• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.264-272
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• 2016

Background: We analyzed the long-term results of ascending aortic replacement and arch aortic replacement in acute DeBakey type I aortic dissections to measure the differences in the distal aortic changes with extension of the aortic replacement. Methods: We reviewed 142 cases of acute DeBakey type I aortic dissections (1996-2015). Seventy percent of the cases were ascending aortic replacements, and 3 0% of the cases underwent total arch aortic replacement, which includes the aorta from the root to the beginning of the descending aorta with the 3 arch branches. Fourteen percent (20 cases) resulted in surgical mortality and 86% of cases that survived had a mean follow-up period of $6.6{\pm}4.6years$. Among these cases, 64% of the patients were followed up with computed tomography (CT) angiograms with the duration of the final CT check period of $4.9{\pm}2.9years$. Results: There were 15 cases of reoperation in 13 patients. Of these 15 cases, 13 cases were in the ascending aortic replacement group and 2 cases were in the total arch aortic replacement group. Late mortality occurred in 13 cases; 10 cases were in the ascending aortic replacement group and 3 cases were in the total arch aortic replacement group. Eight patients died of a distal aortic problem in the ascending aortic replacement group, and 1 patient died of distal aortic rupture in the total arch aortic replacement group. The follow-up CT angiogram showed that 69.8% of the ascending aortic replacement group and 35.7% of the total arch aortic replacement group developed distal aortic dilatation (p=0.0022). Conclusion: The total arch aortic replacement procedure developed fewer distal remnant aortic problems from dilatation than the ascending aortic replacement procedure in acute type I aortic dissections.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.524-527
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• 2009

A stent graft has been accepted as an alternative method for treating aortic diseases or to reduce the extent of surgery. We report here on a one-stage Management of Ascending Aorta Replacement and Percutaneous Endovascular Repair for the seperate aneurysmal lesions on the ascending and descending aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.457-462
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• 1993

We retrospectively studied 34 patients who underwent operations of ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic valve replacement from August 1979 to July 1992 at the Yonsei Cardiovascular Center. Eight patients underwent supracoroanry non-composite graft replacement and separate aortic valve replacement[group I]. Twenty six patients underwent valved composite graft replacement with reimplantation of coronary arteries[group II]. Two cases in group II died within 1 month after the operation. Among the 32 survivors 28 patients have been followed up for an average of 59 months ranging from 1 months to 159 months. During the follow up periods, a pseudoaneurysm around the ascending aorta and a newly developed dissecting aneurysm in remaining aorta were noted in group II. There were 6 late deaths: 2 cases in group I and 4 cases in group II. Three cases among the 6 late deaths have stigmata of Marfan`s syndrome[1 cases in group I and 2 case in group II]. There was no statistically significant difference in actuarial survival rates between group I and group II[p > 0.05]. This study suggests that non-composite supracoronary graft interposition with separate aortic valve replacement is a safe surgical technique in patients who have normal aortic annulus and normal position of coronary ostia. However in degenerative disease such as cystic medial necrosis, composite graft replacement is recommended because this procedure eliminates entire abnormal tissue.But it seems to be important that the suture technique and strict follow-up in patients with diseased aortic wall.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.788-791
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• 1995

Dissecting aortic aneurysm of ascending aorta is a life threatening condition which requires prompt surgical correction. With deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion via superior vena cava, we could replaced ascending aorta in 4 cases safely. All of 4 cases; femoral artery, right auricle were used as cannulation site. The duration of circulatory arrest were 28, 30, 45, 60 minute in each cases and rectal temperature was 2$0^{\circ}C$ at that time. At the time of retrograde cerebral perfusion, we maintained central venous pressure under 25mmHg. We resected all of dissecting portion and replaced it with Hemashield graft. There were no deaths but two of four reoperated because of bleeding.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.206-209
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• 2015

Ascending aortic aneurysms are usually treated with graft replacement under cardiopulmonary bypass. However, if a candidate for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting has an enlarged ascending aorta, surgeons may consider wrapping it without cardiopulmonary bypass. Here, we report a 78-year-old female who underwent successful wrapping of the ascending aorta concomitant with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, using a new wrapping technique that involves multiple bootstraps.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.748-751
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• 2000

The diffuse form of supravalvar aortic stenosis represents a surgical challenge when the ascending aorta, aortic arch, proximal descending thoracic aorta and arch arteries are involved. It can be treated by a variety of surgical approaches. We report a case of severe diffuse supravalvar aortic stenosis combined with an aortic valve anomaly and occlusion of the right coronary artery ostium in a 14-year-old boy with Williams syndrome. We enlarged the aortic root(Nick's procedure), ascending aorta, aortic arch, proximal descending thoracic aorta, and innominate artery with patches and replaced aortic valve with 19 mm St. Jude valve. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion were used during repair of the arch and arch artery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2009

Background: Chronic rejection after a cardiac allograft usually occurs about six months after the operation. Vasculopathy due to chronic rejection causes atherosclerosis in the coronary artery of the transplanted heart and then this causes myocardial injury. We intended to discover and document those findings that occur in a transplanted ascending aorta. Material and Method: In rats weighting $200{\sim}300gm$ (Spraque-Dawley rat), we carried out heterotopic heart allo-transplantation with the modified Ono-Lindsey method and then the rats were administrated cyclosporine (10mg/kg/day). After three months survival, we acquired biopsy materials from the native ascending aorta and the allo-transplanted ascending aorta and we compared them. We classified each severity of 1) intimal thickening, 2) medial hyperplasia, 3) medial calcification, 4) medial inflammation and 5) chondroid metaplasia, which are specific biopsy findings for chronic rejection after a cardiac allograft. Each severity was classified, according to the opinion of one pathologist, in the native ascending aorta biopsies (n=9) and the allo-transplanted ascending aorta biopsies (n=13). The data of the control group and the study group were statistically analyzed with using the Mann-Whitney test (SPSS version 12.0 window). Result: The important changes of the allo-transplanted aorta were intimal thickening (p<0.0001), medial calcification (p=0.045), medial inflammation (p<0.0001) and chondroid metaplasia (p=0.045), but not medial hyperplasia (p=0.36). Conclusion: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy was seen in the transplanted ascending aorta, the same as was seen in the coronary artery, after allograft cardiac transplantation. We have reached the conclusion that chronic rejection also progresses in the aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2012

Background: The conventional method of aortic cross-clamping is very difficult and increases the risk of cerebral infarct due to embolism of the calcified aorta in these patients. Accordingly, we analyzed our experience with 11 cases of ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Materials and Methods: From January 2002 to December 2009, 11 patients had ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement with hypothermic arrest at our hospital. We performed a retrospective study. Results: There were 5 males and 6 females, with a mean age of 68 years (range, 44 to 82 years). Eight patients had aortic stenosis, and 3 patients had aortic regurgitation. An aortic cannula was inserted into the right axillary artery in 3 patients and ascending aorta in 6 patients. Two patients with aortic regurgitation had a remote access perfusion catheter inserted though the right femoral artery. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 180 minutes (range, 110 to 306 minutes) and mean hypothermic circulatory arrest time was 30 minutes (range, 20 to 48 minutes). The mean rectal temperature during hypothermic circulatory arrest was $21^{\circ}C$ (range, $19^{\circ}C$ to $23^{\circ}C$). No patient had any new onset of cerebral infarct or cardiovascular accident after surgery. There was no hospital mortality. Early complications occurred in 1 patient who needed reoperation due to postoperative bleeding. Late complications occurred in 1 patient who underwent a Bentall operation due to prosthetic valve endocarditis. The mean follow-up duration was 32 months (range, 1 month to 8 years) and 1 patient died suddenly due to unknown causes after 5 years. Conclusion: Patients with a calcified aorta can be safely treated with a technique based on aorta and aortic valve replacement under hypothermic circulatory arrest.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1212-1217
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• 1996

From Dec. 1993 to May 1995, 9 male and 5 female patients ranging in age from 25 to 65 years, were operated on for ascending aorta and/or aortic arch diseases. Six patients had acute aortic dissection, type A(ruptured in 4 cases); four had ruptured ascending aortic aneurysm; three had annuloaortic ectasia(ruptured in 1 cases); one had aortic arch aneurysm. The diagnostic procedures were echo cardiography and dynamic CT scan in all patients having acute dissection or rupture. The aortic angiography was performed in two cases. Indications for operations were rupture in five cases, acute aortic dissection in five cases, severe congestive heart failure in two cases, progressive aortic insufficiency in one case and impending rupture in one case. The emergent repair was performed in ten cases(71%). The surgical treatment consisted of 6 Cabrol operations, a Cabrol operation combined with arch replacement, a modified Bentall operation, 4 replacement of ascending aorta, a replacement of aortic arch, and a replacement of ascending aorta and aortic arch. Complications were a hypoxic encephalopathy, two atrial fibrillations, a sternal deheiscence, and a mediastinitis. Two early mortality(14%) were due to intractable bleeding and multiple organ failure, and one late mortality(7%) was due to ventricular arrhythmia. In eleven survivors, follow-up period was from 2 months to 12 months and the course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2023

Background: The surgical threshold for bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)-related aortopathy is a matter of debate due to its uncertain etiology and prognosis. This study investigated the prognosis of unrepaired BAV aortopathy in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 720 patients (age, 60.8±11.5 years; 246 women) who underwent SAVR for BAV disease without aortic repair between 2005 and 2020 at Asan Medical Center. The clinical endpoints were defined as occurrences of sudden death, aortic dissection or rupture, and elective aortic repair. To estimate postoperative changes in the dimensions of the unrepaired aorta, the individual annual aortic expansion rate was calculated. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate the risk of aortic expansion. Results: The mean ascending aortic diameter was 39.5±4.6 mm, and 299 patients (41.5%) had a baseline ascending aorta diameter >40 mm. During 70.0±68.3 months of follow-up, the mean annual aortic expansion rate was 0.39±1.96 mm/yr, no aortic dissection or rupture was observed, and sudden deaths were reported in 12 patients (0.34% per person-year). Linear regression analysis revealed no significant correlation between the baseline ascending aortic diameter and postoperative aortic expansion (R²=0.004, β=-0.84, p=0.082). Conclusion: In selected patients undergoing SAVR for a BAV (<55 mm), the risk of adverse aortic events was very low. As this observation contradicts current practice guidelines advocating for proactive aortic replacement in dilated ascending aortas measuring >45 mm, the study results need further validation by studies involving larger populations or randomized controlled trials.