[Distal Stentgraft-induced New Entry Developed after Surgery for Aortic Dissection].

We experienced 2 cases with distal stentgraft-induced new entry (distal SINE) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair( TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection and 1 case after total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk method for type A dissection. We successfully performed additional TEVAR in all cases. If the stent graft is bent at deployment, distal SINE may occur on the great curvature side of the aorta by the spring back force. Therefore, we must pay attention to appropriate device selection, and even when remodeling of the aorta is good, meticulous follow-up is necessary.

Impact of sarcopenia on the outcomes of elective total arch replacement in the elderly†.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the cut-off value of sarcopenia based on the psoas muscle area index and evaluate early and late outcomes following elective total arch replacement in the elderly. METHODS: Sarcopenia was assessed by the psoas muscle area index [defined as the psoas muscle area at the L3 level on computed tomography (cm 2 )/body surface area (m 2 )]. The cut-off value for sarcopenia was defined as > 2 standard deviations below the mean psoas muscle area index value obtained from 464 normal control patients. Between October 1999 and July 2015, 266 patients who were ≥ 65 years and had undergone psoas muscle area index measurement underwent elective total arch replacement. These patients were classified into the sarcopenia (Group S, n = 81) and non-sarcopenia (Group N, n = 185) groups. RESULTS: The mean age was 76.2 ± 5.6 years in Group S and 75.7 ± 5.7 years in Group N ( P = 0.553). Hospital mortality was 3.7% (3/81) in Group S and 2.2% (4/185) in Group N ( P = 0.483). Mean follow-up was 48.3 ± 38.7 months. Five-year survival was significantly worse in Group S (S: 63.2 ± 6.6% vs N: 88.7 ± 2.6%, P < 0.001). A multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that sarcopenia significantly predicted poor survival (hazard ratio 2.59; 95% confidence interval 1.27-5.29; P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia did not predict hospital death following total arch replacement, but it was negatively associated with overall survival. Sarcopenia can be an additional risk factor to estimate the outcomes of thoracic aortic surgery.

Impact of positional relationship of commissures on cusp function after valve-sparing root replacement for regurgitant bicuspid aortic valve.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the longitudinal valve function after valve-sparing root replacement in patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs), in terms of both transvalvular pressure gradient (TVPG) and freedom from aortic regurgitation. METHODS: In this non-randomized retrospective study, two different approaches were chosen for correcting the circumferential orientation of commissures during aortic root reimplantation for Sievers type I BAV: (i) 180° orientation, in which both cusps occupy equal surface areas and (ii) preserving native commissural orientation. From 2005 to 2015, 41 consecutive patients with Sievers type I BAV undergoing valve-sparing root replacement were divided into two groups according to the techniques: native orientation group and 180° group. RESULTS: The native orientation group included 22 patients (age, 45.1 ± 13.6 years) and the 180° group included 19 patients (age, 36.6 ± 13.7 years; P = 0.053). There was no significant difference in preoperative variables between the two groups. Postoperative and follow-up echocardiography revealed the following: the average TVPG at the time of discharge in the native orientation and the 180° groups was 17.3 ± 6.6 and 21.7 ± 11.1 mmHg (P = 0.16), respectively, at peak and 10.0 ± 3.7 and 11.7 ± 6.0 mmHg (P = 0.33), respectively, at mean; at follow-up, the corresponding values were 19.1 ± 6.6 and 22.9 ± 10.6 mmHg (P = 0.24) at peak and 9.9 ± 3.8 and 13.2 ± 7.2 mmHg (P = 0.12) at mean. Thus, there was a trend towards higher TVPG in the 180° group. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative commissural angles was correlated with higher postoperative peak and mean TVPG (r = 0.53, P = 0.041, 95% confidence interval, 0.029-0.82 at peak and r = 0.58, P = 0.024, 95% confidence interval, 0.092-0.84 at mean). CONCLUSIONS: In terms of freedom from aortic regurgitation and valve function, similar outcomes were achieved in both despite different repair techniques used for fixation of commissures during valve-sparing aortic root replacement in BAV. However, attention should be paid to patients with 180° commissural reposition because of a trend towards higher TVPG.

Mid-Term Results of Valve-Sparing Aortic Root Replacement in Patients With Expanded Indications.

BACKGROUND: The mid-term results of valve-sparing aortic root reimplantation (VSRR) for various indications were investigated. METHODS: From 2000 to 2013, 183 consecutive patients undergoing VSRR were enrolled. Expanded indications, defined as a patient on the marginal operative indication, included age 65 years or older (n = 33), age 15 years or younger (n = 4), acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) (n = 21), aortitis (n = 8), reoperative root replacement (n = 11), cusp prolapse (n = 67), large aortoventricular junction of greater than 28 mm (AVJ) (n = 42), preoperative severe aortic regurgitation (AR) (n = 89), left ventricular ejection fraction 0.40 or less (n = 12), LV dilation (n = 66), New York Heart Association class III or greater (n = 5), need for total arch replacement (n = 29), and concomitant mitral valve repair (n = 12). RESULTS: The overall survival at 5 years was 96.6%. Freedom from greater than mild AR and reoperation at 5 years was 85.8% and 92.9%, respectively. Cox proportional hazard model revealed that AAAD, cusp prolapse, AVJ 28 mm or greater, and operation before 2009 were at risk for late AR recurrence (p = 0.015, p = 0.0041, p = 0.032, and p = 0.014, respectively). After 2009, freedom from late AR in the cusp prolapse group improved (p = 0.055, versus control). Both freedom from recurrent AR and reoperation were worse as the number of expanded indications increased (log-rank trend p = 0.00017 and p = 0.00067, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical outcomes of VSRR in these patient cohorts were satisfactory with some room for improvement in patients with cusp prolapse. Although the indications for VSRR are being expanded, a larger number of expanded indications were associated with poor outcomes in terms of longevity of valve function.

Influences of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on outcomes of total arch replacement.

BACKGROUND: Although an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and adverse surgical outcomes has been proposed, the impact of COPD severity on postoperative outcomes remains unclear. Our objective was to analyze the prognostic implication of COPD severity on outcomes after total aortic arch replacement. METHODS: Between October 1999 and December 2012, 269 patients undergoing total arch replacement through median sternotomy, who were elective cases with preoperative spirometry records, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into four groups: control group, with ratio of forced expiratory volume of air in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) of 70% or greater; mild airflow obstruction, with FEV1/FVC ratio less than 70% and FEV1 80% or greater of predicted; moderate airflow obstruction, FEV1/FVC ratio less than 70% and FEV1 50% to 79% of predicted; severe airflow obstruction, FEV1/FVC ratio less than 70% and FEV1 less than 50% of predicted. Symptoms of functional dyspnea and disability were also assessed. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression methods were used to determine if there was an independent association between COPD and short-term and long-term outcomes, respectively. RESULTS: The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.2% (6 of 269). A consistent trend of increasing frequency of postoperative respiratory complications with advanced airflow obstruction was noted. In multivariate analysis, in-hospital mortality (p = 0.022), incidence of respiratory complications (p = 0.021) and overall mortality (p = 0.025) was significantly associated with the symptoms of COPD, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of COPD as defined by spirometry and symptoms of functional dyspnea may be an important prognostic marker of patients undergoing total arch replacement.

Strategies for the treatment of aorto-oesophageal fistula.

OBJECTIVES: Presenting a surgical strategy for aorto-oesophageal fistula (AEF). METHODS: From October 1999 to August 2013, 16 patients with AEF were treated at Kobe University Hospital. The mean age was 65.5 ± 10.2 years, and the male/female ratio was 13/3. Eight patients had non-dissecting thoracic aneurysm, 3 had chronic aortic dissection, 5 had oesophageal cancer and 1 had fish bone penetration. Five patients were in shock. Four patients had previous thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in the descending aorta and 1 had hemi-arch replacement. As treatment for AEF, 8 patients underwent TEVAR, 2 had a bridge TEVAR to open surgery, 2 had extra-anatomical bypass (EAB) and 5 had in situ reconstruction of the descending aorta. The oesophagus was resected in 8 patients, and an omental flap was installed in 7 patients. For the 4 most recent cases, simultaneous resection of the aorta and oesophagus, in situ reconstruction of the descending aorta using rifampicin-soaked Dacron graft and omental flap installation were performed. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was noted in 4 patients (25.0%; persistent sepsis n = 3 and pneumonia n = 1). However, since 2007, only 1 of 5 patients died (pneumonia). All patients with oesophageal cancer died during follow-up. Two patients underwent oesophageal reconstruction using a pedicled colon graft and one is on the waiting list for oesophageal reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Bridging TEVAR is a useful adjunct in treating AEF patients with shock. One-stage surgery consisting of resection of the aneurysm and oesophagus, in situ reconstruction of the descending aorta and omental flap installation provided a better outcome in the AEF surgical strategy compared with conservative treatment.

Interrupted commissural band annuloplasty for degenerative mitral valve disease.

BACKGROUND: Mitral annuloplasty is useful for treating degenerative mitral valve disease. Although the incidence of complications is low, prosthetic ring-related complications can occur. Hemolysis and mitral stenosis are serious complications requiring reoperation. Limited use of prosthetic material could decrease the risk for complications. Commissural annuloplasty has been reported by Kay and Reed; their techniques involve suture plication. To prevent dehiscence, we selected short bands and compared the echocardiographic changes between this method and the Cosgrove ring. METHODS: Three sutures are placed in the commissures using two bands, which shortens the annular length by 60%. We performed this interrupted commissural band annuloplasty (iCBA) in 63 patients and used Cosgrove bands for 58 patients. RESULTS: Clinically, for iCBA and Cosgrove groups, respectively, hemolysis with mild mitral regurgitation occurred in 0 and 2 cases (p=0.084), and mitral stenosis due to pannus formation occurred in 0 and 1 case (p=0.224). There was a trend toward a lower ring-related complication rate in the iCBA group. On echocardiography, for the iCBA and Cosgrove groups, respectively, the maximum anterior-posterior distance of the annulus in diastole was 3.1±0.7 mm and 2.6±0.4 mm (p<0.001), maximum opening angle of the posterior leaflet was 85.7±17.3 degrees and 103.4±20.1 degrees (p<0.001), and coaptation distance was 11.6±3.7 mm and 8.4±2.6 mm (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The iCBA method prevented posterior leaflet tethering, kept the coaptation distance deep on echocardiography, and was associated with lower trends of ring-related complications. Because the posterior side of the annulus was not reconstructed, iCBA is suitable for fibroelastic deficiency, rather than for Barlow's disease.

Efficacy of nafamostat mesilate as anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary bypass for early surgery in patients with active infective endocarditis complicated by stroke.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Recent brain complications (e.g., bleeding or infarction) in patients with active infective endocarditis (AIE) are recognized as a contraindication for early surgery. Nafamostat mesilate (NM) is a synthetic protease-inhibiting agent that has not only potent inhibitory activity against coagulation factors (Xlla, Xa) but also an anti-inflammatory action. Herein is reported the authors' successful surgical experience using NM with low-dose heparinization in patients with AIE complicated by recent cerebral complications. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (mean age 54.9 +/- 18.7 years) who had undergone surgery for AIE of the native valve (n = 21) or prosthetic valve (n = 7) were reviewed retrospectively. AIE was present in the aortic (n = 8), mitral (n = 16), aortic/mitral (n = 4) and tricuspid (n = 1) valves. Twenty-two of 28 patients had preoperative stroke, and six had active brain bleeding. Surgery was performed at a mean of 2.4 +/- 2.1 days after the onset of stroke. NM (209 +/- 152 mg) with low-dose heparin (3796 +/- 1218 IU; 67.4 +/- 20.3 IU/kg) was used for anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The activated clotting time (ACT) was maintained at 350-450 s by the precise administration of NM into a cardiotomy reservoir (0.5 mg/kg/h) and a venous reservoir (sliding controlled dose at 1.5 mg/kg/h). RESULTS: The CPB time was 181.3 +/- 92.6 min. Five patients (17.8%) died during hospitalization due to persistent sepsis (n = 3), brain death caused by massive brain embolism before CPB establishment (n = 1), and pneumonia (n = 1). There was no further aggravation of intracranial bleeding, and no new hemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSION: Nafamostat mesilate, administered in conjunction with low-dose heparinization, served as an effective anticoagulant for early surgery in patients with AIE complicated by stroke, and caused no further deterioration of the cerebral lesions.

Aggressive atrial volume reduction for bilateral giant atria improves respiratory function.

Giant bilateral atria with mitral and tricuspid regurgitation can cause postoperative respiratory dysfunction. In this article, we describe a case of giant atria with poor respiratory function that was improved by atrial volume reduction. A 79-year-old woman was referred to our institution for valve surgery. Her vital capacity was 1,080 mL. The mitral and tricuspid valves were repaired during surgery. We removed a circular section of the left atrial wall. The right atrial wall and interatrial septum were removed; this improved her vital capacity to 1,370 mL. We conclude that aggressive volume reduction of both atria improves respiratory function.

Double triangular resection for a widely prolapsed posterior mitral leaflet.

A wide and redundant prolapse of the posterior mitral leaflet in active infective endocarditis cannot be easily repaired. A sliding plasty can be attempted, but the range of annular plication is often too large. Chordal replacement is another option, but is prone to long-term degeneration because the redundant leaflet still exists. Here, we describe a simple resection technique that utilizes only two small triangular resections. The resections are sutured with no need to shorten the annulus. The leaflet tissue between the two triangular resections must be preserved to make an appropriately shaped posterior leaflet.

Hourglass-shaped resection technique for repair of tall mitral valve posterior leaflet prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: We developed a repair technique for an excessively high posterior leaflet of the mitral valve. This is an improvement of the folding plasty. METHODS: The resection shape is that of an hourglass rather than a quadrangle. The vertical sides of the quadrangle curve inward, which helps to prevent the curtain effect or restriction that is common in the large triangular resection or folding plasty. We used hourglass resection for 26 tall posterior leaflets (53.8% were Barlow disease) and triangular resection for 23 posterior leaflets of normal height (without Barlow disease). RESULTS: All surgeries were performed successfully. There was no mortality, no mitral regurgitation greater than moderate, and no systolic anterior motion of the anterior leaflet in the early postoperative period. One patient required a second pump run, and another required a second repair procedure. The mean follow-up period was 2.3 years (0.3-4.9 years) for the hourglass resection and 2.8 years (0.1-4.9 years) for the triangular resection. One patient in the triangular resection group died of rectal cancer. One patient treated with the hourglass resection via minithoracotomy required re-repair 1 month postoperatively due to suture dehiscence. For the hourglass and triangular resection groups, the most recent postoperative echocardiogram revealed no mitral regurgitation in 18 and 20 cases, respectively; mild mitral regurgitation in 7 and 3 cases, respectively; and moderate mitral regurgitation in 1 and 0 cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term results of our strategy for posterior leaflet repair appear promising.

[New concept of mitral valve repair for posterior leaflet prolapse].

BACKGROUND: Conventional repair of posterior mitral valve prolapse involves quadrangular resection and sliding plasty. However, these 2 methods require annular plication and useful leaflet tissue is sacrificed. METHODS: Our concept is to make an ideally shaped posterior leaflet without annular plication. When the leaflet is not high, we select triangular resection( TRR). For a high leaflet, we developed hourglass resection (HGR). The hourglass shape consists of 2 triangles:the upper inverted triangle is resected and the lower triangle is resected and sutured to the annulus. From 2007 to 2012, 65 patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) with leaflet prolapse were repaired. 49 patients who had posterior leaflet prolapse were analized in this study. The mean age was 61.7±11.5 years and 67.3% were men. RESULTS: All patients underwent successful repair. There were no hospital deaths, or no systolic anterior motion. In 1 patient, repair was repeated 1 month post-operatively. The mean follow-up period was 2.6±1.5 (0.1 ~ 4.9) years. There were no late deaths. The most recent echocardiogram revealed no MR in 36, mild MR in 12, and moderate MR in 1 cases. CONCLUSION: The short-term results of our strategy for posterior leaflet repair are good.

A single papillary muscle with chordal rupture in an adult.

A single papillary muscle (SPM) is a rare anomaly in normal adults. It is sometimes associated with a complete common atrioventricular canal. Chordal rupture combined with a single papillary muscle in an adult has not been reported. We repaired the mitral valve with chordal replacement, although this was technically difficult, because the decision to place an artificial chordal attachment on the papillary muscle plays an important role. This report presents successful chordal replacement and band annuloplasty in a case of chordal rupture with a single papillary muscle. A surgical tip for chordal replacement with a single papillary muscle is to suture artificial chords on the same side of the SPM head as the affected side of the mitral valve, considering the direction of pull of the artificial chords.

Giant sinus of valsalva aneurysm with severe aortic incompetence treated with a valve-sparing operation.

Typically, a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm with severe aortic incompetence is repaired with patch closure and aortic valve replacement. Here, we describe a very rare case of a giant nonruptured right Valsalva aneurysm, combined with severe aortic incompetence, treated with a valve-sparing aortic root replacement. During surgery we noted that the lengths of the free margin of the cusps and annuli were not uniform. As a result, we placed the first layer of sutures for the Valsalva graft in the same ratio as the annuli. It is difficult to preserve the geometry of the aortic annulus and position the commissures in the graft. One surgical tip for valve-sparing aortic root replacement for a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm with severe aortic incompetence is to suture the commissures inside the graft in the same ratio as the length of the cusp free margins.

Chordal replacement for leaflet prolapse in a posterior mitral valve with a calcified mitral annulus.

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is sometimes associated with Carpentier type 2 mitral valve regurgitation and is a challenge to repair. Complete annular decalcification and mitral valve reconstruction is considered the ideal treatment. This report demonstrates the success of chordal replacement and band annuloplasty without resection of the leaflet and MAC. We have followed the patient for 7 years postoperatively, with no progression of MAC and no regurgitation by echocardiography.

[How to repair a mitral valve prolapse;an assessment of operative techniques dependent on late results].

BACKGROUND: In this study, we assessed the repair techniques employed for mitral valve prolapse. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 2011, we repaired 173 consecutive patients with mitral valve prolapse. The mean age of the patients was 60.1 years and 68.6% were male. For anterior leaflet (AL) prolapse, 27 patients with fibroelastic deficiency (FED) were treated with chordal replacement (CR). In 21 patients with Barlow type, 2 were repaired with CR and the remaining 19 were repaired with resection. In 130 patients with a prolapse of the posterior leaflet (PL), we selected quadrangular resection( QR:44), sliding plasty( SP:12), folding plasty and CR. More recently, triangular resection (TrR:22) was selected for ≤18 mm height leaflets, and an hourglass resection( HgR:21) for high leaflets.Hourglass represents the shape of the resection. RESULTS: In 1 patient of the AL CR group, the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) was broken. Other patients in this group showed no mitral regurgitation (MR) and no re-operation during 16 years. Two patients receiving CR for AL Barlow received re-repair, whilst the other 19 patients in this group displayed good results over the following 19 years. In the QR and SP groups, 1 patient was rerepaired,whilst 3 patients displayed complicated mitral stenosis. In the TrR and HgR groups, no MR,no re-operation and no late deaths occurred during the following 4.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: CR for AL FED, resection for AL Barlow and TrR or HgR for PL were durable techniques for the treatment of mitral valve prolapse.

[The formula of the aortic valve repair for bicuspid aortic valve].

BACKGROUND: The treatment of aortic regurgitation( AR) with bicuspid aortic valve( BAV) repair is still uncommon as the reproducibility of the repair is low and the 5-year durability is poor. In this study, we examined a method of cusp suspension after triangular resection. In addition, the relationship between the length of the cusp margin and diameter of the sino-tubular( ST) junction was evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We repaired 8 regurgitant BAVs between 1997 and 2011. The mean patient age was 35±14 years and 87.5% were male. All lesions were raphe type:7 were anterior-posterior type and 1 was left-right type. The basic technique was triangular resection of the pseudo-commissure.When the annulus or ST junction was dilated, annuloplasty or ST junction plication was added. Cusp suspension was performed in 7 patients. In 2 patients, the half-length of the cusp margin (d) was related to the diameter of the ST junction( D) as described by d=D/2+1. RESULTS: Two cases were on a 2nd pump run because of residual AR. The valve was replaced in 1 case, while the cause of AR was found to be symmetric prolapse in the analysis. The coaptation depth was 6.2 mm. Another case was re-repaired because AR was caused by an untied suspension suture.Seven cases( 87.5%) were repaired successfully. No in-hospital deaths or complications occurred. The mean follow-up period was 5.42 years (range 1~15). No patients required re-operation and no recurrent AR greater than moderate occurred. The mean coaptation depth of the 7 successful patients was 11±3 mm. CONCLUSION: When repairing a regurgitant BAV, triangular resection alone is sometimes ineffective due to the occurrence of symmetric prolapse. For reproducible repair, it is useful to add cusp suspension.Lastly, the rate of suspension is related to the diameter of the ST junction.

A true aneurysm of posterior tibial artery.

True aneurysms of tibial artery are uncommon. We report a case of a 47-year-old woman who suffered from a distal embolism in the left toes. The surgical intervention involved an aneurysmectomy and the interposition of the posterior tibial artery using the saphenous vein graft. She has been doing well 22 months after the operation.