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Bartonella henselae is well known as a causative organism of cat scratch disease. Although this bacterium infrequently involves the heart, the diagnosis is difficult to confirm. A 75-year-old woman who had a pet cat presented with pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and low-grade fever. Echocardiography depicted sessile nodules on the aortic valve. C-reactive protein concentration was low, and leukocytosis was not seen. Two sets of blood culture turned out negative. However, elevated B. henselae immunoglobulin G titer led us to the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Minocycline was administered orally in combination with intravenous administration of gentamicin as an antimicrobial treatment. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement 2 months after her initial visit. Warthin–Starry silver staining did not show any bacterial bodies. The culture of the vegetation tissue was negative. Polymerase chain reaction testing of the excised valve tissue detected the deoxyribonucleic acid of the organism. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home.

A bipolar radiofrequency clamp is an attractive alternative to the cut-and-sew technique for surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation. We have been using this device for isolating the posterior left atrium. However, there is a risk of disconnection of the ablation lines as well as perforation of the left atrium by the tip of the radiofrequency clamp. Here, we report our simple contrivance to make the procedure more secure and safe.

The long-term benefits of "free" gastroepiploic artery (GEA) grafts remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term patency and clinical results of en bloc free GEA grafts.Of the 1478 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery at our institution between January 1997 and December 2009, 137 patients underwent en bloc free GEA grafting. Graft patency, late survival, and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events were examined. Propensity score matching was used to compare the patency of free GEA grafts with the saphenous vein grafts, and 134 matched pairs were generated.The early patency rate of free GEA grafts was 98.6%. The long-term patency rates of the free GEA grafts was 96.5% at 5 years, 95% at 10 years, and 86.6% at 15 years. In the 134 matched pairs, the long-term patency rates of free GEA grafts anastomosed to the right coronary artery were significantly higher than those of saphenous vein grafts to the right coronary artery (97% vs 91.8% at 5 years; 95.3% vs 79.6% at 10 years; 85.9% vs 61.7% at 15 years; P.001). Survival was 94% at 5 years, 86.6% at 10 years, and 66.8% at 15 years; and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events was 93.2% at 5 years, 91.3% at 10 years, and 73.1% at 15 years.En bloc free GEA grafts had favorable long-term performance and can be considered as an effective option for patients who need to receive as many arterial grafts as possible.

In conventional tricuspid valve replacement, there is a risk of valve detachment because stitches are placed on relatively fragile tissues. In the supra-annular implantation technique, stitches are placed lateral to the triangle of Koch and the coronary sinus instead of the anterior and septal leaflets as in conventional tricuspid valve replacement. This procedure relieves stress at the antero-septal commissural area, as well as avoids injury to the conduction system. However, there are a few drawbacks: (1) the valve sits obliquely at the annular surface, (2) the suture line becomes extremely long, and (3) the venous return to the coronary sinus may be impeded. We modified the suture line, which travels lateral to the triangle of Koch and medial to the coronary sinus, to solve these problems. We herein report the technique and results of four cases. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12055-019-00905-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective Surgical site infection (SSI), particularly deep sternal wound infection (DSWI), is a serious complication after cardiovascular surgery because of its high mortality rate. We evaluated the effectiveness of an SSI bundle to reduce DSWI and identify the risk factors for DSWI. Methods During the period January 2004 to February 2012, 1374 consecutive patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery via sternotomy were included. The cohort was separated into periods from January 2004 through February 2007 (period I, 682 patients) and March 2007 through February 2012 (period II, 692 patients). During period II, all preventive measures for DSWI were completed as an SSI bundle. We compared the DSWI rate between the 2 periods. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the entire period to identify the risk factors for DSWI. Results DSWI occurred in 13 patients (1.9%) during period I and in 1 patient (0.14%) during period II. The DSWI rate during period II was significantly decreased by 93%, compared with period I ( P = .001). Independent risk factors for DSWI included obesity (odds ratio [OR], 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-11.75; P = .049), the use of 4 sternal wires (OR, 8.2; 95% CI, 1.39-48.14; P = .020), long operative time (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.20-16.23; P = .026), and postoperative renal failure (OR, 9.0; 95% CI, 2.44-33.30; P = .001). Conclusions Complete implementation of simple multidisciplinary prevention measures as a bundle can greatly decrease the incidence of DSWI.

Background The efficacy of retrograde cardioplegia for myocardial protection is still controversial. In our institution, we exclusively use intermittent administration of tepid, undiluted blood supplemented with potassium and magnesium for the cases with aortic insufficiency, requiring aortotomy, or undergoing mitral valve repair. In using this retrograde technique, we make a point of cannulating a retrograde perfusion catheter under direct vision following right atriotomy. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the clinical outcome of using this technique. Methods This study comprises 49 patients who underwent elective valve surgery using direct-vision retrograde cardioplegia exclusively, requiring more than 3 h aortic cross-clamping. Their clinical outcome was reviewed retrospectively. Results There was no hospital mortality in this study. No patient was noted to have evidence of mediastinitis, myocardial infarction, or cerebral complications in the postoperative period. The case requiring the longest aortic cross-clamping time (380 min) survived the operation without the use of intra-aortic balloon pumping or percutaneous cardiopulmonary support, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusions Our result suggests that direct-vision retrograde cardioplegia is a safe and effective method of cardioplegia delivery, and provides a longer period of myocardial protection than previously thought.

Saphenous vein graft aneurysms are rare but are potentially fatal and their optimal management is not clearly established. Herein, we report a case of a saphenous vein graft aneurysm that was successfully treated with surgical intervention, including aneurysmal resection and re-grafting. The aneurysm, detected 36 years after coronary artery bypass grafting, was located at the proximal part of the saphenous vein graft to the posterolateral branch; the flow of the left anterior descending coronary artery was limited due to compression of the left internal thoracic artery by the adjacent aneurysm. The proximal anastomotic site was reconstructed under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest using a radial artery graft pre-sewn vascular prosthesis patch.

Background Use of the free gastroepiploic artery (GEA) graft for coronary revascularization is not very popular because of its tendency to vasospasm. We hypothesize that the cause of free GEA spasm is graft damage caused by an interruption of venous drainage from the graft. To overcome this problem, we anastomosed the accompanied gastroepiploic vein to the right atrial appendage simultaneously with the GEA grafting in the aortocoronary position. We here assess the clinical result and the angiographic patency of the free GEA graft in our method in the late postoperative period. Methods Between January 1997 and April 2001, 57 patients underwent coronary artery grafting with a free GEA using our method. A total of 169 distal anastomoses (average 2.96) were constructed. The free GEA grafts were anastomosed to the main right coronary artery in 26 patients, right coronary artery branch in 27, left anterior descending artery in 1 patient, high lateral branch in 2 patients, and circumflex branch in 2. The mean clinical follow-up is 77 months (range, 35 to 110) in 57 cases, and the angiographic follow-up averages 77 months (range, 37 to 110) in 46 cases. Results There was no cardiac death, and all patients were in Canadian Cardiovascular Society class II or less. The mean 77-month patency rate of the free GEA in our method was 95.7%. The patency rates of internal thoracic artery, radial artery, and saphenous vein graft in the same period were respectively 93.2%, 100%, and 81.3%. Conclusions Free GEA grafting with venous drainage for myocardial revascularization provided excellent long-term performance.

It remains unclear how cardioplegic arrest affects surgical results after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). This study compares early outcomes after on-pump beating-heart CABG and conventional CABG.From 2002 to 2005, 114 patients underwent on-pump beating-heart CABG. Multivariate logistic regression revealed five characteristics according to which technique is liable to be used: history of cerebral infarction, urgent or emergent operation, lower ejection fraction, preoperative creatine kinase, and lower number of diseased vessels. The early clinical outcome for these patients was compared against 114 conventional CABG patients, matched using a propensity score constructed with these five significant variables and with two nonsignificant variables: history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension.On-pump beating-heart CABG significantly reduced the duration of operation and cardiopulmonary bypass, total blood loss, and peak creatine kinase (p0.05). The number of patients requiring additional intra-aortic balloon pump support was significantly lower in the on-pump beating-heart CABG group (2 versus 13, p0.01). No patients required percutaneous cardiopulmonary support after on-pump beating-heart CABG, whereas 4 patients needed it after conventional CABG. Complete revascularization was significantly lower (42.1% versus 77.2%, p0.0001), but in-hospital mortality was less in the on-pump beating-heart CABG group (2.6% versus 9.6%, p0.05). No significant difference was found in morbidity including stroke, renal failure, mediastinitis, and prolonged ventilation.On-pump beating-heart CABG can be performed safely, including on high-risk patients. Use of cardiopulmonary bypass and the elimination of cardioplegic arrest may be of most benefit to hemodynamically unstable patients.

Various types of assist devices have been developed for severe heart failures. Among them, intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) has achieved popularity, mainly in the treatment of patients with either severe cardiac infarction or low cardiac output syndrome (LOS) after open-heart surgery. However, IABP has a limitation in that although it acts as a pressure support, it cannot directly support flow volume. In cases of severe pump failure, stronger pump support would be required. However, there is a limit in the clinical use of temporary mechanical support using a pump because of the costs of the expensive equipment. With this in mind, we came up with a new idea in which the motion of a balloon in IABP system is converted into a power source for creating a one-way stream. In order to realize our idea, we made a J-shaped sample model of pulsating chamber incorporating two ball valves. In the hydrodynamic experiment using our new device, flows over 2500 ml/min (Max. 3475 ml/min) were obtained. The percent changes in parameters such as TTI, DPTI and bypass flows obtained by the experiment of left ventricular bypass have demonstrated that our assist system is effective for reducing cardiac work.

We performed descending thoracic aortic repair via posterolateral thoracotomy using retrograde cerebral perfusion with direct cannulation into the left internal jugular vein. No postoperative neurological dysfunction was observed. This patient was discharged without any adverse events.

A 66-year-old woman presented with cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis revealed purulent pericarditis. Enhanced computed tomography showed a saccular aneurysm of the aortic arch. An irregularly shaped and partially enhanced mass was seen adjacent to the aneurysm, which suggested development of a mycotic pseudoaneurysm. Surgical drainage was performed through a subxiphoid incision, and continuous irrigation was commenced. On the following day, however, massive bleeding was recognized through the drains. The patient was immediately transferred to the operating theater, and extracorporeal circulation was established. A perforation 1 cm in diameter was found on the anterior surface of the pulmonary trunk, and a large amount of pus came out from the tear. The ascending aorta and the arch were found to be infected. Surgical repair was impossible due to extensive infection, and the patient died. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the pericardial effusion, blood, and intraluminal thrombus of the aortic aneurysm.

A 51-year-old man who had been suffering from depression stabbed himself in the chest with an ice pick. At presentation, an ice pick lodged in the left fifth intercostal space was moving synchronously with his heartbeat. Echocardiography revealed that the tip was penetrating the anterior wall of the right ventricle. Because the patient was tamponading, an emergency operation was carried out. The ice pick was removed following the establishment of a cardiopulmonary bypass and pericardiotomy. The perforation of the right ventricle was closed with a pledget-reinforced mattress stitch. On postoperative day 12, a holosystolic murmur was detected on auscultation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a ventricular septal defect 5 mm in diameter located near the apex. The pulmonary-tosystemic flow ratio was 1.1 by echocardiographic measurement. No sign of heart failure was present. Although it was agreed to manage the ventricular septal defect conservatively, careful echocardiographic follow-up is mandatory.

Aneurysms involving either the aortic arch or the proximal descending thoracic aorta in five patients were resected with the aid of profound hypothermic total body retrograde perfusion. Traditional surgical management of the aortic arch and the descending thoracic aorta necessitates clamping of the aorta. However, this technique may be associated with rupture or atheroembolism. Rupture occurring at the clamping site may be difficult to repair. Atheroembolism to the brain compromises the neurologic system, and multiple organ embolism is associated with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Atheroembolism in cardiovascular surgery has become increasingly prevalent. It is necessary to prevent clamp injuries and to preserve the function of the vital organs, such as the brain, heart, and liver, during aortic reconstruction. We applied a total body retrograde perfusion technique to operations for aortic aneurysms. Total body retrograde perfusion consists of cerebral protection by continuous perfusion through the superior vena cava, intermittent retrograde coronary perfusion through the coronary sinus, and continuous abdominal visceral perfusion through the inferior vena cava. It can yield a relatively bloodless operating field without the need for aortic clamping. We believe this new adjunct offers excellent results in the surgical treatment of aneurysms of the aortic arch or adjacent structures.

Adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on cancer prognosis are expected but have not been confirmed. Seventy-four cancer patients who underwent cardiac surgery before cancer therapy were followed up for 42 ± 37 months; 45 had cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. There was no significant difference in cancer recurrence (40.0%) and deaths (26.7%) among patients who had cardiopulmonary bypass and those who underwent off-pump cardiac surgery (27.6% and 24.1%). There were no significant differences in freedom from cancer-related death at 2 and 5 years after cardiac surgery (78.4% and 68.5%) in the cardiopulmonary bypass group compared to the 29 off-pump group (81.8% and 58.3%). Despite some limitations, this study detected no significant adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on cancer prognosis. Although these results do not verify the safety of cardiopulmonary bypass from an oncologic aspect, they suggest it can be applied in cancer patients who require cardiac surgery.

For coronary artery bypass grafting, the use of free gastroepiploic artery is unpopular because of its tendency to vasospasm. We assessed the en-bloc free gastroepiploic artery graft, which has the gastroepiploic vein anastomosed to the right atrial appendage to prevent graft spasm, and compared it to the skeletonized free gastroepiploic artery graft. A retrospective review was conducted in 57 patients who received en-bloc grafts and 29 who had skeletonized grafts. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated the superiority of the en-bloc free gastroepiploic artery graft with an 80-month patency rate of 96.6% compared to 66.7% with skeletonized grafts. We selected 13 cases from each group, using propensity-score matching, and compared the long-term patency rates. Propensity-score matched analysis showed 80-month patency rates of 100% for en-bloc grafts and 60% for skeletonized grafts. Coronary artery bypass using free gastroepiploic artery grafts with venous drainage seems to provide good long-term results.

The use of profound hypothermia and total circulatory arrest in the surgical treatment of aortic dissection has previously been reported. However, the safe period of prolonged circulatory arrest with hypothermia remains controversial. We have developed a technique of hypothermic total body retrograde perfusion to achieve systemic organ protection: cerebral protection by continuous retrograde perfusion through the superior vena cava, myocardial protection by coronary sinus infusion, and abdominal visceral organ perfusion by continuous retrograde perfusion through the inferior vena cava. Our technique yields a relatively bloodless operating field and avoids hypoperfusion of vital organs through a false lumen.

A case report of difficult sternal closure is described. Chest closure following cardiac operation in critically ill patients can be a problem. Techniques have been described so that sternal closure can be delayed until the patient is hemodynamically stable and hemostasis has been achieved. However, in some instances, the sternal closure can not be performed because of prolonged cardiopulmonary instability. We describe the use of transposition of an omental flap with skin grafting in a 74-year-old patient with aortic valve stenosis, poor pulmonary function, and a thoracic deformity. This technique enabled incomplete sternal closure which maintained hemodynamic stability.

Background . The right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) has been used as the second reliable arterial graft for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, concern regarding the flow competition with the recipient coronary artery has remained. Methods . An application of in situ GEA grafting to the right coronary artery (RCA) was studied by using a theoretical model. The theoretical model of CABG was given variables; ie, the diameters and the lengths of both in situ GEA and proximal segment of the RCA, and the degree of proximal stenosis in the RCA. According to the range of these variables obtained from clinical data, the ratio of the GEA flow to the flow of the RCA distal to the anastomosis was calculated. Results . Main factors to determine the flows in the two parallel paths were the inner diameters of both vessels, and the degree of the proximal stenosis. When the inner diameters of the GEA were 0.5 mm larger than that of the RCA, the GEA carried more than 50% of the total flow of the RCA distal to the anastomosis despite a moderate stenosis in the RCA. When the inner diameter of the GEA was equal to, or 0.5 mm smaller than, that of the RCA, the GEA flow was dominated by the native RCA flow unless the proximal stenosis was critical. Conclusions . If the inner diameter of the GEA is 0.5 mm larger than that of the RCA, CABG with the GEA can be applied more widely. If not, the application would basically be limited.

Currently, poststernotomy mediastinitis frequently is being treated by debridement and immediate closure with omental drainage. This method is useful, but subcutaneous infection occasionally occurs. Divided omental transfer to the presternal space may be helpful in preventing this complication.

A case of intravenous leiomyomatosis with extension into the right ventricle is described. A tumor in the inferior vena cava was detected 5 years after a hysterectomy had been performed for a myomatous uterus, but was misdiagnosed as an intracaval thrombus. Three years later this tumor was discovered after it had enlarged and intruded into the right ventricle. The correct diagnosis was made after a complete evaluation. The patient underwent surgery employing simultaneous sternotomy and laparotomy. Radical excision was achieved using cardiopulmonary bypass with hypothermic circulatory arrest. The diagnostic and surgical approaches are reviewed and discussed.

A new accessory instrument to the self-retaining internal mammary artery retractor was developed. This instrument presses the chest wall inward, relieves the concavity of the inner surface of the chest wall, and provides good exposure of the internal mammary artery.

Hypothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion is a new technique for protecting the brain. Satisfactory cerebral protection should be possible even for periods of retrograde perfusion greater than 60 minutes. However, there are some concerns that functioning venous valves at the jugular-subclavian junction may impede retrograde flow to the brain and consequently cerebral protection may not be adequate. To overcome this obstacle, we have developed an easy and safe technique of selective jugular cannulation through the right atrium using a central venous catheter and a guidewire. We have employed this technique successfully in 15 patients who underwent operation on the aortic arch.

Resection of a false aneurysm of the aortic arch in a patient with Behcet's disease was safely performed using an "aortic no-touch" technique. This consisted of: (1) femoral artery and bicaval cannulation, (2) profound hypothermia (below 20 degrees C) by core cooling, (3) retrograde cardioplegia through the coronary sinus, and (4) total body retrograde perfusion via both venae cavae without aortic cross-clamping. The patient showed no evidence of neurological damage and the postoperative course was uneventful.

We have devised a new retractor for use in coronary artery bypass grafting that is made from three woven Teflon tapes. This method allows sufficient counterclockwise rotation of the heart, provides excellent exposure of the posterior and inferior coronary artery systems, and creates a horizontal surgical plane for the circumflex anastomosis.

A novel method of the circumflex coronary artery exposure by rotating the heart, using a Janke net and a silicone rubber tube, is described.

Objectives: Use of the free gastroepiploic artery graft for coronary revascularization has not been very popular because of its inclination toward vasospasm. We hypothesized that the cause of free gastroepiploic artery spasm was the graft damage caused by an interruption of venous drainage from the graft. To solve this problem, we developed a new method of free gastroepiploic artery grafting. Methods: From January 1997 to October 1999, 33 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with the free gastroepiploic artery according to our new method. The gastroepiploic artery graft was harvested en bloc with its satellite veins. The gastroepiploic vein was anastomosed to the right atrial appendage for venous drainage simultaneously with the gastroepiploic artery being grafted in the aortocoronary position. Results: A total of 96 distal anastomoses were performed, including 33 free gastroepiploic artery grafts according to our method, 33 in situ left internal thoracic artery grafts, 26 saphenous vein grafts, and 4 radial artery grafts. Neither operative nor hospital death occurred. Early postoperative angiography revealed that all of the 33 free gastroepiploic artery grafts performed with our method were patent without spasm, and flow competition occurred only in 2 of those grafts. On late angiography, all 15 free gastroepiploic artery grafts were patent without spasm. Conclusions: The free gastroepiploic artery grafting with venous drainage technique we developed can prevent graft spasm, leading to improved patency rate. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;121:520-5)

Objective The mortality of conventional coronary artery bypass grafting after acute myocardial infarction remains high. This study compared the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing conventional and on-pump beating-heart coronary artery bypass grafting and evaluated the efficacy of an on-pump beating-heart technique for the surgical treatment of these critically ill patients. Methods Between January 1999 and March 2005, 61 patients underwent emergency coronary artery bypass grafting for acute myocardial infarction. In the first 23 patients, the conventional cardioplegic method was performed. In the most recent 38 patients, the on-pump beating-heart procedure was used without cardioplegic arrest. Results A significant reduction occurred in the observed mortality between the conventional and on-pump beating groups (21.7% vs 2.6%, P = .04), despite a higher predicted mortality risk calculated by using EuroSCORE (9.0 ± 1.6 vs 9.6 ± 1.6, P = .048) and a greater use of a preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (43.5% vs 78.9%, P = .005). On-pump beating-heart patients received fewer bypass grafts than conventional patients (2.0 vs 2.9, P = .001), but the internal thoracic artery was used more often in on-pump beating-heart patients ( P = .014). Three patients in the conventional coronary artery bypass grafting group required new insertion of an intra-aortic balloon pump, whereas no patients required this in the on-pump beating-heart group ( P = .220). Postoperative renal failure requiring hemodialysis occurred in 2 patients in the conventional coronary artery bypass grafting group but in no patients in the on-pump beating-heart group ( P = .138). Conclusions On-pump beating-heart coronary artery bypass grafting is the preferred method of emergency myocardial revascularization for patients with acute myocardial infarction who might tolerate cardioplegic arrest poorly. It has lower postoperative mortality and morbidity than conventional coronary artery bypass grafting.

scribed in evaluating blunt thoracic trauma. 4 It can be performed safely and rapidly at the bedside, requires less time than aortography, and does not require contrast dyes. One report quoted sensitivity and specificity at 100% for recognizing traumatic aortic injury. 5 Transesophageal echocardiography can differentiate traumatic aortic rupture from ductus diverticulum, which can give a false positive aortogram. Its sensitivity in recognizing trauma to the innominate artery is unknown. A recent article in this JOUPdSAL discussed the use of a vascular pericardial flap placed between the Dacron graft and the innominate vein to protect the vein from the oscillating movement of the graft. 6 We believe this flap is necessary only when the graft is placed anterior to the innominate vein. If the graft is placed in its normal anatomic position (posterior to the vein), the oscillating movement of the graft should not produce a sawing motion against the vein. Delay in diagnosis may lead to permanent injury or disability in the hand from distal small vessel thrombosis or to neurologic sequelae caused by ipsilateral carotid occlusion. Further delay can lead to exsanguination after delayed rupture. Cardiopulmonary bypass and heparinization are not necessary in achieving successful repair. In summary, blunt injury involving the innominate artery is rare. Those patients who survive to reach the hospital may have minimal external signs of trauma. Surgical awareness, clinical suspicion, and aortography are essential in diagnosis.