Administration of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages suppresses progression of angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm in mice.

Aortic aneurysm (AA) is a vascular disorder characterized pathologically by inflammatory cell invasion and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. It is known that regulation of the balance between pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages (M1Ms) and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages (M2Ms) plays a pivotal role in AA stabilization. We investigated the effects of M2M administration in an apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE) mouse model in which AA was induced by angiotensin II (ATII) infusion.

Albuminuria Predicts Short-Term Worsening Renal Function After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Albuminuria is a major risk factor of cardiovascular events, however, the impact of albuminuria on clinical outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not been fully investigated. This retrospective study included 206 patients who underwent TAVR for severe aortic stenosis. Patients were divided into two groups according to the preoperative urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR): high (ACR ≥ 30 mg/g) and low (ACR < 30 mg/g).

[Mitral and Aortic Valve Replacement and Tricuspid Valve Repair in a Patient with Metal Allergy].

We report a 63-year-old woman came to our hospital with exertional dyspnea, palpitations, and abdominal distention. Echocardiography showed mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valve insufficiency, for which surgery was indicated. Twenty-six years ago, during dental therapy, she was diagnosed with metal allergy.

Use of a cutting stapler to excise a left atrial appendage in minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Purpose: A cutting stapler is a well-established instrument in many surgical fields. However, its efficacy and safety have not been proven yet in resecting a left atrial appendage (LAA) in minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS).

Methods: A cutting stapler was used to resect the LAA in 98 consecutive patients who underwent MICS.

[Totally Endoscopic Aortic Valve Replacement Using the Three-dimensional Endoscope].

Totally endoscopic aortic valve replacement (TE-AVR) is still challenging, and few series report exist even today. In 2015, we started to use three-dimensional (3D) endoscope and we also introduced TE-AVR. Patient is placed in the partial left lateral position.

Totally endoscopic aortic valve replacement via an anterolateral approach using a standard prosthesis.

Objectives: Totally endoscopic aortic valve replacement (AVR) is still a challenging operation, and only a few series reports exist in the literature. The purposes of this study were to establish a method for endoscopic AVR and evaluate its initial results.

Methods: A total of 47 patients (median age 76 years, 17 men) underwent endoscopic AVR.

Three-port totally endoscopic repair vs conventional median sternotomy for atrial septal defect.

Purposes: We assessed the validity of three-port totally endoscopic repair (3PTER) for atrial septal defect (ASD).

Methods: Between February, 2000 and November, 2017, 151 patients underwent surgery for ASD. Forty-seven patients underwent 3PTER as minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) and 104 patients underwent conventional median sternotomy (CMS).

Long-term patency of on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with bilateral internal thoracic arteries: the significance of late string sign development in the off-pump technique.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients who underwent revascularization with bilateral internal thoracic arteries (ITAs).

Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2014, 499 patients underwent isolated CABG with bilateral ITAs for complete revascularization of the left coronary system at our institution. On-pump CABG was performed in 137 patients, and off-pump CABG was performed in 362 patients.

Trans-right axillary aortic valve replacement: propensity-matched comparison with standard sternotomy approach.

Objectives: We developed trans-right axillary aortic valve replacement (TAX-AVR) as a more cosmetically superior approach to minimally invasive AVR. We herein retrospectively compared the safety and invasiveness between TAX-AVR and conventional AVR (C-AVR).

Methods: TAX-AVR was performed under femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass.

Three-port (one incision plus two-port) endoscopic mitral valve surgery without robotic assistance.

Objectives: Totally endoscopic minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is technically demanding and often performed with robotic assistance. We hypothesized that three-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) would facilitate endoscopic MIMVS and evaluated its feasibility and safety.

Methods: From October 2010 to June 2016, we performed first-time MIMVS in 250 consecutive patients (122 male), with median age of 65 years (54-73 years, 25-75 percentile).

Effect of modified proximal anastomosis of the free right internal thoracic artery: piggyback and foldback techniques.

Objectives: Few studies have reported the free right internal thoracic artery (RITA) being used in an aorto-coronary fashion. This study aimed to evaluate the free RITA with modified proximal anastomosis in an aorto-coronary fashion.

Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2012, 282 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with bilateral internal thoracic arteries for complete revascularization of the left coronary system at our institution.

Mitral valve plasty for a hammock mitral valve in an adult patient.

A 50-year old woman presented with arterial thrombosis in the right leg. Echocardiography revealed a mobile left atrial thrombus and severe mitral stenosis. She underwent a left atrial thrombectomy, the maze procedure and mitral valve plasty.

[Reoperative cardiac surgery after previous coronary artery bypass grafting].

Reoperative cardiac surgery after coronary artery bypass grafting( CABG) has been increasing. We reviewed 25 cases of reoperative cardiac surgery after CABG. Re-CABG was not included in this study.

Seamless reconstruction of mitral leaflet and chordae with one piece of pericardium.

Objectives: Mitral valve repair is challenging when enough pliable mitral leaflets and chordae are not left intact because of extensive infective endocarditis or chronic sclerotic degeneration. For those cases, we developed a simple method to reconstruct defective leaflets and chordae en bloc with a piece of pericardium, and the mid-term results were evaluated.

Methods: From January 2009 to November 2013, 25 patients with the mean age of 63 (range 20-88) years underwent this operation.

[Ascending aorta replacement late after aortic valve replacement].

Replacement of the asceding aorta is indicated in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement( AVR), if the diameter of the ascending aorta is greater than 5.0 cm. If the diameter of the asceding aorta is from 4.