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In the first case, a 60-year-old man was referred to our hospital for a sudden stomachache. A computed tomography scan revealed a thrombus at ascending aorta with acute mesenteric ischemia. In the second case, a 62-year old man developed a hypoglycemic attack with unbalanced diet. A computed tomography showed a thrombus at ascending aorta without thromboembolism. Laboratory data of both cases showed elevated platelet and a loss of antithrombin III. We administered a resection of thrombus to prevent a systemic embolism. We suggested that the risk of ascending aorta thrombus was elevated platelet and a loss of antithrombin III.

BackgroundGraft infection is one of the catastrophic complications in the aortic surgical area. Case presentationA 62-year-old man was diagnosed graft-esophageal fistula after total arch replacement. We have experienced aggressive debridement, that includes the infected previous graft and unhealthy esophagus under the same operative field, and staged esophageal reconstruction was performed 4 months later. ConclusionsWe believe that this successful surgical strategy, which involves aggressive debridement using re-median incision plus a left posterolateral thoracotomy under the same operative field, is useful and safe and achieved a favorable result.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to identify the cut-off value of sarcopenia based on the psoas muscle area index and evaluate early and late outcomes following elective total arch replacement in the elderly. METHODS Sarcopenia was assessed by the psoas muscle area index [defined as the psoas muscle area at the L3 level on computed tomography (cm 2 )/body surface area (m 2 )]. The cut-off value for sarcopenia was defined as > 2 standard deviations below the mean psoas muscle area index value obtained from 464 normal control patients. Between October 1999 and July 2015, 266 patients who were ≥ 65 years and had undergone psoas muscle area index measurement underwent elective total arch replacement. These patients were classified into the sarcopenia (Group S, n = 81) and non-sarcopenia (Group N, n = 185) groups. RESULTS The mean age was 76.2 ± 5.6 years in Group S and 75.7 ± 5.7 years in Group N ( P = 0.553). Hospital mortality was 3.7% (3/81) in Group S and 2.2% (4/185) in Group N ( P = 0.483). Mean follow-up was 48.3 ± 38.7 months. Five-year survival was significantly worse in Group S (S: 63.2 ± 6.6% vs N: 88.7 ± 2.6%, P

Objective To present a surgical strategy for aortoesophageal fistula (AEF). Methods From October 1999 to May 2017, 27 patients with AEF were treated at Kobe University Hospital. After 9 patients with malignancies or fish bone penetration were excluded, 18 patients who had AEF secondary to aortic lesions were investigated. The mean age was 67.2 ± 10.4 years, and the male/female ratio was 16:2. Twelve patients had a nondissection thoracic aneurysm, and 6 patients had a chronic aortic dissection. Six patients were in shock. Seven patients had a previous thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in the descending aorta, 2 patients had descending aorta replacement, 1 had hemiarch replacement, and 2 had total arch replacement. As the first treatment for AEF, 3 patients underwent TEVAR as destination therapy, 3 patients had a bridge TEVAR to open surgery, 1 patient had an extra-anatomical bypass from the ascending aorta to the abdominal aorta, and 11 patients had an in situ reconstruction of the descending aorta. The esophagus was resected in 16 patients, and an omental flap was installed in 16 patients. Additional procedures were extra-anatomical bypass in 2 patients and in situ reconstruction of the aorta in 3 patients. Results Hospital mortality was noted in 4 patients (22.2% persistent sepsis, n = 3: pneumonia, n = 1). However, since 2007, only 1 of 13 patients has died (pneumonia). Late death occurred in 5 patients, due to pneumonia, cerebral bleeding, diarrhea, sudden death, and persistent infection. Actuarial survival was 42.4 ± 12.8% at 5 years and freedom from aorta-related death was 59.4 ± 13.5% at 5 years. Nine patients achieved completed reconstruction of the esophagus 172 ± 57 days after initial surgery. Conclusions Although a comparative study was not performed, 1-stage surgery consisting of resection of an aneurysm and esophagus, in situ reconstruction of the descending aorta, and omental flap installation provided a better outcome in the treatment for AEF. Bridging TEVAR to the open surgery is a useful adjunct in patients with AEF with hemorrhagic shock. Later reconstruction of the esophagus can be performed in the survivors.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a recent innovation in the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. On the other hand, several reports suggested that minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MICS-AVR) is likely to be associated with reduced postoperative discomfort and faster recovery. Of note, an upper partial sternotomy for isolated aortic valve replacement( L-shaped MICS-AVR) has been accepted as the most common approach to the MICS-AVR. Since October 2013, we have preformed L-shaped MICS-AVR at our hospital. In L-shaped MICS-AVR group(16 patients, 74.4±8.7 years),there was no operative mortality and any other complication including reexploration for postoperative bleeding, wound infection, peri-valvular leakage, pulmonary complication like re-intubation or minitracheostomy. To demonstrate the benefits of this approach, over-octogenarian subgroup( n=7)was analyzed and compared with the isolated AVR using a conventional sternotomy (C-AVR, n=10)in the same period. A trend was seen toward better postoperative course in the L-shaped MICS-AVR group than in the C-AVR group;however, this difference was not statistically significant. The mean duration of cardiopulmonary bypass(120±29 min vs 93±24 min, p=0.005)and cross clamp time(151±36 min vs 124±32 min, p=0.038)were significantly longer than C-AVR. We believe that more clinical experience is required to clarify the benefits of this approach and we must more consider the preoperative images for the attainment of the excellent exposure. Moreover, the concomitant use of this new device and L-shaped MICS-AVR may enable a big improvement in the future.

Aortoesophageal fistula is a critical and life-threatening disease. The cardiovascular strategy for graft replacement has been widely discussed. However, the surgical strategy of esophageal resection and reconstruction for aortoesophageal fistula has rarely been discussed. The objective of this study is to establish a surgical strategy and procedure of esophageal resection and reconstruction for aortoesophageal fistula. Eleven patients with aortoesophageal fistula who underwent aortic graft replacement and esophagectomy between 2008 and 2015 at Kobe University Hospital were enrolled in this study. Patient characteristics, operative methods, and clinical outcomes were obtained by retrospective chart review. All 11 patients underwent graft replacement, esophagectomy, and omental wrapping. Ten esophagectomies were simultaneously accomplished in the same operative field as aortic graft replacement. Seven patients underwent subtotal esophagectomy from a left thoracotomy, and three patients underwent upper hemiesophagectomy from a median sternotomy. The other patient underwent staged esophagectomy from a right thoracotomy. Seven of 11 patients (63.6%) successfully underwent staged esophageal reconstruction. Pedicled jejunal transfer with supercharge and superdrainage were performed in six patients, and ileocecal reconstruction was performed in one patient. Median survival time in the patients with esophageal reconstruction was 21 months while that in the patients without esophageal reconstruction was 10 months. Six of 7 patients (85.7%) who underwent esophageal reconstructions were alive. Our surgical strategy for aortoesophageal fistula, which includes simultaneous graft replacement and esophagectomy in the same operative field and staged reconstruction by pedicled jejunal transfer to ensure omental wrapping, is feasible and promising.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to investigate the longitudinal valve function after valve-sparing root replacement in patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs), in terms of both transvalvular pressure gradient (TVPG) and freedom from aortic regurgitation. METHODS In this non-randomized retrospective study, two different approaches were chosen for correcting the circumferential orientation of commissures during aortic root reimplantation for Sievers type I BAV: (i) 180° orientation, in which both cusps occupy equal surface areas and (ii) preserving native commissural orientation. From 2005 to 2015, 41 consecutive patients with Sievers type I BAV undergoing valve-sparing root replacement were divided into two groups according to the techniques: native orientation group and 180° group. RESULTS The native orientation group included 22 patients (age, 45.1 ± 13.6 years) and the 180° group included 19 patients (age, 36.6 ± 13.7 years; P = 0.053). There was no significant difference in preoperative variables between the two groups. Postoperative and follow-up echocardiography revealed the following: the average TVPG at the time of discharge in the native orientation and the 180° groups was 17.3 ± 6.6 and 21.7 ± 11.1 mmHg (P = 0.16), respectively, at peak and 10.0 ± 3.7 and 11.7 ± 6.0 mmHg (P = 0.33), respectively, at mean; at follow-up, the corresponding values were 19.1 ± 6.6 and 22.9 ± 10.6 mmHg (P = 0.24) at peak and 9.9 ± 3.8 and 13.2 ± 7.2 mmHg (P = 0.12) at mean. Thus, there was a trend towards higher TVPG in the 180° group. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative commissural angles was correlated with higher postoperative peak and mean TVPG (r = 0.53, P = 0.041, 95% confidence interval, 0.029-0.82 at peak and r = 0.58, P = 0.024, 95% confidence interval, 0.092-0.84 at mean). CONCLUSIONS In terms of freedom from aortic regurgitation and valve function, similar outcomes were achieved in both despite different repair techniques used for fixation of commissures during valve-sparing aortic root replacement in BAV. However, attention should be paid to patients with 180° commissural reposition because of a trend towards higher TVPG.

Treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) associated with aortic annular destruction remains a formidable surgical challenge. Discussions about the optimum modality for reconstruction are still continuing. In such severe endocarditis, we have performed aortic root replacement using the Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis with the full root technique. From 2005 through 2012, 11 patients who had aortic valve endocarditis with annular destruction underwent aortic root replacement at our institute. All of them were treated with the Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis. Their mean age was 69.9 years, and 8 patients were men. Two patients had native valve endocarditis and 9 patients had prosthetic valve endocarditis. Despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, 3 patients required emergency surgery because of hemodynamic deterioration. In-hospital death occurred in 1 patient due to progressive hemodynamic failure. The 10 hospital survivors were followed up for a mean of 27.7±23.1 months (range 5 to 82). Although late death occurred in 2 patients, recurrent IE was not observed in any patients during the follow-up. The results of our study suggest that the Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis could be an excellent alternative to a homograft in the treatment of infective endocarditis associated with aortic annular destruction.

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is very rare with an incidence of 0.0017∼0.19% in collected autopsy series, and its prognosis has been reported as being extremely poor( average survival of 6∼9 months). A 56-year-old man was referred to our hospital with cardiac tamponade caused by right atrial angiosarcoma, after initially being misdiagnosed as acute type A dissection. Echocardiography and chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a pedunculated tumor with a broad base which was originating from the right atrial wall and extended into atrio-ventricular (AV) groove. The tumor was completely resected, and a bovine pericardium patch was used for cardiac reconstruction. Histological examination showed angiosarcoma and a sign of radical excision. The patient, who made an uneventful recovery,was given postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He died of multiple systemic metastases 14 months postoperatively despite of multidisciplinary treatment. We discuss the therapeutic strategies available for this highly malignant cardiac tumor.

A 51-year-old man, who had undergone aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve 30 years ago, was referred to our hospital due to acute type A aortic dissection. Pre- and intra-operative echocardiographic evaluation showed no evidence of valve dysfunction or paravalvular leak. Intraoperative inspection revealed a thin pannus covering the leaflet housing of the mechanical valve, which we easily removed. We performed aortic root replacement while leaving the valve in situ, and total aortic arch replacement using elephant trunk technique under hypothermic circulatory arrest. He was discharged from the hospital 31 days after operation and retains normal valve function. For patients with aneurysms and acute type A aortic dissection having aortic valve prosthesis that does not require replacement, the completion Bentall procedure is a more secure and safer repair than complete aortic root reconstruction.