Direct imaging of tunable photonic nanojets from a self-assembled liquid crystal microdroplet.

We report the direct experimental observation of electrically tunable photonic nanojets (PNJs) generated from self-assembled liquid crystal (LC) microdroplets formed by dispersing nematic LCs in polymer matrix. Optical measurements were performed with a home-built laser-scanning confocal microscope system. PNJs with subwavelength beam waists were successfully obtained from LC microdroplets of 5 μm diameter, similar to those from SiO microspheres of the same size.

Severe aortic valve regurgitation due to Takayasu's aortoarteritis in a child.

An 8-year-old Japanese boy with severe aortic valve regurgitation was treated by the Ross procedure with use of the full root technique. Takayasu's aortoarteritis was diagnosed 2 months after the operation. At 8 months after the operation, follow-up echocardiography revealed an aortic root pseudoaneurysm, which was surgically repaired.

Persistent truncus arteriosus with double aortic arch and mitral stenosis.

This report describes a case involving the rare combination of persistent truncus arteriosus type A2, double aortic arch, and mitral stenosis. At the age of 26 days, the patient underwent division of the right-sided aortic arch with tracheal compression and bilateral pulmonary banding. Fontan completion was successfully achieved after separation of the pulmonary artery from the arterial trunk, atrial septostomy, and modified Blalock-Taussig shunt at the age of 7 months and bilateral bidirectional Glenn anastomosis at the age of 1 year and 3 months.

Open stent-grafting for adult patent ductus arteriosus with a distal aortic arch aneurysm.

Closure of adult patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is difficult for its variation. We report a case of open stent-grafting for a 67-year-old woman who had PDA and a concomitant distal aortic arch aneurysm. The pulmonary/systemic flow ratio was 1.

A neonate of coronary artery fistula from left circumflex to coronary sinus.

The patient was a neonate with a large coronary artery fistula (CAF) between the left circumflex artery and coronary sinus in whom an intractable progressive heart failure with myocardial ischemia developed within 24 h after birth. He survived the surgical intervention and is doing well. This is the first report of coronary fistula presenting with cardiogenic shock on the first day of life.