A case of aortoenteric fistula following abdominal aortic reconstruction.

We report the case of a 64-year-old male patient with graft-enteric fistula. This complication might have been induced by sigmoid colonic ischemia resulting from injury to the mesocolon during abdominal aortic reconstruction. Although sigmoid colonic exteriorization was performed to avoid simultaneous colonic resection, graft-enteric fistula could not be prevented.

Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma following a uterine leiomyosarcoma: double primary sarcomas.

Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma is rare. A dismal prognosis is usually given due to its high propensity for distant metastases, with survival rarely exceeding 2 years. We report a case that was initially considered to be a cardiac metastatic tumor from a primary uterine leiomyosarcoma, but after morphological and immunohistochemical examinations was shown to be a primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma.

Postoperative mediastinitis following hemiarch replacement: successful treatment using omental flap transposition.

Although various strategies have been advocated for mediastinitis following cardiac operations, surgical results for this complication remain a significant concern. The condition would be more complicated with replacement of the ascending aorta using a prosthetic graft. We present the case of a 50-year-old female patient with acute aortic dissection who underwent hemiarch replacement using a prosthetic graft and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting, and developed periprosthetic purulent collection 2 months later.

Pseudoaneurysm of the brachiocephalic artery.

Pseudoaneurym of the brachiocephalic artery is uncommon. A 62-year-old male patient with a mediastinal tumor underwent tumor resection at the Department of Thoracic Surgery in our hospital. Urgent transverse aorta-right common carotid artery bypass with an 8-mm prosthetic graft was performed intraoperatively, due to uncontrolled bleeding from the brachiocephalic artery where severe adhesion between the anterolateral aspect of the brachiocephalic artery and the tumor was encountered.

Asymptomatic cor triatriatum incidentally revealed in an elderly patient with mitral stenosis.

A case of mitral stenosis accompanied by asymptomatic cor triatriatum, underwent surgical correction, including excision of the diaphragm in the left atrium and mitral valve replacement with a 27 mm St. Jude Medical mechanical valve. A preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram disclosed a linear structure in the left atrium which was suspicious for cor triatriatum, which was confirmed by computed tomography (CT scan) and cardiac catheterization.