Changes in false lumen after transluminal stent-graft placement in aortic dissections: six years' experience.

Background: Transluminal stent-graft placements (TSGPs) are a new, less invasive procedure now recognized as the choice for aortic disease repair. Treatment of aortic dissections with TSGPs has resulted in good early results, but the long-term results and changes in the false lumen have not been elucidated in detail.

Methods And Results: TSGPs were performed in 49 patients with primary tears in their descending aortas, and the follow-up period ranged from 4 months to 6 years.

New intraluminal coronary shunt tube for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Purpose: In cooperation with JMS Co., Ltd. (Hiroshima, Japan), we have developed a new intraluminal coronary shunt tube to allow easier, safer, and more accurate off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).

Usefulness of preoperative intraaortic balloon pump therapy during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in high-risk patients.

Background: In off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) surgery, the most critical complication is hemodynamic deterioration, which can occur during displacement of the heart to expose the target vessels. Preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) therapy improves cardiac performance and facilitates access to the target coronary artery while maintaining hemodynamic stability, especially in high-risk patients.

Methods: One hundred thirty-three consecutive patients who underwent OPCABG through sternotomy between April 2000 and July 2003 were studied.

Our experiences for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting to the circumflex system.

Background: Complete revascularization has been difficult in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). Hemodynamic deterioration often prevents access to the circumflex territory. This study presents instrumentation for accessing the circumflex territory, and our clinical experience.

Transluminal stent-graft placements for the treatments of acute onset and chronic aortic dissections.

Background: Transluminal stent-graft placement (TSGP) for aortic dissection is a relatively new procedure. We performed TSGPs to seal the primary entry site to treat and prevent complications of aortic dissection. The early to mid-term outcomes were analyzed.

Limitations of endovascular treatment with stent-grafts for active mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysm.

An 81-year-old woman with ruptured mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysm was treated with endovascular placement of stent-grafts fabricated from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and Z-stents. Although exclusion of the aneurysm was achieved at the end of the procedure, a type I endoleak developed on the following day. Despite emergent surgical resection of the aneurysm and extra-anatomical reconstruction, the patient died 2 days later.

Successful repair of an aortoesophageal fistula with aneurysm from esophageal diverticulum.

Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare, frequently fatal, cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and there are few reported survivors of it. We report a successful surgical case of aortoesophageal fistula associated with an infective thoracic aortic aneurysm. The patient had been diagnosed as having an esophageal diverticulum 8 months before admission.