The reimplantation technique provides a good physiological and anatomical repair, eliminates a slit-like ostium, avoids compression of the coronary artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and gives similar results to the unroofing technique.

We present an unusual variant of the sinus venosus defect in which an obvious window is formed between a single pulmonary vein and the superior vena cava, the pulmonary vein retaining its connection to the left atrium. Two patients were operated on via right anterior minithoracotomy. A large single right pulmonary vein was found connecting to the left atrium. There was a large side-to-side communication between the superior vena cava and the pulmonary vein resulting in partially anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. A side-biting clamp was applied in the superior vena cava and the pulmonary vein at both sides of the communication, and the vein was divided. The incision in both veins was closed with a running suture.

No abstract

A 54-year-old man presented with unstable angina and stroke with right hemiplegia and aphasia due to left main coronary plus 3-vessel disease, severe stenosis of bilateral internal carotid, proximal left common carotid, and proximal left subclavian arteries. Simultaneous complete revascularization was undertaken with the use of conventional cardiopulmonary bypass and moderate hypothermia (25℃). The left internal mammary artery and two saphenous vein grafts were used for coronary artery bypass, and brain revascularization consisted of a left aorta-to-common carotid Dacron graft and bilateral carotid endarterectomy. Recovery was good.

Arterial tortuosity syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive connective tissue disease characterized by elongation, tortuosity, and aneurysmal formation of the large and middle-sized arteries sometimes associated with stenosis of the pulmonary arteries and/or aorta. We present three cases of severe arterial tortuosity with different manifestations. In two cases, the aortic arch was involved. Angiography showed a very tortuous aortic arch, with many loops and twists and a normal descending aorta. One required operation. The third case presented multiple severe stenoses of both pulmonary arteries with many tortuous segments. Surgical repair consisted of pulmonary artery augmentation utilizing a bovine pericardial patch from hilum to hilum.