Body mass index as a tool for optimizing surgical care in coronary artery bypass grafting through understanding risks of specific complications.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and early outcomes, and specific types of morbidities associated with low and high BMI, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: This was a retrospective study on isolated coronary artery bypass grafting patients (aged ≥60 years) between 2008 and 2017 in the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database. The primary end point was defined as operative mortality.

Acute type B aortic dissection with communicating vs. non-communicating false lumen.

Background: In practice, patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD) are generally divided into 2 groups according to the status of the false lumen: non-communicating or communicating. The similarities and differences between the 2 groups, however, have not been fully determined in a large population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 502 patients with Stanford type B AAD.

Novel infectious agent-free hemostatic material (TDM-621) in cardiovascular surgery.

Subjects: Currently, hemostatic materials made from human blood components and animal-derived collagen is used for controlling operative hemorrhage in the cardiovascular surgery field. In this study, we focused on an entirely synthetic self-assembling peptide (development code: TDM-621) that gels when in contact with blood or other bodily fluids and stops bleeding upon contact with a wound site. We investigated its usefulness as a hemostatic material in animal and clinical studies.

Bidirectional Glenn procedure for an infected modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.

A 1-month-old girl underwent right modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (mBTS) for pulmonary atresia with hypoplastic right ventricle. Five months after palliation, she suffered from sepsis and progressive desaturation following otitis media. Computed tomography and angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm surrounding the mBTS graft.

Antibiotics and Drainage for Treating Stent-Graft Infection after EVAR.

The patient was a 64-year-old man. He developed fever and lumbago 6 months after the EVAR. Because CT showed an abscess in the aortic aneurysm surrounding the stent graft, stent-graft infection was diagnosed, and treatment with intravenous antibiotics was initiated.

Fontan conversion with novel direct ablation after childbirth: report of a case.

A 38-year-old woman underwent atriopulmonary Fontan surgery at age 18 years and subsequently successfully delivered a girl by cesarean section at age 34. Her condition later deteriorated due to atrial tachyarrhythmia and progressed to New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV heart failure. Her treatment, at age 36, comprised total cavopulmonary connection conversion, direct right atrial ablation with bipolar radiofrequency devices, the creation of an atrial septal defect, and placement of a dual-chamber permanent pacemaker.

Optimal culture conditions for constructing durable biografts for repairing the impaired heart--dynamic cell culture with pre-seeding.

Background: Tissue engineering with cell seeded biodegradable material has attracted attention as a novel means of treating the severely impaired heart. Here, we consider optimal preparation of a durable biograft using dynamic and static cultures.

Methods: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) derived from the rat aorta were seeded onto biodegradable material P (LA/CL) (poly-L-lactide-ε-caprolactone copolymer) and cultured as follows: a) Static culture (n = 11), b) dynamic culture (n = 12), c) 0 h pre-seeding (n = 12), d) 24 h pre-seeding (n = 5) and e) 1 week pre-seeding (n = 12).

Stent graft implantation combined with coil embolization and external-internal iliac artery bypass surgery: report of a case.

A 73-year-old male patient was found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated with bilateral common iliac artery aneurysms. He also had hepatitis C, chronic liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class B), a rupture of esophageal varices, hepatocellular carcinoma, and intractable ascites. The functions of other systemic organs were also impaired.

Redo CABG for ACS via the left thoracotomy using the PAS-port system to the descending thoracic aorta: a case report.

A 74-year-old female patient with left main trunk (LMT) and triple vessel disease underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The patient began to experience exertional dyspnea. A coronary artery angiogram confirmed a severe stenosis in the proximal side of the saphenous vein graft (SVG).

Effect of cryopreservation on cell proliferation and immunogenicity of transplanted human heart cells.

Background: Cell preservation is essential for successful cell transplantation and/or tissue engineering. We examined the effects of cryopreservation on the transplantation of human heart cells.

Methods: Cells isolated from human atrial tissues were cultured for 15 days (control group), cryopreserved for 1 week, and rapidly thawed and cultured for 15 days.

[Surgical repair of a total-defect aortopulmonary window in a neonate].

Aortopulmonary window (APW) is a rare congenital heart defect that requires urgent repair, as it can lead to rapid development of pulmonary hypertension. A 6-day-old boy with a total-defect APW was transferred to our hospital and underwent definitive repair on the 15th day after birth. The ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk were divided to create a larger tissue margin on the aortic side for the next seam.

Successful surgical repair of an infectious thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm accompanied by aortobronchopulmonary fistula and advanced hepatic dysfunction without assisted circulation.

The patient was a 59-year-old female. Because of massive hemoptysis, she was brought to our emergency center by ambulance. Thoracic computed tomography led to a diagnosis of an infectious thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm accompanied by an aortobronchopulmonary fistula.

Study of coronary artery bypass using the PAS-Port device: assessment by multidetector computed tomography.

Objective: The use of automatic anastomotic devices in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is associated with lower patency rates in comparison to conventional anastomosis methods. This is thought to be caused by graft curvature occurring after closing of the chest wall.

Methods: We evaluated 39 grafts in 28 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery using the PAS-Port.

Perception in relation to a potential influenza pandemic among healthcare workers in Japan: implications for preparedness.

Due to the potential for an influenza pandemic, preparedness for infection control in healthcare settings is essential from the standpoint of occupational health for healthcare workers. We conducted questionnaire surveys among Japanese hospitals to assess preparedness at the individual and institutional levels and their inter-relationship. Questionnaires were administered at 7 tertiary hospitals in Japan during the spring of 2006.

[Effects on proliferation ability of vascular smooth muscle cells by static and/or dynamic cell culture: utility of pre-seeding technique for dynamic cell culture].

Objectives: Conventional biomaterials are not viable, do not grow, and do not provide contractile effects in cardiac tissue. Foreign synthetic material may become thrombogenic or infected. The most recent cardiac constructs consist of biodegradable material which has the potential to solve these problems.

Usefulness of perioperative blood glucose control in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: We investigated the usefulness of perioperative blood glucose control in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: DM patients were aggressively treated with intensive insulin therapy to achieve a preoperative fasting blood glucose level of 140 mg/dl and a postoperative level of 200 mg/dl. For comparison, patients were divided as follows: (1) DM group vs.

The variations in the immunologic features and interleukin-6 levels for the surgical treatment of cardiac myxomas.

Purpose: In this study, we propose the existence of a relationship between cardiac myxomas and the immunologic features or interleukin-6 (IL-6), while also considering the optimal treatment of cardiac myxoma, especially "familial myxoma."

Methods: In a 19-year period at our hospital, 20 patients underwent 21 operations for cardiac myxomas. The immunologic features and the IL-6 levels were measured pre-operatively in 13 cases and post-operatively in 10 cases.

Evaluation of bioprosthetic valve for small aortic root in elderly patients.

The hemodynamics of stentless bioprostheses are superior to those of mechanical valves, especially for patients with a small aortic root. Between March 1999 and July 2001, we implanted 18 Freestyle stentless porcine valves using our technique of repeated division of the space by halving the distance. Seven patients received 19-21-mm valves and 11 received 23-25-mm valves.

Limitations of retrograde continuous tepid blood cardioplegia for myocardial remodeling.

Objective: We assessed potential limitations of retrograde continuous tepid blood cardioplegia (RCTBC) for myocardial remodeling, represented by hypertrophied and/or dilated myocardium in patients with severe cardiomyopathy following single aortic valve replacement.

Methods: The study was conducted on 91 patients who underwent initial single aortic valve replacement with tepid cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and RCTBC. Based on the postoperative maximum creatine phosphokinase (max CPK)-MB level, the patients were allocated to Group H (>/=100 IU/mL) with severe cardiomyopathy or Group L (<100 IU/mL) to make intergroup comparisons of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameter values.

Assessment of on-pump beating coronary artery bypass surgery performed after introduction of off-pump approach.

Objective: To clarify the position of on-pump beating coronary artery bypass (CAB) and to define preoperative indicators of intentional conversion to the procedure in the era of advancement of off-pump CAB (OPCAB), we assessed on-pump beating CAB performed after the introduction of OPCAB.

Subjects And Methods: We assessed 130 patients who underwent single CAB [117 (90%) with OPCAB and 13 (10%) with on-pump beating CAB] between August 1999 (when OPCAB was selected as the first-line surgical procedure) and December 2004.

Results: No significant differences were seen between the groups in the number of coronary lesions or the prevalence of left main trunk (LMT) lesion.

A case report of emergency off-pump CABG in an aged patient with ACS renewing ventricular fibrillation.

An emergency off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) was performed successfully in an aged patient with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The patient, an 80-year-old woman residing in a nursing home, suddenly lost consciousness during lunch. The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed ventricular fibrillation (Vf) but defibrillation successfully recovered the sinus rhythm.

[Cryopreserved human heart cell transplantation--effect of cryopreservation on cell proliferation and immunogenicity].

Unlabelled: We studied the possibility that cryopreserved human heart cells could be transplanted with some advantage.

Method: Cells derived human atrial tissues (control group (n = 13)), cryopreserved cells (cell-cryopreservation group (n = 23), and cells derived cryopreserved tissue (tissue-cryopreservation group (n = 29)) were cultured for 15 days. The cell proliferation was compared between control and cryopreservation group by growth curves.

Defibrillation effects of intravenous nifekalant in patients with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation.

Nifekalant (NF), a pure K(+) channel blocker developed in Japan, has been reported to be effective in the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. We studied its efficacy in 18 men and 4 women with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) admitted to our emergency department between August 2001 and March 2004. The number of DC shocks delivered for out-of-hospital VF, serum Na(+) and K(+), arterial blood pH, and base excess were compared in 8 patients treated with NF, 0.