A 28-year-old man visited the emergency department of our hospital with a chief complaint of palpitation and chest pain. The patient had undergone 4 operations at other hospitals for tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), left pulmonary atresia, an aberrant right coronary artery, and a right aortic arch. As a result of thorough investigations, we suspected that the cause of the patient's symptoms was an excess of the right ventricular pressure over the left ventricular pressure, which was caused by right ventricular compression resulted from an abnormal mass on the anterior surface of the right ventricle, and by pulmonary stenosis (PS) associated with right ventricular outflow tract stenosis (RVOTS). Excision of the mass, right ventricular outflow restoration (RVOTR), and pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) were indicated. The mass on the anterior surface of the right ventricular was found to have been caused by retention of serous fluid in the interstice formed by a folded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) pericardial sheet. An ePTFE pericardial sheet, which is used to supplement the pericardium, has been reported to have advantages with respect to prevention of adhesion, denaturation of pericardial substitutes, and inflammatory thickening and adhesion of the epicardium, compared with other materials used as pericardial substitutes. However, epicardial thickening has been noted with the use of ePTFE pericardial sheets, and hence, its use is currently avoided in many cases. This case presents an extremely rare pathology in which the inflammatory reaction of the epicardium caused by an ePTFE pericardial sheet is suspected to have caused serous components to become tightly encapsulated in the interstice formed by the folded patch ; no definite cause was identified. Thus far, no other such case has been reported, and ePTFE pericardial sheets should be used with caution.

Purpose: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most important factor affecting morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Patients with a high controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, which is used to assess nutritional status, are expected to have high morbidity rates. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the CONUT score. Methods: Data from 97 consecutive cases of PD performed in the Department of Surgery of Iwakuni Clinical Center, from April 2008 to May 2018, were included. Preoperative patient data, including sex, age, and hypertension, and postoperative complication data were collected to analyze pancreatic fistula occurrence. Results: Of the 97 patients, 2 9 patients (29.8%) were diagnosed with POPF ≥ B, with 26 cases (26.8%) classified as grade B and 3 (3.1%) as grade C. The mortality rate was 2.1% (2 of 97). In the univariate analysis, a significant association was observed between POPF and the following factors: body mass index (BMI) ≥ 22 kg/m2, high CONUT score, nonpancreatic carcinoma, and CT attenuation values. In multivariate analysis, BMI ≥ 22 kg/m2 (odds ratio [OR], 6.16; P < 0.001), high CONUT score (OR, 3.77; P = 0.009), nonpancreatic carcinoma (OR, 5.72; P = 0.009), and CT attenuation values (late/early ratio) in the pancreas (OR, 9.07; P = 0.006) were independent risk factors for POPF. Conclusion Patients with a high CONUT score are at high risk of POPF. Further study correlating preoperative nutritional intervention with risk of POPF is necessary.

Background: In the end stage of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors with lung metastasis, it is often necessary to relieve symptoms of dyspnea due to tumor enlargement and carcinomatous lymphangitis. We report a case in which nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) was effective as a palliative treatment. Case: A 66-year-old male underwent wide resection with a diagnosis soft tissue sarcoma of right femur. Four years after surgery, he was hospitalized for hilar lymph node metastasis, multiple bone metastases, and carcinomatous lymphangitis. He was treated with nasal CPAP for dyspnea, and communication was possible until the day before his death. Discussion: For end-stage respiratory symptoms, medication therapy such as morphine or steroids is often used for palliation, but often symptoms are not sufficiently improved. Nasal CPAP might be a useful treatment for palliation for rapidly progressing respiratory failure.

A 77-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a decreased level of consciousness and left hemiplegia. Contrast-enhanced CT showed acute type A aortic dissection and right common carotid artery occlusion. Electrocardiogram findings showed ST segment elevation in the anterolateral wall. The results suggested that the aortic dissection had extended to the left main trunk and caused acute myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed preoperatively to improve myocardial ischemia reperfusion. After a successful PCI, the patient underwent ascending aorta replacement immediately. In cases of acute aortic dissection involving the left main artery, preoperative PCI prevents extensive myocardial damage and serves as a bridge to surgery.

Left ventricle to right atrial communication is a rare cardiac pathology, and it is either congenital or acquired. Recently, case reports of acquired left ventricle to right atrial communication have been increasing because of the increased numbers of cardiovascular procedures and improved cardiac diagnostic techniques. We report a case of acquired left ventricle to right atrial communication in a patient with native aortic valve infective endocarditis. A 52-year-old man with worsening dyspnea on exertion and lower leg edema was admitted to a hospital. Blood examination revealed elevated inflammatory marker levels, and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed an aortic valve vegetation. The patient was subsequently transferred to our hospital for infective endocarditis with congestive heart failure. Medical treatment with antibiotics and diuretics was initiated. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) demonstrated left ventricle to right atrial communication. An urgent operation was performed wherein the defect was closed with autologous pericardial patches from both the right atrium and left ventricle. Aortic valve replacement was performed with a mechanical valve. The postoperative course was uneventful, and TTE showed no residual shunt. In our case, cardiac CT was useful for accurately diagnosing left ventricle to right atrial communication.