A 64-year-old man with a history of abdominal aortic occlusion was admitted because of anterior chest pain. Angina pectoris with ischemic mitral regurgitation were diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography and coronary artery angiography. He underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve annuloplasty with a 26-mm Physio-ring. Because of difficulty in weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, he required IABP support which was introduced via the ascending aorta. On the 2nd postoperative day, IABP was discontinued and the sternum was closed. His postoperative course thereafter was uneventful without any neurological complications. Postoperative echocardiogram showed good mitral valve function. He was discharged 16 days after surgery.

A 28-year-old man was involved in a traffic accident that sandwiched his chest between a wall and a truck. Shortness of breath and other symptoms started to appear several years later. Echocardiography at that time showed severe tricuspid regurgitation due to a failed valve and ruptured chordae in the anterior leaflet. He was followed up with medication. Leg edema developed at the age of 62 years and worsening symptoms of heart failure over a period of 6 months indicated a need for surgery. Intraoperative findings revealed the ruptured chordae attached to the anterior leaflet and a scarred myocardium at the septomarginal trabeculation. The tricuspid valve was surgically repaired, the anterior leaflet chordae were surgically reconstructed, an annuloplasty ring was implanted to address the tricuspid regurgitation and atrial fibrillation was treated using the Maze procedure. Surgery 34 years after trauma has improved hemodynamic cardiac function and normalized the cardiac rhythm in this patient.

In aortic surgery involving shaggy aorta, surgical strategy to avoid embolism is crucial for each case. We applied the frozen elephant trunk technique to a patient with shaggy aorta. A 79-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for conservative treatment of acute Type B aortic dissection. Dissecting aneurysms of the aortic arch and descending aorta were shown to have rapidly dilated according to CT three weeks later. Preoperative contrast CT showed an ulcerated shaggy aorta from the aortic arch to the mid portion of the descending aorta. To utilize the benefit of the stent compared with the classical elephant trunk technique, we proposed that the frozen elephant trunk technique would be helpful in prevention of embolism. We therefore planned total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk technique and performed thoracic endovascular aortic repair. We employed the frozen elephant trunk technique in the first operation and balloon protection of the superior mesenteric artery and the renal artery in the second operation. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course without thromboembolism. The frozen elephant trunk technique may be helpful for patients with shaggy aorta to avoid thromboembolic events.