Masakazu Sogawa

Therapeutic Role of Pericardiocentesis for Acute Necrotizing Eosinophilic Myocarditis With Cardiac Tamponade

We describe a patient with acute necrotizing eosinophilic myocarditis who recovered rapidly after pericardial drainage and without corticosteroid therapy. The 25-year- old man was referred to our hospital with suspected acute myocardial infarction on the basis of severe epigastralgia, abnormal Q waves and ST elevation on electrocardiography, and an increase in cardiac enzymes. Echocardiography disclosed pericardial effusion that compressed the right ventricle, left ventricular dysfunction in conjunction with posterolateral hypokinesis, and a thickened ventricular wall but no mural thrombus. The eosinophil count in the peripheral blood was slightly increased. Coronary angiography showed normal arteries and thus prompted an endomyocardial biopsy. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit with a clinical diagnosis of myocarditis associated with cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis relieved symptoms immediately. The cells in the pericardial effusion were mainly eosinophils; interleukin 5 and interleukin 13 levels were predominantly elevated, and the effusion was drained for 5 days. The biopsy specimen revealed necrotizing eosinophilic myocarditis. Left ventricular function recovered within a week without corticosteroid therapy. No relapse was observed as of 8 months after diagnosis.

Development of an endocardioscope for repair of an atrial septal defect in the beating heart

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of surgical treatment of an atrial septal defect in the beating heart without cardiopulmonary bypass. The first step was to develop an endocardioscope that permitted observation of the inside of the beating heart. To visualize the inside of the beating heart, the tip of the endoscope was covered with a glass adapter. The endocardioscope was inserted through the right atrial appendage in eight beagles. The atrial septum, foramen ovale, coronary sinus, tricuspid valve, and chordae tendineae were identified without hemodynamic derangement. The second step was to attempt to close the foramen ovale with clips or staplers. We were able to close the foramen ovale with these devices, but a safer, easier device is needed. The endocardioscope we developed should prove to be a useful tool for minimally invasive surgical treatment of heart diseases, such as atrial septal defect.

Floating thrombus originating from an almost normal thoracic aorta

We present a case of floating thrombus originating from an almost normal thoracic aorta in a 54-year-old man who presented with acute arterial occlusion of his left leg. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging showed two masses in an almost normal aorta after embolectomy for the acute arterial occlusion. Although the embolus was thrombus histologically, malignant tumors could not be ruled out. The masses did not decrease in size after 7 days of anticoagulant therapy, so they were extirpated under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and TEE guidance. Frozen section examination during CPB indicated that there was no evidence of malignancy in the removed mass. TEE played an important role in the diagnosis and surgery of this condition, and it was useful when deciding on a surgical strategy. Because the treatment strategy for this disease remains controversial, further studies are needed.

Deterioration of body oxygen metabolism by vasodilator and/or vasoconstrictor administration during cardiopulmonary bypass.

During cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), tissue perfusion injury occurs even if perfusion pressure is maintained. Although a vasodilator and a vasoconstrictor are clinically administered if bypass flow is maintained, they may restore perfusion pressure without improving tissue perfusion. We evaluated the influence of vasodilators and vasoconstrictors on the whole body during CPB. Fifty-six patients with valvular disease who received moderately hypothermic CPB without blood transfusion were divided into four groups, depending upon whether a vasodilator and/or a vasoconstrictor was administered, and postoperative data were compared. Bypass flow and aortic pressure were maintained at 2.4 l/min/m2 and 5090 mm Hg. Body weight, dilution, hematocrit level, CPB, and aortic clamp duration, blood temperature, bypass flow, perfusion pressure, base excess levels during CPB, cardiac index, arterial and mixed venous oxygen pressure, and alveolar-arterial oxygen distribution after CPB were comparable among the four groups. However, the time to extubation was significantly longer. Blood lactate levels, measured for patients returned to the ward, were significantly higher in the agent-administered groups than in the no-agent group, whereas blood lactate levels on extubation and blood creatinine levels on postoperative day 1 were comparable among the groups. Vasodilator and/or vasoconstrictor administration during CPB may deteriorate the body oxygen metabolism, which might imply tissue perfusion and worsen the complications induced by hypoperfusion during CPB.

Thrombus on the intraluminal felt strip. A possible cause of postoperative stroke.

We report a case of a 60-year-old woman who received an operation for acute aortic dissection and who had a postoperative complication of multiple cerebral infarction. Through aggressive investigation using transesophageal echocardiography, a mobile thrombus on the intraluminal felt strip used for the enforcement of the dissecting aortic wall was detected as the possible source of the cerebral thromboembolism. After anticoagulation therapy was started, the mobile thrombus growing on the intraluminal felt strip disappeared, and no new lesions of cerebral thromboembolism occurred.

Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract after surgical removal of a cardiac hemangioma

An asymptomatic 73-year-old man underwent resection of a cardiac tumor arising from the right ventricular outflow tract, and reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sheet. Histological examination revealed a cavernous–capillary type cardiac hemangioma, which is a very rare cardiac tumor.

SUCCESSFUL SURGERY FOR AN ACUTE TYPE A AORTIC DISSECTION FOLLOWING REPAIR OF A DESCENDING THORACIC AORTIC ANEURYSM

Acute type A aortic dissection in the presence of a previously repaired atherosclerotic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm is rarely reported. We experienced a patient who underwent an ascending aortic replacement with reconstruction of the aortic arch 16 months after repair of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm. We succeeded in the redo operation with comprehensive techniques involving selective cerebral perfusion, deep hypothermia, early antegrade systemic circulation for cerebral protection, and femoro-femoral bypass with occlusion of the descending aorta for lower systemic perfusion as well as renal perfusion. The patient recovered and is doing well one year after the redo operation.

Successful reconstruction in a patient with chronic and multisegmental venous obstruction: report of a case.

We describe herein our technique of performing complex venous reconstruction for a patient with chronic, multiple, and long segmental venous obstruction from the left iliac vein to the infrapopliteal deep veins. To improve venous outflow and prevent venous gangrene caused by graft failure, we preserved the ipsilateral saphenous vein without dissection and performed complex venous reconstruction in the form of iliofemoral crossover bypass using a prosthetic graft, femoropopliteal bypass using the contralateral saphenous vein, both thromboembolectomy and venous repair of the infrapopliteal veins, and the creation of a distal arteriovenous fistula. The successful outcome of this surgery may provide some insight into the treatment of extended chronic venous obstruction.