Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
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Minimally invasive robot-assisted cardiac surgery is generally performed nowadays. To avoid the interference of a superior vena cava (SVC) cannula during surgery, it should be inserted before the operation. The position of this cannula is very important because it can cause poor venous drainage during operation. The proper position of the SVC cannula was investigated in the present study. ⋯ The appropriate depth of an SVC cannula has weakly positive relationships with sex, weight and height. The results of the present study suggest that chest X-rays might be necessary to confirm the appropriate location of the cannula and that TEE might be the method of choice for correct positioning of the SVC cannula in minimally invasive robot-assisted cardiac surgery.
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Worldwide, the rate of aging is highest in Japan, especially the female population. To explore the trends for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Japan, the MIYAGI-AMI Registry Study has been conducted for 30 years since 1979, whereby all AMI patients in the Miyagi prefecture are prospectively registered. ⋯ The MIYAGI-AMI Registry Study demonstrates the steady trend of an increasing incidence, but decreasing mortality, for AMI in Japan over the past 30 years, although the female population still remains at higher risk for in-hospital death, despite improvements in the use of ambulances and primary PCI. (Circ J 2010; 74: 93 - 100).
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Therapeutic hypothermia for comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has demonstrated neurological benefits. Although early cooling during cardiac arrest enhances efficacy in animal studies, few clinical studies are available. ⋯ Early attainment of a core temperature had neurological benefits for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who underwent CPB and PCI. (Circ J 2010; 74: 77 - 85).
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Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy and impaired left ventricular (LV) diastolic function are common echocardiographic features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, it is difficult to differentiate nonobstructive HCM from hypertensive LV hypertrophy (H-LVH). ⋯ Endomyocardial radial strain imaging may prove informative for discriminating between HCM and H-LVH.