• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.9 s.254
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• pp.609-615
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• 2005

Background: Some controversy still exists concerning the operative indications of coronary fistulas. Nevertheless, a short-term and long-term outcomes are excellent with surgical interventions. In this study, we assessed our surgical results on this disease entity during the last 20 years. Anatomic diversity was described as well. Material and Method: From April 1986 to March 2005, 20 patients with coronary fistulas underwent surgical correction in Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Result: Twelve patients ($60\%$) were asymptomatic prior to surgery. All had electrocardiogram and echocardiogram and all but 3 had coro-nary angiogram preoperatively. Anatomically, none of them had two or more coronary fistulas. The sites of origin were left coronary system in 11 patients and right in 9. The draining sites were right ventricle in 11, right atrium in 3, left ventricle in 3, main pulmonary artery in 2, and superior vena cavae in 1. All of the involved, the coro-nary arteries were dilated or aneurismal. In 1 case, there was atherosclerotic change but no ischemic evidence in preoperative electrocardiogram. Operative techniques included external obliteration (13), internal obliteration (5), and both (2). External obliteration was done by ligation of the fistulous tract only in T patients, by fstula ligation plus plication in 3 and by plication or patch closure via fistulotomy in 3. There was no operative mortality. All of postoperative morbidities including transient sinus arrhythmia (2), complete atrioventricular block (1), decreased left ventricular function (2), ventricular tachycardia (1), pericarditis (1), and seizure (1) improved on discharge. The mean follow-up was 55.1$\pm$50.2 months (4.0 months${\~}$18.0 years) and there were no recurrences of fistula. There was 1 second operation for aortic root aneurysm, which developed after external patch closure of right coronary fistula. Conclusion: We demonstrated here that coronary fistulas can be cured with excellent clinical outcome and low operative risk under precise diagnosis. Understanding the anatomic diversity will help to construct surgical plans.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2016

Stress induced cardiomyopathy (SC) is characterized by transient left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease. We report on a patient with panhypopituitarism who developed SC resulting from withdrawal of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). A 52-year-old male visited our hospital for progressively worsening dyspnea. The patient had discontinued HRT 7 days ago, which had been administered for 18 months after transsphenoidal adenomectomy for pituitary macroadenoma. Initial electrocardiogram showed marked sinus bradycardia. Transthoracic echocardiography showed apical ballooning with an LV ejection fraction of 25%. No significant obstructive lesions were observed on coronary angiography. With a clinical diagnosis of SC associated with panhypopituitarism, HRT was restarted, including glucocorticoid and thyroxine, along with standard heart failure management. His LV function had normalized at 2-month follow-up. He remains asymptomatic and administration of beta-blocker and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor were discontinued He currently only requires HRT.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1234-1237
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• 1998

Patients with aortic root disease, frequently seen in Marfan syndrome have progressive dilatation of the aortic sinuses and dilatation and distortion of the aortic annulus, leading to aortic incompetence. They are currently treated with composite graft replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic valve and reimplantation of the coronary arteries. Recently, we experienced an aortic root replacement with aortic valve preservation in a patient with annuloaortic ectasia. The ascending aorta and sinus was excised except the aortic annulus and aortic valve. The aortic valve was reimplanted inside of a collagen-impregnated tubular Dacron graft. The coronary arteries were also reimplanted. The patient was followed up for six months and reevaluated with the echocardiography. Postoperative Doppler echocardiography revealed normal aortic valve function. With this technique, it is possible to preserve the native aortic valve if the aortic leaflets are anatomically normal.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.843-852
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• 1991

We prospectively studied postoperative cardiac arrhythmia after open heart surgery to analyze the types and incidence of cardiac arrhythmia and to predict preoperative risk factors. And also we evaluated the effectiveness of atrial and ventricular epicardial electrodes which were placed during operation Between March 1990 and August 1990, We had operated on in 211 patients and we studied 201 consecutive patients excluding 10 patients. The study group included 99 males and 102 female patients, ages 1 month to 75 years[Mean$\pm$SD=28.0$\pm$21.7 years]. Postoperatively, all patients were regularly seen by the cardiac surgeon and cardiologist, They had continuous electrocardiographic monitoring for the first 3 days, initially in the intensive care unit and were checked routine electrocardiography on the postoperative 7 days, The postoperative cardiac arrhythmia were analyzed and possible associations of this arrhythmia with various pre, intra, and postoperative factors were studied by univariate and multivariate discriminant analysis, The overall incidence of postoperative cardiac arrhythmia except relative sinus bradycardia was 36.8%;[74/201], The incidence of postoperative cardiac arrhythmia in acyanotic congenital heart disease: 19.4%, cyanotic congenital heart disease: 20.8%, cardiac arrhythmia surgery: 33.3%, acquired valvular heart disease: 60.9% and coronary artery occlusive disease: 38.9%. Both univariate and multivariate studies indicated the pre operative symptom duration[p = 0013], the duration of medication[p=0.003], presence of preoperative arrhythmia[p<0.001] and pre-operative left atrial dimension in echocardiography to be the factor promoting postoperative cardiac arrhythmia. Multivariate discriminant analysis showed that the presence of preoperative cardiac arrhythmia, bypass time and the duration of preoperative symptom duration conveyed considerable risk factor on post-operative arrhythmia. The atrial wire electrodes were used diagnostically in 36 and were used therapeutically in 89 among 201 patients. Atrial pacing were used to treat relative sinus bradycardia, accelerated junctional tachycardia or premature atrial or ventricular contractions in 51 patients. Atrioventricular sequential pacing were used in 16 patients and ventricular pacing were used in 20 patients. Hemodynamics were evaluated in 2 patients of relative sinus bradycardia before and after atrial pacing. The atrial pacing increased the amount of cardiac output to 15% more. Because of their great utility in the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias, we conclude that routine placement of atrial and ventricular electrodes at the time of operation is indicated regardless of the nature of the open-heart procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1037-1042
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• 1998

Background: Among the various techniques for the adequate exposure of the mitral valve, the extended transseptal approach is the essential prerequisite for accurate repair or replacement of the mitral apparatus. But the efficacy and safty of the extended transseptal approach has not determined in Korea yet. Materials and methods: Retrospective data of 80 consecutive patients, operated from September 1992 to July 1997 were reviewed. Seventy- eight patients underwent mitral valve replacement and 2 patients underwent excision of left atrial myxoma. Thirty-eight of 78 patients had other concomitant procedures such as aortic valve replacement(n=22), tricuspid annulopasty(n=14), coronary artery bypass graft(n=1) and closure of ventricular septal defect(n=1). Mean follow up was 23.3±15.0 months and total follow up was 1792 patient-months. Results: The hospital mortality rate was 3.8%(3 patients). Two deaths were due to low cardiac output and one due to postoperative bleeding of coagulopathy. Among the 46 patients who had atrial fibrillation preoperatively, 45 had atrial fibrillation postoperatively and 1 converted to sinus rhythm. All 34 patients who were in normal sinus rhythm preoperatively remained in sinus rhythm after the operation. Mean aortic cross clamping time was 62 minutes for isolated mitral procedure and 90 minutes for concomitant procedures. There were no specific complications related to this approach. Conclusions: We suggest that the extended transseptal approach is an easy and good method for mitral valve surgery, especially in patients with small sized left atrium.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1137-1144
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• 1988

Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias are readily characterized and understood, but the surgical procedures for their correction are complex and not easily mastered. Conversely, ventricular tachyarrhythmias are frequently difficult to characterize and localize electrophysiologically and their basic mechanisms are poorly understood. The role of the surgeon in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia has changed dramatically during the past decade. This report is a case of 26 years old male with supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The result of endocardial electrophysiologic study demonstrated accessory pathway connecting left atrium to left ventricle which located at left atrial free wall about 4 cm apart from the coronary sinus orifice. The accessory bundle interruption has been successfully accomplished utilizing the internal open heart technique. The operation consisted of dissection of the atrioventricular fat pad and division of all the superficial fibers going from the ventricle to the annulus. Following this, cryoablation made with cryoprobe at - 60$^\circ{C}$ for 90 seconds. The accessory pathway was successfully ablated without specific problems.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.746-751
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• 1994

We reviewed our entire experience of 44 consecutive patients undergoing the arterial switch operation [ASO] for transposition of the great arteries [TGA] since March 1985.There were 28 patients with simple TGA[group I] and 16 with associated ventricular septal defect[VSD] [Group II] There were five hospital deaths[11.4%, 5/44], two related to single right coronary artery anatomy. There have been no late deaths. For group I hospital mortality was 14.3%[4/28], and for group II this was 6.25%[1/16]. Mean follow-up was 3.3 years[range 1 month to 8 years] and was completed for all patients. Actuarial survival at 7 years for hospital survivors was 85 $\pm$ 3.2 % in group I and 94 $\pm$ 3.5% in groupII. One patient has mild asymptomatic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and five patients [12.8 %,5/ 39] have right ventricular outflow tract gradients[RVOTO] exceeding 25 mmHg; only one patient has required reoperation for RVOTO. Mild neoaortic regurgitation is present in one patient. All survivors are currently in NYHA class I without medicalion, and all are in sinus rhythm. The ASO is associated with low operative risk and excellent medium-term outcome in most subsets of patients undergoing this operation. With more experience, improved results can be expected also in those patients currently at higher risk.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.56-59
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• 2002

The four most common types of congenital malformations involving the right atrium(RA) and the coronary sinus(CS) are congenital enlargement of the RA, single RA diverticulum, multiple diverticula of the RA, and aneurysm of the RA or CS. A previously healthy 6year-old child was presented with signs of upper respiratory tract infection. Chest X-ray and echocardiogram revealed a severely isolated right atrial enlargement. The abnormally dilated right atrim was widely resected under cardiopulmonary bypass. Pathology revealed multifocal myocardial loss associated with mild fibrotic changes of the endocardium and epicardium Our experience on this rare congenital disease is presented along with a review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.177-183
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• 1984

From July 1975 to March 1984, 16 patients of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies associated with left superior vena cava were seen at Han-Yang University Hospital. The age of patients was ranged from 2 to 15 years-old. The distribution of Sex was 7 patients in male, 9 patients in female. Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava [L.S.V.C.] was classified according to the proximal connection of L.S.V.C. into 3 groups. Group I which L.S.V.C. connected to coronary venous sinus was in 9 patients, Group II which L.S.V.C. connected to Left atrium was in 5 patients, Group III which L.S.V.C. hemodynamically connected to right atrium was in 2 patients. Pathoanatomical findings of complex congenital cardiovascular anomalies associated with L.S.V.C. in 16 cases were generally show unsystematic irregularity. In group I, A.S.D. were only in 3 cases, but in highest incidence and in group III, all two cases were supracardiac type of total anomalous drainage of pulmonary veins. Post-operatively, 3 patients among 14 patients of total correction, were died immediately, 1 patient of palliative shunt operation was died after 2 and half years, and Follow-up results of other remaining patients were excellent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.293-298
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• 1985

Cor triatriatum is a rare congenital malformation of the heart in which a septum stretches in a transverse plane through the left atrium, thus creates two left atrial subchambers. The upper one connects with the pulmonary veins, and the lower connects with the left ventricles. Due to the rarity of, and difficulty in diagnosing car triatriatum, data on the surgery of the disease are of necessity and very limited. A case of cor triatriatum combined with atrial septal defect and persistent left superior vena cava was experienced in November, 1984 in Chonnam University Medical School. There was a transverse septum in the left atrium below atrial septal defect, all pulmonary veins were drained into the upper chamber of the left atrium which connected with the right atrium via atrial septal defect and the lower chamber via an oval opening[8mm] in the abnormal septum and the lower chamber was connected with the left atrial appendage, and the left ventricle via mitral valve. There was persistent left superior vena cava drained to left atrium and coronary sinus. The abnormal transverse septum within the left atrium was completely excised and the atrial septal defect was repaired with Woven Dacron patch. The post-operative course was not eventful and the patient was discharged to home with good result on the 15th postoperative day, and has been in good condition upto now.