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BackgroundThere are currently few reports on pre-existing left bundle branch block (LBBB) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Nor are there any studies comparing patients with new onset LBBB to those with pre-existing LBBB. This study aimed to investigate the association with pre-existing or new-onset LBBB and clinical outcomes after TAVR.MethodsUsing data from the Japanese multicenter registry, 5996 patients who underwent TAVR between October 2013 and December 2019 were included. Patients were classified into 3 groups: no LBBB, pre-existing LBBB and new onset LBBB. The 2-year clinical outcomes were compared between 3 groups using Cox proportinal hazard models and propensity score analysis to adjust the differences in baseline characteristics.ResultsOf 5996 patients who underwent TAVR, 280 patients (4.6%) had pre-existing LBBB and new onset LBBB occurred in 1658 patients (27.6%). Compared with no LBBB group, multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that pre-existing LBBB was associated with a higher 2-year all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.82; p =0.015) and cardiovascular mortality (aHR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.05-2.54; p =0.027), but also with higher all-cause (aHR:1.43, 95% CI:1.07-1.91; p =0.016) and cardiovascular mortality (aHR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.14-2.98; p =0.012) than new onset LBBB group. Heart failure was the most common cause of cardiovascular death, with more heart failure deaths in the pre-existing LBBB group.ConclusionsPre-existing LBBB was independently associated with poor clinical outcomes reflecting increased risk of cardiovascular mortality after TAVR. Patients with pre-existing LBBB should be carefully monitored.What is Known?There are currently few reports on pre-existing left bundle branch block (LBBB) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Nor are there any studies comparing patients with new onset LBBB to those with pre-existing LBBB.What the Study Add?Patients with pre-existing LBBB not only had a higher mortality than those without LBBB, but also had a worse prognosis than those with new onset LBBB.This was because patients with pre-existing LBBB had more heart failure deaths.Patients with pre-existing LBBB should be carefully monitored after TAVR. Further investigation will be required to corroborate our findings.

The purpose of the current study was to use intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to clarify anatomical and morphological lesion characteristics of uncrossable lesions.Uncrossable lesions are not always severely calcified. The prevalence of uncrossable lesions that are nonseverely calcified as well as other mechanisms for uncrossability has not been well clarified.A total of 252 de novo uncrossable lesions in native coronary arteries that underwent either rotational or orbital atherectomy due to inability of any balloon to cross the lesion and 38 lesions with severe calcium in which IVUS crossed preatherectomy were included. Severe calcium is defined as maximum arc of calcium ≥270°.Severe calcification was absent in 16% of uncrossable lesions, 83% of which had a significant vessel bend. Compared with crossable lesions with severe calcium, uncrossable lesions with severe calcium more often had a bend in the vessel (71% vs. 21%, p 0.001) and a longer length of continuous severe calcium (median length of calcium ≥270° 3.8 mm vs. 1.9 mm, p = 0.001). Other than severe calcium (especially long continuous calcium) or a bend in the vessel, anatomical factors associated with uncrossabilty were aorto-ostial lesion location and small vessels.Uncrossable lesions are not always severely calcified. The interaction of lesion morphology (continuous long and large arcs of calcium) and vessel geometry (bend in the vessel or ostial lesion location) affect lesion crossability.

This study aimed to assess how the postoperative medial arch height influenced postoperative patient-reported clinical outcomes after surgery for stage Ⅱ acquired adult flatfoot deformity.A total of 30 feet of 30 patients (7 males, 23 females) who underwent surgery for stage Ⅱ acquired adult flatfoot deformity and could be followed up for at least 2 years were included. The average age at surgery was 60.0 (standard deviation, 13.0) years, and the average follow-up period was 40 (standard deviation, 15.4) months. Among them, 16 patients underwent lateral column lengthening and 14 patients did not. Patient-reported clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire. Radiographic alignment was evaluated by the talonavicular coverage angle, lateral talo-1st metatarsal angle, medial cuneiform height, medial cuneiform to 5th metatarsal height, and calcaneal pitch. The correlation between postoperative Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire and radiographic alignment was assessed with Pearson's correlation analysis.Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire and radiographic alignment significantly improved postoperatively in all patients (P 0.0001). In patients with severe deformity who needed lateral column lengthening, lateral talo-1st metatarsal angle was negatively and medial cuneiform to 5th metatarsal height was positively correlated with physical functioning Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire subscales (r = -0.56 and 0.55), and medial cuneiform height was positively correlated with physical functioning, social functioning and general health Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire subscales (r = 0.70, 0.55 and 0.73, respectively).Postoperative medial arch height could influence physical functioning, social functioning, and general health in patients with severe stage II adult-acquired flatfoot deformity.

The optimal treatment strategy comparing invasive revascularization versus optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) still remains unclear. We aimed to investigate clinical outcomes of invasive revascularization (percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting or both) versus OMT in patients with DM and SIHD from updated published randomised-controlled trials (RCTs).We conducted a comprehensive literature search through PubMed and EMBASE to investigate the effect of revascularization versus OMT for patients with DM and SIHD. The studies were limited to RCTs or their subgroup data for a meta-analysis. The outcomes of interest were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with DM and SIHD.Our search identified subgroup data with DM of four RCTs including a total of 5742 patients with SIHD. Our results showed that invasive revascularization was not associated with a decreased risk of MACE when compared to OMT [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.95 (0.85-1.05), P = 0.31; I2 = 0%].Invasive revascularization was not associated with a decreased risk of MACE when compared with OMT.

Background: Clinical and morphological factors associated with lipidic versus calcified neoatherosclerosis within second-generation drug-eluting stents and the impact of lipidic versus calcified neoatherosclerosis on long-term outcomes after repeat intervention have not been well studied. Methods: A total of 512 patients undergoing optical coherence tomography before percutaneous coronary intervention for second-generation drug-eluting stents in-stent restenosis were included. Neoatherosclerosis was defined as lipidic or calcified neointimal hyperplasia in ≥3 consecutive frames or ruptured lipidic neointimal hyperplasia. The primary outcome was target lesion failure (cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, or clinically driven target lesion revascularization). Results: The overall prevalence of neoatherosclerosis was 28.5% (146/512): 56.8% lipidic, 30.8% calcified, and 12.3% both lipidic and calcific. The prevalence increased as a function of time from stent implantation: 20% at 1 to 3 years, 30% at 3 to 7 years, and 75% >7 years. Renal insufficiency, poor lipid profile, and time from stent implantation were associated with lipidic neoatherosclerosis, whereas severe renal insufficiency, female sex, and time from stent implantation were associated with calcified neoatherosclerosis. Multivariable Cox regression revealed that female sex and lipidic neoatherosclerosis were associated with more target lesion failure, whereas stent age and final minimum lumen diameter after reintervention were related to lower target lesion failure. Calcified neoatherosclerosis was not related to adverse events after reintervention for in-stent restenosis given a large enough minimum lumen diameter was achieved. Conclusions: Lipidic but not calcified neoatherosclerosis was associated with poor subsequent outcomes after repeat revascularization if optimal stent expansion was achieved in lesions with calcified neoatherosclerosis.

Objective The surgical outcomes of novel two-flap palatoplasty adding a buccinator musculomucosal flap were compared with those of conventional two-flap palatoplasty to clarify the effects of lengthening the nasal mucosa of the soft palate using a BMMF in cleft lip and palate or cleft palate cases. Design Retrospective, comparative study Setting Tertiary, cleft team Patients Non-syndromic patients undergoing primary cleft palate repair using two-flap palatoplasty with BMMF (BMMF group) or conventional two-flap palatoplasty (non-BMMF group) Interventions Palatoplasty between January 2012 and March 2020 Main Outcome Measures Perceptual Japanese speech evaluation, rate of an indication for additional speech surgery (AS), rate of incidence of oronasal fistula (IF) including spontaneously closing fistula, and rate of occurrence of oronasal fistula (OF) present for more than 3 months. Results Of 92 analyzed patients, 70 received two-flap palatoplasty with BMMF and 22 received two-flap palatoplasty. In the BMMF and non-BMMF groups, the respective percentage of hypernasality (no, mild) was 91.4% and 77.2%, no nasal emission was 71.4% and 63.6%, velopharyngeal function (competent, borderline competent) was 83.7% and 77.4%, intelligibility (very good, good) was 93.7% and 86.4%, AS was 1.4% and 13.6%, IF was 7.1% and 36.4%, and OF was 1.4% and 9.1%. Significant improvements were observed for AS (p = 0.0412) and IF (p = 0.00195) in the BMMF group, with no recorded major adverse effects. Conclusion Adding a BMMF on the nasal side of the soft palate to conventional two-flap palatoplasty significantly improved postoperative outcomes. This approach may therefore be a good option for cleft palate treatment.

The concept of network virtualization, such as network functions virtualization, has attracted considerable attention from telecom carriers and a live migration technique is a key feature of virtualization technology. However, there are some challenges associated with applying server virtualization technology including live migration to a SIP server. Previous work has not dealt with the performance or behavior of a SIP server during live migration. Neither has it targeted a carrier grade SIP server for live migration. In this paper we present a virtualized carrier grade SIP server running on a virtual machine, which is configured with Carrier Grade Linux, HA middleware and SIP-AS application. We also assess its performance to investigate the impact of throughput degradation and suspension on a SIP layer and HA cluster configuration.

Background: Although varus-tilted distal tibial deformity is an established risk factor for chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI), no studies have reported whether this deformity influences ankle instability after arthroscopic lateral ankle ligament repair (ALLR) for CLAI. Methods: A total of 57 ankles from 57 patients who underwent ALLR for CLAI were retrospectively analyzed. Tibial articular surface (TAS) angles were measured on preoperative plain radiograph. After 12 months of follow-up, recurrent ankle instability and talar tilt angles on stress radiograph were evaluated as outcomes. Relationships between the TAS angle and these outcomes were assessed. Results: Recurrent ankle instability was observed in 10 ankles. The TAS angles of patients with recurrent instability were significantly lower (85.2 degrees vs 87.9 degrees). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the cutoff value of TAS angle for recurrent instability was 86.2 degrees. Based on this cutoff value, our patients were divided into 2 groups: low-TAS and high-TAS group. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that low TAS was an independent risk factor for recurrent ankle instability and greater postoperative talar tilt angles. Conclusion: Varus-tilted distal tibial plafond appears to be a risk factor for recurrent ankle instability after ALLR.

We performed a comparative study looking at the aesthetic outcomes of using a digital artery vascularized adipose flap (DAAF) for treatment of Wassel type IV radial polydactyly versus a fillet flap technique. Clinical charts and pictures of patients between 2002 and 2017 were reviewed to evaluate the appearance of 16 reconstructed thumbs using a visual analogue scale. Our results showed that the DAAF technique resulted in better outcomes with regard to contour of the thumb than the fillet flap group, with significantly less conspicuous scarring in the DAAF group. We conclude that the DAAF can produce better aesthetic outcomes in the reconstruction of radial polydactyly than conventional fillet flaps. Level of evidence: III

Highlights • A 13-year-old male football player presented with chronic medial left ankle pain. • Radiographic examination showed nonunion of the medial malleolar stress fracture and chronic lateral ankle instability. • Internal fixation with the arthroscopic modified Broström procedure was performed. • The Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire improved in all parameters. • The method is useful for medial malleolar stress fractures due to chronic lateral ankle instability., Introduction Medial malleolar stress fractures are relatively uncommon. This report describes the successful treatment of nonunion of a medial malleolar stress fracture due to chronic lateral ankle instability. Presentation of case A 13-year-old middle school student who belonged to a football club presented to our clinic with chronic medial left ankle pain lasting over a year. He had sprained his left ankle several times 6 years earlier. A plain anteroposterior ankle radiograph showed a vertical fracture line in the medial malleolus involving the epiphyseal plate, and computed tomography demonstrated the vertical fracture seen on the plain radiographs and bone sclerosis at the fracture site. We performed internal fixation for nonunion of the medial malleolar stress fracture with arthroscopic modified Broström for lateral ankle instability. Two years after surgery, the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire improved in all parameters, and both the anterior drawer and varus stress tests were negative. Discussion Early diagnosis of medial malleolar stress fracture is important for a rapid return to sports. Magnetic resonance imaging is helpful for early diagnosis. Because lateral ankle instability can cause medial malleolar stress fracture, arthroscopic modified Broström procedure is meaningful for medial malleolar stress fracture with lateral ankle instability. Conclusion Internal fixation and the arthroscopic modified Broström procedure could achieve good clinical outcomes for medial malleolar stress fractures with lateral ankle instability.

Coral reef aorta (CRA), a rare disease, is characterized by severe calcification of the juxta-renal and suprarenal aorta that grows into the lumen and leads to severe stenosis. A 70-year-old woman with refractory hypertension and lower limb claudication presented with hypertension and congestive heart failure. Treatment with vasodilators and diuresis led to oliguria and exacerbated kidney function, while her congestion remained. Abdominal computerized tomography showed a bulky, irregular localized supra-renal aortic calcification with stenosis. A peripheral artery ultrasound and angiography showed no occlusive lesions in the distal run-off vessels. Based on her medical history and the unique aspects of the localized calcified lesion, CRA was diagnosed. We suspected that the congestive heart failure, refractory hypertension, and renal failure resulted from the supra-renal aortic stenosis. Because she developed oliguria with diuretics and vasodilators, we performed an open graft replacement with a thoracoabdominal approach. The reddish-brown calcified mass came off easily and was very fragile. The postoperative course was uneventful, and her heart and renal failure were completely resolved. This is the first report showing the fragility of CRA. Considering its fragility, catheter treatment may need to be avoided to prevent distal embolism.

Objective Here, we present the efficacy of an aggressive respiratory rehabilitation program that was initiated from early postoperative period, expecting to improve inspiratory volume at an early stage after primary Nuss procedure. Methods The study was performed as a nonrandomized controlled study undergoing primary Nuss procedure at our institute from 2016 to 2018. We evaluated 34 patients and assigned them to two groups based on whether or not they received a respiratory rehabilitation. Group A (between June 2016 and March 2018) includes patients with inspiratory training postoperatively, and group B (between April 2018 and July 2018) includes patients without training. At the time of admission, a physiatrist provided each patient with a training instruction. From day five postoperatively, the patients in group A started training for inspiration with an incentive spirometer (Coach 2®PORTEX) four times a day. Patients were instructed to perform the same training at home after discharge. Using this device, we measured pre- and postoperative inspired volumes in each group. Data were analyzed with Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests and a paired Student t-test. A p-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups concerning both operative age and the degree of the deformity calculated by Haller index. Preoperative inspiratory volume showed no significant differences. Although there were no statistical differences between two groups in the inspiratory volume at discharge, these two parameters were significantly higher in group A after three months postoperatively (A: 1404 ± 466 ml vs B: 900 ± 314 ml) and the values increased compared to the preoperative stage in group A. Conclusions These data indicate the aggressive respiratory rehabilitation is an effective regimen to increase inspiratory volume at an early stage after Nuss procedure. Level of evidence III.

Background: Coronary calcification inhibits stent expansion. We sought to establish an intravascular ultrasound–derived calcium score to predict stent underexpansion. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study including de novo lesions that underwent intravascular ultrasound–guided stenting and had maximum superficial calcium angle >270°. Lesions with angiographic calcium not treated with atherectomy or scoring/cutting balloon before stent implantation were randomly divided into derivation and validation cohorts. The end point was stent expansion (minimum stent area/average of reference lumen area) at the maximum calcium site, and stent expansion Results: The morphological characteristics associated with stent underexpansion in derivation cohort were (1) superficial calcium angle >270° longer than 5 mm (regression coefficient, −13.0 [95% CI, −18.1 to −7.8], P P =0.001), (3) calcified nodule (regression coefficient, −8.3 [95% CI, −14.3 to −2.2], P =0.007), and (4) vessel diameter P =0.006). The calcium score (0-4) was significantly correlated with poor stent expansion (regression coefficient, −8.1 [95% CI, −10.5 to −5.7], P P P interaction =0.02). In lesions without angiographic calcium, all calcium severity parameters were less than in the validation cohort, and stent underexpansion was observed in only 1.5% (1/67) of lesions. Conclusions: This intravascular ultrasound calcium score provides the interventionalists with a reliable tool to identify calcified stenoses at risk for stent underexpansion and requiring adjunctive calcium modification before stent implantation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate midterm clinical outcomes after implantation of LifeStent self-expanding nitinol stents for the treatment of femoropopliteal lesions. This retrospective, multicenter, non-randomized study examined 260 femoropopliteal lesions in 250 consecutive patients with peripheral artery disease implanted with LifeStents from April 2016 to April 2017. The prevalence of chronic total occlusion (CTO), lesion length ≥25 cm, and distal reference vessel diameter (RVD)

Background Ventricular‐arterial coupling predicts outcomes in patients with heart failure. The arterial elastance to end‐systolic elastance ratio (Ea/Ees) is a noninvasively assessed index that reflects ventricular‐arterial coupling. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of ventricular‐arterial coupling assessed through Ea/Ees after transcatheter aortic valve replacement to predict clinical events. Methods and Results We retrieved data on 1378 patients (70% women) who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement between October 2013 and May 2017 from the OCEAN‐TAVI (Optimized transCathEter vAlvular iNtervention) Japanese multicenter registry. We determined the association between Ea/Ees and the composite end point of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death by classifying the patients into quartiles based on Ea/Ees values (group 1: 0.666) during the midterm follow‐up after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. During a median follow‐up period of 736 days (interquartile range, 414–956), there were 247 (17.9%) all‐cause deaths, 89 (6.5%) cardiovascular deaths, 130 (9.4%) hospitalizations for heart failure, and 199 (14.4%) composite events of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death. The incidence of the composite end point was significantly higher in group 2 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.76; 95% CI, 1.08–2.87 [ P =0.024]), group 3 (HR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.53–3.86 [ P P P =0.015]). Conclusions These findings suggest that a higher Ea/Ees at discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with adverse clinical outcomes during midterm follow‐up. Registration URL: https://www.upload.umin.ac.jp/ . Unique identifier: UMIN000020423.

Objectives This study was conducted to use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to compare vascular healing between bioresorbable polymer (BP) and durable polymer (DP) everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Background Whether BP-EES induce better vascular healing compared to contemporary DP-EES remains controversial, especially for ACS. Methods In this prospective, randomized, non-inferiority trial, we used OCT to compare 6-month vascular healing in patients with ACS randomized to BP versus DP-EES: percent strut coverage (primary endpoint, non-inferiority margin of 2.0%) and neointimal thickness and percent neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) volume. As an exploratory analysis, morphological factors related to the endpoints and the effect of underlying lipidic plaque on stent healing were evaluated. Results A total of 104 patients with ACS were randomly assigned to BP-EES (n = 52) versus DP-EES (n = 52). Of these, 86 patients (40 BP-EES and 46 DP-EES) were included in the final OCT analyses. Six-month percent strut coverage of BP-EES (83.6 ± 11.4%) was not non-inferior compared to those of DP-EES (81.6 ± 13.9%), difference 2.0% (lower 95% confidence interval-2.6%), pnon-inferiority = 0.07. There were no differences in neointimal thickness 70.0 ± 33.9 μm versus 67.2 ± 33.9 μm, p = 0.71; and percent NIH volume 7.5 ± 4.7% versus 7.3 ± 5.3%, p = 0.85. By multivariable linear regression analysis, stent type was not associated with percent strut coverage or percent NIH volume; however, percent baseline embedded struts or stent expansion was positively associated with percent NIH volume. Greater NIH volume was observed in lipidic compared with non-lipidic segments (8.7 ± 5.6% vs. 6.1 ± 5.2%, p = 0.005). Conclusions Six-month strut coverage of BP-EES was not non-inferior compared to those of DP-EES in ACS patients. Good stent apposition and expansion were independently associated with better vascular healing.

OBJECTIVE The optimal treatment strategy in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) remains controversial. Herein, we conducted a network meta-analysis comparing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with CAD and low LVEF. METHODS MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through March, 2021 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and propensity-score matched (PSM) studies comparing CABG, PCI, and OMT. We extracted hazard ratios (HRs) of the outcomes. RESULTS A total of three RCTs and 10 PSM trials were identified, yielding a total of 18,855 patients with CAD with low EF who were treated with CABG (n = 9241), PCI (n = 8771), or OMT (n = 1003). All-cause mortality was significantly lower in patients with CABG compared with those with PCI or OMT (HR [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.72 [0.62-0.82], p

Fistula recurrence is high after secondary follow-up operation to close the fistula after primary palatal surgery. Therefore, preventing fistula recurrence is important. Here, we describe the technique of closing palatal fistula after palatal surgery with a buccal fat graft in 2 cases. We elevate the mucosal flap around the palatal fistula, suture the nasal mucosa, transplant the buccal fat between the nasal and oral mucosa for the palatal fistula after palatal surgery, and suture the oral mucosa. Palatal fistula did not recur after surgery. This method is simple and useful for suturable fistula and does not require a local flap.

It is controversial that cerebral embolic protection devices (CEPDs) reduce clinical stroke during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Herein, we investigated the impact of CEPDs on in-hospital clinical stroke using a nationally representative sample.Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, 109,240 patients who underwent TAVR between 2017 and 2018 were included. They were categorized into 2 groups according to usage of CEPDs; the CEPD and non-CEPD groups. After propensity score matching, 3805 pairs were acquired. Our main outcome was in-hospital clinical stroke. Other outcomes were in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury (AKI), AKI leading to hemodialysis, bleeding requiring transfusion, overall bleeding complications, infectious complications, length of stay, and total cost. In-hospital clinical stroke did not significantly differ between the 2 groups (0.7% versus 1.1%, p = 0.449). The CEPD group was associated with a significantly lower in-hospital mortality (0.5% versus 1.4%, p = 0.029) and reduced total cost ($49,047 ± 19,666 versus $50,051 ± 23,190, p0.001), compared with the non-CEPD group, whereas there were no significant differences in the other outcomes.By using the NIS database with a large number of cases, TAVR with CEPDs was not associated with a lower incidence of in-hospital clinical stroke compared with no use of CEPDs after matching.

Objective: There have been few reports addressing asymmetric bilateral cleft lip repair with contralateral lesser form defects. Two studies have described the thin medial tubercle as the most common remaining labial deformity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the use of a foxtail-shaped vermilion flap to reconstruct the median tubercle in primary repair. Design: A blinded retrospective study of photography and chart review. Setting: Shinshu University Hospital, tertiary care. Private practice. Patients: Forty-nine patients with asymmetric bilateral cleft lip with lesser form defects treated using a primary “unilateral” repair by the senior author (S.Y.) between 2007 and 2017. Interventions: The foxtail-shaped vermilion flap was applied at the time of the primary nasolabial repair. This flap is similar to Noordhoff laterally based triangular vermilion flap but with modifications to the shape and length. The body of the flap is wider than the pedicle to add tissue to the center of the vermilion, and the length is sufficiently elongated to reach the lesser side. Main Outcome Measure: Lip shape was graded on a 4-point scale when patients were 1 year old. Results: Twenty-two patients were treated with the foxtail-shaped vermilion flap (group A) and 27 patients with Noordhoff triangular vermilion flap (group B). Group A had a better lip shape than group B ( P = .006). Conclusions: The foxtail-shaped vermilion flap is useful to reconstruct the median tubercle in asymmetric bilateral cleft lip repair with contralateral lesser form defects.

This study verifies the hypothesis that bone/cartilage proportion in deformed ribs of male pectus excavatum patients varies according to their ages. Anatomical evaluation of the thoraces was performed for 79 male pectus excavatum patients, referring to their three-dimensional computer-tomographic images. The patients were divided into Child Group (5-9 years old: n = 35); Adolescent Group (12-15 years old: n = 15) and Adult Group (18+ years old: n = 29). For each patient, the most concave point of the sternum was identified and the pair of ribs closest to the point were defined as Key Ribs. On each Key Rib, the most ventral point was defined as Prominent Point (PP); the junction between the bone and cartilage was defined as Costo-Chondral Junction (CCJ). The distances of these points from the spine were defined as Distance of Prominent Point (DPP) and Distance of Costo-Chondral Junction (DCCJ), respectively. The horizontal length of the Key Rib was defined as Rib Length (RL). Inter- and intra-group comparisons were performed for DPP/RL and DCCJ/RL. Inter-Group Comparison: DCCJ/RL is significantly smaller and DPP/RL is significantly greater in Adult Group than in Child Group, meaning CCJs shift medially and PPs shift laterally as patients get older. Intra-Group Comparison: In Child Group, DCCJ/RL is significantly greater than DPP/RL, meaning CCJs exist lateral to PPs. Contrarily, in Adult Group, DCCJ/RL is significantly smaller than DPP/RL, meaning CCJs exists medial to PPs. Bone/cartilage proportion in the concave part of the chest shifts according to patients' ages. To perform the Nuss procedure effectively, this age-related anatomical change must be taken into consideration.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an alternative to multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) for aortic valve sizing in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, conventional cross-sectional analysis of aortic annulus by 3D TEE has some limitations such as lengthy analytical time. A novel software for automated valve measurement has been developed for 3D TEE. We evaluated the accuracy and analytical time of aortic annular measurements using this novel automated software in the clinical setting. Methods We retrospectively studied 43 patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) who underwent TAVR. All patients underwent intraoperative TEE and MDCT. We measured aortic annular area by automated, semi-automated, and cross-sectional methods using 3D TEE datasets. These measurements were compared to the corresponding MDCT reference values. We also compared the analytical time of the three methods. Results Automated and semi-automated analyses required significantly shorter analytical time compared to cross-sectional analysis (automated: 30.1 ± 5.79 s, semi-automated: 74.1 ± 15.0 s, manual: 81.8 ± 18.5 s, p 2 ), annular areas measured by automated and cross-sectional methods were significantly smaller (automated: 380.6 ± 77.1 mm 2 , cross-sectional: 374.7 ± 76.8 mm 2 , p 2 ). Annular areas determined by semi-automated and cross-sectional analyses had narrower limits of agreement (LOA) with MDCT measurements, compared to automated analysis (automated: −68.6 to 94.7 mm 2 , semi-automated: −48.3 to 60.2 mm 2 , cross-sectional: −40.0 to 77.9 mm 2 ). Measurements by all three methods using 3D TEE showed high correlation with MDCT measurement (automated: r = 0.86, semi-automated: r = 0.94, cross-sectional: r = 0.93). Conclusions For aortic annular measurements using 3D TEE in AS patients, semi-automated analysis using the novel automated software reduced analytical time while maintaining similar accuracy compared to the conventional cross-sectional analysis. This automated software may have acceptable feasibility in the clinical setting.

To compare the risk of procedural complications and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in nonagenarians (age ≥ 90 years) compared to younger patients (

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate 30-day and 2-year clinical outcomes, and predictors of 2-year mortality in nonagenarians undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). BACKGROUND TAVI has been applied to nonagenarians. However, sufficient clinical data in nonagenarians who could benefit from TAVI are limited. METHODS We evaluated the data from the optimized catheter valvular intervention-TAVI registry. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients' age ≥90 years and age

We report a case of percutaneous coronary intervention for spontaneous multi-vessel coronary artery dissection including the left main coronary artery. This case suggests that intracoronary imaging is useful for understanding the complex anatomy and for choosing the appropriate management for effective revascularization. Furthermore, cutting balloon angioplasty prior to stenting is useful for preventing the longitudinal extension of the intramural hematoma and avoiding unnecessary stent implantation.

Door to balloon (D2B) time was reported an important factor of the clinical outcome of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). D2B time is influenced by various factors; however, modifiable factors have not been adequately evaluated. The purpose of this study was to identify modifiable factors associated with prolonged D2B time. We historically included 239 consecutive STEMI patients who visited emergency department and underwent primary PCI between April 2013 and September 2016. We evaluated baseline characteristics, mode and timing of hospital arrival, symptoms and signs, treatment times and angiographic characteristics. Patients with D2B time 90 min were compared with those with D2B time ≤ 90 min. Modifiable factors associated with prolonged D2B time ( 90 min) were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression model. The median D2B time for the entire cohort was 69 min (interquartile range 54-89) and 24% had a D2B time of 90 min. Modifiable factors associated with prolonged treatment time (D2B time 90 min) were electrocardiogram (ECG) to puncture time 50 min [odds ratios (OR) 96.0, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) 25.1-652.5, P 0.0001), door to ECG time 10 min (OR 49.8, 95% CI 11.8-357.5, P 0.0001), and puncture to balloon time 30 min (OR 48.5, 95% CI 12.0-333.8, P 0.0001). ECG to puncture time 50 min was the most important modifiable factor associated with prolonged D2B time in STEMI patients.

Key Clinical Message Right ventricular perforation leading to cardiac tamponade can occur during the chronic phase after cardiac device implantation. Physicians who manage the pacemaker clinic must be alert to the wide range of symptoms and signs that can accompany delayed right ventricular perforation. Surgical rather than percutaneous lead extraction may be prudent.

Breast augmentation for women with asymmetric pectus excavatum (PE) has a characteristic problem in that surgeons need to select implants while considering the left-right difference in breast volume, contour, and position. We herein report a 33-year-old woman with severe asymmetric PE who presented with residual breast asymmetry after chest wall correction using the Nuss procedure. Her right breast appeared hypoplastic and the right anterior chest wall remained depressed. Augmentation of the right breast with a silicone implant was performed, selecting the inserted implant preoperatively with the assistance of three-dimensional (3D) simulation. The breast asymmetry and anterior chest wall depression were improved to a natural appearance. Three-dimensional simulation represents an advantageous way to preoperatively select optimal implants for breast augmentation in asymmetric PE women with breast asymmetry. Level of Evidence: 5

It is important to evaluate the subtalar joint and hip-knee-ankle alignment to understand lower extremity alignment. In this review, we focused on the compensatory changes in the subtalar joint alignment for the deformity of the knee and ankle joint, reviewing previous research. The subtalar joint alignment was compensatory valgus in patients with varus knee and ankle deformity, whereas it was uncertain whether the subtalar joint alignment was compensatory varus in patients with valgus knee and ankle deformity. The subtalar joint valgus alignment improved after total knee arthroplasty or high tibial osteotomy for varus knee deformity, even if the deformity was severe. In contrast, whether the subtalar joint alignment changed after the surgery for ankle or valgus knee deformity has not been considered. Further research on the compensatory function of the subtalar joint is needed.

Shunsuke Kojima,1 Eiji Hiraoka,1 Junya Arai,1 Yosuke Homma,2 Yasuhiro Norisue,3 Osamu Takahashi,4 Taihei Soma,1 Toshihiko Suzuki,5 Masahiko Noguchi,6 Kentaro Shibayama,6 Kotaro Obunai,6 Hiroyuki Watanabe6 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Emergency Medicine, 3Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Todaijima, Urayasu-city, Chiba 279-0001, Japan; 4Department of Internal Medicine, St Luke’s International Hospital, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8560, Japan; 5Department of Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, 6Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Todaijima, Urayasu-city, Chiba 279-0001, Japan Background: A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is reportedly associated with a decrease in performance measures, but it should not be applied to noncardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures. Good performance measures are associated with improvement in heart failure outcomes.Aim: To analyze the influence of DNR order on performance measures of heart failure at our hospital, where lectures on DNR order are held every 3 months.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Methods: The medical report of patients with acute heart failure who were admitted between April 2013 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. We collected demographic data, information on the presence or absence of DNR order within 24 hours of admission, and inhospital mortality. Performance measures of heart failure, including assessment of cardiac function and discharge prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker and beta-blocker for left ventricular systolic dysfunction and anticoagulant for atrial fibrillation, were collected and compared between groups with and without DNR orders.Results: In 394 total patients and 183 patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, 114 (30%) and 44 (24%) patients, respectively, had a DNR order. Patients with a DNR order had higher inhospital mortality. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the four quality measures (left ventricular function assessment, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, beta-blocker, and anticoagulant).Conclusion: DNR orders did not affect performance measures, but they were associated with higher inhospital mortality among acute heart failure patients. Keywords: do-not-resuscitate discussion, DNR order, acute heart failure, quality-of-care performance&nbsp

Objective: No active treatment is required in the majority of cases of infantile hemangioma (IH), while they proliferate and involute without sequelae. However, ulceration, bleeding, or destruction/obstruction of important structures may occur in 10% of cases during the proliferating phase. These lesions lead to a disfigured appearance with redundant skin, fibrofatty residuum, protruding surface, drooping, and scarring. This study focused on prevention and management of disfiguring scars in involuted IH. Approach: A retrospective photography and chart review were performed for patients with IH who visited our hospital (Shinshu University Hospital). Results: The study population consisted of 107 patients with IH. The lesions were located on the head and neck (59.8%), trunk (27.1%), upper limb (7.5%), or lower limb (5.6%). Twenty-four patients (22.4%) underwent surgical excision of the disfigured lesion after involution. The percentage of surgical interventions was highest for lesions in the head and neck area (28.9%) compared with other regions. The fibrofatty tissue and redundant skin after involution of each lesion were partly resected and sutured. All suture lines were finally set on the wrinkle line or the anatomical borderline. Innovation: Although total excision of the lesion was impossible in some cases, a natural surface contour was obtained. The operative scar was not visible in the residual damaged skin after involution. Conclusion: Effective preventive therapies during the proliferating phase are required to avoid tissue damage due to hyperexpansion of the surrounding tissue and surface breakdown to present excellent cosmetic results in patients with IH.