An 60-year-old man who initially presented with ventricular tachycardia was suspected of cardiac tumor because of localised hypertrophy of the right ventricle. Although the localized region detected by an echocardiography suggested malignancy, percutaneous transcatheter myocardial biopsy failed to obtain a histological diagnosis. Six months later, a permanent pace maker was implanted due to complete AV block. Two years after the first admission, echocardiogram and computed tomography demonstrated a cardiac tumor in the right ventricle. To obtain a histological diagnosis, open biopsy was performed under median sternotomy and showed malignant lymphoma. Antemortem diagnosis of cardiac malignancy is usually very difficult. Median sternotomy is an established procedure for cardiovascular surgeons. Open biopsy can be an acceptable technique to obtain histological diagnosis of the neoplastic region in terms of safety and simplicity, and has good sampling accuracy compared with other diagnostic modalities. We recommend early stage surgical exploration when cardiac malignancy is a diagnostic possibility.

Aortitis syndrome is a disease of non-specific inflammation of the arterial wall which produces necrosis and fibrosis of the intima. Indications, timing, and the choice of operative procedures should be determined carefully because of its complex pathology. We encountered a patient with combined aortic valve incompetence and left main coronary artery stenosis due to aortitis syndrome. The patient received adequate steroid therapy and the inflammatory reaction was well controlled before surgery. The patient underwent concomitant aortic valve replacement using an intravalvular implantation technique and coronary artery bypass grafting. The hospital course of the patient was uneventful. Neither paravalvular leakage nor inflammatory recurrence was observed during 18 months of follow-up.

Septic pulmonary embolization (SPE) is an uncommon pulmonary disorder. The diagnosis of SPE is frequently delayed because of its nonspecific chest roentgenological features. A 76-year-old woman who underwent pacemaker implantation one year previously received antibiotic therapy under a diagnosis of infectious colitis. She suffered septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and was admitted to our hospital. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was cultured from her blood and echocardiography demonstrated 13×16 mm vegetation originating from the tricuspid valve. Multiple peripheral nodules with cavitation were found on chest computed tomography and she was given a diagnosis of SPE. She rapidly presented acute respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation was inevitable for 23 days before surgery. She underwent removal of the entire pacing system, resection and repair of the tricuspid valve and epicardial pacemaker lead implantation. Tracheostomy and long-term mechanical ventilation (16 days) was required after surgery, however, she was discharged from our hospital without any complication.

We report a case of a caseous calcification lesion originating from a calcified anterior mitral annulus. A 59-year-old woman on chronic hemodialysis was referred to our hospital due to an elevated brain natriuretic peptide value. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated moderate aortic valve stenosis with regurgitation and a pendulous mass in the left ventricular outflow tract, and therefore we perfomed. The patient underwent resection of the mass with aortic valve replacement. Pathological examination of the mass revealed interstitial calcium deposits but without tumors or inflammatory cells. We speculated that the cardiac mass was caseous calcification which originated from a severely calcified mitral annulus based on its echocardiographic and pathological features.

Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is characterized by vascular findings (aortic aneurysms and dissections) and skeletal manifestations. Since aortic dissection occurs at smaller aortic diameters than observed in Marfan syndrome, early and aggressive surgery is recommended for patients with LDS. A 45-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation at the age of 33 was transferred to our hospital with the diagnosis of acute aortic dissection. We performed emergeny ascending aortic replacement, and suspected LDS because of his specific physical characteristics after surgery. His postoperative course was uneventful, however, computed tomography (CT) performed at 2 weeks after operation showed the new entry at the distal anastomotic site, patent false lumen of the descending aorta and rapid enlargement of the distal aortic arch. Therefore, we performed total arch replacement with the elephant trunk method at 3 weeks after the emergency operation. Mutation of the TGFBR2 gene was found and we finally diagnosed LDS. One year after, complete thrombosis of the false lumen of the descending aorta and decrease in size of the distal aortic arch was observed by CT.

We report a case of aortic valve replacement using a bioprosthesis after coronary artery stenting in the left coronary main trunk of a 76-year-old man with symptoms of heart failure. Pre-operation studies revealed severe aortic valve regurgitation and that the left main coronary stent protruded into the aorta. Cardiac arrest was obtained with retrograde cardioplegia. Careful observation was made to avoid injury to the aortic bioprosthesis. The postoperative course was uneventful and cardiac echo graphy showed good function of the aortic valve.

Fifty consecutive patients who underwent elective repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms were preoperatively evaluated on blood coagulation tests and retrospectively classified into three groups. Class I had a normal profile on the tests. Class II had either high FDP (≥20ng/ml), TAT (≥20ng/ml), or positive results on the FM test. Class III had either thrombocytopenia (≤120/μl) or bleeding symptoms with Class II conditions. Operative mortality was 0% (0/26) in Class I, 13% (2/15) in Class II, and 22% (2/9) in Class III patients. This classification is considered to be simple and useful to assess specific coagulopathy for aortic aneurysms.

Primary malignant tumors of the heart are rare and are associated with very poor survival. We retrospectively analyzed early and late results for five primary malignant tumors of the heart. There were two operative deaths and two late deaths, and the mean survival of patients who survived operation was 18.3 months. No operative survivors had symptoms of congestive heart failure during follow up period. One patient who underwent histologic biopsy received postoperative chemotherapy and is alive without recurrence 36 months after operation. The operative mortality of primary malignant tumors of the heart was high and unsatisfactory, however, surgical treatment prevented congestive heart failure during follow up and contributed to the selection of postopeative therapeutic options, with or without complete resection of the tumors.

We report a case of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A 24-year-old woman with SLE had been treated with steroids and immunosuppressive agents for 7 years. The patient was admitted to Kumamoto University Hospital for the management of unstable angina. CABG was successfully performed using bilateral internal thoracic arteries and postoperative 3D-CT demonstrated good patency of both arterial grafts. The patient experienced no significant postoperative complications, and has remained well to date (8 months postdischarge).

We report a successfully treated case of double valve replacement for mucopolysaccharosis in a 27-year-old woman. Mucopolysaccharosis had been suspected since she was aged 11. Symptoms of heart failure and chest pain suggested valvular disease and she was referred to us. Echocardiography, aortography and cardioangiography showed aortic regurgitation (grade IV/IV) and mitral regurgitation (grade III/IV). She received double valve replacement and was discharged on the 38th postoperative day with symptom improvement. Although urinalysis was positive for heparan-sulfate, this case could not be diagnosed definitively as mucopolysaccharosis due to normal lymphocytic enzyme-activity. However, large amounts of mucopolysaccharoid deposits were present in her removed aortic and mitral valve leaflets, and her clinical picture corresponded with mucopolysaccharosis. Thus, it was considered that her ultimate diagnosis was combined cardiac valvular disease due to mucopolysaccharosis.