Kageshige Todo

Three-dimensional helical computed tomographic angiography in neonates and infants with complex congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND For the clinical management of patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD), accurate evaluation of their morphologic conditions is critical. Three-dimensional (3D) helical computed tomography (CT) angiography has been used to assess the vascular system in adult patients; the indication for complex CHD, especially in the neonatal period, has not yet been defined. Therefore the purposes of our study were to determine the quality and limitations of current 3D helical CT angiography for neonates and infants with complex CHD and to assess the clinical utility of this technique. METHODS AND RESULTS 3D helical CT angiography was performed in 17 patients with various types of complex CHD. Their median age was 41 days (range 3 days to 9 months), and mean body weight was 3.6 kg (range 2.2 to 8.5 kg). All 3D images were produced with the 3D reconstruction algorithm of shaded-surface display. Oral sedation was required in only 4 infants during the procedure. 3D helical CT angiography clearly demonstrated the shape and spatial relation of great arteries, proximal branch pulmonary arteries, anomalous pulmonary venous connections, the patent ductus arteriosus, and a shunt. The 3D information of extracardiac morphologic characteristics and 3D anatomic relation of each extracardiac structure were easily recognized by this imaging process. However, intracardiac structure could not be visualized because of blurred and/or unclear edges of the ventricular wall caused by respiratory movement. CONCLUSIONS 3D helical CT angiography represents an important additional diagnostic tool and may become an alternative method to angiography or other noninvasive techniques used in the evaluation of extracardiac anomalies in neonates and infants with complex CHD.

Coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass for high-risk patients☆

Between January 1991 and June 1993, coronary artery bypass grafting was performed without either cardiopulmonary bypass or cardiac arrest in 23 patients. Most patients had several surgical risk factors, including age > or = 70 years, poor left ventricular function, left main coronary artery stenosis, chronic renal failure, and aortic aneurysm. Distal anastomoses were made under temporary interruption of coronary flow. A total of 37 distal anastomoses to the left anterior descending coronary artery and/or right coronary artery (mean 1.6 per patient) were made, 24 of which were internal thoracic arteries. The coronary occlusion time ranged from 7-14 min (mean 9.8 min). Combined cardiac or vascular operations were carried out in six patients (abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, carotid endarterectomy, and coronary endarterectomy). There was one hospital death. Postoperative angiography was performed in 22 patients and showed a patency rate of 89%. In summary, coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass may improve the postoperative outcome of high-risk patients.

Extended Endocardial Repair of Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Rupture: New Operative Technique—Modification of the Komeda-David Operation

Between January 1992 and November 1992, four consecutive patients (ages 53 to 81 years) underwent early surgical repair of postinfarction ventricular septal ruptures using a new simple operative technique. The principles of the technique are longitudinal incision of the infarcted left anterior ventricular wall, placement of a saccular patch of single equine pericardium that covers the infarcted left ventricular wall, and large buttressed suture closure of the left ventriculotomy. The infarcted septum and infarcted left ventricular wall are completely separated from the left ventricular cavity. In this procedure, the infarcted myocardium is not resected, and left and right ventricular muscles are preserved. This technique is simple and safe for use in the acute phase of myocardial infarction, and it preserves ventricular function after surgery. (J Card Surg 1994;9:97–102)

Anastomosis of left to right superior vena cava for repair of Unroofed Coronary Sinus

Left superior vena cava (LSVC) draining into the left atrium is a rare congenital cardiac complex. It may appear as an isolated anomaly or as part of more complex cardiac anomalies. Intraatrial rerouting techniques have been the most common approaches to correcting LSVC drainage into the left atrium in patients without a connecting vein. Although these techniques have proved reliable and successful, there are cases in which extracardiac methods for managing this form of anomalous systemic drainage may be preferable. In the present report, we describe an extracardiac approach to the correction of LSVC draining into the left atrium.

Left atrial myxoma mimicking papillary fibroelastoma

A 67-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis due to surgery for left patellar fracture. Deep vein thrombosis resolved with thrombolytic therapy. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a mobile left atrial tumor. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a fragile tumor with multiple fronds, implying a papillary fibroelastoma. Because this patient had a history of cerebral embolism, urgent surgery was scheduled. The excised tumor showed a sea anemone-like appearance in saline, which was similar to that of a papillary fibroelastoma. However, histological examination revealed the features of a myxoma and not papillary fibroelastoma. Herein, we illustrate a very rare case of left atrial myxoma with papillary fibroelastoma-like features in terms of both echocardiographic and gross findings.

Sequential Internal Mammary Artery Grafts: Clinical and Angiographic Assessment

Between January 1988 and August 1992, the internal mammary artery was used as a sequential graft to the left anterior descending artery and/or diagonal branch in 34 patients. One patient died in hospital. After surgery all survivors were free from angina for a follow-up of up to 4 years. Recatheterization was performed in 33 patients within 1 year of surgery. Postoperative angiography showed that 65 anastomoses (98%) were patent, but three patent grafts (5%) between the proximal and distal sequential anastomoses showed ‘string sign’. It is important to prevent ‘string sign’ in sequential grafting. It is considered that sequential internal mammary artery grafting should be limited to coronary arteries with severe stenosis that divides anastomosed coronary arteries into two.

Repair of left coronary artery ostial isolation caused by aortic valve leaflet

A 13-year-old girl had recurrent syncope episodes and chest oppression during exercise caused by myocardial ischemia that was confirmed by stress myocardial scintigraphy. Echocardiography revealed mild aortic regurgitation (AR). Cineangiography revealed persistent opacification of the left coronary sinus. Freeing of the adherent left coronary cusp from the aortic wall increased antegrade left coronary flow and commissural resuspension restored AR. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and myocardial ischemia did not develop after surgery. Hence, although left coronary artery ostial isolation by aortic valve leaflet is rare, it can be successfully treated by aortic valve repair.

High early patency rate following free internal mammary artery grafting

Abstract We performed 28 coronary artery bypass procedures using the free internal mammary artery (IMA) from 1988–1991. An average of 3.6 coronary artery bypass grafts per patient were constructed, with 1.5 distal anastomoses per patient with each free IMA graft. We constructed proximal anastomoses between the ascending aorta and the free IMA. There was one operative death (3.6%). Early graft patency, 42 days as assessed by angiography, was 97.3%. The clinical and patency results (97%) obtained in our series confirm that the free internal mammary artery can be successfully employed instead of the saphenous vein in situations where the in-situ internal mammary artery graft is too short.