IgG4-related disease manifesting the gastric wall thickening.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently designated disease entity and its full picture has not yet been elucidated. Here, we report an unusual case of a patient with gastric wall thickening secondary to IgG4-RD. A 68-year-old male visited our hospital with itchy skin lesions and an episode of organizing pneumonia. On the suspicion of malignancy-associated skin lesions, computed tomography (CT) was performed. The CT revealed prominent thickening of the gastric wall. Due to the possibility of malignancy, the patient underwent distal gastrectomy. Histopathological examination showed fibrosis of the submucosa and prominent thickening of the muscularis propria. Most of infiltrating cells were IgG4-positive plasma cells. Post-operative blood test revealed significantly high serum levels of total IgG and IgG4. Based on these histological features, the patient was given a definitive diagnosis of IgG4-RD. Further accumulation of cases like the present case that develop IgG4-RD with rare manifestations would lead to the elucidation of pathogenesis.

[Surgical Treatment of Right Atrial Malignant Tumor Thrombus Under Deep Hypothermia with Intermittent Circulatory Arrest;Report of Two Cases].

Right atrial tumor thrombus is rare in patients with visceral malignant tumors and can cause right heart failure or sudden death. We present 2 cases of right atrial tumor thrombus treated under deep hypothermic intermittent circulatory arrest (DHICA). A 45-year-old man with right heart failure was diagnosed with right renal cancer extending to the right atrium. Computed tomography revealed no metastasis. He underwent right nephrectomy and tumor thrombus resection under DHICA. He was discharged on postoperative day 11 in good clinical course. A 67-year-old woman with hepatitis C virus liver cirrhosis( Child-Pugh A) was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and right atrial tumor. She underwent S8 and tumor thrombus resection under DHICA. Hemorrhagic diathesis was controlled using fresh frozen plasma transfusion. She was discharged on postoperative day 24 without liver failure. In cases of atrial tumor thrombus resection, DIHCA may be useful to achieve a bloodless operation field because the procedure is relatively simple and the primary disease need not be considered.

[Leaflet Augmentation with an Autologous Pericardial Patch for Severe Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation].

An 85-year-old man, who had developed right-sided heart failure associated with isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), was referred to our institution to undergo cardiac surgery. Preoperative echocardiography revealed tricuspid annular dilatation and leaflet tethering, resulting in severe TR. The anterior leaflet was detached from the annulus with 1.5 mm margin for suture incorporation, and an autologous pericardial patch was sutured with 3 5-0 running interlocked sutures to augment the leaflet. Annuloplasty was then performed with an undersized ring. Postoperative echocardiography showed trivial TR with good coaptation of the tricuspid leaflets. This technique may be a therapeutic option for the surgical treatment of severe functional TR due to lack of leaflet coaptation.