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Objective: Reduced coronary reserve during reperfusion may cause postischemic diastolic dysfunction in pressure-overload-induced hypertrophy. We studied the effect of coronary flow regulation (simulated hyperemic or depressed flow) on postischemic cardiac function during reperfusion., Methods: Left ventricular pressure overload was induced in 4-week-old rats by abdominal aortic constriction. At 6 weeks of age, isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts (perfusion pressures: 75 mmHg in controls and 110 mmHg in the aortic constriction group) were subjected to hypothermic global ischemia (15 degrees C, 210 min), followed by 2 types of coronary flow regulation during the initial 20 min of reperfusion--manipulated high flow in control hearts (group I), manipulated low flow in control hearts (group II), manipulated high flow in aortic constriction hearts (group III), and manipulated low flow in aortic constriction hearts (group IV) (n = 6/group), and then constant pressure perfusion during the subsequent 45 min of reperfusion. Cardiac function was measured using an isovolumic balloon in the pre- and postischemic periods., Results: Aortic constriction hearts exhibited greater left ventricular end-diastolic pressure than did control hearts. The increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure did not differ between group I (3 +/- 2 mmHg) and group II (-1 +/- 1 mmHg) or between group III (29 +/- 5 mmHg) and group IV (30 +/- 6 mmHg). No difference was seen in postischemic recovery of left ventricular systolic pressure between high and low flow groups in control and aortic constriction hearts., Conclusion: Manipulations in coronary flow during reperfusion did not affect postischemic cardiac function in control or aortic constriction hearts, suggesting that depressed coronary flow during early reperfusion is not a primary cause of postischemic diastolic dysfunction in the hypertrophied myocardium.

The patient was a 77-year-old female who had been treated medically for angina pectoris since 5 years ago. Expanded aneurysms in the distal aortic arch and in the descending thoracic aorta were seen during follow-up. She presented continuous back-pain at rest along with increasing size of the aneurysms despite antihypertensive therapies after admission. First, two saphenous vein grafts were anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery and obtuse marginal artery under beating heart. Next, the proximal portion of the left subclavian artery was clamped and divided. To this graft, the proximal ends of the coronary bypassed vein grafts were anastomosed and coronary perfusion was established and maintained until this artery was anastomosed to the aortic graft. Then, the aneurysms in the distal arch and descending thoracic aorta were excised and the aorta and its two pairs of intercostal arteries were reconstructed. The Postoperative course was uneventful with favorable cardiac function.

The ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm is still a dramatic even with very poor outcome, whereby its survival depends largely on early diagnosis and operation. We report a successful case of aortic arch replacement for ruptured aortic arch aneurysm with cardiac tamponade. Lethal hemopericardium causing cardiac tamponade is most commonly seen as a complication of acute myocardial infarction or acute aortic dissection, and subsequent rupture of the heart or ascending aorta leads to the rapid accumulation of blood within the poorly distensible pericardial sac. Our case was operated upon emergency basis due to hemopericardium. On operative findings, the aortic aneurysm located the minor curvature of aortic arch and was a huge saccular shape. In surgical procedure, the total arch replacement was completed using selective cerebral antegrade perfusion with deep hypothermia. Postoperative course was uneventful and no cerebral complication was observed after surgery.

We investigated the biological response and biodegradation of CL301, a presealed woven Dacron prosthesis (UBE woven) with glutaraldehyde stabilized gelatin. The sealant does not affect its handling characteristics because of the glycerin treatment. The total content of endotoxin in the CL301 was 5.3 +/- 0.5 pg/mg of sealant material (1.7 +/- 0.2 pg/cm2), which was 1/5 and 1/6 of that found in Hemashield and Gelseal, respectively. The pyrogen test was negative and the content was estimated below the minimum pyrogenic doses for thoracic aortic surgery. Five cm-long grafts with a diameter of 10 mm were implanted into the descending thoracic aorta of dogs weighing 10-16 kg. These grafts were retrieved 2 hours, 7, 10 days, 5, 8 and 10 weeks after implantation. Thrombus-free surfaces were 28%, 77%, at 5 and 10 weeks and there was no excessive inflammatory response to the sealant. The total, and the effective sealant remaining were 80.6%, 56.5% at 5 weeks, 60.8%, 38.3% at 10 weeks, respectively. The sealant was removed more rapidly from the inner surface than from the outer. In half of the graft area, the sealant was removed or detached from the Dacron surface 5 weeks after implantation, indicating that delayed resorption of the sealant substantially did not affect the healing process. We conclude that because of the harmless amount of endotoxin and effective sealing for 5 weeks, followed by an acceptable healing process experimentally, CL301 is the presealed Dacron graft of choice for thoracic aortic surgery.

A 74-year-old man developed sudden cardiogenic shock 5 days after the onset of acute myocardial infarction. Echocardiographic diagnosis was severe mitral regurgitation due to papillary muscle rupture. Despite the effort to support the hemodynamics with catecholamines and IABP, the patient's condition deteriorated rapidly, which necessitated emergency operation. Anterolateral papillary muscle was found to be totally ruptured. Coronary artery revascularization and mitral valve replacement were performed. Postoperative course was uneventful, with two days of IABP and three days of ventilatory support. The patient could start rehabilitation program on the 7th postoperative day. He was discharged in 2 months in NYHA class I. Reports of successful emergency operation for total papillary muscle rupture following acute myocardial infarction are rare. Involvement of anterolateral papillary muscle is rarer. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment are mandatory to save this group of patients.

We report a very rare case of an infant with coronary arterial fistula in whom the communication between a dilated right coronary artery and the coronary sinus was found. The patient was 1-year-old. She had pulmonary congestion and cardiomegaly due to the left-to-right shunt through the fistula, and underwent ligations of the fistula. Ligations of the fistula was indicated because the patient was too small to undergo a fistula resection and coronary arterial bypass grafting. Although the patient had a successful post-operative course, we are paying attention to the aneurysmal change of the dilated right coronary artery proximal to the site of ligations.

A successful experience of a case with chronic traumatic thoracic aneurysm is reported. A 51-year-old male patient had a history of a blunt chest trauma in a traffic accident one and a half year ago. He developed gradual hoarseness because of the recurrence nerve paralysis. Computed tomography and angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm at thoracic descending aorta. It was treated with direct closure of the tear under partial clamp of the aorta. His postoperative course was excellent. He is doing well two years after operation.

Two cases of an extensive bowel infarction occurred during Intraaortic Balloon Pumping (IABP) are reported. In the first, an acute myocardial infarction was seen suddenly on the seventh postoperative day following arterial reconstruction of the right lower leg and his condition required IABP support. Five day after beginning of IABP, severe symptoms suggesting peritonitis appeared, and laparotomy revealed an extensive infarction of small bowel and sigmoid colon. In the second, the patient required IABP support for weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass after completion of coronary artery bypass grafting. A severe peritonitis was caused by an extensive infarction of small and large intestine during two days of IABP support. Cholesterol emboli were found in the small bowel arteries of the case 1 at microscopic examinations of the autopsy specimen. Both patients died of cardiopulmonary failure and renal failure respectively, though necrotic intestine were resected. Circulatory support using IABP should not be selected, when a patient has severe arteriosclerotic lesions of the aorta.