• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.274-282
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• 2002

Background: Paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm developed after isolated aortic valve replacement(AVR) for aortic regurgitation(AR) associated with Behcet's disease is one of the most serious complications, and requires subsequent reoperations. We describe the surgical result of homograft aortic root replacement(ARR) for AR associated with Behcet's disease. Material and Method: From January 1992 to December 2001, 6 patients with AR associated with Behcet's disease underwent 7 ARR with homograft and 1 Ross operation. Five patients were male and one was female. The grafts used for ARR were 5 aortic and 2 pulmonic homografts. Ages at operation ranged from 27 to 51 years(mean, 37$\pm$9 years). Two patients underwent ARR with aortic homograft at the first operation. In the remaining 4 patients, ARR using a homograft was performed for paravalvular leakage that developed after AVR, and the mean interval from AVR to ARR was 21 $\pm$29 months(range, 5 to 73.3 moths, median, 7.6 months). Result: There was no early death. All patients were followed up for an average of 18.9$\pm$24.0 months(range, 1.9 to 68.9 months, median, 8.4 months). Two of 4patients who had undergone ARR after AVR required subsequent reoperations for false aneurysm of the ascending aorta and failure of pulmonary homograft. One patient underwent re-replacement of the aortic root, ascending aorta and partial aortic arch with an aortic homograft, the other underwent Ross operation. Conclusion: This study suggests that aortic root replacement using a homograft in aortic regurgitation with Behcet's disease may provide good clinical results and decrease the incidence of paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm after aortic valve replacement. However, the adequate perioperative management and complete removal of the inflarrunatory tissue at operation were also important for the good long-term results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.506-511
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• 1997

To understand the clinical results of aortic root replacement with either inclusion or open technique, we analysed 53 patients who underwent replacement of the aortic root with composite graft between October,1980, and May, 1995. Annuloaortic ectasia was the most common indication for operation(29 patients), follwed by aortic dissection(22 patients). Among 53 patients, 19(35%) had Marfan syndrome. Three patients died during hospitalization (Mortality: 5.5%). The follow up was possible in 48 patients(Follow-up rate; 94%,mean duration;37 months). The actuarial survival rate at 24 months was 95% in open technique group, and 87% in inclusion technique group. Late complications developed in 10 patients. Dissecting aneurysm in the remaining aorta was noted in 3 patients with inclu ion 1,schnique, and a pseudoaneurysm from coronary artery anastomosis site developed in a patient with inclusion technique. In conclusion, there was no statistical differences in survival for 24 months between inclusion technique and open technique group. But late problems in the remaining aorta or death from unknown cause occurred with moderate frequency : careful follow-up after aortic root replacement thought to be important for long term survival.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.5-8
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• 2015

D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product (FDP), a small protein fragment present in the blood after a blood clot is degraded by fibrinolysis. D-dimer concentration is widely used for determining thrombosis and thromboembolism. Because one major cause of thromboembolism is congestive heart failure in human, we investigated the degree and risk of thromboembolism in dogs with different stage of congestive heart failure caused by chronic mitral valvular insufficiency (CMVI). The plasma level of d-dimer was evaluated in 20 healthy dogs and 30 dogs with different stage of congestive heart failure caused by CMVI. The d-dimer concentrations were measured by a commercialized assay kit. The plasma levels of d-dimer were not significantly different between healthy and CMVI dogs. Furthermore, there was no association of d-dimer concentrations to left atrium to aorta (LA/Ao) ratio, left ventricular dimension at diastole to aorta (LVIDd/Ao) ratio and severity of heart failure in our study population. Our study results implied that the degree of thromboembolism in canine heart failure might be minimal or the plasma d-dimer test might not be reliable for detecting thromboembolism in dogs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.324-336
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• 2020

Cardiovascular calcifications can occur in various cardiovascular diseases and can serve as a biomarker for cardiovascular event prediction. Advances in CT have enabled evaluation of calcifications in cardiovascular structures not only on ECG-gated CT but also on non-ECG-gated CT. Therefore, many studies have been conducted on the clinical relevance of cardiovascular calcifications in patients. In this study, we divided cardiovascular calcifications into three classes, i.e., coronary artery, thoracic aorta, and cardiac valve calcifications, which are closely associated with cardiovascular events. Further, we briefly described pericardial calcifications, which can be found incidentally. Since the start of lung cancer screening in Korea in the second half of 2019, the number of non-enhanced, non-ECG-gated, low-dose chest CT has been increasing, and the number of incidentally found cardiovascular calcifications has also been increasing. Therefore, understanding the relevance of cardiovascular calcifications on non-enhanced, non-ECG-gated, low-dose chest CT and their proper reporting are important for radiologists.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

Background: We reviewed the long-term outcomes of aortic root replacement at Asan Medical Center and investigated the predictors affecting mortality. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 225 consecutive adult patients undergoing aortic root replacement with mechanical conduits (n=169), porcine aortic root prosthesis (n=23), or aortic homografts (n=33) from January 1992 to September 2009. The median follow-up duration was 6.1 years (range, 0 to 18.0 years). Results: The porcine root group was older than the other groups (freestyle $55.9{\pm}14.3$ years vs. mechanical $46.3{\pm}14.6$ years, homograft $48.1{\pm}14.7$ years; p=0.02). The mechanical group had the highest incidence of the Marfan syndrome (mechanical 22%, freestyle 4%, homograft 3%; p=0.01). Surgery performed for infective endocarditis was more frequent in the homograft group (mechanical 10%, freestyle 10%, homograft 40%; p<0.001). The overall 30-day mortality was 5.3% (12/225). Actuarial survival rates in the mechanical, porcine root, and homograft groups were 79.4%, 81.5%, and 83.5% at 5 years and 67%, 61.9%, and 61.1% at 10 years, respectively (p=0.73). By multivariate analysis, preoperative diabetes mellitus, older age, and longer cardiopulmonary bypass time were independent predictors of mortality. Incidence of postoperative complications, including infective endocarditis and thromboembolism were comparable in all of the groups. Conclusion: Aortic root replacement can be safely performed with different types of prostheses as the outcome was not affected by the choice of prosthesis. Further studies are required to assess the long-term durability of biological prostheses.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.225-233
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• 1996

From August 1992 to July 1996, 63 consecutive patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. The mean age of these patient was 57 years(range form 30 to 71years). There were 44 men and 19 women. Preoperative 12 patients had stable angina pectoris and 23 patients were unstable angina pectoris. 8 patients had previous myocardial infarctation history and emergency or urgent myocardial revascularization were performed in 9 cases. In the risk factors of coronary atherosclerosis, 25 patients(40%) were hypercholesterolemia, 38 patients(60%) have smoking history and 19 patients(30%) have hypertension history. In the patterns of disease, 9 patients were single vessel disease, 18 patients were two vessele disease and 33 patients were three vessel disease. We performed total 284 distal anastomosis(mean 3.5 anastomosis per patient) and performed one case of ascending aorta graft interposition, two cases of mitral valve replacement, one case of aortic valve replacement, one case of ventricular septal defect repair and one case of atrial septal defect repair and the mean aortic cross clamp time was 115.3 minutes. The common complications were arrhythmia(7cases), wound infection(5cases), perioperative myocardial infarction(4cases), reoperation for bleeding control(4cases) and stroke(4cases). There were six hospital deaths due to low cardiac output syndrome, ventricular arrhythmia and respiratory failure. In the evaluation of operative risk factors, preoperative intravenous nitroglycerin requirement and prolonged aortic cross clamp tirne(>2hours) were found to be predective factor of morbidity and old age(>65years) was found to be predective factor of mortality.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.7
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• pp.256-262
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• 2015

Purpose: Kabuki syndrome is a multiple congenital malformation syndrome, with characteristic facial features, mental retardation, and skeletal and congenital heart anomalies. However, the cardiac anomalies are not well described in the Korean population. We analyzed the cardiac anomalies and clinical features of Kabuki syndrome in a single tertiary center. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted for a total of 13 patients with Kabuki syndrome. Results: The median age at diagnosis of was 5.9 years (range, 9 days to 11 years and 8 months). All patients showed the characteristic facial dysmorphisms and congenital anomalies in multiple organs, and the diagnosis was delayed by 5.9 years (range, 9 days to 11 years and 5 months) after the first visit. Noncardiac anomalies were found in 84% of patients, and congenital heart diseases were found in 9 patients (69%). All 9 patients exhibited left-side heart anomalies, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 3, coarctation of the aorta in 4, aortic valve stenosis in 1, and mitral valve stenosis in 1. None had right-side heart disease or isolated septal defects. Genetic testing in 10 patients revealed 9 novel MLL2 mutations. All 11 patients who were available for follow-up exhibited developmental delays during the median 4 years (range, 9 days to 11 years 11 months) of follow-up. The leading cause of death was hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Conclusion: Pediatric cardiologist should recognize Kabuki syndrome and the high prevalence of left heart anomalies with Kabuki syndrome. Genetic testing can be helpful for early diagnosis and counseling.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.232-239
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• 1992

Acute renal failure is a well known serious complication following open heart surgery and is associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality rate. From 1984 to 1990, 33 patients who had acute renal failure following cardiopulmonary bypass received renal replacement therapy. PD[Peritonial dialysis] was employed in 11 patients and CAVH[continous arteriovenous hemofiltration] was employed in 22 patients. Their age ranged from 3 months to 64 years[mean 25.5$\pm$7.8 years]. The disease entities included congenital cardiac anomaly in 18, valvular heart disease in 15 and aorta disease in 2 cases. Low cardiac output was thought as a primary cause of ARF except two redo valve cases who showed severe Aemolysis k depressed renal function preoperatively. Mean serum BUN and creatinine level at the onset renal replacement therapy were 65$\pm$8 mg/dl and 3.5$\pm$0.4 mg/dl respectively, declining only after reaching peak level 7&10 days following the onset of therapy. Overall hospital mortality was 72.7%[24/33]; 81%[9/11] in PD group and 68.2% [15/22] in CAVH group respectively. The primary cause of death was low cardiac output & hemodynamic depression in all the cases. The fatal complications included multiorgan failure in 7, disseminated intravascular coagulation and sepsis in 6, neurologic damage in 4 and mediastinitis in 3 cases. No measurable differences were observed between CAVH and PD group upon consequence of acute renal failure and disease per se. The age at operation, BUN/Cr level at the onset of bypass and highest BUN/Cr level and the consequence of low output status were regarded as important risk factors, determining outcome of ARF and success of renal replacement therapy. Thus, we concluded that althoght the prognosis is largely determined by severity of low cardiac output status and other organ complication, early institution of renal replacement therapy with other intensive supportive measures could improve salvage rate in established ARF patients following CPB.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.7 s.276
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• pp.503-507
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• 2007

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) has rarely been reported on in adults because 90% of the untreated infants die in the first year of life. We report here on a case of AICAPA that was detected in a 41-year-old woman and she was successfully treated by direct re-implantation of the anomalous coronary artery into the aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.77-81
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• 1980

We present one case of 26-year-old male having saddle block combined with mitral valvular disease [NYHA Class IV] with auricular fibrillation. The most common cause of emboli is atrial fibrillation. The clinical manifestations of saddle emboli are relatively slow due to development of collateral circulation and large size of lumen of the aorta. The 5month duration of saddle emboli in this case led to severe atrophic changes, coldness, peripheral cyanosis on the both lower extremities, and flexion deformity on the knee and ankle joint of the left lower extremity. We planned staged operation for the saddle block and for mitral stenoinsufficiency and tricuspid insufficiency, because of poor general condition of the patient. The thromboembolectomy of aortic bifurcation was performed through the transabdominal approach without trial of Fogarthy catheter embolectomy, because of expectation of the secondary inflammatory changes of the vessel wall and thrombi which was 3 cm X 1 cm X 0.5 cm in size with irregular surfaced solid in consistency. 1 month later, after thromboembolectomy, mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty were performed, with successful early operative result. During operation organized thrombi [1 cm X 0.5 cm] in the left auricle was removed. We wonder if simple management using Fogarthy catheter might be possible to remove the thromboemboli instead of thromboembolectomy by aortotomy in this case.