Purpose: To apply staged arteriovenous reversal in the treatment of extensive and diffuse arterial occlusive disease of the limb. To avoid amputation of the limb or to limit it to necrosed segments.
Methods: Exactly 138 patients (a total of 153 severely ischemic limbs) were applied staged arteriovenous reversal (AVR) from January 1984 to December 1995. Generic-specific involvement totaled 106 men and 32 women. Their ages ranged from 24 to 71, averaging 48.7 years. The duration of symptoms ranged from 15 days to 17 years. A total of 112 patients were diagnosed as having Buerger's disease, and 25 had arteriosclerosis. In one patient, the popliteal artery was completely obstructed by acute emboli of atheromatous plaques. Three patients with Buerger's disease had not benefited from lumbar sympathectomy or partial adrenalectomy done several years ago. According to different levels of extensive and diffuse arterial occlusion, arteriovenous reversal was formed at three different sites: (1) high-deep reversal, produced between the external iliac, common femoral, or superficial femoral artery and the superficial femoral vein; (2) low-deep reversal between the distal popliteal artery and tibioperoneal venous trunk; (3) superficial reversal, established between the distal popliteal artery and distal portion of the long saphenous vein.
Results: Until June 1996, a total of 132 patients were followed up for 0.5-12 years, averaging 6.5 years. The postoperative results of all limbs except 12 in this series are excellent or good. Cardiac dysfunction does not occur, nor does the marked elevation of venous pressure of the limb.
Conclusion: We consider that if the deep venous trunks are patent, the limbs with extensive arterial occlusion are indicated for staged AVR if severe ischemia is present and all other therapeutic methods have failed. Even with necrotic limbs, this operation may lower the level of amputation. The authors suggest that staged arteriovenous reversal is a new and effective approach in the treatment of extensive arterial occlusive disease of the limb.

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Ten cases of pseudoaneurysms that developed after thoracic aortic surgery were treated with an endovascular technique using stent grafts for redo operations. All patients were treated under general anesthesia and the stent grafts were implanted through 18 Fr or 20 Fr sheath introducers via femoral arteries under fluoroscopic guidance. The stent graft was composed of several units of self-expanding stainless-steel Z stents covered with an ultra-thin polyester fabric. Stent graft deployment was technically successful in all patients and in 7 of 10 cases exclusion of the aneurysms with no endoleak was achieved within two weeks after the operation (initial success rate: 70%). Minor endoleak was found in 3 patients and one of those finally underwent conventional surgery because of stent graft migration 6 months after the stent graft repair. Two of ten patients died, 10 days and 18 weeks after the operation, due to hemoptysis, which had already been observed before the operation. Endovascular stent graft repair of pseudoaneurysms after thoracic aortic surgery is a minimally invasive operation in comparison with conventional redo surgery with extracorporeal circulation. These results and experiences suggest that stent graft repair can be a safe and useful redo treatment for pseudoaneurysms. However, careful long-term investigations are necessary to prove the value and effect of this endovascular treatment and a new strategy for cases with hemoptysis is required.

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Although insulin resistance in peripheral tissue has been demonstrated in patients with cardiac disease, expression of glucose transporter (GLUT) isoform mRNA in the cardiac muscle is not known. We analyzed GLUT isoform mRNA in the cardiac muscle of 10 patients by RT-PCR. GLUT 4 mRNA was semi-quantitated by kinetic analysis, altering the cycles of PCR, and insulin resistance was examined by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp with an artificial pancreas. In addition to GLUT 2, 3, and 4 mRNA, all of which were constantly demonstrated in the skeletal muscle of normal volunteers, GLUT 1 was documented in all the cardiac samples examined. The quantity of GLUT4 mRNA was not related to the degree of insulin resistance or M values. These results may suggest that glucose uptake in the cardiac muscle is maintained by 4 different glucose transporters and that the response of GLUT 4 mRNA to insulin resistance is different in the cardiac muscle and in the skeletal muscle.

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Renal function, hemolysis and hematologic parameters after transfusion using a cell-separation (CS) device were retrospectively evaluated during abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Fifty-eight patients were divided into two groups, that is, the CS group (n=39) who received autologous retransfusion using the CS device and the non-CS group (n=19) who were operated before 1989, when we started to use CS device in our operating theater. Hematologic parameters and levels of GOT, GPT, LDH, BUN and creatinine were assessed before and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days after the operation. Mean transfused homologous blood was 1.3±1.8 units in the CS groups and 4.9±3.1 units in the non-CS group (p<0.05). Peak levels of LDH and GPT were significantly higher in the CS group than the non-CS group (p<0.05) after the operation (GOT, CS group: 60.4±29.1IU/l vs non-CS group: 34.8±12.3IU/l, LDH, CS group: 643±324IU/l vs non-CS group: 446±108IU/l). There was no significant difference in the levels of BUN and creatinine levels between the two groups. Hemoglobin levels decreased gradually after the operation in CS group patients who did not receive a homologous blood transfusion. These data suggested that mild hemolysis occurred after retransfusion of autologous blood, but that the hemolysis due to the CS device had no effect on the renal function of the patients.

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Aortobronchopulmonary fistula (ABPF) caused by thoracic aortic aneurysm is uniformly fatal if not treated surgically. Here we report 12 cases, and discuss the cause, surgical treatment, and results. Between 1993 and 1998, we encountered 12 cases of ABPF. ABPFs were complicated by (A) true aneurysms without infection (n=4), (B) aortic dissection (n=1), and (C) infective pseudoaneurysms occurring after thoracic aortic surgery (n=4). Three patients refused surgery. The ABPFs were located in the ascending aorta to the trachea (n=1), the distal arch to the upper lobe of the left lung (n=6), and the descending aorta to the lower lobe (n=5). They were repaired by graft replacement or patch closure. All four patients in group A have shown an uneventful course 10 patient-years after surgery. One patient in group B died of mediastinitis. The other three patients in group B were discharged from hospital, but died of sudden recurrent hemoptysis at their homes. A patient with aortic dissection underwent patch closure of an ABPF located at the distal arch, however he died of recurrent hemoptysis due to bleeding from another ABPF at the descending aorta. All of the three patients who refused surgery died of hemoptysis at various times after diagnosis. The surgical results in the non-infection group (A) were satisfactory. The group with infection (C) showed poor results after surgery and died due to recurrence of hemoptysis caused by new ABPFs arising from infected pseudoaneurysms. ABPF caused by aortic dissection (B) is difficult to repair because of severe adhesions to the lung and the unclear location of the fistula. ABPF infection is difficult to control after thoracic surgery and it is the reason for the fatal outcomes, due mainly to sudden hemoptysis. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention are important for patients with ABPF.

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A 66-year-old man who had an episode of cerebral infarction was found to have a mobile mass in the heart by echocardiography. The mass was located in the left ventricular outflow tract and a diagnosis of cardiac myxoma which had caused the cerebral embolism was made. Operation was performed under extracorporeal circulation and the mass originating from the left ventricular septum and obstructing the left ventricular outflow was removed through aortotomy. The histological diagnosis was cardiac myxoma. This rare case of cardiac myxoma was reported with a review of the literature.

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A 60-year-old woman with acute Stanford type A dissecting aneurysm underwent Dacron graft replacement of the total aortic arch combined with the modified elephant trunk technique. Follow-up CT and angiogram demonstrated blood flow into the false lumen from the distal anastomosis. In order to interrupt the blood flow, endovascular stent grafting was undertaken. She recovered uneventfully, and was discharged on the 14th postoperative day. Follow-up CT taken in the third postoperative month demonstrated exclusion of the blood flow into the false lumen of descending thoracic aorta. Aortic arch replacement followed by endovascular stent grafting of the descending thoracic component is a potential therapeutic option in patients with dissecting aneurysm.

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A 52-year-old man had a saccular non-trauma-induced aneurysm of the left internal thoracic artery (ITA) with ischemic heart disease. Right ITA-to-LAD anastomosis was performed for one-vessel disease under CPB. The left ITA aneurysmectomy was performed and reconstructed by end-to-end anastomosis. The resected specimen showed the features of atherosclerotic changes. This is the eighth reported case of this entity in the international and Japanese literature. The previous 7 cases are reviewed. The association with von Recklinghausen's disease and Kawasaki disease are discussed. Also summarized are the symptomatology, diagnosis, and management of this very rare condition.

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A 62-year-old woman was admitted for chest and back pains. She was found to have thrombosed type A aortic dissection by enhanced computed tomography. Since she had no clinical symptoms after her admission, she was discharged. Forty days after the admission, she returned with acute renal failure and ischemia of both lower extremities. Occlusion of the abdominal aorta was diagnosed and emergency axillobifemoral bypass was performed. Her renal function and the ischemia of both lower extremities improved dramatically and she was discharged 30 days after the operation. Axillobifemoral bypass is one of the most effective and least invasive operations in such cases.

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We performed surgical correction of a single atrium in a 46-year-old man, who had suffered from congestive heart failure (NYHA II) and pulmonary hypertension (58/23 (36) /mmHg). An intra-atrial shunt (L-R 71%, R-L 14%) due to single atrium and mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation were detected. The operation consisted of making a new atrial septum with an autologous pericardial patch and direct mitral cleft suture. The post-operative course was uneventful.

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A 22-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with high fever and lumbar pain. Echocardiography revealed mitral regurgitation due to prolapse of the anterior mitral leaflet. On admission, her white blood cell count was high and results for C-reactive protein were positive. The blood culture was positive for hemolytic streptococcus. After the white blood cell count and C-reactive protein level were normalized, and the blood culture had become negative following treatment by multiple antibiotics, she underwent valvular surgery. Because the infectious lesion was limited to the mitral leaflet and chordae, mitral valvuloplasty was performed with a satisfactory postoperative result. The operative technique consisted of resection of the infected valvular tissue, implantation of artificial chordae with e-PTFE, and suture annuloplasty. To conclude, mitral valvuloplasty should be the operative method of choice in patients with infective endocarditis, especially in young women with the potential of future pregnancy and labor.

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Differential diagnosis of a so-called false aneurysm of the left ventricle from the true type after a myocardial infarction is important because the risk of rupture of the false aneurysm is high. Two cases of ventricular aneurysms with false type-like shape underwent surgical repair. Preoperative left ventriculography in Case 1 (male, 77) showed an aneurysm of 40×40×35mm in size with a narrow neck at the postero-inferior wall. The aneurysm of Case 2 (male, 61) was 20×20×10mm in size with a narrow neck at the inferior wall. These ventriculographic findings suggested a false type of aneurysm, but operative findings and pathological examination revealed that these were“true”aneurysms in which wall myocardial cells were observed. Left ventriculography and echocardiography were not sufficient to differentiate false left ventricular aneurysm from true aneurysm, particularly at the posterior and inferior wall.

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We report a case of angiosarcoma of the right atrium, which manifested as cardiac tamponade. A 50-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea on effort. Echocardiography and chest CT revealed massive pericardial effusion and a right atrial tumor mass. An emergency pericardiocentesis was performed to remove massive hemorrhagic fluids. Further examinations revealed primary cardiac neoplasm. Because there was no distant metastasis, the tumor in the right atrium was resected with the right atrial free wall under cardiopulmonary bypass support. The sinus node involved in the tumor was resected, necessitating pacemaker implantation. Microscopic examination of the resected tumor revealed angiosarcoma. As the resection border showed tumor tissue, postoperative radiotherapy was added. There was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis 14 months after surgery. The prognosis for angiosarcoma is very poor, and mean survival is less than 6 months. In cases with no metastases, early resection is the treatment of choice. In spite of incomplete resection, long-term survival may be possible with postoperative radiotherapy.

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We report a rare case of surgical repair of an aneurysm of the membranous septum and mitral valvoplasty. A 57-year-old man suffered from an aneurysm of the membranous septum and mitral regurgitation. We resected the aneurysm completely, closed the defect with a patch in order to prevent further enlargement and consequent complications, and performed mitral valvoplasty using a flexible Duran ring. A postoperative cardiac catheterization indicated that there was no aneurysm of the membranous septum, ventricular septal defect or mitral regurgitation.

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The incidence of ventricular subepicardial aneurysm following myocardial infarction is quite low. We report a case of subepicardial aneurysm that was diagnosed on postoperative pathohistologic examination. A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of left ventricular aneurysm following myocardial infarction. The patient had left main trunk disease, triple-vessel coronary artery desease and low output syndrome. Under cardiopulmonary bypass with the heart arrested, the aneurysm was resected and the defect was closed. The suture line was reinforced using Teflon felt and GRF glue. A saphenous vein graft was anastmosed to the left anterior descending artery. On pathohistologic examination, the wall of the aneurysm was found to be composed of fibrotic tissue, myocardial fibers, medium-sized pericardial arteries, epicardium and fibrin thrombi. We diagnosed this as subepicardial aneurysm.

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A 64-year-old woman with chest pain and intermittent claudication was admitted to our hospital. Unstable angina pectoris and arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) of both leg were diagnosed. Angiography indicated total occlusion of the right external iliac artery and severe stenosis of the left external iliac artery, in addition to significant stenoses of the three major coronary arteries. The ankle pressure index was 0.49 in her right leg, and 0.74 in the left. Because coronary stenting was unsuccessful, emergency coronary artery bypass grafting was performed prior to arterial reconstruction of the lower extremities. To prevent exacerbation of limb ischemia during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), selective limb perfusion was performed with a 14-gauge intravenous catheter inserted into the right superficial femoral artery. There were no complications related to limb ischemia during or after the operation. Selective limb perfusion was considered to be useful to prevent limb ischemia during CPB in patients with ASO of the legs.

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