ABSTRACT
The patient was an 81-year-old male. During treatment of a refractory subcutaneous abscess, he was diagnosed with an infection of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm caused by unknown bacteria. Antibiotic administration was initiated, but the infection persisted and there was no improvement of the aortic infection focus or aneurysm morphology. In order to control the infection and avoid rupture of the aortic aneurysm, excision of the infectious abdominal aortic aneurysm, omental plombage, and debridement of the surrounding infected tissue were performed. According to histopathological examination of the extracted sample, findings were consistent with an infection of the aortic aneurysm. Although administration of antibiotics continued, the infection continued to worsen during the postoperative course and an enlarged subcutaneous abscess and miliary tuberculosis were indicated by computed tomography. Therefore, an acid-fast bacteria culture test of the subcutaneous abscess, sputum, and urine and Tuberculous (Tb)-real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were carried out. According to Tb-PCR test of the subcutaneous abscess, mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected. In the re-evaluation of the extracted sample, granulomatous inflammation with spindle-shaped cell fenestration around the necrotic tissue and the appearance of epithelial cells and multinucleated giant cells were observed. Findings were consistent with a tubercular infection of the aortic aneurysm. Anti-tuberculosis treatment was initiated, and significant improvement of the inflammation and subcutaneous pus in the right chest were observed. On Day 39 after surgery, the patient was discharged from the hospital and walked home with no help. We experienced a successful case of tubercular infection of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm requiring surgery. Infection was controlled and rupture of the aortic aneurysm was avoided with surgical treatment and antituberculosis therapy. (Surgical treatment by excision of infectious abdominal aortic aneurysm, omental plombage, and debridement of the surrounding infected tissue, and antituberculosis therapy were carried out.)
ABSTRACT
A 34-year-old man was referred to our hospital for primary tricuspid regurgitation. An echocardiogram showed severe tricuspid regurgitation caused by the prolapse of the anterior leaflet due to chordal rupture and enlargement of the tricuspid annulus. A large cleft on the anterior leaflet and a divided leaflet near the septal leaflet with a ruptured chorda were observed during surgery. We attached an artificial chorda from the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle to the prolapsed leaflet. We then repaired the large cleft with interrupted 6-0 polypropylene sutures and performed tricuspid annuloplasty. The prolapse of the anterior leaflet disappeared, and an intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram revealed improvement of tricuspid regurgitation. The technique of mitral valve repair can be used even for a complex pathology of congenital cleft, chordal rupture, and annular enlargement of the tricuspid valve.