This study compared the hemodynamic performance of the Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna bioprosthesis (Magna) with the Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT bioprosthesis (CEP) for aortic valve stenosis (AS). Between January 2005 and May 2010, 164 patients underwent aortic valve replacement for AS with either the Magna (n=68) or the CEP (n=96) at our institute. Patients undergoing a concomitant mitral valve procedure were excluded from this study. The 21-mm Magna and CEP prostheses were the most frequently used during this period. Transthoracic echocardiography was postoperatively performed within 2 weeks. The peak velocity (PV) of the Magna was significantly lower than that of the CEP (2.59±0.36 vs. 2.75±0.47 m/s ; p=0.022). The mean pressure gradient (PG) was not significantly different. For the 19-mm prostheses, the mean PG and PV of the Magna were significantly lower than those of the CEP [16.4±4.5 vs. 19.7±6.4 mmHg ; p=0.034 (PG) and 2.70±0.36 vs. 3.03±0.49 m/s ; p=0.008 (PV)]. The effective orifice area (EOA) of the Magna was larger than that of the CEP [19 mm : 1.29±0.18 vs. 1.11±0.24 cm² (p=0.007) ; 21 mm : 1.46±0.23 vs. 1.42±0.18 cm² (p=0.370) ; and 23 mm : 1.70±0.34 vs. 1.52±0.25 cm² (p=0.134)]. In this study, the EOA of the Magna was approximately 80% of that described in the manufacture's description. Patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM ; EOA index≤0.85 cm²/m²) was seen in 26.8% of patients with the Magna and in 47.2% of patients with the CEP (p=0.018). Severe PPM (EOA index≤0.65 cm²/m²) was not seen in any patients with the Magna. The EOA of the 19-mm Magna was significantly larger and the mean PG was lower than those of the 19-mm CEP. Compared with the CEP, the Magna significantly reduced the incidence of PPM, and had superior hemodynamic performance.

Acute aortopulmonary artery fistula is a rare but potentially fatal disorder. We encountered a case in which this disorder was successfully treated by urgent total arch graft replacement and repair of the left pulmonary artery. A 74-year-old man was referred to Shizuoka City Hospital with a 2-day history of worsening dyspnea and thoracic aortic aneurysm. The patient had a history of hypertension and dyslipidemia. Physical examination showed diastolic hypotension, marked peripheral coldness, and systolic murmur. Arterial blood gas analysis showed severe metabolic acidosis with base excess of −16 mmol/l. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed an aortic arch aneurysm on the lesser curvature, almost obstructing the left pulmonary artery. A Swan-Ganz catheter study confirmed severe low-output syndrome and uncompensated congestive heart failure. After amelioration of critically ill conditions with dopamine, milrinone, and carperitide, oxymetry revealed significant left-to-right shunt with Qp/Qs＝3.2 at the pulmonary artery level. Acute aortopulmonary artery fistula was diagnosed and urgent surgery was planned. Transesophageal echocardiography showed systolic shunt flow from the aneurysm into the left pulmonary artery. Surgery was performed through a median sternotomy. Aortic arch graft replacement with a 24-mm Dacron graft and repair of the left pulmonary artery with an equine pericardial patch were accomplished under hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion. Flooding of pulmonary circulation until circulatory arrest was prevented by manual control through the main pulmonary artery incision. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and the patient is doing well at one year postoperatively.

We report a case of a 24-year-old woman who presented with orthopnea, in whom an echocardiographic exam showed a very large mass in the left atrium. We diagnosed this as cardiac failure due to the tumor occupying it. Although the tumor malignancy remained unclear, we had to perform emergency surgery to excise the tumor. The tumor was excised in its entirety, including the interatrial septum and a large segment of the left atrial wall. We reconstructed them with the autologous pericardium. The pathological diagnosis was undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Conventional adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy was performed. Primary cardiac malignant tumor prognosis is very poor, but she has survived over 1 year without recurrent symptoms after complete excision and adjuvant therapy. In addition to reporting this case, we discussed the diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma.

We describe successful surgical treatment of a right coronary artery aneurysm associated with a fistula to the right atrium (RA). The patient was a 50-year-old man who complained of palpitations. ECG showed supraventricular extrasystole, and coronary CT revealed a remarkably dilated and undulating fistulous tract originating from the region corresponding to the orifice of the normal right coronary artery (RCA). The fistulous tract detoured to the posterior wall of the RA. An RCA of normal size originating from the midway of the fistulous tract was observed. The patient was operated on under cardio-pulmonary bypass. An aortocoronary bypass was performed, using a radial artery graft to section of the RCA that had a normal diameter. The RCA was subsequently ligated at the proximal side of the anastomosis. The orifice of the fistulous tract from the aorta was closed with a patch, and the entrance to the RA was also closed with mattress sutures. The postoperative recovery was uneventful, and he was discharged on the 19th postoperative day. Currently, the patient has been doing well without any complaints at 2 years postoperatively.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided intervention has been established as a safe, effective and minimally invasive procedure for various diseases in adults, but there have been limited reports in pediatric patients. Herein, we report our experience with successful EUS-guided drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess in a 1-year-old infant concomitant with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The abscess was punctured via the stomach using a standard, convex-type echoendoscope, and the patient's condition improved after naso-cystic catheter placement. Although the clinical course was complicated by delayed hemorrhage from the puncture site, the bleeding was successfully managed by endoscopic hemostasis using a standard forward-viewing endoscope.
Abdominal Abscess* ; Abscess ; Adult ; Catheters ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Drainage* ; Endoscopes ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Humans ; Infant* ; Punctures ; Stomach ; Ultrasonography

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Endoscopic management of bile duct stones is now the standard of care, but challenges remain with difficult bile duct stones. There are some known factors associated with technically difficult bile duct stones, such as large size and surgically altered anatomy. Endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy is now the standard technique used to remove large bile duct stones, but the efficacy of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD) and cholangioscopy with intraductal lithotripsy has been increasingly reported. In patients with surgically altered anatomy, biliary access before stone removal can be technically difficult. Endotherapy using two new endoscopes is now utilized in clinical practice: enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided antegrade treatment. These new approaches can be combined with EPLBD and/or cholangioscopy to remove large bile duct stones from patients with surgically altered anatomy. Since various endoscopic procedures are now available, endoscopists should learn the indications, advantages and disadvantages of each technique for better management of bile duct stones.

Background/Aims: Duodenal invasion (DI) is a risk factor for early recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-guided biliary drainage (ERCP-BD). Endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) may reduce early RBO in cases of asymptomatic DI, even when ERCP is possible. Methods: We enrolled 56 patients with pancreatic cancer and asymptomatic DI who underwent EUS-HGS (n=25) or ERCP-BD (n=31). Technical and clinical success, early (<3 months) and overall RBO rates, time to RBO (TRBO), and adverse events were compared between the EUS-HGS and ERCP-BD groups. Risk factors for early RBO were also evaluated. Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Both procedures demonstrated 100% technical and clinical success rates, with a similar incidence of adverse events (48% vs. 39%, p=0.59). While the median TRBO was comparable (5.7 vs. 8.8 months, p=0.60), EUS-HGS was associated with a lower incidence of early RBO compared to ERCP-BD (8% vs. 29%, p=0.09). The major causes of early RBO in ERCP-BD were sludge and food impaction, rarely occurring in EUS-HGS. EUS-HGS was potentially reduced early RBO (odds ratio, 0.32; p=0.07). Conclusions EUS-HGS can be a viable option for treating pancreatic cancer with asymptomatic DI.