Preoperative Computed Tomography of the Right Gastroepiploic Artery for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Grafting the right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) to the right coronary artery (RCA) is effective, but preoperative evaluation of arterial conduit availability has not been established. By comparing the midterm graft results, we aimed to assess the efficacy of preoperative evaluation of the GEA using computed tomography (CT).

Methods and results: We retrospectively examined patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery between April 2010 and December 2020, and those whose GEA was grafted to the RCA were selected: 55 patients were included in the study analysis.

A prospective randomized controlled study to assess the effectiveness of super FIXSORB WAVE for sternal stabilization after sternotomy.

Background: We developed a new sternal fixation device, Super FIXSORB WAVE, a corrugated plate made of u-HA/PLLA, to improve sternal stability after sternotomy. This present study aimed to evaluate the new device clinically.

Methods: This prospective, single-blinded, multicenter trial randomized 69 patients to either wire cerclage only (group C, n = 30) or wire cerclage plus Super FIXSORB WAVE (group W, n = 39).

Therapeutic-Dose Warfarin (International Normalized Ratio >1.6) Plus Aspirin Improved Long-Term Patency of Saphenous Vein Graft without Bleeding Complication.

Purpose: Saphenous vein graft (SVG) is the most commonly used conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but the disadvantage of SVG is its tendency for progressive failure. We hypothesized that therapeutic-dose warfarin (international normalized ratio [INR] >1.6) plus aspirin improve SVG patency.

Left atrial schwannoma in schwannomatosis: a case report.

Background: Primary cardiac schwannoma in the left atrium and schwannomatosis are rare diseases.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 46-year-old asymptomatic man who had tumor resection for parapharyngeal schwannoma at another institute 1 year ago. He was presented to our hospital for further evaluation of an abnormal cardiac shadow that was found incidentally.

[Redo Valve Replacement of Wada-Cutter Prosthetic Valve at Tricuspid Valve Position 47 Years After Implantation;Report of a Case].

We experienced an explantation of Wada-Cutter prosthetic tilting disk valve of 47 years after implantation. The patient was 53 years old female who underwent the 1st operation for Ebstein's anomaly, which included tricuspid valve replacement (TVR), closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) and posterior annulorrhaphy when she was 6 years old. She was doing well after the 1st operation without symptom,but dyspnea and systemic edema worsened recently though increased admission of diuretics.

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Multiple Giant Saccular Aortic Aneurysms.

We describe a very rare case of a 67-year-old man with multiple saccular aortic aneurysms throughout the entire aorta due to antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). The patient underwent staged aortic surgical procedures, including stent-graft insertion for a left iliac artery aneurysm, thoracic endovascular aortic repair for a descending aortic aneurysm, and total replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic arch with the use of high-dose steroids to control inflammation. The histologic findings demonstrated that the damage to the vasa vasorum of the adventitia resulting from AAV caused ischemia of the media, resulting in the formation of saccular aneurysmal changes.

Retrograde ascending aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is a valuable alternative treatment option for patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms and type B dissections. However, thoracic endovascular aortic repair is associated with the risk of previously unanticipated severe complications including retrograde ascending aortic dissection. We report the case of an 86-year-old man who developed retrograde ascending aortic dissection as a delayed complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

[Successful treatment of aortoesophageal fistula due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm].

A 78-year-old female presented at a nearby hospital with hemorrhage and loss of consciousness. After examination by computed tomography (CT) scan, she was referred to our hospital on suspicion of an impending rupture of the descending thoracic aorta aneurysm. She underwent a 2 stage operation.

[Emergency surgical repair of anterior ventricular septal rupture in a 91-year-old woman; report of a case].

Cardiac surgery in very elderly patients, especially in nonagenarians, has been a controversial issue of its relative risk, benefits and long-term survival. A 91-year-old woman was referred to our institution for an acute anterior myocardial infarction. Emergency coronary intervention was conducted and the occluded left anterior descending artery was successfully revascularized with a bare metal stent.