A 71-year-old man was transferred to our hospital because of impending rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Preoperative CT scan demonstrated a huge aneurysm of the aortic arch (TAA) associated with an AAA. Emergency coronary angiography revealed 3-vessel disease. One-stage surgery including TAA repair, coronary bypass surgery, and AAA repair was performed to avoid the possibility of rupture of the remaining aneurysms and the risk of ischemic heart diseases. One-stage surgery is a possible approach for patients with severe multivascular diseases.

A 50-year-old man was admitted with a fusiform descending thoracic aortic aneurysm measuring 60mm. Chest CT scan revealed porcelain aorta from the aortic arch to the abdominal aorta. Severe calcification found on the descending aortic wall was considered to entail greater risk for conventional aortic repair and reconstruction of intercostal arteries. Therefore endovascular stent grafting was planned. The stent graft was deployed from near the origin of the left subclavian artery to the 10th thoracic vertebral level. Neither paraplegia nor other complication occurred. Endovascular stent grafting may be a safe and effective method for descending thoracic aneurysms with severely calcified aorta.

A 16-year-old boy with multiple injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident was admitted to our hospital. On admission, X-ray films showed left hemothorax and bone fractures of the left humerus, thigh bone, and pelvis. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a pseudoaortic aneurysm approximately 6.0cm in diameter at the proximal portion of the descending aorta. Because of multiple severe associated injuries, we considered that conventional aortic repair in the acute phase would be difficult. We therefore performed an endovascular stent-graft treatment 140 days after injury. The postoperative course was uneventful and the pseudoaneurismal sac has confirmed to decrease. Transluminal placement of endovascular stent-graft is a technically feasible method for treatment of traumatic aortic aneurysm. However, because the long-term results are still unknown, we should follow-up carefully, particularly in young patients.

A 59-year-old man had been treated at another institution for bacterial meningitis (Streptococcus pneumoniae). He had severe back pain and lumbago. Computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the chest and abdomen demonstrated saccular aneurysms at the diaphragm in the descending thoracic aorta and the infrarenal abdominal aorta. An extended left posterolateral retroperitoneal incision was performed for resection of the thoracoabdominal aneurysm and replacement of an in situ dacron graft with rifampicin using cardiopulmonary bypass. The abdominal aneurysm was resected and replaced by an in situ dacron graft with rifampicin. The grafts were covered with a pedicled omental flap. The tissue culture was negative. After subsequent intravenous antibiotic therapy for 2 months, the patient was discharged without any evidence of remaining infection.

Left ventricular reconstruction methods (LVR) consisting of the Dor procedure or septal anterior ventricular exclusion (SAVE) have been advocated for left ventricular dysfunction due to ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). This study reports early results achieved with LVR in patients with ICM. Between April 2001 and August 2004, 9 patients with ICM underwent LVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Their age was 62±11 years, and 7 were men. The Dor procedure was performed in 8 patients and 1 patient underwent SAVE. CABG was performed in all patients. Two patients with grade 3 mitral regurgitation (MR) preoperatively had mitral valve annuloplasty (MAP). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved from 31.6±7.2% to 47.8±9.4%. The mean left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) decreased from 166.7±50.4ml/m² to 102.6±23.0ml/m². The mean left ventricular end systolic volume index (LVESVI) decreased from 114.4±34.7ml/m² to 52.4±16.6ml/m². The mean coaptation depth decreased from 9.3±3.1mm to 4.5±1.4mm. The mean MR, with or without MAP, improved from grade 1.7±1.1 to grade 0.2±0.4. There were no hospital deaths. Seven of 9 patients were categorized as New York Heart Association functional class I at discharge. We conclude that LVR is an effective treatment for ICM with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

A 63-year old man was referred to our hospital with dyspnea on exertion and palpitation. An echocardiogram disclosed aortic stenosis and regurgitation, mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation. During cardiac catheterization, the right coronary ostium could not be cannulated, by coincidence, showed ventricular outpouching. Preoperative contrast-enhanced CT showed the partition wall isolating the right coronary ostium and the left ventricular outpouching in the subaortic valve area. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement after resection of the rudimentary right coronary cusp, and we resected the outpouching and closed the orifice with mattress sutures from the inside of the LV and the outside. Histopathology demonstrated that the resected outpouching was congenital fibrous left ventricular diverticulum.