Satoru Nishida

Surgical Treatment of Congenital Coronary Artery Fistulas: 27 Years' Experience and a Review of the Literature

Abstract Background and aim of the study: A congenital coronary artery fistula (CAF) is a relatively rare congenital anomaly and is defined as an abnormal direct communication between any coronary artery and any of the cardiac chambers. This article reviews our experience over the past 27 years, as well as other literature, and discusses the surgical indications and methods relating to CAF. Methods: From 1973, 25 patients aged from 2 to 69 years underwent surgical treatment for congenital CAF. Seventeen patients were diagnosed as isolated CAF. All patients under 19 years of age with isolated CAF were asymptomatic. Twenty fistulas originated from the left coronary artery and 9 from the right. The pulmonary artery was the most dominant drainage site. Four patients among the isolated CAF cases were surgically treated without a cardiopulmonary bypass. Results: All patients were discharged from hospital without any perioperative complications. Postoperative coronary angiography was done on all patients with only one slightly residual CAF flow. The average follow‐up time was 9.6 years and all patients were asymptomatic and doing well. Conclusions: Definitive surgical correction is safe and effective, with good results. Therefore, it should be considered even in asymptomatic patients because of the risk of future complications.

Mycotic Abdominal Aneurysm Caused by Campylobacter Fetus: A Case Report for Surgical Management

We report a rare case of mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with Campylobacter fetus. A 72-year-old male admitted to the hospital because of pain in the right lower quadrant with pyrexia. The enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) examination showed abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) measuring 50 mm in maximum diameter and a high-density area of soft tissue density from the right lateral wall to the anterior wall of the aorta. However, since the patient showed no significant signs of defervescence after antibiotics administration, so we performed emergency surgery on the patient based on the diagnosis of impending rupture of mycotic AAA. The aneurysm was resected in situ reconstruction using a bifurcated albumin-coated knitted Dacron graft was performed. The cultures of blood and aneurysmal wall grew Campylobacter fetus, allowing early diagnosis and appropriate surgical management in this case, and the patient is making satisfactory progress. This is the fifth report of mycotic AAA characterizing culture positive for Campylobacter fetus in blood and tissue culture of the aortic aneurysm wall.

Robotic Skeletonized Internal Thoracic Artery Harvesting: The Sliding Fascia Technique

Robotic skeletonizing and harvesting of the internal thoracic artery, using the da Vinci surgical system, has a number of advantages over robotic pediculed ITA harvesting. The advantages include greater blood flow, a longer conduit, and less bleeding. The technique is facilitated by use of the EndoWrist spatula cautery and fine tissue forceps (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). How the technique is performed is described in this report.

Thoracic epidural anesthesia for coronary bypass surgery affects autonomic neural function and arrhythmias.

Background In recent years, the invasiveness of coronary reconstruction has been markedly reduced. Awake off-pump coronary artery bypass (AOCAB), coronary bypass surgery with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) without general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass), has been reported in the literature. Because the details of this technique are still unclear, we evaluated its usefulness by examining the autonomic neural state and the incidence of arrhythmia. Methods Fifty-five patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between April and December 2003 were included in the study. Patients who underwent CABG under high TEA alone comprised group A, those who underwent CABG under general anesthesia combined with TEA comprised group B, and those who underwent CABG under general anesthesia alone comprised group C. Holter electrocardiography was performed before and after surgery, and perioperative electrocardiograms were recorded (before surgery and during surgery, postoperative days 0–3, and postoperative day 7). On obtained electrocardiograms, the autonomic neural state was evaluated by analysis of heart rate variability, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation. Results Concerning the autonomic neural state, sympathetic inhibition was observed during TEA in both groups A and B. After discontinuation of TEA, sympathetic activity recovered. Vagal activity was not inhibited in group A, but decreased during surgery and gradually recovered after surgery in group B. Evaluation of the balance between sympathetic and vagal activities showed that sympathetic activity became predominant rapidly on postoperative day 2 in group B but gradually after surgery in group A. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was the highest in group B. Conclusions In AOCAB, because there is no vagal inhibition, vagal dominance can be maintained after surgery. This may be associated with the lower incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in group A compared with group B. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the details of AOCAB.

How I do it: high-quality intraoperative fluorescence imaging in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

We have developed a simple technique for establishing high-quality intraoperative fluorescence imaging in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. The technique of transaortic injection of indocyanine green is an effective method of achieving clear fluorescence imaging and for evaluating the quality of graft anastomoses. We consider the images obtained with this technique to be equivalent to those obtained by conventional coronary angiography with selective enhancement of the graft.

How I do it: Traction of Ascending Aorta with Starfish Heart Positioner During Proximal Saphenous Vein Graft Anastomosis Using the PAS-Port System in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

The PAS-Port system allows for the rapid deployment of a clampless proximal anastomosis between a saphenous vein graft and the aorta. We have developed a simple technique of establishing traction of the ascending aorta with the Starfish heart positioner during proximal saphenous vein anastomosis using the PAS-Port system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.