[Selective Sinus Replacement for Aortic Root Disease].

BACKGROUND: Selective sinus replacement seems a reasonable option in cases requiring replacement of one or two sinuses of Valsalva, especially with acute aortic dissection and high bleeding risk. METHODS: Six patients (average age 58±17 years;five males) underwent selective replacement of the right sinus of Valsalva with right coronary artery bypass grafting (n=5) in 2015-2023. Five patients developed acute aortic dissection and one developed aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva. RESULTS: All patients survived the operation, and there were no cases requiring re-exploration for bleeding. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography showed trivial or less aortic regurgitation (AR) in all patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamping time, and lower body circulatory arrest time were 214±28 min, 159±22 min, and 31±6 min (n=5), respectively. During follow-up of 55±44 (4-104) months, all patients were asymptomatic. AR was mild or less in four patients, mild-moderate in one patient, and severe in one patient. All patients had normal cardiac function without left ventricular enlargement, and so no reoperation was required. CONCLUSIONS: Although this method appears to be relatively safe and effective, some patients developed late AR. Long-term follow-up of larger numbers of patients will be necessary to confirm its effectiveness.

[Intraoperative Pulmonary Artery Rupture Induced by a Pulmonary Artery Catheter].

We herein present a case of massive intratracheal hemorrhage due to pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) use during triple valve surgery. A 75-year-old woman underwent biological aortic valve replacement along with mitral and tricuspid valve annuloplasty. Operative procedures were uneventful. Shortly after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, massive blood and froth filled the endotracheal tube. As her blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation dropped, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) support through the right femoral artery and vein was promptly initiated. After the tip of the PAC was identified in the right pulmonary artery by chest Xray, an endobronchial blocker was used to protect the opposite lung. After clinical stability was achieved, she underwent pulmonary artery angiography and subsequent successful transcatheter embolization. Right heart unloading using ECMO and transcatheter embolization might have played key roles in the management of intraoperative pulmonary artery rupture.

[True Ascending Aortic Aneurysm Late after Total Arch Replacement].

An aortic aneurysm was incidentally diagnosed in a 75-year-old woman during a thorough examination for other diseases. She had a history of total arch replacement( TAR) for aortic arch aneurysm 17 years previously. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography( CT) revealed a proximal aortic aneurysm with a maximum diameter of 67 mm protruding to the lateral side. She was treated by elective ascending aortic replacement. The resected aneurysm was not a pseudoaneurysm, but a true aneurysm. The etiology of this aneurysm might be long-term hemodynamic stress from the left ventricle and inadequate blood pressure control in addition to the anatomical position of the proximal residual aorta after first surgery. Therefore, to prevent aneurysm formation, it is important to replace the ascending aorta as proximally as possible at first surgery and to continue strict postoperative blood pressure control.

Recurrent nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis the day after mitral valve replacement.

Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is relatively rare, with an identification rate of 1.6% at autopsy, and is associated with malignancy and systemic lupus erythematosus. Further, bioprosthetic valve NBTE is extremely rare, with only a few reports in the literature. To ensure appropriate treatment, it is essential to differentiate between NBTE from infective endocarditis (IE) as soon as possible, but this is difficult without information regarding underlying disease and sufficient time for careful investigation. Here, we report a case of recurrent NBTE of a bioprosthetic valve the day following surgery based on an initial diagnosis of IE. .

Cor triatriatum sinister with left anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to innominate vein: what to do with the vertical vein?

We treated a surgical case of a 47-day-old male infant diagnosed with an unusual type of cor triatriatum sinister (CTS) with left anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the innominate vein via a vertical vein. After preoperative hemodynamic assessment of pulmonary venous (PV) return, this patient underwent a resection of the fibromuscular membrane between the accessory and the true left atrial chambers, concomitant with vertical vein banding to facilitate a left PV return through a common pulmonary venous collector (CPVC). Catheterization three months after this surgery revealed no obstruction of the PV return to the mitral orifice as well as good growth of the CPVC as a left PV return pathway. The patient has been doing well on aspirin.