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Background: We developed a new sternal fixation device, Super FIXSORB WAVE®, a corrugated plate made of u-HA/PLLA, to improve sternal stability after sternotomy. This present study aimed to evaluate the new device clinically. Methods: This prospective, single-blinded, multicenter trial randomized 69 patients to either wire cerclage only (group C, n = 30) or wire cerclage plus Super FIXSORB WAVE® (group W, n = 39). The primary endpoint was a degree of sternal displacement at six months. Displacement of the sternal halves in the anteroposterior and lateral directions was measured using computed tomography horizontal section images at the third costal and fourth intercostal levels. The secondary endpoints were sternal pain and quality-of-life over 6 months. Results: Group W showed significantly reduced sternal anteroposterior displacement at both the third costal (0 [0–1.9] mm vs. 1.1 [0–2.1] mm; P = 0.014) and fourth intercostal (0 [0–1.0] mm) vs. 1.0 [0–1.8] mm; P = 0.015) levels than group C. In group W, lateral displacement was suppressed without a significant increase from 2 weeks to 6 months, while it increased in group C. There was no significant difference in postoperative sternal pain and quality-of-life between the two groups. No adverse events, such as infection, inflammation, or foreign body reaction, were observed with this device. Conclusions: Using Super FIXSORB WAVE®, sternal displacement was significantly suppressed in both the anteroposterior and lateral directions. The use of this device results in safe and easy sternal reinforcement without any adverse events, and sternal healing can be accelerated. Clinical trial registry number: This study was registered in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (February 21, 2019; jRCTs032180146). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of tricuspid annuloplasty with/without additional edge-to-edge plications in patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and to clarify the impact of tethering on surgical outcomes. METHODS This retrospective observational study included patients with moderate or greater functional TR who underwent initial tricuspid valve repair between January 2008 and December 2021. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether they had tethering (preoperative tethering area ≥0.75 cm2). All patients underwent annuloplasty, and edge-to-edge plications were added at the regurgitant leakage site identified by saline tests. The surgical outcomes of each group and the effect of tethering on recurrent moderate or greater TR were evaluated. RESULTS One hundred and thirty-three patients were included in this study. During the follow-up period of 55.3 (standard deviation: 44.9) months, the 5-year survival rates were 78.4% in patients without tethering and 76.1% in patients with tethering (P  = 0.78). The 5-year cumulative incidence rates of readmission for heart failure and recurrent TR were 10.8% and 1.3% in patients without tethering and 23.0% and 29.5% in patients with tethering, respectively (P  = 0.12 and <0.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that the preoperative and predischarge tethering areas predicted recurrent TR. A large tethering area remained postoperatively in patients with tethering. CONCLUSIONS In patients without tethering, annuloplasty and additional edge-to-edge plications are effective in avoiding recurrent TR with satisfactory midterm clinical outcomes. However, in patients with tethering, these procedures resulted in residual tethering, which could be leading to recurrent TR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 44‐year‐old woman who was quarantined for 5 days after the diagnosis of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID‐19) was transferred to our hospital with the complaint of chest pain. The patient was unvaccinated. Electrocardiography revealed ST elevation in the lateral leads. Echocardiographic biventricular dysfunction with oedematous wall thickening was identified. Cardiac enzyme levels were elevated; however, C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels, and the coronary angiogram were normal. The patient required mechanical circulatory support to stabilize haemodynamics and was treated with remdesivir, baricitinib, and intravenous methylprednisolone. She recovered after 13 days of mechanical support. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute myocardial oedema and subsequent fibrosis. An endomyocardial biopsy on admission showed mild interstitial inflammatory infiltrates with endomyocardial fibrous thickening and mild interstitial fibrosis of the myocardium. Normal CRP levels suggested minor involvement of interleukin (IL)‐6, supporting the efficacy of baricitinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cardiac implantable electronic devices, such as pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapies, have become more popular, device extraction has become more frequent. At our institution, individual treatment strategies are discussed at a heart team meeting. Transvenous lead extraction (TVLE) is a first-line treatment; however, surgical lead extraction (SLE) is sometimes selected as a primary choice to provide optimal treatment and maintain the medical safety policy. This study aimed to investigate the validity of this heart team decision-making. From 2013 to 2021, 384 consecutive patients underwent lead extraction at our institution. SLE was proposed as the primary intervention for 21 patients who had high risk of bleeding, difficult TVLE conditions, large vegetations, and other concomitant cardiac diseases. Of the 363 TVLE patients, 10 patients required surgical intervention; 5 had TVLE difficulty followed by SLE and 5 had excessive bleeding. SLE was performed in 26 patients, 19 of whom required valve surgery, and 8 required plication of the great veins. In 4 of the 17 hybrid procedures with SLE and TVLE, excessive bleeding occurred due to laceration of the superior vena cava and innominate vein. Operative mortality was not observed in SLE patients but was observed in 1 of the 4 TVLE patients who required emergent open-chest hemostasis. The heart team discussion was essential to provide optimal treatment and maintain medical safety policies for each patient. SLE should be selected for patients with high risk of TVLE or other cardiac complications such as tricuspid valve incompetence. Treatment strategy for cardiac electronic implantable devices. TVLE, transvenous lead extraction; SLE, surgical lead extraction; SVC, superior vena cava; pts., patients. [Display omitted] • Treatment strategies should be discussed for each patient in a heart team. • Decision-making made by a heart team can provide optimal treatment in each patient. • Surgical lead extraction (SLE) was required in 21 of the 384 patients. • Emergent open-chest hemostasis was required in 4 of the 363 transvenous patients. • Conversion to SLE is smoothly decided after heart team conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES There are few reports on the rotational position of the aortic valve relative to the base of the left ventricle, and its influence on valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR) has not been reported. Based on our experience with complications such as right atrial perforation and tricuspid valve injury, we investigated the cause of these complications in terms of morphological variations in the aortic root and its surrounding structures. METHODS The aortic valve rotation relative to the base of the left ventricle was assessed in 30 patients with tri-leaflet aortic valves who underwent VSRR. The influence of such anatomical variations on surgical procedures was investigated. RESULTS The aortic valve was positioned normally in 25 patients (83.3%), rotated counterclockwise in 4 (13.3%), and rotated clockwise in 1 patient (3.3%). In patients with a counterclockwise rotated aortic valve, the non-coronary sinus was the largest compared with other sinuses. This aortic valve rotation could be diagnosed by multidetector row computed tomography. In all patients who had difficulty in the external dissection of the right sinus of Valsalva, the aortic valve was counterclockwise rotated and forcible dissection had a risk of right atrial perforation and tricuspid valve injury. CONCLUSIONS Aortic valve rotation is an element that complicates VSRR. The rotational position of the aortic valve can be diagnosed preoperatively using multidetector row computed tomography and understanding the anatomy of the aortic valve related to rotational position help decide proper surgical decision-making in performing aortic root reconstruction procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with subvalvular procedures for functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) with severe leaflet tethering. METHODS Of 175 patients who had tricuspid valve surgery between June 2016 and June 2021, a total of 17 patients with functional TR with a preoperative tethering height ≥8 mm underwent subvalvular procedures (annular repositioning [An-Rep]) to reduce septal leaflet tethering, papillary muscle relocation to reduce anterior leaflet tethering, and/or papillary muscle bundling [PMB] to reduce anterior and posterior leaflet tethering along with ring annuloplasty at our institution. A single subvalvular procedure was performed in 9 patients (An-Rep in 5 patients, PMB in 4 patients; group S), and a combination of subvalvular procedures was performed in 8 patients (An-Rep and papillary muscle relocation in 5 patients, An-Rep and PMB in 3 patients; group C). RESULTS Predischarge TR grades and tethering height were significantly improved (3.2 ± 1.3–1.0 ± 0.5, p = 0.001; 9.9 ± 2.5 mm–5.5 ± 2.8 mm, p < 0.001, respectively). An-Rep and PMB significantly reduced the postoperative closing angles of the septal and anterior leaflets, respectively. During the 20.4 ± 19.5-month follow-up period, the rates of freedom from death and moderate TR at 2 years were 41.7% in group S, and 71.4% in group C (p = 0.39), respectively. In group C, TR recurrence was not observed at 2 years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS Subvalvular procedures were effective in reducing the predischarge TR grades and tethering height. The combination of subvalvular procedures might be a durable strategy to prevent recurrent TR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hybrid aortic arch repair (HAR) has been implemented for extended aortic arch and descending thoracic aortic disease since 2012 in our institution. This study aimed to estimate the early and mid-term efficacy and safety of HAR. Materials and Methods: From 2007 to 2019, 56 patients underwent HAR for extended aortic arch disease, and 75 patients underwent total arch replacement (TAR) for arch-limited disease. HAR comprises 3 procedures: replacement of the aorta, reconstruction of all arch vessels, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) from zone 0 to the descending aorta after cardiopulmonary bypass is off in 1 stage. The type II-1 HAR procedure, in which the ascending aorta and aortic arch distal to the brachiocephalic artery are replaced, was the most frequently selected procedure (40/56 patients). The outcomes of the type II-1 HAR procedure were compared with those of TAR using the Cox regression analysis. Results: The median follow-up period was 36 months. In HAR, the operative mortality, in-hospital mortality, and postoperative permanent neurological deficits were not observed. The paraplegia rate was 1.8%. TEVAR-related complications occurred in 3 patients. Among the patients with non-ruptured atherosclerotic aortic arch aneurysm (31 type II-1 HAR patients and 36 TAR patients, the postoperative respiratory support time in those who underwent type II-1 HAR was quicker than in those who underwent TAR (p<0.01). The rate of 6 year freedom from all-cause death in type II-1 HAR (83.1%) was numerically higher than that in TAR (74.7%), and the rate of 6 year freedom from surgery-related complications in type II-1 HAR (90.3%) was numerically lower than that in TAR (96.9%) due to the occurrence of TEVAR-related complications, and the rate of 6 year freedom from reintervention to the descending thoracic aorta in type II-1 HAR (100%) seemed to be better than that in TAR (83.7%). However, Cox regression analysis did not reveal any statistical difference between the 2 procedures. Conclusions: HAR, especially the type II-1 procedure, can treat extended aortic arch disease with acceptable survival outcomes. The development of TEVAR technology will further improve the outcomes of HAR in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) is an effective and proven adjunct support for various severe respiratory failures requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and cardiovascular support. In response to the rapidly increasing number of COVID‐19 patients in Japan, we launched an ECMO support team comprised of multidisciplinary experts including physicians, nurses, perfusionists, and bioethicists in preparation for the threat of a pandemic. From April 2 to July 15, 2020, Tokyo Medical and Dental University hospital treated 104 PCR confirmed COVID‐19 patients. Among those, 34 patients were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and 5 patients required VV ECMO. All management related to ECMO was decided by the ECMO support team in addition to participation of the ECMO support team in daily multidisciplinary rounds in the ICU. Median age was 54 years old. Duration from onset to mechanical ventilation (MV) and MV to ECMO were 8 and 7 days, respectively. Four patients (80%) were successfully weaned off from ECMO. One patient died after 81 days of ECMO run. Four patients were discharged and recovered to their prehospital quality of life without major disability. We achieved a high survival rate using ECMO in our low volume ECMO institution during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Multidisciplinary decision‐making and a team approach for the unclear pathology with an emerging infectious disease was effective and contributed to the survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractured tracheostomy tube is a rare, late complication. It typically occurs at the junction of metallic tube. We report an atypical case with laceration of the main trunk of a silastic tube after short period of use (10 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a heart positioner, the Tentacles NEO, specifically designed for minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS-CABG). The device has 3 flexible suction tubes, with a suction cup at the tip of each tube. The suction tubes can be detached from the device body, allowing them to be manipulated in any direction through a small incision around the small thoracotomy. When the device displaces the heart, the suction cup moves behind the chest wall and does not crowd the operative field. Although the sideways suction force of the new device was as strong as that of the original device, Tentacles, the longitudinal and perpendicular force exerted was approximately 80% of the original device. Nevertheless, the new device could safely and favorably displace the heart in a pig model and even during off-pump CABG via sternotomy. During MICS-CABG, the device was able to displace the heart without crowding the operative field. The new heart positioner, Tentacles NEO, is a useful and practical heart positioner suitable for MICS-CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Takayasu arteritis (TA) occasionally involves the coronary ostium leading to myocardial ischemia. Although surgical coronary ostial angioplasty is desirable for ostial stenosis, the patch materials and long-term results are controversial. We used femoral artery (FA) as a patch material for coronary ostial angioplasty in 3 TA patients. Coronary ostial enlargement with a longitudinal incision followed by rectangular FA patch augmentation was performed to extend the narrowing coronary ostium. In all patients, coronary ostial stenosis was successfully repaired. Ostial angioplasty using an FA patch would be a reasonable surgical strategy to treat coronary ostial stenosis in TA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) is utilized as an excellent in situ arterial graft conduit to right coronary artery territory for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, there remain great concerns regarding the management of patients with a patent in situ GEA during abdominal surgery following CABG. Methods From 1995 to 2016, GEA was used for CABG in 278 patients at our institution. Of the patients, 14 abdominal surgeries were performed for subsequent abdominal diseases in 11 patients with a patent in situ GEA for CABG. We investigated the results of the surgeries and how to manage the GEAs in abdominal surgery. Results Laparotomy was required for gastric cancer in 3 patients, pancreatic cancer in 3, hepatic cancer in 2, cholangiocarcinoma in 1, duodenal papillary head cancer in 1, and cholecystitis in 1; multiple abdominal surgeries were needed in 2 patients for cancer recurrence and ileus. The intraabdominal adhesions around the GEAs were minimal in all patients. No graft injury occurred at the time of opening of the abdomen, and the planned procedures were completed without any circulatory problems. In 3 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, intraabdominal off-pump rerouting of the GEA with a short saphenous vein was necessary for en bloc resection of the cancers and lymph nodes. There was neither operative mortality nor graft-related cardiac event except for 1 due to multiple organ failure. Conclusions Although intraabdominal rerouting of GEA is necessary for pancreaticoduodenectomy, abdominal surgery can be safely performed in patients with a patent in situ GEA coronary graft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have evaluated the feasibility of a newly developed single-use, magnetically levitated centrifugal blood pump, Med Tech Mag- Lev, in a 3-week extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO) study in calves against a Medtronic Bio- Pump BPX-80. A heparin- and silicone-coated polypropylene membrane oxygenator MERA NHP Excelung NSH- R was employed as an oxygenator. Six healthy male Holstein calves with body weights of about 100 kg were divided into two groups, four in the Med Tech group and two in the Bio- Pump group. Under general anesthesia, the blood pump and oxygenator were inserted extracorporeally between the main pulmonary artery and the descending aorta via a fifth left thoracotomy. Postoperatively, both the pump and oxygen flow rates were controlled at 3 L/min. Heparin was continuously infused to maintain the activated clotting time at 200-240 s. All the Med Tech ECMO calves completed the study duration. However, the Bio- Pump ECMO calves were terminated on postoperative days 7 and 10 because of severe hemolysis and thrombus formation. At the start of the Med Tech ECMO, the pressure drop across the oxygenator was about 25 mm Hg with the pump operated at 2800 rpm and delivering 3 L/min flow. The PO2 of the oxygenator outlet was higher than 400 mm Hg with the PCO2 below 45 mm Hg. Hemolysis and thrombus were not seen in the Med Tech ECMO circuits (plasma-free hemoglobin [ PFH] < 5 mg/d L), while severe hemolysis ( PFH > 20 mg/d L) and large thrombus were observed in the Bio- Pump ECMO circuits. Plasma leakage from the oxygenator did not occur in any ECMO circuits. Three-week cardiopulmonary support was performed successfully with the Med Tech ECMO without circuit exchanges. The Med Tech Mag- Lev could help extend the durability of ECMO circuits by the improved biocompatible performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are very rare aortic conditions. Resection and replacement of the inflammatory aorta is the first-line treatment, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has recently been reported as a less invasive alternative even for this aortic cohort. In the present study, we reviewed our experience with inflammatory TAAs and assessed the preoperative management, surgical procedures, and outcomes. From 2006 to 2019, 21 surgeries were performed for inflammatory TAAs in 17 of 2583 patients (0.7%) who had undergone cardiovascular surgery at our institution. The etiologies were Takayasu's arteritis in 13 patients, giant cell arteritis in 2, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in 1, and unknown in 1. The mean follow-up period was 66.2 ± 50.2 months (range, 19–186 months). Three patients had undergone multiple surgeries. The aorta was replaced in 14 patients (ascending aorta in 9, aortic arch in 4, and thoracoabdominal aorta in 1). Three isolated TEVARs were performed in two patients and single-stage hybrid aortic repair (ascending aorta and partial arch replacement combined with zone 0 TEVAR) in four patients for extended arch and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. Stent grafts were deployed on the native aorta in five of the seven TEVARs. The perioperative inflammation was well-controlled with prednisolone (mean dose, 7.4 ± 9.4 mg) in all patients except for one who had required two surgeries under inflammation-uncontrolled situations. No aorta-related complications, including anastomotic aneurysms and TEVAR-related aortic dissection, developed during the follow-up period, and the 5-year freedom from all-cause death was 92.9%. The mid-term outcomes of surgery for inflammatory TAAs were acceptable. Although replacement remains the standard procedure for inflammatory TAAs, TEVAR is a less invasive acceptable alternative when the inflammation is properly managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a very rare case of a 67-year-old man with multiple saccular aortic aneurysms throughout the entire aorta due to antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody—associated vasculitis (AAV). The patient underwent staged aortic surgical procedures, including stent-graft insertion for a left iliac artery aneurysm, thoracic endovascular aortic repair for a descending aortic aneurysm, and total replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic arch with the use of high-dose steroids to control inflammation. The histologic findings demonstrated that the damage to the vasa vasorum of the adventitia resulting from AAV caused ischemia of the media, resulting in the formation of saccular aneurysmal changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grafting the right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) to the right coronary artery (RCA) is effective, but preoperative evaluation of arterial conduit availability has not been established. By comparing the midterm graft results, we aimed to assess the efficacy of preoperative evaluation of the GEA using computed tomography (CT)., Methods and results: We retrospectively examined patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery between April 2010 and December 2020, and those whose GEA was grafted to the RCA were selected: 55 patients were included in the study analysis. Postoperative evaluations were performed during the early phase, 1 year postoperatively, and at follow-up evaluations. The outer diameter of the proximal GEA was compared with the midterm graft patency grade on CT and patients were classified as Functional (Grade A) or Dysfunctional (Grades O or B). The proximal GEA outer diameters were significantly different between the Functional and Dysfunctional groups (P<0.001). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that this diameter was an independent predictor of graft functionality (P<0.001). Patients with outer proximal diameters larger than the cutoff value had superior graft results at 3 years postoperatively. The rate of freedom from a dysfunctional graft at 3 years postoperatively was 95.5% and 45.5% for the Larger and Smaller diameter subgroups, respectively (P<0.001)., Conclusions: Preoperative evaluation of the outer diameter of the proximal GEA, excluding calcified GEA, using CT is a minimally invasive and useful method, and may improve midterm results of in-situ GEA grafting, even in severe stenotic lesions.

Objectives: There are few reports on the rotational position of the aortic valve relative to the base of the left ventricle, and its influence on valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR) has not been reported. Based on our experience with complications such as right atrial perforation and tricuspid valve injury, we investigated the cause of these complications in terms of morphological variations in the aortic root and its surrounding structures., Methods: The aortic valve rotation relative to the base of the left ventricle was assessed in 30 patients with tri-leaflet aortic valves who underwent VSRR. The influence of such anatomical variations on surgical procedures was investigated., Results: The aortic valve was positioned normally in 25 patients (83.3%), rotated counterclockwise in 4 (13.3%), and rotated clockwise in 1 patient (3.3%). In patients with a counterclockwise rotated aortic valve, the non-coronary sinus was the largest compared with other sinuses. This aortic valve rotation could be diagnosed by multidetector row computed tomography. In all patients who had difficulty in the external dissection of the right sinus of Valsalva, the aortic valve was counterclockwise rotated and forcible dissection had a risk of right atrial perforation and tricuspid valve injury., Conclusions: Aortic valve rotation is an element that complicates VSRR. The rotational position of the aortic valve can be diagnosed preoperatively using multidetector row computed tomography and understanding the anatomy of the aortic valve related to rotational position help decide proper surgical decision-making in performing aortic root reconstruction procedure., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Background: Thrombosis is a characteristic complication in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since coagulopathy has been observed over the entire clinical course, thrombosis might be a clue to understanding the specific pathology in COVID-19. Currently, there is limited epidemiological data of COVID-19-associated thrombosis in the Japanese population and none regarding variant strains of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we elucidate the risk factors and the pattern of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. Methods: The patients consecutively admitted to Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital with COVID-19 were retrospectively analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern/interest (VOC/VOI) carrying the spike protein mutants E484K, N501Y, or L452R were identified by PCR-based analysis. All thrombotic events were diagnosed by clinical symptoms, ultrasonography, and/or radiological tests. Results: Among the 516 patients, 32 patients experienced 42 thromboembolic events. Advanced age, severe respiratory conditions, and several abnormal laboratory markers were associated with the development of thrombosis. While thrombotic events occurred in 13% of the patients with a severe respiratory condition, those events still occurred in 2.5% of the patients who did not require oxygen therapy. Elevated D-dimer and ferritin levels on admission were independent risk factors of thrombosis (adjusted odds ratio 9.39 and 3.11, 95% confidence interval 2.08-42.3, and 1.06-9.17, respectively). Of the thrombotic events, 22 were venous, whereas 20 were arterial. While patients with thrombosis received anticoagulation and antiinflammatory therapies with a higher proportion, the mortality rate, organ dysfunctions, and bleeding complications in these patients were higher than those without thrombosis. The incidence of thrombosis in COVID-19 became less frequent over time, such as during the replacement of the earlier strains of SARS-CoV-2 by VOC/VOI and during increased use of anticoagulatory therapeutics. Conclusion: This study elucidated that elevated D-dimer and ferritin levels are useful biomarkers of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. The comparable incidence of arterial thrombosis with venous thrombosis and the development of thrombosis in less severe patients required further considerations for the management of Japanese patients with COVID-19. Further studies would be required to identify high-risk populations and establish appropriate interventions for thrombotic complications in COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Oba, Hosoya, Amamiya, Mitsumura, Kawata, Sasaki, Kamiya, Yamamoto, Ando, Shimada, Shirai, Okamoto, Tateishi, Endo, Aiboshi, Nosaka, Yamanouchi, Ugawa, Nagaoka, Oi, Tao, Maejima, Tanaka, Tanimoto, Takeuchi, Tohda, Hirakawa, Sasano, Arai, Otomo, Miyazaki and Yasuda.)

BACKGROUND There are few reports of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pregnant women. Although coagulation dysfunction was reported to affect the severity of COVID-19, the association between pregnancy, which is usually accompanied by changes in coagulation function, and the worsening of COVID-19 is unknown. We present a case of a 30-year-old woman in the 36th week of pregnancy who was diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and required postpartum extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. CASE REPORT A 30-year-old, 36-weeks pregnant woman presented to our hospital and was diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia soon after she had undergone a cesarean section. Her respiratory failure could not be managed by conventional therapeutic approaches. Therefore, ECMO was administered on day 7. Controlling coagulation function to maintain ECMO therapy was challenging. Nafamostat mesylate and cryoprecipitate were administered to treat the hypercoagulative status and severe hypofibrinogenemia, respectively. Since coagulopathy and her respiratory state improved, the ECMO therapy was terminated on day 15. CONCLUSIONS We report a case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia in a pregnant woman urgently treated with ECMO in the postpartum period. Thus, this case highlights the importance of close monitoring and appropriate medical care for pregnant women with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Robotic assisted aortic valve surgery is still challenging and debatable. We retrospectively reviewed our cases of robotic assisted aortic valve replacement utilizing sutureless aortic valve with following surgical technique: 3 ports, 1 for endoscope and 2 for the robotic arms were inserted in the right chest and da Vinci Si robotic system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was adapted to these ports. Cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated through peripheral cannulations. A vent cannula was placed through the right superior pulmonary vein and a cardioplegia cannula in the ascending aorta. After cardioplegic arrest following aortic cross-clamp, the aortic valve was exposed through a clam shell aortotomy. Valvectomy along with decalcification was performed. Next using 3 guiding sutures the Perceval S valve (LivaNova, London, UK) was parachuted down and deployed. After confirming valve position, the aortotomy was closed. There were no major complications during the procedures and no conversion to sternotomy. Exposure of aortic valve was of high quality. Valvectomy required assistance with long scissors by the bedside surgeon for excision of the severely calcified valve cusps and effective decalcification of annulus. Postoperative convalescence was uncomplicated except for postoperative atrial fibrillation in 1 patient. Robotic assistance in aortic valve procedure enabled excellent exposure of the aortic valve and improved manipulation and suturing of the aortic annulus and aorta. There needs to be improvement of instrumentation for valve debridement and removal of calcium from the annulus. In addition, the sutureless valve technology contributes to the feasibility and the efficacy of this procedure.

Sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR) is a wide-spreading new technology that provides short clamping time and excellent hemodynamic outcomes. However, among its possible complications is the risk of paravalvular leak. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman who underwent minimally invasive right mini-thoracotomy AVR) with Perceval S sutureless valve (LivaNova, London, UK). Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed severe paravalvular leak with stent distortion. Rescue balloon valvuloplasty was performed through the right femoral artery, and resulted in the resolution of the paravalvular leak. This case illustrates the utility and feasibility of balloon valvuloplasty in trouble-shooting sutureless aortic valve stent distortion, thus avoiding a repeat aortic cross-clamp and valve replacement.