Search

Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture is a life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction. Although some novel techniques of ventricular septal rupture closure have been introduced, they involve ventriculotomy, a procedure that can cause a degree of impairment of the incised ventricle. We describe a case in which we closed a ventricular septal rupture through the tricuspid valve, without ventriculotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 81-year-old male was referred to our institute. His chief complaint was high fever. Computed tomography (CT) angiography demonstrated newly saccular aortic aneurysms at both thoracic and abdominal aorta. We used intravenous antibiotics( ceftriaxone 4 g/day) for seven days. Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT showed active inflammation sign at both chest and abdominal aneurysms. Open surgery for double aortic aneurysms seemed too invasive because of his past medical history. At eighth day after admission, we performed thoracic endovascular aortic repair( TEVAR) and endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for preventing rupture of aortic aneurysms. After surgery, we continued intravenous antibiotics (ceftriaxone 4 g/day) for 15 days. We changed intravenous antibiotics to oral antibiotics( levofloxacin 500 mg/day). The postoperative course was uneventful. He was discharged at 19th day after surgery. Since surgery, no symptoms of reinfection have been observed at outpatient clinic. PET/CT was useful to evaluate the control of local infection in this case.

We classified 59 patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection from April 2008 to April 2016 into 3 groups based on time from onset and maximum aortic diameter:SA (2weeks to 1 year since onset;n=29), C (>1 year since onset;n=17), and D(maximum aneurysm size≥60 mm;n=13). We used the Kaplan-Meier method tso analyze survival, major adverse cardiovascular event and the need for additional treatment. There was no significant difference in outcomes between the SA and C groups (p=0.998) or C and D groups (p=0.279), but the results in group D tended to be consistently inferior. The freedom from aneurysm rupture rate was inferior in this group, with a significant difference between groups C and D (p=0.044). The time from onset to the procedure and maximum aortic diameter were not significantly associated with the longterm outcomes;however, more aortic ruptures occurred in the group with maximum aortic diameter≥60 mm. Simultaneous treatment for re-entry closure or conventional surgical procedures should be considered for such cases.

A 66-year-old man with a bioprosthetic aortic valve developed Streptococcus bacteremia and was treated with antibiotics. He responded well to this therapy, and no evidence of bioprosthetic valve endocarditis (BVE) was detected at this time. One-and-a-half years after the antibiotic therapy for bacteremia, the patient was referred to our department with a diagnosis of acute cardiac failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed torn bioprosthetic valve leaflets with severe aortic regurgitation. A redo aortic valve replacement was undertaken, followed by antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks after the surgery. A histopathological examination of the surgically resected valve suggested a healed infective BVE. No recurrence of bacteremia has been noted since the reoperation.