Pulmonary Embolectomy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: A Word of Caution.

Pulmonary embolectomy is an effective treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) but not for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. We described surgical experience of two patients with APE in preexistent unidentified chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. One patient who presented with severe hypoxia but stable hemodynamics underwent successful pulmonary endarterectomy for proximal organized thrombus instead of pulmonary embolectomy. The other patient who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe hypoxia developed right heart failure because of residual distal organized thrombus after pulmonary embolectomy. Clinical and radiographical presentation of APE in chronic pulmonary thromboembolism mimics APE, and thus, candidates of pulmonary embolectomy should be carefully selected.

Use of a Smart Watch for Early Detection of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Wearable devices with photoplethysmography (PPG) technology can be useful for detecting paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), which often goes uncaptured despite being a leading cause of stroke. OBJECTIVE: This study is the first part of a 2-phase study that aimed at developing a method for immediate detection of paroxysmal AF using PPG-integrated wearable devices. In this study, the diagnostic performance of 2 major smart watches, Apple Watch Series 3 and Fitbit (FBT) Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, each equipped with a PPG sensor, was compared, and the pulse rate data outputted from those devices were analyzed for precision and accuracy in reference to the heart rate data from electrocardiography (ECG) during AF. METHODS: A total of 40 subjects from patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a single center between September 2017 and March 2018 were monitored for postoperative AF using telemetric ECG and PPG devices. AF was diagnosed using a 12-lead ECG by qualified physicians. Each subject was given a pair of smart watches, Apple Watch and FBT, for simultaneous pulse rate monitoring. The heart rate of all subjects was also recorded on the telemetry system. Time series pulse rate trends and heart rate trends were created and analyzed for trend pattern similarities. Those trend data were then used to determine the accuracy of PPG-based pulse rate measurements in reference to ECG-based heart rate measurements during AF. RESULTS: Of the 20 AF events in group FBT, 6 (30%) showed a moderate or higher correlation (cross-correlation function>0.40) between pulse rate trend patterns and heart rate trend patterns. Of the 16 AF events in group Apple Watch (workout [W] mode), 12 (75%) showed a moderate or higher correlation between the 2 trend patterns. Linear regression analyses also showed a significant correlation between the pulse rates and the heart rates during AF in the subjects with Apple Watch. This correlation was not observed with FBT. The regression formula for Apple Watch W mode and FBT was X=14.203 + 0.841Y and X=58.225 + 0.228Y, respectively (where X denotes the mean of all average pulse rates during AF and Y denotes the mean of all corresponding average heart rates during AF), and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.685 and 0.057, respectively (P<.001 and .29, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this validation study, the detection precision of AF and measurement accuracy during AF were both better with Apple Watch W mode than with FBT.

A case of left ventricular assist device application for chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy caused by trastuzumab and anthracycline.

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is an established therapy for patients with severe heart failure. Because the incidence of cardiotoxicity owing to anticancer agents is low, it is difficult to predict the recovery prospects when the cause of heart failure is due to anticancer agents. In this context, cancer patients who present with severe symptoms of heart failure and who fail medical therapy for heart failure may pose a dilemma, especially in countries such as Japan where implantable LVADs are not approved for purposes other than bridging to transplant. Recently, we encountered a 32-year-old woman with chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy that developed after anticancer treatment using trastuzumab and anthracycline. LVAD therapy was the only option to save the young woman. The patient received an extracorporeal LVAD, her cardiac function gradually recovered while on support, and the device was successfully removed.

Does the presence of coronary artery disease affect the outcome of aortic valve replacement?

The purpose of this study is to compare the late outcome of aortic valve replacement with or without preoperative coronary artery disease, and with or without coronary artery bypass. Between 2014 and 2015, 291 patients underwent aortic valve replacement. Average follow-up term was 2.5 ± 2.2 years. The retrospective comparative study was performed between the patients with (n = 115) or without (n = 176) preoperative coronary artery disease (Study 1) and with (n = 93) or without (n = 198) coronary artery bypass grafting (Study 2). Study 1: male patients were more, and diabetes was more in the patients with coronary artery disease. Long-term survival rate was significantly low in the patients with coronary artery disease (p = 0.0002 by log rank test). Freedom from repeat coronary revascularization rate was lower in the patients with coronary artery disease (p = 0.02 by log rank test). Study 2: operation time (419 ± 130 vs 290 ± 101; p = 0.0001) was longer in the patients with coronary artery bypass grafting. Improvement of ejection fraction at follow-up was more in the patients with coronary artery bypass(114 ± 43 vs 104 ± 26%; p = 0.03). Long-term survival rate and freedom from major adverse cardiac event rater were not different with or without coronary artery bypass grafting (p = 0.26 and p = 0.59, respectively, by log rank test). Although prevalence of coronary artery disease inversely affected the long-term outcome of the aortic valve replacement, simultaneous coronary artery bypass did not. Aggressive simultaneous coronary revascularization would be important to improve the long-term outcome of aortic valve replacement.

Endovascular Treatment for Proximal Anastomotic Pseudoaneurysm after Total Arch Replacement in Behcet's Disease.

A 17-year-old patient underwent total arch replacement for aortic arch aneurysm due to vascular Behcet's disease (BD). Follow-up computed tomography, performed 6 months after the operation, demonstrated pseudoaneurysm formation at the proximal anastomotic site. We performed endovascular treatment and used a short stent graft that was originally designed for abdominal aortic aneurysm. To avoid the occlusion of the coronary or brachiocephalic artery (BCA) due to stent graft migration, we used right ventricular rapid pacing and BCA ballooning. Thus, we believe that endovascular treatment can be used for anastomotic complications in the ascending aorta after open surgery for connective tissue disorders including BD.

[Discrete type subaortic stenosis disclosed by hemolytic anemia after aortic and mitral valve replacement].

We report a case of discrete type subaortic stenosis disclosed by hemolytic anemia 7 years after aortic and mitral prosthetic valve replacement. A 53-year-old female complained of general fatigue, dyspnea, macrohematuria and hemolysis. She had undergone aortic valve replacement for non-coronary cusp perforation 15 years before, and mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty 7 years before. Echocardiography showed mitral prosthetic valve regurgitation (III/IV degree) and symptomatic hemolysis might be caused by accelerated blood flow through the prosthetic valve. A mild aortic stenosis (peak flow verocity:3.73 m/s) was also pointed out. The redo double valve replacement was performed. Intraoperative findings showed discrete type subaortic stenosis due to extensive pannus formation, but that the previously implanted prosthetic valves were intact. The blood flow biased by the interference of the subaortic stenosis might have obstructed closure of the mitral prosthetic valve and caused mitral regurgitation. Postoperatively, hemolysis and mitral regurgitation were diminished, and aortic stenosis was improved.

[Ventricular septal rupture and right ventricular free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction].

Cardiac rupture is a catastrophic complication of acute myocardial infarction with highly mortality rate. Three types of rupture are ventricular free wall rupture( VFR), ventricular septal rupture( VSR), and papillary muscle rupture( PMR). A combination of any 2 types of rupture is called ventricular double rupture (VDR), and very rare. We report a case of VDR (VSR and VFR) after acute myocardial infarction. A 76-year-old female with heart failure was admitted to our hospital. Echocardiography showed an apical VSR and pericardial effusion. She was diagnosed with VDR and emergent operation was performed. During operation, the site of VFR was right ventricle, which was the same infarction area of VSR. VSR was closed by infarction exclusion technique, concurrently excluding the site of VFR. VFR was successfully repaired by mattress sutures. Post-operative course was good without heart failure, though residual shunt was remained. The patient survived and was discharged from our hospital.

[Giant pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta following the aortic valve replacement;report of a case].

56-year-old male, who had undergone re-aortic valve replacement (AVR) 33 years ago, received preoperative study for pancreatic surgery. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a giant pseudoaneurysm (7 cm diameter) of the ascending aorta. The ascending aorta was not dilated. A midline skin incision was performed, followed by full sternotomy. A tight pericardial adhesion was carefully dissected. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established by femoral arterial and bicaval venous cannulation. The pseudoaneurysm was incised under the retrograde cardioplegic protection. A communication between ascending aorta and aneurysm was found 1 cm distal to the previous aortic suture line. This communication coincided with the cardioplegic root cannulation site. The aortic prosthetic valve was intact. The ascending aorta was replaced with 26 mm prosthetic graft. Postoperative course was uneventful. In this case, CT was useful to select the approach to the complicated postoperative surgical site.