A 5-year-old boy with tricuspid atresia who underwent the Björk procedure died due to right atrial thrombus and left pulmonary embolus 37 days after operation. It is suggested that thromboembolism may be a frequent complication after the Björk procedure due to the turbulent blood flow at the right atrio-ventricular anastomosis and also due to congestive blood flow. Anticoagulation therapy seems to be essential for postoperative management.

We report the successful repair of left main coronary artery obstruction with aortitis syndrome. She was a 39-year-old woman and was admitted to Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital because of angina pectoris. Her bilateral radial artery pulsation was not palpable. Total occlusion of the left main coronary artery (LMT) and bilateral subclavian artery was detected by angiography. Patch enlargement of the LMT was performed using a Distaflo (Impra Carbon PTFE) graft. Postoperative coronary angiography showed an adequate LMT diameter and sufficient blood flow.

The cases of neonates and infants who underwent successful delayed sternal closure (DSC) using silastic rubber after open heart surgery were reviewed. The indication for DSC was cardiac dilatation with tamponade-like behavior upon attempted sternal closure in all. In 7 of 10 cases, DSC were possible within 4 days after operation. There were statistical decrease in heart rate (HR), left atrial pressure (LAP), cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) and inspiratory oxygen concentration of the respirator at the time of DSC compared to those in the early postoperative period. None of the patients had mediastinitis or other severe infection in the postoperative course. One patient each died of progressive pulmonary venous obstruction and of non-cardiac disease late postoperatively and 8 patients are long-term survivors. It is concluded that DSC is recommended whenever there is any hemodynamic deterioration due to attempted sternal closure following open heart surgery in infancy as it could be safely performed within 3 to 4 days after operation without any complication.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is one of the complications of a cervical cord injury that results in limited range of motion, which can interfere with basic movements and activities of daily living. We encountered a case of a cervical cord injury patient with limited range of motion and mobility due to HO of the hip joint who experienced improvement in both as a result of early surgery and rehabilitation. A 17-year-old boy was diagnosed with a cervical cord injury due to an anterior fracture of the sixth cervical vertebrae following a fall into a pool. It was classified as bilateral C6BII according to the Zancolli's classification for cervical cord injury. The patient presented with limited range of motion in his left hip and was diagnosed with HO four months after the injury. Eight months after the injury, his hip range of motion deteriorated further；consequently, he required continuous transfer assistance. Therefore, surgical HO removal was performed during this period of convalescent rehabilitation. The patient underwent constant post-operative rehabilitation, and the range of motion in his left hip joint improved；thus, he became independent in transfer activities. A concomitant HO after a cervical cord injury can lead to functional impairment in convalescent rehabilitation. In addition, no practice guidelines have been developed that include recommendations on when to perform surgical procedures for HO. Treatment of HO with a combination of immediate surgery and aggressive rehabilitation can be expected to restore function and maximize activity and participation in patients with cervical cord injury with concomitant HO.