Kosaku Nishigawa

Calcified amorphous tumor: three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

An asymptomatic 78-year-old woman was incidentally found to have a mobile mass lesion in the left atrium. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated an extremely mobile hyperechoic mass measuring 1.7mm in diameter, originating from the severely calcified posterior mitral annulus (Figure 1A). Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography also showed a mobile pedunculatedmass originating from the posterior mitral annulus (Figure 1B). From these echocardiographic findings, cardiac calcified amorphous tumor was strongly suspected. Intraoperative findings revealed a fragile mass at the posterior mitral annulus, which could be easily removed. Pathological examination showed calcification with fibrin and degenerative thrombus, consistent with a cardiac calcified amorphous tumor (Figure 2).

V-composite grafting using the right internal thoracic artery grafts anastomosed to aorto-coronary bypass grafts.

OBJECTIVES Composite grafting using the right internal thoracic artery (RITA) is occasionally performed when the in situ RITA does not have sufficient length to reach the target vessel. In this study, we assessed the clinical and angiographic outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with V-composite grafting (defined as a distance between the proximal anastomosis of the RITA and the ascending aorta of ≤1 cm) using the RITA anastomosed to aortocoronary (A-C) bypass grafts. METHODS Between September 2004 and December 2012, 177 patients underwent CABG with V-composite grafting using the RITA and the A-C bypass graft [radial artery (RA) or saphenous vein graft (SVG)] at our institution. The mean age was 69.2 ± 8.5 years and 149 (84.2%) were men. The clinical outcomes and patency rates of distal anastomoses of the composite RITA were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS Mean distal anastomoses per patient were 4.6 ± 1.0, and mean distal anastomoses of the RITA per patient were 1.3 ± 0.5. Inflow conduit of the RITA was the RA in 16 (9.0%) patients and an SVG in 161 (91.0%) patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 1.1% (2/177). The overall patency rate of distal anastomoses of the composite RITA on early (before discharge) and follow-up (at 1 year) angiography was 97.6 and 93.6%, respectively. The inflow conduit (RA or SVG), stenosis grade of target vessel and sequential grafting did not affect the patency rate of the composite RITA. CONCLUSIONS V-composite grafting using the RITA and the A-C bypass graft provides excellent clinical outcomes with satisfactory early and 1-year patency rates.

Intraseptal biatrial myxoma excised via the superior septal approach

A 72-year-old man suffering from exertional dyspnea was admitted to our hospital. A computed tomography scan revealed a huge tumor occupying the interatrial septum and growing toward both the right and left atria. The tumor was successfully excised via the superior septal approach. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed that it was a myxoma. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged from our hospital 28 days after surgery. He received a permanent pacemaker implant due to sick sinus syndrome 12 months after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first report of resection of intraseptal biatrial myxoma.

Total arch replacement with open stent-grafting for aneurysm of ductus arteriosus after surgery for patent ductus arteriosus.

Abstract  A 73‐year‐old woman who had undergone ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) via a left thoracotomy 19 years earlier was admitted to our hospital under the diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysm. An enhanced computed tomography of the chest revealed a saccular aneurysm measuring a maximum diameter of 28 mm in the lesser curvature of the distal aortic arch; she was diagnosed with an aneurysm of ductus arteriosus after surgery for PDA. We performed total aortic arch replacement with open stent‐grafting through median sternotomy. This approach enabled us to avoid the risk of dissecting adhesions around the aneurysm and clamping the aorta distal to the aneurysm. (J Card Surg 2010;25:557‐559)

Coronary endarterectomy for the diffusely diseased coronary artery

The diffusely diseased coronary artery is challenging for cardiac surgeons because diffuse atheromatous lesions frequently render it unsuitable for conventional distal grafting. Coronary endarterectomy was introduced in the 1950s as a treatment option for diffusely diseased coronary arteries. However, initial studies demonstrated high operative mortality and morbidity associated with coronary endarterectomy; therefore, many cardiac surgeons have been reluctant to perform this procedure. With percutaneous coronary interventions increasingly being applied to coronary artery disease, the incidence of complex and diffuse coronary artery disease in patients referred for coronary artery bypass surgery has been increasing, and recent advances in the surgical technique and perioperative management have improved the surgical outcomes of coronary endarterectomy. In this review article, we sought to discuss coronary endarterectomy for the diffusely diseased coronary artery.

Ten-Year Experience of Coronary Endarterectomy for the Diffusely Diseased Left Anterior Descending Artery

BACKGROUND Coronary endarterectomy (CE) is a surgical option for a diffusely diseased coronary artery. This study evaluated the clinical and angiographic outcomes of CE for a diffusely diseased left anterior descending artery (LAD) using the internal thoracic artery (ITA). METHODS From September 2004 to September 2014, 188 patients (163 men; mean age, 66.1 years) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with CE for a diffusely diseased LAD. Forty patients (21.3%) had unstable angina, and 55 (29.3%) were at Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 3 or 4. Mean ejection fraction was 0.55. Endarterectomy was performed under direct vision through a long arteriotomy in all patients. Angiographic evaluation was performed before discharge and at 1 year after the operation. RESULTS Mean arteriotomy length was 6.1 ± 1.8 cm. The endarterectomized LAD was reconstructed using the left ITA in 179 (95.2%) or the right ITA in 9 (4.8%). The operation was conducted off pump in 185 patients (98.4%). The 30-day mortality was 1.1%. Perioperative myocardial infarction occurred in 17 patients (9.0%). The patency rate of the ITA and LAD at early postoperative and follow-up angiography was 91.6% and 96.6%, respectively. Optical coherence tomography performed in 8 patients revealed that the endarterectomized LAD was completely endothelialized and that the surface of the reconstructed lumen had become homogeneous within 1 year after the operation. The median follow-up period was 5.8 years. At 5 years, freedom from all-cause death was 89.3% ± 2.4% and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was 74.0% ± 3.3%. CONCLUSIONS CE for a diffusely diseased LAD using the ITA provides satisfactory clinical outcomes with favorable rates of angiographic patency.

Off-pump coronary endarterectomy with stent removal for in-stent restenosis in the left anterior descending artery.

OBJECTIVES In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a major complication of percutaneous coronary intervention, even in the current era of drug-eluting stents (DESs). We reviewed the clinical and angiographic outcomes of coronary endarterectomy with stent removal using an off-pump technique in patients with ISR in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). METHODS Twelve patients with long-segment ISR in the LAD underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with coronary endarterectomy and stent removal at our institution from November 2005 to August 2012. Their mean age was 65.0 ± 6.3 years, and 11 were male. DESs were used in 10 patients and bare-metal stents were used in the remaining 2 patients. The interval from the latest intervention ranged from 4 to 102 months (median, 12 months). RESULTS None of the procedures were converted to on-pump surgery, and there were no operative deaths. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) was used to reconstruct the endarterectomized LAD in all patients, and the mean length of the arteriotomy in the LAD was 5.3 ± 1.0 cm. The LITA and LAD were patent in all patients on both early postoperative and follow-up angiography. At the median 24-month follow-up (range, 12-78 months), there were no late deaths and all patients were at a Canadian Cardiovascular Society class of 0 or I. CONCLUSIONS Coronary endarterectomy with stent removal can be safely performed using an off-pump technique and provides favourable clinical and angiographic outcomes in patients with long-segment ISR in the LAD.

Early outcomes of chordal reconstruction for posterior mitral leaflet prolapse

We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients (7 men and 9 women, aged 36 to 77 years) who underwent mitral valve repair with chordal reconstruction for isolated posterior mitral leaflet prolapse. Preoperative echocardiography demonstrated moderate mitral regurgitation in 1, and severe regurgitation in 15. We routinely used expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures as artificial chords, and ring annuloplasty was performed in all cases (mean ring size, 30 ± 2 mm). After implanting the ring, the length of the artificial chords was adjusted repeatedly using saline solution. Early postoperative echocardiography at 7.1 ± 1.1 days after surgery showed mitral regurgitation grades reduced to none or trivial in 15/16 patients. One required reoperation for recurrent mitral regurgitation 1.5 years after surgery. In the other patients, intermediate-term echocardiography at 9.1 ± 10.1 months after surgery demonstrated that residual mitral regurgitation was less than mild. We concluded that chordal reconstruction is an effective and highly reproducible procedure for the repair of isolated posterior mitral leaflet prolapse. Artificial chords for the posterior mitral leaflet should not be too long, to avoid systolic anterior motion or recurrent mitral regurgitation after surgery.

Surgical Treatment of Patent Multilocular Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysms After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

A 75-year-old man with previous mitral valve plasty and saphenous vein–posterolateral branch grafting 19 years earlier complained of 48-hour frequent resting chest pain. Computed tomographic images demonstrated partially thrombosed 34 41mm, 34 38mm, and 38 41mmmultilocular aneurysmswithin the body of the saphenous vein graft to the posterolateral artery and coronary angiography revealed three-vessel disease and severely degenerated multilocular saphenous vein graft aneurysms with diminished graft flow (Fig. 1 and Supplementary Video V1). Aneurysm ligation and excisionwith simultaneous revascularizationwas performed (Fig. 2 and Supplementary Video V2).

Port-access mitral valve replacement after surgical correction for Bland-White-Garland syndrome

A 79-year-old woman with Bland-White-Garland syndrome was admitted to our institution for surgical treatment of severe mitral regurgitation (MR). She had previously undergone mitral valve repair and coronary artery bypass grafting for both mitral insufficiency and a coronary artery anomaly 14 years earlier. However, the degree of residual MR had gradually worsened, and redo mitral valve surgery was scheduled. Multidetector row computed tomography revealed that the right coronary artery (RCA) was dilated and located just behind the sternum, and saphenous vein graft bypassed to the left anterior descending artery was occluded. This meant that the RCA was the only vessel supplying coronary blood flow. We successfully performed port-access mitral valve replacement under mild hypothermia with fibrillatory arrest to prevent damage to the RCA. We propose that port-access surgery is a safe and effective treatment for redo cardiac surgery after initial surgical correction of a congenital heart anomaly.