[Combined Resection of the Aorta under Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Locally Advanced Lung Cancer].

We present two cases with locally advanced lung cancer invading the descending aorta. Case 1 is a 67 years old male, who had been followed up for stroke. Enlargement of a mass lesion in the left lung was pointed out on further examination. Case 2 is a 64-year-old man, who was referred to our hospital because of cough and abnormal shadow on the chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT). We suspected that both tumors were lung carcinoma invading the descending aorta based on enhanced CT findings. In both cases, the clinical stage was cT4N0M0 stageⅢA. They underwent left pneumonectomy with combined en bloc tubular resection and reconstruction of the descending aorta via a posterolateral thoracotomy using cardiopulmonary bypass in the right lateral decubitus position. The histologic type of both tumors was squamous cell carcinoma. The pathological staging was pT4N0M0 in case 1, and pT4N2M0 in case 2. After surgery, the first patient received chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin and vinorelbine plus pembrolizumab. He survived 17 months until sudden death of unknown reason. The second did not receive adjuvant treatment because his postoperative performance status was slightly reduced. He died of local recurrence 6 months after the operation.

[Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery: Report of a Case].

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva is a rare anomaly known to cause sudden death in young competitive athletes. We report a case of 58-year-old male who was admitted to our hospital because of acute coronary syndrome. Emergency coronary angiography documented a critical stenosis in the right coronary artery. A cardiologist implanted a stent with good angiographic result. It was not possible to place a catheter in left coronary artery ostium at normal position. The patient was diagnosed to have an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva, passing between the aorta and the main pulmonary artery by coronary 3 dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA). After a stent insertion, he still had angina. Further examination of the left coronary artery including intravascular ultrasound revealed a hard plaque in the left main trunk as the culprit lesion. Because previous percutaneous coronary intervention was ineffective, off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was performed using bilateral internal thoracic arterial grafts to the left anterior descending artery and the obtuse marginal branch. Postoperative 3D-CTA demonstrated patent grafts. Two years after the operation, he is free from chest discomfort.

[Papillary Thyroid Cancer Metastasizing Anterior Mediastinal Lymph Node with Extra-nodal Invasion to the Lung:Report of a Case].

We describe a 79-year-old female with a prior history of two times of mitral valve surgery and pacemaker implantation. She was transferred to our hospital presenting bloody sputum with dyspnea. Chest enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a large anterior mediastinal mass of 64×52 mm in size. She underwent surgery for the mediastinal tumor through third time median sternotomy approach. As the tumor was suspected of infiltrating to the lung, combined resection of right upper lobe was additionally performed. Histological examination revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasizing anterior mediastinal lymph node with extra-nodal invasion to the lung. After surgery, echography detected primary lesion in the left lobe of thyroid gland, and the patient was finally diagnosed as papillary thyroid cancer metastasizing mediastinal lymph node. Two months later, she underwent total thyroidectomy.

[Resection under Endoscopic Guidance of Papillary Fibroelastoma in the Left Ventricular Outflow Tract:Report of a Case].

A 76-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for a thorough examination of a suspected cardiac tumor on transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a 9.4×8.1 mm mobile stalk-like mass in the left ventricular outflow tract. A preoperative electrocardiogram revealed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Tumor resection and pulmonary vein isolation were performed to prevent embolism and confirm the diagnosis. The tumor was resected using an endoscope because it was difficult to evaluate the tumor under direct view from the aortic valve. Pathological diagnosis was cardiac papillary fibroelastoma. Postoperative echocardiography showed no residual tumor or aortic regurgitation. One year and eight months passed since the surgery, and no recurrence of the tumor was detected. In cases like this one, where direct observation of the tumor is difficult, we suggest that the use of an endoscope may be effective because it has the advantage of sharing information with other surgeons.

[Superior Vena Cava Syndrome due to Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Originated in the Mediastinum].

We report a case of a 53-year-old man with superior vena cava( SVC) syndrome due to large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) in the mediastinum. His chief complaint was general fatigue. On physical examination, both jugular veins were distended and his face and bilateral upper limbs were swollen. Enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a heterogenous tumor of approximately 50 mm in diameter in the middle mediastinum, which infiltrated into the SVC and right atrium, and caused SVC syndrome. Since SVC syndrome developed rapidly, the tumor was resected and the occluded SVC was replaced with a ringed polytetrafluoroethylene graft under cardiopulmonary bypass. After surgery, SVC obstruction was resolved with improvement of the initial symptoms. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged from our hospital. The tumor was diagnosed as LCNEC histologically. He received postoperative adjuvant systemic chemotherapy. Unfortunately, he died of extensive brain and bone metastasis 10 months after the operation. However, we believe that surgical relief from SVC syndrome improved quality of the rest of his life.

Comparison of Aortic Annulus Dimension After Aortic Valve Neocuspidization With Valve Replacement and Normal Valve.

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) remains the standard surgical intervention for aortic valve disease and is preferred by many surgeons, despite its associated clinical issues. The clinical efficacy of aortic valve neocuspidization (AVNeo) with glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium, the Ozaki procedure, has recently been reported. Although it is presumed to preserve the normal aortic annulus motion, changes to the aortic annulus during the cardiac cycle after AVNeo remain unclear. From March to December 2014, aortic annular dimensions were measured for 23 patients; the sample included 8 patients who had undergone AVNeo, 10 patients with normal aortic valves, and 5 patients who had undergone AVR. Measurements were recorded using electrocardiography-gated multidetector computed tomography. Data were analyzed using automated aortic root analysis software. Postoperative peak pressure gradients for the AVNeo and AVR groups were compared. No statistically significant differences in annulus variation were observed between patients who had undergone AVNeo and those with normal aortic valves. Annular area was larger during systole than during diastole in both groups. Postoperative peak pressure gradients were significantly lower in the AVNeo group than in the AVR group. The results of the present study demonstrated that aortic annular dimensions after AVNeo are similar to the dimensions of normal aortic valves. This was evidenced using electrocardiography-gated multidetector computed tomography, previously reported as the most reliable method, to evaluate annulus motion during the cardiac cycle. Lower postoperative peak pressure gradients might underlie the observed changes. These advantages will help in rectifying AVR defects.

Analysis of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Particle Image Velocimetry Models of Distal-End Side-to-Side and End-to-Side Anastomoses for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in a Pulsatile Flow.

BACKGROUND: Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is a major cause of graft failure. Hemodynamic factors such as stagnation and disturbed blood flow are involved in IH formation. The aim of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of distal-end side-to-side (deSTS) and end-to-side (ETS) anastomoses using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) after validating the results via particle image velocimetry (PIV).Methods and Results:We investigated the characteristics of our target flow fields using CFD under steady and pulsatile flows. CFD via PIV under steady flow in a 10-times-actual-size model was validated. The CFD analysis revealed a recirculation zone in the heel region in the deSTS and ETS anastomoses and at the distal end of the graft, and just distal to the toe of the host artery in the deSTS anastomoses. The recirculation zone sizes changed with the phase shift. We found regions of low wall shear stress and high oscillating shear index in the same areas. The PIV and CFD results were similar. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that the hemodynamic characteristics of CFD and PIV is the difference between the deSTS and ETS anastomoses; that is, the deSTS flow peripheral to the distal end of the graft, at the distal end and just distal to the toe of the host artery is involved in the IH formation.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in a Patient With Polyarteritis Nodosa.

A 38-year-old man with polyarteritis nodosa presented with exertional chest pain. Coronary angiography revealed 3-vessel coronary artery disease. We performed 2-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting with the saphenous vein because the left internal thoracic artery was in poor condition. Histological examination of the left internal thoracic artery showed a strong effect of polyarteritis nodosa.

[Emergency Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair of Ruptured Kommerell's Diverticulum with an Acute Aortic Dissection].

This case report describes emergency thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) of a ruptured Kommerell's diverticulum associated with a type B acute aortic dissection in a patient with a right aortic arch. A 64-year-old male was admitted with symptoms of sudden paraplegia and shock. The computed tomography imaging showed right aortic arch anomaly, with mirror image branching of the major arteries. The aorta was dissected from the origin of the right subclavian artery to the terminal aorta, with a thrombosed false lumen. Rupture was found in a 6.3 cm aneurysm located in the distal arch, which was diagnosed as Kommerell's diverticulum. We performed emergency TEVAR, and the aneurysm was successfully excluded using deployment of a Gore Tag stent-graft. At 3 months' follow-up, the patient was doing well and showed shrinkage of the aneurysm was confirmed. TEVAR is considered to be a suitable procedure for an emergency aortic catastrophe even in patients with aortic anomaly.

[Total arch replacement using a long elephant trunk for chronic dissecting aneurysm of a distal aortic arch].

A 74-year-old man was diagnosed with Stanford type B early thrombosed aortic dissection. Computed tomography (CT) 2 years later revealed that an aneurysm of the distal arch had enlarged from a maximal diameter of 47 mm to 62 mm and involved the descending aorta. Total arch replacement using a quadrifurcated arch graft proceeded through a median sternotomy under deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (20 degrees C) and selective brain perfusion. The long elephant trunk of another prosthesis was inserted into the descending aorta and a distal anastomosis was constructed immediately after the left common carotid artery. The post-operative course was uneventful and CT at that time revealed complete thrombo-exclusion of the aneurysm surrounding the long elephant trunk. This method was very useful for reducing the duration of circulatory arrest and bleeding, as well as the risk of postoperative complications.

Robotically assisted multivessel minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting with the use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries.

This case report presents the robotically assisted multivessel minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCAB) technique using the bilateral internal thoracic arteries. A 54-year-old man with multivessel coronary artery disease was considered eligible for a robotically assisted myocardial revascularization. The bilateral internal thoracic arteries were harvested completely in a totally skeletonized fashion through three 1-2-cm-long incisions on the left thoracic wall. A small left anterior thoracotomy was then performed. The left internal thoracic artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending coronary artery, and the composite radial artery graft from the right internal thoracic artery was sequentially anastomosed to the first diagonal branch, the obtuse marginal branch, and the distal right coronary artery on the beating heart without cardiopulmonary bypass. The harvesting time of the grafts was 66 min, and the total operative time was 5 h 58 min. Postoperative angiography revealed that all grafts were widely patent. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 10 days after the operation. Robotically assisted MIDCAB using the bilateral thoracic arteries is a safe and effective means of myocardial revascularization for patients with multivesssel disease.

How I do it: traction of ascending aorta with starfish heart positioner during proximal saphenous vein graft anastomosis using the PAS-Port system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

The PAS-Port system allows for the rapid deployment of a clampless proximal anastomosis between a saphenous vein graft and the aorta. We have developed a simple technique of establishing traction of the ascending aorta with the Starfish heart positioner during proximal saphenous vein anastomosis using the PAS-Port system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.