• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2018

Background: Sutureless aortic valve replacement (SU-AVR) has been developed as an alternative surgical treatment for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of SU-AVR through an assessment of hemodynamic performance and safety. Methods: From December 2014 to June 2016, a total of 12 consecutive patients with severe AS underwent SU-AVR. The endpoints were overall survival and valve-related complications (paravalvular leakage, valve thrombosis, migration, endocarditis, and permanent pacemaker implantation). The mean follow-up duration was $18.1{\pm}8.6months$. Results: The mean age of the patients was $77.1{\pm}5.8years$ and their mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was $9.2{\pm}17.7$. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were $94.5{\pm}37.3$ minutes and $54.9{\pm}12.5minutes$, respectively. Follow-up echocardiography showed good prosthesis function with low transvalvular pressure gradients (mean, $13.9{\pm}8.6mm\;Hg$ and peak, $27.2{\pm}15.0mm\;Hg$) at a mean of $9.9{\pm}4.2months$. No cases of primary paravalvular leakage, valve thrombosis, migration, or endocarditis were reported. A new permanent pacemaker was implanted in 1 patient (8.3%). The 1-year overall survival rate was $83.3%{\pm}10.8%$. Conclusion: Our initial experience with SU-AVR demonstrated excellent early clinical outcomes with good hemodynamic results. However, there was a high incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation compared to the rate for conventional AVR, which is a problem that should be solved.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.498-505
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• 1983

It has been over 20 years since successful operations of Cardiac valves at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery, college of medicine, Yonsei University. About six hundreds of patients with severely symptomatic valvular heart disease have had valve operations with complete loss or sharp decrease in their cardiac symptoms since 1956. As the number of cardiac patient increases, reoperation on valves assumes greater importance. To define the group of patients undergoing reoperations on valves and the factors influencing their survival, we have reviewed our experiences of the reoperation on valves at the Yonsei University, Severance Hospital. This is a report of 29 cases which was undergone secondary or more surgery for valvular heart disease from 1966 to 1983. The primary operations includes 159 cases of open heart surgery from 1966 to 1975 and 476 cases from 1976 to march, 1983. The secondary operations are classified into groups of secondary valvuloplasty or valvotomy [8 cases], prosthetic valve replacement following valvuloplasty or valvotomy [14 cases] and prosthetic valve rereplacement [2 case] for such as calcification, degeneration and perforation of the cusps and paravalvular leakage, of the bioprosthetic valves. The leading indication for reoperation of mitral valve was restenosis or stenoinsufficiency, The indications of aortic valve replacement was active bacterial endocarditis, medically uncontrollable prosthetic endocarditis or paravalvular leakage. Overall death rate of the reoperation was 17.4% [5 death among the 29 patients] and the leading causes of death were myocardial failure, arrhythmia, cerebral embolism, acute renal failure due to low output syndrome. And it was followed by sepsis associated with active prosthetic endocarditis. The death rate of reoperation was 4.3% in the elective cases except urgent cases and the death rate of overall cardiac valve except reoperation cases was 4.1% in the last two years. Although the general mortality of reoperation was high, both mortality rates were comparable except emergency cases due to urgent preoperative patient’s condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.346-352
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• 2013

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) in old and high risk patients. The goal of this study is to compare the early outcomes of conventional AVR vs. TAVI in high risk severe AS patients. Methods: From January 2008 to July 2012, 44 high risk severe aortic stenosis patients underwent conventional AVR, and 15 patients underwent TAVI. We compared echocardiographic data, periprocedural complication, and survival. The mean follow-up duration was $14.5{\pm}10$ months (AVR), and $6.8{\pm}3.5$ months (TAVI), respectively. Results: AVR group was younger ($78.2{\pm}2.4$ years vs. $82.2{\pm}3.0$ years, p<0.001) and had lower operative risk (Euroscore: $9.4{\pm}2.7$ vs. $11.0{\pm}2.0$, p=0.044) than TAVI group. There was no significant difference in early mortality (11.4% vs. 13.3%, p=0.839), and 1 year survival ($87.4%{\pm}5.3%$ vs. $83.1%{\pm}1.1%$, p=0.805). There was no significant difference in postoperative functional class. There was no significant difference in periprocedural complication except vascular complication (0% [AVR] vs. 13.3% [TAVI], p=0.014). TAVI group had more moderate and severe paravalvular leakage. Conclusion: In this study, both groups had similar periprocedural morbidity, and mortality. However, TAVI group had more greater than moderate paravalvular leakage, which can influence long-term outcome. Since more patients are treated with TAVI even in moderate risk, careful selection of the patients and appropriate guideline need to be established.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 1989

The emergence and expansion of cardiac surgery over the past decade has resulted in an increasing number of patients undergoing cardiac operations but many kinds of heart surgery was realized only palliative, resulting in increasing numbers of secondary cardiac procedures. From 1978 to 1988, 10 cases of various congenital heart diseases and 17 cases of acquired heart diseases were reoperated at Hanyang University Hospital. The leading indication of second operation was residual shunt or valvular malfunction due to technical failure in congenital heart disease and primary valve failure, endocarditis, paravalvular leakage were for acquired heart disease. The mortality of reoperation was 0% for congenital heart disease and 11.7%[2 death among the 17 patients] for acquired heart disease. The leading causes of death were myocardial failure, sepsis with endocarditis, acute renal failure and congestive heart failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.951-959
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• 1989

Between September, 1972 and September, 1989, total 359 patients were operated for acquired heart disease at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital. A consecutive series of 293 prosthetic valve replacement was also performed during this period. The results were summarized as follows; 1. There were 141 men and 218 women, whose ages ranged from 6 to 64 years, [mean 35.5 years] 2. Out of 293 cases, mitral valve replacement was 182 cases, aortic valve replacement was 39 cases and double valve replacement was70 cases. 3. Early post-operative death was 30 cases [Mortality; 8.4 %] and late death was 9 cases in the survivors. 4. Re-operation was 30 cases and operative mortality was 10%. 5. Mean post-operative interval was 76 months. [Ranged from 216 months to 2 months] 6. Among re-operation cases, primary prosthetic valve failure was 16 cases and paravalvular leakage was 2 cases. 7. Since January 1988, 79 cases of prosthetic valve replacement were performed and then 1 case was expired. [Mortality; 1.2 %]

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 1994

St. Jude Medical cardiac valve replacement was performed in 135 consecutive patients from Aug.1986 to Dec. 1991.72 had mitral, 28 had aortic, 1 had tricuspid and 34 had double valve replacement. The hospital mortality rate was 4.4% & the late mortality rate was 3.7 %. Follow-up was done on 115 surviving patients:mean follow-up period was 29.78 $\pm$ 18.32 months. Paravalvular leakage was observed in two patients, possible prosthetic valvular endocarditis wasobserved in one patient and other specific valve-related complications were none. The overall actuarial survival rate at 6 years were 91.6% in total, 96.4% in aortic, 95.5 % in mitral and 81.9 % in double valve replacement.We concluded, therefore that good clinical results and a low complication rate could be achieved with St. Jude Medical valve in short-term follow-up & long-term follow-up was also necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.274-282
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• 2002

Background: Paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm developed after isolated aortic valve replacement(AVR) for aortic regurgitation(AR) associated with Behcet's disease is one of the most serious complications, and requires subsequent reoperations. We describe the surgical result of homograft aortic root replacement(ARR) for AR associated with Behcet's disease. Material and Method: From January 1992 to December 2001, 6 patients with AR associated with Behcet's disease underwent 7 ARR with homograft and 1 Ross operation. Five patients were male and one was female. The grafts used for ARR were 5 aortic and 2 pulmonic homografts. Ages at operation ranged from 27 to 51 years(mean, 37$\pm$9 years). Two patients underwent ARR with aortic homograft at the first operation. In the remaining 4 patients, ARR using a homograft was performed for paravalvular leakage that developed after AVR, and the mean interval from AVR to ARR was 21 $\pm$29 months(range, 5 to 73.3 moths, median, 7.6 months). Result: There was no early death. All patients were followed up for an average of 18.9$\pm$24.0 months(range, 1.9 to 68.9 months, median, 8.4 months). Two of 4patients who had undergone ARR after AVR required subsequent reoperations for false aneurysm of the ascending aorta and failure of pulmonary homograft. One patient underwent re-replacement of the aortic root, ascending aorta and partial aortic arch with an aortic homograft, the other underwent Ross operation. Conclusion: This study suggests that aortic root replacement using a homograft in aortic regurgitation with Behcet's disease may provide good clinical results and decrease the incidence of paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm after aortic valve replacement. However, the adequate perioperative management and complete removal of the inflarrunatory tissue at operation were also important for the good long-term results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.255-262
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• 2017

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been suggested as a less invasive treatment for high-risk patients with aortic valve disease. I n this study, we compared the outcomes of conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) and TAVR in elderly patients aged over 80. Methods: A total of 108 patients aged 80 years or older who underwent isolated AVR (n=35) or TAVR (n=73) from 2010 through 2015 at Asan Medical Center were identified. Early and late clinical outcomes, including echocardiographic findings, were evaluated in both groups. The mean follow-up duration was $766.4{\pm}528.7days$ in the AVR group and $755.2{\pm}546.6days$ in the TAVR group, and the average timing of the last follow-up echocardiography was at $492.6{\pm}512.5days$ in the AVR group and $515.7{\pm}526.8days$ in the TAVR group. Results: The overall early mortality was 2.8% (0 of 35, 0% in the AVR group vs. 3 of 73, 4.1% in the TAVR group). Permanent pacemaker insertion was significantly more common in the TAVR group (p=0.010). Renal failure requiring dialysis and new-onset atrial fibrillation was more frequent and the length of hospital stay was longer in the AVR group; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. In the TAVR group, 14 patients (19.2%) were rehospitalized due to cardiac problems, and 13 patients (17.8%) had developed significant paravalvular leakage by the time of the last follow-up echocardiography. Conclusion: TAVR could be a good alternative to conventional surgical AVR in elderly patients. However, TAVR has several shortcomings, such as frequent significant paravalvular leakage or readmission, which should be considered in decision-making.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 1991

Since advent of the prosthetic cardiac valve replacement, much efforts for accurate assessing value function in-vivo have been attempted. To evaluate the postoperative functional and morphological status of the replaced cardiac valve prosthesis, 33 patients with valve replacement were studied by transthoracic and transesophageal 2-dimensional echocardiac imaging as well as by color Doppler flow velocity imaging. Twenty four patients had mitral valve replacement. 6 patients had aortic valve replacement and 3 patients had both mitral and aortic valve replacement. There were 34 mechanical and 2 biological prosthesis. Comparing to transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal approach showed transvalvular regurgitant jet flow amid the prosthetic mitral valve ring during. systole and much clear visualization of cardiac chamber behind prosthesis which could give shadowing effect to ultrasound beam. According to the quantitative grading by the length and area of mitral regurgitant flow, 24 out of 27 mitral valves revealed mild degree regurgitation considered as physiological after prosthetic bileaflet valve replacement and the other 3 valves including 2 biological prosthesis had moderate degree regurgitation which was regarded as pathologic one. 2 cases of left atrial thromboses and 1 case of paravalvular leakage which were not visible by transthoracic approach were identified by transesophageal echocardiography in patients with mitral valve replacement and patients with aortic valve replacement respectively. We conclude that in patients with prosthetic mitral valve replacement, transesophageal 2-dimensional imaging with color Doppler can suggest reliable information beyond that available from the transthoracic access even though it gives patient some discomfort to proceed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.476-484
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• 1983

Ventricular septal defect[VSD] associated with aortic regurgitation[AR] represents 2 to 7.5% of all VSD which is most common congenital heart disease. The aortic valve may by normal in infants with VSD, but the aortic regurgitation may be developed in these patients later. The aortic valve became fibrotic, thickened, deformed and prolapsed, so these late deformities require to be corrected with plication, valvuloplasty or aortic valve replacement [AVR]. There are some controversy between the early repair of VSD alone and the late repair of VSD and aortic valve till now. From December 1971 to August 1983, we had experienced 24 patients of VSD associated with AR which constitute 6.5% of our total patients with VSD. The VSD was subpulmoary [type I] in 14[58.3%], subcristal [type II] in 8[33.3%], atrioventricular canal type[type III] in 1, and combine of type I and II in 1. Patch repair of VSD was made in 15 patients and direct suture of small VSD in 9.14 patients had aortic plication of valvuloplasty and 9 had AVR accompanying VSD repair, and 1 patient had VSD closure alone. The postoperative courses of these patients were uneventful except in some cases. A patient who was undertaken AVR with Starr-Edwards ball valve and VSD closure, died due to left ventricular failure and low cardiac output syndrome. Follow up shows, in 14 patients with aortic plication or valvuloplasty, AR was developed in 9. In 9 AVR, there were two later complications which were paravalvular leakage in one and re-AVR due to subacute bacterial endocarditis in another.