• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.427-430
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• 2003

The surgical managements for the complicated aortic disease is still one of most challenging fields for the cardiac surgeons. The endovascular stent graft procedure has been tried recently to avoid serious complications caused by traditional graft replacement technique. However, indications for the procedures or management methods for the complications have not been clearly elucidated so far. We report a case of successful management for the newly-onset aneurysmal dilation of the distal aorta after an endovascular stent graft procedure in a patient with acute aortic dissection type IIIB.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.729-733
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• 2010

Endovascular treatment of the aortic aneurysm with a stent graft is rapidly evolving. We describe here a case of hybrid TEVAR (thoracic endovascular aortic repair) in which the stent grafts were placed in the aortic arch after debranching of the arch vessels. The patient had undergone ascending aorta replacement for acute type I aortic dissection 2.5 years earlier. The aneurysmal change of the distal dissection progressed with time. A provisional bypass surgery from the ascending aorta to the innominate artery and left carotid artery was performed and then stent grafts were inserted via an antegrade route that covered the whole aortic arch and proximal descending thoracic aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.440-448
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• 2006

Background: Surgery of descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta has the potential risk of causing neurological injury including spinal cord damage. This study was designed to find out the risk factors leading to spinal cord and brain damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. Material and Method: Between October 1995 and July 2005, thirty three patients with descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease underwent resection and graft replacement of the involved aortic segments. We reviewed these patients retrospectively. There were 23 descending thoracic aortic diseases and 10 thoracoabdominal aortic diseases. As an etiology, there were 23 aortic dissections and 10 aortic aneurysms. Preoperative and perioperative variables were analyzed univariately and multivariately to identify risk factors of neurological injury. Result: Paraplegia occurred in 2 (6.1%) patients and permanent in one. There were 7 brain damages (21%), among them, 4 were permanent damages. As risk factors of spinal cord damage, Crawford type II III(p=0.011) and intercostal artery anastomosis (p=0.040) were statistically significant. Cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 200 minutes (p=0.023), left atrial vent catheter insertion (p=0.005) were statistically significant as risk factors of brain damage. Left heart partial bypass (LHPB) was statistically significant as a protecting factor of brain (p=0.032). Conclusion: The incidence of brain damage was higher than that of spinal cord damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. There was no brain damage in LHPB group. LHPB was advantageous in protecting brain from postoperative brain injury. Adjunctive procedures to protect spinal cord is needed and vigilant attention should be paid in patients with Crawford type II III and patients who have patent intercostal arteries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.686-692
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• 1997

This study represents an attempt to present an analysis of early surgical results in 15 cases of aortic surgery conducted at Chonnam University Hospital between February 1994 to August 1995. The subject, 9 males and 6 females, ranged in age from 32 to 73 years with a mean age of 55.07$\pm$ 1176 years. The patients were treated for dissecting aortic aneurysm in nine, atherosclerotic aneurysm in 4, and traumatic aortic aneurysm in two. There were 9 cases of median stemotomy, 4 cases of posterolateral thoracotomy, and 2 cases of thoracoabdominal incision. Graft replacement of ascending aorta andfor partial or total aortic arch were performed in 9 patients, descending aorta andfor t oracoabdominal aorta in 3 and total aorta in 1, Two traumatic aortic aneurysms were closed directly. Associate procedures were resuspension of aortic valve in three patients and elephant trunk procedure, coronary reimplantation and aortic valve replacement in one patient. Nine patients underwent operation for ascending aorta andfor aortic arch with retrograde cerebral perfusion during deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest. Perfusion pressure was maintained below 25 mmHg and the mean duration of circulatory arrest was 56.67 $\pm$ 29.25 minutes. Three patients underwent graft replacement of desending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta during deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest. Three patients died of traumatic bile peritonitis, multioragn failure, and rupture of residual dissecting aortic aneurysm by malignant hypertension. Postoperative complications included reoperation for bleeding in 4 patients, temporary confusion in 3, pulmonary complication in 3, and pericardial effusion in .

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.532-535
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• 1999

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze the surgical techniques and postoperative complications in patients undergoing operations for descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. Material and Method: The data of 22 major operations between March 1987 and August 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. Result: There were 18 men and 4 women with a mean age of 49 years (range 33 years to 82 years). The cause of the aneurysm was aortic dissection in 13 patients, atherosclerosis in 3, mycotic in 3, trauma in 2 and uncertain in 1. The operative techniques were resection and graft replacement in 16, axillofemoral bypass graft in 2, femorofemoral bypass graft in 2, exclusion, aneurysmorrhaphy in 1 and transfemoral stent insertion in 1. During the operation, 16 cases were performed under total aortic clamp. Among the 16 patients, femorofemoral bypass was used in 14 cases and previously made shunt in 2 cases. The mean total aortic clamp time was 91 minutes and the mean extracorporeal circulation time was 116 minutes. One death occurred in an excluded patient on the 52 postoperative day due to a rupture of the aneurysm. Postoperative complications were paraplegia in 1 case, acute renal failure in 1 case and acute respiratory failure in 1 case. Conclusion: Although surgical treatment of the descending thoracic aneurysm has many postoperative complications, good surgical results can be achieved with a proper patient selection and fine surgical techniques.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.6 s.251
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• pp.434-437
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• 2005

Since the operative mortality rate of the Acute aortic dissection has been reducing, a more extensive primary repair of the dissected aorta is preferred for acute aortic dissection to reduce the needs of secondary procedures. We performed a total aortic arch replacement with distal stent-grafting in acute type A aortic dissection. The patient was a 50-years old man. He recovered from the operation and was followed up for 7 months. The pseudolumen in the descending aorta was obliterated with the stent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.584-589
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• 2002

Background : The thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery is a complicated procedure that has various method of approach and protection. The authors have performed several methods to treat these diseases. Therefore, we attempt to analyze their results and risks. Material and Method: From June of 1992 to August of 2001, we performed 26 cases of thoracic aortic surgery and 10 cases of thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. There were 17 aortic dissections, 17 aortic aneurysms, one coarctation of aorta and one traumatic aortic aneurysm. The thoracic aortic replacement was performed under a femorofemoral bypass, an LA to femoral bypass, or a deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The thoracoabdominal aortic replacement was performed under a femorofemoral bypass or a pump assisted rapid infusion. Result: There were 7 renal failures, 11 hepatopathies, 7 cerebral vascular accidents, 2 heart failures, 5 respiratory insufficiencies, and 2 sepsis in postoperative period. There were 9 hospital mortalities which were from 2 bleedings, 2 heart failures, 2 renal failures, a sepsis, a respiratory failure, and a cerebral infarction. There were 3 late deaths which were from ruptured distal anastomosis, cerebral infarction, and pneumonia. Conclusion: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was not good supportive methods for thoracic aortic replacement. Total thoracoabdominal aortic replacement was a high risk operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.648-654
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• 2010

Background: This study assessed the early results of endovascular repair of acute type B aortic dissection and the aortic wall changes following endovascular repair. Material and Method: From July 2008 to May 2009, the preoperative and follow-up computed tomography (CT) scans of 5 patients with acute type B aortic dissection were evaluated, and these patients had underwent stent graft implantation within 13 days of the onset of dissection (mean: 7 days; range: 3~13). The whole lumen (WL), true lumen (TL) and false lumen (FL) diameters were measured at the proximal (p), middle (m) and distal (d) third of the descending thoracic aorta. Result: The study included four men and one woman with an average age of $59.4{\pm}20.1$ years (age range: 37~79 years). The follow-up CT was performed and evaluated at 7 days and 6 months. The primary tear was completely sealed in all the patients. No paraplegia, paresis or peripheral ischemia occurred and none of the patients died. No endoleaks developed in any of the patients during follow-up. The TL diameters increased from 20.4 to 33.5 mm in the proximal third (p/3), from 19.5 to 29.8 mm in the middle third (m/3) and from 15.2 to 23.5 mm in the distal third (d/3). The FL diameters decreased from 18.7 to 0 mm in the p/3, from 15.4 to 0 mm in the m/3 and from 21.4 to 8.7 mm in the d/3. The changes in the TL diameter were statistically significant in the middle and distal aorta, and those changes in the FL diameter were not statistically significant. There was a decrease in the WL after repair, but this was not statistically Significant. In three patients, the false lumen disappeared completely on follow-up CT at 6 months. Two patients had patent false lumens and no thrombosis. Conclusion: The early results showed that endovascular repair was effective in treating acute type B aortic dissection, and endovascular repair promoted positive aortic wall changes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.517-523
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• 2004

Background: The location of intimal tear can vary in type A acute aortic dissection. The aim of this study was to assess the operative result according to the intimal tear site. Material and Method: From January, 1995 to May, 2003, 18 patients underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. The patients were classified according to the intimal tear site. In Group I (n=11), the intimal tear site was located within the ascending aorta, in Group II (n=7), the intimal tear site was located in the aortic arch, descending aorta, or intramural hematoma only. All clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. Result: In Group I, the operative time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aorta cross clamp time and circulatory arrest time were 381.5$\pm$81.0 min, 223.5$\pm$42.5 min, 146.4$\pm$34.8 min and 36.5$\pm$17.4 min, respectively; and in group II, 461.7$\pm$54.0 min, 252.5$\pm$45.3 min, 162.5$\pm$45.3 min and 47.0$\pm$14.4 min respectively. All of those were greater in group II. The overall hospital mortality rate was 27.8% (5/18) and was significantly higher in Group II (57.1%)(p=0.003) compared to that in Group I (9.1%). The causes of death were hemorrhage (n=1) in group I and hemorrhage (n=2), multiple organ failure (n=1), and rupture of abdominal aorta (n=1) in group II. Conclusion: Surgical treatment of acute type A aortic dissection with intimal tear in the ascending aorta results in an acceptable mortality rate, but in patients with intimal tear in the aortic arch or descending aorta, the operative mortality still remains high when only ascending aorta replacement was performed. In these circumstances, in order to improve surgical results, efforts to include the intimal tear site in the operative procedure will be needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2003

As classical acute aortic dissection, atherosclerotic penetrating ulcers and intramural hematoma have different pathophysiology and natural history, treatment strategy should be different and, therefore, accurate differential diagnosis is necessary. However, these three aortic diseases may be indistinguishable by clinical observation and even by various diagnostic modalities such as cardiac echocardiography, CT and MRI. The patients was a 71-year-old female with chief complaints of anterior chest pain, nausea and vomiting which occurred suddenly 3 days before admission. CT angiographic with 3 dimensional reconstruction shows intramural hematoma in ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta and right brachiocephalic trunk, heompericardium, and blood in mediastinum and both pleural cavities. The CT angiographic finding of focal out-bulging in the ascending thoracic aorta was diagnosed as penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. The patient underwent emergency operation under a preoperative diagnosis of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer with a sign of aortic rupture. In the intraoperative findings, however, intimal tear was seen in the anterior portion of the ascending aorta about 1cm below the brachiocephalic trunk and falselumen appeared after hematoma was removed from the layer of tunica media. We report a case of type A aortic dissection which mimicked clinical and diagnostic features of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer.