• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.60-63
• /
• 2002

Edwards Duromedics mechanical valve was introduced into clinical use in 1982 and is still being used today after several modifications. Valve-related complications after mechanical valve replacement are thiombo-embolism, endocarditis, valve malfunction, valve leaflet escape and fracture. Incidence of valve leaflet escape is very low. A 40 year-old male patient who had undergone mitral replacement with a 31mm Edwards Duromedics mechanical valve(model

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.777-780
• /
• 2009

We reported here on 2 cases of aortic regurgitation (AR) that were due to avulsion of the aortic valve commissure. Aortic valvuloplasty was attempted in both cases. In the 1st case, valvuloplasty was performed with reattaching the commissure using the 5-0 polypropylene continuous suture technique. However, aortic regurgitation recurred and this lead to reoperation on the postoperative $14^{th}$ day. The intraoperative finding revealed a completely re-detached commissure that required mechanical valve replacement. In the second case, we attempted to reattach the commissure using pledgetted multiple transverse mattress sutures with 5-0 polypropylene. Because the leaflet coaptation was incomplete, the aortic valve was replaced with a tissue valve.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.10
• /
• pp.833-838
• /
• 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
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.602-613
• /
• 2010

Background: As life expectancy has been increased, the cardiac valve disease has been increased. In past, mechanical valve for valve replacement surgery was used widely, but it has many weaknesses, such as hemorrhage, teratogenic effect caused by warfarin, acute mechanical failure, taking warfarin during life, etc. So, the tissue valve is used widely and researches for durability of tissue valve are in progress. Tissue valves being used are all imported in Korea, and there is a lack of information on its geometry and design. So, we studied the geometry of porcine aortic and pulmonary valve, and tried to suggest theoretical basis for making the aortic and pulmonary valve. Material and Method: We harvested aortic and pulmonary valves of 25 pigs and measured the geometry of valve at fresh and glutaraldehyde (GA) fixed state. In each group, we measured the diameter of the base, diameter of commissure, valve height, commissural height, etc. Also, for making implantable porcine and bovine pericardial valve, we designed the valve stent form, thickness, height, and leaflet size, form, thickness by different size of valve. Result: The aortic and pulmonary valve geometry and ratio were measured in each group. The right coronary cusp of aortic valve and right facing cusp of pulmonary valve was bigger than other cusps and non coronary cusp was smaller than others (RCC: NCC : LCC=1 : 0.88 : 1). Valve height was correlated to the leaflet size. We designed the outer diameter of stented porcine aortic valve from 19 mm to 33 mm and designed stent height and width, using previous measured ratio of each structure, stent thickness, working thickness (for making valve). Also, we designed the size of stent and form for stented bovine pericardial valve, considering diameter of valve, leaflet length, height and leaflet minimum coaptation area. Conclusion: By measuring of 25 pig's aortic and pulmonary valve geometry and ratio, we can make theoretical basis for making implantable stented porcine valve and bovine pericardial valve in various size. After making implantable valve using these data, it is necessary to do in vivo and in vitro researches, furthermore.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.38 no.4 s.249
• /
• pp.319-322
• /
• 2005

A 45 year-old man who suffered with palpitation and dyspnea for 3 years visited our hospital. He was dianosed as mitral insufficieny due to isolated cleft mitral valve in anterior mitral leaflet on the basis of transthoracic echocardiogram In our case edges of the cleft were relatively thin and smooth. The entire length of the cleft was sutured with 5-0 Prolene? interrupted sutures. We report a case of direct suture repair in a patient with isolated cleft in anterior mitral valve leaflet.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.696-703
• /
• 2009

Background: A Comprehensive Aortic Root and Valve Reconstruction (CARVAR) procedure is comprised of aortic root wall reconstruction and corrections of the leaflets for treating various aortic valve diseases. We evaluated our recent early clinical experience with the CARVAR procedure. Material and Method: From October 2007 to September 2008, 114 cases (66 males) of CARVAR procedures were performed, The mean patient age was 53 years (range: 14~84) The patients were divided into 4 groups: 1) the AAR group: aortic regurgitation with aortic root wall deformity such as annulo-aortic ectasia or ascending aortic aneurysm (n=18), 2) the IAR group: isolated AR with leaflet abnormality (n=42), 3) the IAS group: isolated aortic stenosis (n=51) and 4) the PAVR group: previous aortic valve replacement (n=3). Sinotubular junction (STJ) reduction was done in all the patients, leaflet correction was done in 10 of the AAR group patients and in all the patients of the other groups, annulus reduction was done in 14 of the MR group patients and in 6 of the IAR group patients. Aortic dissection was excluded from this analysis. Result: There was no mortality or follow-up death. The diameter of the aortic sinus decreased from $54.6{\pm}8.4$ mm to $38.3{\pm}3.8$ mm in the AAR group, the mean AR grade decreased from 3.2 to 0.2 in the IAR group, the mean aortic valve pressure gradient decreased from $47.1{\pm}24.4$ mmHg to $15.1{\pm}11.7$ mmHg in the IAS group and the mean AR grade decreased to 0 in the PAVR group. Balloon type coronary perfusion cannula-related coronary ostial stenosis developed in 4 patients and this was treated with OPCAB in three patients and with PTCA in one patient. Two patients developed postoperative infectious endocarditis. All the patients were discharged and followed up in a stable condition. Conclusion: The CARVAR procedure showed excellent short term results, but a good further follow up result is required to apply this procedure to most kinds of aortic valve diseases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.40 no.12
• /
• pp.859-862
• /
• 2007

A hemangioma at a cardiac valve leaflet is a rare finding. There are only five reported cases in the medical literature and no prior case reported in Korea. A previously healthy 45-year-old woman presented with an acute episode of numbness in the left side of the face and hand. Although no definite abnormalities were found on the neurological examination and testing the echocardiography revealed an echogenic mass in the anterior mitral valve leaflet. The tumor was excised en bloc from the leaflet and the defect was repaired with an autologous pericardial patch. Pathology examination confirmed the mass to be a hemangioma of the valve leaflet. Here we report this case and review the medical literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.12
• /
• pp.890-893
• /
• 2002

Ebsteins anomaly is a rare congenital cardiac malformation that is the downward displacement of the septal and posterior leaflets of the tricuspid valve into the ventricular apex, aresulting in the formation of an atrialized portion of the right ventricle. In most patients, symptoms such as cyanosis and progressive heart failure occur during the adolescence or young adulthood. The associated anomalies include ventricular septal defect, transposition of the great arteries, and malformation of the mitral valve. An 8-months-old male with Ebsteins anomaly, ventricular septal defect, and duplication of the mitral valve orifice successfully underwent operation with VSD patch closure. Postoperatively, cardiac size was significantly reduced and tricuspid regurgitation was trivial in echocardiography He has been doing well without any cardiac medication during the 18 months follow up after operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.509-512
• /
• 2009

Ebstein's anomaly is a complex congenital defect of the tricuspid valve and right ventricle. Various surgical methods to repair the regurgitant tricuspid valve have been reported, and most of them depend on monocuspidalization with using the anterior leaflet. We report here on our first experience with Ebstein's anomaly in a 31-year-old female patient who underwent cone reconstruction of the tricuspid valve with using three leaflets.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.10
• /
• pp.876-879
• /
• 2004

Patients with concomitant surgical diseases of the heart and lungs are a therapeutic challenge to cardiothoracic surgeons. A 59-year-old woman underwent right middle lobectomy for lung cancer and redo double valve replacement with tricuspid annuloplasty simultaneously. Concomitant operation is a safe procedure and might allow prompt correction of both conditions, thereby sparing the patient a second major thoracic procedure with its attendant risks.