Decalcification of Anterior Mitral Valve Leaflet to Repair Moderate Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Stenosis with Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 78-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of progressive exertional dyspnea due to nonrheumatic severe aortic valve stenosis and moderate mitral valve stenosis with mitral annular calcification. We subsequently performed aortic valve replacement and mitral anterior leaflet decalcification. During surgery, we found that the cause of mitral valve stenosis was calcification of A2 aortic curtain-medial trigon through aortic valve annulus and resected calcification with SONOPET. The postoperative echocardiography revealed good mitral valve motion with mild mitral valve stenosis.

Cardiac Tamponade due to Detachment of the Aortic Valve Commissure / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 68-year-old man was taken to our hospital by ambulance due to syncope. He was in shock with cardiac tamponade. Pericardial drainage was performed. Aortic valve regurgitation gradually increased and surgery was performed at 25 days after onset. Surgical finding showed that there was a detachment of the commissure between the right and non coronary cusps of the aortic valve. An intimal tear was detected in the same place and aortic root replacement was required. The patient had a good recovery and he was discharged 14 days after surgery.

Aortic Valve Replacement for a Patient with Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

We report a case of aortic valve replacement using a bioprosthesis after coronary artery stenting in the left coronary main trunk of a 76-year-old man with symptoms of heart failure. Pre-operation studies revealed severe aortic valve regurgitation and that the left main coronary stent protruded into the aorta. Cardiac arrest was obtained with retrograde cardioplegia. Careful observation was made to avoid injury to the aortic bioprosthesis. The postoperative course was uneventful and cardiac echo graphy showed good function of the aortic valve.

Surgical Treatment of a Caseous Calcification Lesion Which Originated from the Calcified Anterior Mitral Annulus in Patient on Chronic Hemodialysis / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

We report a case of a caseous calcification lesion originating from a calcified anterior mitral annulus. A 59-year-old woman on chronic hemodialysis was referred to our hospital due to an elevated brain natriuretic peptide value. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated moderate aortic valve stenosis with regurgitation and a pendulous mass in the left ventricular outflow tract, and therefore we perfomed. The patient underwent resection of the mass with aortic valve replacement. Pathological examination of the mass revealed interstitial calcium deposits but without tumors or inflammatory cells. We speculated that the cardiac mass was caseous calcification which originated from a severely calcified mitral annulus based on its echocardiographic and pathological features.

A Case of Infective Endocarditis in Which Surgical Removal of Both Eyes Was Inevitable because of Bacterial Endopthalmitis / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Bacterial endopthalmitis is associated with risk for poor visual prognosis, however, it is rarely combined with infective endocarditis. A 66-year-old man underwent pacemaker implantation and received antibiotic therapy due to persistent fever. A month after the pacemaker implantation, he was admitted to our hospital because of disturbance of vision and consciousness. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with decrease of platelet count was also present. His eyes were reddish and swelled, and the conjunctiva were turbid and edematous in both sides. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated 18×13mm pendulous verruca originating from the tricuspid annulus. The patient underwent concomitant resection and repair of the tricuspid valve and removal of both infected eyes after DIC treatment. The postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged from the hospital 43 days after the operation. We conclude that careful observation of the eyes may be needed for patients with infective endocarditis when they have some visual symptoms.