• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.576-580
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• 1998

This study is to clarify the results of atrial septal defect(ASD) repair and mitral valve surgery through right anterolateral thoracotomy since 1989, and those of more generalized application of minimal invasive cardiac surgery since August 1997. We retrospectively analyzed the results of open heart surgery(OHS) through other than full sternotomy carried out until October 1997. There were 28 cases of OHS done through right anterolateral thoracotomy(17 cases of ASD, 4 cases of mitral valve repair, 6 cases of mitral valve replacement, and 1 redo mitral and tricuspid valve repalcement) which has demonstrated no surgical mortality or morbidity except only 1 case of reoperation for bleeding. During the period between August and October 1997, we performed near routine application of upper sternotomy or transverse sternotomy in aortic valve cases and routine application of minimal incision in cases with ASD and there was no evidence of early and late complications associated with this approach. We conclude that OHS with the use of minimal incisions is very safe, cosmetically excellent, and superior in terms of the amount of bleeding. The indication for minimal incision, therefore, should be extended afterwards.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.396-400
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• 2009

Operations using the da Vinci robot have performed in for many surgeries, but the adoption of robotics to general thoracic surgery has been slow. The patient (age 74, male) visited our hospital complaining of hiccups and dysphagia. The CT scan and endoscopic biopsy revealed esophageal cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). We performed transthoracic esophagectomy using a da Vinci robot and this was followed by gastric tube mobilization via laparoscopy. Cervical esophago-gastric anastomosis was done using the hand-sewn method. The gastric tube was brought into the neck through the retrosternal route. The patient was discharged without any complications. We report here on a case of successful da Vinci robotic esophgagectomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.375-379
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• 2009

Difficulty in exposing anastomotic sites is a frequently encountered problem during surgical repair of a distal aortic arch aneurysm via median sternotomy or lateral thoracotomy. Endovascular repair has th limitation that it usually requires surgical rerouting of some of the brachiocephalic branches in order to get sufficient length for proximal fixation of the stent-graft. To take advantage of each approach, we fixed the distal end of the prosthetic graft by means of a pre-mounted metallic stent instead of performing conventional surgical anastomosis during the repair of distal arch aneurysms with using median sternotomy and hypothermic circulatory arrest. We report here on our experience with such 3 patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.799-803
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• 1998

Background: Tumors of the trachea are rare despite their histologic similarity to tumors of the main stem bronchus and lung. Materials and methods: Fourteen patients with tracheal tumor underwent surgical, radiational, or laser photocoagulation therapy from March 1981 to July 1996. Nine patients were malignant and five patients were benign. The most common malignant tumor was adenoid cystic carcinoma. Results: Age ranged from 10 to 65 years with mean age of 45.9 years. Most tumors were located middle and lower one-third of trachea. Surgery was done through collar incision, or collar incision with vertical partial sternal division, or left posterolateral thoracotomy, or sternal division with laryngeal release. Two patients died after operation, because of the disruption of anastomosis and airway obstruction,and laryngeal edema after suprahyoid release. Only one patient died after 8 month of diagnosis. The other patients were doing well during the follow-up period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.348-348
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• 1997

A 48 year old man, has been suffering from a growing chondrosarcoma of sternum which has deeply invading the anterior mediastinum: He underwent wide resection of the chest wall tumor including a 4 cm free margin of normal tissue on all portions. The tumor as 15 × 16× 10cm in size arising from sternum and include both proximal one third of the clavicle and the 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd coital cartilages. The resected skeletal defect in the anterior wall was very large after wide resection of the'tumor and reconstructed due to paradoxical chest wall movement with sandwich like method of double over lapping Marlex mesh and methylmethacreylate, and steel wires. The soft tissue reconstructive procedure was dont with myocutaneous flap transposition use of pectoralis muscle. But the patient go infected with tuberculosis in the mediastinum two months after the operation. We had removed all of previously inserted prosthetics and performed curettage and drainage. Recently we experienced a case with giant chondrosarcoma of the sternum associated with tuberculous mediastinitis. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged with adjuvant treatment such as antituberculous medication for 1 year.

• 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.30 no.3
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• pp.248-252
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• 1997

A 48 year old man, has been suffering from a growing chondrosarcoma of sternum which has deeply invading the anterior mediastinum: He underwent wide resection of the chest wall tumor including a 4 cm free margin of normal tissue on all portions. The tumor as 15 $\times$ 16$\times$ 10cm in size arising from sternum and include both proximal one third of the clavicle and the 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd coital cartilages. The resected skeletal defect in the anterior wall was very large after wide resection of the'tumor and reconstructed due to paradoxical chest wall movement with sandwich like method of double over lapping Marlex mesh and methylmethacreylate, and steel wires. The soft tissue reconstructive procedure was dont with myocutaneous flap transposition use of pectoralis muscle. But the patient go infected with tuberculosis in the mediastinum two months after the operation. We had removed all of previously inserted prosthetics and performed curettage and drainage. Recently we experienced a case with giant chondrosarcoma of the sternum associated with tuberculous mediastinitis. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged with adjuvant treatment such as antituberculous medication for 1 year.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.516-519
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• 2008

Aorto-cutaneous fistula is a rare complication after performing open heart surgery, but if this develops, it is a fatal condition. So, prompt diagnosis and aggressive surgical treatment is needed. We report here on a patient who had two mechanical double valves placed during heart surgery and she was treated for repeated sternal wound infections for about 5 years. She visited the ER due to abrupt bleeding at the sternal wound. She was diagnosed as having an aorto-cutaneous fistula by performing an aortogram and we then performed cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery. The patient is currently doing well and is under follow up 24 months after the repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1247-1250
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• 1997

A 13-year-old boy presented with anterior chest wall depression and dyspnea on exertion(NYHA II). He underwent Ravitch operation for pectus excavatum 7 years ago. A preoperative echocardiographic study revealed secundum atrial septal defect. He had no other abnormality of laboratory test, except FVC and FEVI were decreased into 2.03 L(7 %) and 1.82 L(71 %). He underwent repair of secondary anterior chest wall deformity and secundum atrial septal defect. We used unique method, raising sternum at right angle to secure good operative field for open heart surgery. Acute respiratory insufficiency was developed on postoperative day 1. Mechanical ventilation was applied which could be weaned on postoperative day 6 and thereafter hospital course was uneventful without any other sequale. He was discharged on postoperative day 19.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 1999

We describe a case of successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) in a small infant with cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) failure after an open heart surgery. A 35-day-old male infant weighing 4.4 kg who had congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension underwent patch closure of ventricular septal defect without any intraoperative event. Postoperative course was unremarkable in the intensive care uint for about 5 hours before the junctional ectopic tachycardia developed. Sudden cardiac decompensation with bradycardia occurred about 50 minutes after the development of junctional ectopic tachycardia. He was put on ECMO by arterial cannulation at the ascending aorta and by venous cannulation at the right atrial appendage after 4 hours' CPR. The hemodynamics were stable with enough urine output during ECMO. He was weaned from ECMO 38.5 hours after initiation. Delayed sternal closure was attempted. He was extubated on postoperative day 7 and discharged home on postoperative day 21 without any neurologic sequelae.