Patients with mechanical valve prosthesis must receive long-term oral anticoagulant therapy, thus it is important to set the optimal international normalized ratio of prothrombin time (PT-INR) that effectively prevented thromboembolic complications without excessive bleeding. In this study, anticoagulant therapy was evaluated in terms of the activity of coagulation and fibrinolysis in 137 patients after isolated mechanical valve replacement. With a lower target range of 1.5-2.0 for the PT-INR, thrombin antithrombin III complex (TAT) increased to more than 3.0ng/ml in 30 cases, and the activity of coagulation appeared to increase due to insufficient anticoagulant therapy. After the target range was raised to 2.0-2.5 in all cases, the PT-INR increased significantly from 1.63 to 2.25 (p<0.01) and TAT decreased significantly from 7.58 to 2.81ng/ml (p<0.01). This showed that activity of coagulation and fibrinolysis was suppressed by high intensity anticoagulation. It is necessary to review the individual activity of coagulation and fibrinolysis to determine the intensity of anticoagulation. We recommend 2.0-2.5 as the target range for the PT-INR.

Coronary artery disease is common in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and arteriosclerosis obliterans, and one-stage or two-stage coronary artery bypass grafting have been performed. However, few operative cases of concomitant heart valve disease and arteriosclerotic disease have been reported. This case presented with severe aortic valve regurgitation (LVEF 24.3%) and arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) of both iliac arteries. To maintain the IABP catheter route and to prevent lower limb ischemia, aortic valve replacement with a bileaflet mechanical valve and abdominal aortic replacement with a bifurcated graft were carried out simultaneously. In spite of the high degree of operative invasiveness with median sternotomy and abdominal incision, the postoperative course was uneventful due to the shortened operation time and maintenance of good peripheral circulation.

A 58-year-old diabetic man underwent emergency coronary artery bypass grafting for ischemic heart failure. Although postoperative cardiac function was good but acute renal failure developed. We started continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) from 5 hours after the operation and continued it for 7 days without any undue influence on hemodynamics or bleeding side effects. The renal function gradually improved and CHDF was halted. It is reported that CHDF can prevent renal failure caused by inflammatory cytokines produced after cardiac surgery. CHDF appears to be useful for the management of acute renal failure in the early postoperative period after cardiac surgery.

A 32-year-old man was admitted with dyspnea on exertion and a prolonged common cold. Swelling of mediastinal lymph nodes, pericardial thickening and pleural effusion were detected by chest CT. Mycobacterial culture of sputa and pleural effusion were negative. Serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was normal. A tuberculin test showed a positive reaction (20×15mm). Viral antibody titers (Coxsackie A9, echo 3, influenza B) were negative. Ten days after admission, the patient had pyrexia and low cardiac output symptoms. Right ventricular pressure curve cardiac catherterization showed a“dip and plateau”pattern which indicated constrictive pericarditis. We performed subtotal pericardiectomy (from the right phrenic nerve to the left phrenic nerve). Pathological examination of pericardium showed Langerhans' giant cell infiltration and caseous necrosis which could be diagnosed as tuberculosis. Although the patient had transient pleural effusion, symptoms disappeared postoperatively. At present there are no signs of recurrent infection.

A 40-year-old man was admitted because of prolonged fever after extraction of teeth. Infective endocarditis, congestive heart failure and hepatorenal failure were diagnosed in a series of examinations. Electrocardiograms showed complete atrio-ventricular block and QT prolongation. After continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) and high doses of antimicrobials promptly initiated for the treatment of multiple organ failure, the aortic valve with regurgitation and vegetation was replaced with an artificial valve. Serious arrhythmias occurred after the operation, which disappeared by the administration of antiarrhythmic agents. In cases of infective endocarditis with multiple organ failure, preoperative intensive treatment such as CHDF in combination with high doses of antimicrobials and surgical intervention represent a good strategy for successful outcome.

We tried to identify the risk factors affecting the high mortality rates associated with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The subjects consisted of 18 patients, operated on for ruptured AAA, who were admitted to our hospital between 1992 and 1999. The preoperative factors, which were hemoglobin levels less than 9.0g/dl, creatinine levels higher than 2.1mg/dl, type 4 on the Fitzgerald classification, shock state lasting longer than 6h and a shock time index (the time from shock state onset to the beginning of operation divided by the time from complaint of abdominal pain to the beginning of operation) higher than 0.3, were associated with increased intraoperative and overall mortality rates. The postoperative factors, which were bleeding and blood transfusion more than 6, 000ml and an operating time of more than 400min, were associated with increased intraoperative and overall mortality rates. It is concluded that these risk factors were predictors of mortality and it is necessary to operate early because of the risk factors.

During a 9-year period from January 1991 through December 2000, 30 patients underwent surgical interventions for peripheral vascular injuries associated with catheterizations. Pseudoaneurysm, the most frequent complication, was seen in 19 patients (63.3%). This was followed by arteriovenous fistula in 6 patients (20%), uncontrolled hemorrhage in three (10%), arterial thrombosis in one (3.3%), and pseudoaneurysm complicated with arteriovenous fistula in one patient (3.3%). We performed repair of the puncture site in 26 patients (86.6%), followed by arterial ligation in two (6.6%), thrombectomy combined with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and aneurysmectomy in one patient (3.3%) respectively. There was a tendency for patients to have diabetes mellitus or hypertension. Though secondary suture had to be performed in two patients with wound infection postoperatively, there was no other complication. In pseudoaneurysmal patients proximal arterial control followed by direct incision into the aneurysm cavity and tangential finger pressure over the hole in the artery was a safe method to control bleeding. In arteriovenous fistula patients aggressive repair resulted in good outcome. In uncontrolled hemorrhage and arterial thrombosis patients prompt intervention is essential. By using accurate techniques in arterial puncture and adequate arterial compression following removal of the catheter, the incidence of vascular injuries can be reduced.

A 31-year-old man underwent mitral valve replacement because of mitral regurgitation due to continued active infective endocarditis despite antibiotic therapy. Because cerebral mycotic aneurysm was suggested by preoperative IVDSA (Intravenous Digital Subtraction Angiography), cerebral angiography was performed on the first postoperative day. Cerebral mycotic aneurysm was detected in the middle cerebral artery and emergency aneurysm trapping was successfully performed. Although the patient had no neurologic deficit and postoperative cardiac function was stable, impending rupture of the mycotic aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery occurred suddenly on the twelfth postoperative day. Endovascular treatment using the coil-embolization technique was immediately performed, and the postoperative course was uneventful.

A 59-year-old man with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) had been treated by β-blocker for 15 years. Since June 2001 the patient has had symptoms of heart failure on sudden onset. Transesophageal echocardiography showed ruptured mitral chordae tendineae. After medical treatment to improve heart failure, open heart surgery was performed and anterior and posterior ruptured mitral chordae tendineae were recognized. Prosthetic valve replacement was performed. Histopathologic diagnosis of the chordae tendineae was myxoid degeneration. The postoperative course was excellent. Echocardiogram demonstrated that the preoperative left ventricular pressure gradient of 55mmHg reduced to 0mmHg postoperatively, which indicated that the left ventricular outlet stenosis had disappeared. In patients with HOCM accompanied by ruptured mitral chordae tendineae, early diagnosis by transesophageal echocardiography and timely surgical treatment are essential for successful outcome.

Vonoprazan (VPZ), a new potassium-competitive acid blocker, has been approved and used for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Japan. To date, many studies, as well as several systematic reviews and meta-analyses (MAs), have compared VPZ-based 7-day triple therapy with proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based therapy. An MA of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing first-line VPZ- with PPI-based triple therapy, the latter featuring amoxicillin (AMPC) and clarithromycin (CAM), found that approximately 30% of patients hosted CAM-resistant H. pylori; however, the reliability was poor because of high heterogeneity and a risk of selection bias. VPZ-based triple therapy is superior to PPI-based triple therapy for patients with CAM-resistant Helicobacter pylori, but not for those with CAM-susceptible H. pylori. An MA of non-RCTs found that second-line VPZbased triple therapies were slightly (~2.6%) better than PPI-based triple therapies (with AMPC and metronidazole). However, the reliability of that MA was also low because of selection bias, confounding variables and a risk of publication bias; in addition, it is difficult to generalize the results because of a lack of data on antibiotic resistance. VPZ-based triple therapy (involving AMPC and sitafloxacin) was more effective than PPI-based triple therapy in a third-line setting, but a confirmatory RCT is needed. Non-RCT studies indicated that VPZ-based triple therapy involving CAM and metronidazole may be promising. Any further RCTs must explore the antibiotic-resistance status when evaluating the possible superiority of a potassium-competitive acid blocker.