• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.229-236
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• 2007

Purpose: Breast reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric perforator(DIEP) free flap is known to be the most advanced method of utilizing autologous tissue. The DIEP free flap method saves most of the rectus abdominis muscle as well as anterior rectus sheath. Therefore, the morbidity of the donor site is minimized and the risk of hernia is markedly decreased. Methods: We chose the internal mammary artery and its venae comitantes as recipient vessels, and deep inferior epigastric vessels as donor vessels. The number and location of the perforators derived from medial or lateral branch of deep inferior epigastric artery(DIEA) in 23 DIEP flaps were identified. Ten patients underwent evaluation of their abdominal wall function preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively by using Lacote's muscle grading system. Results: Of the 23 patients, a patient with one perforator from lateral branch of DIEA experienced partial necrosis of flap. Total flap loss occurred in one patient. Mild abdominal bulging was reported in one patient 4 months postoperatively probably because of early vigorous rehabilitational therapy for her frozen shoulder. Postoperative abdominal wall function tests in 10 patients showed almost complete recovery of muscle function upto their preoperative level of upper and lower rectus abdominis and external oblique muscle function at 6 months postoperatively. All patients have been able to resume their daily activities. Conclusion: The breast reconstruction with DIEP free flap is reliable and valuable method which provide ample soft tissue from abdomen without compromising the integrity of abdominal wall. Selection of reliable perforators is important and including more than two perforators may decrease fat necrosis and partial necrosis of flap.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.188-190
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• 2010

Sternal fracture is relatively common after blunt chest trauma, and this usually resolves without complication. But acute extrapericardial tamponade caused by sternal fracture and injury to the internal mammary artery secondary to blunt chest trauma is very rare. We report here on two cases of acute extrapericardial tamponade that were caused by blunt chest trauma.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2013

Purpose: Breast reconstruction with lower abdominal tissue can produce the best outcome with acceptable rates of long-term complication. However, for cases in which sufficient abdominal tissue is not available, an superior gluteal artery perforator (SGAP) flap can be considered as the next option for autologous breast reconstruction. Materials and Methods: Among a total of 63 women who underwent breast reconstruction with free autologous tissue transfer from July 2010 to April 2011, SGAP flap was performed for four patients. In two cases, patients did not have enough abdominal tissue for sizable breast reconstruction. In another case, the patient had a long abdominal scar due to donor hepatectomy of liver transplantation. In the last case, which was a revisional case after radiation necrosis of a previous pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap, a large amount of healthy skin and soft tissue was needed. SGAP flap was elevated in lateral decubitus position. The internal mammary vessels were used for recipient vessels in all cases. Results: Breast reconstruction was performed successfully in all four cases without flap loss. Donor site complication was not observed, except for one case of seroma. The shape of the reconstructed breast was satisfactory in all patients. Conclusion: SGAP flap is an excellent alternative option for the TRAM or deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap for breast reconstruction. In terms of narrower width, harder consistency of soft tissue, and shorter pedicle, it is clear that the SGAP flap is less competent than the TRAM flap. However, in cases where abdominal tissue is not available, SGAP flap is the only way of providing a large amount of healthy tissue.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2019

Background: Optimal graft selection for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction remains debatable. We report an analysis of our experiences of isolated CABG in patients with severe LV dysfunction and the impact of graft strategy on long-term outcomes. Methods: We analyzed 209 patients with severe LV dysfunction (ejection fraction [EF] <30%) who underwent primary isolated CABG. Of these, 169 were revascularized with a bilateral internal thoracic arterial (ITA) graft (BITA group) and 40 were revascularized with a single ITA graft (SITA group). The mean follow-up duration was $22{\pm}32$ months. Results: There were 18 early deaths (8.6%). Overall survival at 5 years was 66.7%. The rate of freedom from cardiac-related death at 5 years was 74.1%, and was significantly higher in patients who underwent off-pump CABG (p=0.005) and in the BITA group (p=0.023). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that old age (hazard ratio [HR], 2.548; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.134-5.762; p=0.024), off-pump CABG (HR, 0.245; 95% CI, 0.090-0.661; p=0.006), and BITA grafts (HR, 0.333; 95% CI, 0.146-0.757; p=0.009) were correlated with cardiac mortality. Conclusion: CABG in patients with severe LV dysfunction (EF <30%) showed reasonable long-term outcomes. The rate of freedom from cardiac-related death was significantly higher in patients who underwent off-pump CABG and in the BITA group. Off-pump BITA grafting strategies can be accepted as a viable primary option in patients with severe LV dysfunction if performed by an experienced surgeon.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.754-758
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• 2006

Background: Surgical role for acute coronary syndrome has been reduced in recent years due to development of drug eluting stent. We evaluated the surgical results of acute coronary syndrome in our hospital. Material and Method: Between January 2001 and August 2005, 416 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) under diagnosis of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS). Mean age was $61.8{\pm}9.0$ years and 276 (66.3%) patients were male. 324 (77.9%) patients had triple vessel disease and 92 (22.1%) had left main disease at angiographic study. 236 (56.7%) patients had hypertension and 174 (41.8%) had diabetes mellitus. Conventional on-pump CABG was performed in 194 patients (46.6%) and off-pump CABG in 222 (53.4%). Total arterial revascularization with no touch technique was done in 97 patients (23.3%). The number of total distal anastomosis was 1,306 and the number per patient was $3.21{\pm}1.71$. Result: Surgical mortality rate was 1.0% (4 patients) and postoperative complication rate was 15.6% (65 patients). Graft patency was checked at mean $3.7{\pm}7.6$ months (from 1 to 37 months) postoperatively with multi-directional computed tomography in 152 patients. Left internal mammary artery was patent in 95.3%, right internal mammary artery in 98.1%, radial artery in 92.2% and saphenous vein in 89.0%. Conclusion: The surgical treatment of NSTE ACS showed relatively low mortality rate and good graft patency rate. Further study is needed to compare the long term results with drug eluting stent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2015

Background: This study aimed to investigate sternal healing over time and the incidence of poor sternal healing in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using bilateral internal thoracic arteries. Methods: This study enrolled 197 patients who underwent isolated CABG using skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic arteries (sBITA) from 2006 through 2009. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) angiography was performed on all patients at monthly intervals for three to six months after surgery. In 108 patients, an additional CT study was performed 24 to 48 months after surgery. The axial CT images were used to score sternal fusion at the manubrium, the upper sternum, and the lower sternum. These scores were added to evaluate overall healing: a score of 0 to 1 reflected poor healing, a score of 2 to 4 was defined as fair healing, and a score of 5 to 6 indicated complete healing. Medical records were also retrospectively reviewed to identify perioperative variables associated with poor early sternal healing. Results: Three to six months after surgery, the average total score of sternal healing was $2.07{\pm}1.52$ and 68 patients (34.5%) showed poor healing. Poor healing was most frequently found in the manubrium, which was scored as zero in 72.6% of patients. In multivariate analysis, the factors associated with poor early healing were shorter post-surgery time, older age, diabetes mellitus, and postoperative renal dysfunction. In later CT images, the average sternal healing score improved to $5.88{\pm}0.38$ and complete healing was observed in 98.2% of patients. Conclusion: Complete sternal healing takes more than three months after a median sternotomy for CABG using sBITA. Healing is most delayed in the manubrium.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.8 s.253
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• pp.551-556
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• 2005

Background: Complete arterial off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) by sequential anastomoses with one or two arterial grafts provides favorable outcomes. However, problems of insufficient graft length, hypopefusion, kinking of graft, and unfavorable course of graft may be encountered. To solve these problems, we have used different technique with multiple arterial Y composite graft to allow end-to-side rather than sequential anastomoses and evaluated the results of this method. Material and Method: Between February 2003 and October 2004, If patients underwent total arterial OPCAB using multiple arterial V composite grafts with left internal mammary artery (LIMA), radial artery (RA), and right internal mammary artery (RIMA). We divided RA into multiple segments by number of distal target site after measuring of individual proper length and constructed arterial composite graft. One of segments was sutured end-to-side to LIMA and other segment was sutured end-to-side to the previously constructed radial graft. Postoperative graft patency was evaluated in 6f patients by multi-slice computed tomegraphy. Result: An average of $2.5\pm0.6$ arteries and $3.7pm0.7$ distal anastomoses per patient were done. There was no perioperative myocardial infarction, clinical hypoperfusion syndromes, and operative mortality. Postoperative mean CK-MB level was $17.4pm29.7\;IU/L.$Overall graft patency was $99.1\%\;(214/216)(LIMA:\;100\%,\;RA:\;98.4\%,\;RIMA:\;100\%).$ Conclusion: This technique allows total arterial OPCAB without technical problems and provides excellent early clinical results and graft patency. We believe that this technique is more convenient in the obtuse marginal area compared to sequential technique, and helpful in patients who require complex arterial grafting.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.693-701
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• 1999

Recently non-invasive diagnostic imaging replaced the invasive catheter angiography in the diagnosis of vascular disease. Catheter methods are now almost confined to the purpose of intervention. Coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft still needs catheter technique because of small diameter and the cardiac motion. The last challenge for radiologists in this domain is to obtain a non-invasive imaging. Electron beam tomography(EBT) for high temporal resolution is able to obtain a coronary arteriogram or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), of which CABG imaging is quite useful for the evaluation of patency. In our experience as well as others, the accuracy of EBT angiogram in evaluating CABG patency revealed that the accuracy of patency of saphenous vein grafts(SVG) is high due to relatively wide lumen, short and straight course and less influence from cardiac motion. The sensitivity and specificity of patency of SVGs were 92%, 97% respectively in the prospective evaluat on and 100% each in the retrospective evaluation. A false positive and a false negative case are rudimentary errors in the initial learing period. In contrast the analysis of left internal mammary artery(LIMA) graft was difficult due to the inherent small size and the adjacent surgical clips provoking beam-hardening artifact; therefore, the method of combining 3 dimensional reconstruction and flow mode study was important in improving the accuracy of LIMA patency. The sensitivity and specificity of LIMA patency were 100% and 80% in both prospective and retrospective evaluation. Therefore, EBT angiography is an accurate non-invasive diagnostic modality for evaluating the patency of CABG, particularly in SVGs. The accuracy can be improved with the improvement of the EBT and the development of the image reconstruction software.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.95-99
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• 1999

돼지 심장의 해부학적 구조에 대해서는 많은 연구가 보고되어 있으나 흉골 정중선 절개와 방정중선 절개 후 절개선에 나타나는 돼지 심장 대혈관들의 외과적 해부구조에 대한 보고는 아직 없고 심장적출 및 수술에 외과적 해부구조의 숙지가 필수적이므로, 체중 15kg - 25kg의 돼지 12마리를 4마리씩 3군, 즉 정중선절개군, 우측방정중선절개군, 좌측방정중선절개군으로 나누어 흉골열개 후 나타난 심장 대혈관들의 육안적 외과구조를 보고하고 심장적출술을 시도해 각 수술절개 접근법에 따른 수술의 용이성을 관찰하여 더 나은 수술접근법을 선택하는데 필요한 정보를 제공하고자 본 실험을 실시하였다. 그 결과, 우측과 좌측 방정중선절개법에 의해 흉골을 완전 열개시에는 제 1흉골과 갑상연골 부위에서 정중선으로 접근하는 초승달형 절개를 통해 internal mammary artery의 절개 위험성을 피할 수 있음을 발견하였고 흉골정중선절개에서는 상행대동맥의 정 중앙부에 aortic cannula를 쉽게 장착할 수 있었고 특히 비숙련자에게 더 적절한 수술 방법임을 알 수 있었다. 한편 숙련자가 심장적출이 아닌 동맥관개존증등과 같은 심장수술의 경우에는 방 정중선절개로써 환축의 수술 후 통증을 감소시키고 조기치유가 가능하다면, 초승달형 절개법을 응용한 방정중선 절개를 권할 수 있고 이에 따른 임상적 관찰이 요구되는 바이다.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2024

Electrical burn injuries can cause more damage than clinical evaluations initially suggest. The energy waves penetrate from the surface to the deepest layers of tissue, causing extensive harm at every level. The neck is a critical area, both functionally and aesthetically. We present a case involving a young male patient with a severe fourth-degree electrical burn on the neck, who underwent a single-stage debridement and reconstructive surgery. The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap is a versatile option for various head and neck reconstructions. However, if the donor site cannot be closed primarily and requires split-thickness skin grafting, it can result in unsightly scars and deformities. For large flap paddles, it is ideal to reconstruct the secondary defect with locoregional flaps. In this case, we successfully reconstructed the donor site's secondary defect using a contralateral internal mammary artery perforator flap, without resorting to any skin grafts. The early postoperative results demonstrated satisfactory cosmesis, patient satisfaction, and functional outcomes.