Objective: To compare the effectiveness of surgical versus nonsurgical treatment for multiple rib fractures accompanied with pulmonary contusion.

Methods: The clinical records of consecutive 167 patients with multiple rib fractures accompanied with pulmonary contusion, who were treated from June 2014 to June 2017, were retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 75 and 92 underwent surgery (surgery group) and non-surgical treatment (non-surgery group), respectively. Patient pain score, complications, length of hospital stay, cost of hospitalization, and post-treatment 3-month follow-up results were compared.

Results: The mean number of days and moderate pain in the surgery group was significantly lower than that of the non-surgery group (p <0.01). The incidence of post-treatment complications was significantly lower in the surgery group than in the non-surgery group. The length of hospital stay of the surgery group was also significantly shorter than that of the non-surgery group (p <0.01). The cost of hospitalization was significantly higher in the surgery group than in the non-surgery group (p <0.01). The chest computed tomography (CT) scan which was performed 3 months after the treatment revealed that the surgery group had a better recovery than the non-surgery group. Physical recovery of the surgery group was also significantly better than that of the non-surgery group.

Conclusion: Surgery to treat multiple rib fractures (≥ 4 fractures) accompanied with pulmonary contusion is safe and effective.

Purpose: We want to share our experience of Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis (SBP) after 19 years follow-up.

Methods: Retrospective study of 1377 patients who had replaced with SBP from May 1998 to December 2008 at Ho Chi Minh Heart Institute, Viet Nam.

Results: Male patients was 42%, mean age was 40.2 ± 11.8 years. Atrial fibrillation was 43.5%. The main cause of valvular disease was rheumatic fever (89.8%). Isolated mitral valve replacement (MVR): 54% (744), isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR): 18% (247), double valve replacement (DVR): 26% (359), and 27 AVR plus mitral repair. 30-day mortality for all was 1.5%. Mean time of follow-up was 153 ± 53.1 months with total follow-up time was 17563 patients-years. 2.5% lost of follow-up. Late death was 77 cases. Redo for all causes was 59 cases. 19 years survival was 88.8 ± 1.8%. 19 years freedom of redo was 76.4 ± 4.7%. Linearized rate of all valve thrombosis, embolism, severe bleeding, endocarditis, and pannus were 0.31%, 0.28%, 0.267%, 0.068%, and 0.165% patient-years, respectively.

Conclusions: SBP had shown very good results in long term and still have a reliable mechanical valve.

Background: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) has been revived with new techniques and hybrid procedures for MIDCAB and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We reviewed the midterm results of MIDCAB with a three-dimensional (3D) endoscope in our institution.

Methods: Of the 359 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from December 2013 to March 2017, 54 had MIDCAB with the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) to left anterior descending (LAD) artery through a small left thoracotomy with a 3D endoscope. The same intercostal space was used for the main surgical incision and the insertion site of the 3D endoscope. In all, 22 patients had hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR), combined PCI and MIDCAB.

Results: There was no operative death. One patient had cerebral infarction without disability. No cases showed significant increases in CKMB. In all, 34 patients commenced ambulation on postoperative day 1. The postoperative hospital stay was 9.1 ± 5.0 days. In total, 37 patients had coronary computed tomography (CT), and their patency of LITA was 100%. In HCR, there was no mortality and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). Target lesion revascularization among 12 months was 1.6%.

Conclusion: The midterm results of MIDCAB with 3D endoscope-assisted LITA harvesting were satisfactory. MIDCAB, including HCR, is a good alternative for selected high-risk patients.

Background: To compare and analyze the safety and efficacy of fast-track and conventional anesthesia for transthoracic closure of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in pediatric patients.

Methods: A total of 82 pediatric patients undergoing transthoracic closure of VSDs between September and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups, including 42 patients in group F (fast-track anesthesia) and 40 patients in group C (conventional anesthesia). The perioperative clinical data of both groups were collected and statistically analyzed.

Results: There were no fatal complications in both groups. No complete atrioventricular block (AVB), new aortic valve regurgitation, and device closure failure were observed. No significant difference was found in preoperative general data or intraoperative hemodynamic changes between the two groups (P >0.05). However, the mechanical ventilation time, length of postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay, length of hospital stay, and hospitalization expenses of group F were significantly lower than those of group C (P <0.05).

Conclusion: It is safe and effective to use fast-track anesthesia for transthoracic closure of VSDs in pediatric patients.

Purpose: Mortality in patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs) has remained high despite advances in interventions. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) was recently developed for treatment of rAAAs. In this study, we assessed our endovascular strategy including a double-balloon technique for rAAA.

Methods: We analyzed 12 consecutive patients with rAAAs who were treated by our double-balloon technique and endovascular strategy from March 2013 to July 2016.

Results: The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were both 17%. The mean times from admission to arrival at the hybrid operating room, from admission to aortic occlusion, and from admission to completion of EVAR were 46.8, 63.5, and 110.0 minutes, respectively.

Conclusion: This study indicates that the herein-described double-balloon endovascular technique is feasible for use in the management of rAAA.

A 34-year-old man was diagnosed with thymoma, which was evaluated preoperatively as stage II or III, with myasthenia gravis (MG). The size of the tumor was 70 × 44 × 80 mm. No invasion to neighboring organs was observed. Prednisolone was prescribed for stabilization of MG. However, a myasthenic crisis (MC) occurred, and intensive care, including emergent endobronchial intubation followed by artificial ventilation, pulse steroid therapy, high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin, and tacrolimus hydrate, was initiated. A chest computed tomography on day 6 revealed tumor reduction to 50 × 30 × 60 mm. An extended total thymectomy by median sternotomy was performed, and artificial ventilation was continued after that. Scheduled artificial ventilation and steroid therapy together can, therefore, enable complete resection of thymoma in patients undergoing treatment for MC. While ventilation helps avert a respiratory failure, the steroid therapy temporarily reduces the tumor size, making resection easier.

Introduction: Prolonged air leak is the most common complication after pulmonary resection. This occurs more frequently in patients with incomplete interlobar fissure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or emphysema. Interlobar lymphadenopathy can make interlobar fissure division difficult.

Surgical technique: Several techniques of interlobar fissure division have been documented. The interlobar fissure is routinely divided using a stapler during pulmonary lobectomy. Normally, a stapler is used extravascularly. Here, we present a patient who successfully underwent interlobar fissure division wherein the jaw of the stapler passed through the interlobar pulmonary artery between A6 and A8 branches during resection of a lung squamous cell carcinoma in the left lower lobe with an interlobar lymphadenopathy.

Conclusion: Interlobar fissure division inserting a jaw of stapler into pulmonary artery is easy and useful option for left lower lobectomy. This technique is especially useful for a patient with an interlobar lymphadenopathy.

Although sizing for mitral annuloplasty (MAP) is a critical part of mitral valve repair, no consistent method is used, and precise size adjustment is done somewhat by intuition. We developed a new original ring size tester and have been applying it to our mitral valve repair procedure. The concept is that the tester shapes the annulus into exactly the same size and form as the target annuloplasty while confirming a good leaflet coaptation with a saline test to simulate annuloplasty. This original tester provides the best ring size for MAP that is neither too large nor too small. In this paper, we introduce our original ring size tester and describe how it is used for MAP.