Thoratec HeartMate II(®) left ventricular assist device implantation in patient with patent ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

We report a case of HeartMate II(®) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as a destination therapy in a patient with a patent ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt after being suffered from subarachnoid hemorrhage. Because the patient's VP shunt was running through her right anterior chest and abdominal wall, a driveline exit site was selected in her left upper quadrant to avoid unnecessary perioperative complication in relation to the patent VP shunt tube. Tailored driveline placement was a key element of this LVAD implantation in this already sick patient with multiple comorbidities.

Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting for third-time coronary artery revascularization.

We performed a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) on two patients for third-time revascularization. The first patient was a 66-year-old woman who had patent bilateral internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts and an occluded radial artery (RA) graft anastomosed to the posterolateral (PL) branch. She underwent her third revascularization for left circumflex coronary artery reconstruction with the MIDCAB technique using the right gastroepiploic artery.

A 90-year-old woman with trachea-invading thyroid cancer requiring four-ring resection of cervical trachea because of airway stenosis.

The patient was a 90-year-old woman with chief complaints of hemoptysis and wheezing. Cervical computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a mass (2.5x2.

Robotically assisted multivessel minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting with the use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries.

This case report presents the robotically assisted multivessel minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCAB) technique using the bilateral internal thoracic arteries. A 54-year-old man with multivessel coronary artery disease was considered eligible for a robotically assisted myocardial revascularization. The bilateral internal thoracic arteries were harvested completely in a totally skeletonized fashion through three 1-2-cm-long incisions on the left thoracic wall.

Lidocaine-magnesium blood cardioplegia was equivalent to potassium blood cardioplegia in left ventricular function of canine heart.

This study evaluated the effects of lidocaine-magnesium blood cardioplegia on left ventricular function compared with potassium blood cardioplegia. Crystalloid cardioplegia which contains lidocaine has been reported but blood cardioplegia is rare. Thirteen dogs received 60 min of global ischemia under hypothermic cardioplumonary bypass (30 degrees C).

How I do it: traction of ascending aorta with starfish heart positioner during proximal saphenous vein graft anastomosis using the PAS-Port system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

The PAS-Port system allows for the rapid deployment of a clampless proximal anastomosis between a saphenous vein graft and the aorta. We have developed a simple technique of establishing traction of the ascending aorta with the Starfish heart positioner during proximal saphenous vein anastomosis using the PAS-Port system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Atherosclerotic aneurysm of the right subclavian artery: report of a case.

Subclavian artery aneurysms are uncommon. The most common causes of these aneurysms are atherosclerosis and traumatic pseudoaneurysm. We report on a case of an atherosclerotic aneurysm of the right subclavian artery.

Total Endoscopic Beating-Heart Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using A New 3D Imaging System.

Objective: : Since 1999, the authors of this study have performed total endoscopic beating-heart coronary artery bypass. They have developed a new three-dimensional (3D) endoscopic imaging system and have used it successfully in three patients.

Methods: : From January 2004, a new 3D endoscopic imaging system was used.

A case of cuff stenosis following tracheostomy responding well to T-tube stent insertion: with special reference to methods of dilating the stenosed site.

A 74-year-old man, receiving home oxygen therapy (HOT), required tracheal intubation and artificial ventilation because of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced pneumonia. Tracheostomy was additionally performed. One month later, he had recovered from pneumonia and the tracheostomy tube was withdrawn, allowing the patient to be discharged.

Efficacy of FK633, an ultra-short acting glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist on platelet preservation during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: Temporary pharmacologic inhibition of platelet function during and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (platelet anesthesia) is an attractive strategy for preserving platelets during CPB. We examined the efficacy of FK633, an ultra-short acting glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist.

Methods: The study was carried out in six mongrel dogs that received an intravenous bolus of 0.

Skeletonization of the right gastroepiploic artery using an ultrasonic scalpel.

A new method to skeletonize and harvest the right gastroepiploic artery using an ultrasonic scalpel is presented. The technique is simple and safe, and it causes less bleeding. It is possible not only to harvest the artery faster, but to obtain large spasm-free arterial conduits for coronary artery bypass grafting.