Minimally invasive cardiac surgery in Japan: history and current status.

This review examines the historical and current status of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) in Japan, based on reports that have been published in English. Although enthusiasm for MICS in Japan increased during the 1990s, it waned during the early 2000s because of various limitations. However, the introduction of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, aortic valve replacement, atrial septal defect closure, and coronary artery bypass has led to the resurgence of MICS in Japan during recent years. Academic societies and a national registry system will play an important role in ensuring that this new wave of MICS is implemented safely and effectively. Off-the-job training and team building are also key factors for implementing a successful MICS program.

René Gerónimo Favaloro (1923-2000): A Man Who Struggled with Matters of the Heart.

René Gerónimo Favaloro prided himself on being a "simple country doctor." Born in La Plata, Argentina, Dr. Favaloro had an interest in Argentina's sociopolitical and healthcare systems beginning at a young age. He began his medical education at La Universidad Nacional de La Plata, graduating in 1949 with plans to continue his medical education in the field of surgery; however, in 1950, Dr. Favaloro temporarily resigned from his position as a surgeon to work as a country doctor in a small province of La Pampa, Argentina. It was during this time that Dr. Favaloro became acutely aware of the overwhelmingly poor state of the healthcare system in Argentina. In 1962, Dr. Favaloro redirected his focus back to his surgical interests and moved to the United States to work at the Cleveland Clinic, where he discovered the use of the saphenous vein graft for revascularization of the coronary arteries. Despite a productive medical career in the United States, Dr. Favaloro eventually brought his work back to Argentina, where his heart had always remained. Throughout the incredible milestones of his life, Dr. René Gerónimo Favaloro consistently remained a humble, gracious, and simple country doctor.

René Favaloro: the heart surgeon.

The story of René Favaloro is almost unknown to the general public. Christian Barnard, the cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant, is much more famous than him; still, nowadays many more lives are saved thanks to Favaloro's work rather than to heart transplants. This paper wants to pay tribute to a great doctor and an extraordinary man: René Favaloro.

50 años de cirugía de bypass coronario, meditar el pasado, enfrentar el presente y forjar el futuro / Fifty years of coronary artery surgery

Al cumplirse este año 50 años de la cirugía de bypass coronario, introducida y desarrollada por René Favaloro en la Cleveland Clinic, es conveniente meditar el camino seguido previamente por la cirugía para tratar la enfermedad coronaria, analizar cómo la cirugía enfrenta en la actualidad esta grave y frecuente enfermedad, y, si es posible, predecir el rol que ésta jugará en el futuro en el tratamiento de la enfermedad coronaria.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery, introduced and developed by René Favaloro at The Cleveland Clinic. The occasion calls for meditation about the path followed by surgery to treat coronary artery disease in the past, to analyze how surgery currently faces this serious and frequent disease and, if possible, to predict the role that surgery will play in the future in the treatment of coronary artery disease.

The History of Surgery at the Montreal Heart Institute.

The Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) is a specialty hospital dedicated to cardiology and heart surgery. Founded in 1954 by Paul David, it is currently affiliated with the Université de Montréal. The Montreal Heart Institute is a center that has rested on the shoulders of multiple pioneers over the past 63 years. Renowned for its sustained excellence and commitment to patient care, the MHI also focuses on research and innovation. It has become one of the leading heart institutions in modern cardiac surgery and also one of the busiest cardiac surgery centers in the country. Our leaders have impacted the treatment of patients with heart diseases through clinical care and education. Staff surgeons have been trained at top centers across the world for the benefit of Canadian patients. The MHI was a pioneer in heart transplantation and CABG surgery and focuses on evaluative research of new technology.

Incidência de trajeto intramiocárdico em grupo populacional / Incidence of intramyocardial bridge in a population sample

Fundamentos: A anomalia causada pelo trajeto intramiocárdico tem sido apontada como diagnóstico diferencialda doença arterial coronariana.Objetivo: Analisar a incidência de trajeto intramiocárdico (TIM) em amostra populacional.Métodos: Estudo observacional, retrospectivo, que analisou prontuários de 200 pacientes diagnosticados comtrajeto intramiocárdico (TIM) ou ponte miocárdica (PM) pela angiotomografia coronariana (angio-TC), no períodode setembro de 2010 a março de 2015, no Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo e MedImagem – serviçode Radiologia do Hospital. Foram analisadas as seguintes variáveis: sexo, idade, altura, peso, cor da pele, históriafamiliar de doença cardiovascular, tabagismo, presença ou não de stent, incidência de dislipidemia, sintomatologia,presença de hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e diabetes mellitus (DM), e artérias coronárias mais acometidas.Resultados: Dos 200 prontuários analisados, observou-se maior incidência de TIM nos pacientes do sexo masculino(63,7%, n=128); média de idade 57,78±15,0 anos; predomínio da cor branca (85,0%); média de peso 84,5 kg, commais da metade (n=125, 62,5%) dos pacientes abaixo do peso médio; 15 (7,5%) pacientes portavam stent; 81 (40,5%)apresentavam sintomas (dor torácica ou dispneia); 108 (54,0%) tinham história familiar de doença cardiovascular;73 (36,5%) apresentavam dislipidemia; 83 (41,5%) tinham HAS; 28 (14,0%) tinham DM; 98 (49,0%) pacientesapresentavam aterosclerose; e 56 (28,0%) pacientes eram tabagistas. A principal artéria acometida foi a descendenteanterior (n=193, 96,0%)Conclusões: Conclui-se, na população estudada que o TIM é predominante em pacientes masculinos, de corbranca, não obesos, mais idosos, com história familiar de doença cardiovascular. A principal artéria acometidafoi a descendente anterior.

Background: The anomaly caused by intramyocardial bridge has been identified as a differential diagnosis of coronary artery disease.Objective: To analyze the incidence of intramyocardial bridge (IMB) in a population sample.Methods: Retrospective observational study that analyzed medical records of 200 patients diagnosed with intramyocardial bridge (IMB)or myocardial bridge (MB) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from September 2010 to March 2015 at HospitalBeneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo and MedImagem — the Radiology service of the Hospital. The following variables were analyzed:sex, age, height, weight, skin color, family history of cardiovascular disease, smoking, presence or absence of stent, incidence of dyslipidemia,symptoms, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and diabetes mellitus (DM), and the coronary arteries mostly affected.Results: Of the 200 patient records reviewed, there was a higher incidence of IMB in male patients (63.7%, n=128); mean age 57.78±15.0years; predominance of white color (85.0%); average weight 84.5 kg, with more than half (n=125, 62.5%) of patients below average weight;15 (7.5%) patients were stented; 81 (40.5%) had symptoms (chest pain or dyspnea); 108 (54.0%) had a family history of cardiovasculardisease; 73 (36.5%) presented dyslipidemia; 83 (41.5%) had SAH; 28 (14.0%) had MD; 98 (49.0%) patients had atherosclerosis; and56 (28.0%) patients were smokers. The main affected artery was the left anterior descending artery (n=193, 96.0%).Conclusions: The conclusion is that, in the study population, IMB is prevalent in male patients of white color, non-obese, older,with family history of cardiovascular disease. The main affected artery was the left anterior descending artery.