[Residual Guidewire Removal in the Aorta Using Minimally Invasive Approach:Report of a Case].

An 80-year-old man had a guidewire in his aorta since catheter laboratory accident 4 years ago. He recently started to suffer mental distress and underwent coronary angiography that revealed an entrapped guidewire and significant stenoses in each of three major coronary arteries. The guidewire could not be removed using transcatheter technique. Thus, after careful consideration, we decided to perform entrapped guidewire removal through minimally invasive surgical approach instead of median sternotomy. Post-operative course was uneventful. Although surgical approach should be tailored in each case, minimally invasive approach can be a choice for entrapped guidewire removal.

[Successful Treatment of Blow-out Type Left Ventricular Free Wall Rupture Using Sutureless Technique].

Blow-out type left ventricular free wall rupture is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction, that carries high hospital mortality rates and poor surgical outcome. We report the case of an 88-year-old woman who developed cardiac tamponade following percutaneous coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction. She was diagnosed with left ventricular free wall rupture, and rupture type was proved to be blow out after median sternotomy. To address this critical condition, we opted for the sutureless technique for its minimally invasive nature and ability to preserve left ventricular function. The patient was discharged from the hospital without any complications 22 days after surgery. Considering favorable, encouraging outcomes of this case, sutureless technique could be regarded as a viable option for blow-out type left ventricular free wall rupture.

Surgical treatment for coarctation of the aorta.

Key Clinical Message: Surgical treatment is a better option for coarctation of the aorta. Abstract: A 56-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to chest pain. Computed tomography showed severe coarctation of the aorta distal to the left subclavian artery, with poststenotic dilatation of the descending aorta. A descending aortic replacement was performed in an uneventful manner. The postoperative course was good without symptoms.

A surgical treatment for frank rupture of acute type a small intramural hematoma.

A 71-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to cardiac tamponade. Computed tomography revealed that the diameter and wall thickness of the ascending aorta were 36 and 9 mm, respectively. An emergent ascending aortic replacement was performed uneventfully. The pathological findings indicated frank rupture of intramural hematoma.

[Right Anterior Minithoracotomy as an Effective Technique for Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement in Frail and Elderly Patient:Report of a Case].

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has increasingly been used as a standard treatment option for patients with aortic valve stenosis, especially in the frail and the elderly. However, it is not recognized as a valid treatment for patients with aortic valve regurgitation. In this study, we report our experience in conducting a right anterior minithoracotomy for a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement in the elderly. An 87-year-old woman with severe aortic valve regurgitation was admitted to our department. Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement was performed, through a right anterior minithoracotomy in the second intercostal space. A localized transverse aortotomy was performed at a position higher than that in an ordinary aortotomy. Our procedure for aortic valve replacement was similar to the conventional method. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after 10 days. Therefore, we conclude that right anterior minithoracotomy for a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement is a feasible, effective, and safe technique.

[A Surgical Technique for Ascending Aorta-bifemoral Bypass and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting without Aortic Cross-clamp].

A 69-year-old woman presented with symptoms of resting pain in the lower limb bilaterally. A computed tomography( CT) scan revealed occlusion of the infrarenal aorta and bilateral common iliac arteries, indicating Leriche syndrome. A coronary angiogram demonstrated in-stent restenosis in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Therefore, the patient underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (left mammary artery to left anterior descending coronary artery) and ascending aorta-bifemoral bypass using the HeartString device for the inflow anastomosis. The postoperative period was uneventful. Although an indication for this surgical technique should be tailored to the anatomy of the lesion, it is a reliable surgical option to achieve good outcomes.

[Acute Aortic Dissection after Reoperative Aortic Valve Replacement with Early Diagnosis:Report of a Case].

Acute aortic dissection is a rare and potentially catastrophic perioperative complication of cardiac surgery. A 72-year-old woman underwent aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve for aortic regurgitation seven years earlier. She experienced respiratory distress on exertion and was diagnosed with prosthetic valve dysfunction. Reoperative aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve was performed. On postoperative day eight, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, which was performed to evaluate persistent high levels of inflammatory response, revealed acute DeBakey typeⅠaortic dissection. Emergency ascending aortic replacement was successfully performed. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 19 without any complications. Acute aortic dissection after cardiac surgery is rare;however, physicians should be aware of this possible complication.

Prevention of surgical adhesions with gelatine sealing sheet in a canine adhesion model.

OBJECTIVES: Although reoperation has been increasingly performed in cardiovascular surgery in recent years, preventing surgical adhesions remains an unsolved complication. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether gelatine sealing sheets are more effective than fibrin sealing sheets in preventing surgical adhesions. METHODS: Bilateral femoral arteries of 20 beagle dogs under general anaesthesia were pricked with syringe needles, and gelatine and fibrin sealing sheets were applied on the bleeding points to make canine adhesion models. The femoral artery was harvested after 4 and 12 weeks to evaluate adhesion formations. The adhesive grade was quantified by scoring the area and strength of adhesion tissues. Histological staining was performed to examine the structural features of surgical adhesions. RESULTS: Significantly fewer macroscopic adhesions were observed with gelatine sealing sheets than those with fibrin sealing sheets at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Microscopically, CD3+ T lymphocytes at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively in gelatine sealing sheets were significantly lower than those in fibrin sealing sheets. Microvessel density determined by CD34 at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively in gelatine sealing sheets was also significantly lower than those in fibrin sealing sheets. CONCLUSIONS: The gelatine sealing sheets are more effective than the fibrin sealing sheets in preventing surgical adhesions. These findings suggest that the gelatine sealing sheet may help prevent adhesions and thus be a therapeutically effective biomaterial in vascular surgery.

Off-Pump Resection of an Epicardial Cyst by Using a Minimally Invasive Approach.

A 25-year-old man presented with palpitations and subsequently received a diagnosis of a large epicardial cyst (6.8 × 3.8 cm) originating from the left ventricle. The cyst compressed the left atrium and ventricle and led to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography revealed that the circumflex artery passed over or through the cyst. We successfully resected the cyst without using cardiopulmonary bypass through a left mini-thoracotomy with thoracoscopic assistance. The diastolic dysfunction improved after the procedure. Most epicardial cysts may be treated in this fashion if the cyst is located in the left side of the heart.

Hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening and reduced leaflet motion after the implantation of the Perceval S sutureless bioprosthesis.

Hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) is gaining attention as a relatively common issue after surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR). However, only a few reports have described HALT in sutureless bioprosthesis, which has emerged as a promising tool with excellent hemodynamics and enhanced implantability. We herein report a 75-year-old woman who underwent quintuple coronary artery bypass grafting and sutureless AVR with a Perceval S bioprosthesis (LivaNova PLC, London, UK). Despite an uneventful perioperative course, her recovery was slow with persistent pleural effusion. Echocardiography revealed an increased transvalvular pressure gradient, and HALT was confirmed by computed tomography. The patient received aggressive anticoagulation therapy with resolution of the HALT and made an uneventful recovery. Current guidelines provide no specific recommendations for peri-procedural antithrombotic therapy for sutureless AVR. However, HALT is not rare after sutureless AVR and can lead to significant clinical consequences. In this case, aggressive anticoagulation therapy with systemic heparinization was effective as HALT treatment following early post-sutureless AVR. Further investigation is required to determine the optimal antithrombotic strategy for sutureless AVR.

Titanium plate to fix crossed rib can cause cardiac tamponade: A cautionary note.

A 78-year-old woman diagnosed with an infected descending aortic aneurysm underwent graft replacement through a left rib-cross thoracotomy. She developed shock suddenly on the postoperative day 3 owing to cardiac tamponade. We performed emergent surgery and identified a small myocardial laceration in the left ventricular obtuse marginal area and a small perforation on the pericardium. One of the claws used to fix the titanium plate in the cross-rib repair caused this complication. This is a cautionary note regarding this type of titanium plate, which is used in many procedures.

Graft Traction Resolved Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction.

We admitted a 76-year-old woman for treatment of an ascending aortic aneurysm with left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction and systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve. Echocardiography showed an elevated velocity of the LVOT flow with a sigmoid septum. Mild mitral regurgitation was also detected due to SAM. We performed a graft replacement of the ascending aorta, after which the LVOT obstruction and SAM were resolved. We report a case in which the traction of a graft likely released the compression on the aortic root and ventricular septum.

Copeptin concentration following cardiac surgery as a prognostic marker of postoperative acute kidney injury: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Copeptin, the C-terminal portion of the arginine vasopressin precursor, is a novel candidate biomarker. This study investigated the prognostic value of copeptin levels following cardiac surgery for the occurrence of postoperative acute kidney injury. METHODS: We studied 23 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2018 and December 2019. The primary endpoint was postoperative acute kidney injury onset. Copeptin levels were measured before, right after, and daily for 7 days. The patients were divided into two groups according to the copeptin levels: low (values <43.7 pmol/L) and high (values ≥43.7 pmol/L). Correlations between copeptin levels and variables, such as central venous pressure, were assessed by bivariate analysis. RESULTS: The high copeptin group exhibited significantly higher levels of arginine vasopressin and cortisol following surgery, compared to those of the low copeptin group. The copeptin concentration following surgery was correlated to central venous pressure (P=0.03) and norepinephrine administered dose (P=0.008). Also, the copeptin levels right after surgery robustly predicted the onset of postoperative acute kidney injury (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.83, P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated copeptin levels in patients following cardiac surgery predicted postoperative acute kidney injury development. Therefore, the copeptin concentration after surgery could represent a promising clinical biomarker of the postoperative cardiac outcome.

Improvement in Left Cardiac Function Following Mitral Valve Repair: Analyses Based on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the structural and functional changes of left-sided cardiac chambers by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in patients with chronic mitral regurgitation after mitral valve repair (MVR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 103 patients who underwent MVR, 21 showed normal left ventricular (LV) function; their pre- and postoperative left atrial (LA) and LV functions were examined by CMRI. RESULTS: LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume, and LV mass significantly were reduced postoperatively (p<0.01) and postoperative LV ejection fraction tended to decrease. LA volume parameters also significantly decreased postoperatively (p<0.01). The conduit function positively affected the LV filling volume postoperatively (p<0.01); however, no effect on the booster pump function was noted (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Restoration of LA and LV functions after a successful MVR was not associated with structural improvement in LA and LV.

Sutureless aortic valve replacement with concomitant aortic arch reconstruction.

Sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR) offers an alternative approach to the standard AVR in aortic valve disease. We herein report a case of an 82-year-old woman with severe aortic insufficiency and a persistent type 1 endoleak following a thoracic endovascular aortic repair, who underwent successful combined aortic arch reconstruction and sutureless AVR. The bioprosthesis, Perceval (LivaNova PLC, London, UK), a self-anchoring, self-expanding, sutureless valve, which can be implanted in selected patients with aortic insufficiency was used. Although the patient was frail and at a high risk of open-heart surgery, she had an uneventful postoperative course. Hence, Perceval may be a useful option for combined aortic arch reconstruction and aortic valve surgery in high-risk elderly patients.

Prognostic Value of Preoperative Pulmonary Arterial Capacitance for Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial capacitance (PAC) is a determinant of right ventricular afterload and a strong independent predictor of unfavorable outcomes in advanced heart failure (HF) with pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to test the hypothesis that preoperative PAC may affect postoperative clinical outcomes in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic valve stenosis (AS), even in the absence of PH.Methods and Results:We studied 116 patients who underwent AVR for severe AS between January 2005 and December 2017. Right heart catheterization was performed for all patients prior to surgery. PAC and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) fit well to a hyperbolic relationship (PAC=0.23/PVR, R2=0.73). PAC also showed an inverse relationship with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (r=-0.15) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r=-0.29) and provided a stronger prediction of death or HF admission than PCWP or PVR (area under the ROC curve of 0.74 vs. 0.40 and 0.41, respectively, P=0.002). During a median follow-up of 36 months, PAC (hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.78; P=0.003) was an independent predictor of death or hospitalization for HF. CONCLUSIONS: In these patients undergoing AVR for severe AS, even in the absence of PH, preoperative reduced PAC was independently associated with adverse surgical outcomes. It seems that preoperative PAC has potential as an independent predictor of long-term prognosis after AVR for severe AS.

Rapid Restoration of Thrombus Formation and High-Molecular-Weight von Willebrand Factor Multimers in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis After Valve Replacement.

AIM: Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) may have bleeding episodes due to the loss of high-molecular-weight (HMW) von Willebrand factor multimers (VWFMs). The absence of HMW-VWFMs and bleeding tendency are usually corrected after aortic valve replacement (AVR). To investigate the process of VWFM recovery and symptoms in patients with severe AS, we analyzed changes in VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), ADAMTS13 activity (ADAMTS13:AC), and platelet thrombus formation under high shear stress conditions. METHODS: Nine patients with severe AS undergoing AVR were analyzed. RESULTS: Evident deficiency of HMW-VWFMs was observed in six patients before surgery, which was rapidly restored within 8 days after AVR. Median levels of VWF:Ag before surgery, on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 8, 15, and 22, and one year after AVR were 78.1%, 130%, 224%, 155%, 134%, and 142%, respectively. In contrast, ADAMTS13:AC was 50.5%, 35.5%, 25.5%, 25.1%, 30.3%, and 84.6%, respectively. Preoperative thrombus formation but not surface coverage was significantly lower than that on POD 22, which was considered as normal level in each patient. Compared with preoperative levels, thrombus volume was significantly lower on POD 1, but rapidly increased by POD 8. CONCLUSION: Bleeding tendency and loss of HMW-VWFMs observed in patients with severe AS before surgery was rapidly corrected after AVR. Instead, patients were in a VWF-predominant state between POD 8 and 22.