• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.368-371
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• 2019

A unicuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital malformation that frequently presents with valvular dysfunction and dilatation or aortic aneurysm, requiring combined aortic valve surgery and aortic repair. Some patients show severe valve calcification extending into the interventricular septum, possibly resulting in damage to the conduction system during debridement for valve replacement. We present a rare case of severe aortic stenosis with a unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve diagnosed by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography in a 36-year-old man. After composite graft replacement of the aortic valve, aortic root, and ascending aorta, a permanent pacemaker was placed because of postoperative complete heart block.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1031-1035
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• 1999

Background: ATS mechanical valve is a recently introduced pyrolytic carbon bileaflet prosthesis. This report is to evaluate the results of hemodynamic and anticoagulant therapy after ATS valve replacement. Material and Method: From May 1995 to October 1998, 53 patients received 65 ATS prosthesis; 38 Mitral(27-33 mm), 27 Aortic(19-25 mm). 2 CABGs and 5 Tricuspid annuloplasty were taken concomitantly. The follow up period was 769 patient-months(mean 16.2$\pm$10.0), varied from 1 month to 39 months with 92.5% follow up rate. All patients were evaluated with Doppler echocardiography, 7-14 days after operation. Result: NYHA functional class was improved significantly, from 2.6$\pm$0.8 preoperatively to 1.3$\pm$0.4 postoperatively. The average value of peak and mean transvalvular pressure gradients were 25.7$\pm$13.5 mmHg, 12.7$\pm$8.3 mmHg in aortic position. In the mitral position, the average values of peak and mean transvalvular pressure gradient and valve area were 5.9$\pm$2.5 mmHg, 3.1$\pm$0.8 mmHg and 2.9$\pm$0.5 $\textrm{cm}^2$, respectively. In the anticoagulant therapy, mean INR was 2.5$\pm$0.6 in mitral valve replacement and 1.9$\pm$0.5 in aortic valve replacement. There was no anticoagulant related complication. During that period, there were 3 hospital death(5.9%) and 1 late death(1.9%). Conclusion: The early clinical results of the ATS heart valve replacement is quite satisfactory, and low target INR reginmen is safe. And long term follow of hemodynamic characteristics is also necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.92-99
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• 1980

From 1958 up to the end of April 1980, during the period of 12 years 1640 cardiac surgery cases including 1069 open heart surgery and 304 valve replacement cases, were operated in this Department. There were 1070 congenital anomaly and 570 acquired disease cases. In 1070 congenital anomaly cases 673 acyanotic and 397 cyanotic anomaly patients were noted. In acquired diseases 94 pericardial and 456 valvular cases were found. Among 456 valve cases 189 mitral stenosis, 133 mitral insufficiency, 30 aortic valve lesion, 97 double valve, and 7 triple valve lesion patients were noted. Among 304 valve replacement cases 209 mitral, 34 aortic, 5 tricuspid, 34 aortic with mitral, 20 mitral with tricuspid, and 2 triple valves were replaced. Annual increase `of open heart surgery cases and decrease of operative deaths were remarkable in recent years. In recent years Shiley** oxygenator in pump-oxygenator set up and Ionescu** bovine pericardial xenograft bioprosthesis were used for valve replacement mainly.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.369-380
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• 1981

In this department 504 cases of valve replacement were done since 1968 to the end of October 1981. Since October 31, 1978 to the end of October 1981 ,333 Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial xenograft bioprosthetic cardiac valves were replaced in 265 patients. There were 149 males and 116 female. Ages ranged from 2 to 63 years with 25 cases under 15 years of age. Among 265 cases of Ionescu valve replacement there were 157 MVR, 36 VAR, 6 TVR, 45 MVR+ AVR, 16 MVR+TVR and 5 MVR+AVR+TVR cases with mortality of 5.7%, 8.3%, 16.7%, 8.9%, 18.8% and 20% for each group respectively. Over all mortality rate in 265 Ionescu valve replacement cases was 7.9% with 21 total deaths. Main causes of operative deaths were due to LCOS in 7, bleeding in 5, arrhythmia in 3, air embolism in 2,and heart block in 2 cases. There were 12 late complications with 6 deaths. Over all long-term survival rate was 89.8%. MVR showed the highest long-term survival rate with 92.4%, and MVR+AVR+TVR the lower with 80% lower with 80%.Average follow-up period was 14 month duration. Twenty five congenital anomaly cases were operated with Ionescu-valve replacement that consisted of 7 VSD+AI, and 5 Ebstein anomaly cases with over all operative mortality of 16% and late mortality of 14.3% among 21 operative survivors. There were 25 Ionescu valve replacement cases in pediatric patients under the age of 15 years, with 4 operative deaths. Fourteen MVR, 7 AVR, and 3 TVR cases were found. Even though long-term follow-up study was short in postoperative period with total of 33~.0 months among 244 operative survivors ranging one to 36 months, the late survivors showed beneficial long-term results two thromboembolic episodes in 244 patients were found. More cases and longer term follow-up study are warranted for valve replacement in pediatric and TVR cases with Ionescu-valves which have advantageous hemodynamic structures compared with other bio-prosthetic heart valves.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.838-845
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• 1994

From April, 1982 to December, 1992, multiple valve replacement was performed in 100 patients. Mitral and aortic valve replacement were done in 86 patients, 9 underwent mitral and tricuspid valve replacement, 4 patients underwent triple valve replacement and 1 patient underwent aortic and tricuspid valve replacement. Of the valve implanted, 100 were St. Jude, 64 Duromedics, 19 Carpentier-Edwards, 13 Bj rk-Shiley, 6 Ionescu-Shiley, and 2 Medronics.The hospital mortality rate was 15%[15 patients] and the late mortality rate was 7%[7 patients], the mortality rate was high in early operative period but decreased with time[20% at 1986, 18.2% at 1987, 9.5% at 1988, 11.1% at 1989, 12.5% at 1990, 11.8% at 1991, 0% at 1992]. The causes of death were low cardiac output in 8, sudden death in 3, CHF in 3, bleeding in 2, cerebral thromboembolism in 1, leukemia in 1, multiorgan failure in 1 and so on. The actuarial survival rate excluding operative death was 73% at 10 years.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.444-450
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• 1994

From June 1984 to February 1994, cardiac valve replacement was performed in 108 patients. The distribution of patients was ranged from 13 to 64 year-old age[mean 39.48 1.24] and 51 patients were male, 57 patients were female [male:female=1:1.1]. 64 patients had mitral valve replacement, 27 patients underwent aortic valve replacement and 17 patients were performed double[mitral & aortic] valve replacement. Total 125 artificial cardiac valves were used, mechanical valves were 51 valves and tissue valves were 74 valves. The duration of follow-up was 473.41 patient-year[mean 4.79 3.29 patient-year] and the information of follow-up was available for 99 patients[92%]. The actuarial survival rates including the operative mortality was 89.5% & 88.3 at postoperative fourth & ninth year. The probability of freedom from overall valve failure, thromboembolism and bacterial endocarditis were 77.5%, 89.2% and 95.6% at ninth year after cardiac valve replacement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.389-397
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• 1984

Sixty cases of open heart surgery were performed in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Chonbuk National University Hospital from July, 1983 to June, 1984. The patients were consisted of 40 [66%] congenital anomalies containing 26 [43%] patients of acyanotic group and 4 [23%] of cyanotic group, and 20 [34%] acquired heart diseases which involved one or more cardiac valves. The male patients were 42 and the female 18. In 20 valvular heart diseases, open mitral commissurotomy was done in 5 patients, mitral valvular replacement with tissue valve in 6, mitral valvular replacement with mechanical valve in 5, mitral valvular replacement with tricuspid annuloplasty in 2, mitral annuloplasty in 1, and mitral and aortic valvular replacements with mechanical valves in 1. The most frequency complication was low cardiac output syndrome occurred in 9, and the next was urethral stenosis, ARDS, and postoperative bleeding, etc. The perioperative mortality was 21% in congenital cyanotic heart disease, 12% in congenital acyanotic heart disease, and 5% in acquired heart disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 1984

Since January 1977 to the end of September 1982, total 60 Ionescu-Shiley pericardial xenograft heart valves were implanted for valve replacement in 50 patients at the Han Yang University Hospital. The operative procedures were as follow: Mitral valve replacement [MVR] in 25 patients, Mitral valve replacement [MVR] and Tricuspid valve [TV] annuloplasty in 7 patients, Aortic valve replacement [AVR] in 8 patients, Aortic valve replacement [AVR] and Mitral valve replacement [MVR] in 8 patients. Aortic valve replacement [AVR] and Mitral valve replacement [MVR] and Tricuspid valve [TV] annuloplasty in 2 patients. To evaluate the immediate hemodynamic changes after valve replacements, the pressures of each cardiac chamber and ulmonary artery were checked before and after valve replacement on the operation table. Right ventricle [RV] pressure was decreased from 52.09\ulcorner6.71 to 45.57\ulcorner5.03 mmHg, Pulmonary artery [PA] pressure was decreased from 45.97\ulcorner2.69 to 41.00\ulcorner3.99 mmHg, and Left atrium [LA] pressure was decreased from 30.33\ulcorner13.02 to 22.76\ulcorner.97 mmHg before and after valve replacement. In MVR group, RV pressure was decreased from 49.17\ulcorner7.89 to 43.14\ulcorner4.14 mmHg, PA pressure was decreased from 44.67\ulcorner3.18 to 38.67\ulcorner2.85 mmHg, and LA pressure was decreased from 31.46\ulcorner13.47 to 21.91\ulcorner.17 mmHg. In AVR group, RV pressure was decreased from 53.0\ulcorner7.44 to 44.71 \ulcorner3.24 mmHg, PA pressure was decreased from 34.83\ulcorner0.73 to 31.86\ulcorner.36 mmHg, and LA pressure was not changed. In double valve replacement [MVR and AVR] group, RV pressure was decreased from 57.50\ulcorner3.82 to 42.50\ulcorner.80 mmHg, PA pressure was decreased from 51.17\ulcorner1.42 to 43.33\ulcorner4.53mmHig, and LA pressure was decreased from 34.33\ulcorner2.09 to 25.50\ulcorner0.21 mmHg. But in the group where MVR and TV annuloplasty were performed, preoperative RV and PA pressure were markedly increased and no pressure decrease in RV and PA noticed after valve replacement. This study shows good immediate postoperative hemodynamic results after valve replacement using Ionescu-Shiley xenograft valve except in the cases of MVR and TV annuloplasty and advanced disease with pulmonary hypertension.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1180-1190
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• 1990

96 patients underwent cardiac valve replacement for valvular heart diseases consecutively between February 1986 to February 1990 in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Yeungnam University Hospital. The follow up period was between 6 months and 4.5 years postoperatively[mean 23.4$\pm$13.1 months]. 75 cases got mitral valve replacement, 6 cases, aortic valve replacement, 15 cases, double valve replacement. 30[31.2%] patients were male and 66[68.8%] were female and the age ranged from 14 to 66 years old. Early hospital death within 30 days postoperation were 5 patients[5.2%], consisting of by low cardiac output in 2, infective endocarditis in 1, multiple organ failure with sepsis in 1 patient. There was no late postoperative death. Most common early postoperative complication was wound disruption [8.7%] and then low cardiac output, pneumothorax, pleural effusion in order. Most common late postoperative complications were minor bleeding episodes[8.7%] related to anticoagulant therapy which were consisted of frequent epistaxis in 3, gum bleeding in 2, hemorrhagic gastritis in 1, hypermenorrhea in 1, hematoma in right arm in 1 patient. Valve-related complications included valve thrombosis [1.6%/ patient-year], valve failure due to pannus formation[1.1% /patient-year], prosthetic valve endocarditis[1, 1%o/patient-year] and minor anticoagulant hemorrhage[4.4% /patient-year]. 5 cases of reoperations were performed in 4 patients due to valve failure and all of them were in the mitral positions[2.7% /patient-year]. Cardiothoracic ratios in the chest X-ray decreased at the 6th month and 1st year postoperation in all patients. But in New York Heart Association[NYHA] functional class IV, no change in cardiothoracic ratio was found between 6 months and 1 year postoperation. In the echocardiogram, the size of the cardiac chambers decreased, but ejection fraction increased postoperatively in each functional class. In the electrocardiogram, decreases were found in the incidence of atrial fibrillation, left atrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy with right bundle branch block increasing postoperatively in each functional class. The actuarial survival rate was 98.4% for all patients, 98.7% for mitral valve replacement, 83.8% for aortic valve replacement, and 80% for double valve replacement at the end of a 4.5 year follow up period. Meanwhile the actuarial freedom rate was 91.5% for prosthetic valve endocarditis, 91.6% for thromboembolism, 89.0% for prosthetic valve failure and 83.7% for minor anticoagulant hemorrhage. Preoperative NYHA class III and IV were 75% of all patients, but 95% of all patients were up graded to NYHA class I and II postoperatively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.522-526
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• 1990

We have experienced 2 cases vocal cord paralysis after open heart surgery. One was a postoperatively developed right unilateral vocal cord paralysis after prosthetic mitral valve replacement with tricuspid valve annuloplasty. The other was a postoperative left unilateral vocal cord paralysis after prosthetic aortic and mitral valve replacement with tricuspid annuloplasty. They were intubated for forty-eight and seventy-two hours but after extubation complained of hoarseness, aphonia, anxiety, and ineffective coughing Indirect laryngoscopy performed at about postoperative one week, revealed partial paralysis and decreased mobility of the vocal cord. After active phonation therapy, symptoms were improved gradually and in the follow up indirect laryngoscopy, the vocal cord paralysis was improved. The symptoms were recovered completely at about postoperative one month in both. The cause of vocal cord paralysis after open heart surgery may be any retraction or stretching injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, especially right side, during median sternotomy retraction and open heart operation procedures. As a result, avoid of excessive spread of median sternotomy retractor and excessive manipulation and retraction of the heart during open heart procedures will reduce the occurrence of the vocal cord paralysis.