• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.674-677
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• 2003

Staple closure of bronchial stump was compared with manual suture closure among 100 cases of pneumonectomy during the recent 5-year period, We have reviewed the incidence of bronchpleural fistula between autosutured group and manual sutured group. Material and Method: During the recent 5-year period, 100 patients underwent pneumonectomy at Hanyang University Hospital. Staple closure of bronchial stump was performed in 65 patients and manual suture in 35 patients. There were 55 males and 10 females in the autosutured group, and 26 males and 9 females in manual sutured group, which showed no significant statistical difference between the two groups. The mean ages of patients for autosutured group and manual sutured group were 56.7$\pm$10.3 years and 61.4$\pm$9.2 years, respectively, which showed no significant statistical difference between the two groups. There were 38 cases of left pneumonectomy and 27 cases of right pneumonectomy in autosutured group, and 22 cases of left pneumonectomy and 13 cases of right pneumonectomy in manual sutured group. There were 53 cases of malignancy and 12 cases of benign imflammatory disease in autosutured group, and 27 cases of malignancy and 7 cases of benign imflammatory disease in manual sutured group. Result: The incidence of bronchopleural fistula was 6.1％ in autosutured group and 5.7％ in manual sutured group. The incidence of other postoperative complication between the two groups showed no significant statistical difference. Conclusion: The incidence of bronchopleural fistula between autosutured group and manual sutured group was not different stastically. Both method for closure of bronchial stump can be performed in pneumonectomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.4 s.261
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• pp.275-280
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• 2006

Background: Aortopulmonary window (APW) is a very rare congenital heart anomaly, often associated with other cardiac anomalies. It causes a significant systemic to pulmonary artery shunt, which requires early surgical correction. Accurate diagnosis and surgical correction will bring good outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe our 20-year experience of aortopulmonary window. Material and Method: Between March 1985 and January 2005, 16 patients with APW underwent surgical repair. Mean age at operation was $157.8{\pm}245.3$ ($15.0{\sim}994.0$) days and mean weight was $4.8{\pm}2.5$ ($1.7{\sim}10.7$) kg. Patent ductus arteriosus (8), atrial septal defect (7), interruptedaortic arch (5), ventricular septal defect (4), patent foramen ovate (3), tricuspid valve regurgitation (3), mitral valve regurgitation (2), aortic valve regurgitation (1), coarctation of aorta (1), left superior vena cavae (1), and dextrocardia (1) were associated. Repair methods included 1) division of the APW with primary closure or patch closure of aorta and pulmonary artery primary closure or patch closure (11) and 2) intra-arterial patch closure (3). 3) Division of the window and descending aorta to APW anastomosis (2) in the patients with interrupted aortic arch or coarctation. Result: There was one death. The patient had 2.5 cm long severe tracheal stenosis from carina with tracheal bronchus supplying right upper lobe. The patient died at 5th post operative day due to massive tracheal bleeding. Patients with complex aortopulmonary window had longer intensive care unit and hospital stay and showed more morbidities and higher reoperation rates. 5 patients had reoperations due to left pulmonary artery stenosis (4), right pulmonary artery stenosis (2), and main pulmonary artery stenosis (1). The mean follow-up period was $6.8{\pm}5.6$ (57.0 days$\sim$16.7 years)years and all patients belonged to NYHA class 1. Conclusion: With early and prompt correction of APW, excellent surgical outcome can be expected. However, optimal surgical method needs to be established to decrease the rate of stenosis of pulmonary arteries.