Clinical outcomes of Najuta thoracic stent graft system for arch aneurysms.

Objectives: We aimed to elucidate the perioperative and short-term clinical outcomes of the Najuta thoracic stent graft system with fenestrations for supra-aortic vessels. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the perioperative and short-term clinical outcomes of 20 patients treated for arch or distal arch aneurysms using the Najuta thoracic stent graft system during the period from May 2019 to February 2023. Results: The technical success rate of the Najuta thoracic stent graft system was 95%. Of the 20 patients, 17 patients (85.0%) underwent concomitant extra-anatomical supra-aortic bypass. Postoperative CT revealed type Ia (n = 2) and type II (n = 3) endoleaks which disappeared on follow-up. The postoperative complications were stroke (n = 2, 10.0%), paraplegia (n = 1, 5.0%), and paraparesis (n = 1, 5.0%). In a very old patient, a blood transfusion was performed from the common iliac artery using the retroperitoneal approach. There were no aorta-related complications such as retrograde type A dissection or distal stent graft-induced new entry. Conclusions: We treated arch or distal arch thoracic aneurysms by inserting a tube-type stent graft as a scaffold on the peripheral site and placing the Najuta thoracic stent graft on the proximal site. By extending the landing zone to Zone 0 and using a low radial force, which is a feature of the Najuta thoracic stent graft system, postoperative bird-beak and aorta-related complications were avoided. The treatment of arch and distal arch aortic aneurysms using the Najuta thoracic stent graft system showed acceptable perioperative and short-term clinical outcomes. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair using the Najuta thoracic stent graft system may be a potential treatment option for arch and distal arch aortic aneurysms, warranting further studies.

Surgical revision of failed MitraClip procedure for atrial functional mitral regurgitation.

The MitraClip system is used for patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) who are at high risk for open surgery. However, some patients need surgical revision for various complications. The acute outcome of MitraClip treatment for atrial functional MR (aFMR) is scarcely reported. Herein, we describe a rare case of an 80-year-old woman treated with a MitraClip for aFMR with mitral annular dilatation and failed leaflet adaptation. The patient suffered from single leaflet device attachment (SLDA) and posterior leaflet injury 3 days posttreatment. The patient successfully underwent mitral valve replacement. The postoperative pulmonary hypertension was markedly improved and the left atrial volume was reduced. A MitraClip should be carefully used for aFMR with mitral annular dilatation and failed leaflet adaptation as it may cause SLDA.

Native aortic valve thrombosis due to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

A 65-year-old man with unstable angina was transferred to our department for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Preoperative computed tomography indicated a large thrombosis in the left coronary cusp (LCC). CABG concomitant thrombectomy was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass using unfractionated heparin. Although the LCC was filled with a large thrombus, the left coronary artery ostium was not obstructed. The platelet count decreased by 68%, 12 days after starting heparin in the previous hospital. There is a high probability that this patient had HIT which was not recognized before surgery.

Production of functional sperm from cryopreserved testicular germ cells following intraperitoneal transplantation into allogeneic surrogate in yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata).

The aim of this study was to establish a method for the cryopreservation of spermatogonia of the yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata), which is the most commonly farmed fish in Japan. Testicular cells were prepared by enzymatic dissociation of testicular fragments containing an abundance of type A spermatogonia and were added to cryomedium containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol, glycerol, or propylene glycol at concentrations of 0.5-2.5 M. The cells were then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen for 3 days. After thawing, their survival and transplantability were evaluated. Testicular cells were most successfully cryopreserved in 1.0 M DMSO as indicated by survival of 34% of cells. Furthermore, in situ hybridization using the yellowtail vasa probe showed that these recovered cells contained a similar proportion of germ cells to fresh testicular cells before freezing. Transplantation of the recovered cells into the peritoneal cavities of allogeneic larvae resulted in 94% of surviving recipients having donor-derived germ cells in their gonads after 28 days. Sperm were then collected from seven randomly selected recipients once they reached 2 years of age and used to fertilize wild-type eggs, which led to an average of 26% of the first filial (F1) offspring being derived from donor fish, as confirmed through the use of microsatellite markers. Thus, we successfully cryopreserved yellowtail spermatogonia and produced functional sperm via intraperitoneal transplantation into allogeneic recipients.

Insertion of Impella CP following postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock concomitant with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) is associated with considerably high rates of mortality. In PCCS, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been used despite the high rates of complications and poor outcome. Since the introduction of Impella CP (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA), effective left-ventricular unloading and systemic perfusion could be maintained even in patients with severe PCCS. Herein, we describe the successful treatment of PCCS following combined heart surgery in a patient by Impella CP insertion.

[Thrombectomy for right atrial thrombosis complicating a pyogenic liver abscess].

Vascular complications from a liver abscess are rare but life-threatening. Herein, we report the case of a man in his 40s with a pyogenic hepatic abscess complicated by an inferior vena caval thrombus extending to the right atrium. His presenting complaint was a high fever. Blood tests revealed elevated inflammatory markers and liver enzymes. An abdominal CT demonstrated a 10cm abscess in the right hepatic lobe. A blood culture grew Streptococcus intermedius, which was sensitive to ampicillin sulbactam. He was diagnosed with a pyogenic liver abscess and treated with metronidazole and ampicillin sulbactam. Three days following admission, an abdominal CT scan revealed the thrombus extending from the liver abscess into the right atrium. He underwent thrombectomy and received antibiotic therapy. Postoperatively, abdominal ultrasound revealed a significant decrease in the size of the hepatic abscess. The patient was discharged in good condition on the 46th day of hospitalization. When encountering a hepatic abscess, it is important to consider that it may be associated with a thrombus extending from the inferior vena cava into right atrium.

Combined spinal-propofol anesthesia with noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation.

Twenty-three adult patients undergoing repair of inguinal hernia under spinal anesthesia received propofol infusion for sedation with the assist of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV). Circulatory and respiratory parameters, such as percutaneous oxygen saturation, transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension, respiratory rate, tidal volume, blood pressure, and heart rate, were maintained within physiological ranges during the anesthesia. There were no adverse effects. These findings suggest that the application of NPPV in patients receiving propofol infusion for sedation is clinically practicable during anesthesia.