Quantitative flow ratio versus fractional flow reserve for Heart Team decision-making in multivessel disease: the randomised, multicentre DECISION QFR trial.

BACKGROUND: Vessel-level physiological data derived from pressure wire measurements are one of the important determinant factors in the optimal revascularisation strategy for patients with multivessel disease (MVD). However, these may result in complications and a prolonged procedure time. AIMS: The feasibility of using the quantitative flow ratio (QFR), an angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR), in Heart Team discussions to determine the optimal revascularisation strategy for patients with MVD was investigated. METHODS: Two Heart Teams were randomly assigned either QFR- or FFR-based data of the included patients. They then discussed the optimal revascularisation mode (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] or coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG]) for each patient and made treatment recommendations. The primary endpoint of the trial was the level of agreement between the treatment recommendations of both teams as assessed using Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: The trial included 248 patients with MVD from 10 study sites. Cohen's kappa in the recommended revascularisation modes between the QFR and FFR approaches was 0.73 [95% confidence interval {CI} : 0.62-0.83]. As for the revascularisation planning, agreements in the target vessels for PCI and CABG were substantial for both revascularisation modes (Cohen's kappa=0.72 [95% CI: 0.66-0.78] and 0.72 [95% CI: 0.66-0.78], respectively). The team assigned to the QFR approach provided consistent recommended revascularisation modes even after being made aware of the FFR data (Cohen's kappa=0.95 [95% CI:0.90-1.00]). CONCLUSIONS: QFR provided feasible physiological data in Heart Team discussions to determine the optimal revascularisation strategy for MVD. The QFR and FFR approaches agreed substantially in terms of treatment recommendations.

A Novel Technique of No-Touch Endoscopic Saphenous Vein Harvesting.

No-touch saphenous vein harvesting is considered an ideal procedure for harvesting good-quality veins, whereas endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) is considered ideal for decreasing wound complications. The no-touch EVH (NT-EVH) technique, which was developed in 2018, is one of the best vein-harvesting procedures. We have improved this method in several aspects since our initial experience. Herein, we present the details of this technique.

Heart Team risk assessment with angiography-derived fractional flow reserve determining the optimal revascularization strategy in patients with multivessel disease: Trial design and rationale for the DECISION QFR randomized trial.

In patients with multivessel disease (MVD), functional information on lesions improves the prognostic capability of the SYNTAX score. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR®) is an angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) that does not require a pressure wire or pharmacological hyperemia. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of QFR-based patient information in Heart Teams' discussions to determine the optimal revascularization strategy for patients with MVD. We hypothesized that there is an acceptable agreement between treatment recommendations based on the QFR approach and recommendation based on the FFR approach. The DECISION QFR study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that will include patients with MVD who require revascularization. Two Heart Teams comprising cardiologists and cardiac surgeons will be randomized to select a revascularization strategy (percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft) according to patient information either based on QFR or on FFR. All 260 patients will be assessed by both teams with reference to the anatomical and functional SYNTAX score/SYNTAX score II 2020 derived from the allocated physiological index (QFR or FFR). The primary endpoint of the trial is the level of agreement between the treatment recommendations of both teams, assessed using Cohen's κ. As of March 2022, the patient enrollment has been completed and 230 patients have been discussed in both Heart Teams. The current trial will indicate the usefulness of QFR, which enables a wireless multivessel physiological interrogation, in the discussions of Heart Teams to determine the optimal revascularization strategy for MVD.

Remote simulator training of coronary artery bypass grafting during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic presents in-person exposure risk during surgical education. We aimed to validate the feasibility of fully remote faculty-supervised surgical training sessions focused on coronary artery bypass grafting using a synthetic simulator and online videochat software. METHODS: This observational study organized 24 sessions of 2-hour remote training. Each session involved 3 trainees, 1 faculty member, and 1 host. A total of 70 trainees and 24 faculty members were enrolled. The participants joined the remote sessions via online videochat and performed focused training in coronary artery anastomosis using a commercially available simulator. A survey was conducted to validate the feasibility of the remote sessions. Performance improvement of the trainees who repeatedly participated (n = 13) were analyzed comparing initial and final scores of various performance indicators. RESULTS: All trainees and faculty members were satisfied with the efficacy of the remote session. Additionally, most trainees (79%) and faculty members (95%) agreed that the remote training sessions were equivalent to conventional onsite training seminars. A significant improvement between initial and last sessions was observed in the scoring components of near side (3.4 ± 1.0 vs 4.1 ± 0.9; P = .02), far side (3.3 ± 0.8 vs 3.9 ± 0.8; P = .03), external appearance (3.5 ± 0.8 vs 4.2 ± 0.7; P = .01), and internal appearance (2.8 ± 0.9 vs 4.0 ± 0.9; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: Faculty-supervised remote surgical training sessions were executed with satisfactory results. This methodology may have important implications for surgical education during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Emergency aortic valve replacement complicated by unmanaged pheochromocytoma.

A 53-year-old male undergoing emergency aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis developed a hypertensive crisis early during the operation. Suspecting a pheochromocytoma, intravenous phentolamine was immediately administered, after which the procedure was completed as scheduled. Although quite rare, a pheochromocytoma can be encountered during emergency open heart surgery; thus, early recognition of abnormal blood pressure change and appropriate management are important. Here, we present details of blood pressure control mainly by use of phentolamine, in this case, to demonstrate effective management of a hypertensive crisis during emergency cardiac surgery because of a pheochromocytoma.

Giant biatrial myxoma in an atrial septal defect.

Myxomas account for a majority of the reported primary cardiac tumors that are relatively rare, and biatrial myxomas in an atrial septal defect are extremely rare. Here, we present the case of a healthy 79-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital after a giant mass in the left atrium was incidentally detected by transthoracic echocardiography. Although she was asymptomatic, we surgically resected the mass soon after admission, considering the risk of embolism. During the surgery, we observed the giant bilateral tumor in an atrial septal defect, which was, on pathological evaluation, found to be a myxoma. .

Infected aortic aneurysm caused by Helicobacter cinaedi: case series and systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter cinaedi is rarely identified as a cause of infected aneurysms; however, the number of reported cases has been increasing over several decades, especially in Japan. We report three cases of aortic aneurysm infected by H. cinaedi that were successfully treated using meropenem plus surgical stent graft replacement or intravascular stenting. Furthermore, we performed a systematic review of the literature regarding aortic aneurysm infected by H. cinaedi. CASE PRESENTATION: We present three rare cases of infected aneurysm caused by H. cinaedi in adults. Blood and tissue cultures and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used for diagnosis. Two patients underwent urgent surgical stent graft replacement, and the other patient underwent intravascular stenting. All three cases were treated successfully with intravenous meropenem for 4 to 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: These cases suggest that although aneurysms infected by H. cinaedi are rare, clinicians should be aware of H. cinaedi as a potential causative pathogen, even in immunocompetent patients. Prolonged incubation periods for blood cultures are necessary for the accurate detection of H. cinaedi.

A Novel Technique of Endoscopic Vein Harvesting With Preserved Perivascular Tissue.

The no-touch saphenous vein harvesting technique is considered to be the ideal procedure to achieve the best quality of vein, whereas the endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) technique is considered to be ideal for decreasing wound complications. We developed a new technique of EVH with perivascular tissue preservation. This procedure was performed by dissecting the immediate anterior and posterior perivascular connective tissues of the saphenous vein followed by cutting approximately 1 cm laterally from the saphenous vein with the use of a harvester (MAQUET Getinge Group, Getinge AB, Göteborg, Sweden). Histopathological examination revealed preserved perivascular tissue and intimal folding.

Farmers' tea and nation's trees: A framework for eco-compensation assessment based on a subjective-objective combination analysis.

The effectiveness and sustainability of eco-compensation policy implementation are essential to ecosystem service protection. However, a purely subjective standpoint causes deviations from the compensation benchmark, while decision-making based solely on an objective standpoint fails to offer a profound understanding of local stakeholder conflicts. Therefore, local authorities find it difficult to set reasonable and effective eco-compensation implementation standards. An assessment framework for eco-compensation, defined as the subjective-objective combination analysis (SOCA), which considers both the subjective and objective positions of stakeholders is proposed. Focusing on a typical eco-compensation case, "Returning Tea to Forest", a compensation range is finally quantified from $443/ha to $2114/ha per year using the SOCA framework. SOCA quantification from multiple perspectives optimized the eco-compensation benchmark determinations and the eco-protection decision-making process.

Ecological policy benefit valuation based on public feedback: Forest ecosystem services in Wuyishan nature reserve, China.

The spontaneous expansion of tea cultivation has led to the degradation of forest ecosystem services in the Wuyishan national nature reserve (WNNR). In 2008, the local government put forward the policy of "returning tea to forests" (RTTF) to protect the forest ecosystem. However, in order to measure its effects over the past ten years, it is necessary to accurately quantify the economic benefits of this ecological policy. This study tracked the land use changes in WNNR during the last 17 years and estimated the ecosystem service value caused by the RTTF policy. We used virtual market methods to convert different types of public feedback into a unified monetary value, and estimated the economic benefits of RTTF by combining the land use changes. Results showed that the added value of forest ecosystem services not only compensated for the loss of tea profits, but also brought about remarkable economic benefits (approximately US$140 million). Through the combination of ecological changes and economic benefits, we proposed a future direction of the RTTF policy adjustment. More broadly, we provided a method to quantify economic effects (or economic losses) from the perspective of public feedback on the basis of ecological changes. This attempt has contributed to the solving of econometric problems related to ecological policy by combining bioinformatics with ecological economics.

Enhanced outcomes for coronary artery disease obtained by a multidisciplinary heart team approach.

BACKGROUND: We implemented our multidisciplinary heart team (MHT) approach since 2012 for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and assessed the effectiveness of it by comparing outcomes in patients treated before and after the introduction of the MHT approach. METHODS: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for CAD were performed in 802 and 57 patients from 2009 to 2011 in Group NH, and were performed in 867 and 160 patients from 2012 to 2014 in Group H, respectively. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac-related readmission and target vessel repeat revascularisation (TVR) for PCI or revascularisation on grafted vessels for CABG. RESULTS: MACCE occurred significantly more often in Group NH than in Group H at 3 years postoperatively (28.1% vs 21.1%) (log rank P = 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that the MHT approach [hazard ratio (HR), 0.737; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-0.91; P = 0.004] and ejection fraction (HR 0.976; 95% CI, 0.97-0.98; P < 0.0001) were associated with significantly lower rates of MACCE events, while SYNTAX score (HR 1.023; 95% CI 1.00-1.03, P < 0.0001) and EuroSCORE II (HR 1.014, 95% CI 0.60-0.91, P = 0.004) were associated with a higher rate of MACCE events. CONCLUSION: Our MHT approach was able to reduce the MACCE events of treatment for CAD. The dedicated MHT approach might be beneficial for patients with CAD.

New Flexible Internal Annular Fixation Rings for Tricuspid Aortic Valves.

OBJECTIVES: Although aortic annulus repair has a long history, there are still no ideal devices to control an aortic annulus. We have developed a new method involving the use of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft with the support of a metallic ring holder during implantation from inside an aorta, with no dissection of the surrounding aortic annulus. METHODS: We used aortic annular rings of 18 to 24 mm made of Gore-Tex tubed grafts (W.L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) and metallic ring holder. After cutting the graft circumferentially to a 5-mm thickness, it was compressed manually to decrease the thickness. Then, a metallic ring holder corresponding to the graft size was inserted into the graft. The metallic ring holder was fixed to the graft with one 4-0 monofilament suture using 6 holes and the side trench on the metallic ring holder. The proper size for the graft was determined, and the appropriate annuloplasty ring was selected. A row of 4-0 double-needle braided sutures with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene spaghettis was sewn from the aortic side into the left ventricular outflow tract with a horizontal mattress stitch. After all sutures around the annulus were placed, they were tied down and the metallic ring holder was removed. The leaflets were repaired if necessary. RESULTS: A total of 9 patients with tricuspid aortic valve have undergone this procedure since January 2015. The sizes of the aortic annular rings were 20 mm ( n = 3), 22 mm ( n = 5), and 24 mm ( n = 2). Aortic leaflets were repaired in 6 patients (6 central plications). Concomitant procedures were total aortic arch replacement ( n = 2), mitral valve repair ( n = 2), tricuspid valve repair ( n = 1), and coronary artery bypass grafting ( n = 2). There were no hospital deaths and no major morbidities. All patients were checked for mild or less than mild aortic regurgitation during the mean follow-up period of 13 months. Postoperative echocardiograms showed excellent peak pressure gradients compared with preoperative echocardiograms. Postoperative cardiac computed tomography scans were performed in 6 patients. The discrepancies between the ring size used and postoperative annular size were <1-mm diameter in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: This new flexible ring is easy to use to fix an aortic annulus from the inside. Early results reveal excellent control of aortic regurgitation with the projected annular size. Further investigations are needed to ensure the effectiveness of the ring.

Giant abdominal sarcoma that caused aortic rupture at the twelfth thoracic level.

There are no previous reports of intraabdominal sarcoma with metastasis to the thoraco-abdominal aorta causing rupture. Here we present the case of a previously healthy 50-year old male who presented to our institution with sudden, sharp back pain. Chest and abdominal computed tomography revealed aortic rupture at the twelfth thoracic level as well as a giant mass in the left upper abdomen. We performed thoracic endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Histopathology of a biopsy taken from a rib metastasis was thought to be either differentiated liposarcoma or malignant fibrous histocytoma. The patient is currently undergoing chemotherapy. .

Congenital Left Ventricular Diverticulum Complicated by Ventricular Fibrillation.

Congenital left ventricular diverticulum (CLVD) is a rare congenital anomaly and may be associated with fatal adverse events. A previously healthy 20-year-old man collapsed as a result of sudden ventricular fibrillation (VF). Despite intractable VF, he had return of spontaneous circulation with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and subsequent introduction of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). After ECMO was discontinued, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed CLVD at the posterolateral wall of the left ventricle. Given the risk of recurrent VF and left ventricular rupture, he underwent surgical repair for CLVD and implantation of a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator.