Recently, with the advent of medical devices and minimally invasive operations, endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting (EVH) in coronary artery bypass grafting has been widely accepted. Although EVH has short-term advantages of less wound morbidity and better cosmetic results compared with open vein harvesting (OVH), several studies have demonstrated that the mid- and long-term patency rate of EVH veins is significantly lower than that of OVH veins, therefore the role of EVH is currently controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the early results of EVH compared with the OVH group. Between April 2011 and December 2012, 115 consecutive patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in our institution. Of these, EVH was performed in 62 patients and OVH in 53. In EVH groups, all 50 patients were men, and mean age was 71.3±7.8 years. A total of 211 coronary anastomoses, 109 SVGs anastomoses were assessed for patency postoperatively by angiography or enhanced computed tomography before discharge. The mean vein harvesting time was 26.0±8.1 min, and the mean number of ostial branch tear was 0.34±0.59. The overall SVG patency rates at discharge were 95.4% in EVH and 92% in OVH, respectively (p=0.24). There was a significant reduction in the incidence of leg wound complications in the EVH group (EVH : 1.6% ; OVH : 13.2% ; p=0.038). In conclusion, the short-term result of EVH was satisfactory. EVH reduces leg wound complications compared with OVH.

We report the rare case of a 68-year-old man, who was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of aortic arch anastomotic pseudoaneurysm, with concomintant aortic root enlargement and coronary artery stenosis. Eleven years previously, at age 56, he underwent total arch replacement with island reconstruction for chronic aortic dissection. We performed redo total arch replacement, aortic root replacement and coronary artery bypass, making use of a cardiopulmonary bypass with cannulation through the right subclavian artery, femoral artery and femoral vein before resternotomy. We also used selective cerebral perfusion. Postoperatively, the patient temporarily required reintubation ; however, he was discharged in good condition on the 50th post-operative day. The case suggests that island reconstruction has the potential to cause an aortic arch pseudoaneurysm, particularly after a long postoperative period of time. Therefore, thorough postoperative care strategy is required. We also need to consider surgical reconstructive techniques which eliminate vascular lesions as much as possible at the time of the primary surgery, particularly in cases of chronic aortic dissection.

One hundred and thirty cases of closed mitral commissurotomy were followed for up to 25 years and 10 months. There was no operative death, but 31 cases died during the follow-up period. Eight cases died suddenly of unknown cause, 7 due to heart failure, 5 due to thromboembolism, 4 on reoperation, and 6 due to other reasons. In the 7 cases who died of heart failure late after commissurotomy, 3 cases refused reoperation. Each of the remaising 4 cases were not operated on because of associated severe liver dysfunction, left ventricular dysfunction plus pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failure due to bronchial asthma, and unknown reasons, respectively. The actuarial survival rate was 93.6% 10 years after surgery, and 72.2% 20 years after surgery. Forty-two cases had reoperation with a mean interval of 12 years and 6 months. Reoperation-free survival rate was 88.7% 10 years after the first operation and 42.8% 20 years after the first operation. Incidence of major thromboembolism was 1.25%/patient-year. Thromboembolism and sudden death of unknown cause constituted the leading cause of late death and played a key role in long term results. Cardiac event-free survival rate was 65.7% 10 years after surgery and 32.6% 20 years after surgery. From these results it was concluded that the clinical limitations of the effectiveness of closed mitral commissurotomy was around ten years after surgery. We believe that these findings provide useful information for percutaneous transvenous mitral ommissurotomy.

Myonephropathic metabolic syndrome (MNMS) is a fatal complication following open-heart or aortic surgery. We evaluated 7 cases of MNMS following cardiac or aortic surgery. The patient's ages ranged from 43 to 81 years old. Of the 7 patients, four presented with myocardial infarction, which required coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and three presented with acute aortic dissection. Two patients with Stanford type A underwent total arch replacement and CABG and 1 patient with Stanford type B underwent a left axillo-femoral bypass. MNMS was caused by acute arterial occlusion due to intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) or percutaneous cardio-pulmonary support (PCPS) in patients who experienced myocardial infarction and acute lower limb ischemia in patients who experienced aortic dissection. The ratio of MNMS caused by IABP and PCPS, and acute aortic dissection was 1.4% and 4.2%, respectively. Four patients died; 3 had undergone CABG and 1 had undergone an aortic operation 18.5h after acute dissection. Both IABP and PCPS were removed early in possible cases. Limb wash-out was performed in 1 patient, and 5 were treated with hemodiafiltration. IABP and PCPS should be introduced via a prosthetic graft if limb ischemia is noticed. MNMS should be recognized as a disastrous complication of aortic dissection, and early bypass graft or limb amputation may become the treatment of choice. We emphasize that hemodiafiltration should begin as soon as MNMS is diagnosed.

We encountered a case of Dor's operation for left ventricular aneurysm with cardiac failure 19 years after operation for post-infarction ventricular septal perforation. A 70-year-old man, who had undergone patch closure for ventricular septum perforation due to acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction, was admitted for congestive heart failure. Preoperative left ventriculography (LVG) revealed large anteroseptal and ventricular septal aneurysm. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 39%, and the left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) was 200ml. Dor's operation and coronary artery bypass grafting to the left circumflex branch was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged 33 days after the operation. Postoperative LVG revealed improved left ventricular function and showed that LVEF was 45% and LVEDV was 171ml. The large akinetic aneurysm was formed 19 years after operation following the linear closure method. LVG after Dor's operation showed remarkable improvement for left ventricular function. These findings indicated that Dor's operation is superior to the linear method.

In 1984, a 67-year-old man had aortic valve replacement surgery for aortic regurgitation; he returned with chest pain on May 15, 2003. Emergency coronary angiography was performed because electrocardiogram revealed ST segment depression in leads V₄ to V₆. However, coronary angiography, echocardiogram and chest computed tomography finding were normal. Therefore the patient was discharged the following day. However, he was re-admitted for chest pain, followed by loss of consciousness 4 days after his initial release. Echocardiogram and chest computed tomography revealed perforation in the lateral wall of his left ventricle (LV) and a “blow-out” type rupture was diagnosed. The patient fell into cardiogenetic shock in the emergency room, and emergency left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) surgical repair was performed under percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). A round perforation measuring about 10mm in diameter was observed in the lateral LV wall along the course of LCx # 12. The perforation was closed using Teflon strip reinforced mattress sutures. The hemostasis was reinforced with fibrin glue sheet (TachoComb) and polyglygolic acid surgical mesh (Dexon Mesh), with fibrin glue extensively applied. He was discharged on July 17, 2003 without major complications. In this case, the precise cause that led to LVFWR was unknown. Emergency PCPS insertion enabled the LVFWR surgical repair and extensive adhesion due to the previous AVR prevented the massive bleeding to pericardial cavity and the catastrophic hemodynamic deterioration: both factors positively contributed to patient recovery.

We report 2 cases of successful proximal reoperations after acute type A dissection. Case 1 : A 53-year-old man underwent ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement and aortic valve re-suspension for acute type A dissection with aortic valve regurgitation in 1992. Thirteen years after the first operation, computed tomography demonstrated a Valsalva aneurysm (74 mm) and Doppler echocardiography showed moderate aortic valve regurgitation. Therefore, we performed an operation. We could not locate the dissection in the Valsalva sinus, and the aortic valve cusps had organic change. A David procedure was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on the 19th postoperative day. Case 2 : A 65-year-old woman underwent ascending aorta replacement and aortic valve resuspension for acute type A dissection with aortic valve regurgitation in 1997, but 11 years after the first operation, computed tomography demonstrated a Valsalva aneurysm (55 mm) and arch aneurysm (65 mm) with stenosis of the innominate vein and she had facial and left arm edema. Doppler echocardiography showed moderate aortic valve regurgitation. We could not find the location of dissection in the Valsalva sinus or aortic arch, and aortic valve cusps had no organic change. A Bentall procedure and total arch replacement were performed and her postoperative course was uneventful.

A 65-year-old woman was referred for progressive dyspnea and leg edema. Physical examination revealed a continuous murmur along the right sternal border. Enhanced computed tomography showed an aneurysm that extended to the right atrium. Aortic angiography confirmed the rupture of the valsalva aneurysm into the right atrium. The patient underwent emergency surgery to close the aneurysm ostium and suture closure of the right atrial fistula. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful.

We have several choices against bleeding and obstruction in advanced gastric cancer patients such as surgical or endoscopic therapy. But we have few reports about palliative radiation. We conduct this study that we perform palliative radiation for unresectable advanced gastric cancer patients between April 2006 and March 2014 in single center. In the aim of the therapy, to stop gastric bleeding were 8, and to improve obstruction depend on gastric cancer were 4. Response rate of stop bleeding was 63％, and improve obstruction was 50％. Median duration of stop bleeding was 103 day, and improve obstruction was 52 day. Overall survival time was 567 day, survival time after the start of radiotherapy was 105days. Radiotherapy was limited in cases because onset time of response needed in comparison with surgical or endoscopic therapy. However, given minimally invasive therapy and a certain response, we can choice it so much more.