Month: November 2025

Ann Surg Oncol. 2025 Oct 23. doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-18627-5. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41128956 | DOI:10.1245/s10434-025-18627-5

J Surg Case Rep. 2025 Oct 14;2025(10):rjaf812. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjaf812. eCollection 2025 Oct.

ABSTRACT

Primary cardiac tumours in infants are rare, mostly benign, but can cause life-threatening complications. We present a 2-month-old female with respiratory distress, poor feeding, and prior pericardial effusion/cardiac arrest. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a right atrial mass with massive pericardial effusion. Hemodynamic instability prompted urgent surgery. Intraoperatively, the tumour infiltrated the right atrial anterior wall and atrioventricular groove; subtotal resection and atrial reconstruction using a bovine pericardial patch were performed. Histopathology confirmed benign capillary hemangioma (CD31/CD34 positive). The infant recovered well, remaining recurrence-free at one year. This case illustrates the severe potential of cardiac capillary hemangiomas in infants. Despite critical location and rapid progression, surgical debulking stabilized hemodynamics despite incomplete resection.

PMID:41103496 | PMC:PMC12526885 | DOI:10.1093/jscr/rjaf812

JACC Case Rep. 2025 Nov 22:106133. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2025.106133. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Redo aortic and mitral valve surgery with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) and intervalvular fibrous body destruction is highly challenging; the Commando procedure is often a last resort.

CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old man with prior mechanical aortic and mitral valve replacements presented with hemolytic anemia due to a mitral paravalvular leak. Imaging showed severe MAC and tricuspid regurgitation. Intraoperatively, massive calcification and insufficient native tissue precluded standard anchoring for implantation of the new mechanical valves. In addition to the standard Commando procedure, a bovine pericardial patch was used reconstruct a neo-mitral annulus. Recovery was uneventful.

DISCUSSION: Bovine pericardial patches offer structural support when native tissue is inadequate, facilitating safe and durable outcomes in complex redo valve procedures.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: This case illustrates a viable surgical strategy for high-risk redo double-valve procedures. Bovine patch reconstruction enabled stable valve implantation and functional restoration in the setting of extensive MAC.

PMID:41273326 | DOI:10.1016/j.jaccas.2025.106133

J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 2025 Aug;66(4):291-298. doi: 10.23736/S0021-9509.25.13336-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aortic Graft Infection (AGI) and Infective Native Aortic Aneurysm (INAA) require open repair with infection-resistant prostheses. Physician’s made xeno-pericardial grafts combine availability with freedom from reinfection, but mainly short-term results are reported. The aim is to examine the mid-term outcomes in aortic infections using stapled physician-made or pre-sutured bovine pericardium tube grafts.

METHODS: We report all patients who underwent in situ aortic reconstruction using pericardial tube grafts (prepared from pericardial patches using a surgical stapler or pre-sutured) for AGI or INAA between January 2019 and October 2024 at a single center. Perioperative outcomes and follow-up data were retrospectively collected.

RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (18 male, median age 72 years) underwent aortic surgery and implantation of a preformed (N.=5) or stapled physician-made (N.=16) pericardial tubes graft for an INAA (N.=7) or AGI (N.=14). All AGI patients had late infections (median time from primary surgery of 81 months), in nine cases associated with aorto-digestive fistula. One perioperative death was recorded. Patients treated for an AGI demonstrated a longer median length of stay (22 vs. 12 days; P=0.020) and higher intraoperative blood loss (1400 vs. 400 mL; P=0.025). Of the 20 patients surviving the index event, at a mean follow-up of 23±8 months, no aortic-related death, nor mechanical failure were recorded. One case of reinfection and reintervention has been observed (4.8%). All but one patient discontinued the antibiotic therapy after a median duration of 146 days.

CONCLUSIONS: Aortic repair with preformed and home-made stapled xeno-pericardial grafts is safe and provides durable infection-free survival at a mid-term follow-up.

PMID:40985629 | DOI:10.23736/S0021-9509.25.13336-3

Multimed Man Cardiothorac Surg. 2025 Sep 22;2025. doi: 10.1510/mmcts.2025.081.

ABSTRACT

Our objective is to underline that patients with small aortic annulus can present with concomitant left outflow tract obstruction, and both pathologies need to be addressed during surgery to avoid residual symptoms and early re-intervention. We present a third-time re-operation where intra-operative findings revealed degenerated sutureless valve with pannus underneath, which was explanted after meticulous dissection of the prosthesis cuff from the left ventricular outflow tract. The fibrotic ridge was excised and a basal septal myectomy was performed, removing 2.8 g of septal muscle. The aortotomy was extended through the left-non coronary commissure and toward the right and left fibrous trigones. A posterior bovine pericardium ‘Y’ patch was used for annular enlargement to accommodate a 25 mm INSPIRIS valve. Nonetheless, the mitral valve was repaired with a 29 mm posterior annuloplasty ring, and the tricuspid valve with a 30 mm annuloplasty ring.

PMID:40985399 | DOI:10.1510/mmcts.2025.081