Left hepatectomy

Left hepatectomy is one of the most common types of hepatectomy. In order to perform the procedure, surgeons need to possess all the basic skills for accomplishing any liver resection. The most important points to bear in mind in relation to left hepatectomy are: (1) a precise recognition of the surgical anatomy of the vascular structures of the liver, especially the bile duct, because of the wide anatomic variations; (2) recognition that the procedure consists of the following three parts: hilar dissection, mobilization of the left liver, and liver resection; (3) an understanding that these steps need to be accomplished with great care to control bleeding and to avoid injury to the vessels supplying the right hemiliver.     

Left Ventricular Noncompaction

According to the World Health Organization classification of cardiomyopathies, left ventricular noncompaction is still an unclassified cardiomyopathy. In 2006, the American Heart Association classified this entity as a primary cardiomyopathy of genetic origin. In 2008, the European Society of Cardiology updated the classification scheme similar to the World Health Organization classification. At present, there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria, and diagnosis is based on the morphologic features identified by cardiac imaging studies or at autopsy. Due to lack of standardization of the diagnostic criteria and little awareness of this condition among clinicians, the true prevalence of this disease is not clear. There is no specific therapy for this condition. However, it seems prognosis is much better than initially reported. The current status of diagnosis, prognosis, and management of isolated noncompaction in adults is discussed in this review.     

Left ventricular lipoma

We report the case of a 21-year-old female referred to our institution complaining of dizziness when standing up, which improved in the dorsal decubitus position and at rest, after a few minutes. The symptom, which had lasted for years, was not accompanied by vertigo, syncope, or neurological changes, but was gradually getting worse. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a hyperechoic mass in the middle-apical region of the left ventricular posterior wall and normal pericardium. The cardiac nuclear magnetic resonance allowed the diagnosis of the left ventricular tumor suggestive of lipoma. Surgery was performed and the tumor was resected. The patient recovered well and is currently asymptomatic.     

Left Ventricular Tachycardia Originating Near the Left Main Coronary Artery

Eight patients with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) underwent mapping and radiofrequency ablation. Mapping showed VT originating in the high posterolateral left ventricular outflow tract in proximity to the left main and proximal circumflex coronary arteries. Ablation was not attempted due to this proximity to the left main and proximal circumflex coronary arteries. Ablation was not attempted due to this proximity in 2 patients and limited in 1 patient. It was successful in VT suppression in 5 of 6 patients.     

Left ventricular myxoma

A rare development of acute inferior myocardial infarction is reported in a 23-year-old man with no previous history of cardiovascular disease. In an echocardiographic study a left intraventricular tumour was diagnosed. Cineangiographic study showed normal coronary arteries. The tumour, a myxoma, originating in the ventricular septum, was resected through the left atrium after the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve was detached. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient remained healthy 48 months after surgery.     

Left heart myxomas

Separate left ventricular and left atrial myxomas were detected with echocardiography in an asymptomatic young adult with a systolic murmur. Successful surgical removal of both tumors was performed without complications. The value of echocardiography in evaluating heart murmurs of uncertain origin is demonstrated by this unique case.     

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

A 49-year-old female patient with a history of coronary arterydisease was seen in our hospital because of a recurrent pseudoaneurysmof the left ventricle (LV). In 1993, she suffered from an anteroseptalwall myocardial     

Left coronaro-ventricular microfistula

Microfistulae between coronary arteries and left ventricle have long been regarded as mere curiosities, but their frequency seems to have been underestimated. A review of 2,520 consecutive coronary arteriographies performed in adults has yielded 34 cases. In most of the 28 patients without infarction or valve disease, the symptoms were suggestive of coronary pathology. Signs of ischaemia were found at electrocardiography in 19 of these 28 patients, and exercise tests or myocardial scintigraphy were positive in 2 out of 3 cases. Patients' mean age was 53.4 years. The coronary arteriographic diagnosis was usually easy when technical conditions were perfect. The division of patients into two groups according to the presence or absence of significant coronary lesions revealed that the "isolated microfistulae" group was primarily composed of women (19/21). It is generally accepted that these fistulae are of embryonic origin, but their relation to atherosclerosis needs to be determined. The causes of ischaemic manifestations (coronary artery steal, global disturbances of myocardial microcirculation) are considered. Treatment is essentially medical, surgery being exceptional. Prognosis is habitually favourable (mean follow-up 28.3 months in our series). Thus, microfistulae between coronary arteries and left ventricle usually present as angina-like symptoms in women in their fifties who are free from atheromatous disease. They are found in more than 1 p. 100 of coronary arteriographies in adults, i.e. 8 p. 100 of "normal" coronary arteriographies. Their origin, the mechanisms of their symptoms and their relationship with the "so-called healthy coronary arteries angina" are obscure.