Sternal lifting technique for patients with sternal depression during robotic mitral repair.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional surgical methods have been difficult for patients with chest wall deformities, but the use of the Electrical Sternum Lifting System (ESLS) has made the surgery easier. MATERIALS AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Patients with a sternum-to-vertebral distance of less than 80 mm on preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan routinely underwent sternal lift using the ESLS. The ESLS was effective in securing the operative field while suspending the sternum, allowing adequate observation of the left atrium, left ventricle, and the mitral valve, and safe mitral valve plasty. The use of the lifting device did not interfere with the robot arms, and the space between the sternum and vertebrae was widened with only a 3 mm wound to move the mitral valve surface in the sagittal plane, making the repair easy and accurate under robotic assistance. The effort to attach the ESLS was not difficult, and the postoperative cosmetic outcomes were excellent. Sixty-three out of 1002 patients (6.3%) underwent sternal elevation using ESLS. There were 19 males and 44 females with a mean age of 50.9 ± 14.0 years. The average of sternum-to-vertebral (S/V) distance was 72.4 ± 8.9 cm. Two patients had S/V distance of more than 80 mm but ESLS was used because of scoliosis.

Outcomes of Barlow mitral valve repaired by robot-assisted keyhole surgery.

Objective: To present our strategy and the clinical outcomes of robot-assisted Barlow mitral valve keyhole surgery. Methods: From May 2015 to March 2022, a total of 1281 patients underwent mitral valve repair at our institution, including 763 with robotics surgeries. Of these, 124 patients with Barlow mitral valve (49 ± 12 years, male/female ratio = 81:43) were treated using robotic assistance and included in this study. Results: All operations were completed using 3 to 5 keyholes. Neochordae implantation using the loop technique was the first option, and resection was performed only in cases with an intrinsic risk of developing systolic anterior motion. Neochordae implantation was performed in 118 cases (95.1%) using 6.6 ± 3.0 neochordae. Posterior leaflet resection was performed in 27 (21.7%) patients. Operation time was 177 ± 42 minutes, cardiopulmonary bypass time was 127 ± 25 minutes, and aorta crossclamp time was 76 ± 16 minutes. Blood transfusion was required in 5 cases (4%). None of the patients required a conversion to valve replacement. The postoperative complications included bleeding (n = 4), stroke (n = 1), and infection (n = 2). Mitral valve regurgitation 1 week after repair was none or trivial in 122 cases (98.3%), mild in 2 cases (1.7%), and more than moderate in 0 cases. Freedom from reoperation was 99.2% during the follow-up period of 36 ± 21 months. One patient required reoperation due to infective endocarditis. Conclusions: Robot-assisted keyhole surgery using the loop-first concept was adequate to help achieve satisfactory and safe perioperative outcomes for Barlow mitral valve.

Robotic Surgery for Triple Valve Insufficiency: A Case Report.

A 63-year-old woman was referred to our institution for surgical treatment of triple valve (aortic, mitral, and tricuspid) insufficiency and underwent a robot-assisted endoscopic procedure. Three intercostal ports were placed in the right lateral chest for robotic instruments and a retrograde cardioplegic cannula, and a 5 cm thoracotomy was made for the procedure, which was a mitral valve repair with neochords and ring annuloplasty, an aortic valve replacement with bioprosthetic valve, and a ring tricuspid annuloplasty. Surgery was successfully achieved without blood transfusion or any complications.

Off-Pump Neochordae Implantation via Left Minithoracotomy for Recurrent Regurgitation Following Mitral Valve Repair: The First Case in Japan.

Surgical fixation after recurrent regurgitation following surgical mitral repair has been technically demanding and associated with high morbidity and mortality. Avoiding reopening the adhesive site or limiting the usage of cardiopulmonary bypass are solutions for reducing the operative risk. We report a case of recurrent mitral regurgitation treated by off-pump neochordae implantation via left minithoracotomy. A 69-year-old woman with a history of conventional mitral repair via median sternotomy developed heart failure due to mitral regurgitation from recurrent posterior leaflet P2 prolapse. Four neochordaes were implanted off-pump via left minithoracotomy using a NeoChord DS1000 in the seventh intercostal space. No transfusion was required. The patient was discharged a week after the procedure with no complications. The regurgitation remains trivial 6 months after the NeoChord procedure.

Robot-Assisted Totally Endoscopic Mitral Valve Plasty and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

We experienced 3 cases of port-access robot-assisted totally endoscopic technique for mitral valve repair and concomitant coronary artery bypass. The right internal mammary artery was harvested, mitral valve was fixed, and the right internal mammary artery to right coronary artery anastomosis was carried out on the arrested heart. The use of cardiac arrest and a V-shaped hook technique facilitated the coronary anastomosis and the da Vinci Firefly test (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) could confirm patency of the graft.

A routine de-airing method for total endoscopic robot-assisted mitral valve repair.

Intraoperative water testing is essential for assessing mitral valve morphology and degree of residual mitral regurgitation during mitral valve repair. However, in some cases, evacuating intracardiac air is challenging. Herein, we report the routine de-airing method during total endoscopic robot-assisted mitral valve repair at our institute and discuss its effectiveness. In brief, our de-airing methods involve the following steps: after restricting the blood flow of the cardiopulmonary bypass, intracardiac air was pushed out into the pulmonary veins by drawing blood from the right ventricle. The left atrium, left ventricle, and ascending aorta were filled with blood to remove air from the root cannula. Retrograde blood flow from the coronary sinus was used to remove air from the coronary arteries. At 10 min after cardiopulmonary bypass weaning, transesophageal echocardiography revealed that residual intracardial air was absent in 99% of patients in all three chambers (ascending aorta, left atrium, and left ventricle).

Robotic mitral valve plasty for isolated clefts of mitral valve leaflets.

A 21-year-old female patient referred to our institute had been suffering from severe mitral valve regurgitation due to a rare anomaly: a typical cleft at the posterior mitral leaflet and the other partial one at the anterior leaflet. We successfully fixed the mitral valve using the robot-assisted totally endoscopic technique which could perform suture closure of both leaflets and annuloplasty. This communication is the first report of the robotic and totally endoscopic procedure which could treat this rare mitral anomaly.

Novel Brain Protection Method for Zone 0 Endovascular Aortic Repair with Selective Cerebral Perfusion.

Objective: Zone 0 thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is associated with a high incidence of cerebral infarction mostly due to the embolic shower of a plaque from the aortic arch when the stent graft brushes against the aortic wall. Thus, it is important to develop a method for protecting the brain from such embolism. We report the outcomes of Zone 0 TEVAR with a novel brain protection method using selective cerebral perfusion under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Materials and Methods: Two T-shaped grafts with ringed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) were created using an 8-mm-ringed ePTFE anastomosed end-to-side with a 7-mm-ringed ePTFE. Carotid-carotid bypass and axillo-axillary bypass were established using these grafts. ECMO was connected to the grafts and the femoral vein. Bilateral carotid and axillary arteries were blocked, and cerebral perfusion was selectively maintained using ECMO. Total endovascular Zone 0 TEVAR was performed. The patency of brachiocephalic artery was maintained using the chimney or in situ fenestration technique. Results: Since August 2016, seven patients with aortic arch aneurysms underwent the procedure. The mortality rate was 0%. No neurological complications developed. Conclusion: This brain protection method using selective cerebral perfusion under ECMO is a safe method for Zone 0 TEVAR.

Combined robot-assisted mitral valve plasty and Nuss procedure via small ports.

Pectus excavatum (PE) can be associated with cardiac disorders that also require surgical repair. Totally endoscopic robot-assisted mitral valve plasty for mitral valve regurgitation was performed while elevating the sternum with the aid of our original electrical sternum lifting system. Then, the Nuss procedure was performed successfully via small incision. Simultaneous robot-assisted cardiac surgery and the Nuss procedure is effective. Sternal elevation during cardiac surgery is very important for a safe procedure. The Nuss technique prevents perioperative cardiac compression and allows for correction of the pectus deformity with good cosmetic and functional results.

[Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery for a Heart Tumor after Breast Cancer Therapy and Partial Lung Resection for Lung Cancer;Report of a Case].

Papillary fibroelastoma is a benign tumor of the heart, constituting less than 10% of heart tumors. When papillary fibroelastoma is diagnosed, surgical treatment must be considered because it may cause embolization such as myocardial infarction and strokes. We experienced a patient with papillary fibroelastoma of the tricuspid valve after total resection of the right breast for breast cancer and partial lung resection for lung cancer. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) with right thoracotomy was perfomed to resect the tumor. Though median sternotomy is still the most widely used approach for cardiac tumor, MICS is a useful method for preventing sternal wound infection and promoting wound healing, particularly in a patient with high risk of wound infection like this case.

Temperature-dependent changes in the molecular orientation and visible color of phthalocyanine films.

A simple phthalocyanine zinc complex exhibits a visible color change in response to weak external stimuli, i.e., changes in solvent and temperature. Its chromism was attributed to its controlled aggregation via weak interactions between the central metal and peripheral oxygen atoms. In solution, intense absorption and fluorescence bands appeared in both the longer-wavelength and NIR region in non-coordinating solvents, while a simple sharp Q band was observed in coordinating solvents. Variable-temperature absorption spectra and fluorescence lifetime measurements were used to characterize the aggregation-induced absorption and emission in non-coordinating solvents. A selective aggregation-disaggregation process was also observed in thin films of this phthalocyanine zinc complex, and the optical properties of the film depend on the annealing temperature. The changes in the NIR region lead to a sizable visible color change that is recognizable by the naked human eye. The temperature-dependent control of the aggregation process in the thin film was confirmed using operando spectroscopy techniques.

Successful Two-Stage Treatment for Coarctation of the Aorta-postductal Type and Aortic Regurgitation with Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair and Aortic Valve Replacement.

We herein report a case of a 20-year-old man with aortic regurgitation (AR), coarctation of the aorta (CoA), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The preoperative ankle-brachial pressure index was 0.56 in bilateral extremities. Enhanced computed tomography revealed CoA-postductal type. We decided to perform a two-stage surgery: thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for CoA and PDA and then open surgery for AR. TEVAR was successfully performed with deployment of the stent graft at a 31-mm diameter subsequent to balloon dilation. At 8 days after TEVAR, the patient underwent aortic valve replacement via median sternotomy and was discharged without a complication.

First Major Clinical Outcomes of Totally Endoscopic Robotic Mitral Valve Repair in Japan　- A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, Japan became the first country to have robotic cardiac surgery covered under the national health insurance. The number of patients undergoing robotic mitral valve (MV) repair has been estimated to increase remarkably, but no reports in Japan have yet described the outcomes of robotic MV repair. This study aimed to analyze the early clinical outcomes of patients undergoing totally endoscopic robotic MV repair (TERMVR) as a landmark national study for this procedure.Methods and Results:A total of 213 patients (152 men; mean age, 55±11 years) underwent TERMVR during May 2014 to December 2018. Preoperative demographics, operative profiles, and postoperative outcomes, including follow-up echocardiography, were analyzed. Successful TERMVR was achieved in all patients. Operation, cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross-clamp times were 192±49.8, 127±23.8, and 70.1±16.2 min, respectively. Intraoperative transfusion was performed in 20 patients (10%). There were no in-hospital deaths. All patients were alive during the median follow-up period of 255 days (interquartile range, 32.5-208 days). Freedom from recurrence of MR >grade 2+ was 97.3%, 95.0%, and 90.7% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: TERMVR is an effective and safe procedure with acceptable early postoperative outcomes.

A Novel Shape-Memory Monofilament Suture for Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopic Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic knot tying can complicate or prolong minimally invasive surgical procedures. A novel shape-memory monofilament suture with a spiral tail has been developed to speed up suture fixation during minimally invasive cardiac surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its usefulness and safety in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. METHODS: We installed a needle with a 4-0 monofilament suture, composed of polyvinylidene difluoride and hexafluoropropylene copolymers, in an originally invented jig and heated it in an oven. By only passing through the needle and then into the spiral made at the tail of the suture, a hangman's knot was easily made. For the fundamental experiment, to evaluate the effectiveness of the novel shape-memory monofilament suture, 4 surgeons with varying thoracoscopic experience tied knots within a simulated minimally invasive setting, using both the novel shape-memory and conventional monofilament sutures. The time elapsed for knot tying and tensile strength of each knot was measured. RESULTS: The mean knot-tying time was significantly shorter with the novel suture than with the conventional suture (108 ± 29 vs. 172 ± 42 seconds, P = 0.01). The ultimate tensile strength of each knot was 17.4 N in the novel suture and 16.5 N in the conventional suture. CONCLUSIONS: The novel shape-memory monofilament suture has great potential for reducing operative time of minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery while retaining the strength of the knot.