Modified Fixed Loop-in-Loop Technique in Mitral Valve Repair for Children.

For adults, the standard procedure for mitral valve repair of Carpentier classification type II mitral regurgitation is reconstruction with artificial chordae. In children, placement of artificial chordae of precise length between the papillary muscle and prolapsed mitral leaflet in the restricted mitral subvalvular space is technically difficult. We successfully performed mitral valve repair in 3 pediatric patients using a modified fixed loop-in-loop technique.

Partial cardiopulmonary bypass through left thoracotomy for coarctation repair in children.

Background: A left thoracotomy approach is anatomically appropriate for childhood aortic coarctation; however, the pediatric femoral arteriovenous diameters are too small for cardiopulmonary bypass cannulation. We aimed to determine the safety of a partial cardiopulmonary bypass through the main pulmonary artery and the descending aorta in pediatric aortic coarctation repair.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 10 patients who underwent coarctation repair under partial main pulmonary artery-to-descending aorta cardiopulmonary bypass with a left thoracotomy as the CPB group.

Repair of Tortuous Distal Aortic Arch Aneurysm in a 1-Year-Old Girl With PHACE Syndrome.

Herein, we describe a 21-month-old girl with PHACE syndrome (posterior fossa hemangiomas, arterial lesions, cardiac anomalies/coarctation of the aorta, and eye anomalies) who presented with a tortuous extensive aortic arch aneurysm. As the maximum short diameter of the distal aortic arch aneurysm expanded rapidly from 21 mm to 25 mm in only 5 months, we performed extensive aortic arch reconstruction with interposition graft replacement through a left thoracotomy under partial cardiopulmonary bypass.

Surgical repair of the adult form of scimitar syndrome.

Scimitar syndrome has various clinical presentations and anatomic features, and some cases are diagnosed in adulthood. Reconstruction using autologous tissue to reroute the right pulmonary venous blood flow to the left atrium is ideal. However, if the scimitar vein drains to the caudal segment of the inferior vena cava, reconstruction using prosthetic material may be necessary due to the distance between the left atrium and the scimitar vein.

Postoperative Maximal Aortic Diameter is a Significant Predictor of Dilation of the Residual Dissected Aorta after Aortic Replacement for Acute Debakey Type I Aortic Dissection.

Background: This study investigated the impact of aortic diameter on late aortic dilation of the residual dissected aorta after tear-oriented aortic replacement for acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection.

Methods: Of 133 patients who underwent aortic replacement for acute DeBakey type I/II aortic dissection between 2008 and 2019, 45 patients with a residual dissected aorta after surgery for acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection and who underwent computed tomography at predischarge and after 1 year were retrospectively assessed. The aortic diameter and false lumen area were measured at 3 levels: the maximal aortic site, seventh thoracic vertebra, and celiac axis.

Coronary artery patch augmentation for congenital left coronary ostial stenosis in Williams syndrome.

Left coronary ostial stenosis, which is associated with sudden death, occasionally occurs in individuals with Williams syndrome. However, surgical methods that provide reliable long-term revascularization remain unknown among infants and young children with coronary ostial stenosis. We describe the case of an 18-month-old boy with Williams syndrome who presented with cardiogenic shock due to left coronary ostial stenosis.

Unilateral Embolization of the Internal Iliac Artery for Endovascular Aortic Repair Does Not Induce Gluteal Muscle Atrophy.

Background: To investigate the effect of unilateral internal iliac artery (IIA) embolization for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) on gluteal muscle size.

Methods: We assessed the gluteal muscle size in 111 consecutive patients who underwent elective EVAR with unilateral IIA embolization (n = 31) or without IIA embolization (n = 80) for abdominal aortic and/or iliac artery aneurysm. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the gluteus maximus (G) and gluteus medius/minimus (G) was measured on computed tomography preoperatively, 6 months postoperatively, and final follow-up.

A case of cardiac strangulation following epicardial pacemaker implantation.

An 8-year-old boy had undergone permanent epicardial pacemaker implantation with a Y-shaped bipolar ventricular lead on day 6 after birth for treatment of congenital complete atrioventricular block. He was found to have pulmonary stenosis and mitral stenosis by follow-up echocardiography. Further studies including computed tomography and cardiac catheterization revealed that the pacemaker lead had completely encircled the cardiac silhouette and was in a state of "cardiac strangulation".

Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome following Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)-related disease that manifests as a triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury (AKI) and is caused by uncontrolled activation of the complement system. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with acute type A aortic dissection that subsequently developed into aHUS. The hematologic disorders underlying aHUS improved after treatment with the complement inhibitor eculizumab.

Use of computed tomography-guided biopsy to detect -induced mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular repair.

Mycotic aortic aneurysm (MAA) is rare but lethal. Detection of the causative bacteria is important for successful treatment. In some cases, however, no micro-organisms are detected by repeated blood cultures.

[How to Place Percutaneous Cardiopulmonary Support(PCPS)].

Cannulation for percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) is usually performed percutaneously. However, cut down exposure of the vessels is needed if percutaneous cannulation is difficult. Once the vessels are exposed, cannulas can be placed either by a direct cut down cannulation or by a Seldinger technique.

Endovascular Repair for Ruptured Axillary Artery Aneurysm Proximal to Hemodialysis Access.

Axillary artery aneurysms are uncommon and potentially high-risk lesions threatening the upper extremities. In hemodialysis patients, arteriovenous fistulae creation rarely triggers aneurysmal degeneration and arterial aneurysms in inflow arteries. These aneurysms are usually treated by surgical repair.

Size and Stiffness of the Pulmonary Autograft after the Ross Procedure in Children.

Progressive dilatation of the pulmonary autograft is one of the greatest concerns after the Ross procedure. Increased stress in the arterial wall may cause changes in the elastic properties of the pulmonary autograft, and thus lead to pathological dilatation. The present study aimed to investigate the changes in the autograft diameter and stiffness during follow-up after the Ross procedure.

Sutureless pericardial marsupialization for the repair of congenital right pulmonary veins atresia.

We present a very rare case of isolated right pulmonary veins atresia in a 4-year-old girl. As the presence of a pulsatile blind pulmonary venous confluence adjacent to the left atrium was demonstrated by preoperative right pulmonary arterial wedge angiography, we applied sutureless pericardial marsupialization for the repair of right pulmonary veins atresia. She is currently 8 years old without pulmonary veins stenosis.

A Technique to Make Multiple Proximal Anastomoses with One HEARTSTRING Suture Device.

The HEARTSTRING device allows a secure proximal anastomosis, but one device is typically used for each anastomosis. We report a technique to make multiple proximal anastomoses with one HEARTSTRING suture device. doi: 10.

Exophytic Atheroma Mimicking Papillary Fibroelastoma Adjacent to the Aortic Valve.

Follow-up echocardiography in a 69-year-old man with alcoholic cardiomyopathy showed a mass above the aortic valve near the left coronary ostium. Transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography suggested a papillary fibroelastoma with a high risk of embolism. At operation we found an exophytic atheroma adjacent to the left coronary artery orifice.

Cuff leakage, not paravalvular leakage, in the Carpentier Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna Ease aortic bioprosthesis.

Though the Carpentier Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna Ease valve is a bioprosthesis with documented excellent haemodynamics and easy implantability, this valve has a gap between the cobalt-chromium-nickel alloy stent and silicone sewing ring. This gap, which is widest just below each of the three commissural struts, lacks silicone and leaves the two-layer polytetrafluoroethylene fabric unsupported and unprotected. If the needle of a valve suture is placed in this structurally weak area of the sewing ring, the resultant fabric tear may result in a true cuff leakage, not the usual paravalvular leakage.

An easy and useful exposure technique using a malleable u-shaped retractor for proximal anastomosis in abdominal aortic replacement.

During surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, various problems can occur at the proximal anastomosis. Adequate exposure must be secured, and the proximal anastomosis must be sutured firmly. We have used a malleable U-shaped retractor to easily secure exposure of the proximal anastomosis.

Devised loop-in-loop technique in mitral valve repair.

The loop technique is useful for multiple chordal reconstructions in mitral valve repair. Although it is easy to anchor the loop to the tip of the prolapsed leaflet, take-down of the anchored loop is not easy. The devised loop-in-loop technique makes intraoperative adjustment of the neochordae quick and easy.

Devised reinforcement of distal stump in total arch replacement using BioGlue.

Although thoracic endovascular aortic repair and the open stent-grafting technique have become popular, surgical replacement of the aorta remains the procedure of choice for arch aneurysms. Distal anastomosis in total arch replacement is fraught with danger in the patient with a fragile aortic wall, and can lead to uncontrollable bleeding from the fragile distal stump with existing reinforcement techniques. We describe an easy and secure distal anastomosis reinforcement technique, the "BioGlue rolled sandwich technique", for total arch replacement, which avoids the difficulties of application of BioGlue near the vagus and phrenic nerves.

Left atrium ball thrombus in a patient with hemorrhagic cerebral infarction.

The patient was a 72-year-old man with left hemiparesis. Multiple hemorrhagic cerebral infarctions were recognized on a computed tomographic (CT) scan. A transesophageal echocardiogram showed a huge left atrial mass, which was floating and nearly obstructed the mitral orifice in the diastolic phase.

Partial translocation mitral valve replacement with autologous pericardial patch reinforcement of ventricularized left atrial wall for severe annular calcification extending to the left ventricle.

We describe a technique of partial translocation with an autologous pericardial patch reinforcement of the left atrial wall in patients with extensive mitral annular calcification (MAC) who require mitral valve replacement.

Mitral valve surgery in a patient with dextrocardia and 180° counter-clockwise rotated heart due to congenital agenesis of the right lung.

We report a case of severe mitral regurgitation (MR) with dextrocardia and 180° counterclockwise rotated situs solitus heart. We describe the technique for mitral valve surgery in a patient with dextrocardia and agenesis of the right lung.