Clinical Features of Cardiac Calcified Amorphous Tumor: A Narrative Review.

A cardiac calcified amorphous tumor (CAT) is a non-neoplastic cardiac mass composed of calcified nodules surrounded by amorphous fibrous tissue in a context of degeneration and chronic inflammation. Although CAT cases are increasingly reported, its clinical manifestation remains unclear. We aimed to conduct a narrative review of CAT and identify its clinical characteristics.

Is systolic blood pressure high in patients with acute aortic dissection on first medical contact before hospital transfer?

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) cases are thought to have high blood pressure (BP) on admission; however, little data are available on BP prior to admission. The purpose of this study was to investigate systolic blood pressure (SBP) very early after symptom onset and before hospital transfer in patients with AAD to determine whether SBPs were high, and also whether SBPs were higher or lower compared with SBPs at hospital admission. We obtained results using three-year data derived from the Tokyo Acute Aortic Super Network Database.

New Treatment for Percutaneous Sites in Patients with a Ventricular Assist Device: Nihon University Crystal Violet Method.

Background: Infection of the percutaneous site of a ventricular assist device (VAD) is a challenging complication. We report our experience with crystal violet Solbase (Nihon University crystal violet method) for prevention of driveline or cannula infections in VAD patients.

Patients And Methods: The crystal violet method was used in 10 patients (prophylaxis in nine and treatment in one).

An Infected Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Caused by Helicobacter cinaedi.

We present a rare case of an infected abdominal aortic aneurysm due to Helicobacter cinaedi that was detected by blood culture. A 79-year-old man with lumbago and left lower quadrant pain was admitted for the treatment of an infected abdominal aortic aneurysm. H.

New Treatment for Infection of the NIPRO LVAD Cannula Site: Nihon University Crystal Violet Method.

Driveline and cannula site infections are still a frequent adverse event in patients with a ventricular assist device (VAD), and it is important to treat and prevent them because the spread of local infection may cause sepsis in some cases. We report our experience with a patient in whom infection of the NIPRO LVAD cannula site after implantation of an extracorporeal VAD was controlled by treatment with crystal violet Solbase (Nihon University crystal violet method).

Surgical Extirpation of Apical Left Ventricular Thrombus in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

We report a patient with takotsubo cardiomyopathy who underwent surgical resection of apical left ventricular thrombus. A 59-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital in shock with hypothermia and diabetic ketoacidosis. The electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevation, while echocardiography revealed a reduced ejection fraction with apical and midventricular akinesis.

Papillary fibroelastoma of the right ventricular free wall.

Papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign cardiac tumor that usually arises from the valvular endocardium and its development in the cardiac chambers is extremely rare. A 52-year-old woman complained of palpitations and echocardiography revealed a cardiac tumor. Resection was performed via the right ventricle and main pulmonary artery under cardiopulmonary bypass.

A persistent sciatic artery aneurysm containing a free-floating thrombus: report of a case.

A persistent sciatic artery is a rare vascular anomaly in which the sciatic artery, which involutes in the embryonic stage, persists as the blood supply to the lower limb. This vascular anomaly is often associated with aneurysm formation. A persistent sciatic artery aneurysm is a rare cause of peripheral arterial embolic disease.

Ruptured common femoral artery aneurysm or abdominal aortic aneurysm?

We encountered a patient with a large retroperitoneal hematoma due to rupture of a common femoral artery aneurysm. A 77-year-old man was transferred to our hospital with left groin pain and shock. Computed tomography demonstrated a large retroperitoneal hematoma involving the left iliofemoral segment with extravasation of contrast into the left groin from a ruptured left common femoral artery aneurysm.

Surgical repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with non-bleeding aortocaval fistula.

We present a case of an aortocaval fistula (ACF) without bleeding because a clot was covering the fistula. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed as having a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and an aortocaval fistula, by enhanced computed tomography (CT). After the aneurysm had been opened, the fistula was detected, but there was no bleeding because it was covered with clot.

[Modified infarct exclusion technique of postinfarction ventricular septal perforation].

Ventricular septal perforation is one of the most serious complications of acute myocardial infarction, and is often fatal unless treated surgically. Despite the development of various surgical techniques for repair of postinfarction ventricular septal perforation, the operative mortality remains high. We report 3 consecutive cases in which a modified infarct exclusion technique was used to repair ventricular septal rupture after anterior myocardial infraction.

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with left-sided inferior vena cava.

We present a case of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with left-sided inferior vena cava. An 82-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain and loss of consciousness. Computed tomography revealed rupture of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and a left-sided inferior vena cava.

Prognosis of patients undergoing emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection without exclusion of the intimal tear.

Objectives: To investigate the prognosis after emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection with an unknown entry site and to identify the predictors of postoperative aortic dilatation.

Methods: The subjects were 102 patients undergoing emergency surgery for acute type A dissection from July 2005 to October 2010. They were divided into group I (n = 45) undergoing aortic surgery without tear resection and group II (n = 57) undergoing resection that included the intimal tear.

Stanford type A aortic dissection with intimal intussusception.

A 51-year-old man presented with acute chest pain and loss of consciousness. Computed tomography showed no intimal flap in the ascending aorta and clear dissection involving the aortic root and arch, as well as the descending aorta. At surgery, the intimal tear was found to be circumferential and dissection extended to the proximal aortic arch with intussusception of the intimal layer.

Arrhythmia and sleep-disordered breathing in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Background: Recently, the role of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in cardiovascular disease has attracted attention. In this study, we investigated the influence of SDB on postoperative arrhythmias after cardiac surgery.

Methods And Results: In 89 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, postoperative portable monitoring for SDB and Holter electrocardiography were performed.

Intrathoracic left subclavian artery aneurysm: report of a case.

Aneurysms of the intrathoracic subclavian artery are extremely rare. A 74 year-old man was referred to our hospital with an abnormal chest X-ray film. Contrast computed tomography revealed an intrathoracic left subclavian artery aneurysm.

Low-dose atrial natriuretic peptide for chronic kidney disease in coronary surgery.

Purpose: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effectiveness of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) infusion in CKD patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Patients And Methods: We analyzed 134 consecutive cases in which CABG had been performed in our hospital from 2002 to 2005.

Results of low-dose human atrial natriuretic peptide infusion in nondialysis patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: the NU-HIT (Nihon University working group study of low-dose HANP Infusion Therapy during cardiac surgery) trial for CKD.

Objectives: The purpose of this comparative study is to prove the efficacy of the human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

Background: CKD is an important risk factor for cardiac surgery.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled study of 303 patients with CKD who underwent CABG, and were divided into a group who received carperitide infusion and another group without carperitide.

Total arch replacement and open stent graft implantation using a newly developed stent graft: report of a case.

We experienced a case in which a total arch replacement and an open stent implantation were performed for a distal aortic arch aneurysm using a newly developed stent graft (Ube CL-0201; Ube Medical, Tokyo, Japan). This novel stent graft is composed of a woven polyester graft and a nickel-titanium alloy stent, and has been under evaluation in clinical trials at four institutions in Japan, including our hospital, since 2008. The patient was weaned from the respirator on the day after surgery, and 9 months have passed since the surgery with no complications.

Continuous low-dose infusion of human atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: the NU-HIT (Nihon University working group study of low-dose Human ANP Infusion Therapy during cardiac surgery) for left ventricular dysfunction.

Objectives: Continuous low-dose infusion of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) inhibits the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and compensates for the adverse effects of CPB.

Background: We examined the influence of hANP infusion on cardiac and renal function in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: The subjects were 133 patients who underwent CABG and had a pre-operative ejection fraction < or =35%.

Successful recovery using surgical intervention to treat ischemic cardiomyopathy and cardiogenic shock.

We report here a successful case of recovery from cardiogenic shock resulting from ischemic cardiomyopathy, treated by using a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The LVAD was successfully explanted at the time of simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting and left ventricular restoration after recovery from end-organ dysfunction by LVAD support.

Successful management of fulminant myocarditis with left ventricular assist device: report of a severe case.

We report a 65-year-old man with fulminant myocarditis undergoing percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) and left ventricular assist device (LVAD). PCPS and intra-aortic balloon pumping was initially introduced for cardiogenic shock in the emergency department. We switched to LVAD because cardiac function did not recover despite PCPS for 5 days.

First clinical application of the DuraHeart centrifugal ventricular assist device for a Japanese patient.

The DuraHeart ventricular assist device (VAD) is a third-generation implantable centrifugal pump with a magnetically levitated impeller. Since February 2007, the device has been clinically applied with excellent results as a bridge to heart transplantation in Europe. As of this writing, however, the device has yet to be approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for clinical use in Japan.

Fifteen years of experience with ATS mechanical heart valve prostheses.

Background: ATS Medical, Inc, developed a mechanical heart valve that has been in use since 1992. In this article, we present the results of 15 years of follow-up of patients who have undergone ATS heart valve replacement at our hospital.

Methods And Results: We performed ATS heart valve replacements on 231 patients between September 1993 and March 2008.

Influence of continuous infusion of low-dose human atrial natriuretic peptide on renal function during cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on renal function.

Background: Acute renal failure after cardiac surgery is associated with high morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A total of 504 patients who underwent CABG were divided into 2 groups: 1 group received hANP at 0.