Yukio Suto

Application of the reversed elephant trunk technique during total thoracoabdominal replacement in patients with Marfan's syndrome

Abstract The reversed elephant trunk operation has been applied in patients with extensive aortic involvement as a scheduled staged operation. We report application of the same technique in two patients with Marfans syndrome. The two patients underwent total replacement of the thoracoabdominal aorta for a DeBakey IIIb aortic dissection. The proximal end of the prosthetic graft was invaginated to facilitate future proximal operation. No complication related to the trunk had been observed during the follow‐up period. (J Card Surg 1998; 13:56–59)

Experimental study of a new operative procedure for nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy: overlapping cardiac volume reduction operation.

AbstractPurpose: To assess a newly devised procedure for cardiac volume reduction without resecting any cardiac muscle and evaluate its effectiveness in an experimental settings. Methods: Ten beagle dogs underwent a rapid pacing leading to heart failure for 3 weeks and then underwent left ventricular reduction by a procedure called the overlapping cardiac volume reduction operation (OLCVR), which consisted of a longitudinal incision in the left ventricular (LV) free wall, sutures from the left margin to the septal wall, and the right margin to the LV free wall. A slope of the linear preload recruitable stroke work relationship (Mw), with an X-intercept (Vo) were calculated as precise indicators of the LV systolic function. The constant of isovolumic pressure decay (Tau) and the peak filling rate (PFR) were also calculated as indicators of the LV diastolic function. Results: The LV end-diastolic dimensions significantly decreased by OLCVR (43 ± 2 to 25 ± 1 mm). Fractional shortening significantly improved by OLCVR (11% ± 2% to 30% ± 4%). Mw (erg · cm−3 · 103) also significantly improved (21 ± 2 to 33 ± 3 (P < 0.001)), whereas Vo, Tau, and PFR did not show any significant changes. Conclusion: The OLCVR significantly increased the early LV systolic function without any detrimental effects on the diastolic function. This procedure may therefore be a useful therapeutic option for end-stage cardiomyopathy.

Profound hypothermia and low flow cardiopulmonary bypass in resectioning a massive facial arteriovenous malformation.

A 44-year-old woman underwent resection of a massive facial arteriovenous malformation under profound hypothermia and low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass. A left ventricular vent through a small left anterior thoracotomy avoided ventricular distention associated with peripheral cannulation. Low-dose aprotinin was used to improve hemostasis. These techniques thus show promise for the safe application of profound hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in noncardiovascular operations.

Occluding the Junction of the Middle Cardiac Vein in Retrograde Cardioplegia: A New Retrograde Cannula for Optimizing Retrograde Cardioplegic Delivery

Retrograde cardioplegia often fails to provide adequate perfusion of the right ventricle and the posterior wall of the left ventricle because of the shunt through the thebesian vein. However, much of the retrograde cardioplegic solution may leak into the right atrium after veno-venous anastomoses at the apex of the heart, especially when a retrograde balloon cannula is inserted too deeply in the great cardiac vein, although this is not widely recognized. We designed a new retrograde cardioplegic cannula with three self-inflating balloons, which reduced the shunt flow by occluding the junction of the middle cardiac vein and improving in cardioplegic delivery. We describe the myocardial dye distribution achieved by using this new cannula in pig hearts and report the results of its clinical application.