Two-Stage Surgery Using FROZENIX Partial ET for Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique and Open Descending Aortic Replacement in a Patient With Recurrent Type B Aortic Dissection and Microscopic Polyangiitis: A Case Report.

The frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique, initially developed as a one-stage procedure to treat extensive thoracic aortic aneurysms, has since been adapted to address acute and chronic aortic dissections by closing entry tears and expanding the true lumen. It has become widely adopted due to its effectiveness in managing aortic diseases. We present the case of a 39-year-old female with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) who developed recurrent type B aortic dissection accompanied by rapid expansion. The patient, a compromised host with multiple comorbidities such as glomerulonephritis, chronic renal failure, alveolar hemorrhage, and acute pancreatitis, required urgent surgical intervention. Given the complexity of her condition and the high risks associated with direct surgery, a staged approach was selected. The first stage involved using a novel FET prosthesis, the FROZENIX Partial ET (FPET), inserted via median sternotomy, followed by a left thoracotomy for non-deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (non-DHCA) descending aortic replacement. The surgery led to favorable outcomes without any major complications or sequelae. FPET offers distinct advantages in this complex scenario. Its design features a 2 cm stent-free distal section, which reduces the risk of distal stent graft-induced new entries (dSINEs) and simplifies anastomosis during the second stage of surgery. For patients with severe comorbidities and anatomical challenges that make the thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) unsuitable, a staged open surgical approach is a viable alternative, mitigating the risks linked to DHCA. This case underscores the utility of a staged surgical approach using FPET in managing complicated chronic type B aortic dissection in patients with significant comorbidities. The FPET prosthesis facilitates effective lesion control while minimizing the risk of dSINEs and streamlining subsequent surgical procedures, presenting a promising strategy for similar complex cases.

Mechanical Aortic Valve Thrombosis During Anticoagulation Using Oral Rivaroxaban: A Case Report.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used in cardiovascular medicine. Although rivaroxaban has potential benefits for anticoagulation in certain contexts, DOACs remain contraindicated in patients with mechanical heart valves. This case report highlights the life-threatening risks of rivaroxaban use in patients with mechanical aortic valves, underscoring the lack of proven efficacy and the necessity of adhering to established anticoagulation protocols with warfarin for this patient population. Here, we report a case of a 65-year-old man who had previously undergone aortic valve replacement and developed a thrombus in the mechanical aortic valve six months after switching from warfarin to rivaroxaban. The patient experienced a sudden loss of consciousness and chest discomfort. Echocardiography revealed a thrombus in the valve requiring urgent reoperation and replacement with a bioprosthetic valve. The postoperative recovery was uneventful.

Calciphylaxis After Aortic Valve Replacement in a Patient with End-Stage Renal Disease.

In this study, we report a case of a patient on dialysis who presented necrotic lesions on the legs and penile ulceration 7 years after a mechanical aortic valve replacement. The diagnosis of calciphylaxis was not confirmed even after skin biopsy, and multidisciplinary management was not initiated until the patient was admitted with septic shock. Cardiovascular surgeons should be aware of warfarin-induced calciphylaxis, whose pathophysiology differs from that of atherosclerosis. Considering poor long-term survival of dialysis patients, mechanical valves should be reserved only for those patients whose estimated survival is longer than the time taken for a biological valve to deteriorate.

Hemodynamic performance and incidence of patient-prosthesis mismatch of small-sized Trifecta pericardial aortic valves.

OBJECTIVES: Small-sized bioprosthetic valves are sometimes associated with suboptimal hemodynamic performance, leading to a patient-prosthesis mismatch. Trifecta pericardial valves are designed to improve hemodynamic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic properties of small-sized Trifecta valves and their efficacy in preventing a patient-prosthesis mismatch. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 108 patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement with a Trifecta valve of 23 mm or less in a single Japanese institution. The hemodynamic performance was evaluated with an echocardiography examination in all patients after surgery, and the development of a patient-prosthesis mismatch was judged with the measured in vivo indexed effective orifice area. RESULTS: There was one early and seven late mortalities. There were no valve explants due to structural valve deterioration. Postoperative mean pressure gradients of 19-, 21-, and 23-mm valves were 15.1, 11.4, and 9.0 mmHg, respectively. The effective orifice area of 19-, 21-, and 23-mm valves was 1.41, 1.69, and 1.78 cm2, respectively. Patient-prosthesis mismatch occurred in 14 patients (1 severe and 13 moderate) and the incidence was 13.0% (15.4% in 19 mm, 18.0% in 21 mm, and 3.3% in 23 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The small-sized Trifecta valves showed excellent hemodynamic performance and were associated with a low incidence rate of patient-prosthesis mismatch.

Safety and efficacy of a simple cardiotomy suction system as a blood salvage procedure during off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

The ideal blood-salvaging strategies for off-pump coronary artery bypass graft procedures have not been determined. We developed a new blood-salvaging system that uses a cardiotomy suction. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of this novel method. This was a retrospective study involving 50 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. In 25 patients, a simple cardiotomy suction system was used (cardiotomy suction group). These individuals were compared with 25 historical cohorts who were treating with the conventional cell saver system (cell saver group). There was no in-hospital mortality in either group. In the cell saver group, there was one major complication (stroke) and two minor complications (saphenous vein graft occlusion, superficial wound infection). In the cardiotomy suction group, there was one minor complication (subclinical pulmonary emboli). The cardiotomy suction group received significantly fewer transfused RBC (cardiotomy: 0.56 ± 1.4 units vs. cell saver: 2.46 ± 3.3 units, p = 0.005). The serum total protein and albumin levels were significantly higher in the cardiotomy group. Our newly developed simple cardiotomy suction system, when compared with the conventional cell saver system, produced similar clinical results and attenuated postoperative hemodilution. Our system may emerge as a preferable alternative for blood salvage during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Radiation therapy for recurrent cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma after three operations.

We report the case of a 57-year-old female suffering from recurrent malignant undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the left atrium. Metastasis to the posterior mediastinum was detected upon first presentation. Incomplete resections were carried out twice before mitral valve replacement was finally performed. The tumor recurred 16 months later and was treated with radiation therapy, which has proved to be effective in bringing about tumor regression for 2 years, to date. The patient has survived for 7 years since the first surgery.

Two cases of successful inferior mesenteric artery preservation with bare metal stent in endovascular iliac artery aneurysm repair.

During endovascular aneurysm repair, interruption of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) or internal iliac arteries (IIAs) is thought to be associated with postoperative pelvic ischemic complications, including ischemic colitis. However, preserving the IIA does not guarantee protection against ischemic colitis. We herein report two cases of bilateral common iliac artery aneurysms, which were treated with bifurcated stent grafting with bilateral IIA embolization and simultaneous IMA stent placement to prevent colonic ischemia. This procedure might be effective for both preserving the IMA circulation and preventing ischemic colitis.

[Successful treatment of aortoesophageal fistula due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm].

A 78-year-old female presented at a nearby hospital with hemorrhage and loss of consciousness. After examination by computed tomography (CT) scan, she was referred to our hospital on suspicion of an impending rupture of the descending thoracic aorta aneurysm. She underwent a 2 stage operation. At the 1st operation, graft replacement of the descending aorta and closing of the aneurysmal wall over the aortoesophageal fistula were performed. On the 2nd postoperative day, intrathoracic esophagogastrostomy was performed by the gastric tube interposition technique. On the 54th postoperative day, she was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital.

[Emergency surgical repair of anterior ventricular septal rupture in a 91-year-old woman; report of a case].

Cardiac surgery in very elderly patients, especially in nonagenarians, has been a controversial issue of its relative risk, benefits and long-term survival. A 91-year-old woman was referred to our institution for an acute anterior myocardial infarction. Emergency coronary intervention was conducted and the occluded left anterior descending artery was successfully revascularized with a bare metal stent. Soon after reperfusion, her hemodynamics significantly collapsed and the subsequent left ventriculography revealed a large shunt to the right ventricle. Considering her self-sufficient daily life and the family's wishes, emergency surgical repair of anterior ventricular septal rupture was performed by infarct exclusion method using 2-patch technique. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative day 24.

Giant coronary artery aneurysm complicated with aortic regurgitation.

We present a rare case of a patient diagnosed with aortic insufficiency grade III and a giant coronary artery aneurysm with a maximum diameter of 12 cm. Surgical intervention revealed an incompetent bicuspid aortic valve and a huge thrombosed aneurysm, which communicated with the aorta through the left coronary ostium. In addition to direct closure of the ostium, a saphenous vein was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery, and the aortic valve was successfully replaced with a mechanical valve.