Haruo Akagawa

Ventricular Septal Defect Associated with Aortic Regurgitation

The effectiveness of aortic valvuloplasty and the indications for aortic valve replacement were examined in 76 patients with ventricular septal defect associated with aortic regurgitation. Results of this study indicate aortic regurgitation is associated with rapid deterioration and that aortic valvuloplasty should be performed as soon as aortic regurgitation is detected. The data also suggest that aortoplasty is indicated if aortic valvuloplasty alone is inadequate for coaptation of the aortic cusps with thickening.

Surgical Treatment of Double-Outlet Left Ventricle in Situs Inversus {I, D, D}

A case of double-outlet left ventricle [I,D,D] with a subaortic ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis is reported. The diagnosis was made at operation and was reconfirmed postoperatively by two-dimensional echocardiography. Repair was achieved by patch closure of the ventricular septal defect and enlargement of the functional right ventricular outflow tract using a valved patch. The postoperative course was uneventful except for a transient complete heart block. To our knowledge, this represents the second instance of surgical treatment of double-outlet left ventricle [I,D,D] reported in the literature.