Surgical explantation of an infected Lotus Edge valve: a case report.

Background: With the rapid expansion of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), TAVR valve explantation is also increasing. Nevertheless, previous reports on Lotus Edge valve explantation are limited to only two reports, none of which include intraoperative videos. Therefore, we report the case of an older adult who underwent a 2-year-old Lotus Edge valve explantation, after developing prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) and aortic annular abscess, with a strong indication for a TAVR explantation and surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Detection of Gram-Ghost Bacilli and Additional Ziehl-Neelsen Stain for the Early Diagnosis of Driveline Infection: A Case Report.

Background: Driveline infections (DLI) caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in patients with implantable left ventricular assist devices (iLVAD) are rare but fatal, requiring early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Herein, we present a rare case of DLI caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, which was promptly diagnosed using Gram stain and Ziehl-Neelsen stain and followed a favorable clinical course.

Case Presentation: A 51-year-old man with an iLVAD complicated by DLI was admitted to our center.

Peri-procedural outcome according to VARC-3 criteria and hemodynamic mid-term follow-up after Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement for failed aortic bioprosthesis.

Despite the widespread adoption of valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV-TAVR) for patients with failed aortic bioprosthesis, the effectiveness of this treatment for Japanese patients frequently associated with small aortic annuli remains unclear. From December-2011 to October-2022, 41 consecutive patients undergoing VIV-TAVR were enrolled in this study. The endpoints were technical success, device success, early safety, and two-year mortality according to implanted surgical valve size (small valves: 19-mm and 21-mm, n = 23; large valves: 23-mm and 25-mm, n = 18).

Optimizing ring selection for secondary tricuspid regurgitation: the role of body size.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate whether a larger prosthetic ring relative to a patient's body surface area (BSA) is associated with an increased risk of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) recurrence after tricuspid annuloplasty and of adverse effects on long-term outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 239 patients who underwent tricuspid ring annuloplasty and mitral valve surgery between 2011 and 2016. The tricuspid annuloplasty ring index (TARI) was calculated by dividing the size of the annuloplasty ring (mm) by the BSA (m2).

BK polyomavirus nephropathy after heart transplantation: A case report.

Unlabelled: We present a case of BK polyomavirus (BKV) nephropathy (BKVN) after heart transplantation (HTx). The patient was a male with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who received HTx at the age of 56 years [serum creatinine (sCre) at the time of HTx: 0.89 mg/dl].

Case series: successful salvage from refractory cardiogenic shock caused by COVID-19-associated myocardial injury with temporary ventricular assist devices.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly known to cause respiratory injury; however, the present case series highlights four instances in which the infection resulted in significant cardiac complications. Among such cases, some represent severe cardiogenic shock, which necessitates the immediate introduction of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) for salvage.

Case Summary: This case series involved patients with COVID-19-associated myocardial injury leading to fulminant cardiogenic shock.

Impact of Dietary Vitamin K Intake on Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Device During the 2018 Osaka Earthquake.

The 2018 Osaka earthquake caused severe damage to the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, and the interruption to the delivery of hospital food in particular had a significant effect on patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). We retrospectively assessed 10 patients who had been provided with emergency rations on the day of earthquake and the next day for breakfast. Catered foods were provided thereafter.

Efficacy and Safety of Edoxaban in Anticoagulant Therapy Early After Surgical Bioprosthetic Valve Replacement: Rationale and Design of the ENBALV Trial.

Background And Purpose: Anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists is recommended within 3 to 6 months after bioprosthetic valve replacement to prevent thromboembolic events. However, data regarding whether direct oral anticoagulants can be an alternative to warfarin in such patients are limited. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of edoxaban versus warfarin within 3 months after bioprosthetic valve replacement.

Predictors of late outcomes after concomitant tricuspid valve repair with left-sided valve surgery.

Background: Concomitant tricuspid valve (TV) repair is a safe and effective procedure to protect against late moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after left-sided valve surgery, but studies regarding its late outcomes and recurrent TR are limited. This study aimed to reveal the late outcomes and explore the predictors of mortality and recurrent TR among patients who underwent concomitant TV repair with left-sided valve surgery.

Methods And Results: This study included 645 patients (mean age, 69.

Successful Implantation of Rapid Deployment Aortic Valve after TAVR Explantation.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become widely used in recent years, However, there is also an increasing need for removal of TAVR valves due to prosthetic valve dysfunction (PVD) and the development of infective endocarditis. Surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) for these patients is risky due to the original patient background and anatomic conditions. Intuity rapid deployment aortic valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) replacement would be useful for such high risk patients to prevent longer cardiac arrest time and obtain good hemodynamic results.

Anterolateral papillary muscle suction causing low flow in a COVID-19 patient without medical history: a case report of central extracorporeal life support with left ventricular apex decompression.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) decompression is an essential strategy for improving early survival in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. Low pump flow in patients on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) with LV apex decompression is a life-threatening issue. However, identifying the underlying causes of low flow can be challenging.

Management of aortic valve insufficiency in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device: a republication of the review published in Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs.

Since 2011, implantable ventricular assist devices have been a standard treatment for severe heart failure alongside heart transplantation in Japan. However, the limited availability of donors has led to a prolonged wait for transplants, now averaging 1719 days, intensifying the issue of aortic insufficiency in patients with continuous flow ventricular assist devices. These devices limit the opening of the aortic valve, leading to sustained closure and increased shear stress, which accelerates valve degradation.

Mitral valve early systolic billowing induces following annular expansion and leaflet augmentation in Barlow's disease: sequential analysis using 3D echocardiography.

Aims: Although systolic expansion of the annulus has been recognized in Barlow's disease, the mechanisms of the unique pathological movement of the annulus and its relation to the leaflet augmentation have not yet been clarified. We aimed to investigate the detailed mechanisms of the characteristic mitral apparatus dynamics in Barlow's disease by frame-by-frame sequential geometric analysis using real-time 3D transoesophageal echocardiography.

Methods And Results: Fifty-three patients with Barlow's disease and severe mitral regurgitation without torn chordae, as well as 10 controls, were included.

Association between intraoperative blood salvage and coagulation disorder after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: This study investigated whether intraoperative blood salvage was associated with coagulation disorder diagnosed by conventional coagulation tests and thromboelastography (TEG) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Study Design And Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. Ninety-two patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery with CPB were enrolled.

The outcomes of a standardized protocol for extracorporeal mechanical circulatory support selection-left ventricular challenge protocol.

There are no criteria for surgical mechanical circulatory system (MCS) selection for acute heart failure. Since 2021, we have utilized cardiopulmonary bypass system to assess patients' heart and lung condition to inform surgical MCS selection. we aimed to retrospectively analyze the outcomes of treatments administered using our protocol.