Effect of visual stimulation using color looming disc in Anton syndrome: a case report.

: Anton syndrome is arare stroke syndrome that develops after damage to both occipital lobes, leading to cortical blindness and visual anosognosia. This report describes the rehabilitation course and functional progress of a 42-year-old man diagnosed with Anton syndrome.: The patient started visual stimulation therapy using a color looming disc 5 months after Anton syndrome onset, for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks, totaling 20 sessions.

Rehabilitation for COVID-19 in conjunction with early awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: a case report.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Awake venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is known to be effective in patients with critical COVID-19 and respiratory failure. This report describes the rehabilitation course and functional progress of a 63-year-old man who contracted severe COVID-19 and underwent awake venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

A step-by-step guide to transseptal valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement.

With the recent success of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter options for the management of mitral valve pathology have also gained considerable attention. Valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is one such technique that has emerged as a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with degenerated mitral valve bioprostheses at high-risk for repeat surgical mitral valve replacement. Several access strategies, including trans-apical, transseptal, trans-jugular, and trans-atrial access have been described for ViV-TMVR.

A step-by-step guide to trans-axillary transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The application of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has expanded rapidly over the last decade as a less invasive option for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. In order to perform successful TAVR, vascular access must be obtained with a large-bore catheter to deliver the transcatheter valve to the aortic annulus. Several techniques have been developed for this purpose including transfemoral (TF), trans-aortic, trans-apical, trans-caval, trans-carotid, and trans-axillary (TAx) with varying degrees of success.

Prediction for residual regurgitation after MitraClip for functional mitral regurgitation using leaflet coaptation index.

Background: Given the recent growth in the number of MitraClip procedures in patients with functional mitral regurgitation (MR), there is interest in an echocardiographic index to predict technical success before intervention. We investigated the utility of a novel leaflet coaptation index (LCI) to predict outcomes after MitraClip in functional MR patients.

Methods: Forty consecutive patients with functional MR who underwent MitraClip were included.

Mild Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: Is Revascularization Enough for Every Patient?

Background: The progress of mild ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) after isolated coronary artery bypass is not clear. We aimed to determine the proportion of patients with mild ischemic MR undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) presenting with regression of or persistent MR one year after CABG and to identify the significantly different echocardiographic variables between regressing and persistent MR.

Methods: Sixty-three patients with preoperative mild ischemic MR were categorized into an MR- regression or an MR-persistence group one year after isolated CABG.

Mechanical Circulatory Support for Acute Heart Failure Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock.

Acute heart failure is a potentially life-threatening condition that can lead to cardiogenic shock, which is associated with hypotension and organ failure. Although there have been many studies on the treatment for cardiogenic shock, early mortality remains high at 40-50%. No new medicines for cardiogenic shock have been developed.

Contemporary Status of Percutaneous Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair: Is It a Complement or Replacement to Mitral Surgery?

Transcatheter mitral valve repair devices borrow from the concept of surgical edge-to-edge approximation and are becoming increasingly used in patients with both primary and functional mitral regurgitation. The application of these new devices is expanding globally; however, debates between which patients are amenable to surgery vs. percutaneous approaches are ongoing.

Impact of Arteriovenous Fistula for Hemodialysis on Clinical Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass.

Background: This study compared clinical outcomes between the use of in situ and free internal thoracic artery grafts in patients with upper extremity arteriovenous fistula who underwent coronary artery bypass.

Methods: We reviewed 85 hemodialysis-dependent patients with upper extremity arteriovenous fistula who underwent coronary artery bypass with internal thoracic artery grafts. The patients were categorized into 2 groups; 48 (56%) with in situ graft ipsilateral to the arteriovenous fistula (group I) and 37 (44%) with free grafts anastomosed to the ascending aorta (group F).

Perioperative Outcomes of Repeated Open Surgery on the Thoracic Aorta.

Background: Repeated thoracic aorta repair is increasingly common. With the increase in hybrid procedures, determination of the best treatment strategy requires evaluation of the clinical outcomes of classic open surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 119 patients (84 men and 35 women, aged 51.

Serial Changes of Transmitral and Transtricuspid Pressure Gradients After Simultaneous Mitral and Tricuspid Ring Annuloplasty.

Background: Although flexible-ring annuloplasty is more inclined to increase the transmitral gradient over time, its effect on the tricuspid annulus is unknown. This study was conducted to evaluate serial changes in mean pressure gradient (mPG) across tricuspid and mitral valves after simultaneous dual implantation of flexible bands.

Methods: Seventy-one (71) patients (median age, 61.

Two-stage correction of type IV total anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

Background: The small size of the pulmonary veins in infants increases the risk of pulmonary vein obstruction (PVO) after surgical repair of type IV total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). Here, we described the outcomes of our strategy, which delayed total correction after initial partial correction.

Methods: We reviewed the data of patients who underwent total correction for type IV TAPVC.

Lack of Increased FDG Uptake in the Lacrimal and Salivary Glands in Patients With Sarcoidosis and Potential Underlying Mechanism.

Purpose: Increased 67Ga uptake in the mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes ("lambda") and in the lacrimal/parotid/submandibular glands ("panda") often coexists in patients with sarcoidosis (Sarc-Pts). However, we observed that increased lacrimal/salivary uptake is uncommon on 18F-FDG PET/CT (FDG-panda) in many Sarc-Pts who showed increased mediastinal/hilar uptake (FDG-lambda). We evaluated parotid and lacrimal FDG activity in Sarc-Pts who showed FDG-lambda in comparison with a control patient group and attempted to find underlying mechanisms to explain the discrepancy between FDG and Ga uptake in these organs.

FDG PET/CT Appearance of Radiation Nephritis.

It is often challenging to assess renal activity on FDG-PET/CT due to intense physiological activity in the collecting system, thus any unusual intrarenal activity should be evaluated carefully. While increased bone tracer uptake in the irradiated region of the kidneys has been reported in the literature, altered biodistribution of FDG in irradiated renal tissue is not well described. We report a case of FDG PET/CT showing increased FDG activity in small portions of the kidneys that were previously irradiated.

Negative Impact of Indwelling Biliary Stent on Gallbladder Visualization on Cholescintigraphy.

Purpose: Presence of biliary stent may alter biliary dynamics, which may change the results of cholescintigraphy. We assessed the frequency of gallbladder (GB) nonvisualization and its specificity for acute cholecystitis (AC) in patients with stent.

Patients And Methods: Of 44 with stent who had cholescintigraphy, 22 were excluded because of prior cholecystectomy or little to no radiotracer excretion from the liver precluding assessment of GB filling.

Discrete decreased activity in the lower thoracic spine on FDG PET/CT: another respiration-related artifact.

Purpose: We observed that the diaphragmatic motion causing the well-known, so-called banana artifact on PET/CT images may additionally cause decreased FDG activity involving 1 or 2 lower thoracic vertebrae. The aim of this study was (1) to formally evaluate if this observation is indeed true and, if so, (2) to assess its frequency.

Patients And Methods: One hundred fifty-four PET/CT scans (81 males and 73 females, age 61 ± 13 years) were analyzed.

Efficacy of the maze procedure for atrial fibrillation associated with atrial septal defect.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication in elderly patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the maze procedure in these patients.

Materials And Methods: Between February 2000 and May 2011, 46 patients underwent the maze procedure as a concomitant operation with ASD closure.

Successful management of pulmonary and inferior vena cava tumor embolism from renal cell carcinoma.

Pulmonary tumor embolism can be a cause of respiratory failure in patients with cancer even though it occurs rarely. We describe a 56-year-old man who underwent a pulmonary tumor embolectomy using cardiopulmonary bypass on beating heart combined with inferior vena cava embolectomy and right radical nephrectomy. Aggressive surgical treatment in this severe case is necessary not only to reduce the fatal outcome of pulmonary embolism in the short run, but also to improve the oncological prognosis in the long term.

Diagnosis of Graft Infection Using FDG PET-CT.

Graft infections after aortic replacement are a rare, but severe complication. Because surgical removal of the infection source is essential, an accurate diagnosis is required to prevent unnecessary treatment. Both of the patients described herein were diagnosed with graft infections using dual-modality positron emission tomography-computed tomography; one patient was a false-positive, and the other was confirmed with an infection.

Surgery for Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma: Lobectomy versus Limited Resection.

Background: Pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma is a rare thoracic tumor, and pathophysiology or clinical course of this tumor is not yet fully described. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the standard operative procedure for this tumor.

Material And Methods: Medical records of thirty-two patients, who underwent surgical resection of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma from 1996 to 2007, were retrospectively reviewed.