[Calcified Amorphous Tumor Diagnosed After Stroke:Report of a Case].

Calcified amorphous tumor (CAT), a non-neoplastic tumor, is rare. Histopathologic features are the presence of calcified nodules in an amorphous background of fibrin. CAT is reported to be associated with renal dysfunction or hemodialysis, and possibly causes cerebral embolism.

[Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma in Situ with Positive Findings in Pleural Lavage Cytology].

We report a rare case of positive findings in pleural lavage cytology(PLC) in the patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). A 78-year-old woman was presented with a 30 mm pure groundglass nodule (GGN) in the left upper lobe on chest computed tomography (CT). After 2 years follow- up, thoracoscopic surgery was performed to resect the nodule.

[Acute Coronary Syndrome in a Patient with Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm:Report of a Case].

Coronary artery aneurysm is a rare entity defined as expansion more than 1.5 times of normal coronary artery in diameter. A 77-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and a giant right coronary artery aneurysm.

A Case of Severe Aortic Stenosis after Aortic Valve Neocuspidization Using Autologous Pericardium (Ozaki Procedure).

A 56-year-old man with a history of left nephrectomy for Wilms' tumor on chronic hemodialysis underwent aortic valve neocuspidization using autologous pericardium (Ozaki procedure) for aortic stenosis (AS) due to a bicuspid aortic valve 6 years ago. The AS gradually progressed and a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction was observed. Because of this, we decided to perform reoperative aortic valve replacement using a mechanical valve.

[Third Tricuspid Valve Replacement:Report of a Case].

A 79-year-old man underwent tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) with a bovine pericardial bioprosthesis, Carpentier-Edwards Perimount (CEP), for tricuspid regurgitation 27 years earlier. Twenty-one years after the first operation, he underwent re-TVR with a bovine pericardial bioprosthesis, Magna Mitral Ease, due to prosthetic valve dysfunction. Since the prosthetic valve dysfunction progressed again, the third TVR was performed six years after the second operation.

[Coronary Aneurysm with Fistula].

We successfully treated two rare cases of coronary aneurysm with fistula. Case 1;A 65-year-old female referred to our hospital with the coronary aneurysm and fistula. Right coronary aneurysm with fistula leading to coronary sinus was observed.

[Anterior Mediastinal Myxoid Liposarcoma Detected by Chest Computed Tomogram in the Patient with Pneumothorax].

A 57-year-old woman visited our hospital with left chest pain. Chest computed tomography (CT) scanning showed left pneumothorax with apical bullae and a nodular shadow in the left anterior mediastinum accidentally. However, a week later, we could not detect a mediastinal shadow on chest CT image after healing of left pneumothorax.

[Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection after Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using Automated Proximal Anastomotic Device;Report of a Case].

Operative mortality of Stanford type A aortic dissection( AAD) repair with previous cardiac surgery is high, especially with previous coronary artery bypass grafting. We report an extremely rare case of AAD related to the PAS-Port system. A 68-year-old male patient on dialysis was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of AAD.

[Surgical Treatment for Mycotic Aortic Aneurysms].

Mycotic aortic aneurysms are relatively rare. Diagnosis and treatment may sometimes be difficult. We have treated 5 cases of mycotic aortic aneurysms in our institution.

[Therapeutic use of amiodarone against postoperative fibrillation after cardiac surgery].

We investigated the effect of amiodarone (AMD) administered intravenously for the treatment of post-operative atrial fibrillation( POAF) after cardiac surgery. After rapid administration of 150 mg for 10 minutes, AMD was administered in 1.0 mg per minute for 6 hours followed by 0.

[Treatment strategy for patients with simultaneous cardiac and malignant diseases].

The choice of treatment strategy for patients with simultaneous cardiac and malignant diseases is often debatable. We report 11 patients with simultaneous cardiac and malignant diseases who were hospitalized in our institution over the past 6 years. The patients were 9 males and 2 females with a mean age of 71.

Associations between dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acids and arachidonic acid compositions in plasma and erythrocytes in young and elderly Japanese volunteers.

Background: We reported that the compositions of arachidonic acid (ARA) in erythrocytes and plasma phospholipids (PL) in the elderly were lower than those in the young, though the ARA intake was nearly identical.

Objective: We further analyzed data in four study groups with different ages and sexes, and determined that the blood ARA levels were affected by the kinds of dietary fatty acids ingested.

Methods: One hundred and four healthy young and elderly volunteers were recruited.

Age-related changes of dietary intake and blood eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid levels in Japanese men and women.

We studied the relationship between dietary intake and the blood compositions of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (ARA) in four study groups with different ages and sexes. One hundred and four subjects were recruited. Dietary records together with photographic records from 28 consecutive days were amassed and the fatty acid composition in erythrocyte membranes and plasma lipid fractions was analyzed.

[On-pump beating coronary artery bypass grafting for the post-thoracoplasty patient with porcelain aorta; report of a case].

A 79-year-old post-thoracoplasty patient who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) 20 years before was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain. Coronary angiogram showed occlusion of the both saphenous vein grafts. And the computed tomography revealed severe calcification of the ascending aorta.

[Prophylactic use of amiodarone against postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery].

We investigated the effect of amiodarone on prevention of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery. Thirty cases of amiodarone (AMD) group including elective coronary artery bypass grafting and valve operation were enrolled from January 2007 to January 2010. The control (C) group consisted of 45 cases treated before 2007.

Improvements in seasonal allergic disease with Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14.

We conducted two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies of Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14 (LP14) in female students with seasonal allergic diseases. We also examined the mitogenic activity and cytokine inducibility of LP14 using Peyer's patch cells and mesenteric lymph node cells of swine.

[Mitral regurgitation associated with essential thrombocythemia and gallbladder cancer].

A 64-year-old man with essential thrombocythemia was admitted to our hospital because of cardiac failure. Echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation and a gallbladder tumor was detected incidentally by ultrasonography. Although the gallbladder tumor was strongly suspected to be malignant, we considered that the radical operation would be possible because of its early stage.

Successful surgical repair of a bilateral coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula.

A 58-year-old woman was admitted to our department for evaluating an abnormal blood flow in the main pulmonary artery by transthoracic echocardiography. Coronary angiography revealed the presence of fistulas originating from the left anterior descending artery and also the right coronary artery to the main pulmonary artery. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, both fistulas were ligated near the origin, and direct closure of drainage site in the main pulmonary artery was performed.