Retrieving a lost needle in the descending aorta during hemi-arch replacement.

A 73-year-old man diagnosed with moderate aortic insufficiency and dilatation of the aortic root and ascending aorta underwent a modified Bentall procedure and hemi-arch aortic replacement. During open distal anastomosis of the ascending aorta, the surgical needle was lost. Because of circulatory arrest, the operation was continued; before closing the chest, radiography and a transesophageal echo were located in the needle in the descending aorta.

[Total Arch Replacement with Frozen Elephant Trunk for Treatment of Traumatic Aortic Injury with Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection].

An 83-year-old woman was injured in a traffic accident. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed aortic injury on the isthmus, Stanford type A aortic dissection and intracranial hemorrhage. Neurological deficit was not noted.

A Case of Ruptured Immunoglobulin G4-Related Periaortitis.

An 80-year-old man had high serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) concentration and fibrous thickening of the soft tissue mass surrounding the region from the abdominal aorta to the bilateral iliac arteries, suggestive of IgG4-related periaortitis. He presented to our emergency department with sudden-onset abdominal pain and lumbago. Computed tomography revealed a ruptured abdominal aorta.

[Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting complicated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis;Report of a Case].

The patient was 72-year-old man, who had old myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was complicated with congestive heart failure, and multi-vessel coronary artery disease and moderate aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation were diagnosed. We performed coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) and aortic valve replacement.

[Cardiac Surgery in Two Patients with Parkinson's Disease who were Using Deep Brain Stimulation Devices].

For the treatment of Parkinson's disease, deep brain stimulation( DBS) devices are implanted for the control of motor symptoms including tremor. We performed cardiac surgery in 2 patients with Parkinson's disease who were using DBS devices. Coronary artery bypass was performed in one patient, and closure of ventricular septal perforation after acute myocardial infarction was performed in the other.

Reverse graft placement in the Florida sleeve procedure for aortic root aneurysm.

Since August 2009, 22 patients with aortic root aneurysm have been successfully operated on with our new aortic remodeling technique as follows: after placement of the Gelweave (Vascutek, Ltd., Inchinnan, UK) Valsalva vascular graft in the reverse manner to the Florida sleeve procedure, the aortic annulus was fixed with the collar of this prosthesis at the level of the basal ring and the aortic root was wrapped with the prosthesis. Furthermore, the aortic valve commissures were resuspended.

A giant neuroendocrine tumor of the thymus gland causing superior vena cava syndrome.

We describe the case of a 37-year-old man with a rare giant thymic neuroendocrine tumor. The patient presented with a swelling of the neck associated with superior vena cava syndrome and underwent stent implantation in the right innominate vein (brachiocephalic vein). Computed tomography imaging revealed a large tumor of the mediastinum, measuring 15 × 10 × 12 cm.

Cardiac surgery for carcinoid heart disease in 12 cases.

Purpose: Cardiac involvement is now a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with carcinoid tumors. We reviewed patients with carcinoid heart disease who underwent valvular surgery in our center.

Methods: Twelve patients with carcinoid heart diseases underwent cardiac surgery between 2000 and 2008.

Surgical experience with right ventricular tumors in 17 patients.

Purpose: Resection of cardiac tumors in the right ventricle sometimes requires valve plasty or replacement. We retrospectively studied surgical treatment for right ventricular tumors.

Methods: The study cohort consists of 210 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment for a cardiac tumor in our hospital between January 1990 and December 2008.

Giant aneurysm of the right coronary artery and fistula to the coronary sinus.

We describe the case of a 67-year-old man with a rare combination of a giant coronary artery aneurysm with a fistula draining into the coronary sinus. The patient presented with a sensation of retrosternal pressure. He was examined by coronary angiography, which revealed a large aneurysm of the right coronary artery (RCA) with a fistula.

Surgical treatment for epicardial metastasis of myxoid liposarcoma involving atrioventricular sulcus.

We report the case of a 52-year-old man who presented with a cardiac metastasis of myxoid liposarcoma invading the atrioventricular sulcus. The tumor was arising from the anterior wall of the right atrium and basal right ventricle. After complete resection of the tumor (14 x 7.

Explantation of INCOR left ventricular assist device after myocardial recovery.

Objectives: Myocardial recovery in patients supported by the INCOR left ventricular assist device (LVAD; Berlin Heart GmbH, Berlin, Germany) is seen in 5% of patients on this device worldwide. We describe improved surgical techniques for INCOR LVAD explantation.

Methods: The outcome of INCOR LVAD implantation at our center and the operative techniques of device explantation were studied.

Remodeling of aortic root by annular reconstruction and plication of sinuses of Valsalva.

We describe a successful new surgical technique for aortic root aneurysm, combined aortic valve repair by annular stabilization and externally reinforced reduction aortoplasty. The aortic valve annulus is defined in size at the level of the basal ring using a prosthetic ring made of the collar of a Gelweave Valsalva vascular graft. Dilated sinuses of Valsalva are plicated from outside the aorta.

Contrast magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of periaortic bronchogenic cyst.

A 39-year-old woman who had suffered from intermittent left back pain for 7 months was diagnosed as having a tumor in the posterior mediastinum to the left of the seventh thoracic vertebra. It was attached to the descending aorta and to a rib. Preoperative contrast magnetic resonance imaging strongly suggested that the tumor was a cystic lesion.

Combination of a Hetzer operation and a Sebening stitch for Ebstein's anomaly.

Objective: In order to improve the function of the anterior leaflet as a monocusp valve in tricuspid valve repair for Ebstein's anomaly, a single-stitch technique after Sebening, creating a hinge point of the anterior leaflet on the ventricular septum on the opposite side, was newly incorporated into the Hetzer operation (either posterior annulorrhaphy or the double-orifice technique). We describe the operative technique of the modified operation and present the initial results.

Methods: Eleven patients who underwent the modified operation were involved in the study.