Direct imaging of tunable photonic nanojets from a self-assembled liquid crystal microdroplet.

We report the direct experimental observation of electrically tunable photonic nanojets (PNJs) generated from self-assembled liquid crystal (LC) microdroplets formed by dispersing nematic LCs in polymer matrix. Optical measurements were performed with a home-built laser-scanning confocal microscope system. PNJs with subwavelength beam waists were successfully obtained from LC microdroplets of 5 µm diameter, similar to those from SiO2 microspheres of the same size. By applying external voltage of a few volts, some of major properties of PNJs, such as beam length and brightness, are tuned. Electro-tunable PNJs from self-assembled LC microdroplets may open the way for the development of novel micro-optical devices.

Severe aortic valve regurgitation due to Takayasu's aortoarteritis in a child.

An 8-year-old Japanese boy with severe aortic valve regurgitation was treated by the Ross procedure with use of the full root technique. Takayasu's aortoarteritis was diagnosed 2 months after the operation. At 8 months after the operation, follow-up echocardiography revealed an aortic root pseudoaneurysm, which was surgically repaired. At 24 months after operation, the patient continues to receive prednisolone, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide and is in good health, with good pulmonary autograft function.

Persistent truncus arteriosus with double aortic arch and mitral stenosis.

This report describes a case involving the rare combination of persistent truncus arteriosus type A2, double aortic arch, and mitral stenosis. At the age of 26 days, the patient underwent division of the right-sided aortic arch with tracheal compression and bilateral pulmonary banding. Fontan completion was successfully achieved after separation of the pulmonary artery from the arterial trunk, atrial septostomy, and modified Blalock-Taussig shunt at the age of 7 months and bilateral bidirectional Glenn anastomosis at the age of 1 year and 3 months. At this writing, the patient is doing well 2 years and 6 months after Fontan completion.

Open stent-grafting for adult patent ductus arteriosus with a distal aortic arch aneurysm.

Closure of adult patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is difficult for its variation. We report a case of open stent-grafting for a 67-year-old woman who had PDA and a concomitant distal aortic arch aneurysm. The pulmonary/systemic flow ratio was 1.88, and the pulmonary arterial pressure was 34/21(25). The operation was done through a median sternotomy under hypothermic cardioplegic arrest. We opened the anterior wall of the arch just distal to the left subclavian artery and placed a stent-graft into the descending aorta. At 5 months after discharge, three-dimensional computed tomography showed disappearance of PDA and no endoleak of the stent-graft.

A neonate of coronary artery fistula from left circumflex to coronary sinus.

The patient was a neonate with a large coronary artery fistula (CAF) between the left circumflex artery and coronary sinus in whom an intractable progressive heart failure with myocardial ischemia developed within 24 h after birth. He survived the surgical intervention and is doing well. This is the first report of coronary fistula presenting with cardiogenic shock on the first day of life. Additionally, this is the fourth case of the CAF between the left circumflex artery and coronary sinus in children, and the first case in a newborn.