Trifecta versus Perimount Magna Ease aortic valves: Failure mechanisms.

Background: There are increasing reports of early externally mounted pericardial Trifecta bioprosthesis failure. We compared the hemodynamic performance of Trifecta and Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Magna Ease valves to determine the failure mechanism.

Methods: We retrospectively included 270 consecutive patients (age: 73.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement failure: a case report of the bicuspid aortic valve type 0 with a single coronary artery.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is the treatment of choice for aortic stenosis. However, its safety and efficacy in patients with the bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) remain controversial. Especially, whether the BAV phenotype affects outcomes following TAVR remains debated.

Overexpression of PD-1 on T cells promotes tolerance in cardiac transplantation via ICOS-dependent mechanisms.

The programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway is a potent inhibitory pathway involved in immune regulation and is a potential therapeutic target in transplantation. In this study, we show that overexpression of PD-1 on T cells (PD-1 Tg) promotes allograft tolerance in a fully MHC-mismatched cardiac transplant model when combined with costimulation blockade with CTLA-4-Ig. PD-1 overexpression on T cells also protected against chronic rejection in a single MHC II-mismatched cardiac transplant model, whereas the overexpression still allowed the generation of an effective immune response against an influenza A virus.

[Resection of a Myxoma Orginating from the Coumadin Ridge with Superior Transseptal Approach:Report of a Case].

A 70-year-old man with a history of lacunar stroke about a year before was incidentally found to have primary cardiac tumor during the work up for orthopedic surgery. It uniquely originated from the coumadin ridge between the left upper pulmonary vein and the left atrial appendage. He underwent tumor resection under cardiopulmonary bypass with superior transseptal approach.

Antiatherosclerotic Phenotype of Perivascular Adipose Tissue Surrounding the Saphenous Vein in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is associated with metabolically driven chronic inflammation called metaflammation, which contributes to vascular function and the pathogenesis of vascular disease. The saphenous vein (SV) is commonly used as an essential conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting, but the long-term patency of SV grafts is a crucial issue. The use of the novel "no-touch" technique of SV harvesting together with its surrounding tissue has been reported to result in good long‑term graft patency of SV grafts.

Notch-1 Inhibition Promotes Immune Regulation in Transplantation Via Regulatory T Cell-Dependent Mechanisms.

Background: Transplantation is the treatment of choice for many patients with end-stage organ disease. Despite advances in immunosuppression, long-term outcomes remain suboptimal, hampered by drug toxicity and immune-mediated injury, the leading cause of late graft loss. The development of therapies that promote regulation while suppressing effector immunity is imperative to improve graft survival and minimize conventional immunosuppression.

[Surgical Treatment of Acute Infective Endocarditis after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement].

Infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a rare complication, but has a high mortality. An 86-year-old female with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis underwent TAVR at our hospital and she was discharged without complication after 10 days. She was readmitted with high fever and acute heart failure 1 month later.

Ischemia augments alloimmune injury through IL-6-driven CD4 alloreactivity.

Ischemia reperfusion injuries (IRI) are unavoidable in solid organ transplantation. IRI augments alloimmunity but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Herein, we examined the effect of IRI on antigen specific alloimmunity.

Regulation of T cell alloimmunity by PI3Kγ and PI3Kδ.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K) γ and δ are preferentially enriched in leukocytes, and defects in these signaling pathways have been shown to impair T cell activation. The effects of PI3Kγ and PI3Kδ on alloimmunity remain underexplored. Here, we show that both PI3Kγ and PI3Kδ mice receiving heart allografts have suppression of alloreactive T effector cells and delayed acute rejection.

Targeted Delivery of Immunomodulators to Lymph Nodes.

Active-targeted delivery to lymph nodes represents a major advance toward more effective treatment of immune-mediated disease. The MECA79 antibody recognizes peripheral node addressin molecules expressed by high endothelial venules of lymph nodes. By mimicking lymphocyte trafficking to the lymph nodes, we have engineered MECA79-coated microparticles containing an immunosuppressive medication, tacrolimus.

Salt Accelerates Allograft Rejection through Serum- and Glucocorticoid-Regulated Kinase-1-Dependent Inhibition of Regulatory T Cells.

A high-salt diet (HSD) in humans is linked to a number of complications, including hypertension and cardiovascular events. Whether a HSD affects the immune response in transplantation is unknown. Using a murine transplantation model, we investigated the effect of NaCl on the alloimmune response in vitro and in vivo.

[Examination of the postoperative change of pedicled pericardial fat pad for reinforcement of bronchial sutures by computed tomography].

A pedicled pericardial fat pad (PPFP) is often used in pulmonary resection to reinforce bronchial sutures. Here, we assessed the significance of PPFP by serial chest computed tomography (CT). Ten cases in which bronchial stump were covered with a PPFP in the past 6 years were reviewed.

Serine protease inhibitor 6 plays a critical role in protecting murine granzyme B-producing regulatory T cells.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in the maintenance of immune tolerance and hold great promise as cell therapy for a variety of immune-mediated diseases. However, the cellular mechanisms that regulate Treg maintenance and homeostasis have yet to be fully explored. Although Tregs express granzyme-B (GrB) to suppress effector T cells via direct killing, the mechanisms by which they protect themselves from GrB-mediated self-inflicted damage are unknown.

[Treatment of infected aortic arch aneurysm by in situ total arch replacement with omental wrapping; report of a case].

We report a rare case of infected aortic arch aneurysm. 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for persistent high fever and blood culture demonstrated Streptococcus milleri group. Computed tomography revealed an aortic aneurysm.