• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2009

Background: Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) greater than or equal to a mild grade requires tricuspid valvuloplasty, and tricuspid valvuloplasty with ring annuloplasty has shown good outcomes. We report here on our early experience with the Edwards $MC^3$ annuloplasty system (Edwards LifeSciences, Irvine, CA). Material and Method: From November 2004 to July 2006, 72 patients with tricuspid annular dilatation and TR underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty with using the Edwards $MC^3$ annuloplasty ring. Sixty-eight patients were operated on via median sternotomy and four patients were operated on using robotic assisted minimal invasive thoracotomy. The patient population included 21 males and 51 females and their mean age was $53.9{\pm}12.3$. The mean grade of TR, as assessed by the preoperative echocardiography, was $2.2{\pm}1.0$. The mean NYHA functional class was $3.1{\pm}0.8$. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was $57.0{\pm}9.9$%. Result: The TR and NYHA functional class, as assessed by postoperative echocardiography, was significantly reduced (mean=$0.4{\pm}0.6$ and $2.0{\pm}0.7$, respectively p<0.001). There was one case of hospital mortality. One patient required permanent pacemaker insertion for third degree atrioventricular block. Conclusion: Our study shows that the Edwards $MC^3$ remodeling ring is easy to implant and it effectively corrects functional TR with excellent clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. Further follow-up and a larger clinical series are required to establish the long-term stability of this repair technique.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 2009

Background: As cardiovascular operations become more complex and sophisticated, there is an increasing need for various bioprostheses for use as components of blood vessels and heart valves. We developed a fatigue stimuli test instrument to objectively evaluate the mechanical durability of a bioprosthesis, and we tested several currently known processing methods for bovine pericardium and we then compared the results. Material and Method: Fresh bovine pericardium was collected at the butcher shop with using aseptic technique, and each piece of pericardium was fixated and/or decellularized by 16 representative methods. We measured the permeability and compliance of the processed bovine pericardium samples, and measured them again after exposure to the fatigue stimuli. All the pieces of pericardium underwent microscopic examinations before and after the fatigue stimuli. Result: A mixture of glutaraldehyde and solvent treatment showed better mechanical durability than did the single glutaraldehyde treatment. High concentration glutaraldehyde treatment showed equal or no worse results than did low concentration glutaraldehyde treatment. After SDS (sodium dodecylsulfate) decellularization, the mechanical property of the bioprosthesis became much worse ($20{\sim}190$ times) and the mechanical durability to the fatigue stimuli was also very poor. Conclusion: We obtained the basic durability data after various fixation methods with using a home-made fatigue test instrument.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.525-531
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• 1999

Background: We analyzed five hundred patients who underwent either isolated or concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) between November 1981 and June 1997. Material and Method: There were 330 males and 170 females with a mean age of 57.4$\pm$8.9 years. To evaluate the preoperative status, we performed electrocardiograghy, echocardiography, MIBI scan, Duplex sonogram, common blood test including CK and LDH and coronary angiography. Result: Preoperative clinical diagnoses were unstable angina in 282 (56.4%), stable angina in 141 (28.2%), postinfarction angina in 58 (11.6%), acute myocardial infarction in 8 (1.6%), variant angina in 7 (1.4%) and failed percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in 4 (0.8%) patients. Preoperative angiographic diagnoses were three-vessel disease in 263 (52.6%), two-vessel disease in 93 (18.6%), one-vessel disease in 71 (14.2%), left main disease in 68 (13.6%), and others in 5 (1.0%) patients. Patients had various risk factors for coronary disease, and the frequency of the risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and smoking showed increasing tendency year by year. We used saphenous vein grafts in 1143, internal thoracic artery grafts in 442, radial artery graft in 17, and gastroepiploic artery graft in 1 anastomosis. The mean number of grafts was 3.2$\pm$1.2 per patient. Concomitant operations were prosthetic valve replacement or valvuloplasty in 31, coronary endarterectomy and angioplasty in 27, left main coronary angioplasty in 13, carotid endarterectomy in 5, and neurologic problems, bleeding, and perioperative myocardial infarction. The mean follow-up period was 25$\pm$23 months and there were 5 cases of reoperation. Conclusion: We hope that the surgical results would improve with the accumulation of experience, application of new myocardial protection technique, and timely intervention of mechanical assisted devices.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.643-652
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• 2002

As the prevalence of coronay artery disease is increasing, the surgical treatment has been universalized and operative outcome has been improved. We analyzed the short and mid-term results of 292 CABGs performed in Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital. Material and Method: From June 1994 to December 2001, 292 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. There were 173 men and 119 women and their ages ranged from 39 to 84 years with a mean of $61.8{\pm}9.1$ years. We analyzed the preoperative risk factors, operative procedures and operative outcome. In addition, we analyzed the recurrence of symptoms, long-term mortality and complications via out-patient follow-up for discharged patients. Result: Preoperative clinical diagnoses were unstable angina in 137(46.9%), stable angina in 34(11.6%), acute myocardial infarction in 40(13.7%), non-Q myocardial infarction in 25(8.6%), postinfarction angina in 22(7.5%), cardiogenic shock in 30(10.3%) and PTCA failure in 4(1.4%) patients. Preoperative angiographic diagnoses were three-vessel disease in 157(53.8%), two-vessel disease in 35 (12.0%), one-vessel disease in 11(3.8%) and left main disease in 89(30.5%) patients. We used saphenous veins in 630, internal thoracic arteries in 257, radial arteries in 50, and right gastoepiploic arteries in 2 distal anastomoses. The mean number of distal anastomoses per patient was $3.2{\pm}1.0$ There were 18 concomitant procedures ; valve replacement in 8(2.7%), left main coronary artery angioplasty in 6(2.1%), patch closure of postinfarction ventricular septal defect(PMI-VSD) in 2(0.7%), replacement of ascending aorta in 1(0.3%) and coronary endarterectomy in 1(0.3%) patient. The mean ACC time was $96.6{\pm}35.3 $ minutes and the mean CPB time was $179.2{\pm}94.6$ minutes. Total early mortality was 8.6%, but it was 3.1% in elective operations. The most common cause of early mortality was low cardiac output syndrome in 6(2.1%) patients. The stastistically significant risk factors for early mortality were hypertension, old age($\geq$ 70 years), poor LV function(EF＜40%), congestive heart failure, preoperative intraaortic balloon pump, emergency operation and chronic renal failure. The most common complication was arrhythmia in 52(17.8%) patients. The mean follow-up period was $39.0{\pm}27.0$ months. Most patients were free of symptoms during follow-up. Fourteen patients(5.8 %) had recurrent symptoms and 7 patients(2.9%) died during follow-up period. Follow-up coronary angiography was performed in 13 patients with recurrent symptoms and they were managed by surgical and medical treatment according to the coronary angiographic result. Conclusion: The operative and late results of CABG in our hospital, was acceptable. However, There should be more refinement in operative technique and postoperative management to improve the results.