• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1401-1404
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• 1996

Central venous line insertion is an essential procedure in a cardiac operation. For this, percuteneous Insertion is usually done in the internal jugular vein or the subclavian vein. However, this method can create such complications as pneumothorax and hemothorax, and repeated failure in inserting the cathet r, especially in infant and child patients, can waste excessive time. Consequently, in our hospital, catheterization of the innominate vein was done after the completion of sternotomy in the cardiac operation of infant and child patients weighing under 1 Okg. During operation, the catheter was placed in the left atrium through the foramen ovate or pulmonary artery to be used for pressure monitoring. When the patient's hemodynamic became stabilized, the catheter was withdrawn to either the right atrium or superior vena casa to be used as the channel for fluid replacement or drug administration. In our hospital, this procedure has been used in 96 cases since 1989. No complications such as pneumothorax and hemothorax occilrred, and neither bleeding after the removal of the catheter was seen.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.869-875
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• 1997

Perimembranous ventri ular septal defects(PMVSDS) are the most common type of ventricular septal defects(VSDs) and consist morphologically of deficiency of the membranous septum and variable portions of the adjacent muscular septum. Repair of VSD has begun via a right ventriculotomy. Even with this exposure, however, it mght lead to ventricular dysfunction. Transatrial exposure of VSDs is luiown to a versatile approach to PMVSDS and even malaligunent defects can be repaired by this method. Although transatrial exposure can be improved by taking down'the atrioventricular valve at the annulus, surgeons have been hesitant to do so because of concern for valvular competence. Therefore, this study was undertaken to clarity the effects of transamlular approach of tricuspid valve (TATV) at operation of PMVSD. During last 5 years, twenty eight cases from 96 patients of PMVSD were closed by TATV and follow up study was done from 3 months to 33 months and results were obtained as follows. 1. Age at operation was fr m 4 months to 38 years and most patients(17, 62%) were above 5 years. 2. Preoperative pulmonary-systemic flow ratio(QPIQS) was ranged from 1 to 2.8 and 22 patients(79%) were less than 2. 3. Peak systolic pulmonary artery pressure was below 30mmHg in 8, 30-50mmHg in 17, above 50mmHg in 3 patients and 25 patients(89%) were less than 50mmHg. 4. Preoperative tricuspid regurgitation(TR) is none in 12, trivial in 6, mild in 3, moderate in 5, severe in 2 patients but postoperative TR was none in 18, trivial in 6, mild in 4 patients, so TR in most patients had decreased or not. 5. Indications for operation were based on the presence of a significant shunt. However, in patients with small shunts, indications for operation were included additional factors, tricuspid valve pouch, RVOT obstruction(right ventricular outflow tract obstruction), subacute bacterial endocarditis and associated anomalies. 6. There were no hospital deaths and residual shunts in postoperative echocardiography. Therefore TATV is especially a good method in PMVSn where patients have trcuspid valve pouch. And it is a safe and effective technique that improves exposure for PMVSD repair and does not adversely affect tricuspid valvular competence.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.672-679
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• 2001

Background: Surgical correction of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the superior vena cava has been associated with postoperative venous obstruction and sinus node dysfunction. In this paper we describe our current approach and its short-term results. Material and Method: Between April 1999 and January 2000, 5 consecutive patients, ranging from 2 months to 66 years old, underwent corrective operation for partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the superior vena cava at Sejong General Hospital and Daegu Catholic University Medical Center. Surgical correction involved diversion of the pulmonary venous drainage to the left atrium using a right atrial flap(2 patients) or prosthetic patch(3 patients) with division of the superior vena cava superior to the restore site of the pulmonary veins and reimplantation on the right atrial appendage to restore systemic venous drainage. Result: All patients were discharged between postoperative day 9 and 15 without complications. One Russian boy returned to his country, therefore, he was lost to follow-up after discharge. Remaining 4 patients were asymptomatic and in normal regular sinus rhythm at a mean follow-up of 17.75$\pm$4.27 months. Follow-up echocardiographic study (range, 12 to 24 months) revealed no incidence of narrowing of the venous pathways or of residual shunt. Conclusion: Our current approach is relatively simple and reproducible in achieving unobstructive pulmonay venous and SVC pathways. By avoiding incision across the cavoatrial junction, surgical injury to the sinus node and its artery may be minimized. The presented surgical technique can be safely and effectively applied to the selected patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.722-725
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• 1999

Background: To secure a rapid and safe approach which is at the same time cosmetically appealing, we employed the right anterolateral thoracotomy incision for repair of atrial septal defects and valvular heart diseases in the adult. Material and method: Between October 1989 and June 1998, 44 adult patients underwent open heart surgery through right anterolateral thoracotomy at our institution. Operative time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross clamp time, blood loss until chest tube removal, length of ICU stay, days to discharge, and survival were compared with those that received cardiac surgery via conventional sternotomy. Result: No significant differences were observed between the two groups. There was no death and no additional morbidity directly related to this approach. Cosmetically satisfying results were obtained with safety using the right anterolateral thoracotomy approach. Conclusion: Our data show that the right anterolateral thoracotomy approach is a safe alternative to conventional median sternotomy as it offers excellent exposure and aesthetically more acceptable wounds while not adding on to the operative risks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.373-378
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• 1999

Background: Minimally invasive technique for various cardiac surgeries has become widely accepted since it has been proven to have distinct advantages for the patients. We describe here the results of our experiences of minimal incision in cardiac surgery. Material and Method: From February 1997 to November 1998, we successfully performed 31 cases of minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Male and female ratio was 17:14, and the patients age ranged from 1 to 75 years. A left parasternal incision was used in 9 patients with single vessel coronary heart disease. A direct coronary bypass grafting was done under the condition of the beating heart without cardiopulmonary bypass support(MIDCAB). Among these, one was a case of a reoperation 1 week after the first operation due to a kinked mammary artery graft. A right parasternal incision was used in one case of a redo mitral valve replacement. Mini-sternotomy was used in the remaining 21 patients. The procedures were mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty in 6 patients, mitral valve replacement 5, double valve replacement 2, aortic valve replacement 1, removal of left atrial myxoma 1, closure of atrial septal defect 2, repair of ventricular septal defect 2, and primary closure of r ght ventricular stab wound 1. The initial 5 cases underwent a T-shaped mini-sternotomy, however, we adopted an arrow-shaped ministernotomy in the remaining cases because it provided better exposure of the aortic root and stability of the sternum after a sternal wiring. Result: The operation time, the cardiopulmonary bypass time, the aorta cross-clamping time, the mechanical ventilation time, the amount of chest tube drainage until POD#1, the chest tube indwelling time, and the duration of intensive care unit staying were in an acceptable range. There were two surgical mortalities. One was due to a rupture of the aorta cannulation site after double valve replacement on POD#1 in the mini-sternotomy case, and the other was due to a sudden ventricular arrhythmia after MIDCAB on POD#2 in the parasternal incision case. Postoperative complications were observed in 2 cases in which a cerebral embolism developed on POD#2 after a mini-sternotomy in mitral valve replacement and wound hematoma developed after a right parasternal incision in a single coronary bypass grafting. Neither mortality nor complication was directly related to the incision technique itself. Conclusion: Minimally invasive surgery using parasternal or mini-sternotomy incision can be used in cardiac surgeries since it is as safe as the standard full sternotomy incisions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.466-471
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• 1998

Purpose: The safety and efficacy of minimally invasive techniques in congenital heart surgery were tested in this study. Materal and method: Between July 1997 and November 1997, a total of 46 children were underwent minimally invasive cardiac operations at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Age and body weight of the patients averaged 34.6${\pm}$41.8 (Range: 1∼148) months and 14.5${\pm}$9.9(Range: 3.0∼40.0) kg, respectively. Twenty eight patients were male. Preoperative surgical indications included 15 atrial septal defects, 25 ventricular septal defects, 1 foreign body in aorta, 3 partial atrioventricular septal defects, 1 total anomalous pulmonary venous connection(cardiac type), and 1 tetralogy of Fallot. After creating a small lower midline skin incision starting as down as possible from the sternal notch, a vertical midline sternotomy extended from xyphoid process to the level of the second intercostal space, where one of the T-, J-, I- or inverted C-shaped lower lying mini-sternotomy was completed with a creation of unilateral right or bilateral trap door sternal opening. A conventional direct aortic and bicaval cannulation was routine. Result: A mean length of skin incision was 6.1${\pm}$1.0(range: 4.0∼9.0) cm. A mean distance between the suprasternal notch and the upper most point of the skin incision was 4.0${\pm}$1.1 (range: 2.0∼7.0) cm. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, and the operation time were 62.9${\pm}$20.0(range: 28∼147), 29.8${\pm}$12.8(range: 11∼79), and 161.1${\pm}$34.5 (range: 100-250) minutes. A mean total amount of postoperative blood transfusion was 71.0${\pm}$68.1 (range: 0∼267) cc. All patients were extubated mean 11.3${\pm}$13.8(range: 1∼73) hours after operation. A mean total amount of analgesics used was 0.8${\pm}$1.8(range: 0∼9) mg of morphine. The mean duration of stay in intensive care unit and hospital stay were 35.0${\pm}$32.2 (range: 10∼194) hours and 6.2${\pm}$2.0(range: 3∼11) days. There were no wound complications and hospital deaths. Conclusion: This short-term experience disclosed that the minimally invasive technique can be feasibly applied in a selected group of congenital heart disease as well as is cosmetically more attractive approach.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.569-573
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• 2007

A 3 month old female baby, who had been diagnosed with right atrial isomerism associated with total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), a functional single ventricle and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCA), underwent left MAPCA unifocalization and left Blalock-Taussig shunt (3.5 mm) at 3 months of age. The post-operative course was complicated by pulmonary venous congestion, and the drainage site of the TAPVR was found to be stenotic on echocardiography. We performed sutureless repair of the TAPVR along with unifocalization of the right MAPCA. She was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator for 8 days after the 2nd operation, and she was able to come off the oxygenator with the placement of a central shunt (3 mm). She developed tracheal stenosis, which was presumably due to longstanding endotracheal intubation, and she then underwent tracheostomy. She was discharged to home on day 104 after the 1st operation, and she has been followed up for 2 months in a good clinical condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1342-1346
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• 1996

A right thoracotomy was used for the reoperation or mitral valve of 15 patients who had previously undergone a cardiac operation through a median sternotomy. In our experience. this approach provided dn excellent exposure of the nlitral valve and easy cannulations of both cavie with minimal dissection, ilvoiding any damage of cardiac and major vessels during re-sternotomy Arterial cannulation was performed in the ascending aorta in 13 patients And in the femoral artery in 2 patients. In earlier cases, venous cannulation was done in the SVC And IVC through the right atrium and snared. In later cases, this could be done without snaginly of both cavae or by placing a silgle light-angled catheter into the right atrium. Crystalloid cardioplegic solution was infused for myocardial protection. Hypothermia was controlled at 20\ulcorner$25^{\circ}C$. For defibrillation, internal paddles were used In one patient while sterilized external paddles were used in 10 patients. In the remaining four patients. however. the heart beat spontaneously The respirator could be weaned within 48 hours alter the operation and no pulmonary complication was observed. One out of the 15 patients expired due to sudden attack of ventricular tarchycardid developed ten days after the operation, but the rest of the patients were discharged with good condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1991

Tetralogy of Fallot was repaired by a transatrial-transpulmonary approach in 91 of 250 patients treated surgically [including redo operations] between April 1986 and December 1989. Their age ranged from 6 months to 14 years [mean 39.7 months]. Associated cardiovascular anomalies were right aortic arch [n=22], ASD [n=12], PDA [n=5], persistent left SVC [n=5], and others [n=6]. PA index was measured pre-operatively since 1987 to estimate pulmonary artery size and safe total correction[mean 289$\pm$110mm2/BSA]. Eight patients received previous shunt take down procedure concomitantly. Pulmonary arteriotomy was extended through small pulmonary annulus to a minimal distance upon the right ventricular infundibulum and transannular patch was applied in 38 patients [41.3%], in 31 of them monocuspid patch was utilized. pRV/LV was measured at operation room in 77 patients [mean 0.58$\pm$0.36]. Operative mortality was 6.6% [6/91]. The causes of death were low cardiac output [n=5], arrhythmia[n=1] and respiratory failure [n=1]. At follow-up between 12 months and 57 months [mean 30.8 months] most patients were in New York Heart Association class I without cardiac medication. There was no late death, but reoperations were required in 3 patients to relieve residual right ventricular outflow obstruction. Thus successful repair of tetralogy of Fallot can be accomplished in most patients including infants by transatrial-transpulmonary approach and the better result can be anticipated with respect to postoperative right ventricular function and arrhythmia than the conventional transventricular approach.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.256-258
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• 2009

A 63-year-old man who had a permanent pacemaker placed 17 years ago presented to us with local inflammatory signs on his chest. The skin was opened to remove the permanent pacemaker. However, the pacing wire was not easily removed. So, the permanent pacemaker was removed from the chest with leaving the remnant wire inside. However, the local infection recurred because of the remnant wire. Right thoracotomy was performed and cardiopulmonary bypass was started. After total circulatory arrest, the right atrium was opened and the wire was completely removed.