Changes in Quality of Life After Secondary Closure of Palatal Defects: Prosthetic Obturation Versus Surgical Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The closure of palatal defects after tumor resection or irradiation is performed with either a prosthesis or autogenous tissue; however, there are no clear criteria regarding selection of the method. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the real-world situation and problems of palatal closure using prostheses, and examined patient opinion on how palatal closure using autogenous tissue improved their postoperative quality of life (QOL). METHODS: In 5 patients whose palatal defects resulted from treatment for head and neck cancer and were closed with a prosthesis, the palate was closed secondarily with autogenous tissue; a questionnaire on daily life was administered pre- and post-operatively. RESULTS: Functional improvements in terms of speech and eating were achieved in all and in 4 of 5 cases, respectively. In all cases, the QOL was better for palatal closure with autogenous tissue than with the prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: As postoperative QOL was considered to be better when reconstructing the palate with autogenous tissue than with the prosthesis, we recommend to actively select autogenous tissue for palate reconstruction.

Morphological Changes and Durability of Skin and Mucosal Flaps in Intraoral and Pharyngeal Reconstructions: Long-term Follow-up and Literature Review for Potential Second Carcinomas.

The long-term changes in tissues implanted in the oral cavity and pharynx after head and neck reconstruction have not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to clarify the morphological changes, long-term durability, and potential for secondary carcinogenesis in such tissues. In our single-center study, the rough morphological changes in 54 cases of intraoral and pharyngeal skin and mucosal flaps were evaluated more than 10 years after flap transfer. In addition, the literature on the development of second carcinomas from skin flaps was reviewed. The mean follow-up period for transferred flaps was 148 months. The reconstruction areas and the probability of morphological changes were significantly correlated (p=0.006), especially in cases with tongue, lower gingiva, and buccal mucosal reconstruction. Free jejunal flap surfaces were well maintained, whereas tubed skin flaps showed severe morphological changes in cases with pharyngeal reconstruction. None of the flaps in our series developed second primary carcinomas. Skin flaps generally had good durability for > 10 years in intraoral environments, while mucosal flaps had better durability for pharyngeal reconstruction. Second squamous carcinomas arising from skin flaps are extremely rare; however, surgeons should take this possibility into consideration and conduct meticulous and long-term follow-up.

Pyogenic Ventriculitis After Anterior Skull Base Surgery Treated With Endoscopic Ventricular Irrigation And Reconstruction Using a Vascularized Flap.

Ventriculitis is a rare, serious complication of neurosurgery. A 59-year-old man who had undergone a craniotomy for a paranasal adenocarcinoma, developed a right frontal cystic lesion. We performed a bifrontal craniotomy to remove the lesion. The dura was repaired with non-vascularized free fascia lata in watertight fashion. Ventriculitis occurred 3 days postoperatively. Ventricular drainage, craniectomy, and endoscopic irrigation were undertaken to remove an abscess. The dura and the resection cavity were reconstructed using a vascularized anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap. His symptoms disappeared, indicating that endoscopic irrigation and reconstruction can effectively address ventriculitis even in patients in critical clinical condition.

Nerve Switch for Reducing Synkinesis After Gracilis Muscle Transfer Innervated Via the Masseter Nerve.

BACKGROUND: In surgical treatment for longstanding facial paralysis, muscle transplantation is considered a useful and important method. To obtain a spontaneous smile, the use of the facial nerve of the healthy side as a motor source is better, but use of the masseter nerve allows prompt reinnervation and powerful movement. However, in some patients in whom the masseter nerve is used, separating masticatory movement and commissure contraction is difficult. Solutions for such patients have not been determined. CASE HISTORY AND DISCUSSION: A 46-year-old female patient presented with longstanding complete facial paralysis after resection of a right acoustic neurinoma. As initial surgery, free gracilis transfer was performed on the cheek, but the patient experienced commissure movement during meals postsurgery. Secondary corrective surgery was performed to detach the motor nerve of the gracilis from the masseter nerve and suture it to the facial nerve of the healthy side via cross-face nerve graft. The symptom improved but partially recurred. Improvement in synkinetic movement can be obtained by performing cross-face nerve grafting and subsequent nerve switch.

Raoultella planticola bacteremia-induced fatal septic shock following burn injury.

BACKGROUND: Raoultella planticola, a Gram-negative, aerobic bacillus commonly isolated from soil and water, rarely causes invasive infections in humans. Septic shock from R. planticola after burn injury has not been previously reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 79-year-old male was admitted to the emergency intensive care unit after extensive flame burn injury. He accidently caught fire while burning trash and plunged into a nearby tank filled with contaminated rainwater to extinguish the fire. The patient developed septic shock on day 10. The blood culture detected R. planticola, which was identified using the VITEK-2 biochemical identification system. Although appropriate antibiotic treatment was continued, the patient died on day 12. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of fatal infections in patients with burn injury complicated by exposure to contaminated water.

[The Usefulness of a Pamphlet for Preventing Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents at Cancer Patients' Homes and an Awareness Survey for Pharmacists about Providing Information to Cancer Patients about Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents].

As the number of patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy has increased, there is concern that cancer patients' family members are unknowingly exposed to antineoplastic agents at home through cancer patients' excrement or other secreted materials. In this study, we created a pamphlet that introduces several methods to prevent exposure to antineoplastic agents at home and conducted a questionnaire survey to assess the usefulness of the pamphlet. The results indicated that more than 90% of patients believed that the pamphlet was "useful" or "very useful" for ensuring safety with respect to antineoplastic agents at home. Further, most patients responded that the pamphlet decreased their anxieties about their disease and/or treatment. In order to examine pharmacists' involvement in providing information to cancer patients about exposure to antineoplastic agents, we conducted another questionnaire survey, with pharmacists working at Sapporo-Higashi Tokushukai Hospital and Sapporo Tokushukai Hospital. The results indicated that 41 out of 46 pharmacists practiced medication counseling; however, 39 pharmacists did not provide patients with instructions on ways to prevent exposure to antineoplastic agents at home. Their primary reason was a lack of adequate information to do so. Accordingly, the pamphlet prepared in our study would be an effective way to provide guidance for preventing exposure to antineoplastic agents at home.

Coronary artery calcification scores improve contrast-induced nephropathy risk assessment in chronic kidney disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of CAC scores for the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after cardiac catheterization in non-dialyzed CKD patients. METHODS: The present study evaluated a total of 140 CKD patients who underwent cardiac catheterization. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the optimal cut-off value of the CAC score, which was graded by a non-triggered, routine diagnostic chest computed tomography scan: CAC score ≥8 (high CAC group); and CAC score <8 (low CAC group). CIN was defined as an increase of >10 % in the baseline serum cystatin C level at 24 h after contrast administration. RESULTS: The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate levels were 41.1 mL/min/1.73 m2, and the mean contrast dose administered was 37.5 mL. Patients with high CAC scores exhibited a higher incidence of CIN than patients with low CAC scores (25.5 vs. 3.2 %, p < 0.001). After multivariate adjustment for confounders, the CAC score predicted CIN (odds ratio 1.68, 95 % confidence interval 1.28-2.21, p < 0.001). Moreover, the C-index for CIN prediction significantly increased when the CAC scores were added to the Mehran risk score (0.855 vs. 0.760, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: CAC scores, as evaluated using semi-quantitative methods, are a simple and powerful predictor of CIN. Incorporating the CAC score in the Mehran risk score significantly improved the predictive ability to predict CIN incidence.

Laser-Assisted Indocyanine Green Angiography Aids in the Reconstruction of Gustilo Grade IIIB Open Lower-Limb Fractures.

Background The treatment of trauma to the lower extremities often carries a high risk of complications. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been published regarding the treatment of open lower-limb fractures using laser-assisted indocyanine green angiography (LA-ICG). Here we retrospectively evaluated LA-ICG-based therapeutic interventions and reported the use of LA-ICG and its results in this application. Patients and Methods Between January 2011 and December 2015, a total of 23 cases with Gustilo grade IIIB open lower-limb fractures were investigated. LA-ICG was used to demonstrate the presence of necrotic tissue and determine the range of debridement. We compared 13 patients treated using LA-ICG from 2013 to 2015 with 10 patients treated without LA-ICG from 2010 to 2013. We reviewed tissue necrosis and other outcomes of these patients. Results The tissue necrosis rate in the LA-ICG-used group was significantly lower than that in the LA-ICG-free group. There were also significant differences in the average number of instances of tissue necrosis per patient, debridements, and deep-site infections. There was no flap loss. Conclusion By using LA-ICG, not only plastic surgeons but also clinicians in all associated departments including orthopedics can perform early reliable debridement and share in trauma treatment planning. We will continue to accumulate similar cases and hope to further improve LA-ICG techniques.

Progression from stenosis to occlusion in the proximal native coronary artery after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an established treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease. However, problematic situations are occasionally encountered after CABG, such as disease progression in the native coronary artery with graft occlusion, which causes difficulty in revascularization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the native coronary artery after CABG. Between 2009 and 2012 in our institution, 351 patients underwent CABG, and 768 bypass grafts were anastomosed to non-occluded coronary arteries. Of these, 489 bypass grafts had available early postoperative angiographic results (≤6 months) suitable for assessment in this study. We defined malignant graft failure after CABG to be bypass graft occlusion and de novo complete occlusion of the target native coronary artery proximal to the graft anastomosis site. In the early angiographic results, 17 grafts were occluded (17/489; 3.5 %). Two of the grafts displayed malignant graft failure (a saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery and a saphenous vein graft to the diagonal branch) (2 of 17 occluded grafts, and 2 of 489 studied grafts). Of the patent bypass grafts, 24 involved progression to occlusion in the proximal native coronary artery (19 saphenous vein grafts, 4 left internal thoracic artery grafts, and 1 right internal thoracic artery graft). Malignant graft failure was uncommon during short-term follow-up after CABG. At the same time, disease progression in the proximal native coronary artery from stenosis to occlusion following patent bypass grafting was relatively common, especially for vein grafts.

Analysis of 10-Year Training Results of Medical Students Using the Microvascular Research Center Training Program.

Background In this article, we reviewed the training results of medical students using the Microvascular Research Center Training Program (MRCP), and proposed an ideal microsurgical training program for all individuals by analyzing the training results of medical students who did not have any surgical experience. Methods As of 2015, a total of 29 medical students completed the MRCP. In the most recent 12 medical students, the number of trials performed for each training stage and the number of rats needed to complete the training were recorded. Additionally, we measured the operating time upon finishing stage 5 for the recent six medical students after it became a current program. Results The average operating time upon finishing stage 5 for the recent six medical students was 120 minutes ± 11 minutes (standard deviation [SD]). The average vascular anastomosis time (for the artery and vein) was 52 minutes ± 2 minutes (SD). For the most recent 12 medical students, there was a negative correlation between the number of trials performed in the non-rat stages (stages 1-3) and the number of rats used in the rat stages (stages 4-5). Conclusion Analysis of the training results of medical students suggests that performing microsurgery first on silicon tubes and chicken wings saves animals' lives later during the training program. We believe that any person can learn the technique of microsurgery by performing 7 to 8 hours of training per day over a period of 15 days within this program setting.

Association of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Proteinuria With Lipid-Rich Plaque in Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria are both important determinants of the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the independent and combined effects of eGFR and proteinuria on tissue characterization of the coronary plaques of culprit lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Conventional intravascular ultrasound and 3-D integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS) were performed in 555 patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention. They were divided into 2 groups according to the absence or presence of proteinuria (dipstick result ≥1+). Patients with proteinuria had coronary plaque with significantly greater percentage lipid volume compared with those without (43.6±14.8% vs. 48.6±16.1%, P=0.005). Combined analysis was done using eGFR and absence or presence of proteinuria. Subjects with eGFR 45-59 ml/min/1.73 m2 and proteinuria were significantly more likely to have higher percent lipid volume compared with those with eGFR >60 ml/min/1.73 m2 without proteinuria. After multivariate adjustment for confounders, the presence of proteinuria proved to be an independent predictor for lipid-rich plaque (OR, 1.85; 95% CI: 1.12-3.06, P=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of proteinuria to eGFR level may be of value in the risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease.

Impact of airflow limitation on carotid atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Both airflow limitation and smoking are established cardiovascular risk factors. However, their interaction as risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of the interaction between airflow limitation and smoking status on the severity of carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: We categorized the 234 enrolled patients with coronary artery disease into four groups: never-smokers with normal pulmonary function (group A), never-smokers with airflow limitation (group B), ever-smokers with normal pulmonary function (group C), and ever-smokers with airflow limitation (group D). RESULTS: The prevalence of airflow limitation in the enrolled patients was 23.1% (ever-smokers: 15.8%, never-smokers: 7.3%). The prevalence of severe carotid atherosclerosis was 28.2, 29.4, 41.3, and 45.9%, respectively, in the four groups (group D vs. group A, p = 0.035). Even after multivariate adjusting for confounding factors, ever-smokers with airflow limitation were independently associated with severe carotid atherosclerosis (odds ratio 2.89, 95% confidence interval, 1.19-7.00, p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Ever-smokers with airflow limitation were significantly associated with severe carotid atherosclerosis among patients with coronary artery disease. These findings also provide additional insight into the correlation between airflow limitation and poor cardiovascular clinical outcomes.

Various arrangements of pharyngeal flap in soft palate reconstruction after cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: The pharyngeal flap (PF) is useful for reconstruction of soft palate defects, but effective arrangements of PF for various types of soft palate defects are controversial. Here, we classify three types of soft palate defects and discuss the arrangements of PF and their functional prognosis. METHODS: Reconstruction was performed based on the classification of the defects. Clinical details were collected, and postoperative function was analyzed. RESULTS: Eight patients were included in the study. The defect sizes ranged from 25 (width) × 40 (depth) to 40 × 60 mm. Six patients underwent pharyngeal flap reconstruction with free-flap reconstruction, and two underwent pharyngeal flap reconstruction. The pharyngeal flap was harvested at the maximum width of the posterior pharyngeal wall, ranging from 25 to 40 mm in length. Eating and speaking functions were maintained in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Good postoperative function can be maintained by narrowing the velopharyngeal space with a pharyngeal flap.

Combined simultaneous endoscopic endonasal and transcranial surgery using high-definition three-dimensional exoscope for malignant tumors of the anterior skull base.

BACKGROUND: Advanced surgical interventions are required to treat malignancies in the anterior skull base (ASB). This study investigates the utility of endoscopic endonasal and transcranial surgery (EETS) using a high-definition three-dimensional exoscope as an alternative to traditional microscopy. METHODS: Six patients with carcinomas of varying histopathologies underwent surgery employing the EETS maneuver, which synchronized three distinct surgical modalities: harvesting of the anterolateral thigh flap, initiation of the transnasal technique, and initiation of the transcranial procedure. RESULTS: The innovative strategy enabled successful tumor resection and skull base reconstruction without postoperative local neoplastic recurrence, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: The integration of the exoscope and EETS is a novel therapeutic approach for ASB malignancies. This strategy demonstrates the potential of the exoscope in augmenting surgical visualization, enhancing ergonomics, and achieving seamless alignment of multiple surgical interventions. This technique represents a progressive shift in the management of these complex oncological challenges.

Fabrication of shape-designable cartilage from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived chondroprogenitors using a cell self-aggregation technique.

With the advancement of tissue engineering technologies, implantable materials have been developed for use in facial plastic surgery, including auriculoplasty and rhinoplasty. Tissue-engineered cartilage comprising only cells and cell-produced extracellular matrix is considered valuable as there is no need to consider problems associated with scaffold absorption or immune responses commonly related to conventional artificial materials. However, it is exceedingly difficult to produce large-sized complex shapes of cartilage without the use of scaffolds. In this study, we describe the production of shape-designable cartilage using a novel cell self-aggregation technique (CAT) and chondroprogenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells as the source. The method described does not require special equipment such as bio-3D printers, and the produced tissue can be induced into well-matured cartilage with abundant cartilage matrixin vitro. Using CAT, we were able to generate cartilage in the form of rings or tubes with adjustable inner diameter and curvature, over a range of several centimeters, without the use of scaffolds. Thein vitrofabrication of shape-designable cartilage using CAT is a promising development in facial plastic surgery.

Fabrication of scaffold-free mesenchyme tissue bands by cell self-aggregation technique for potential use in tissue regeneration.

Three-dimensional cell constructs comprising only tissue-specific cells and extracellular matrix secreted by them would be ideal transplants, but their fabrication in a cell aggregation manner without cell scaffolds relies on random cell self-aggregation, making the control of their size and shape difficult. In this study, we propose a method to fabricate band-shaped tissues by inducing the self-aggregation of cell sheets using the developed cell self-aggregation technique (CAT). Acting as cell aggregation stoppers, silicone semicircular pillars were attached to two positions equidistant from both short ends of the rounded rectangular culture groove and coated with a specifically charged biomimetic polymer as a CAT-inducing surface. Mesenchymal stem cells, chondrocytes, and skeletal myoblast cells seeded on the surface of the culture grooves formed band-shaped aggregates between the two aggregation stoppers following spontaneous detachment with aggregation of the cell sheet from the outer edge of the grooves during day one of culture. The aggregated chondrocyte band matured into a cartilage-like plate with an abundant cartilage matrix while retaining its band shape after two weeks of chondrogenic cultivation. Additionally, the aggregates of mesenchymal stem cells and myoblast cell bands could patch the induced collagen membrane derived from rat subcutaneous tissue like a bandage immediately after their formation and successfully mature into fat and muscle tissues, respectively. These results indicate that, depending on the cell type, scaffold-free band-shaped cell aggregates produced by CAT have the potential to achieve tissue regeneration that follows the shape of the defect viain vitromaturation culture orin vivoorganization.

Relationship between severity of renal impairment and 2-year outcomes after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: The presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of restenosis and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) after coronary interventions, especially in patients on hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of varying degrees of renal impairment on angiographic and 2-year clinical outcomes after treatment with sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs). METHODS: A total of 675 lesions of 593 patients treated with SES were analyzed. Patients were classified into 3 groups: 34 patients on HD; 337 patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate > or =60 mL min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) (non-CKD group); and 222 patients who had lower estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) without HD dependency (CKD group). RESULTS: At angiographic follow-up (201 +/- 73 days), in-segment late loss was markedly higher in the HD group versus the non-CKD and CKD groups (0.68 +/- 1.06 vs 0.11 +/- 0.45 and 0.15 +/- 0.50 mm, respectively, P < .001), resulting in a significantly higher in-segment restenosis rate (40.0% vs 10.4% and 11.5%, respectively, P < .001). At 2 years, HD vs non-CKD and CKD was associated with a significantly higher MACE rate (35.3% vs 10.4% and 12.6%, respectively, P < .001), mainly driven by significantly higher mortality (11.8% vs 0.6% and 2.3%, respectively, P < .001) and target-lesion revascularization (23.5% vs 9.2% and 8.1%, respectively, P = .016) rates. Multivariable analysis revealed that HD was the independent predictor of 2-year MACE (hazard ratio 4.70, 95% CI 2.40-9.20, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although angiographic and clinical outcomes after SES implantation were similarly favorable in non-HD-dependent CKD patients, regardless of renal function, in patients with end-stage CKD requiring HD, frequencies of restenosis and 2-year MACE were markedly higher than in non-HD-dependent patients.

Impact of post-dilatation on longitudinal stent elongation: An in vitro study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether balloon inflation for post-dilatation causes longitudinal stent deformation (LSD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Two stents, sized 2.5mm×28mm and 3.5mm×28mm (Nobori®, biodegradable polymer biolimus-eluting stent; Ultimaster®, biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent; Terumo Co., Tokyo, Japan), were deployed at nominal pressure in straight and tapered silicon vessel models. Then, post-dilatation was performed in two ways: dilatation from the distal (D-P group) or proximal (P-D group) side of the stent. Microscopic findings showed that the stents were elongated during every step of the procedure regardless of the post-dilatation method and type of vessel model. The D-P group showed linear elongation during each step of post-dilatation (straight model: 28.7±0.3mm vs. 29.9±0.3mm, p=0.002; tapered model: 28.0±0.1mm vs. 29.9±0.1mm, p<0.001). In contrast, in the P-D group, the most significant change was observed in the first step of post-dilatation and only slight changes were observed thereafter (straight model: 28.6±0.1mm vs. 29.5±0.1mm, p<0.001; tapered model: 28.2±0.1mm vs. 29.5±0.1mm, p<0.001). Optical frequency domain imaging analysis showed that the frequency of stent strut malapposition was positively correlated with the percentage change in stent length (r=0.74, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: LSD was observed during every step of post-dilatation in both the straight and tapered vessel models. However, some differences were observed between the D-P and P-D groups. Minimizing stent strut malapposition may reduce the risk of LSD.

Influence of False Lumen Status on the Prognosis of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection without Urgent Surgical Treatment.

AIM: Recently, much attention has been focused on partial thrombosis of the false lumen in patients with acute aortic dissection. However, its effect on clinical outcomes in these patients, especially in case of acute type A aortic dissection, has not been clearly elucidated. This study evaluated the influence of the false lumen status, including partial thrombosis, on short-term clinical outcomes in acute type A aortic dissection patients without urgent surgical treatment. METHODS: Sixty-two patients (29 males, mean age 73±13 years) with acute type A aortic dissection who did not receive urgent surgical treatment at four hospitals were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups based on the false lumen status on enhanced computed tomography image (complete thrombosis, n=28; partial thrombosis, n=27; patent, n=7). Patients with partial thrombosis were further divided into two groups (thrombus-dominant, n=15; flow-dominant, n=12). RESULTS: The short-term mortality rate (in-hospital and 30-day) was significantly higher in patients with a patent false lumen, while no significant difference was seen between the other two groups. Patients with flow-dominant partial thrombosis had significantly higher short-term mortality rate than those with thrombus-dominant partial thrombosis (in-hospital, p=0.001 and 30-day, p＜0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The short-term mortality rate in acute type A aortic dissection patients without urgent surgical treatment was lower in patients with partial thrombosis of the false lumen than in those with a patent false lumen. Furthermore, patients with flow-dominant partial thrombosis had higher mortality rate than those with thrombus-dominant partial thrombosis.

Predictive Value of Aortic Valve Calcification for Periprocedural Myocardial Injury in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

AIMS: Previous studies have shown that aortic valve calcification (AVC) was associated with cardiovascular events and mortality. On the other hand, periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a well-known predictor of subsequent mortality and poor clinical outcomes. The purpose of the study was to assess the hypothesis that the presence of AVC could predict PMI in PCI. METHODS: This study included 370 patients treated with PCI for stable angina pectoris. AVC was defined as bright echoes ＞1 mm on one or more cusps of the aortic valve on ultrasound cardiography (UCG). PMI was defined as an increase in high-sensitivity troponin T level of ＞5 times the upper normal limit (＞0.070 ng/ml) at 24 hours after PCI. RESULTS: AVC was detected in 45.9% of the patients (n=170). The incidence of PMI was significantly higher in the patients with AVC than in those without AVC (43.5% vs 21.0%, p＜0.001). The presence of AVC independently predicted PMI after adjusting for other significant variables (odds ratio 2.26, 95% confidence interval 1.37-3.74, p=0.002). Other predictors were male sex, age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total stent length. Furthermore to predict PMI, adding AVC to the established risk factors significantly improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves, from 0.68 to 0.72, of the PMI prediction model (p=0.025). CONCLUSION: The presence of AVC detected in UCG could predict the incidence of PMI.