• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.754-758
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• 1995

Between February 1987 and April 1994,30 modified Blalock- Taussing shunts[MBTS were carried out at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center.The operation consists of interposing between the subclavian artery and the pulmonary artery a polytetrafluoroethylene graft.There were 19 boys and 11 girls.The average age at the time of shunt construction was 14 months [range 4 days to 5 years .Seventy-six percent [23/30 were less than 1 year of age.Cardiac defects treated with MBTS included tetralogy of Fallot[10 , pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect[8 , pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum[4 , uni-ventricular heart[3 , and other complex cardiac anomalies[5 .Prosthesis of 4mm were used in 13 cases, and 5mm in 17.Of the 30 operations, 21 were performed on the right side and 9 on the left side.The hemoglobin level decreased from 21.1 gm/dl preoperatively to 16.3 gm/dl postoperatively and systemic oxygen saturation level increased from 60.5 % preoperatively to 85.4 % postoperatively.In the 30 patients who recieved MBTS, there were one early [3% and three late deaths [10% .Seven patients have had an corrective operation and two patient required second palliative procedure.The remaining patients are awaiting further operation with ingestion of aspirin [5 mg/kg/day as an antiplatelet agent.These results indicate that the MBTS provide excellent palliation at a low operative mortality for most patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 1992

The ideal approach in the staged management of patients with pulmonary atresia has been a challenging problem and the result has not been always satisfactory. We reviewed our early result of initial palliative surgeries in fifteen cases of pulmonary atresia with interventricular communication Included are eight cases of simple pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and seven cases of pulmonary atresia associated with other complex cardiac anomalies. The ages of the patients were less than one year except one. The morphology of pulmonary vasculature was highly variable and showed unfavorable conditions in most cases. Pulmonary artery was nonconfluent in two. Two-thirds of all cases showed significant problems such as juxtaductal stenosis or diffuse hypoplasia. The ductus arteriosus usually narrowed at its pulmonic end. Initial palliation was done by modified Blalock-Taussig shunt in six, central shunt with or without pulmonary angioplasty in five, right ventricular outflow tract [RVOT] reconstruction in three and direct connection of nonconfluent pulmonary arteries with bilateral cav-opulmonary shunt in one patient. There were 3 hospital deaths. Two of them underwent simultaneous repair of the associated anomaly of TAPVR. Among the six patients who received modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, three needed early second palliative procedure by central shunt, RVOT patch reconstruction and pulmonary angioplasty in each case, All patients who received central shunt showed marked clinical improvement. Among the twelve patients who survived the palliative procedures, two patients underwent total correction 13 months and 18 months after initial palliation respectively. We think that the choice of palliative procedure must be individualized according to the morphology of the pulmonary arteries. More experience and long term follow-up data are necessary to meet this challenging problem.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.573-579
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• 2002

Background: In this study, the role and the surgical outcome of the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt in the treatment of the infants with cyanotic complex congenital heart diseases were investigated. Material and Method: Over the last 12 years, 105 modified BT shunts were performed in 100 infants. Postoperative course, shunt patency rate, complications, mortality and its risk factors were reviewed restrospectively. Result: The mean age at operation was 43.0$\pm$36.6 days. Sex ratio was 60:40(M:F). The postoperative oxygen saturations were lowest after mean duration of 11 hours after the shunt procedure. The operative mortality was 8%(8) with 3 late deaths. Causes of operative death included failure of maintenance of minimum oxygenation during the procedure(2), immediate postoperative shunt occlusion(2), respiratory failure(2), low cardiac output due to heart failure and pericardial effusion(2) and sepsis(2). Late deaths resulted from acute cardiac arrest during the follow up cardiac catheterization, hypoxic myocardial failure, and arrhythmia. Year of surgery, shunt size, age at operation, and complexity of the anomalies were not the risk factors for mortality. Six month shunt patency rate was 97% and overall patency rate was 96%. Postoperative complications comprised of shunt occlusion(6), phrenic nerve palsy(3), and wound infection(2). Conclusion: We demonstrated that modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was a useful tool to palliate the infants with complex cyanotic heart disease in whom early complete repair was not feasible with acceptable mortality and patency rate. An adequate postoperative management and a meticulous surgical technique may be key factors for the better results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.643-648
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• 1985

Tricuspid atresia is the third most common cause of cyanotic heart disease, following T.O.F. and T.G.A. It is seen in about 30% of patients with congenital heart disease on postmortem examination. Recently, we experienced a case of tricuspid atresia, who had received Blalock-Taussig Shunt operation 10 years ago. The Patient was 15 year-old girl with the complaints of persistent cyanosis and exertional dyspnea. Cineangiography revealed Keith type lib tricuspid atresia, so, RA appendage was anastomosed to the right pulmonary artery and ASD was also closed using patch. Postoperative course was very difficult because of persistent right heart failure and weak respiratory power, but from postoperative 15th day, all cardiac and respiratory problems were resolved. We followed up this patient for about 1 year, and her condition is excellent up to now.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.716-722
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• 2000

Background: Modified Blalock-Taussig shunt using 3mm or 3.5mm PTFE graft has been performed in patients with small body weight or in candidates for single ventricle palliation. However, there are few reports concerning clinical outcomes in terms of pulmonary artery growth and shunt patency rate after shunt operations using such a small graft. Material and Method: Twenty-five patients rate after shunt operations using 3 or 3.5 mm sized grafts from September 1996 to August 1999. We retrospectively assessed the pulmonary artery growth and the shunt patency rate by reviewing the pre-and post-operative pulmonary angiograms. The risk factors for late death and second shunt operations were also analyzed. To assess the presence of any correlation between body weight and selection of the graft size, regression analysis was done in 81 cases of shunt operations performed during the same period. Result: There were 1(4%) early death and 5(20%) late deaths. The survivors were followed up for an average of 7.34 months. The pulmonary artery index increased significantly from 129$\pm$66$\textrm{mm}^2$/$m^2$ to 213$\pm$114 $\textrm{mm}^2$/$m^2$(p=0.002). The shunt patency rate assessed at postoperative 2, 4, 6 and 8 months were 82.5%, 77%, 73% and 42% respectively with a marked decline between 6 and 8 months. Asplenia was a frequent finding for the patients with late death although the incidence failed to reach statistical significance(p=0.078). Pre-operative diagnosis of PA with VSD was found to be a statistically significant risk factor for a second shunt operation(p=0.01). Body weight(a) at operation and graft size(b) used in the shunt operations revealed strong correlation and could be expressed by the following formula; b=0.128a + 3.233. Conclusion: Adequate growth of pulmonary artery and satisfactory early patency rate could be obtained by modified Blalock-Taussing shunt using 3mm or 3.5mm graft. However, during 6 to 8 months after shunt operations, the patency rate fell sharply, which implicates that close observation and early intervention are mandatory in this period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1191-1203
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• 1990

Pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries [abbreviated as PA+VSD+MAPCA in the following] has limited the success of attempts at accurate diagnosis and complete surgical repair. From April 1986 to September 1990, 23 patients with PA+VSD+MAPCA among 96 patients of PA+VSD in Seoul National University Children’s Hospital were encountered. The group comprised 14 male and 9 female patients with ages ranging from 17 days to 177 months [mean 49.6 months]. We operated one stage total repair on good pulmonary artery sized two patients by R.E.V. [Reparation a l’etage ventriculaire] and Rastelli operation respectively. And the 11 patients who had independent MAPCAs and hypoplastic central pulmonary artery were dealt with unifocalization and modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt and followed by second stage repair in 3 patients later. We successfully had managed 7 patients whose MAPCAs could be ligated with modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt and followed by second stage repair in 3 patients with R.E.V or Rastelli operation. Recently, three obstruction after 11 unifocalization procedures made us to try palliative right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit operation by Gore-Tex vascular graft interposition under cardiopulmonary bypass. And so we managed another 3 patients with these procedures for the purpose of pulmonary artery growth whose central pulmonary artery were severely hypoplastic. We experienced one death after second stage repair whose central pulmonary artery was created by 12mm Gore-Tex vascular graft and was unifocalized.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 1989

Ninety-six patients with tetralogy of Fallot have undergone either primary total correction [71], staged total correction [9], or an initial shunt [16], between January, 1984, and December, 1987 Their mean age was 9.5 years, mean body weight 24kg, and mean body surface area 0.86m2. Initial palliative shunt group had smaller size, smaller pulmonary artery, and higher hemoglobin [P value < 0.05 >. Modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was performed most commonly. Patch enlargement of right ventricle in 31 cases [38%], right ventricle and pulmonary artery in 7 cases [9%], transannular patch enlargement in 28 cases [35%], and valved conduit in 2 cases [2.5%] was performed for reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract stenosis. Longer aorta cross clamp time was noted in case of separate patch enlargement of right ventricle and pulmonary artery, and dead patient with transannular patch enlargement [P value < 0.05]. There was no operative death in shunt group, but 7 deaths in total correction group [mortality rate 8.8%].

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.484-487
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• 1984

A 12-yr-old patient was admitted due to severe hemoptysis and known cyanotic CHD. In chest P-A and echocardiogram, pulmonary aspergilloma in left upper lobe was associated with TOF. The cardiac catheterization couldnt be done because of frequent hypoxic spell and severe hemoptysis. Surgical management was performed. After left posterolateral thoractomy, modified Blalock-Taussig shunt operation and left upper lobe lobectomy were done at same time. Postoperative PaO2 was elevated and hemoptysis was disappeared.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.314-319
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• 1985

Nineteen patients with various types of cyanotic congenital heart disease underwent systemic-pulmonary artery shunts with a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] graft between September, 1983, and April, 1985. Age ranged from 3 months to 18 years, and seven of them were less than 12 months old. There were seventeen Great Ormond Street type of modified Blalock-Taussig shunts, and two central polytetrafluoroethylene shunt [ascending aorta-right pulmonary artery]. There was one postoperative death [1/19=5.3%] in a 10 Kg child born with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect associated with patent ductus arteriosus. He had another anomaly of imperforated anus. Relief from cyanosis was achieved in other eighteen patients with variable degree. Eighteen survivors have been followed up from 1 month to 19 months. Clinical status, auscultation, oxygen partial pressure of arterial blood, and hemoglobin have been used to establish shunt patency in all survivors. By above criteria, all survivors have good patent shunt.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.12 s.269
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• pp.927-930
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• 2006

Hybrid procedure was performed for a thirteen-day-old girl with a functionally single ventricle, who weighed 2.2 kg and had been prematurely born at $32^{+5}$ weeks of gestation. She underwent bilateral pulmonary artery banding using 3.5 mm Gore-Tex graft, ductal stenting using balloon expandable stent, and reverse Blalock-Taussig shunt with 3.5 mm Gore-Tex vascular graft. After discharge, she was followed up for 4 months, and underwent 2nd stage operation(extensive arch reconstruction with Damus-Kaye-Stansel anastomosis, atrial septectomy, bilateral pulmonary artery angioplasty, bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt). She has been followed up for 4 months after the 2nd operation with an excellent clinical condition.