• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.903-910
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• 2004

Background: The total aortic arch replacement is one of the most difficult operations with high mortality rate. But the arch first technique with subclavian arterial perfusion has been reported to be a safe methods for arch replacement. Material and Method: Between Feb 2003 and July 2004, 18 patients, 10 men and 8 women, underwent total aortic arch replacement with arch first technique. Their mean age was $59.3\pm12.9$ years. The patietns received 11 acute aortic dissections, 3 chronic aortic dissectiong aneurysms, and 4 ruptured aortic arch aneurysms. Result The mean admission period was $20.2\pm7.4$ days. There was one early mortality case which died of low cardiac output syndrome and another late mortality case which died of cerebral hemorrhage. The others were discharged without any sequelae and they were followed up for an average period of $180\pm156.3$ days. Conclusion: The total aortic arch replacement with arch first technique and subclavian arterial perfusion is a good method that will reduce the surgical mortality and the possibility of secondary late reoperation from the remnant distal aortic problems.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 2012

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate our institutional results of the aortic valve replacement through minimally invasive approaches compared with conventional sternotomy. Materials and Methods: From August 1997 to July 2010, 838 patients underwent primary isolated aortic valve replacement. Of them, 73 patients underwent surgery through minimally invasive approaches (MIAS group) whereas 765 patients underwent surgery through the conventional sternotomy (CONV group). Clinical outcomes were compared using a propensity score matching design. Results: Propensity score matching yielded 73 pairs of patients in which there were no significant differences in baseline profiles between the two groups. Patients in the MIAS group had longer aortic cross clamp than those in the CONV group ($74.9{\pm}27.9$ vs.. $66.2{\pm}27.3$, p=0.058). In the MIAS group, conversion to full sternotomy was needed in 2 patients (2.7%). There were no significant differences in the rates of low cardiac output syndrome (4 vs. 8, p=0.37), reoperation due to bleeding (7 vs. 6, p=0.77), wound infection (2 vs. 4, p=0.68), or requirements for dialysis (2 vs. 1, p=0.55) between the two groups. Postoperative pain was significantly less in the MIAS group than the conventional group (pain score, $3.79{\pm}1.67$ vs. $4.32{\pm}1.56$; p=0.04). Conclusion: Both minimally invasive approaches and conventional sternotomy had comparable early clinical outcomes in patients undergoing primary isolated aortic valve replacement. Minimally invasive approaches significantly decrease postoperative pain.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.674-684
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• 1991

The surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot [TOF] was initiated by Blalock and Taussig in 1945 with the establishment of the subclavian artery to pulmonary artery anastomosis. In an imaginative and daring effort, in 1954, Lillehei and collaborators [1955] using controlled cross-circulation, carried out the first intracardiac repair of TOF by closing the ventricular septal defect [VSD] and relieving the pulmonary stenosis under direct vision. Nowadays, total correction is the ideal operation for treatment of TOF and is accomplished with extracorporeal circulation. And the results of surgery for TOF have steadily improved over the years, thanks to important contributions of many surgeons. Nevertheless because of its protean physiologic and anatomic presentation, TOF continues to offer challenges to cardiologist and cardiac surgeons. Thirty two cases of TOF have undergone total corrective surgery using extracorporeal circulation in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University, from Oct. 1985 to Feb. 1990. Clinical considerations were applied to these cases and the results were obtained as follows. 1. The heart lung machine used for extracorporeal circulation was SarnsO 7000, 5-head roller pump, and the number and type of oxygenators were 10 of bubble type and 22 of membrane type. The mean bypass time was 148.9 minutes and the mean aortic cross clamp time was 123.8 minutes. The GIK [glucose-insulin-potassium] solution was used as cardioplegic solution for myocardial protection during operation. 2. 20 cases were male and 12 were female, the mean age was 8 years old and the mean body weight was 25Kg. 3. The preoperative symptoms were cyanosis [29 cases], squatting [27 cases] and etc. The mean values of preoperative Hb., Hct., and SaO2 were 16.5 gm /dl, 50.3%, and 78.5%. 4. Combined anomalies were noticed in 16 cases [50%]. Among them 10 cases were PFO and 6 cases were ASD. 5. The degree of aorta overriding were 25% in 5 cases, 25 ~ 50% in 22 cases and above 50% in 5 cases. The dPA/Ao [ratio of diameter of pulmonary artery trunk to ascending aorta] were below 25% in 5 cases, 25 ~ 50% in 10 cases, 50 ~ 70% in 6 cases and above 75% in 11 cases. 6. The types of RVOT [right ventricular outflow tract] stenosis were valvular and infundibular in 14 cases [43.6%], diffuse hypoplastic type in 12 cases [37.5%], infundibular in 5 cases, and valvular and supravalvular in 1 case. 7. One stage radical corrective surgery was applied to the all cases. In widening of the RVOT, 3 types of patches were used: MVOP [monocusp ventricular outflow patch, Polystan BioprosthesesO] in 3 cases, knitted Dacron vessel patches in 2 cases, and double layer with bovine pericardium and woven Dacron prosthesis in 26 cases. 8. Postoperative complications were occurred in 15 cases. Among them, low output syndrome were occurred in 10 cases [31.3%] and 2 of them were expired postoperatively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1996

From March, 1983 to June, 1994, twenty-two patients underwent coronary artery and combined operations. The ages of the patients ranged from 42 years to 72 years (mean 60.4$\pm$8.2 years). There were 17 male and 5 female patients. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ranged from 25% to 65% (mean 46.9$\pm$14.2%). Nine patients had mechanical complication of myocardial infarction (MI), of which 5 were LV aneurysm, 3 ventricular septal defect and 1 mitral regurgitation. Nine patients had rheumatic valvular heart disease of whom 7 with aortic valve disease and 2 with mitral valve disease. Two other patients had left atrial thrombi, only one with atrial septal defect a d another with aneurysm of ascending aorta. An average of 2.1$\pm$1.0 bypasses was done, ranging from one to four. There were 3 postoperative complications; 2 perioperative MI and 1 leg wound infection. Among complicated patients, mortality was 1 patient (4.5%) due to low cardiac output syndrome after perioperative MI. With 3 to 136 months follow-up (mean 41.1$\pm$40.2 months), late mortality was 1 patient due to cerebral vascular accident. Among long-term survivors, all patients are in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. Although the number of patients was small, our surgical results were favorable. Therefore we think that coronary revascularization combined with heart operation does not increase the operative risk when associated coronary artery disease is present, and it reduces the occurrence of late death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2014

Background: To determine the predictors of clinical outcomes following surgical descending thoracic aortic (DTA) repair. Methods: We identified 103 patients (23 females; mean age, $64.1{\pm}12.3$ years) who underwent DTA replacement from 1999 to 2011 using either deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (44%) or partial cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB, 56%). Results: The early mortality rate was 4.9% (n=5). Early major complications occurred in 21 patients (20.3%), which included newly required hemodialysis (9.7%), low cardiac output syndrome (6.8%), pneumonia (7.8%), stroke (6.8%), and multi-organ failure (3.9%). None experienced paraplegia. During a median follow-up of 56.3 months (inter-quartile range, 23.1 to 85.1 months), there were 17 late deaths and one aortic reoperation. Overall survival at 5 and 10 years was $80.9%{\pm}4.3%$ and $71.7%{\pm}5.9%$, respectively. Reoperation-free survival at 5 and 10 years was $77.3%{\pm}4.8%$ and $70.2%{\pm}5.8%$. Multivariable analysis revealed that age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 1.15; p<0.001) and left ventricle (LV) function (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.96; p<0.003) were significant and independent predictors of long-term mortality. CPB strategy, however, was not significantly related to mortality (p=0.49). Conclusion: Surgical DTA repair was practicable in terms of acceptable perioperative mortality/morbidity as well as favorable long-term survival. Age and LV function were risk factors for long-term mortality, irrespective of the CPB strategy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.939-944
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• 1998

Background: The sugical results of the Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) for lone atrial fibrillation(AF) have proven to be exellent. However, those for AF associated with mitral valve(MV) disease have been reported to be a little inferior. Materials and methods: To assess the efficacy and safety of the CMP as a combined procedure with MV operation, we studied retrospectively our experiences. Between April 1994 and October 1997, we experienced 70 (23 males, 47 females) cases of CMP concomitantly with MV operation. Results: The etiologies of MV disease were rheumatic in 67 and degenerative in 3 cases. The mean duration of AF before sugery was 66$\pm$70 months. Fifteen patients had the past medical history of thromboembolic complications, and left atrial thrombi were identified at operation in 24 patients. Twelve cases were reoperations. Aortic cross clamp (ACC) time was mean 151$\pm$44 minutes, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was mean 246$\pm$65 minutes. Concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 19, MVR and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 14, MVR and tricupid annuloplasty (TAP) in 8, MVR with AV repair in 3, MV repair in 11, MVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 2, MVR and AVR and CABG in 1, redo-MVR in 10, redo-MVR and redo-AVR in 2 patients. The rate of hospital mortality was 1.4%(1/70). Perioperative recurrence of AF was seen in 44(62.9%), and atrial tachyarrhythmias in 10(14.3%), low cardiac output syndrome in 4(5.7%), postoperative bleeding that required mediastinal exploration in 4(5.7%) patients. Other complications were acute renal failure in 2, aggravation of preoperative hemiplegia in 1, and transient delirium in 1 patient. We followed up all the survivors for 16.4 months(3-44months) on an average. Sinus rhythm has been restored in 65(94.2%) patients. AF has been controlled by operation alone in 73.9% and operation plus medication in 20.3%. Two patients needed permanent pacemaker implantation; one with sick sinus syndrome, and the other with tachycardia- bradycardia syndrome. Only two patients remained in AF. We followed up our patients with transthoracic echocardiography to assess the atrial contractilities and other cardiac functions. Right atrial contractility could be demonstrated in 92% and left atrial contractility in 53%.We compared our non-redo cases with redo cases. Although the duration of AF was significantly longer in redo cases, there was no differences in ACC time, CPB time, postoperative bleeding amount and sinus conversion rate. Conclusions: In conclusion, the CMP concomitant with MV operation demonstrated a high sinus conversion rate under the acceptable operative risk even in case of reoperation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.755-761
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• 2004

We evaluated the efficacy of Dor procedure in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Material and Method: Between April 1998 and December 2002, 45 patients underwent the Dor procedure con-comitant with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-diastolic/end-systolic volumes (LVEDV/LVESV) were measured by echocardiography, myocardial SPECT, and cardiac catheterization and angiography performed at the sequence of preoperative, early postoperative, and one year postoperative stage. Result: Cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamp times were mean 141$\pm$64, 69$\pm$24 minutes, respectively. Intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) therapy was required in 19 patients (42%; 7 preoperatively, 9 intraoperatively, 3 postoperatively). Operative mortality rate was 2.2% (1/45). Postoperative morbidities were low cardiac output syndrome (12), atrial fibrillation (5), acute renal failure (4), and postoperative bleeding (4). Functional class (NYHA) was improved from classes 2.8 to 1.1 (p < 0,01). When we compared between the preoperative and early postoperative values, LVEF was improved from 32$\pm$9% to 52$\pm$11% (p<0.01). The asynergy portion decreased from 57$\pm$12% to 22$\pm$9%, and LVEDV/LVESV indexes improved from 125$\pm$39 mL/$m^2$, 85$\pm$30 mL/$m^2$ to 66$\pm$23 mL/$m^2$, 32$\pm$16 mL/$m^2$ (p<0.01). Although these changes in volumes were relatively preserved at postoperative one year, the left ventricular volumes showed a tendency to increase. Conclusion: After the Dor procedure for ischemic left ventricular dysfunction, LVEF improvement and left ventricular volume reduction were maintained till postoperative one year. The tendency for left ventricular volume to increase at postoperative one year suggested the requirement of strict medical management.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 1997

.Itrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias requiring treatment. About 60% of patients with mitral valvular disease have atrial fibrillation and one third of patients with atrial fibrillation may have the past history of thromboembolic events. Between April 1994 and June 1995, 20 patients with organic heart diseases combined with atrial fibrillation underwent open heart surgery including Cox-maze 111 procedure. There were 6 men and 14 women with an average age of 48 years (range, 31 to 66 years). Nineteen patients had valvular heart diseases and 1 ventricular septal defEct (VSD). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 36 months (:42 months) (range, 1 to 132 months). T e past medical history of thromboembolic events was positive in 7 patients (35%) and left atrial thrombus was detected in 9 patients (45%). The concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 5 patients, MVR in 4, MVd and tricuspid annuloplasty(TAP) in 4, mitral valvuloplasty(Mln) in 3, Mln and Tln in 1, MIW and coronary artery bypass surgery in 1, AVR in 1, and patch closure of VSD in 1. Mean aortic cross-clamping time was 175 minutes (range, 116 to 270 minutes). Atrial fibrillation recurred in 16 patients (80%) during the early postoperative period, but, recurrent atrial fibrillation was converted to regular rhythm at postoperative forty-first day in average. There was no early or late death in this series of 20 patients and postoperative complications were inappropriate tachycardia in 5 patients (25%), low cardiac output syndrome in 3 (15%), aggravated hemiplegic in 1, and acute renal failure in 1. Mean follow-up interval of patient was 16.5 months (range, 10.5 to 24 months) and all patients are currently in regular rhythm. Seventeen patients (85%) are in sinus rhythm and 3 (15%) in junctional rhythm. Right atrial contraction was detected in 95% of patients and left atrial contraction in 63% on postoperative transthoracic echocardiogram. The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation concomitant with open heart surgery is warranted in the recent clinical setting of improved myocardial protection technique, considering the untoward side-effects of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.346-352
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• 1998

Rheumatic valvulitis produces at least three distinct pathologic changes, the degree varying widely among the patients: fusion of the valve leaflets at the commissures; fusion and shortening of chordae tendinae: and fibrosis of the leaflets with subsequent stiffening, contraction and calcification. The most extensive changes usually are seen in patients with recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever. We studied on outcome of the surgical treatments of rheumatic valvular diseases that have been experienced for 12 years since 1982 at Pusan National University Hospital. The diagnoses were made by rheumatic fever history, echocardiographic findings, gross operative findings and microscopic findings. Total 502 patients were performed surgery for valvular heart diseases and 440 patients of rheumatic origin have bene analysed. There were more female than male patients as 1.3:1, and the mean age was 37.8 years old. 96.3% of them affected to the mitral valve, 19.8% to aortic valve, 16.3% affected to the tricuspid valve. Most of them underwent valve replacement, and valve repair was done in 3.9% of patients. There were 36 hospital deaths(8.2%) mainly from low cardiac output syndrome, and 15 late deaths equally due to embolism and hemorrhage. Follow up was 90.1% completed(2890 patient- year). Linealized rates of late complication events are follows : thromboembolism 1.3% per patient year; anticoagulant related hemorrhage 0.8% per patient year. Overall actuarial survival including hospital mortality was 92.7＋/-2.9% in 1 year, 88.0＋/-4.5% in 5 year, 82.3＋/-7.7% in 10 year. We conclude that the rheumatic disease is still the most frequent and the most important cause of heart valve disease. So more intensive study is needed in spite of the abrupt decreasing rate of rheumatic fever in U.S.A. and other industrial country.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.619-626
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• 2010

Background: The indications and the optimal time of surgery of infective endocarditis are controversial. We report the surgical results of our hospital during the last 10 years with literature review. Material and Method: Between January 2000 and December 2009, we enrolled 23 infective endocarditis patients who underwent surgery, and analyzed retrospectively. In the preoperative blood culture, 8 cases (34.8%) were positive. The average preoperative antibiotics treatment period was $20.78{\pm}16.00$ days. There were 12 (52.2%) urgent operations. The average follow up period was $49.26{\pm}33.21$ months. Result: 20 mechanical valve replacements were performed, 9 in aortic position, 8 in mitral position and 3 in the both positions. The other procedures were one mitral valvuloplasty, one infected myxoma extirpation, and one infected pacemaker lead removal with debridement. The average period of postoperative intravenous antibiotic treatment was $24.39{\pm}15.98$ days. There were 5 complications, including 2 cases of postoperative bleeding, one postcardiotomy syndrome, one cerebral ischemia, and a low cardiac output syndrome. There were statistically significant postoperative improvement in NYHA class, left ventricle end diastolic/end systolic volume, and left atrium size (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: We could obtain the satisfactory results without any moftalities by using sufficient preoperative antibiotics in hemodynamically stable patients, and by prompt surgery in unstable patients.