• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.727-732
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• 2007

Background: The reciptents of aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation usually display various degrees of mitral regurgitation. When deciding whether or not to correct the mitral regurgitation, one must consider its severity, underlying causes and operative risk. Recently, the operation method for correcting the concomitant mitral regurgitation has been done through aortic root to reduce the operation time and the cardiac trauma. We report our experiences that transaortic mitral valve commissuroplasty done with aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation has been a simple, less invasive, effective method in the operative management of mitral valve regurgitation without significant organic changes. Material and Method: Between June 2002 and June 2005, twenty patients under-went mitral valve commissuroplasty via the aortic root with aortic valve replacement (n=14) or a Bentall operation (n=7). The mitral valve regurgitation of the patients didn't exceed a moderate (grade 2) degree and there was no significant organic disease. The preoperative diagnosis of MR was established by TTE and intraoperative TEE, and the patients were followed postoperatively by TTE. The operative technique was a simple anterolateral commissuroplasty of the mitral valve with a single mattress suture via the transaortic annular approach after excision of the aortic valve leaflets. Result: The mean patient age was 56.2 years and 65% (n=13) were male. The preoperative MR was mild (grade 1) in 9 (45%), mild to moderate in 8 (40%), and moderate (grade 2) in 3 (15%) patients. There were no operative mortalities. The MR improved in all patients (p=0.002) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) improved in 14 (70%) patients (p=0.005). The mean cross-clamp time for the patients who under- went aortic valve replacement with transaortic mitral repair was $62.1{\pm}13.9 min$ and this was $137.5{\pm}7.2 min$ for the patients who underwent a Bentall operation with transaortic mitral repair. Conclusion: For selected patients without significant mitral organic disease, transaortic mitral valve commissuroplasty combined with aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation may be a feasible, effective method without adding significant aortic cross clamping time and more cardiotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.232-235
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• 2007

We present 2 cases of patients who underwent surgical repair and replacement of an injured aortic valve that was secondary to nonpenetrating trauma. Primary repair was undertaken on an 18-year old boy, but he had persistent moderate aortic regurgitation for five years after surgery. Another 64-year old man was treated successfully with surgical replacement of the aortic valve via employing a prosthetic mechanical valve. Attempts at valvuloplasty for the treatment of traumatic aortic valve injury have not been uniformly successful, and prosthetic valve replacement is recommended for repair, except for highly selected cases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.419-422
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• 1997

In small children with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, a few methods of surgical treatment could be considrred. The pulmonary autogrart provides a promising options for aortic valve replacement as part of the aortoventriculoplasty procedure in children. We report a successfully treated congenital aortic stcnoinsufricicncy with severe left ventricular dysfunction in an early infant with the aortoventriculoplasty using thc pulmonary autograft (the Ross-Konno procedure).

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.652-659
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• 2004

Background: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of aortic valvuloplasty in pediatric age. Material and Method: Between January 1993 and March 2004, 35 patients underwent aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis (AS) or aortic regurgitation (AR). The mean age was 81.1$\pm$61.5 (1∼223) months. The mean follow up was 50.8$\pm$30.2 (3∼121) months. Nine patients had AS, 21 had AR, and 6 had AS and AR. Valve morphology was tricuspid in 24 patients, bicuspid in 9, quadricuspid in 1, and unicuspid in 1. The mean peak pressure gradients of AS were 72.0$\pm$33.0 mmHg, and the mean grades of AR were 3.1$\pm$0.9. Result: There was one late mortality without early mortality. After operation, AS improved with mean peak pressure gradients of 23.5$\pm$21.0 mmHg (p < 0.05), and AR improved with mean grades of 1.9$\pm$0.8 (p < 0.05). At mean follow up of 35.0$\pm$23.0 months, AS maintained with mean peak pressure gradients of 31.5$\pm$24.0 mmHg, but AR progressed with mean grades of 2.8$\pm$1.3 (p < 0.05). Reoperation was required in 6 patients 38.3$\pm$21.8 months after the original operation. The actuarial figures for freedom from reoperation at 2, 5 and 8 years were 96.9$\pm$3.1%, 79.5$\pm$5.5%, and 56.8$\pm$11.4%, respectively. Age at operation, presence of AS, preoperative severity of AS or AR, and morphology of aortic valve were not significant risk factors for reoperation, and improvement of AS or AR. Conclusion: Aortic valvuloplasty showed good immediate postoperative valve function. Aortic valvuloplasty offers children many years with tolerable valve function and allows to postpone aortic valve replacement or Ross procedure in pediatric patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.833-838
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• 2004

Background: Despite the excellent early results after the repair of congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease, the mid-term durability of the repaired valve has still controversies. Material and Method: To evaluate the mid-term results of BAV repair, retrospective review of medical records and echocardiographic data were done. Between 1994 and 2003, twenty-two patients underwent reparative procedure for either regurgitant or stenotic congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Result: Mean age was $41\pm14$ years with male predominance (Male=17, Female=5). The pathophysiologies of the BAV were regurgitation-dominant in 20 (91%) and stenosis-dominant in 2 (9%) cases. Various repair techniques were used for raphe, prolapsed leaflet, thickened leaflet, and commissures; 1) release of raphe in 19 (86%), 2) wedge resection and primary repair in 11 (50%), pericardial patch reinforcement after plication of the leaflet in 6 (27%), and plication of the leaflet in 3 (14%), 3) slicing of thickened leaflet was used in 12 (55%) cases, 4) commissuroplasty in 8 (36%), and commissurotomy in 6 (27%) cases. There was no in-hospital mortality. During the mean follow-up of $38\pm17$ months, one patient underwent aortic valve replacement after developing acute severe regurgitation from dehiscence of the suture on postoperative 2 months. New York Heart Association functional class was improved from $1.9\pm0.6$ to $1.2\pm0.5$ (p<0.01). Left ventricular end-systolic and diastolic dimension (LVESD/LVEDD) were also improved from $45\pm9$ and $67\pm10$ to $37\pm10$ and $56\pm10,$ respectively (p<0.01). The grade of aortic regurgitation (AR) was improved from preoperative $(3.1\pm1.2)$ to post-bypass $(0.9\pm0.7).$ However, the grade at last follow-up $(1.7\pm1.1)$ was deteriorated during the follow-up period (p<0.01). Freedom from grade III and more AR at one, three, and four year were 89.7%, 89.7%, and 39.9% respectively. Conclusion: Midterm clinical result of the BAV repair was favorable. But, the durability of the repaired valve was not satisfactory.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.492-498
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• 2004

Background: In this study, we investigated the risk factors for the development or progression of aortic regurgitation(AR) in patients with type I ventricular septal defect (VSD) to determine the optimal surgical timing and strategy. Material and Method: Three-hundred and ten patients with type I VSD with or without AR were included. The mean of age was 73.7$\pm$114.7 (1-737) months. One hundred and eighty six patients (60%) had no AR, 83 (27%) had mild AR, 25 (8%) had moderate AR and 16 (5%) had severe AR. Aortic valve was repaired in 5 patients and replaced in 11 patients with closure of VSD in the first operation. Four patients required redo aortic valve repair and 11 patients required redo aortic valve replacement. Age at operation, association with aortic valve prolapse, Qp/Qs, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, VSD size and systolic pulmonary artery to aortic pressure ratio(s[PAP/AP］) were included as risk factors analysis for the development of AR. The long-term result of aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement were compared. Result: Older age at operation, association with aortic valve prolapse, high Qp/Qs, and s[PAP/AP] were identified as risk factors for the development of AR (p<0.05, Table 2). The older the patient at the time of operation, the higher the severity of preoperative AR and the incidence of postoperative AR (p<0.05, Table 1, Fig. 1). For the older patients at operation, aortic valve repair had higher occurrence of AR compared to those who had aortic valve replacement (p<0.05, Fig. 2). Conclusion: From the result of this study, we can concluded that early primary repair is recommended to decrease the progression of AR. Aortic valve repair is not always a satisfactory option to correct the aortic valve pathology, which may suggest that aortic valve replacement should be considered when indicated.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.591-594
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• 1999

Supravalvular aortic stenosis is an uncommon, congenital narrowing of the ascending aorta which originates just distal to the level of the ostium of the coronary artery. We conducted a successful surgical treatment in a 39 year- old female patient with a congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation who did not show signs of William's syndrome. After we performed an inverted Y-shaped aortotomy toward the noncoronary sinus and right coronary sinus, pantaloon shaped prosthetic patch(Vascutek, Ino, USA) was used to repair the narrowing sinotubular junction. The aortic valve was replaced concommittently using Sorin Bicarbon 19mm. Her postoperative course was uneventful. The patient discharged at 9th postoperative day in good health.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2002

With an increasing awareness of the limitations of both mechanical prostheses and bioprostheses, aortic valvuloplasty has gained attention as an alternative procedure for aortic valve disease. Material and Method: Eight consecutive patients underwent aortic valvuloplasty caused by leaflet prolapse between June 1799 to June 2000. Mean age of the patients was 18.4$\pm$12.6 year. Four paitents(50%) were male. Six patients had tricuspid valves and ventricular septal defect and two patients had bicuspid valves. The extent of aortic insufficiency was 3.5$\pm$0.5 by preoperative Doppler echocardiography. The technique involved triangular resection of the free edge of the prolapsed leaflet, annular plication at the commissure, and resection of a raphe when present in bicuspid valves. Result: There was no in-hospital mortality or morbidity. Mean follow-up was complete at 11.973.6months. There was no late mortality or morbidity. The amount of the severity of aortic insufficiency, as assessed by echocardiography preoperatively, postoperatively and at late follow-up was 3.5$\pm$0.5, 0.6$\pm$0.5 and 0.8$\pm$0.6, respectively(p value : 0.01). There was one patient with grade 2/4 aortic insufficiency and in the other patients, grade 1/2 or trivial aortic insufficiency were detected with late echocardiograms. Conclusion: Triangular resection in the patients with aortic leaflet prolapse offers a good early clinical result, but long-term follow-up is necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.858-861
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• 2003

The main cause of ischemic heart disease combined with aortic valve disease is the systemic atherosclerotic process. Coronary artery embolism by a particle from the calcified aortic valvular tissue is very rare. A 73-year-old female patient was admitted due to chest tightness of recent onset. Two dimensional echocardiogram showed severe calcific aortic valve stenosis. Preoperative coronary angiogram exhibited a stenotic lesion at the distal right coronary artery, which seemed to be embolic in origin. The coronary embolus was removed through the coronary arteriotomy and then the arteriotomy site was repaired by onlay patch angioplasty technique. Aortic valve was replaced by a bioprosthetic valve. The embolus was reported as a fibrocalcified particle of diseased valve.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.463-471
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• 2003

The long-term results of combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement (AVR) have not been well evaluated. This study was performed to investigate the early and long-term results of mitral valve repair with AVR. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients who underwent mitral valve repair and AVR between September 1990 and April 2002. The average age was 47 years: 28 were men and 17 women. Twelve patients had atrial fibrillation and three had a previous cardiac operation. The mitral valve disease consisted of pure insufficiency (MR) in 34 patients, mitral stenosis (MS) in 3, and mixed lesion in 8. Mitral valve disease was due to rheumatic origin in 24 patients, degenerative in 11, annular dilatation in 8, and ischemia or endocarditis in 2. The functional anatomy of mitral valve was annular dilatation in 31 patients, chordal elongation in 19, leaflet thickening in 19, commissural fusion in 13, chordal fusion in 10, chordal rupture in 6, and so on. Aortic prostheses used included mechanical valve in 32 patients, tissue valve in 12, and pulmonary autograft in one. The techniques of mitral valve repair included annuloplasty in 32 patients and various valvuloplasty of 54 techniques in 29 patients. Total cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross clamp time were 204$\pm$62 minute and 153$\pm$57 minutes, respectively. Result: Early death was in one patient due to low output syndrome (2.2%). After follow up of 57$\pm$37 months, late death was in one patient and the actuarial survival at 10 years was 96$\pm$4%. Recurrent MR developed grade II or III in 11 patients and moderate MS in 3. Three patients required reoperation for valve-related complications. The actuarial freedom from recurrent MR, MS, and reoperation were 64$\pm$11%, 86$\pm$8%, and 89$\pm$7% respectively. Conclusion: Combined mitral valve repair with AVR offers good early and long-term survival, and adequate techniques and selection of indication of mitral valve repair, especially in rheumatic disease, are prerequisites for better long-term results.