• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2018

Background: Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a serious complication of cardiac valve replacement, and many patients with PVE require reoperation. The aim of this study was to review our institutional 20-year experience of surgical reoperative valve replacement in patients with PVE. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 84 patients (mean age, $54.8{\pm}12.7years$; 51 males) who were diagnosed with PVE and underwent reoperative valve replacement from January 1995 to December 2016. Results: PVE was found in 1 valve in 61 cases (72.6%), and in 2 or more valves in 23 cases (27.4%). The median follow-up duration was 47.3 months (range, 0 to 250 months). Postoperative complications occurred in 39 patients (46.4%). Reinfection occurred in 6 cases, all within 1 year. The freedom from reinfection rate at 5 years was $91.0%{\pm}3.5%$. The overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years were $64.4%{\pm}5.8%$ and $54.3%{\pm}7.3%$, respectively. In stepwise multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 2.10; p=0.027) and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.01; p=0.033) emerged as independent risk factors for death. Conclusion: Older age and a longer CPB time were associated with an increased risk of overall mortality in PVE patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.817-821
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• 1995

The CarboMedics Medical valve has become our mechanical valvular prosthesis of choice because of favorable hemodynamic results that associated with marked clinical improvement and low incidence of thromboembolism after it,s uses. The data for this study was collected from August 1988 to July 1993,five years period. There were total of 57 patients[female 40,male 17 in this series with 4 isolated aortic valve,26 isolated mitral valve,11 double valve and a triple valve replacement. The mean follow up time was 32 months. Postoperatively,58% of cases were in New York Heart Association[NYHA functional class I,and mild and moderate symptoms[NYHA class II were present in 36% and there were very few patients remaining in higher functional classes. In postoperative echocardiographic study, showed marked improved cardiac function. The overall early mortality was 3.5% and the late mortality was one case after triple valve replacement due to sudden death. The causes of early death were attributed to early prosthetic valve endocarditis and heart failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1180-1190
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• 1990

96 patients underwent cardiac valve replacement for valvular heart diseases consecutively between February 1986 to February 1990 in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Yeungnam University Hospital. The follow up period was between 6 months and 4.5 years postoperatively[mean 23.4$\pm$13.1 months]. 75 cases got mitral valve replacement, 6 cases, aortic valve replacement, 15 cases, double valve replacement. 30[31.2%] patients were male and 66[68.8%] were female and the age ranged from 14 to 66 years old. Early hospital death within 30 days postoperation were 5 patients[5.2%], consisting of by low cardiac output in 2, infective endocarditis in 1, multiple organ failure with sepsis in 1 patient. There was no late postoperative death. Most common early postoperative complication was wound disruption [8.7%] and then low cardiac output, pneumothorax, pleural effusion in order. Most common late postoperative complications were minor bleeding episodes[8.7%] related to anticoagulant therapy which were consisted of frequent epistaxis in 3, gum bleeding in 2, hemorrhagic gastritis in 1, hypermenorrhea in 1, hematoma in right arm in 1 patient. Valve-related complications included valve thrombosis [1.6%/ patient-year], valve failure due to pannus formation[1.1% /patient-year], prosthetic valve endocarditis[1, 1%o/patient-year] and minor anticoagulant hemorrhage[4.4% /patient-year]. 5 cases of reoperations were performed in 4 patients due to valve failure and all of them were in the mitral positions[2.7% /patient-year]. Cardiothoracic ratios in the chest X-ray decreased at the 6th month and 1st year postoperation in all patients. But in New York Heart Association[NYHA] functional class IV, no change in cardiothoracic ratio was found between 6 months and 1 year postoperation. In the echocardiogram, the size of the cardiac chambers decreased, but ejection fraction increased postoperatively in each functional class. In the electrocardiogram, decreases were found in the incidence of atrial fibrillation, left atrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy with right bundle branch block increasing postoperatively in each functional class. The actuarial survival rate was 98.4% for all patients, 98.7% for mitral valve replacement, 83.8% for aortic valve replacement, and 80% for double valve replacement at the end of a 4.5 year follow up period. Meanwhile the actuarial freedom rate was 91.5% for prosthetic valve endocarditis, 91.6% for thromboembolism, 89.0% for prosthetic valve failure and 83.7% for minor anticoagulant hemorrhage. Preoperative NYHA class III and IV were 75% of all patients, but 95% of all patients were up graded to NYHA class I and II postoperatively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.370-376
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• 1990

From April, 1981, through March, 1989, 30 patients had received valve replacements and 1 patient had received foreign body removal for infective endocarditis at Seoul National University Hospital. There were 22 male and 9 female patients, ranged in age from 22 to 59 [mean 34.9] years. Twenty-three had native valve endocarditis, 7 had prosthetic valve endocarditis and 1 had infected transvenous permanent pacemaker electrode in right heart. Twenty-four required operation during active phase of disease and 7 during inactive phase. The infecting organism was Streptococcus in 10 patients, Staphylococcus in 5 patients, both Staphylococcus and Streptococcus in 1 patient, E. coli in 2 patients, and Candida in 1 patient. Indications for Surgery were congestive heart failure in 20, systemic emboli in 5, combination of both in 3, congestive heart failure with uncontrolled sepsis in 2, and complete heart block in 1 patient. Hospital mortality was 9.7% [3/31], and all were the patients who received emergency operation. There were 2 late mortality [7.7 %] due to acute myocardial infarction and recurrent endocarditis. This report suggests that the surgical treatment can be achieved with acceptable low mortality and morbidity in medically intractable congestive heart failure, emboli and sepsis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.704-707
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• 1995

The use of the patient`s pulmonary valve for replacement of the patient`s diseased aortic valve was introduced and developed by Mr. Donald Ross. The long term benefits of having a normal, fully viable, trileaflet semilunar valve in aortic position was demonstrated. A 38 year old male had histories of failures of previously implanted aortic prosthetic valves twice and evidence of progressive heart failure. At operation, aortic root abscess was found; the abscess extension to adjacent structures and partial valve dehiscence had occurred. The patient underwent replacement of the aortic root with autologous pulmonary valve, autologous pericardial patch repair of left ventricuar outflow tract and recontruction of the right ventricular outflow tract and pulmonary artery with prosthetic valved conduit. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well. Postoperative doppler echocardiography demonstrated minimal central regurgitation in new aortic valve. Aortic root replacement with pulmonary autograft in a patient of recurrent aortic root abscess and false aneurysm of left ventricuar outflow tract was experienced and reported with follow up echocardiography.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.677-685
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• 1993

Experience with bileaflet mechanical valve replacement at the Inha Hospital in 192 patients, operated on from June 1986 until April 1993. Two hundred fourty-one prostheses [51 Duromedics, 79 St.Jude Medical, and 111 CafboMedics]were implanted during the total 195 operations. Mitral valve replacment[MVR]was done in 113 cases, aortic valve replacement[AVR]in 34, tricuspid valve replacement[TVR]in 2, and double valve replacement[DVR]in 46 cases.Of the total patients, 63.0% were women and 37.0% were men. The mean age of the patients was 40.8 years, ranged from 14 to 67years. Overall early mortality was 9.2\ulcorner%[18 out of 195]; 9.7%[11 out of 113]for MVR, 14,7% [5 out of 34]for AVR, and 4.3%[2 out of 46]for DVR. All of the operative survors were followed over a period of one to 83 months with a mean of 37 months, for total 543 patient-years. So far, eleven patients[6.7% of the long-term survivors]were lost to follov-up after a mean postoperative follow-up of 22.8 months. There were nine late deaths; three deaths due to prostetic valve endocarditis, two due to persistent heart failure, one due to cerebral hemorrhage, one due to aortic dissection after Bentall oreration, and two sudden deaths. Actuarial survival rate at 6.9 years was 94.8%, There were seventeen valve-related complications; three prosthetic valve thromboses, three thrombembolisms, three instances of prosthetic valve endocarditis, two paravalvular leakages, and six hemorrhagic complications related to anticoagulation. The actuarial rate of freedom from all valve-related complications at 6.9years was 91.3%. There were significant decreases in the heart size postoperatively that can be demonstrated by comparison of cardio-thoracic ratios on simple chest X-ray and left ventricle dimensions on echocardiography. We conclude that this midterm follow-up shows good results in terms of hemodynamics and durability although further long-term evaluations are mandatory.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.755-758
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• 2008

We report here on a case of performing a redo-operation for a 65-years-old male patient who had prosthetic endocarditis after reconstruction of the fibrous skeleton due to infective endocarditis 8 years earlier. An aortic annular abscess with a 1cm sized subvalvular abscess and mobile mitral valve vegetation with destruction of the fibrous skeleton was shown on the preoperative echocardiography. An emergency operation was performed due to heart failure. Reconstruction of both the aortic and mitral annuli and the fibrous skeleton was done by using two separate bovine pericardial patches and then mechanical valves were implanted. The postoperative echocardiography shows no paravalvular leakage. The patient has been followed up with no symptoms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1102-1110
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• 1996

Between Oct. 1985 and July 1995, 230 patients underwent mitral valve replacement. There were 77 men and 153 women whose mean age was 35.7 years, range 9 to 62 The concomitant operations were 40 aortic valve replacements(17.4%), 25 tricuspid annuloplasties(10.4%), 8 aortic valve replacements & tricuspid annuloplasties(3.5%), 2 tricuspid valve replacements(0.9%) and others, We used 139 mechanical (76 51. Jude medical, 33 CarboMedics, 30 Sorin) and 91 tissue 386 Carpentier-Edwards, 5 lonescu-Shiley) valves. The early postoperative complications occurred in 28 cases. There were 8 low cardiac output syndrome, 5 pleural effusion, 3 significant arrhythmia, 2 cardiac rupture and others. There were 6 early hospital deaths (2.6%) due to low cardiac output syndrome(2), arrhythmia(2) and ventricul r rupture(2). The cuAmulative notal follow-up period was 764. 4 patient-years with a mean of 4).9 months. The long term follow-up information was available for 212 patients(94.6%). There were 21 cases of valve-related complications. Prosthetic valve failure(10), anti-coagulation related bleeding (5), prosthetic valve endocarditis (4), and thromboembolism (2) occurred at rates of 1.3, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3%Ipt-yr respectively. Late death occurred In 5 cases (0.7%/pt-yr) associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis (2), heart failure (2) and anti-coagulation related bleeding (1). There was no difference in the rate of freedom from prosthetic valve failure between the mechanical and tissue valve group at 6 years (100%), but there was significant difference at 9 years between the tissue (34.4%) and mechanical valve (100%) group (p=0.032). Actuarial survival rates were 98. 8% in tissue valve. 9).7% in mechanical valve group and 96.6% in total patients at 9 years.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 1986

Results of reoperation for tissue valve failure were presented with review of current knowledge. Through January 1986, 19 patients required reoperation: 18 had undergone mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid valve. Primary tissue failure was the main cause of tissue valve failure: it occurred in 18 valves [15 mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid] at a mean postoperative interval of 54-25 months [range 29-120]. During the same period, 2 patients required reoperation for prosthetic valve endocarditis, 1 for paravalvular leakage. The types of valves failed were 12 lonescu-Shiley valves, 5 Hancock valves, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve. All 6 patients younger than 15 years of age at first operation had been implanted with lonescu-Shiley valves and failed after a mean interval of 35 months. In contrast, 11 patients older than 15 years had been implanted with 5 Hancock, 6 lonescu-Shiley, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve initially, and eventually failed after mean intervals of 81, 53, 47 months each other. The kinds of valves used at reoperation were 8 lonescu-Shiley, 4 Bjork-Shiley, and 6 St. Jude Medical valves for primary tissue failure cases and 3 lonescu-Shiley valves for the other 3 cases. Overall mortality at reoperation was 10%: 5.6% for primary tissue failure, 50% for prosthetic valve endocarditis. In 15 cases [all mitral] primary tissue failure were caused by calcification associated with or without leaflet destruction or fibrous ingrowth, and in 2 cases [all aortic] caused by cusp perforation and tearing without any evidence of calcification. In conclusion: 1 primary tissue failure is the main cause of reoperation in patients with tissue valve failure; 2. the majority of the failed valves is in mitral position; 3. leaflet calcification is the leading pathology of primary tissue failure; 4, reoperation for tissue valve failure may be a major concern, although the mortality is low; 5. the limited durability of tissue valve suggests its use be restricted to selected cases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 1996

Between January 1986 and June 1994, 23 patients underwent surgical intervention for infective endocarditis at Wonkwang University Hospital. There were 13 male and 5 female, ran ing in age from 13 to 67(mean 43.7 $\pm$ 5.8) years. 21 had native valve endocarditis and 2 had prosthetic valve endocardits. The most common causative organism was streptococci in 9 patients, and the others were staphylococci in 7 patients and unknown in 7 patients. The infection was in the mitral valve in 10 patients, the aortic valve in 6 patients, the aortic and mitral In 5 patients, 2 in tricuspid. Surgical indications for surgery were intractable congestive heart failure, giant growing vegetation and severe valvular insufficiency. There were 3 perioperative death (13%) and no late death. The main causes of death were cerebral embolism in 2 due to recurrent endocarditis and low cardiac output in 1. By NYHA functional classification, all patients were in class III or IV preoperatively, and all patients were improved postoperatively with HYHA functional classification in class I or II. In conclussion, early operative intervention is life-salving in patients with persistent or progres ive congestive heart failure, irrespective of the activity of the infectious process or the duration of antibiotic therapy.