• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.668-673
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• 1998

During the past several years, the maze operation has become the most effective method of treatment for chronic atrial fibrillation. When the maze procedure is done concomittantly with other cardiac operations, surgeons, in their initial experiences, may be concerned about the additional operative risks and uncertainty of the results. We performed the Cox-maze III procedure in six cases of chronic atrial fibrillation associated with mitral, mitral & aortic, or coronary arterial disease. Maze III procedure was done with open mitral commissurotomy(3 cases), mitral valve replacement(1 case), aortic and mitral valve replacement(1 case), and two-vessel coronary bypass graft(1 case). In spite of rather prolonged aortic cross clamp time, cardiac recovery was uneventful in all cases. No cases required reexploration for postoperative bleeding. All patients showed regular sinus rhythms immediate or between 2 and 20 days postoperateratively. Transient postoperative supraventricular arrhythmarias were easily controlled by various antiarrhythmic agents. In follow up evaluations, all cases showed regular sinus rhythm on ECG and the right and left atrial transport function was confirmed by Doppler echocardiography in all except one. Though our experience was limited in case number, the Cox-maze III procedure was effective in controlling the chronic atrial fibrillation without serious additional operative risks.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 1983

The management of cardiac arrhythmias by cardiac pacing has increased greatly since the treatment of complete heart block with an external transcutaneous pacemaker in 1952, followed by the use of myocardial wires connected to an external pulse generation, by external transvenous pacing, and then by transvenous pacing with implantable components in thoracic wall.By now, the three bases of modern cardiac pacing for bradyarrhythmias had been established [1] an implantable device [2] the transvenous approach [3] the ability of the pacemaker to sense cardiac activity and modify its own function accordingly. In transvenous implantation of a pacemaker, any one of four vessels at the root of the neck is suitable for passage of the electrode - cephalic vein, external jugular vein, internal jugular vein, costo-axillary branch of the axillary vein. The new technique of direct puncture of the subclavian vein, either percutaneously or after skin incision only has been made, is invaluable & is used routinely. We have experienced one 25 years old patient who had rheumatic mitral stenosis & minimum aortic regurgitation with sinus bradycardia associated with premature atrial tachycardia & another 54 years old female patient who was suffered from sick sinus syndrome with sinus bradycardia & sinus arrest. The 1st patient was taken open mitral commissurotomy & aortic valvuloplasty and then was taken atrlal pace-maker implantation through If subclavian puncture method in post-op 14 days, and the second patient was taken atrial pacemaker implantation through If subclavian puncture method. Their postop course was in uneventful & were discharged, without complication. Their condition have been good to now.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2005

Background and purpose: Cardiovascular disease will undoubtedly rise along with the aging of the 'baby-boom' generation. The purpose of this study is to find the new index of the cardiovascular aging. Methods: The effects of aging on the heart and the arterial system are surveyed in the point of structure and function. Results: Arterial stiffening is due to the fatiguing effects of periodic stress on the arterial wall and is the main reason for increasing pulse wave velocity. The systolic hypertension is caused by the early return of wave reflection. The increased after-load by the arterial change leads to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. The reduction in left ventricular compliance cause the impairments of the diastolic function. In contrast to the lower limb, aging effect in the upper limb are almost due to the ascending aortic pressure wave and the reflected wave from the lower limb. Conclusion: We have the following points. (1) The change of physiological pulse pattern by age can be explained by the early returning of reflected wave. (2) The atrial pulse in old age are generated by the left ventricular hypertrophy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.488-500
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• 1990

Author compared the effect of surgical methods between 40 patients who received mitral valve replacement with complete excision of the mitral valve[resected group] and 41 patients who received mitral valve replacement with preservation of posterior chorda tendineae and posterior mitral leaflet[preserved group] from 1985. 2. to 1989. 4. at cardiothoracic department of Pusan National University Hospital.v 1. There was no significant difference between the preserved group and resected group in cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamping time and NYHA classification. 2. In preserved group of Mitral stenosis and Mitral regurgitation, the left ventricular functions were much improved after mitral valve replacement than resected group, but there was not so difference between the preserved group and reserved group in Mitral steno-regurgitation. 3. There were remarkable decrease in complication rate in preserved group compared to resected group. And also the death rates were remarkably decreased in preserved group which was 4.9% compared to resected group which was 17.5%. As the preservation of the posterior mitral leaflet and chorda tendineae during mitral valve replacement in mitral valve disease showed significantly improved effects in the maintaining of left ventricular function and reducing the postoperative complication, I assume the preservation of posterior mitral leaflet and chordae during mitral valve replacement will bring better result.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.855-860
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• 1998

Background: Adequate exposure of the mitral valve is a prerequisite for mitral procedures including the repair. An extended transseptal approach in mitral valvular operations is known to have certain technical advantages in recent years because of the anatomic posterior location of the mitral valve, especially in reoperations and in the presence of the small atrium in spite of the possibility of arrhythmia due to injury of sinus nodal artery. Material and Method: We compared the preoperative status, operative, and postoperative factors among patients in two study groups, transseptal only (Group I, n=10) and extended transseptal approach(Group II, n=25). Result: There were no differences in age, sex, NYHA functional class, left atrial size, and left ventricular function. The incidence of the redo-operation was high and early postoperative arrhythmia, which was improved later, appeared in 3 patients in Group II, but not in Group I. Conclusion: We believe that atrial septal incision could be extended up to the atrial roof whenever exposure of the mitral valve during a transseptal approach is inadequate because the late results were similar.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.2 s.61
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• pp.183-198
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• 1998

In order to determine the prevalence rate and find out the sexual difference of abnormal electrocardiographic findings manifested by computerized EKG, which is equipped with auto-analyzing function, a total of 2,083 electrocardiograms that were taken from population over 20 years-old from October 1996 to February 1997 were studied according to their age, gender and blood pressure. 1. Using the electrocardiography with auto-analyzing function, 33 kinds of abnormal findings were manifested. The prevalence rate of abnormal findings was 52.8% in male and 43.7% in female. Among them, the most common finding was sinus brady-cardia found in 17.6% of male and 15.4% of female. Left ventricular hypertrophy by voltage criteria, minimal voltage of left ventricular hypertrophy, left axis deviation and atrial fibrillation were more common in male than in female statistically. Both of nospecific T wave and ST segment abnormality were more common in female than in male statistically. 2. Thirty-three kinds of abnormal findings were manifested. They revealed one abnormal finding alone or combined with some other ones making 128 kinds of abnormal finding. The most common abnormal finiding that manifested alone was right axis deviation (100%), then myocardial ischemia (95.7%) the next. The most common abnormal finding that complexed with other abnormal findings were left anterior fascicular block(percentage of single manifestation, 26.2%) and nonspecific T wave abnormality(percentage of single manifestation; 32.9%). Also, combination of sinus bradycardia and minimal voltage of left ventricular hypertrophy, and combination of sinus bradycardia and left ventricular hypertrophy were included in 25th sequences of abnormal findings. 3. The prevalence rate of abnormal electrocardiographic findings were higher in older group, hypertensive group, and the group of higher systolic or diastolic pressure in both sexes. 4. Abnormal findings that commonly manifested with sinus bradycardia were voltage criteria or minimal voltage of left ventricular hypertrophy(38.6%): sinus arrhythmia(10.5%): nonspecific T wave or ST segment abnormality(18.4%) and first degree AV block(7.2%) in descending order. 5. The most common site which manifested myocardial ischemia was posterior and inferior wall with equal percentage of 23.4%. And then anterior wall(19.1%), and antero-lateral wall and septum with equal percentage of 10.6% was noted in descending order.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.650-659
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• 1998

Between August 1996 and August 1997, 22 patients underwent extracardiac Fontan operations. The basic diagnoses included univentricular heart of the right ventricular type (n=12); univentricular heart of the left ventricular type (n=4); tricuspid atresia (n=4); left isomerism, transposition of great arteries, ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis (n=1); and criss-cross heart with uneven ventricle (n=1). The median age of the 14 men and 8 women was 29 months (range from 21 months to 26 years). Previous procedures included bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (n=15, interval=15.6$\pm$3.4 months), Kawashima operation (n=4, interval=37.5$\pm$20 months), and classic Glenn shunt (n=1, interval=14 years). In 2 patients, extracardiac Fontan operations were done without any previous procedures. A 16- to 22-mm flexible Gore-Tex tube graft (n=18), Hemashield graft (n=3), or, alternatively, a nonvalved aortic allograft (n=1) was cut and anastomosed end-to-end between inferior vena cava and undersurface of pulmonary artery using Gore-Tex or Prolene suture in a running fashion. In risk Fontan patients (n=12), a communication between the extracardiac conduit and the right atrium was constructed. In the most 13 recent patients, the procedures were done without cross-clamping of the aorta and with a beating heart. Operative mortality was 9.1% (n=2). Complications included persistent chest tube drainage for more than 7 days (n=5), chorea (n=2), and low cardiac output (n=1). There were no late deaths. Follow-up echocardiogram (mean: 6 months) demonstrated satisfactory hemodynamic results in the surviving 20 patients. Potential advantages of this technique consist of minimization of surgical manipulation of atrial tissue, reduction or elimination of myocardial ischemia, creationof a uniform and stable inferior vena cava-to-pulmonary artery conduit, and increased flexibility and safety in certain high-risk patients such as those with increased pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary hypertension, and impaired ventricular function. Further investigations during a longer follow-up are needed to confirm the intermediate and long-term results, especially the reduction of late atrial arrhythmias.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1998

The ultimate goal of total artificial heart is permanent substitute for a failed heart in a patient without any other therapeutic modality. Until now, infection has been the main problem related to the mechanical circulatory support system. The best way to solve this catastrophic complication and to improve the quality of life of TAH patients in terms of tethering must be implantation of TAH totally. The EH-TAH has been developed in NCVC from 1987 for this purpose. The system consists of an energy converter and pumps, which are designed to be placed in abdomen and pericardial space separately for a good anatomical fit. To evaluate the anatomical fit and hemodynamic performance of the EH-TAH, in vivo test was done. General condition of the animal and hemodynamic status had been stable until the TAH stopped on the 11th pumping day. The estimated cardiac output was about 7.7L/min. The values of mean aortic pressure, left and right atrial pressure were 93$\pm$10, 19$\pm$3 and 15$\pm$4 mmHg, respectively. The correlation coefficient between left and right atrial pressure was 0.96, which represents the dynamic function of the interatrial shunt in controlling left-right imbalance of cardiac output. During pumping days, the temperature on the surface of actuator had been maintained at 39.7$\pm$0.4$^{\circ}C$, less than 1$^{\circ}C$ higher than the rectal temperature. The TAH stopped on the 11th day due to mechanical problems. We concluded that the EH-TAH possessed satisfactory basic performance including anatomic fit and hemodynamic adequacy, although there were several mechanical problems to be solved yet.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.468-472
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• 2013

A 12-year-old intact female mixed dog (weighing 6.2 kg) was referred with primary complaints of severe abdominal distension, persistent coughing and exercise intolerance. Diagnostic studies found ascites, jugular distension, loud left and right apical systolic (grade 4/6) murmur, generalized cardiomegaly with caudal vena cava distension and left atrial dilation. Echocardiographic findings were consistent with degenerative mitral and tricuspid valve endocardiosis and bi-ventricular congestive heart failure. There was also a left to right shunting patent foramen ovale. The LV systolic function is depressed relative to the degree of volume overload. Based on diagnostic findings, this case was diagnosed as PFO complicated with mitral and tricuspid valve endocardiosis with ISACHC IIIa heart failure. The dog was treated with furosemide (2 mg/kg, q12hr, PO), sildenafil (1 mg/kg, q8hr, PO), pimobendan (0.3 mg/kg, q12hr, PO), enalapril (0.5 mg/kg, q12hr, PO) and spironolactone (1 mg/kg, q12hr). The clinical signs were gradually improved after medical therapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 1998

A 25-year-old man with viral cardiomyopathy and chronic active hepatitis successfully underwent dynamic cardiomyoplasty for the first time in Korea on July 30, 1996. The patient had been intermittently dyspneic for 5 years and was admitted to our center twice because of heart failure. For the past 2 years, he was NYHA functional class III status with a left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) of around 30%. The patient was born with scoliosis and showed a short stature. The liver function showed elevated liver enzymes, and hepatitis B antigen was positive. The liver biopsy revealed chronic active hepatitis. The preoperative echocardiogram showed decreased left ventricular function with grade II mitral and grade II tricuspid regurgitation with dilated left and right atrium. Recently his symptoms worsened and we decided to perform a dynamic cardiomyoplasty. The left latissmus dorsi muscle(LDM) was mobilized and tested with lead placement on his right lateral decubitus position. The patient was positioned into supine and, after median sternotomy, the heart was wrapped with the mobilized muscle. The Russian made cardiomyostimulator(EKS-445) and leads (Myocardial PEMB for heart and PEMP-1 for LDM) were used. The total operation time was 8 hours and there were no perioperative episodes. Postoperatively the LDM had been trained for a 10 week period and currently the stimulation ratio is maintained at 1:4. The postoperative LVEF did not increase with the value of 30-35%. However, the patient feels better postoperatively with slightly increased activity.