OBJECTIVES We sought to investigate cusp size limitations for valve repair in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR). METHODS Preoperative computed tomography was performed in 105 patients. Cusp geometric height (GH) and annulus size were measured. Mean patient age was 60.7 ± 13.7 years. Mean GH of 3 cusps was used in the analysis. Annulus cusp mismatch was graded using predicted coaptation length. Patients were categorized by mean GH into group S (GH <16 mm; n = 35) or L (GH ≥16 mm; n = 70). RESULTS Preoperative mean GH was 17.1 ± 2.3 mm. GH and body height were significantly correlated (r = 0.61). Intraoperative mean GH (18.8 ± 2.2 mm) was larger than preoperative mean GH (P < 0.0001). However, postoperative (17.1 ± 2.0 mm) and preoperative mean GH did not differ. Moderate AR was not present on predischarge echocardiography. Mild AR was observed in 51% and 17% of patients in groups S and L, respectively (P = 0.006). During follow-up, moderate or severe AR was observed in 14% and 10% of patients in groups S and L, respectively (P = 0.74). Two patients in group S required reoperation for a regurgitant valve. Twenty (83%) and 15 (21%) patients in groups S and L, respectively, had severe annulus cusp mismatch before surgery. Annulus cusp mismatch resolved in most patients in group L postoperatively, whereas more than half the patients in group S still had severe mismatch. CONCLUSIONS Small cusp size (GH <16 mm) is not necessarily a contraindication in aortic valve repair. However, most patients in this group had annulus cusp mismatch. Root replacement or secure annulus plication is mandatory to correct annulus cusp mismatch.

Objective: To investigate the influence of choice of prosthesis (bioprosthetic valves or mechanical valves) on intermediate-term outcomes in patients on hemodialysis undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR).Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study was conducted in 18 Japanese centers. All adult patients on chronic hemodialysis who underwent AVR from 2008 and 2015 were included (n ¼ 491). The early and late results were compared between groups. The hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression and Fine-Gray models with adjustment for propensity score based on 41 confounders. The mean follow-up period was 2.5 AE 2.1 years (up to 8.3 years) with 98% completeness.Results: There were 323 patients who received a bioprosthetic valve (group B), and 168 patients who received a mechanical valve (group M). There was no significant difference for in-hospital death rate between groups (group B: 12.1%; group M: 8.9%; P ¼ .29). The overall survival rate at 5 years after surgery was 39.3% in group B and 50.4% in group M (P ¼ .42). Freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 97.1% in group B and 97.8% in group M (P ¼ .88). On propensity-score adjusted analyses, there were no significant differences in overall survival between groups.Conclusions: There were no significant differences in overall survival between bioprosthetic valves and mechanical valves in patients on hemodialysis undergoing AVR.

The impact of peripheral vascular occlusive disease (PVD) on outcome for patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was assessed by comparing preoperative and intraoperative patient characteristics and outcome in 2 groups of patients who underwent CABG (patients with PVD, n=96; patients without PVD, n=593). Patients with PVD were significantly older (69+/-8.4 vs 63+/-8.7; p<0.0001), and had a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (48% vs 32%; p<0.01), hypertension (62% vs 46%; p<0.01), preoperative cerebral infarction (26% vs 12%; p<0.001) and chronic renal dysfunction (11% vs 4.4%; p<0.01) than those without PVD. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were assessed, after those risk factors were adjusted, using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) rate and in-hospital mortality rate were significantly higher in patients with PVD than in patients without PVD (9.4% vs 3.0%; p=0.0108, 17% vs 2.7%; p=0.0003, respectively). The odds ratio of PMI and in-hospital mortality were 3.4 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.3-8.6) and 4.3 (95% CI: 2.0-9.5), respectively. Although the excess mortality rate was mainly the result of cardiac problems, such as low output syndrome or arrhythmia, in most of the cases, PVD, which may frequently prevent the use of the intraaortic balloon pump, also seemed to have a strong relation to postoperative morbidity and mortality.

rimary malignant tumors of the heart are extremely rare, and leiomyosarcoma is the rarest among these tumors. The prognosis of leiomyosarcoma is reported to be very poor even if surgical resection, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, is performed. Here we present our case of primary leiomyosarcoma of the left atrium and discuss the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis by reviewing the literature. Case ReportA 69-year-old woman had intravenous fluid administered at a clinic due to general fatigue, but as she subsequently developed dyspnea with cyanosis and respiratory arrest, she was transferred to hospital with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and was admitted to the cardiac care unit after intubation. Chest roentgenography demonstrated severe lung congestion and mild cardiomegaly. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed what was suspected to be a giant myxomatous tumor in the left atrium, which extended to the orifice of the mitral valve and obstructed the pulmonary veins (Fig 1); however, no tumor stalk was observed on the atrial septum or left atrial wall. A hemodynamic study demonstrated that the pulmonary artery pressure and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were 42/32 and 30 mmHg, respectively, and the cardiac index was 3.6 L min -1 m -2 .The patient underwent surgery under standard cardiopulmonary bypass via median sternotomy. After administration of antegrade cold crystalloid cardioplegia, the left atrium was incised longitudinally. The tumor occupied most of the left atrial cavity and adhered to the wall, so a right atriotomy with atrial septal incision was also performed to expose and excise the tumor. The tumor, which was solid and partially calcified with thrombus, was carefully dissected and resected. An area of the tumor extended into the pulmonary veins and obstructed the inflow of the left atrium and this was excised and removed as much as possible, but no attempt was made to excise the atrial wall or pulmonary veins, because it was unclear whether the tumor arose from the left atrium or the pulmonary veins. The mitral valve was normal and not invaded by the tumor. After repairing the left and right atria, the patient was weaned from the cardiopulmonary bypass without difficulty.The excised tumor was 5×6 cm in dimension, 95 g in weight, and grayish in color with thrombotic nodules on its surface. Histopathological examination demonstrated a spindle cell tumor, with a high rate of mitosis indicating Jpn Circ J 1999; 63: 414 -415 (Received December 4, 1998; revised manuscript received January 25, 1999; accepted February 3, 1999 A 69-year-old woman with symptoms of congestive heart failure had a left atrial leiomyosarcoma, an extremely rare cardiac tumor, which obstructed the mitral valve and pulmonary veins. Surgical resection was performed, but no other adjuvant therapy was administered because the patient refused it. Recurrence of the tumor occurred soon after surgery and the patient died 81 days postoperatively. (Jpn Circ J 1999; 63: 414 -415)

Compared with chordal cutting alone, chordal translocation improved both the left ventricle function and mitral geometry in a canine model of acute ischemic mitral regurgitation. Chordal translocation may be beneficial because it ameliorates the tethering of both the anterior and posterior leaflets, which is aggravated by mitral annuloplasty alone.

This case report describes the repair of an aortoesophageal fistula caused by a previously placed aortic arch graft. A 62-year-old man underwent total aortic arch graft replacement one year ago. He was readmitted with hematemesis and a high fever. Examination by endoscopy revealed a perforation and two swollen lesions in the mid-esophagus. With the diagnosis of aortoesophageal fistula, the patient underwent esophagectomy, cervical esophagostomy, and gastrostomy with plans for esophageal continuity. Twenty days later, the patient had the graft replacement. Left thoracotomy was performed at the fourth intercostal space and the incision was extended to a sternal transection. The old aortic arch graft was replaced with a rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed Dacron graft. After successful esophageal reconstruction (a cervical esophagogastrostomy with the stomach in the substernal position), he fully recovered from surgery. Aortoesophageal fistula is rare and always fatal if surgical intervention is not attempted. When homografts are unavailable, an alternative therapeutic approach is in situ replacement with a rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed Dacron graft.

"Translocation" of the secondary chordae tendineae after chordal cutting improved left ventricular systolic function compared with simple chordal cutting.

The saline injection test could aid in determining the length of the reconstructed chordae. However, the test may provide inaccurate data of the mitral-LV dimensions due to the flattened annulus and overstretched leaflets.