In2Q2: A New Entry of 16-Membered Tetraazamacrocycle Concatenating Indole and Quinoline Units.

A new family of 16-membered macrocycles comprising two indole (In) and two quinoline (Q) units, coined In2Q2, was synthesized. Each unit is diagonally located and concatenated in a head-to-tail fashion, furnishing a non-flat saddle-shaped architecture with C2 symmetry. The synthetic protocol utilizing macrocyclic diamide as a pivotal precursor allowed us to access a series of In2Q2 derivatives bearing various substituents on the periphery. The In2Q2 derivatives and their Zn2+ complexes were emissive in both solution phase and solid state. While the entire architecture of In2Q2 is similar to that of quinoline tetramer TEtraQuinoline, a couple of contrasting physicochemical properties were revealed.

Investigation of air bubble properties: Relevance to prevention of coronary air embolism during cardiac surgery.

Although de-airing procedures are commonly performed during cardiac surgery, use of these procedures is not necessarily based on evidence. Uncertainly remains around the size of bubbles that can be detected by echocardiography, whether embolized air or carbon dioxide can be absorbed, and the reasons for embolic events occurring despite extensive de-airing. Since air bubbles are invisible in the blood, we used simple experimental models employing water and 10% dextran solution to determine the correlation between actual bubble size and the depicted size on echocardiography, bubble size, and floatation velocity and the absorption of carbon dioxide under embolization and irrigation conditions. Bubbles depicted as larger than 1 mm were overestimated by echocardiography: the actual size was larger than 0.4 mm in diameter. While bubbles of 0.5 mm had a floatation velocity of 2 to 3 cm/s, the buoyancy of bubbles smaller than 0.3 mm was negligible. Thus, bubbles that are depicted as larger than 1 mm on echocardiography or that present with apparent buoyancy should be visible and need to be meticulously removed. However, echocardiography cannot distinguish bubbles of around 0.1 mm in diameter from those of capillary size (<10 µm). Thus, we advise continuous venting of dense bubbles until they become sparse. While carbon dioxide was rapidly absorbed when circulating, the absorption of embolized carbon dioxide was negligible. These results suggest that detected intracardiac air represents residual "air," with carbon dioxide already absorbed. Therefore, the use of conventional de-airing procedures needs reconsideration: air and buoyant bubbles should be removed from the heart before they are expelled into the aorta; this requires timely and precise assessment with transesophageal echocardiography and effective collaboration between surgeons, anesthesiologists, and perfusionists.

Successful management of aortoesophageal fistula caused by esophageal cancer using thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is a highly life-threatening condition, even when treated promptly. However, little is known about the treatment for AEF in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. We report the case of a 69-year-old man diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) that was admitted to our hospital for ESCC treatment. On diagnosis of unresectable ESCC invading the thoracic aorta, chemotherapy was administered. The response to treatment after two courses was evaluated as stable disease. We performed radiation therapy followed by bypass operation for esophageal stenosis. After radiation therapy, AEF was detected. His condition improved after hemostasis using thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). He was discharged from our care after treatment with antibiotics; he died due to cancer progression 7 months after TEVAR. AEF with ESCC is a lethal condition that may occur during cancer treatment; however, TEVAR might help improve the patient's condition.

Eastern observers cannot inhibit their gaze to eye and nose regions in face perception.

It has been found that Western observers cannot inhibit their gaze to the eye region, even if they are told to avoid doing so when they observe face stimuli because of the importance of the eye region. However, studies indicate that the nose region is more important for face processing among Eastern observers. We used the "don't look" paradigm with Eastern observers, in which participants were told to avoid fixating on a specific region (eye, nose, and mouth). The results extend previous findings as both the eye and nose regions attracted their gaze. Interestingly, the fixation behaviors differed for the eyes and nose in terms of the time-dependent view, in which reflexive saccades to the eye with a persistent fixation to the nose were observed. The nose regions could have stronger attractiveness than previously thought.

Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography for Coronary Artery Assessment.

Background: In surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), coronary arteries are routinely assessed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to prevent undesirable complications. This study evaluated the capabilities and pitfalls of TEE assessment. Methods and Results: Of 147 consecutive SAVR patients undergoing aortic stenosis, the TEE records for 130 patients, in which the procedures were conducted by a single examiner, were analyzed retrospectively regarding data acquisition and the accuracy of detecting an anomalous origin, high or low takeoff, ostial diameter, and short left main truncus (LMT). The left and right coronary arteries could be visualized in every patient. A left coronary ostium >5 mm was found in 33 patients (25.4%). TEE revealed an anomalous origin in 2 patients (1.5%) that had not been diagnosed, but missed it in another patient. High takeoff was noted in 11 patients (8.3%), often associated with aortic disease necessitating aortic repair. In one such patient, occlusion of the right coronary artery was detected, necessitating coronary revascularization. Short LMT was found in 15 patients (11.8%) but misdiagnosed due to artifact in 1. During selective cardioplegia, malperfusion of the left anterior descending artery due to deep cannula placement was detected. Conclusions: TEE provides fairly accurate assessment in SAVR, including detection of undiagnosed pathologies or pitfalls related to coronary arteries, although misdiagnosis due to artifacts should be kept in mind.

Mitral annuloplasty for atrial functional mitral regurgitation in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Surgical ring annuloplasty is generally performed in patients with symptomatic atrial functional mitral regurgitation (MR) caused by long-standing atrial fibrillation (AF). However, its clinical results have not been well reported. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with atrial functional MR (mean age of 68 ± 9 years) and a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) greater than 50% underwent mitral annuloplasty. Concomitant procedures included tricuspid valve surgery in 16 patients, AF ablation in 13 patients, and coronary artery bypass grafting in 2 patients. We reviewed the clinical outcomes of those patients and investigated the specific preoperative echocardiographic findings related to MR recurrence. RESULTS: At discharge, the mean left atrial (LA) volume index and mean tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient had significantly decreased from 94 ± 59 mL/m 2 to 58 ± 30 mL/m 2 and from 34 ± 11mm Hg to 23 ± 5mm Hg, respectively. During the follow-up period of 28 ± 17 months, the New York Heart Association functional class significantly improved from 2.3 ± 0.6 to 1.3 ± 0.6. Four patients developed recurrent MR, and of those, two required reoperation. Those with recurrent MR had a significantly larger preoperative LV dimension than those without recurrent MR. Preoperative three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 12 patients, revealing a greater degree of leaflet tethering in patients with recurrent MR than that in patients without recurrent MR. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with the combination of atrial functional MR, left ventricular dilatation and excessive leaflet tethering, mitral annuloplasty alone may not be sufficient to achieve long-term correction of MR.

Advantages of Transesophageal Echocardiography during Stent Grafting for Aortic Dissection: A Report of Three Cases.

We report the cases of three patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair for type B aortic dissection in which transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was used to guide the procedure in addition to fluoroscopy. TEE was found to be advantageous because it can visualize vascular structures along with the guidewire and devices. Furthermore, it provides real-time hemodynamic and hematological information without the need for contrast injection or radiation exposure. Although TEE assessment requires expertise, the efficient use of TEE appears to be helpful for further improving the outcomes of endovascular surgery for aortic dissection.

[Ascending Aortic Thrombus Recognized by Acute Brachial Arterial Occlusion].

We report a case of ascending aortic thrombus with acute arterial occlusion of the brachial artery. A 49-year-old woman had sudden pain in her right arm due to acute occlusion of the right brachial artery. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography and echocardiography revealed a large mobile thrombus in the ascending aorta, which prompted surgical intervention. The thrombi were removed via aortotomy under circulatory arrest. Trans-esophageal echocardiography was useful for watching a potential detachment of the thrombus in the aorta during surgical manipulations or systemic perfusion. Despite no evidence of either inherited or acquired thrombotic predisposition, thrombosis in the right atrium and deep veins of the lower extremities was found postoperatively. Since antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy was started, she has suffered from no thrombotic event.

Description of the Surgical Strategy Used for the Treatment of a Complex Disease: Report of a Case.

We report a rare case in which a patient required three surgeries with competing priorities. In a 68-year-old man diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), computed tomography (CT) revealed an infrarenal AAA, unusual thickening of the sigmoid colon that suggested cancer, and a filling defect in the left atrium. We considered the disease stage, which affects prognosis, and the risk of complications that could interfere with the treatment of the other pathologies and developed a three-stage surgical strategy: (i) endovascular aortic repair, (ii) sigmoid colectomy, and (iii) resection of the left atrial mass. The patient's postsurgical recovery was uneventful.

Iatrogenic subintimal aortic dissection that disappeared without a trace.

A case of an unusual iatrogenic aortic dissection is reported. A 77-year-old male patient in shock status due to acute type A aortic dissection underwent emergency surgery. Systemic perfusion was started via the femoral artery, but another dissection appeared in the descending aorta detected by transoesophageal echocardiography. However, the flap was unusually thin, and there was no change in the pre-existing thrombosed false lumen. These findings suggested subintimal development of dissection. After systemic perfusion was promptly switched to antegrade perfusion, the new dissection could no longer be detected. Since there was no malperfusion or aortic rupture, the ascending aorta was repaired. His postoperative course was uneventful, and there were no significant complications. Unless the aorta is carefully observed at the right time during the operation, such vanishing aortic dissection may be missed and potentially result in 'organ damage of unknown cause'.

Intima migration from the iliac artery to a debranched graft after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

An 84-year-old woman underwent single-debranched thoracic endovascular aortic repair for aortic aneurysm. A few hours later, malperfusion of the left upper extremity occurred. Surgical exploration revealed a tubular-shaped intima packed in the debranched graft. As computed tomography showed localized dissection in the right external iliac artery probably due to access route injury, the intima roll was thought to have migrated from the iliac artery. This extremely rare case is described in detail with a discussion of the potential mechanism.

Quantitative assessment technique of HyperEye medical system angiography for coronary artery bypass grafting.

PURPOSE: The HyperEye Medical System (HEMS) uses indocyanine green (ICG) to visualize blood vessels in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We performed quantitative HEMS assessment to detect grafts at risk of occlusion. METHODS: We assessed the HEMS angiograms of 177 grafts from 69 patients who underwent CABG and compared the results with those of fluoroscopic coronary angiography, by measuring the increasing rate of ICG intensity, average acceleration value, and time to peak luminance intensity. RESULTS: Grafts in the patent and failed groups showed significant differences in their increasing rate of intensity and average acceleration value. The average accelerations value of ICG intensity of internal thoracic artery (ITA) and saphenous vein (SV) grafts were 112.3 and 144.9 intensity/s2 in the patent group, and 71.0 and 91.8 intensity/s2 in the failed group. The time to peak luminance intensity was 1.7 and 1.4 s in the patent group and 2.3 and 1.9 s in the failed group; these values were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Significant reductions in the ICG intensity rate and average acceleration value can occur in failed grafts. Therefore, quantifiable changes in ICG intensity may help detect minute changes in blood flow.

Influence of vessel stenosis on indocyanine green fluorescence intensity assessed by near-infrared fluorescence angiography.

PURPOSE: Although useful for visualizing blood flow during revascularization surgery, the permeability of near-infrared fluorescence (NIR) angiography using indocyanine green (ICG) does not allow for vessel stenosis visualization. We hypothesized that changes in ICG fluorescence intensity reflect vessel stenosis, and evaluated the influence of stenosis on blood flow by ex vivo experimentation. METHODS: The vessel stenosis model comprised a silicon tube, a graft occluder, and artificial blood. During near-infrared angiography, the fluorescense intensity was calculated during pre- and post-stenosis of an artificial circuit, using a NIR angiography. We measured the maximum fluorescence intensity and the time to maximum fluorescence intensity. RESULTS: Severe stenosis (≥75%) attenuated the increase in ICG fluorescence intensity in the tube significantly, pre- and post-stenosis. The time to maximum fluorescence intensity did not differ between sites pre- and post-stenosis, irrespective of stenosis severity. CONCLUSION: Stenosis affected the ICG fluorescence intensity through the vessel. Thus, quantitative analysis using NIR angiography may detect severe vessel stenosis (≥75%), and the extinction curve of indocyanine fluorescence intensity may support the evaluation of blood flow. The absence of differences in the time to maximum fluorescence intensity for degrees of stenosis might suggest a limitation of previous conventional qualitative assessments.

Avoidance of Coronary Sinus Injury During Retrograde Cardioplegia.

Coronary sinus injury is a rare but critical complication of retrograde cardioplegia. Even after detection, successful repair with a pericardial patch is not always attained. Malalignment of the infusion cannula relative to the coronary sinus is likely to be partially responsible for the injury. Monitoring the location of the cannula tip can help prevent injury. Transesophageal echocardiography can indicate the vascular structure within which the cannula is located. This finding may be useful in preventing injury to the coronary sinus or middle cardiac vein.

A Case of Dissection and Rupture of the Innominate Artery in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

We report the case of a 59-year-old male presenting with dissection and rupture of the innominate artery with acute type A aortic dissection. We performed total arch replacement via median sternotomy with extension into the right side of the neck. The innominate artery was reconstructed just proximal to the bifurcation of the right subclavian artery and common carotid artery using the 1st limb of a 4-branched graft. This case illustrates an unusual aspect of an isolated innominate artery rupture in the absence of aortic rupture in acute type A aortic dissection.

Hybrid Three-Stage Repair for Extended Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Report of A Case.

A 67-year-old man complicated with back pain. The computed tomography (CT) scan showed an extended thoracoabdominal aneurysm. We successfully performed a three-stage hybrid repair using the visceral-renal debranching technique. For the first stage operation we performed Y-grafting with the debranching technique to create a distal landing zone. Then, for the second stage operation, we performed the hybrid procedure including total arch replacement (TAR) and antegrade stent graft deployment to create a proximal landing zone. Finally, additional thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) between the distal and proximal landing zones was successfully accomplished as the third stage operation.

[Aortoesophageal Fistula Long after Single Staged Hybrid Procedure for Extended Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm].

70-year-old male who had a history of Y-shaped graft replacement of abdominal aortic aneurysm was referred to our hospital for surgical intervention of extended thoracic aortic aneurysm. Although 1 debranching thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was initially scheduled, deployment of the main endograft was eventually cancelled due to severely tortuous bilateral rims of Y-shaped graft, and left carotid artery-left subclavian artery bypass followed by the coil embolization to the orifice of left subclavian artery to prepare for the next operation was performed. Single hybrid operation, including total aortic arch replacement along with elephant trunk insertion and TEVAR was performed at 3 months after the initial operation. On the 191th postoperative day, he was readmitted to our hospital due to marked elevation of C-reactive protein and unknown fever, and enhanced computed tomography showed the pneumomediastinum. Also, fistula formation was identified at the middle portion of the esophagus on the esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and the contrast agent leakage to the outside of the esophagus was demonstrated on the esophagography. He was transferred to another hospital at 7th day after readmission under the definitive diagnosis of mediastinitis due to aortoesophageal fistula for surgical of esophagectomy and mediastinum drainage. Currently, he is discharged from the hospital, and returning for follow-up visit for taking a course of antibiotics.

Intraoperative migration of open stent graft detected by transesophageal echocardiography: report of two cases.

We report two cases of graft migration during open stent grafting, detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The incidence was 3.7% in our series. The length of landing zone was reduced from 45 mm to 25 mm in case 1 and from 50 mm to 22 mm in case 2 before chest closure. Aneurysmal protrusion on the greater curvature with thin mural thrombus were findings common in both cases. Although additional intervention was not done based on the TEE findings of no endoleak and thrombus formation in the aneurysm, and postoperative course was uneventful, meticulous imaging check-up was needed.

[Pacemaker infection in a child; report of a case].

In the treatment for pacemaker infection, removal of infected devices and intensive antibiotics therapy are in principle and new devices should be implanted apart from the infected site. However, there are some problems in the case of children:it is not easy to remove infected devices because epicardial leads are often used for them. If endocardial leads are chosen as a new system, extension of the lead would be concerned with their growth. We report a pediatric case of infection of pacemaker using epicardial leads. It was difficult to cure infection by repeated local treatment leaving epicardial leads and antibiotics therapy was obliged to continue for 9 years to keep infection under control. After growing up, we implanted endocardial leads for her and removed infected devices to cure infection completely.