Acute type A aortic dissection surgery in retrosternal gastric tube reconstruction patient.

BACKGROUND: Retrosternal gastric tube reconstruction is a common surgical technique for managing esophageal cancer, but it complicates acute type A aortic dissection repair and raises concerns about gastric tube damage. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old female, who underwent esophagectomy with retrosternal gastric tube reconstruction 6 months ago for esophageal cancer, presented with severe chest pain. Acute type A aortic dissection was confirmed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and emergency hemiarch replacement through a median sternotomy was performed, preserving the gastric tube without injury. The patient recovered well and was discharged after 3 weeks, showing no gastrointestinal symptoms or signs of mediastinitis.

Probing local structure of glass with orientation-dependent luminescence.

The local ordering of particles is considered an important process in glass transition. Ordering is usually observed in simulation and micrometer-sized colloid. However, clear information on local ordering at the molecular level is difficult to obtain experimentally. In this study, we prepared an easily glass-forming fluorophore with a color change owing to the intermolecular arrangement in the liquid, glass, and crystal states. The bathochromic shifts of the photoluminescence spectra indicated a change in the intermolecular orientation upon immediate cooling of the melt. The recovery of the spectra by successive heating indicated that rotation contributed to the change in the intermolecular orientation. The orientation in the glass was distinct from that during crystal growth, which was observed as a slow bathochromic shift by maintaining the temperature between the melting points of the blue- and green-luminescent crystals obtained from dichloromethane/ethanol and dichloromethane/hexane, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the anisotropic interaction between glass-forming luminophores is useful for uncovering molecular-level events in the glassy state.

Development of 12 sets of chromosome segment substitution lines that enhance allele mining in Asian cultivated rice.

Many agronomic traits that are important in rice breeding are controlled by multiple genes. The extensive time and effort devoted so far to identifying and selecting such genes are still not enough to target multiple agronomic traits in practical breeding in Japan because of a lack of suitable plant materials in which to efficiently detect and validate beneficial alleles from diverse genetic resources. To facilitate the comprehensive analysis of genetic variation in agronomic traits among Asian cultivated rice, we developed 12 sets of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) with the japonica background, 11 of them in the same genetic background, using donors representing the genetic diversity of Asian cultivated rice. Using these materials, we overviewed the chromosomal locations of 1079 putative QTLs for seven agronomic traits and their allelic distribution in Asian cultivated rice through multiple linear regression analysis. The CSSLs will allow the effects of putative QTLs in the highly homogeneous japonica background to be validated.

Open after endovascular repair for previous extra anatomic bypass of adult coarctation.

BACKGROUND: During follow-up, aneurysm formation in adults with coarctation of aorta has been reported after undergoing extra-anatomical aortic bypass grafting. Endovascular repair was a reasonable treatment option but there were still complications. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old male who underwent extra-anatomical aortic bypass grafting, presented with severe back pain and hemoptysis. He had a diagnosed pseudoaneurysm with concealed rupture at the bypass grafting. He underwent endovascular repair and coil embolization. A postsurgical CT-angiogram showed there was extravasation from stent into the pseudoaneurysm. An open repair with endovascular stent removal instead of restenting was performed.

Modulation of corticospinal excitability related to the forearm muscle during robot-assisted stepping in humans.

In recent years, the neural control mechanisms of the arms and legs during human bipedal walking have been clarified. Rhythmic leg stepping leads to suppression of monosynaptic reflex excitability in forearm muscles. However, it is unknown whether and how corticospinal excitability of the forearm muscle is modulated during leg stepping. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the excitability of the corticospinal tract in the forearm muscle during passive and voluntary stepping. To compare the neural effects on corticospinal excitability to those on monosynaptic reflex excitability, the present study also assessed the excitability of the H-reflex in the forearm muscle during both types of stepping. A robotic gait orthosis was used to produce leg stepping movements similar to those of normal walking. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and H-reflexes were evoked in the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) muscle during passive and voluntary stepping. The results showed that FCR MEP amplitudes were significantly enhanced during the mid-stance and terminal-swing phases of voluntary stepping, while there was no significant difference between the phases during passive stepping. Conversely, the FCR H-reflex was suppressed during both voluntary and passive stepping, compared to the standing condition. The present results demonstrated that voluntary commands to leg muscles, combined with somatosensory inputs, may facilitate corticospinal excitability in the forearm muscle, and that somatosensory inputs during walking play a major role in monosynaptic reflex suppression in forearm muscle.

Descending thoracic aortic repair outcomes for chronic aortic dissection: a single-centre experience.

OBJECTIVES: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is a widely accepted treatment for chronic aortic dissection because of good early results compared to open surgical repair. We provide early and long-term results of descending thoracic aortic repair for chronic aortic dissection. METHODS: Patients who underwent descending thoracic aortic repair for chronic aortic dissection between January 2012 and December 2020 at Kawasaki Aortic Centre were included in this analysis. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-two patients (median age, 64 years; interquartile range, 52-75 years) were included. The median duration of follow-up was 3.2 years (interquartile range, 1.5-5.2 years). The early mortality rate was 2.0% (n = 10); strokes occurred in 17 patients (3.5%); and spinal cord injuries occurred in 30 patients (6.1%). Early major adverse events including early death, stroke, spinal cord injury, tracheostomy and haemodialysis at the time of discharge occurred in 62 patients. Multivariable analysis indicated that age > 70 years and non-elective surgery were predictors of early major adverse events. Among patients without both risk factors (i.e. low-risk patients), 1 early death (0.4%), 3 strokes (1.5%) and 1 spinal cord injury (0.4%) were observed, 2 tracheostomies were performed (0.8%) and no patients required haemodialysis at the time of hospital discharge. The 5-year survival rate was 87.2%. The cumulative incidence of chronic aortic dissection-related aortic reintervention at 5 years was 7.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Descending thoracic aortic repair for chronic aortic dissection resulted in good early and long-term results, and it can serve as the gold standard for low-risk patients.

Individual Sensory Modality Dominance as an Influential Factor in the Prefrontal Neurofeedback Training for Spatial Processing: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.

Neurofeedback is a neuromodulation technique used to improve brain function by self-regulating brain activity. However, the efficacy of neurofeedback training varies widely between individuals, and some participants fail to self-regulate brain activity. To overcome intersubject variation in neurofeedback training efficacy, it is critical to identify the factors that influence this type of neuromodulation. In this study, we considered that individual differences in cognitive ability may influence neurofeedback training efficacy and aimed to clarify the effect of individual working memory (WM) abilities, as characterized by sensory modality dominance, on neurofeedback training efficacy in healthy young adults. In particular, we focused on the abilities of individuals to retain internal (tactile or somatosensory) or external (visual) body information in their WM. Forty participants performed functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based neurofeedback training aimed at producing efficient and lower-level activity in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and frontopolar cortex. We carried out a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind study that compared WM ability before and after neurofeedback training. Individual WM ability was quantified using a target searching task that required the participants to retain spatial information presented as vibrotactile or visual stimuli. Participants who received feedback information based on their own prefrontal activity showed gradually decreasing activity in the right prefrontal area during the neurofeedback training and demonstrated superior WM ability during the target searching task with vibrotactile stimuli compared with the participants who performed dummy neurofeedback training. In comparison, left prefrontal activity was not influenced by the neurofeedback training. Furthermore, the efficacy of neurofeedback training (i.e., lower right prefrontal activity and better searching task performance) was higher in participants who exhibited tactile dominance rather than visual dominance in their WM. These findings indicate that sensory modality dominance in WM may be an influential neurophysiological factor in determining the efficacy of neurofeedback training. These results may be useful in the development of neurofeedback training protocols tailored to individual needs.

Comfortable and Convenient Turning Skill Assessment for Alpine Skiers Using IMU and Plantar Pressure Distribution Sensors.

Improving ski-turn skills is of interest to both competitive and recreational skiers, but it is not easy to improve on one's own. Although studies have reported various methods of ski-turn skill evaluation, a simple method that can be used by oneself has not yet been established. In this study, we have proposed a comfortable method to assess ski-turn skills; this method enables skiers to easily understand the relationship between body control and ski motion. One expert skier and four intermediate skiers participated in this study. Small inertial measurement units (IMUs) and mobile plantar pressure distribution sensors were used to capture data while skiing, and three ski-turn features-ski motion, waist rotation, and how load is applied to the skis-as well as their symmetry, were assessed. The results showed that the motions of skiing and the waist in the expert skier were significantly larger than those in intermediate skiers. Additionally, we found that the expert skier only slightly used the heel to apply a load to the skis (heel load ratio: approximately 60%) and made more symmetrical turns than the intermediate skiers did. This study will provide a method for recreational skiers, in particular, to conveniently and quantitatively evaluate their ski-turn skills by themselves.

Effect of enhanced CaCl2, MgSO4, and KH2PO4 on improved in vitro growth of potato.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major global food crop. Contemporary potato production largely utilizes micropropagation to produce healthy seed potatoes. The micropropagation of potatoes is widely achieved through nodal explants using the conventional Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Currently, effective culture media that can facilitate rapid propagation are increasingly required for new cultivars that have been developed to possess improved traits. In this study, we evaluated the effect of enhanced meso nutrients (CaCl2.2H2O, MgSO4, and KH2PO4) in MS medium on the growth of S. tuberosum. The cultivars used in this study were representative of Japanese, European, and Peruvian lines. Enhanced meso nutrients improved the overall quality of all cultivars, as indicated by longer shoots and larger leaves with dark color, compared with MS medium only. Shoots grown on enhanced mesos were approximately 1.5 times longer than on MS medium. Quantitative ion analysis revealed that plantlets with improved shoot length and leaf quality in most cultivars had increased calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus uptake than plantlets on MS medium. The results suggest that the reduced iron uptake on 3.0×MS, compared with 2.0× or 2.5×MS mesos, reduced plant growth. This study revealed for the first time that mesos concentrations higher than MS medium concentrations, complemented by enhanced calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron uptake, play a significant role in improving the in vitro growth of potato.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Is More Prevalent in Type B than Type A Aortic Dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Several factors determining differences between types A and B aortic dissection (AD) have been reported; however, little data exist examining their differences in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We compared the prevalence of LVH in patients with types A and B AD. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 334 patients with acute AD (227 type A; 107 type B). Concentric hypertrophy (CH; increased left ventricular mass index [LVMI] and relative wall thickness [RWT]) is one of four types of left ventricular (LV) geometry thought to be most associated with hypertension. We compared LVMI and the prevalence of CH in patients with types A or B AD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses of variables associated with type B AD were performed. RESULTS: Comparing type A and B AD, LVMI (95 ± 26 vs.107 ± 28, p <0.001) and prevalence of CH (26% vs. 44%, p = 0.001) were higher in type B AD. In multivariate analysis, CH was an independent factor associated with type B AD (odds ratio: 2.62, confidence interval: 1.54-4.47, p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested LVH was more prevalent in type B than in type A AD. Considering LVH usually results from hypertension, patients with type B AD may be more affected by hypertension than those with type A.

A novel negative regulatory mechanism of Smurf2 in BMP/Smad signaling in bone.

Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) play important roles in bone metabolism. Smad ubiquitination regulatory factors (Smurfs) regulate TGF-ß/BMP signaling via ubiquitination, resulting in degradation of signaling molecules to prevent excessive activation of TGF-ß/BMP signaling. Though Smurf2 has been shown to negatively regulate TGF-ß/Smad signaling, its involvement in BMP/Smad signaling in bone metabolism has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the role of Smurf2 in BMP/Smad signaling in bone metabolism. Absorbable collagen sponges containing 3 µg of recombinant human BMP2 (rhBMP2) were implanted in the dorsal muscle pouches of wild type (WT) and Smurf2-/- mice. The rhBMP2-induced ectopic bone in Smurf2-/- mice showed greater bone mass, higher mineral apposition and bone formation rates, and greater osteoblast numbers than the ectopic bone in WT mice. In WT mice, the ectopic bone consisted of a thin discontinuous outer cortical shell and scant inner trabecular bone. In contrast, in Smurf2-/- mice, the induced bone consisted of a thick, continuous outer cortical shell and abundant inner trabecular bone. Additionally, rhBMP2-stimulated bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from Smurf2-/- mice showed increased osteogenic differentiation. Smurf2 induced the ubiquitination of Smad1/5. BMP/Smad signaling was enhanced in Smurf2-/- BMSCs stimulated with rhBMP2, and the inhibition of BMP/Smad signaling suppressed osteogenic differentiation of these BMSCs. These findings demonstrate that Smurf2 negatively regulates BMP/Smad signaling, thereby identifying a new regulatory mechanism in bone metabolism.

Propagation of Polygonatum macranthum (Maxim.) Koidz. from immature seeds using a new sterilization procedure.

Natural seed germination is difficult to achieve in numerous plant species of wide economic importance. The germination of Polygonatum macranthum seeds takes as long as one and a half years under natural conditions. In addition, propagation by rhizome is also extremely slow in this species. Therefore, the natural propagation of P. macranthum through seeds or rhizome is not efficient. In this study, an efficient in vitro propagation system for P. macranthum from immature seeds with seed coat was developed, using a new surface sterilization protocol that utilized a low concentration of hypochlorite. In vitro germination was achieved at a rate of 30% within 9 weeks after inoculation on 1/2 MS medium. Shoot explants from seedlings were successfully cultured on 1/2 MS medium. Supplementation of the 1/2 MS medium with cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) facilitated efficient propagation by microrhizome. An efficient propagation rate of 1.3 microrhizomes per shoot in an 8-week culture period could be achieved by using a concentration of 1 mg l-1 BAP. During 4 weeks of acclimatization, 88% of shoots were rooted and started to grow into juvenile plants. After about 16 weeks in the field, 13% of the acclimatized plants showed viable growth and healthy regenerating shoots. The cultivation system demonstrated in this study can be used to propagate P. macranthum.

Distinct bilateral prefrontal activity patterns associated with the qualitative aspect of working memory characterized by individual sensory modality dominance.

In addition to quantitative individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity, qualitative aspects, such as enhanced sensory modality (modality dominance), can characterize individual WM ability. This study aimed to examine the neurological basis underlying the individual modality dominance component of WM using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). To quantify the degree of individual WM modality dominance, 24 participants were required to find seven hidden targets and hold their spatial location and appearance order with vibrotactile or visual stimuli aids. In this searching task, eight participants demonstrated higher performance with the tactile condition (tactile-dominant) whereas sixteen demonstrated visual dominance. We then measured prefrontal activity by fNIRS during memorization of visual stimulus numbers while finger tapping as a cognitive-motor dual-task. Individual modality dominance significantly correlated with bilateral frontopolar and dorsolateral prefrontal activity changes over repeated fNIRS sessions. In particular, individuals with stronger visual dominance showed marked decreases in prefrontal area activity. These results suggest that distinct processing patterns in the prefrontal cortex reflect an individual's qualitative WM characteristics. Considering the individual modality dominance underlying the prefrontal areas could enhance cognitive or motor performance, possibly by optimizing cognitive resources.

Therapeutic effects of the PKR inhibitor C16 suppressing tumor proliferation and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

The therapeutic effects of C16, which is an inhibitor of RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR), on growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and tumor progression in vitro and in vivo were evaluated. Huh7 cells, a human HCC cell line, were used. The effects of C16 on cell viability were evaluated with the MTT assay, and real-time RT-PCR was performed. Huh7 cells were grafted into immunodeficient mice, and the in vivo effects of C16 on tumorigenesis were examined. C16 suppressed proliferation of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Mouse models with xenograft transplantation showed that the inhibitor suppressed the growth of HCC cells in vivo. Moreover, C16 decreased angiogenesis in HCC tissue in the xenograft model. Consistent with these results in mice, transcript levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A and factor-B, platelet-derived growth factor-A and factor-B, fibroblast growth factor-2, epidermal growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor, which are angiogenesis-related growth factors, were significantly decreased by C16 in vitro. In conclusion, the PKR inhibitor C16 blocked tumor cell growth and angiogenesis via a decrease in mRNA levels of several growth factors. C16 may be useful in the treatment of HCC.

Donor-acceptor random regioregular π-conjugated copolymers based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) with unsymmetrical monothienoisoindigo units.

Donor-acceptor π-conjugated random copolymers based on regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene), rr-P3HT, with unsymmetrical monothienoisoindigo moieties were obtained by direct arylation polycondensation of 2-bromo-3-hexylthiophene with unsymmetrical monothienoisoindigo motifs under the optimized conditions [palladium-immobilized on thiol-modified silica gel with chloride counter anions, PITS-Cl (2.5 mol%), PivOH (1.0 equiv.), K2CO3 (3.0 equiv.), DMAc, 100 °C, 24 h]. Incorporation of unsymmetrical monothienoisoindigo electron-acceptor units into the polymers tuned their highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels, which were close to those of the hole transport material (PEDOT) and electron transport material (PCBM), respectively, in thin-film organic solar cells. Alkyl chains of the unsymmetrical monothienoisoindigo units in the polymers tuned their macrostructural order, resulting in the observation of crystalline patterns and specific absorption peaks in thin films. An organic solar cell containing the most crystalline random copolymer showed an efficiency of 1.91%.

Prefrontal activity predicts individual differences in optimal attentional strategy for preventing motor performance decline: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Directing attention to movement outcomes (external focus; EF), not body movements (internal focus; IF), is a better cognitive strategy for motor performance. However, EF is not effective in some healthy individuals or stroke patients. We aimed to identify the neurological basis reflecting the individual optimal attentional strategy using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Sixty-four participants (23 healthy young, 23 healthy elderly, and 18 acute stroke) performed a reaching movement task under IF and EF conditions. Of these, 13 healthy young participants, 11 healthy elderly participants, and 6 stroke patients showed better motor performance under EF conditions (EF-dominant), whereas the others showed IF-dominance. We then measured prefrontal activity during rhythmic hand movements under both attentional conditions. IF-dominant participants showed significantly higher left prefrontal activity than EF-dominant participants under IF condition. In addition, receiver operating characteristic analysis supported that the higher activity in the left frontopolar and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices could detect IF-dominance as an individual's optimal attentional strategy for preventing motor performance decline. Taken together, these results suggest that prefrontal activity during motor tasks reflects an individual's ability to process internal body information, thereby conferring IF-dominance. These findings could be applied for the development of individually optimized rehabilitation programs.

Pancreatic carcinoma metastasis to a lung carcinoma lesion and pulmonary fibrotic regions, overtaking the stromal microenvironment: A case report.

RATIONALE: Suppression and of cancer metastasis is one of the most important issues in cancer care. Considering the typical clinical course of metastases, cancer cells might prefer certain environments or conditions. However, favorable environments for cancer metastasis have not been clearly identified. We had previously described a case of dual, yet separate, pancreatic and colon cancer, in which the metastatic pancreatic cancer was localized at the invasive portion of the colon cancer. We hypothesized that metastatic pancreatic cancer took over the colon cancer microenvironment. PATIENT CONCERNS: We experienced an another case of double cancer in a 65-year-old man who had lung squamous cell carcinoma and an independent pancreatic adenocarcinoma that metastasized to the liver as well as to the lung cancer lesion and pulmonary fibrotic regions associated with pneumothorax and bronchiolization. INTERVENTIONS: The pneumothorax could not be controlled by conservative treatment. Thus, an emergency surgery with partial resection of the lower lobe of right lung was performed. DIAGNOSES: We found multiple pancreatic cancer metastases in the lung cancer and fibrotic lesions in the surgical specimen. However, we detected no metastasis in normal lung tissues except inside small arteries, although the lung cancer and fibrotic tissue areas were smaller than the normal lung tissue areas in the surgical specimen. OUTCOMES: The patient died 50 days after the surgery. LESSONS: This case may thus provide evidence to strengthen our hypothesis that pancreatic cancer prefers to metastasize to other independent cancer lesions, overtaking the cancer microenvironment constructed by other independent cancers. The lung cancer microenvironment, rich in myofibroblasts and/or cancer-associated fibroblasts, might be suitable for pancreatic carcinoma metastasis. In addition, we propose the hypothesis that compared with normal tissues, noncancerous fibrotic lesions are preferable destinations for cancer metastasis. Furthermore, metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma to lung cancer and fibrotic tissues might be more common, although such cases have not been previously reported.

Familial Pancreatic Cancer at Elderly Siblings in Japan.

Two female siblings aged 87 and 90 years were clinically diagnosed as pancreatic cancer by abdominal ultrasonography and abdominal contrast-enhanced CT. Pancreatic cancer of these patients was confirmed during the autopsy. Both patients shared risk factors of pancreatic cancer; old age, diabetes, and passive smoking. Strong family history of pancreatic cancer was found in these two patients as their father and younger brother were also suffering from this cancer. The present study seems to report two eldest cases of familial pancreatic cancer in siblings. How to cite this article: Kashimoto Y, Onji M, et al. Familial Pancreatic Cancer at Elderly Siblings in Japan. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2019;9(1):52-54.

The Serum Creatinine Level Might Be Associated with the Onset of Impaired Fasting Glucose: A Community-based Longitudinal Cohort Health Checkup Study.

Objective Skeletal muscle is the main target organ for glycemic control, and the serum creatinine level is a convenient indicator of the skeletal muscle mass. This study aimed to assess the potential relationship between the serum creatinine level and the onset of impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Methods In this large, community-based, retrospective longitudinal cohort study, we examined the records of 7,905 Japanese participants (3,863 men, 4,042 women) of 18-80 years of age who underwent annual health checkups at a single center between April 2003 and August 2013. After applying the exclusion criteria, 6,490 participants were reviewed to identify those with the onset of IFG, defined as a fasting plasma glucose ≥6.11 mM. Among the participants, 278 met the criterion for the onset of IFG during the observation period. Results Creatinine levels were higher in male subjects who exercised periodically and were exercise conscious in comparison to those who did not exercise, and were higher in female subjects who exercised periodically in comparison to female subjects who did not exercise and who were not exercise conscious. Additionally, the serum creatinine level was negatively associated with the onset of IFG in both men [adjusted hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.96-0.99; p=0.008] and women (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.97; p<0.001) after adjustment for variables previously reported to be risk factors for the onset of glucose intolerance and factors associated with chronic kidney disease. Conclusion A low creatinine level might be associated with the onset of IFG. Moreover, the fact that serum creatinine levels increase with exercise might demonstrate the importance of exercise therapy.

Open surgery for descending thoracic aorta in an endovascular era.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair has become the preferred treatment for a variety of descending thoracic aortic pathologies. However, there are unresolved issues such as morphologic appearance of chronic dissection, persistent false lumen perfusion, and adequacy of landing zone. Enthusiasm for improving the technique of open aortic repair and perioperative management is fading. In this study, we would like to demonstrate how we improve our surgical outcomes by establishing a dedicated aortic multidisciplinary team at the Kawasaki Aortic Center. METHOD: We performed a single-center retrospective study from January 2015 to December 2016. All patients with open descending thoracic aortic replacement were recruited. Preoperative patient demographic data, bypass strategies, operative details, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. RESULT: From January 2015 to December 2016, we treated 168 cases of descending thoracic aortic repair using a left thoracotomy. Median age was 69.0 ± 21.8 years old, and 63.1% were aortic dissection (acute, 4.8%; chronic, 58.3%); 81.3% patients underwent elective operations. Left heart bypass, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, and partial cardiopulmonary bypass were performed in 88.6%, 9.0%, and 2.4% of patients, respectively. Mean operative time was 312 ± 94 minutes. In-hospital mortality in total was 0.6%. The rate of transient spinal cord injury was 4.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Under a dedicated aortic multidisciplinary team, we demonstrated that open descending thoracic aorta replacement can be performed with excellent early outcomes with low reintervention rates, regardless of the nature of the aortic pathologies.