• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Background: Bioprosthetic materials have been made using glutaraldehyde fixation of porcine or bovine pericardium during cardiovascular surgery. But these bioprostheses have the problems of calcification and mechanical failure. We determined changes in tensile strength and elasticity of pericardium after glutaraldehyde, solvent, decellularization and detoxification. Material and Method: Tissues were allocated to four groups: glutaraldehyde with and without solvent, decellularization, and detoxification. We studied tensile strength and strain on tissues. We measured the tensile strength of fresh pericardium stretched in six directions (with 5 mm width), and % strain, which we calculated from the breaking point when we pulled the pericardium in two directions. Result: Tensile strength was reduced when we used the usual concentrated glutaraldehyde fixation (n=83, $MPa=11.47{\pm}5.40$, p=0.006), but there was no change when we used solvent. Elasticity was increased after glutaraldehyde fixation (n=83, strain $(%)=24.55{\pm}9.81$, p=0.00), but there was no change after solvent. After decellularization of pericardium, the tensile strength was generally reduced. The decrease in tensile strength after concentrated glutaraldehyde fixation for a long time was significantly greater less than after concentrated solvent (p=0.01, p=0.00). After detoxification, the differences in strength and strain were not significant. Conclusion: After glutaraldehyde treatment of pericardium there is no loss in tensile strength (even though we did the glutaraldehyde, solvent and detoxification treatments LOGIC IS UNCLEAR). Also, these treatments had a tendency to increase elasticity. Although post-treatment decellularization led to a significant loss in strength, this effect could be attenuated using a low concentration of solvent or hypertonic solution.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.188-198
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• 2002

Background: Reoperations on the aortic root or the ascending aorta are being performed with increasing frequency and remain a challenging problem. This study was performed to analyze the results of reoperations on the ascending aorta and aortic root. Material and Method: Between May 1995 and April 2001, 30 patients had reoperations on the ascending aorta and aortic root and were reviewed retrospectively. The mean interval between the previous repair and the actual reoperation was 56 months(range 3 to 142 months). Seven patients(23.3%) had two or more previous operations. The indications for reoperations were true aneurysm in 7 patients(23.3%), prosthetic valve endocarditis in 6(20%), false aneurysm in 5(16.7%), paravalvular leak associated with Behcet's disease in 4(13.3%), malfunction of prosthetic aortic valve in 4(13.3%), aortic dissection in 3(10%), and annuloaortic ectasia in 1(3.3%). The principal reoperations performed were aortic root replacement in 17 patients(56.7%), replacement of the ascending aorta in 8(26.7%), aortic and mitral valve replacement with reconstruction of fibrous trigone in 2(6.6%), patch aortoplasty in 2(6.6%), and aortic valve replacement after Bentall operation in 1 (3.3%). The cardiopulmonary bypass was started before sternotomy in 7 patients and the hypothermic circulatory arrest was used in 16(53.3%). The mean time of circulatory arrest, total bypass, and aortic crossclamp were 20$\pm$ 12 minutes, 228$\pm$56 minutes, and 143$\pm$62 minutes, respectively Result: There were three early deaths(10%). The postoperative complications were reoperation for bleeding in 7 patients(23.3%), cardiac complications in 5(16.7%), transient acute renal failure in 2(6.6%), transient focal seizure in 2(6.6%), and the others in 5. The mean follow-up was 22.8 $\pm$20.5 months. There were two late deaths(7.4%). The actuarial survival was 92.6$\pm$5.0% at 6 years. One patient required reoperation for complication of reoperation on the ascending aorta and aortic root(3.7%). The 1- and 6-year actuarial freedom from reoperation was 100% and 83.3$\pm$15.2%, respectively. One patient with Behcet's disease are waiting for reoperation due to false aneurysm, which developed after aortic root replacement with homograft. There were no thromboembolisms or anticoagulant related complications. Conclusions: This study suggests that reoperations on the ascending aorta and aortic root can be performed with acceptable early mortality and morbidity, and adequate surgical strategies according to the pathologi conditions are critical to the prevention of the reoperation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.5 s.250
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• pp.349-356
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• 2005

Background: Arterial conduits using in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have been known a great long term patency rates, and improved short and long term clinical outcomes. It has been reported that Off pump CABG has better clinical results than CABG using cardiopulmonary bypass. To evaluate the advantage of arterial conduits over venous conduits and to avoid the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, we performed total arterial Off pump CABG. Material and Method: From January 2001 to October 2004, Off pump CABG using only arterial conduits was performed on 325 patients with a mean age of $59.3\pm11.9$ years ($36\~83$). Mean ejection fraction was $55.4\pm14.0\%\;(15\~86).$ Angiography showed left main disease or triple-vessel disease in $81.9\%$ of the patients. Indications of using arterial conduits was stenosis $\ge50\%$ of left anterior descending artery, stenosis $\ge80\%$ of branches of left circumflex artery, and stenosis $\ge90\%$ of right coronary artery and its branches. Multi-slice computed tomography was performed on 194 patients to evaluate the short term patency rates. Result: A total of 928 distal anastomoses were performed and the average anastomoses per a patient were $2.86\pm0.78$. There was 1 operative mortality. Postoperative complications were mediastinitis in 6 patients ($1.8\%$), renal failure in 4 patients ($1.2\%$), perioperative myocardial infarction in 3 patients ($0.9\%$), reoperation for bleeding in 3 patients ($0.9\%$). There was no postoperative stroke. Patency rate of arterial conduits was $99.3\%$ (581/585). There were 4 stenoses or competitive flows in 2 radial arteries and 2 right internal mammary arteries. Conclusion: Total arterial Off pump CABG appears to be safe, showing a low surgical mortality and morbidity and excellent short term patency rates of arterial conduits.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.543-548
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• 1999

Background: These days, lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is used as an alternative or a bridge operation to lung transplantation in treating patients with severe emphysema. The procedure can be used in patients with pulmonary nodules combined with severe emphysema. We report the results of 21 months follow up after lung volume reduction surgery in 7 cases including 2 cases of concurrent resection of pulmonary nodules. Material and Method: Seven patients with emphysema, including 2 cases of preoperatively suspected lung cancer were operated with LVRS technique between July 1996 and June 1997. Result: Postoperative mortality was observed in a case of squamous cell carcinoma in LUL with brain metastasis, detected at postoperative 13months. Average of 21months(19-25months) follow up was done for other cases without specific events. Conclusion: LVRS is a useful operation in the treatment of patients with severe emphysema, but further evaluation should be done about the long term results and precise criteria for patient selection. Simultaneous LVRS and tumor resection could be done in patients with emphysema with marginal reserve in the hope of maximizing postoperative lung functions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.11 s.256
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• pp.776-779
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• 2005

Anomalous origin of right coronary artery from left sinus of valsalva is associated with sudden unexpected death, syncope, arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia. The mechanism that explains the restriction of coronary flow in the anomalous coronary artery is unclear but several surgical methods have been proposed, such as coronary artery bypass graft, coronary reimplantation, translocation of pulmonary artery, and unroofing procedure. We reported the surgical correction of the anomalous origin of right coronary artery from left sinus of valsalva between the aorta and pulmonary trunk using the unroofing procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.492-495
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• 2008

A functional single lung caused by lung diseases or pneumonectomy can result in anatomic and physiologic changes that may interfere with the conduct of subsequent coronary artery bypass surgery. Since. this type of case is extremely rare, there has not been any report on this in Korea. A 71-year-old female with a history of a destroyed left lung from pulmonary tuberculosis 13 years ago was admitted for evaluation of her increasing chest pain that she'd experienced for 2 weeks. Since coronary angiographies demonstrated 80% stenosis of the left main os, $90{\sim}95%$ stenosis of the p-LAD, 90% stenosis of the m-LCx and 90% stenosis of the RCA, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) was planned. Off-pump CABG with vein grafts through a median sternotomy was performed and the patient recovered the same as other CABG patients without complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2002

Background: Predicting the important role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression on the acute ischemia-reperfusion injury, we set out to demonstrate it by assessing the degree of expression of ICAM-1 after warm ischemia-reperfusion in canine unilateral lung ischemia model. Material and Method: Left unilateral lung ischemia was induced by clamping the left hilum for 100 minutes in seven adult mongrel dogs. After reperfusion, various hemodynamic pararmeters and blood gases were analyzed for 4 hours, while intermittently clamping the right hilum in order to allow observation of the injured Ieft lung function. The pulmonary venous blood was collected serially to measure TNF- and cICAM-1 level. After 4 hours of reperfusion, the lung tissue was biopsied to assess cICAM-1 expression, and to measure tissue malondialdehyde(MDA) and ATP level. Result: The parameters including arterial oxygen partial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and tissue MDA and ATP level suggested severe lung damage. Serum TNF-$\alpha$ level was 8.76$\pm$2.37 ng/ml at 60 minutes after reperfusion and decreased thereafter. The cICAM-1 level showed no change after the reperfusion during the experiment. The tissue cICAM-1 expression was confirmed in 5 dogs. Conclusion: The increase of TNF-$\alpha$ Ievel and expression of tissue ICAM-1 were demonstrated after ischemia reperfusion injury in canine lung model.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.759-764
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• 2006

Background: We analyzed post-operative angiography performed in symptomatic patients to evaluate the patency rates and the roles of grafts. Material and Method: We reviewed 52 (15%) coronary angiograms performed for recurrent angina after prior coronary artery bypass surgery from January 1995 to June 2005. A total of 345 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery during this period. There were 41 men and 11 women and the mean age was $64.07{\pm}15.58$ years. The median period from operation to re-angiogram was 68.5 months (range, 1 to 126 months). The numbers of grafts and peripheral anastomoses were 42 and 43 for internal thoracic artery (ITA), 14 and 20 for radial artery (RA), and 49 and 89 for saphenous vein. The mean number of anastomosis was 2.9 per patient, Result: The patency rates of ITA, RA and saphenous vein graft (SVG) were 37/43 (86%), 17/20 (85%) and 34/89 (38.2%). The patency rate of arterial grafts was significantly higher than that of SVG (p< 0.001) and the patency rate of the RA was comparable to that of ITA (p=0.942). The patency rate of sequential SVGs was higher than that of single SVG (40.3% vs 31.8%, p=0.478) and the patency rate of proximal segments in sequential anastomosis was higher than that in single anastomsis (55.6% vs 31.8%, p=0.097), but statistically not significant. Conclusion: Arterial grafts have markedly superior patency rates than SVGs, so consideration should be given to the vigorous use of arterial grafts. The patency rate of the RA was comparable to that of ITA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.2 s.259
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• pp.91-98
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• 2006

Background: There are many different opinions regarding the proximal anastomotic sites of radial artery in coronary artery bypass surgery. Therefore, we compared the clinical and angiographic findings according to anastomosis of radial artery to develop a guideline. Material and Method: From January 2003 to December 2004, 48 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery using radial artery in Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital were studied for clinical and coronary angiographic findings and were divided into group I for radial artery that anastomsed to aorta independently and group II that anastomosed to left internal mammary artery. Result: Patients in group I were 33 (men 26, women 7; mean age 61.93$\pm$6.56) and group II were 15 (men 13, women 2; mean age 59.53$\pm$6.02) and there was no difference in preoperative characteristics. Patients in group I had longer cardiopulmonary bypass time (169.36$\pm$40.28 versus 139.40$\pm$20.45, p=0.026) and patients in group II had more sequential grafts with RA per patients (5/33 versus 11/15, p < 0.05). Patients in group I used more vein graft for distal anatstomosis (47/117 ($40\%$) versus 9/48 ($18\%$), p=0.011) and there was no difference in perioperative outcome and overall survival. Mean follow-up time was 15.87$\pm$7.33 (1 to 28) months in patients of the group I and 21.40$\pm$2.85 (17 to 25) months in group II. Postoperative coronary angiography was performed 17/33 ($51.5\%$) in group I and 14/15 ($93.3\%$) in group II. Early perfect patency rate was not statistically different in left anterior descending artery (15/17 ($88.2\%$) versus 2/14 ($85.7\%$), p=1.00) and radial artery (17/20 ($85\%$) versus 30/30 ($100\%$), p=0.058). Late mortality was 1/33 ($3.0\%$) in group I and 1/15 ($6.7\%$) in group II. Conclusion: There was no difference in terms of clinical and postoperative angiographic findings except in cardiopulmonary bypass time, the number of sequential grafts with the RA per patients and the number of the used vein graft.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2004

Hemostatic function is regarded to be preserved after an off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), compared to conventional CABG, and the preserved hemostatic function may increase thrombotic occlusion of the graft. We studied the changes of hemostatic variables in patients undergoing off-pump CABG, and compared to those of on-pump CABG. We studied the changes of coagulation function in 11 patients who underwent off-pump CABG (group I), and compared them with those of 11 patients who underwent on-pump CABG and Dor procedure (group II). Coagulation status was evaluated by thromboelastography and blood coagulation test preoperatively, postoperative 1$^{st}$ day, 2$^{nd}$ day, 3$^{rd}$ day, and 5$^{th}$ day, respectively. Among the variables measured by thromboelastography (such as r time, k time, $\alpha$ angle, and MA value) and blood coagulation test (such as factor Ⅶ, protein S, protein C, antithrombin III, activated protein C resistance test, plasminogen, D-dimer, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, hemoglobin, and fibrinogen), there were significant differences in the MA value, $\alpha$ angle, and platelet counts between the two groups. MA values were 140$\pm$72% and 153$\pm$98% in group I, and 87$\pm$27% and 78$\pm$28% in group II, at postoperative 3$^{rd}$ and 5$^{th}$ days, respectively (p<0.05). $\alpha$ angle was 122$\pm$92% in group I and 69$\pm$23% in group II at postoperative 3$^{rd}$ day (p=0.09). Platelet count was 63$\pm$55% in group I and 33$\pm$13% in group II at postoperative 3$^{rd}$ day (p<0.05). Patients who underwent off-pump CABG showed increased coagulability during postoperative periods, compared to those who underwent on-pump CABG. Our data suggest that aggressive perioperative anticoagulation therapy is warranted in patients undergoing off-pump CABG. CABG.