 3 for rupture of the aortic arch aneurysm, age; 61 +/- 13 SD) were compared with 12 patients who had elective surgery (= group S: 5 for aortic dissection and 7 for aortic arch aneurysm, age; 69 +/- 3 SD). Ascending aorta replacement was performed in 7 cases in group E v.s. 1 in group S, aortic arch replacement in 2 v.s. 5, ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement in 1 v.s. 4 and patch replacement of the aortic wall in 1 v.s. 2, respectively. Selective cerebral perfusion (SCP) upon the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used in 45% (5/11) in group E. v.s. in 92% (11/12) in group S, p < 0.05. CPB time, aortic clamp time and SCP time were not significantly different between E group and S group. Postoperative cardiac failure, respiratory failure, renal failure, brain injury and infection occurred at insignificant rates between both groups. Thirty-day and 3-year survivorships were 73% in group E, while in group S they were 92% and 75%, respectively. In group E there were 2 cases which had aortic wall injury due to the aortic clamp used during the surgery. We recommend the use of selective cerebral perfusion and open distal anastomosis in emergency surgery for aortic arch aneurysm and/or Stanford type A aortic dissection.

[Influence of cardiopulmonary bypass on biological response]

To investigate the influence of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on biological response, we measured the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and granulocyte elastase (GEL) in 24 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery and 32 patients who underwent elective gastroenterological surgery. All patients were alive. The serum level of GEL in cardiac patients was significantly higher than that in gastroenterological patients on the 1st and the 3rd postoperative day (P = 0.00008, P = 0.00097 respectively). In addition. there was a significant relationship between CPB time and the serum level of GEL immediately after CPB (r = 0.53, P = 0. 007). That is a reason why higher level of serum GEL in cardiac surgery is due to the bacterial translocation. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were detected in only :3 patients who underwent over 250 minutes CPB. It is most important to shorten the CPB time in order to decrease the serum GEL and lessen the biological response surgery.