Our center receives many complex cases, like the intricate ones depicted in this drawing. Both required incredibly challenging surgeries, especially those involving connective tissue diseases, aortic dissection, and stent graft placement in younger patients. These procedures demand utmost caution—not just for surgeons and cardiologists, but for patients and their families to understand too. I strongly encourage seeking second opinions! Patients and loved ones, don’t hesitate to explore various doctors’ perspectives on your treatment—your health decisions are too important.
Tomorrow in Gifu, I will be giving a lecture on 124 cases of left open aortic arch graft replacement at our center. This surgery is effective in cases where midline incision is difficult, such as after omental filling or complex coronary artery bypass surgery, when the descending arch is rapidly expanding over a wide area, or when there is infection, and is not intended to replace midline incision. Because of these cases, nearly half were emergency or semi-emergency, but there were no 30-day deaths and 1.6% in-hospital deaths. Standardizing this surgery has increased the number of safer approaches to complex aneurysms.
今朝、Siriraj病院全職員向けの朝カンファレンスで自己紹介をしました。 司会者からの最初の紹介が「Kawasaki Aortic Center is one of best aortic treatment center in Japan and also in the world.」でした。 とても誇らしいことです。
We were scheduled to receive a patient with acute type A aortic dissection from Shizuoka Prefecture via helicopter today. However, due to strong winds, the helicopter could not fly. The patient is now being transported by ambulance across a distance of approximately 180 km to our center in Kawasaki.
To shorten transport time, our doctor car meets the ambulance halfway—a system we use to ensure patients reach us as quickly and safely as possible.
Dr. Pocholo, who came to us from the Philippines, has safely returned home after completing his two-year aortic-surgery fellowship in Kawasaki. Over those two years he assisted in 501 aortic operations and soaked up an extraordinary range of experience. Dr. Lin from Taiwan has likewise finished his one-month observership and will depart tomorrow. Our farewell gathering was wonderfully spirited, joined by anesthesiology trainees from the Philippines and many visiting physicians from Taiwan. I look forward—with genuine excitement—to seeing their passion drive the growth of aortic care throughout Asia.
Aortic Asia 2025に参加する機会に恵まれ、KACの経験に基づいた急性スタンフォードA型大動脈解離の治療戦略、および胸腹部大動脈瘤治療における一期的アプローチと段階的アプローチの検討について発表しました。会議は非常に有意義なものとなり、質疑応答では活発な議論が交わされました。
会議主催者のWorawong先生をはじめ、タイの大動脈外科医、この分野を牽引する日本の第一線の専門家、そして世界中の優れた医師の方々など、著名な同僚の方々と交流する機会を得られたことは、本当に素晴らしいことでした。特に、以前X(旧Twitter)で繋がっていたWei先生と、ついに直接お会いできたことは大変光栄でした。
この会議は、世界中の大動脈外科コミュニティの経験と学びを共有するための貴重な場となりました。有意義な交流に感謝するとともに、これらの尊敬すべき同僚の方々と、この分野の発展に向けて引き続き協力していくことを楽しみにしています。
I had the privilege of participating in Aortic Asia 2025, where I presented on treatment strategies for acute Stanford Type A aortic dissection based on KAC’s experience, as well as considerations regarding single-stage versus staged approaches in thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm treatment. The conference was exceptionally engaging, with lively and active discussions during the question-and-answer sessions. It was truly wonderful to have the opportunity to interact with such distinguished colleagues, including Dr. Worawong, the conference organizer, Thai aortic surgeons, leading Japanese experts in the field, and outstanding physicians from around the world. I particularly enjoyed finally meeting Dr. Wei in person, with whom I had previously connected on X (formerly Twitter). The conference provided an invaluable platform for sharing experiences and learning from the global aortic surgery community. I am grateful for the meaningful exchanges and look forward to continued collaboration with these esteemed colleagues in advancing our field.
Many guests from the Philippine General Hospital came to observe. Currently, two guests from the anesthesiology department and the cardiopulmonary bypass technician department are also visiting, for a total of eight guests. The surgeries they will be observing today are two left thoracotomy surgeries and one abdominal aortic surgery.