Prevention of venous thromboembolism in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

Venous thromboembolism is the most preventable illness among patients in hospital. We prepared guidelines for the prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism, based on previous experience of perioperative risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of these guidelines.

Benefits of a beta-blocker for intractable hemolysis due to paraprosthetic leakage.

We describe a 58-year-old man who was successfully treated with a beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent for intractable hemolysis due to paraprosthetic leakage. After replacement of a mitral prosthetic valve with another mechanical valve, the patient suffered intractable intravascular hemolysis resulting from recurrent paraprosthetic leakage. With oral administration of a beta-adrenergic receptor blocker, betaxolol hydrochloride, for 3 months, the hemoglobin value increased from 9.

Spontaneous rupture of the dorsalis pedis artery: report of a case.

A 52-year-old man underwent the repair of a spontaneous rupture of the dorsalis pedis artery. We considered that untreated hypertension was one possible cause of the rupture. This is a rare case of spontaneous rupture in a peripheral artery.

Strategy for isolated iliac artery aneurysms.

We retrospectively reviewed 41 patients with isolated iliac artery aneurysms presenting over a 21-year period. The mean age was 72 years. Mean aneurysmal diameter was 6.

A shorter skin incision technique for the repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Purpose: We evaluated the effectiveness of a shorter skin incision technique for the treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether or not the difference in the length of the skin incision contributed to an early recovery after the operation.

Methods: Between October 2001 and December 2004, we performed 105 elective repairs for AAA.

Late re-operation for aortic and mitral Starr-Edwards ball valve prostheses.

Starr-Edwards ball valves removed more than 15 years after implantation were retrospectively investigated macroscopically. Eight patients required re-operation. Valve models used in the initial operations were a non-cloth-covered valve in 2 patients and a cloth-covered valve in 6.

Coronary artery fistula from the left circumflex to the coronary sinus.

A 27-year-old woman, who had received mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation resulting from infective endocarditis, was admitted for a close examination of abnormal echocardiographic findings in the left atrium. Transthoracic echocardiography showed trivial mitral regurgitation with normal left ventricular contraction and dilatation of the coronary sinus. Auscultation revealed a grade 2 continuous murmur along the left sternal border.