BACKGROUND Our recent studies have highlighted the importance and safety of backtable venoplasty for middle hepatic vein (MHV) and inferior right hepatic veins (IRHV) reconstruction using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) vascular grafts. In this study, we aim to analyze the complications associated with ePTFE graft use and discuss the management of the rare, but, potentially life threat...

Mitral valve (MV) repair with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) sutures has proven to simple, versatile, and durable technique for the treatment of mitral valve regurgitation (MR). The ePTFE is known for its strong resistance to tension, and is judged to be unbreakable under physiological condition. The loop technique using premeasured ePTFE neochordae was employed from August 2005 for 2...

Potential drawbacks from right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit in modified Norwood procedure may be regurgitation through the conduit and incision at the systemic ventricle. In order to address the question if valved RV-PA conduit can provide hemodynamic advantages, we retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent modified stage I Norwood operation with either a non-val...

Endothelialization of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) has the potential to improve long-term patency for small-diameter vascular grafts. Successful endothelialization requires ePTFE surface modification to permit cell attachment to this otherwise non-adhesive substrate. We report here on a peptide fluorosurfactant polymer (FSP) biomimetic construct that promotes endothelial cell (EC)-s...

Accurate and long-term transposition of offending vessels is required in microvascular decompression (MVD) for the treatment of hemifacial spasm (HFS) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN). We created ion-beam implanted of an expanded-polytetrafluoroethylene (i-ePTFE) surface to transpose offending vessels in MVD. In 13 patients with MVD, we concealed and transposed offending vessels with tape-shaped i...

Methods This data is part of multi-center, nonrandomized, prospective Transapical Artificial Chordae Tendinae [TACT] trial. 13 patients with severe mitral regurgitation caused by isolated posterior mitral valve leaflet prolapse, were included in the study. The operation was done through left anterolateral thoracotomy on a beating heart. With TEE guidance, the NeoChord DS1000 was introduced into...

OBJECTIVE Because of a lack of donor hearts, an increasing number of patients with heart failure must now undergo bridge to cardiac transplantation with a mechanical circulatory support device. Moreover, support periods have become longer. As a result, pericardial adhesions may develop while the support device is implanted, increasing the risk of injury at resternotomy and bleeding after transp...

A case of enterocutaneous Wstula secondary to the erosion of an expanded polytetraXuoroethylene (ePTFE) prosthesis into the jejunum is described. This case is unusual secondary to the long experience with ePTFE and the lack of published cases similar to this one. The technical details of this case reveal extenuating circumstances associated with the Wstula formation, and it is concluded that th...

Prosthetic vascular bypass grafting is associated with poor long-term patency rates. Herein, we report on the mid-term performance of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) vascular grafts modified with a citric acid-based biodegradable elastomer. Through a spin-shearing method, ePTFE grafts were modified by mechanically coating a layer of poly(1,8 octanediol citrate) (POC) onto the luminal n...

Dural repair using chemically treated cadaveric dura mater often results in atrophic and fragile change of the substitute as well as adhesion between the dura mater and brain surface at reoperation. Creutz-feldt-Jakob disease has occurred after repair using cadaveric dura mater. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (EPTFE) surgical sheet was used for dural repair in 34 patients. Suturing of EPTFE w...