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We report herein a rare case of endocardial blood cyst (EBC) in an adult patient. A 63-year-old asymptomatic woman underwent echocardiography, which incidentally detected a cardiac tumor in the right atrium. On echocardiography, the tumor was revealed to be a 30-mm round mass with thin, hyperechogenic walls and heterogeneously hypoechogenic contents. The lesion was attached to the septum. On computed tomography, the tumor appeared partly calcified and showed poor contrast-enhancement. On magnetic resonance imaging, the lesion appeared isointense or slightly hyperintense in T1 and T2-weighted sequences. Myxoma was strongly suspected based on these preoperative imaging findings. The tumor was successfully excised under cardiopulmonary bypass. Gross examination confirmed that the cyst was filled with blood. The cystic walls comprised thin-layered fibrous tissue lined with endocardial cells. No tumor cells were found. The diagnosis of EBC was confirmed based on histopathological examination, and the postoperative course was uneventful.

A-37-year-old woman in shock condition was transferred to our hospital after cardiopulmonary resuscitation for ventricular fibrillation. She was unconscious and suspected of suffering ischemic brain damage, with pathologic reflexes and weak brain stem reflexes. Brain CT scan showed cerebral edema without hemorrhage or infarction and an electroencephalograph revealed slow alpha-theta waves. Chest CT scan and echocardiogram showed ascending aortic aneurysm with sever aortic regurgitation. An emergent operation was performed for progression of heart failure. There were no distortion or dilatation of the sinus of Valsalva and annuloaortic ectasia and aortic valve leaflets were almost normal. We considered that the aortic valve dysfunction was cause by dilatation of the sinotubular junction. Ascending aortic and aortic valve replacement were carried out to shorten cardiopulmonary bypass time and to prevent the progression of brain damage. Mild hypothermia was employed as a neuroprotective procedure for three days after surgery. The patient's neurological symptoms, which were right hemiparesis, facial apraxia and motor aphasia, improved and she was discharged from the hospital on foot without any neurological complications on the 47th postoperative day and returned to work after two months.

We performed prosthetic valve replacement with skirt in 11 patients for the fragile valvular annulus. Subjects included 6 patients with active infective endocarditis involving aortic root abscess, 2 patients with systemic disease requiring steroid treatment, and 3 patients with hemolysis or perivalvular leakage. Operative procedure in 11 patients was performed aortic valve replacement with Dacron or Xenomedica skirt attached to the prosthetic ring. One patient died of heart failure during perioperative period. 2 patients died of arrhythmia, heart failure in late postoperative period. The event free rate was 77.1% since 5 years after operation. We conclude that prosthetic valve replacement with skirt is useful to tha fragile valvular annulus.

We reported a 26-year-old man with mitral regurgitation and sick sinus syndrome. He underwent VVI pacemaker implantation, and admitted to our hospital due to congestive heart failure. Echocardiography and cineangiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation. Mitral valvuloplasty and modified Maze procedure were performed, and a DDD pacemaker was implanted after cardiopulmonary bypass. We recognized cross stimulation 7 months after operation. The reason of the cross stimulation was the position of the implanted atrial lead, which was the low right atrium. Thus, an atrial lead of DDD pacemaker should be carefully implanted in the patients underwent Maze procedure.

We reviewed clinical course and surgical outcome of 31 patients with native valve endocarditis who underwent an operation between 1980 and 1994. In the present study, 15 patients who manifested a neurologic complication associated with endocarditis and/or those who had a periannular abscess were assigned as 'clinical active'. Comparing with non-active group (n = 16), clinical active group included more patients with increased C-reactive protein level and those with histological acute inflammatory reaction on excised valvular tissue. Optimal timing of the operation and surgical procedures for aortic root reconstruction were significant problems in the active group. Actuarial probability of survival at 5 postoperative year was 50.8 and 87.5% in the active and non-active group, respectively. The results suggest our 'clinical activity' is a useful predictor in patients with native valve endocarditis.

While a 70-year-old man was riding a motorcycle, he was hit by car on his chest on October 19, 1990. Medical check-up at the emergency room of another hospital was negative. However, he fell in to dyspnea on the night of next day which progressed to develop signs of orthopnea. He revisited the hospital where he was found to have aortic regurgitation and subsequent congestive heart failure after medical examination including echocardiography and was referred to our hospital 7 days after the accident. He was operated upon the following day. On opening the pericardium, about 100 ml of reddish black fluid was accumulated. The appearance of the heart was normal except for black discoloration of the epicardial fat pad at the base of the aorta. Opening the ascending aorta transversely, the right coronary cusp was found to be perforated. The aortic valve was considered preferable to replace than to repair. The aortic valve was replaced with a St. Jude Medical valve. His recovery was uneventful and he has been well thereafter.

We evaluated the nutritional states before and after operation in patients with severe valvular heart disease characterized by malnutrition. The patient population consisted of 6 females, age range between 42 and 60, average 52.2 years old. The valve lesions were mitral stenosis in 2, combined aortic and mitral valve diseases in additional 4 patients, and moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation was noted in 5 of these 6 patients. All 6 patients underwent a successful mitral (c/s aortic) valve replacement, and 5 of 6 tricuspid annuloplasty. The ideal body weight increased significantly from 77.9 +/- 3.4% preoperatively to 84.6 +/- 3.9% postoperatively (p < 0.01). Late postoperative cardiac catheterization revealed an improvement of mixed oxygen saturation (61.3 +/- 3.8%, preoperatively vs 67.3 +/- 5.6%, postoperatively; p < 0.01). The postoperative serum prealbumin, retinol binding protein and K value in intravenous glucose tolerance test increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to those before operation. In conclusion, our data suggested that corrective surgery would have a good effect on nutritional improvement of the protein-calorie malnutrition caused by valvular heart diseases.

We report a case of successful biventricular assist for severe heart failure after open heart surgery. A 62-year-old man suffering from advanced valvular disease accompanied with hepatorenal dysfunction underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty on September 22, 1988. Because of inability of weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, left heart assisted circulation using a roller pump with heparin-coated tubing system was inserted. Following the left heart assist, an right ventricular assist device (RVAD) was subsequently applied to intractable right ventricular failure. He was successfully weaned from an RVAD after 24 hours, and from left heart assisted circulation after 46 hours. At present, he is doing well without significant complications. Earlier application of biventricular assist might be effective for biventricular failure with hepatorenal dysfunction.

The mechanism of complement activation during cardiopulmonary bypass was studied for the prevention. In ten patients undergoing open-heart procedures, the serum levels of complement fractions (C3, C4, and C3 activator) were measured by a single radial immune diffusion method. In four of ten patients, the plasma levels of C3a, C4a, and C5a fractions were studied by the radioimmunoassay 2 antibodies method. The serum levels of C3, C4, and C3 activator decreased after cardiopulmonary bypass. The plasma levels of C3a, C4a, and C5a increased after bypass. The lower level of C3 activator shows that C3 activator was not excessively produced during cardiopulmonary bypass. Therefore it can be thought that much C4b2a from classical pathway as well as C3a over-production localizing extra-corporeal circuits and little inhibitors on alternative pathway resulted in increased complement activation. The prevention should be done from these etiologies.