Bioprosthetic Valve Deterioration: Accumulation of Circulating Proteins and Macrophages in the Valve Interstitium.

Histologic evaluations revealed excessive accumulations of macrophages and absence of fibroblastic interstitial cells in explanted bioprosthetic valves. Comprehensive gene and protein expression analysis and histology unveiled an accumulation of fibrinogen and plasminogen, an activator of infiltrated macrophages, from degenerated valve surfaces in the interstitial spaces. These pathologies were completely reproduced in a goat model replaced with an autologous pericardium-derived aortic valve.

Unique Angiogenesis From Cardiac Arterioles During Pericardial Adhesion Formation.

Objectives: The molecular mechanisms underlying post-operative pericardial adhesions remain poorly understood. We aimed to unveil the temporal molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tissue dynamics during adhesion formation, including inflammation, angiogenesis, and fibrosis.

Methods And Results: We visualized cell-based tissue dynamics during pericardial adhesion using histological evaluations.

Hypoxic Culture Maintains Cell Growth of the Primary Human Valve Interstitial Cells with Stemness.

The characterization of aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs) cultured under optimal conditions is essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying aortic valve stenosis. Here, we propose 2% hypoxia as an optimum VIC culture condition. Leaflets harvested from patients with aortic valve regurgitation were digested using collagenase and VICs were cultured under the 2% hypoxic condition.

Usefulness of contrast computed tomography for diagnosing left ventricular thrombus before impella insertion.

The Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA) is a novel percutaneous heart pump device for left ventricular (LV) assistance; however, LV thrombus is a notable contraindication for this device. Contrast computed tomography assessment is useful for detecting LV thrombus and preventing thromboembolism in patients recommended for Impella use. < The Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA) is a heart pump device which aspirates blood from a left ventricular (LV) cavity and ejects it into an ascending aorta.

A case report of thrombotic complete obstruction of the ascending aorta as a complication of Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: steps to prevent thrombosis.

Background: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is an essential device in the field of emergency and intensive-care medicine. However, long-term use of VA-ECMO has various severe complications, including thrombosis.

Case Presentation: A 60-year-old man underwent his third aortic root replacement using a homograft because of infectious endocarditis.

Refractory ventricular fibrillations after surgical repair of atrial septal defects in a patient with CACNA1C gene mutation - case report.

Background: Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) can cause ventricular arrhythmic events with syncope and sudden death resulting from malignant torsades de pointes (TdP) followed by ventricular fibrillations (VFs). However, the syndrome is often overlooked prior to the development of arrhythmic events in patients with congenital heart diseases demonstrating right bundle branch block on electrocardiogram (ECG). We present a case of an adult patient with congenital heart disease who developed VFs postoperatively, potentially due to his mutation in a LQTS related gene, which was not identified on preoperative assessment due to incomplete evaluation of his family history.

Aortopulmonary collateral arteries: a rare complication after arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries.

Collateral vascular arteries from the descending aorta to the pulmonary arteries are uncommon after arterial switch operation. Here, we report the case of a baby girl treated with coil embolization for abnormal blood flow from the descending aorta to the pulmonary arteries after arterial switch operation. A baby girl weighing 1324 g was delivered at 32 weeks 4 days of gestation, and she had D-transposition of the great arteries and a ventricular septal defect.