[Successful Treatment of Ascending Aortic Graft Infection with a Rifampicin-soaked Vascular Prosthesis and Continuous Irrigation].

A 68-year-old woman underwent replacement of the ascending aorta for acute type A aortic dissection. She was then diagnosed with postoperative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, and the infected aortic graft was replaced with a rifampicin-soaked vascular prosthesis, which was followed by continuous irrigation using a 0.1% povidone-iodine solution. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she has been doing well for 5 years with no recurrence of infection. Prosthetic graft replacement using a rifampicin-soaked graft followed by continuous irrigation with povidone-iodine is useful for treatment of an MRSA-infected prosthetic vascular graft.

Long-Term Quality of Life after Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery for Very Elderly Patients 85 Years or Older.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the outcomes of open heart surgery and long-term quality of life for patients 85 years and older. METHODS: We enrolled 46 patients 85 years and older who underwent cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery between May 1999 and November 2012. Long-term assessment was performed for 43 patients; three patients who died in the hospital were excluded. Patient conditions were assessed before surgery, 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and during the late period regarding the need for nursing care, degree of independent living, and living willingness. RESULTS: Three patients (6.5%) died during hospitalization and 22 (51%) died during the follow-up period. The 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were 74%, 49%, and 36%. During the late period, of 21 surviving patients, 18 patients (85%) were living at home. The need for nursing care was comparable before and after surgery. The degree of independent living decreased after surgery. Living willingness was similar before and after surgery. CONCLUSION: Among patients 85 years or older who underwent open heart surgery, 85% were living at home. All patients could perform activities of daily living without any assistance while maintaining living willingness.

[Native Valve Endocarditis due to Corynebacterium Striatum; Report of a Case].

We recently encountered a case of native valve endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium striatum (C. striatum) in the absence of immunosuppression and a prosthetic valve. A 49-year-old woman was urgently admitted for disturbance of consciousness and nosebleeds. Careful clinical examination revealed infective endocarditis caused by C. striatum, for which replacement of aortic and mitral valves was performed. The postoperative course was favorable, and we were able to save the patient with no postoperative complications. Detection of C. striatum may be recognized as contamination because this organism is a rare pathogen. However, elderly patients and patients with immunosuppression are rapidly increasing, and it is important to keep C. striatum in mind when Gram-positive bacilli are detected in the clinical examination.

[Surgical Procedure Using the Elephant Trunk Technique at All Anastomotic Sites for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection].

OBJECTIVE: We report the use of the elephant trunk technique at all anastomotic sites in acute type A aortic dissection surgery. METHODS: Artificial graft carrying a 2-mm short elephant trunk were prepared for both distal and proximal anastomotic sites. Subjects were 82 patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent surgery using this procedure between March 2009 and August 2015. The mean age was 69.6 ±10.7 years( range, 43~89 years). Seventeen patients( 20.7%) had cardiac tamponade or shock, while 8 cases( 9.8%) had organ ischemia due to malperfusion. RESULTS: Total aortic arch replacement was performed in 22 patients (26.8%), while replacement of the ascending aorta was performed in 60( 73.2%). The mean durations of surgery, extracorporeal circulation, and cardiac ischemia were 352 ± 64, 199 ± 37, and 123 ± 26 min, respectively. Five in-hospital deaths( 6.1%) occurred. With respect to early complications, 5 patients( 6.1%) had permanent encephalopathy. Nine (11.0%) had respiratory failure, and 4 (4.9%) required tracheotomy. None of the patients had bleeding requiring additional thoracotomy for hemostasis and none had complications attributed to preparation of the artificial vessels. CONCLUSION: Artificial graft were prepared using the elephant trunk technique for use at all anastomotic sites in acute type A aortic dissection surgery. This procedure, involving stepwise proximal anastomosis, is highly effective for hemostasis and safe.

Surgical technique of double valve replacement in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited connective tissue disorder. Left ventricle dilation and valve insufficiency are complications in patients with OI and such patients are at high risk of mortality and complications related to bleeding and tissue friability during cardiac surgery. Valve dehiscence due to extreme friability of the annulus is a major complication of cardiac valve replacement with OI. We describe OI in a male patient who underwent double valve replacement with mechanical valves using a tissue protective method to prevent valve dehiscence.

Free-floating left atrial ball thrombus after mitral valve replacement with patent coronary artery bypass grafts: successful removal by a right minithoracotomy approach without aortic cross-clamp.

A free-floating thrombus in the left atrium without attachment to either the atrial wall or the mitral valve is extremely rare. We describe a case in a 79-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation and a recent stroke who had undergone mitral valve replacement 25 years previously and coronary artery bypass grafting 5 years previously. Redo cardiac surgery represents a clinical challenge due to a higher rate of peri-operative morbidity and mortality. Median re-sternotomy can be particularly difficult in patients with functioning coronary artery grafts, where the risk of graft injury is a significant concern. Prompt surgical intervention was carried out, and to avoid the challenge of re-sternotomy in this patient with two prior thoracotomies, we successfully removed the thrombus by a right minithoracotomy approach without aortic cross-clamping. There was no postoperative occurrence of a new stroke or aggravation of the pre-existing stroke.

Asymptomatic and isolated accessory mitral valve tissue in an adult.

Accessory mitral valve (AMV) tissue is a congenital anomaly that occurs in association with other congenital anomalies, and is an uncommon cause of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is usually detected in early childhood when accompanied by symptoms of obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, and is rarely diagnosed in adults. We present a case of a 53-year-old man who was referred to our institution for evaluation of a systolic heart murmur. Echocardiography disclosed a diagnosis of AMV tissue. This case was uncommon because of the lack of severe obstruction of left ventricular outflow, cardiac symptoms, or other cardiac anomalies. We were able to carry out surgical resection of AMV tissue to avert possible progression of aortic insufficiency and the risk of a cerebrovascular embolization. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and postoperative echocardiography showed no residual accessory mitral tissue.

Surgical repair of pulmonary artery dissection in a patient with 10-year history of Takayasu's arteritis.

Pulmonary artery (PA) dissection is a rare but life-threatening event, predisposing to sudden cardiac death and cardiogenic shock, and generally occurs in patients with underlying pulmonary hypertension. We report a case of surgical repair of PA dissection in a patient with 10-year history of Takayasu's arteritis and with no diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.

A cardiac hemangioma treated by a right minithoracotomy approach with thoracoscopic assistance.

Cardiac hemangiomas are extremely rare tumors, accounting for only 2.5% of all cardiac tumors. Most of these develop in the ventricles, and obtaining a good field of view is, therefore, the key to successful operation. A 40-year-old female visited a local hospital due to palpitation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a spherical high-echo mass (13.5 × 10.7 mm in diameter) between the papillary muscles. She was referred to our hospital to undergo close examination. Cardiac contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was performed to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions. However, this did not provide any findings leading to a definite diagnosis. To make a diagnosis and prevent embolism, the mass was excised using a right minithoracotomy approach with thoracoscopic assistance. The post-operative pathological diagnosis was a cardiac capillary-cavernous hemangioma. A right minithoracotomy approach combined with thoracoscopy allowed accurate evaluation of the mass in the left ventricle beyond the mitral valve and its accurate excision.

A modified Bentall procedure in a patient with a displaced left coronary ostium.

We encountered a 63-year-old female in whom the left coronary ostium was located close to the commissure between the right and left coronary cusps, and performed aortic root replacement leaving the left coronary artery and surrounding the sinus of Valsalva. The sinus of Valsalva, prosthetic valve cuff, and prosthetic vessel were sutured together when the region other than the left coronary artery-containing sinus of Valsalva was sutured. The hemostatic effect of our procedure, which is for cases in which preparation of a coronary button is difficult, was favorable and antegrade coronary arterial blood flow could be maintained.

Technical aspects of mitral valve repair in Barlow's valve with prolapse of both leaflets: triangular resection for excess tissue, sophisticated chordal replacement, and their combination (the restoration technique).

BACKGROUND: Histological degeneration in Barlow's valve mainly starts in the rough zone, frequently expands toward the chordae, and advances to the clear zone, resulting in a saccular aneurysm-like morphology in the prolapsed region. On this basis, we have repaired the prolapsed segment by triangular resection, chordal replacement and the combination (the restoration technique). The aim of this study was to report our initial findings and evaluate the efficacy of our technique. METHODS: Twelve patients diagnosed with Barlow's valve with prolapse of both leaflets (5 women; mean age, 49 years) underwent the restoration technique between January 2008 and March 2013. We retrospectively reviewed short-term clinical outcomes. The mean duration of the clinical follow-up was 2.5 ± 1.7 years. RESULTS: The restoration technique was successfully performed in all patients. Predominant repair techniques were isolated triangular resection (anterior 8, posterior 9), a combination of triangular resection with chordal replacement (anterior 1, posterior 1), and isolated chordal replacement (anterior 3, posterior 1). All patients underwent complete mitral annuloplasty, and the mean ring size was 31 ± 2 mm. In-hospital mortality was not noted. Late transthoracic echocardiography showed no or trace mitral regurgitation without significant systolic anterior motion in all patients. The New York Heart Association functional class was significantly improved from 1.3 ± 0.5 before surgery to 1.0 ± 0.0 after it (p < 0.01). There were no late thromboembolic or bleeding events. CONCLUSIONS: Initial experience with the restoration technique has provided excellent results without significant systolic anterior motion. Our technique may contribute to improve late results in Barlow's valve.

Right infarction response to coronary artery bypass and the Abiomed BVS 5000.

A 57-year-old man presented with acute right ventricular infarction. A percutaneous coronary intervention was undertaken, but he developed shock and required extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support. Coronary artery bypass was performed, and a Abiomed BVS 5000 was implanted as a right ventricular assist device. Circulation gradually stabilized, and the device was removed after 5 days. There no sign of heart failure or infection at 9 months post-surgery.

Computed tomography evaluation of aortic remodeling after endovascular treatment for complicated ulcer-like projection in patients with type B aortic intramural hematoma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to investigate changes of the affected aorta after endovascular treatment for complicated ulcer-like projection (ULP), including aneurysmal change or rupture of ULP, or both, in patients with type B aortic intramural hematoma (IMH). METHODS: The study evaluated 18 patients (nine men) undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair for progressive aneurysmal formation of ULP (n = 17), rupture of ULP (n = 5), or both. Patients were a median age of 72 years (range, 45-83 years). Regular follow-up computed tomography studies were performed after treatment (mean follow-up, 61.2 months). A workstation was used to calculate changes on computed tomography images in the size or volume of ULP, affected aorta, and IMH. The growth rate of the volume of the affected aorta and IMH was also calculated before and after treatment. We evaluated the data using the paired t-test. RESULTS: A stent graft was successfully deployed and ULPs disappeared in all patients. IMH disappeared in 16 or decreased in two after treatment. There were significant differences in the mean maximum aortic diameter (37.8 ± 5.2 vs 34.5 ± 5.2 mm; P = .0006), mean IMH volume (39.4 ± 12.1 vs 2.0 ± 6.0 mL; P < .0001), and total volume of the aorta with IMH (158.1 ± 40.2 vs 128.9 ± 28.0 mL; P < .0001) before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular treatment is a useful treatment for complicated ULP in patients with IMH. Endovascular treatment also contributes to ideal remodeling of the affected aorta.

Outcome of surgical management for active mitral native valve infective endocarditis: a collective review of 57 patients.

OBJECTIVE: At our institutions, mitral valve vegetation with a high risk for embolism is surgically treated as soon as possible to maintain the quality of life of patients, and valve repair has been actively performed. We reviewed the surgical outcome for active mitral infective endocarditis (AMIE) following this treatment policy. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients underwent surgery for native AMIE between April 1999 and December 2012 (repair 36, replacement 21). We retrospectively investigated the risk factors for in-hospital death, the prognosis of patients with cerebral infarction, and the short- and long-term outcomes of valve repair and replacement. RESULTS: The preoperative conditions and the intraoperative findings in the replacement group were more complicated. But, no significant differences were observed in in-hospital mortality, 4-year survival, or 4-year reoperation-free rate between the groups (repair 8, 88.2, and 92.4%; replacement 9, 90.5, and 94.7%, respectively). The incidence of postoperative cardiac-related events including heart failure, thromboembolism, and major bleeding was higher in the replacement group. Although our study failed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality, uncontrolled and nosocomial infections were responsible for high in-hospital mortality of 17 and 33%, respectively. Nine patients with symptomatic non-hemorrhagic cerebral infarction underwent early surgery within 2 weeks of the onset of stroke (median maximum infarct diameter and volume: 18.2 mm and 0.72 cm(3), respectively). No patients had severe hemorrhagic conversion. CONCLUSION: Mitral valve repair is appropriate to prevent postoperative cardiac-related events. Reducing in-hospital mortality due to uncontrolled infection remains challenging. Early surgery may be reasonable for patients with small non-hemorrhagic infarction.

Are octogenarians in good condition after cardiac valvular surgery?

PURPOSE: With the aging of society in developed countries and advances in surgical technology in recent years, surgery is increasing in elderly patients. When performing surgery in older patients, both surgical outcomes and the maintenance of postoperative quality of life (QOL) are important issues. This study investigated surgical outcomes and postoperative QOL in octogenarians who underwent cardiac valvular surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-nine (16 males) octogenarians (80-89 years old, mean age, 82.4 ± 2.4 years) underwent cardiac valvular surgery between August 1999 and June 2011. A QOL questionnaire, which included the Barthel Index (BI), Fillenbaum Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (FIADL), and the Vitality Index (VI), was sent to all survivors. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess survival. Hospital mortality was 1.6% (1 patient). The 3-, 5-, and 7-year survival rates were 81.2%, 75.4%, and 67.8%, respectively. The BI showed that 87.5% of patients did not require caregiving, the FIADL showed that 32.5% were highly independent, and the VI showed that 87.5% were motivated to live. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term outcomes were satisfactory, with low complication and mortality rates. Mid-term outcomes showed maintenance of the minimal required ADL and good motivation for living. However, independence in social activities was decreased, suggesting the need for comprehensive social support.

Mitral leaflet restoration using a billowing leaflet in active infective endocarditis.

A key to the success of mitral valve repair in patients with infective endocarditis is the technique used for reconstruction of the missing leaflet. We report the case of a 47-year-old man with active mitral infective endocarditis. After dissection of the infected segments of P3 and the posteromedial commissure, the defect was reconstructed using tissue from a billowing A2 medial and A3 segment. Chordal transfer with an anterior chord was performed to correct the A3 mild prolapse. Follow-up echocardiography showed recovery of mitral valve morphology and function without regurgitation.

Clinical and pathological features of degenerative mitral valve disease: billowing mitral leaflet versus fibroelastic deficiency.

PURPOSE: Degenerative mitral valve disease is distinguished with billowing mitral leaflet (BML) or fibroelastic deficiency (FED). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the pathohistological differences between BML and FED. METHODS: A total of 73 patients who diagnosed as degenerative mitral valve disease pathologically after mitral valve surgery for severe mitral regurgitation were enrolled. On the basis of echocardiographic features and gross appearances, they were classified as BML (9 cases) and FED (64 cases). RESULTS: In the BML group, multiple segments of the leaflet showed billowing with elongated chordae. Therefore excessive valve tissue needed to be removed by multiple resection and suture. The FED patients had focal myxomatous changes with ruptured chordae, a single resection and suture was frequently employed. In pathological examination, the valve thickness of the BML was nearly twice as thick as the FED, and the mucopolysaccharide accumulation of the Spongiosa in the BML was over 50%, while 30% in the FED. CONCLUSION: BML presents the characteristic valve thickening due to its abnormal production of mucopolysaccharide. Since excessive tissue was voluminous in the BML, high-grade plasty techniques, such as combination of multiple resection and chordal reconstruction were required.

Vacuum-assisted closure therapy for salvaging a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-infected prosthetic graft.

Infection of a vascular prosthesis after a bypass surgery is relatively rare. However, once developed, serious complications can occur, such as bleeding, sepsis, and organ ischemia, occasionally resulting in leg amputation or even death in some cases. The treatment of a vascular prosthesis infection involves the necessary removal of the infected graft; subsequently, an extra-anatomical bypass surgery is often considered. We herein report a case in which postoperative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection caused dehiscence of the femoral vessels and exposure of the graft vessel and anastomosed area. The infected tissue was surgically removed (debridement), and the patient's condition was successfully treated by the application of a nonadherent dressing and vacuum-assisted closure therapy combined with the bridging technique.

Circumaortic left renal vein associated with juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The patient was an 82-year-old man who was found to have a juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm accompanied by a circumaortic left renal vein (CLRV). During dissection of the proximal anastomosis site the CLRV was injured, but was successfully repaired. A graft implantation was performed below the renal arteries. The incidence of CLRV is thought to be rare, however it is found in 7% of cadavers donated for anatomy. CLRV may cause unexpected bleeding by inadvertent dissection of the abdominal aorta. To prevent unexpected bleeding, surgeons should always keep in mind this potential risk when performing surgery.