Usefulness of the Vein Cuff Technique for Recurrent Stenosis due to Intimal Hyperplasia in Prosthetic Graft and Autologous Vein Graft Anastomosis / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

We sometimes encounter the case that we have to make an anastomosis between a prosthetic graft and an autologous vein graft in revascularization of a lower extremity. However, it is said that the intimal hyperplasia in the anastomosis site of a prosthetic graft and autologous vein graft has a tendency to become severe in the long term postoperatively. We herein report a case in which a vein cuff (St. Mary's boot) technique was very useful to prevent recurrent stenosis due to intimal hyperplasia. No recurrence of stenosis in repair lesion has been detected for 7.5 years after operation.

A Case of Cardiac Leiomyosarcoma Diagnosed with Recurrence after Resection of the Left Atrial Intramural Hematoma / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Cardiac leiomyosarcoma and atrial intramural hematoma are extremely rare. Here, we present the case of a 52-year-old woman with dyspnea. Echocardiography showed a large mass in the left atrium. Tumor resection was performed. A pathological diagnosis of intramural hematoma was made. Ten months later, she presented to our hospital again with dyspnea. Echocardiography and computed tomography showed recurrence of the left atrial tumor. Another tumor resection operation was performed. The tumor originated from the inferior wall of the left atrium, and it was surrounded by atrial wall thickening. Complete resection was not possible. Although postoperative chemotherapy was prescribed, the patient died of heart failure nine months after the second operation.

A Case of Partial Aortic Root Remodeling for the Right Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm with an Anomalous Origin of the Coronary Artery / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac disorder, and reports of it with an anomalous origin of the coronary artery are scarce. A 35-year-old male was admitted to our department with fatigue and cough. Multi-detector-row computer tomography (MDCT) revealed an isolated extracardiac right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm with an anomalous origin of the left circumflex artery (LCX) and total occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA). Its diameter was about 70 mm. We performed a partial aortic root remodeling procedure with a trimmed J-graft because he had neither aortic regurgitation (AR) nor annuloaortic ectasia (AAE). Concomitantly, coronary artery bypass grafting to the RCA (Seg. 3) using a saphenous vein, and reconstruction of the LCX by Piehler's technique using a saphenous vein were added. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged on the 28th postoperative day. Postoperative MDCT revealed that the aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva was not enhanced, and the RCA and LCX were patent. This procedure preserved the patient's own normal aortic valve and sinus of Valsalva and enables him to have more physiologically normal hemodynamics than aortic root reconstruction using a composite graft, e.g. Bentall procedure, Cabrol procedure, although the potential progression of the AR requires careful follow-up.

A Case of Early Progressive Aortic Valve Regurgitation after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Aortitis Patient with Negative Findings for C-Reactive Protein and the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

We report the case of a 55-year-old woman with aortitis syndrome. She was admitted to our hospital because of repeated chest pain and syncope. An electrocardiogram and the laboratory data suggested acute myocardial infarction, and coronary angiography showed severe bilateral coronary ostial stenosis. No valvular disease was observed. Aortitis syndrome was suspected because of the stenosis of the brachiocephalic artery in addition to the bilateral coronary ostial stenosis, while the patient did not have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Coronary artery bypass grafting was performed, and the patient's postoperative course was uneventful. However, she again experienced chest pain 9 months after surgery due to aortic regurgitation (AR) and diffuse narrowing change of the left internal thoracic artery graft. Aortic valve replacement and Re-CABG was performed, and the patient was treated with steroid therapy postoperatively. The postoperative course was uneventful, but the patient thereafter died due to bleeding of a malignant adrenal tumor at 21 months after the second surgery.