When performing surgery of the thoracic aorta, several supporting methods must be easily available to facilitate various grafting procedures which are selected as the most suitable method for each case. We report on a practical cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit which can be used in the surgical treatment of any thoracic aortic disease: aortic dissection, true aneurysm involving the aortic arch, descending aortic aneurysm or thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm. The circuit design is based on a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system. We added some modifications to the system for managing CPB simply. The improved bypass circuit was applied in operations on 26 patients and yielded excellent clinical results. The advantages of the circuit are listed as follows: 1) If massive bleeding occurs during closed-circuit CPB, the blood can be sucked into a built-in hard shell reservoir on the venous side of the bypass, and can immediately be returned back into the bypass circuit. 2) Using clamping forceps it is possible to easily switch between closed-circuit CPB and conventional CPB using gravitational venous return. 3) Selective cerebral or other organ perfusion can be done by a built-in roller pump distal to the oxygenator. The perfusion line using the roller pump diverges from the main line using the centrifugal pump kept in a spinning state. If the hypothermic method is used, the lower body is perfused via a femoral arterial cannulation by the centrifugal pump, and the upper body by the roller pump with right subclavian arterial cannulation. When the cardiac rhythm changes to ventricular fibrillation in cooling the patient, the flow ratio of the lower body to the upper body must be 1:1, since retrograde perfusion from the femoral artery may cause cerebral infarction due to embolism of dislodged debris or thrombi from the aneurysm.

We report a case of successfully treated mesenteric ischemia following emergency endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (r-AAA). A 79-year-old man, who had received hemodialysis for 5 years for diabetic nephropathy, presented with sudden onset abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed an rAAA with a 60-mm diameter in the infrarenal abdominal aorta. Emergency EVAR was performed. After completion of stent graft placement, intraoperative angiogram revealed serious imaging delay of the superior mesenteric artery. An emergency saphenous vein bypass was performed from the right external iliac artery to the ileocolic artery. The postoperative course was uneventful, and there has been no evidence of endoleak or enlargement of aneurysm diameter during the follow-up period of 2 years.

Introduction: Fundamental Simulation Instructional Methods (FunSim) is an international simulation faculty development course for Japanese healthcare educators, with English and Japanese language versions. The objectives of this study were to assess post-course outcomes of international "FunSim" , and identify barriers to the implementation of simulation-based education (SBE) for Japanese simulation educators.

Methods: Using a 73-item web-based questionnaire, FunSim course outcomes were assessed at Kirkpatrick model level one (Reaction) ; two (Learning) ; and three (Behavior) . A Likert-type rating scale (1-7) was used for course evaluation (level one) , and for confidence and competency (level two) ; four different types of Yes-No question were used for level three. A Likert-type rating scale (1-5) was used to rate twelve pre-defined potential barriers to the implementation of SBE methods.

Results: A total of 178 (63%) of 283 participants responded; FunSim language was 47.8% English (E) and 57.3% Japanese (J) , with no differences between (E) and (J) "language barrier" responses. Eighty-eight percent of ratings for the 7-course evaluation items were > 4. Confidence and competency scores decreased "at the time of the survey" compared to "at the end of the course" (P<0.05) . Pre/Post-course participants who were active simulation faculty members increased from 68 to 112 (P<0.001) . Human factors such as "Simulation specialist availability" , " Time for teaching and faculty development" , " Number of trained faculty" , "Faculty development availability" , and "Faculty skill" were predominant barriers compared to other issues.

Conclusion: FunSim participants reported positive course feedback and no critical language barriers. Barriers to the implementation of SBE are primarily human factors. Work release, hiring simulation specialists, and faculty development must be addressed to establish effective SBE systems.

An 83-year-old woman with unstable angina pectoris underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left circumflex artery, and her condition improved. However, on the eighth day after PCI, she went into a stated shock, and echocardiogram confirmed a large amount of pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis was immediately performed, and bloody pericardial effusion was drained. Cardiac rupture was suspected, although the cause was unknown. Emergency sternotomy was performed, and blow out type cardiac rupture in the center of a thumb-sized infarction was found at the area of the obtuse marginal branch. The ruptured left ventricular wall was successfully closed with 2 mattress sutures because the infarcted area was relatively small. Postoperative course was good, and she was discharged on the 25th postoperative day. In this case, the cause of cardiac rupture was thought to be a small branch of the left circumflex artery, which was occluded during PCI. This is one of the rare but important mechanisms of cardiac tamponade after PCI.

The use of axillofemoral bypass grafts (AxFG) has became a widely accepted treatment for high-risk patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease. On the other hand, AxFG has been associated with a variety of complications in the upper extremity. A symptom of upper extremity thromboembolism after AxFG occlusion is reported as axillofemoral bypass graft stump syndrome (AxFSS). We report the case of a 55-year-old man with repeated AxFSS after an AxFG occlusion. He underwent brachial artery exploration and embolectomy. Angiograms showed an embolus floating in the axillary artery, which originated from the occluded graft stump. The stump was obliterated with a metallic stent introduced through the same arteriotomy made for the embolectomy. The endovascular treatment of AxFSS is minimally invasive and is an effective modality in this condition.

PURPOSE: We recently demonstrated the morphology of the anococcygeal ligament. As the anococcygeal ligament and raphe are often confused, the concept of the anococcygeal raphe needs to be re-examined from the perspective of fetal development, as well as in terms of adult morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the horizontal sections of 15 fetuses as well as adult histology. From cadavers, we obtained an almost cubic tissue mass containing the dorsal wall of the anorectum, the coccyx and the covering skin. Most sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or Masson-trichrome solution. RESULTS: The adult ligament contained both smooth and striated muscle fibers. A similar band-like structure was seen in fetuses, containing: 1) smooth muscle fibers originating from the longitudinal muscle coat of the anal canal and 2) striated muscle fibers from the external anal sphincter (EAS). However, in fetuses, the levator ani muscle did not attach to either the band or the coccyx. Along and around the anococcygeal ligament, we did not find any aponeurotic tissue with transversely oriented fibers connecting bilateral levator ani slings. Instead, in adults, a fibrous tissue mass was located at a gap between bilateral levator ani slings; this site corresponded to the dorsal side of the ligament and the EAS in the immediately deep side of the natal skin cleft. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that a classically described raphe corresponds to the specific subcutaneous tissue on the superficial or dorsal side of the anococcygeal ligament.
Aged, 80 and over ; Anal Canal/*anatomy & histology/embryology ; *Cadaver ; Female ; *Fetus ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth/*anatomy & histology/embryology ; Rectum/*anatomy & histology/embryology

Pacinian corpuscle-like structures were identified in the digital tendon sheaths and nail beds of hands obtained from eight of 12 human fetuses of gestational age 20–34 weeks (crown-rump length, 150–290 mm). The aberrant corpuscles were present in tight fibrous tissue connecting the flexor tendon sheath to the dorsal aponeurosis (138 corpuscles in the thumbs and all fingers of eight fetuses); loose fibrous tissue inside the sheath on the dorsal side of the tendon (37 corpuscles in the thumbs and all fingers of four fetuses); and the nail bed (10 clusters in the thumbs and second fingers of four smaller fetuses). The aberrant corpuscles in the tendon sheath were classified into two types: thin and short, with tightly packed lamellae, of diameter 20–40 µm and length 20–200 µm; and thick and long, with loosely packed lamellae, of diameter 70–150 µm and length 0.5–1.5 mm. The small corpuscles tended to form clusters, each containing 5–10 structures. Their similarity indicated that the tight and loose lamellae in these two types of corpuscles corresponded to typical immature and mature corpuscles, respectively, usually distributed along the palmar digital nerve. However, mature, large corpuscles were absent from the nail bed, and most aberrant corpuscles were smaller than typical corpuscles along the nerve. The aberrant corpuscles were apparently incorporated into the tendon sheath or nail bed during fetal vascular development, but they appeared to degenerate after birth due to mechanical stress from the tendon or nail.
Fetus* ; Fingers ; Gestational Age ; Hand ; Humans* ; Parturition ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tendons* ; Thumb

In and after the third trimester, the lung surface is likely to become smooth to facilitate respiratory movements. However, there are no detailed descriptions as to when and how the lung surface becomes regular. According to our observations of 33 fetuses at 9–16 weeks of gestation (crown-rump length [CRL], 39–125 mm), the lung surface, especially its lateral (costal) surface, was comparatively rough due to rapid branching and outward growing of bronchioli at the pseudoglandular phase of lung development. The pulmonary pleura was thin and, beneath the surface mesothelium, no or little mesenchymal tissue was detectable. Veins and lymphatic vessels reached the lung surface until 9 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively. In contrast, in 8 fetuses at 26–34 weeks of gestation (CRL, 210–290 mm), the lung surface was almost smooth because, instead of bronchioli, the developing alveoli faced the external surfaces of the lung. Moreover, the submesothelial tissue became thick due to large numbers of dilated veins connected to deep intersegmental veins. CD34-positive, multilayered fibrous tissue was also evident beneath the mesothelium in these stages. The submesothelial tissue was much thicker at the basal and mediastinal surfaces compared to apical and costal surfaces. Overall, rather than by a mechanical stress from the thoracic wall and diaphragm, a smooth lung surface seemed to be established largely by the thick submesothelial tissue including veins and lymphatic vessels until 26 weeks.
Diaphragm ; Epithelium ; Female ; Fetus* ; Humans* ; Lung* ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Pleura* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Stress, Mechanical ; Thoracic Wall ; Veins

The bony carotid canal is a tube-like bone with a rough surface in contrast to smooth surfaces of the other parts of the temporal bone petrosal portion (petrosa): it takes an impression of the additional, out-sourcing product. No study had been conducted to evaluate a contribution of the adjacent sphenoid and pharyngotympanic tube (PTT) to the carotid canal. We examined sagittal and horizontal histological sections of hemi-heads from 37 human fetuses at 10 to 37 weeks. At 10 to 18 weeks, the future carotid canal was identified as a wide loose space between the cartilaginous cochlea and the ossified or cartilaginous sphenoid elements (ala temporalis and pterygoid). A linear mesenchymal condensation extending between the cochlear wall and ala temporalis suggested the future antero-inferior margin of the carotid canal. This delineation was more clearly identified in later stages. After 25 weeks, 1) the growing pterygoid pushed the PTT upward and, in turn, the PTT pushed the internal carotid artery (ICA) upward toward the petrosa: 2) a membranous ossification occurs in the dense mesenchymal tissue, the latter of which took an appearance of an anterior process of the petrosa; 3) the bony process of the petrosa involved the ICA inside or posteriorly. The bony carotid canal was made with membranous ossification in the dense mesenchymal tissue between the petrosa and sphenoid. The mother tissue was detached from the sphenoid by the PTT. The ossification of the septum between the ICA and tympanic cavity seemed to continue after birth.

The bony carotid canal is a tube-like bone with a rough surface in contrast to smooth surfaces of the other parts of the temporal bone petrosal portion (petrosa): it takes an impression of the additional, out-sourcing product. No study had been conducted to evaluate a contribution of the adjacent sphenoid and pharyngotympanic tube (PTT) to the carotid canal. We examined sagittal and horizontal histological sections of hemi-heads from 37 human fetuses at 10 to 37 weeks. At 10 to 18 weeks, the future carotid canal was identified as a wide loose space between the cartilaginous cochlea and the ossified or cartilaginous sphenoid elements (ala temporalis and pterygoid). A linear mesenchymal condensation extending between the cochlear wall and ala temporalis suggested the future antero-inferior margin of the carotid canal. This delineation was more clearly identified in later stages. After 25 weeks, 1) the growing pterygoid pushed the PTT upward and, in turn, the PTT pushed the internal carotid artery (ICA) upward toward the petrosa: 2) a membranous ossification occurs in the dense mesenchymal tissue, the latter of which took an appearance of an anterior process of the petrosa; 3) the bony process of the petrosa involved the ICA inside or posteriorly. The bony carotid canal was made with membranous ossification in the dense mesenchymal tissue between the petrosa and sphenoid. The mother tissue was detached from the sphenoid by the PTT. The ossification of the septum between the ICA and tympanic cavity seemed to continue after birth.