• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.89-92
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• 2009

Purpose: The clinical syndrome of unilateral finger ischemia, caused by digital artery occlusions from embolization from the palmar ulnar artery associated with repetitive striking of the palm, has been called the hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS). We report the case of a man with this unique disease probably caused by manual work. Methods: A 52 - year - old male left - hand dominant manual worker complained of pain and coldness in the left 4,5th finger. On physical examination, there was a tip necrosis and the result of Allen's test was mildly positive(sluggish filling of hand from the ulnar artery). Arteriograms confirmed occlusion of the distal ulnar artery without direct perfusion of the superficial palmar arch and distal digital artery. Surgical bypass with reverse autologous vein grafting was performed between ulnar artery and superficial palmar arch, common digital artery. Results: He had an uneventful postoperative course and has remained asymptomatic for 18 months since discharge. Patency has been confirmed by color doppler with resolution of cold intolerance and successful digital preservation. Conclusion: We introduce very unique pattern of vascular ischemic disease and recommend the arterial bypass with vein interpositional grafting.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2009

Purpose: Most nasal bone fractures involve the septum; either or both of the ethmoidal perpendicular plate(EPP) and quadrangular cartilage(QC). Unlocked tension from the underlying quadrangular cartilage and poorly reducted bony septum are obstacles to the successful reduction of nasal bone. So we compared the preliminary outcome of septoplasty as a primary treatment with the untreated septum in nasal bone fractures. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 215 patients underwent reduction of nasal fracture between January 2002 and February 2008. We graded patients into four groups according to the amount of deviation and direction of force by CT. Our indication for septoplasty and combined procedures was the deviation of EPP or QC over 50% from the midline. We interviewed part of the patients by telephone regarding the subjective esthetic and functional outcomes. Results: Forty five of 215 patients (21 percent) underwent septoplasty and combined procedures (cartilage graft, etc) after the informed consent. Patients who underwent septoplasty significantly satisfied with the outcome of esthetic appearance and nasal patency compared with patients who underwent simple closed reduction despite of having septal deviation over 50 percent from the midline. (p < 0.05) Conclusion: Septal surgery and esthetic consideration shoud be made even in simple nasal reductions. And if CT scans reveal severe deviation of septum, septoplasty should be considered as a primary treatment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2013

Background We established the Microvascular Research Center Training Program (MRCP) to help trainee surgeons acquire and develop microsurgical skills. Medical students were recruited to undergo the MRCP to assess the effectiveness of the MRCP for trainee surgeons. Methods Twenty-two medical students with no prior microsurgical experience, who completed the course from 2005 to 2012, were included. The MRCP comprises 5 stages of training, each with specific passing requirements. Stages 1 and 2 involve anastomosing silicone tubes and blood vessels of chicken carcasses, respectively, within 20 minutes. Stage 3 involves anastomosing the femoral artery and vein of live rats with a 1-day patency rate of >80%. Stage 4 requires replantation of free superficial inferior epigastric artery flaps in rats with a 7-day success rate of >80%. Stage 5 involves successful completion of one case of rat replantation/transplantation. We calculated the passing rate for each stage and recorded the number of anastomoses required to pass stages 3 and 4. Results The passing rates were 100% (22/22) for stages 1 and 2, 86.4% (19/22) for stage 3, 59.1% (13/22) for stage 4, and 55.0% (11/20) for stage 5. The number of anastomoses performed was $17.2{\pm}12.2$ in stage 3 and $11.3{\pm}8.1$ in stage 4. Conclusions Majority of the medical students who undertook the MRCP acquired basic microsurgical skills. Thus, we conclude that the MRCP is an effective microsurgery training program for trainee surgeons.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.242-249
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• 2020

Background The Exoscope is a novel high-definition digital camera system. There is limited evidence signifying the use of exoscopic devices in microsurgery. This trial objectively assesses the effects of the use of the Exoscope as an alternative to the standard operating microscope (OM) on the performance of experts in a simulated microvascular anastomosis. Methods Modus V Exoscope and OM were used by expert microsurgeons to perform standardized tasks. Hand-motion analyzer measured the total pathlength (TP), total movements (TM), total time (TT), and quality of end-product anastomosis. A clinical margin of TT was performed to prove non-inferiority. An expert performed consecutive microvascular anastomoses to provide the exoscopic learning curve until reached plateau in TT. Results Ten micro sutures and 10 anastomoses were performed. Analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in performing micro sutures for TP, TM, and TT. There was statistical significance in TM and TT, however, marginal non-significant difference in TP regarding microvascular anastomoses performance. The intimal suture line analysis demonstrated no statistically significant differences. Non-inferiority results based on clinical inferiority margin (Δ) of TT=10 minutes demonstrated an absolute difference of 0.07 minutes between OM and Exoscope cohorts. A 51%, 58%, and 46% improvement or reduction was achieved in TT, TM, TP, respectively, during the exoscopic microvascular anastomosis learning curve. Conclusions This study demonstrated that experts' Exoscope anastomoses appear non-inferior to the OM anastomoses. Exoscopic microvascular anastomosis was more time consuming but end-product (patency) in not clinically inferior. Experts' "warm-up" learning curve is steep but swift and may prove to reach clinical equality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2015

Background: Aortic occlusion is rare catastophic pathology with high rates of mortality and severe morbidity. In this study, we aimed to share our experience in the management of aortic occlusion and to assess the outcomes of extra-anatomic bypass procedures. Methods: Eighteen patients who had undergone extra-anatomic bypass interventions in the cardiovascular surgery department of our tertiary care center between July 2009 and May 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. All patients were preoperatively assessed with angiograms (conventional, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance angiography) and Doppler ultrasonography. Operations consisted of bilateral femoral thromboembolectomy, axillo-bifemoral extra-anatomic bypass and femoropopliteal bypass and were performed on an emergency basis. Results: In all patients during early postoperative period successful revascularization outcomes were obtained; however, one of these operated patients died on the 10th postoperative due to multiorgan failure. The patients were followed up for a mean duration of $21.2{\pm}9.4$ months (range, 6 to 36 months). Amputation was not warranted for any patient during postoperative follow-up.. Conclusion: To conclude, acute aortic occlusion is a rare but devastating event and is linked with substantial morbidity and mortality in spite of the recent advances in critical care and vascular surgery. Our results have shown that these hazardous outcomes may be minimized and better rates of graft patency may be achieved with extra-anatomic bypass techniques tailored according to the patient.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.215-218
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• 2014

Blunt abdominal trauma may often cause multiple vascular injuries. However, common iliac artery injuries without associated bony injury are very rarely seen in trauma patients. In the present case, a 77-year-old male patient who had no medical history was admitted via the emergency room with blunt abdominal trauma caused by a forklift. At admission, the patient was in shock and had abdominal distension. On abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT), the patient was seen to have hemoperitoneum, right common iliac artery thrombosis and left common iliac artery rupture. During surgery, an additional injury to inferior vena cava was confirmed, and a primary repair of the inferior vena cava was successfully performed. However, the bleeding from the left common iliac artery could not be controlled, even with multiple sutures, so the left common iliac artery was ligated. Through an inguinal skin incision, the right common iliac artery thrombosis was removed with a Forgaty catheter and a femoral-to-femoral bypass graft was successfully performed. After the post-operative 13th day, on a follow-up CT angiography, the femoral-to-femoral bypass graft was seen to have good patency, but a right common iliac artery dissection was diagnosed. Thus, a right common iliac artery stent was inserted. Finally, the patient was discharged without complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 1983

Aortic arch syndrome is an unusual disease entity characterized by the narrowing or obliteration of major branches of the arch of the aorta regardless of etiology. We have experienced 2 cases. One of them was 22 years old office girl with 3 months history of headache, intermittent syncope and weakness and claudication on left arm especially during her physical exercise. On physical examination, pulseless on left antecubital and radial artery and blood pressure on left arm was inable to check and coldness with weakness were noted on the same side. Aortic angiography reealed 34% narrowing of left subclavian artery as that of right. But both common carotid artery and both axillary arterial patency were relatively good. Through right supraclavicular and left axillary incision, bypass graft with Gore-tex prosthesis (I.D. 6mm, Length 25 cm) was implanted from right subclavian artery on 2cm distal to origin of right common carotid arery to left axillary artery distal to axillary fossa. End to side anastomosis with preservation of left subclavian artery was done. Postoperative state was stable with blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg on left arm and palpable antecubital and radial pulsation. Another one was 41 year old male patient with 8 months history of pain and numbness on right upper arm and shoulder. On admission, right arm blood pressure was 110/80 mmHg, left arm was 160/110 mmHg, but other physical findings had no abnormalities. Angiography revealed segmental narrowing of right axillary artery on the beginning with 2 cm in length. Operative treatment with right wupraclavicular and right axillary incision, bypass graft with great saphenous vein (Length; 15 cm) from right subclavian artery between scalenus anticus and medius to axillary artery at distal end of axillary fossa was done. The authors report two cases of Aortic arch syndrome treated with bypass graft using Autograft or Gore-tex with good result.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 1972

The recent development of cardiovascular surgery as well as aortoarteriogaphy has been established excellent operative result with great aid of limb-salvage. However, less consideration or less experience still exists on the regard of vascular accident and vascular disease, as well as vascular surgery in Korea. During the last 13 years, we experienced only two cases of aorto-iliac occlusion,acute and chronic, regardless of having had more than 300 cases of mitral valvotomy and gradual increasing tendency of arteriosclerosis and hypertension in Korea. Therefore it is noteworthy to report the cases in order to promote the consideration for vascular surgery. Case 1; 52 year old female who had 20 years history of mitral stenosis with uricular fibrillation and received medical treatment for recent 1 year in the medical department. 10 days before admission, acute saddle emboli developed and 15 days after the onset, embolectomy through both common femoral arteries on the groin and abdominal approach was made. The progression of emboll to the right popliteal bifurcation was found by arteriography on operating table and retrograde flushing with heparin solution by the polyethylene catheter inserted through posterior tibial artery. The operation was successful, but 9 hours after operation sudden death occurred. Considering this case, first, mitral valvotomy already before might prevent peripheral embolizatlon, secondarily, the more early detection and surgery might also prevent the progression of emboli. Thirdly, although preoperative or postoperatlve heparinization is controversial for mitraI stenosis, heparinization might prevent additional emboli to vital organs in this case Cases 2; 66 year old female who had 4 years history of left hip and calf intermittent claudication and has had rest pain, inability to walk and ischemic necrosis on the the left leg since last 3 months prior to admission to the orthopedic department under the suspicion of herniated disc. Absence of pulsation on the groin and aortography evidenced aortoillac occlusion predominantly on the left side. Thromboendarterectomy was made and the operative result was successful with absence of claudication, healing of ulcer and aortographic patency of occlusive site. This chronic occlusion is considered to result from arteriosclerosis in origin with the evidence of moderate hypertension, x-ray evidence of calcified plaque on the aortic knob and operative finding of palpable plaques.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.371-374
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• 2003

Atherosclerosis has more than 60% of the causes of arterial occlusive diseases. The abdominal aorta and lower extremity arteries are the most common sites of occlusion. We have treated surgically 2 cases who had intermittent claudication and were diagnosed as simultaneous aortobifemoral and bilateral femoropopliteal obstruction by angiography, but had ineffective results from medical treatment or angioplasty. Simultaneously aortobifemoral bypass using Hemashield Y graft and bilateral femoropopliteal bypass using autologous greater saphenous vein were done. After operations, the symptom disappeared and there were no specific post-operative complications except abdominal wound dehiscence. In postoperative angiography, we had obtained good patency of bypass graft. We are following up patients through the out patient department without recurrence up to 16 months.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2002

In this case, a 39 year-old man was admitted with Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with complete superior vena cava(SVC) obstruction causing general edema and hepatic failure. Conservative medical therapy was failed. And after the radiologist failed to invasive procedure of balloon dilatation, we attempted the inferior vena cava to right atrium bypass graft. Operation was done through median sternotomy and extended vertical oblique abdominal incision. A 24 mm Dacron tube was placed from the inferior vena cava just below the left renal vein to the right atrium without using the cardiopulmonary bypass pump. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful without signs of bleeding or any other complications. We used anticoagulants at the postoperative first day. At the postoperative 26th day, we performed abdominal Doppler sonography and we confirmed that the graft patency was good. The patient was discharged with SVC obstructive symptoms but we noticed relief of SVC obstructive symptoms in the course of follow-up.