• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.570-577
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• 2004

CT angiography is now available to evaluate the early graft patency after coronary bypass surgery. We investigated whether patency or occlusion of the bypass grafts can be visualized by CT angiography and what factors effect the visuality. Material and Method: Fifty patients underwent scanning with a 4-slice computed tomographic scanner (Somatom Volume ZoomTM; Siemens, Germany) before being discharged after coronary artery bypass grafting. To evaluate graft patency and relationship between the quality of graft image and the characteristics of the diseased coronary vessels, 50 internal thoracic artery grafts, 18 radial artery grafts, and 56 vein grafts were included in this study. Result: All vein grafts (24 grafts; 32 anastomoses) to left coronary artery system were well visualized, but 3 grafts (4.7%) of 30 vein grafts (35 anastomoses) to right coronary artery system were not visualized. The latter was also occluded in invasive coronary angiographic study. Thirty-nine (78%) internal thoracic artery grafts were well visualized, 8 (16%) faintly visualized, and 3 (6%) not visualized, but all the internal artery grafts were well patent in invasive coronary angiographic study. Conclusion: Unvisualized vein grafts in CT angiography means occlusion of the grafts, but unvisualized arterial grafts in CT angiography may not mean occlusion of the graft but result from competitive flow between the graft and coronary artery. To confirm patency of the unvisualized arterial grafts, invasive coronary angiography is needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.499-501
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• 2001

In the 1970s, the radial artery was proposed as a coronary artery bypass graft but then was abandoned due to graft occlusion secondary to spasm during harvesting. Development of new pharmacologic antispasmodic agents and minimal traumatic harvesting techniques has led to the revival of the use of the radial artery in coronary artery bypass procedures. Harmonic Scalpel(Ultracision Inc, Smithfield, Rl) offers the surgeon the ability to perform less traumatic, spasm free, and rapid radial artery harvesting.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.456-461
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• 2006

Background: Distal anastomosis using artificial vascular graft is difficult when luminal size mismatch occurred owing to severe occlusion of popliteal artery and its branches. So we reconstructed blood flow to ischemic lower limb by using autologous greater saphenous vein in situ graft (GSVISG) as vascular graft material. Material and Method: From July 2000 to July 2005, 26 patients treated using GSVISG. We analyzed clinical results retrospectively by chart review. Result: There was no in hospital or early postoperative death and 6 late deaths occurred during follow up period. Postoperative complications were 5 cases of early graft obstruction, 2 cases of wound dehiscence, 1 case of graft aneurysmal change, 1 case of seroma formation at inguinal wound and 1 case of graft injury during valvulotomy. Overall patency rate during follow up period was 69.3%. Conclusion: Greater saphenous vein in situ graft is acceptable vascular graft for arterial occlusive disease of lower extremity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.8 s.253
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• pp.551-556
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• 2005

Background: Complete arterial off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) by sequential anastomoses with one or two arterial grafts provides favorable outcomes. However, problems of insufficient graft length, hypopefusion, kinking of graft, and unfavorable course of graft may be encountered. To solve these problems, we have used different technique with multiple arterial Y composite graft to allow end-to-side rather than sequential anastomoses and evaluated the results of this method. Material and Method: Between February 2003 and October 2004, If patients underwent total arterial OPCAB using multiple arterial V composite grafts with left internal mammary artery (LIMA), radial artery (RA), and right internal mammary artery (RIMA). We divided RA into multiple segments by number of distal target site after measuring of individual proper length and constructed arterial composite graft. One of segments was sutured end-to-side to LIMA and other segment was sutured end-to-side to the previously constructed radial graft. Postoperative graft patency was evaluated in 6f patients by multi-slice computed tomegraphy. Result: An average of $2.5\pm0.6$ arteries and $3.7pm0.7$ distal anastomoses per patient were done. There was no perioperative myocardial infarction, clinical hypoperfusion syndromes, and operative mortality. Postoperative mean CK-MB level was $17.4pm29.7\;IU/L.$Overall graft patency was $99.1\%\;(214/216)(LIMA:\;100\%,\;RA:\;98.4\%,\;RIMA:\;100\%).$ Conclusion: This technique allows total arterial OPCAB without technical problems and provides excellent early clinical results and graft patency. We believe that this technique is more convenient in the obtuse marginal area compared to sequential technique, and helpful in patients who require complex arterial grafting.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2001

배경: 관상동맥우회술은 허혈성 심질환 환자에서 증상을 완화하고 급사를 방지할 수 있는 효과적인 치료방법으로 확립되었다. 그러나 80년대에 들어와 지금까지 사용되었던 대복재정맥편에 비해 동맥이식편의 장기개통율이 월등함이 알려지면서 좌내유동맥과 함께 사용할 수 있는 동맥이식편에 대한 관심이 증가하였다. 본원에서는 1998년부터 다동맥이식편을 이용하여 관상동맥 우회술을 시행하고 있으며, 조기성적에 대해 대복재정맥을 사용한 경우와 비교하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1998년 6월부터 1999년 5월까지 본원에서 관상동맥우회술을 시행받았던 355명의 환자중 심정지액을 이용하여 시행했던 153명을 대상으로 하였다. 76명의 단일 동맥편을 사용한 환자를 I군, 두 개 이상의 다동맥편을 사용한 77명의 환자를 II군으로 분류하여 수술전후 임상기록, 심초음파 및 관상동맥 조영술 소견등을 후향적으로 분석하였다. 결과: 술전 양군간에는 II군의 환자가 I군의 환자에 비해 더 젊고 흡연자가 많다는 것 이외에는 통계학적으로 차이는 없었다. 술후 조기사망은 각 군에서 1례씩 있었고 환자당 문합갯수에 통계학적으로 차이가 있는 것 이외에는 수술과정 및 술후 결과에서 차이는 없었다. 결론: 다동맥편을 이용한 관상동맥우회술을 시행한 결과 본원에서 학습기(learning period)임에도 불구하고 조기성적에 있어 대복재정맥을 이용한 경우와 차이가 없었다. 물론 중기 및 장기성적에 대한 지속적인 추적관찰이 필요하겠으나 이러한 조기성적은 동맥이식편을 이용한 관상동맥우회술이 환자의 장기생존에 도움을 줄 수 있으리라 사료된다. 또한 이러한 결과를 토대로 완전 동맥이식편 관상동맥우회술로의 전환이 이루어질 수 있으리라 생각된다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.690-692
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• 1999

internal thoracic artery is used in myocardial revascularization because of many advantages. However, it may not be appropriate in the usual extrapleural or intrapleural route, because it can be easily displaced and injured due to the slender and weak characteristics. We introduce here, a simple technique of repositioning the skeletonized left internal thoracic artery in a stable and straight course by creating a tunnel between the left lateral pericardium and thymic tissue.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.9 s.254
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• pp.601-608
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• 2005

Background: To maximize the histological advantage and minimize the physiological disadvantage, we have been using the skeletonized gastroepiploic artey (GEA) as a free graft for total arterial revascularization. The aims of the current study was to assess the efficacy of the skeletonized GEA as a composite or extended graft for total arterial revascularization. Material and Method: Between January 2000 and Feburary 2005, 133 patients (43 female, mean age=61.8 yrs) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with a skeletonized GEA as free graft (22 extended, 107 composite and 4 others) were enrolled in this study. Coronary angiograms were performed in the immediate (median 44 days, n=86), early (median 366 days, n=56) and midterm (median 984 days, n=29) postoperative periods. Result: There were 3 ($2.2\%$) early and 4 ($3.3\%$) late cardiac-related deaths. The mean number of distal anastomoses per patient was 3.34 for total graft and 1.92 for GEA graft. The immediate, early, and midterm GEA patency were 157/159 ($98.7\%$), 106/142 ($94.6\%$), and 53/56 ($94.6\%$), respectively. During follow-up, four patients required percutaneous intracoronary intervention because of GEA and target coronary artery stenosis or competitive flow. Conclusion: These data demonstrate satisfactory clinical and angiographic results in the skeletonized GEA as free graft for total arterial revascularizatioh. Although we need a careful longer follow-up, the skeletonized GEA as a free graft will be a valuable option 'to be' for CABG.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2008

Background: With increasing coronary bypass and peripheral vascular surgeries, the demand for homologous vascular or synthetic conduits has continued to grow, but wide-spread application has been limited by dismal patency rates. Although cryopreserved allograft valves may provide a suitable alternative, current viability or patency of implanted allograft vascular conduits has been unsatisfactory. Material and Method: We serially analyzed the outcomes of canine femoral artery and saphenous vein allograft implants after storage in either $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-170^{\circ}C$. Result: There were no differences in graft flow rate (patency) (p=0.264), rate of thrombosis (p=0.264), presence of endothelium (p=0.587), or immunohistochemical staining for thrombomodulin (p=0.657) were detected between grafts stored in $4^{\circ}C\;and\;-170^{\circ}C$. Greater flow occurred in the arterial grafts versus the venous grafts (p=0.030), irrespective of the preservation method, with a significantly lower incidence of thrombosis (p=0.030) in arterial allografts. There was a correlation coefficient of -0.654 between thrombosis and positive immunohistochemical staining for thrombomodulin (p=0.006) and a correlation coefficient of 0.520 (p=0.0049) between the endothelial presence and positive immunohistochemical staining for thrombomodulin. The relationship between the presence of endothelium and thrombomodulin expression failed to show any correlation within the first 2 weeks (p=0.306). However, a strong correlation was seen after 1 month (p=0.0008). Conclusion: Tissue storage in either $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-170^{\circ}C$ in 10% DMSO/RPMI-1640 preservation solution preserved grafts equally well. In terms of thrombosis and graft patency, arterial grafts were superior to venous grafts. Considering the poor correlation between thrombomodulin expression and the presence of an endothelium in the implanted graft within the first two weeks, grafts in this period would not be thromboresistant.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.839-844
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• 2004

Background: The Y-composite graft of internal thoracic artery and radial artery is commonly used in coronary bypass surgery. The aim of this study is to look for a way to raise the free flow of the internal thoracic graft and to see flow dynamics of the Y-graft. Material and Method: In 15 patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery, free flow of the in-situ internal thoracic artery graft was measured using two different papaverine application methods; extraluminal papaverine spray in 7 patients and intraluminal papaverine injection in 8. In 18 other patients for whom the Y-graft was used, total free flow and flow changes from the two ends were measured. Result: The free flow of the in-situ internal thoracic artery graft almost doubled with internal papaverine injection than with external papaverine spray $(47.7\pm9.6$ mL/min $vs.100.8\pm26.3$ mL/min, p<0.001). Total flow of the Y-composite graft was significantly more than either flow of the internal thoracic artery end or radial artery graft end $(173.3\pm45.3$ mL/min vs. $121.1\pm34.3$ mL/min or $117.5\pm42.8$ mL/min). When both ends of the Y-composite graft were opened, free flows from the two ends were similar $(85.4\pm27.8$ mL/min vs: $87.9\pm42.4$ mL/min, p=0.772). The flow of one end of the Y-composite graft was increased significantly by clamping of the other-end than when both ends were opened. Conclusion: Intraluminal papaverine injection is very effective in raising free flow of the internal thoracic artery graft, and the free flow of the Y-composite graft of in-situ internal thoracic artery and free radial artery graft is more than that of the in-situ internal thoracic artery graft. The flow of one end flow of the Y-graft may be altered by the flow change of the other end.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.2 s.247
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• pp.152-156
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• 2005

Background: Occlusive complications after arterial revascularization are difficult to treat and have high recurrence rate. This study was performed to establish an effective treatment modality and to evaluate the factors affecting the occlusive complications by analysis of clinical data. Material and Method: During the period of 5 years. 33 patients (55 reoperations) were studied at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital following 173 arterial revascularization surgeries. The clinical characteristics, operating methods, the time intervals of reoperation, used graft, and the results of treatment were evaluated retrospectively. Result: All the patients were men except one and the mean age was 63.5 years old. The mean time internal from first operation to reoperation was 11.9 months. The cause of arterial occlusive diseases were 28 atherosclerosis and 5 Burger's diseases, Associated diseases were Hypertension $(57.6\%)$, Diabetes mellitus $(33.3\%)$, heart failure $(18.2\%)$, and so on. The mean rate of reoperation was 1.67 times and the most common type of first operation was femoro-popliteal bypass grafting $(57.6\%)$. The graft that used revascularization surgery were 25 cases of PTFE and 6 case were Dacron. There was no statistical difference between two groups. The kinds of reoperations were thrombectomy in 20 cases, angioplasty 18 cases, re-bypass surgery in 13 cases, and lumbar sympathectomy in 4 cases. The results of reoperation were 15 cases of functional recovery, 7 cases of limb salvage, 5 cases of above-knee amputation. 3 cases of below-knee amputation and 3 deaths. Conclusion: The main cause of occlusive complications are occlusion of inflow or outflow artery. Treatments were different according to the first operation methods and graft used. The most frequent time of reoperation was within one year after the first operation. We believe that graft surveillance especially during the first year is very important factor in observing the patient. We can look forward to improving limb salvage rate to perform additional treatment such as radiological interventions and lumbar sympathectomy.