The patient was a 73-year-old female who developed a ventricular septal perforation (VSP) following an acute anterior myocardial infarction, requiring emergency surgery. We made an incision in the right ventricle (RV) wall, 2 centimeters away from, and parallel to, the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). We found an aproximately 15 mm perforation. The VSP was closed by the extended sandwich patch technique, taking care not to the injure LAD. Furthermore, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) left internal thoracic artery (LITA) to LAD was performed. The postoperative course was good, and no residual shunt was detected on the echocardiogram on the fifth day after surgery. Postoperative coronary artery computed tomography (CT) showed all grafts, including the LITA-LAD, were patent, and the patient was discharged on the twelfth day after surgery. There is controversial about whether or not to perform revascularization of the culprit artery during VSP repair. Based on this case, it was thought that complete revascularization, including the culprit artery, should be considered in cases of VSP.

A 70-year-old woman with a history of bypass surgery for coarctation of the aorta (CoA) at approximately 10 years of age was referred to our hospital after a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm was discovered during a preoperative examination for uterine cancer. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a 62×47 mm aneurysm in the descending thoracic aorta, connected to the bypass vessel, leading to the diagnosis of an anastomotic pseudoaneurysm following CoA surgery. Due to the large diameter of the aortic aneurysm and the high risk of rupture, we performed a left axillary artery to left femoral artery bypass in addition to thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Postoperative CT indicated no endoleak, and the patient was discharged after uterine cancer surgery with an uneventful recovery.

Objective: Medical science students, especially nursing students, are more likely to experience academic stress; therefore, resilience helps them focus on their lessons attentively. However, the results of a few existing studies regarding how resilience impacts the academic performance of medical science students are incongruent. This study aimed to investigate whether resilience impacts the academic performance of Japanese nursing students.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire survey from September to November 2020. A total of 229 undergraduate nursing students participated in this study; here, resilience was measured using the Bidimensional Resilience Scale, which includes innate factors (optimism, control, sociability, and vitality) and acquired factors (problem-solving, self-understanding, and understanding others). Academic performance was measured using the functional grade point average (f-GPA). Covariates were demographics, pre-entry academic performance levels, medical history, time spent walking, psychological distress, subjective economic status, and part-time jobs. Multivariate regression analyses were performed.Results: Among the 229 participants, the f-GPA mean (standard deviation) was 2.93 (0.46). Only vitality was significantly associated with a higher f-GPA after multiple imputations (β = 0.06; 95% confidence interval = 0.03–0.09; P<0.01). The Poisson regression analysis of 212 participants with all data indicated that vitality was associated with the fourth quartile f-GPA (prevalence ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.08; P<0.01).Conclusion: There was a significant association between the vitality of resilience components and academic performance among Japanese nursing students. This study suggests that an approach that develops resilience is necessary for the academic success of nursing students.

We present a successful case of a patient with multiple metal allergy—cobalt, nickel, chromium, and zinc—who had a past history of systemic metal dermatitis. He was a 58-year-old man who complained of exertional chest discomfort. After admission, he had a fever and his blood culture was positive with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Three days later, multiple micro cerebral infraction was detected in magnetic resonance imaging. After an improvement of inflammatory reaction, he was transferred to our facility for cardiac examination. Moderate mitral regurgitation due to valve perforation and multiple coronary vessel stenosis were detected. Mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting were planned to perform. We chose surgical materials based on a preoperative epicutaneous (patch) test and his clinical course was uneventful without any allergic reaction. Metal contact allergy is an important issue in cardiovascular surgery. A collaboration with dermatologists is essential for the preparation of surgical materials.