A primary cardiac tumor is a rare clinical entity which was reported an incidence of 0.03% in previous autopsy series. 75% cardiac tumors are cardiac myxoma and cardiac hemangiomas constitute only 1–2% of primary cardiac tumors. With the development of modern medical imaging technology and the enhancement of people’s health awareness, more and more asymptomatic cardiac hemangiomas were found and confirmed eventually. Here, we described a case of a 71-year-old man, who was hospitalized with intermittent palpitation for 1 year and a large mass of the heart was removed successfully via sternotomy which was confirmed as atrial hemangioma by postoperative histopathology. Furthermore, a comprehensive review of atrial hemangioma was conducted to date and a few recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon disorder were provided for clinicians.

Approximately half of the patients with esophageal cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage with inoperable disease. The technique of bypass surgery, which is one of the palliative procedures for esophageal cancer, usually requires the insertion of a drainage tube for clearing secretions from the blind remnant esophagus. Since the artificial drainage tube is sometimes problematic for the patient after discharge from the hospital, drainage tubeless (DRESS) surgery might be preferable. The authors demonstrated the utility of DRESS bypass surgery by adding esophagostomy in the right supraclavicular region in three patients with unresectable esophageal cancer with and without esophago-respiratory fistula. All patients had been able to take per-orally and discharged the hospital. Two of three patients are alive with per-oral intake at 1 year later. This DRESS bypass surgery technique, which has not hardly reported in the literature, could release the patients from the tube trouble after the discharge from the hospital and give the patients the better quality of life.

Purpose: The correlation of advanced cancer with inflammation and/or nutrition factors is well known. Recently, the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) was developed as a new prognostic tool for patients with advanced lung cancer. In this study, we examined whether ALI results are correlated with prognosis of patients with early stage lung adenocarcinoma who undergo lung resection.

Methods: From January 2009 to December 2014, 544 patients underwent lung resection due to primary lung cancer at Dokkyo Medical University Hospital, of whom 166 with pathological stage IA lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively investigated in this study. ALI was calculated as follows: Body Mass Index (BMI; kg/m2) × albumin (g/dL)/neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that gender, red cell distribution width (RDW), NLR, and ALI were parameters significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). Patients with an ALI value less than 22.2 had an inferior 5-year OS rate as compared to those with a value of 22.2 or higher (p <0.001) as well as an inferior 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate (p <0.001).

Conclusion: Low ALI was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. Those with an ALI value less than 22.2 should be carefully followed regardless of cancer stage.

Purpose: Lung cancer is one of the major sources of mortality in the elderly. This study was undertaken to assess the early and long-term results of surgical resection in patients older than 70 years of age by comparing the results of patients aged 70–79 years (group 1) with patients older than 80 years of age (group 2).

Methods: Data on patient age, gender, spirometry values, side, size, histology and stage of the tumor, surgical procedures, postoperative complications, Charlson comorbidity scores (CCS), and survival were collected.

Results: After 1–2 propensity score matching group 1 (70–79 years) included 84 and group 2 (age over 80) 42 cases. The multivariate analysis showed that CCS was the only significant factor affecting the development of complications (p = 0.003). The overall median and 5-year survival of all patients were 55 months and 42.5%, respectively. Although the survival of the elderly group 2 was higher than the first group, the difference did not reach significance (50 vs. 49 months, respectively).

Conclusion: The outcomes of surgery in terms of morbidity and mortality rates do not differ between the two age groups. The safety of pulmonary resections in the elderly group is comparable to patients under 70 years if the comorbidities are appropriately controlled. In addition, surgery provides satisfactory survival rates in both age groups.

Purpose: Timing and ideal reconstructive approach in deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and mediastinitis still remain controversially debated. We present our own combined surgical strategy of bilateral pectoralis major muscle flap (BPMMF) or omental flap (OF) transposition.

Methods: Between July 2010 and July 2016, poststernotomy patients with DSWI and mediastinitis underwent a secondary wound closure with modified BPMMF (Group A, center for disease control class (CDC)-II, n = 21; Group B, CDC-III, n = 20) or with OF (Group C, CDC-III, n = 19) following vacuum-assisted closure (VAC).

Results: Significant risk factors for mediastinitis (CDC-III) were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; p = 0.001), peripheral arterial disease (PAD; p = 0.012), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (p = 0.027), total operation time (p = 0.039), total intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p = 0.011), and blood transfusion (p = 0.049). Mean antibiotic therapy (18.4 ± 8.8[B] vs. 36.2 ± 24.4[C] days, p = 0.026) and length of hospitalization (25.2 ± 12.1[B] vs 53.8 ± 18.5 days[C], p = 0.053) were significantly longer in group C. In-hospital death was 3/19 (15.8%) in group C versus 0 in group B (p = 0.026). Frequency of recurrent mediastinitis was equal (p = 0.92); however, complications occurred more often in group C (31.6% vs. 0%, p = 0.031). The mean follow-up time was 111 ± 62 days.

Conclusion: In younger (<70 years) patients without sternal bone necrosis, the BPMMF is superior to the OF technique with relatively low recurrence and mortality risks.

Purpose: Isolated tricuspid valve surgery (TVS) following valvular surgery has been still challenging. We reviewed our experience to determine early and late outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 patients (mean age, 57.0 ± 17.8 years old) who underwent isolated TVS after valvular surgery between January 1990 and December 2010. The causes of isolated TVS were structural valve deterioration (SVD) (n = 5) and symptomatic severe tricuspid regurgitation (n = 9). The mean follow-up period was 6.4 ± 5.9 years.

Results: At redo, seven patients underwent tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) using a bioprosthesis and the remaining underwent tricuspid valve repair (TVP). Early mortality rate was 7.1% (1/14). Survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 68.8% ± 13.1% and 68.8% ± 13.1%, respectively. Three deaths (two for heart failure and one for cerebral hemorrhage) were observed. Freedom from valve-related events was 58.3% ± 14.2% at 2 and 48.6% ± 14.8% at 5 years. Six events were observed (five for heart failure and one for cerebral hemorrhage). There was no statistically significant difference between TVP and TVR as to freedom from valve-related events (log-rank p = 0.3655).

Conclusions: Early and late outcomes of isolated TVS after valvular surgery seem to be satisfactory. Special attention should be paid to heart failure following TVP.

Mitral valve myxoma is a very rare entity. Multiple myxomas with extensive involvement of the anterior and posterior leaflets of the mitral valve are exceedingly rare. We report a 58-year-old man who was admitted as sudden syncope. Thoracic echocardiography showed several masses adherent to the anterior and posterior leaflets and the mitral annulus with obvious mobility. Intraoperative probing revealed multiple tumors attached to the mitral annulus, valve leaflets, and tendinous cords. Mechanical mitral valve replacement was performed. Histopathological examination confirmed all tumors to be myxomas.

An 84-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was referred to our institution for further treatment of severe swelling of the left lower extremity. The left iliac vein was compressed by the abdominal aortic aneurysm and a right common iliac arterial aneurysm measuring 62 mm and 45 mm in diameter and was partially thrombosed. Multiple pulmonary artery embolisms were also noted. Endovascular repair of the abdominal aortic aneurysm and the right common iliac arterial aneurysm was performed because of his respiratory dysfunction. The left leg edema gradually resolved after endovascular treatment. Six months after the treatment, computed tomography (CT) demonstrated resolution of the venous thrombus of the left lower extremity. Although open surgery is reliable treatment for iliac compression syndrome, endovascular treatment might be a feasible and an adequate therapeutic option for patients who have severe comorbidities, complications, or high frailties.