Postoperative treatment with carvedilol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, prevents paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Arrhythmias following cardiovascular surgery lead to unstable hemodynamics, along with myocardial ischemia and decreased cardiac output. The purpose of the present case cohort study compared the control group with no carvedilol administered and the other group of patients given carvedilol and determined whether postoperative treatment with carvedilol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, prevents paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods And Results: Of 160 patients who underwent scheduled isolated CABG, 80 received postoperative carvedilol and 80 did not.

Local expression of Toll-like receptor 4 at the site of ruptured plaques in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Several reports suggest that a chronic inflammatory process plays a key role in coronary artery plaque instability and subsequent occlusive thrombosis. In a previous study, we found that TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) mediates the synthesis of cytokines in circulating monocytes of patients with AMI (acute myocardial infarction); however, it remains unclear whether TLRs are expressed at the site of the ruptured plaque in these patients. The aim of the present study was to determine whether TLR2 and TLR4 are expressed at the site of ruptured plaques in patients with AMI and to compare this with systemic levels.

Association between oxidative DNA damage and telomere shortening in circulating endothelial progenitor cells obtained from metabolic syndrome patients with coronary artery disease.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) induces an increase in oxidative stress and may be an important contributory factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Telomere shortening of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may be the key factor in endothelial cell senescence. The rate of telomere shortening is highly dependent on cellular oxidative damage.

[Magnetic resonance imaging of great vessels].

While computed tomographic angiography using multidetector-row computed tomography has made a great innovation, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) may enable demonstration of more adequate diagnostic information on such as the artery of Adamkiewicz. The advent of time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS) has permitted 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced MRA to obtain dynamic information. It is expected that the super high field magnetic resonance imagine equipment (ex.

Perioperative changes in dynamic aortic root morphology after Yacoub's root remodeling and concomitant aortic annuloplasty.

We have performed aortic root remodeling concomitant with aortic annuloplasty (subvalvular circular annuloplasty: it tightens the aortic annulus, using Gore-Tex strip (N.L. Gore and Associates, Arizona, USA)) in patients with AAE and AR.

Aortic dissecting aneurysm with a bicuspid aortic valve in Turner's syndrome: report of a case.

We herein report the performance of a successful, modified Bentall procedure and a total arch replacement for a Stanford type A chronic aortic dissection and a bicuspid aortic valve in Turner's syndrome (TS). The patient was a 45-year-old woman with 45, XO karyotype TS, who had had a history of hypertension since the age of 20. She had also been diagnosed as having a dilatation of the ascending aorta and a bicuspid aortic valve 3 years earlier.

Midterm results of aortic repair using a fabric neomedia and fibrin glue for type A acute aortic dissection.

Background: Controversy exists concerning the optimal surgical treatment of acute type A aortic dissection to reduce mortality rate and the need for reoperation. The goal of the present study was to evaluate midterm results of repair using a fabric and fibrin glue for acute type A aortic dissection.

Methods: From 1994 to 2005, 100 patients with acute type A aortic dissection underwent supracommissural graft replacement using a fabric as "neomedia" and fibrin glue.

Simultaneous multivessel coronary spasm causing acute myocardial infarction: a case report.

Spontaneous simultaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is uncommon. A 79-year-old Japanese man was transferred to this hospital because of severe prolonged chest pain and faintness. Left coronary angiography revealed total occlusion of the left anterior descending and the left circumflex coronary arteries.

Aortic root remodeling with aortic annuloplasty: mid-term results.

Background: A retrospective study was performed to determine the appropriateness of aortic root remodeling with aortic annuloplasty (m-Yacoub operation).

Methods And Results: A group of 60 patients with aortic valve disease with concomitant dilated or dissected ascending aorta, who underwent surgery between 1997 and 2003, were evaluated. Nineteen patients whose aortic valves were well preserved (mean age: 57.

Dynamic morphologic changes in the normal aortic annulus during systole and diastole.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The three-dimensional motion of semilunar attachment of the leaflet 'annulus' remains obscure. It has been suggested that the aortic root is distensible and moves during the cardiac cycle. In the present study, the aortic root was evaluated using two dimensions.

Risk factors for hypoxemia after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

Purpose: Postoperative hypoxemia is a frequent complication of surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. We tried to determine the factors associated with postoperative hypoxemia.

Methods: Between 1997 and 2003, 114 patients underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

[Telecare with ECG: how should we use this new system?].

Telecare is to link and facilitate communications between ordinary individuals and health care professionals electronically. It is expected to enrich people's lives by mediating specific health care services with advanced infrastructure of the high information society. In that sense, telecare is a tool to promote people's wellness rather than a machine to monitor their conditions for medical reasons, and can have a higher cost effectiveness with features adjusted for wellness objectives.

Aortic valve repair for aortic regurgitation: intermediate-term results in patients with tricuspid morphology.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Surgical results after aortic valve repair in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) of tricuspid valve morphology and with no evidence of aortic root disease have not yet been clarified.

Methods: Between January 1994 and June 2001, aortic valve repair was performed in 40 patients (eight females, 32 males; mean age 61.0 +/- 10.

[Surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation].

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is a serious problem, which conveys adverse prognosis, doubling mortality after myocardial infarction. It is common and increases mortality even when mild. IMR is often associated with the occlusion of left circumflex coronary artery, such as second or third obtuse marginal branches by experimental model.

Magnetic resonance angiography in coronary artery bypass grafting.

An attempt was made to reduce the incidence of perioperative stroke by detecting cerebrovascular disease with preoperative head and neck magnetic resonance angiography and by selecting the coronary artery bypass grafting technique. This strategy was used in 268 patients with ischemic heart disease who had undergone both head and neck magnetic resonance angiography before elective coronary artery bypass in our hospital between May 1997 and April 2001. In patients with significant stenosis or obstruction detected by head and neck magnetic resonance angiography, the findings were evaluated and cerebral blood flow was examined using brain single-photon emission computed tomography.

All internal thoracic artery composite graft revascularization.

The aim of this study was to determine the most efficient design of composite grafts and clarify the technical feasibility rate of composite grafting using internal thoracic artery exclusively in patients undergoing triple-vessel revascularization. Retrospective analysis of 104 consecutive patients was carried out. An in situ left internal thoracic artery graft for the left anterior descending artery area, with attachment of the right internal thoracic artery to the side of the left internal thoracic artery to revascularize the circumflex and right coronary vessels, was the most efficient graft design.

Late complications following surgery for type A acute aortic dissection using gelatin-resorcin-formaldehyde glue: report of two cases.

Gelatin-resorcin-formaldehyde (GRF) glue has been widely applied during operations for acute aortic dissection (AAD). At our institution, GRF glue was applied in 40 patients who underwent surgical procedures for AAD from 1995, two of whom needed a reoperation because of the development of a redissection and/or a pseudoaneurysm at the anastomotic sites. The operative findings and histological examinations suggested that the application of GRF glue during the initial operations might be related to the development of a redissection and/or a pseudoaneurysm.

[Surgical strategies for aortic valve disease in elderly patients].

Population of elderly people is increasing and aortic valve disease due to degeneration with aging process, especially aortic stenosis (AS) is increasing in elderly patients. With development and great use of non-invasive diagnostic techniques, particularly echocardiography, the diagnosis and evaluation of aortic valve disease are even safer in these patients. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is effective treatment for symptomatic AS, however, generally has a higher risk in elderly patients, especially 80 years and over patients.

[Coronary sinus ostial atresia with thrombus: a case report].

An 82-year-old woman presented with mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation. She was hospitalized for further examination of cardiac thrombus detected by transthoracic echocardiography. No definitive diagnosis could be made based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Head and neck magnetic resonance angiography before coronary artery bypass grafting.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of vascular lesions in the head and neck by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and investigate the factors correlated with severe stenosis.

Methods: Elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was performed in 413 patients at our center between May 1997 and April 2001. We used MRA to detect head and neck vascular lesions, then evaluated the occlusive lesions and determined their prevalence.