• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6705-6709
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• 2015

Background: Venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) constitute a group of diseases including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). They regarded as the second leading cause of death in cancer patients and several studies have confirmed that VTEs have a negative impact on survival and recurrent rate in both ovarian and endometrial cancer cases. The incidence of VTEs differs worldwide and depends on several risk factors including race, underlying disease, lifestyle, body weight, BMI and genetic risk factors. There is heterogeneity of DVT rates between Asian and Western countries. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the character and incidence of VTEs in gynecologic oncology patients in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital over a 10 year period. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed with VTEs defined as objective diagnosis of acute DVT or PE with typical symptoms and signs. Diagnoses were approved byan internist and/or confirmed with imaging studies. Data from both outpatient and inpatient sessions of the affected cases from January 2004 to December 2013 were extracted. General characteristics of the patients were collected with details of the diseases, types of cancer, stage, date of diagnosis of cancer, operative data, treatment outcome, progression free survival and overall survival. Results: Thirty cases of VTEs were identified in a total 2,316 gynecologic oncology cases. The incidence of symptomatic VTEs in total gynecologic oncology patients in our institution is 1.295%. The incidence of VTEs in ovarian cancer patients in our institution was 5.9%. Duration for VTE detection ranged from 13 months before diagnosis of cancer to 33 months after diagnosis of cancer. Most of the VTE cases were detected in ovarian cancer patients (60%). The most common cell type was adenocarcinoma (moderately to poorly differentiated) which accounted for 26.7% of the cases. The second most common cell type was clear cell carcinoma with 23.3% of the cases. Thirty percent of VTE cases developed before cancer was diagnosed, 20% were diagnosed at the same time as cancer detection and fifty percent developed after cancer was diagnosed. Median disease free survival of the gynecologic oncology patients with VTE was 7.5 months. Median overall survival (OS) was 12 months. Median progession free survivals of DVT and PE groups were 11.5 and 5.5 months, respectively. OS of DVT and PE was 12.0 and 11.5 months respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of VTE in Asian countries is believed to be lower than in European or Western countries. From our retrospective review, the incidence of VTEs in all types of gynecologic oncology was 1.295%, much lower than reported in the West. The reason for the lower incidence may genetic differences. Another factor is that VTE in this review was symptomatic, which is less than asymptomatic VTE. More than half of VTEs in this study developed in ovarian cancer patients. The results are compatible with earlier reports that among gynecologic malignancies, the incidence of VTE is highest in ovarian cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1311-1315
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• 2012

Objectives: Thrombotic risk is increased in patients with cancer and there are important implications for those who suffer a venous thromboembolism (VTE). We undertook this study to determine the frequency, clinical patterns, and outcome of VTE in Saudi patients with cancer. Methods: Cancer (solid tumors and lymphoma) patients who developed VTE from January 2004 to January 2009 were studied retrospectively. Demographics and clinical characteristics related to thrombosis and cancer were evaluated. Results: A total of 701 patients with cancer were seen during the study period. VTE was diagnosed in 47 (6.7%) patients (median age 52, range 18-80 years). Lower limb DVT was the most common type, seen in 47% patients, followed by PE in 19%, and 19% patients had both DVT & PE. Thrombosis was symptomatic in 72% patients while it was an incidental finding on routine workup in 28%. Cancer and VTE were diagnosed at the same time in 38% of patients, and 47% patients developed VTE during the course of disease after the cancer diagnosis. The majority of VTE post cancer diagnoses occurred during the first year (median 4 months, range 1-14). Additional risk factors for VTE were present in 22 (47%) patients and 14 (30%) of these patients were receiving chemotherapy at the time of thrombosis. Only 5 (10.6%) patients were receiving thrombo-prophylaxis at the time of VTE diagnosis. Most common types of tumors associated with thrombosis were breast cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lung cancer. The majority of the affected patients (79%) had advanced stage of cancer. After a median follow-up of 13 (range 0.5-60) months, 38 (81%) patients had died. There was no difference in the mortality of patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic thrombosis (82% vs 78.6%). Conclusions: Thrombotic complications can develop in a significant number of patients with cancer, and almost half of the patients have additional risk factors for VTE. Thrombosis is usually associated with advanced disease and can be asymptomatic in more than a quarter of cases. Thromboprophylaxis in cancer patients is under-utilized. Community based studies are needed to accurately define the extent of this problem and to develop effective prophylactic strategies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.258-264
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• 2015

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic results and safety of pectoralis major muscle turnover flaps in the treatment of mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. Methods: Data regarding 33 patients with post-CABG deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs) who underwent pectoralis major muscle turnover flap procedures in the Emam Reza and Ghaem Hospitals of Mashhad, Iran were reviewed in this study. For each patient, age, sex, hospital stay duration, remission, recurrence, and associated morbidity and mortality were evaluated. Results: Of the 2,447 CABG procedures that were carried out during the time period encompassed by our study, DSWIs occurred in 61 patients (2.5%). Of these 61 patients, 33 patients (nine females [27.3%] and 24 males [72.7%]) with an average age of $63{\pm}4.54$ years underwent pectoralis major muscle turnover flap placement. Symptoms of infection mainly occurred within the first 10 days after surgery (mean, $10.24{\pm}13.62days$). The most common risk factor for DSWIs was obesity (n=16, 48.4%) followed by diabetes mellitus (n=13, 39.4%). Bilateral and unilateral pectoralis major muscle turnover flaps were performed in 20 patients (60.6%) and 13 patients (39.4%), respectively. Complete remission was achieved in 25 patients (75.7%), with no recurrence in the follow-up period. Four patients (12.1%) needed reoperation. The mean hospitalization time was $11.69{\pm}6.516days$. Four patients (12.1%) died during the course of the study: three due to the postoperative complication of respiratory failure and one due to pulmonary thromboembolism. Conclusion: Pectoralis major muscle turnover flaps are an optimal technique in the treatment of post-CABG mediastinitis. In addition to leading to favorable therapeutic results, this flap is associated with minimal morbidity and mortality, as well as a short hospitalization time.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.548-555
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• 2017

Background: Korean Red Ginseng has been used for several decades to treat many diseases, enhancing both immunity and physical strength. Previous studies have documented the therapeutic effects of ginseng, including its anticancer, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory activities. These activities are mediated by ginsenosides present in the ginseng plant. Ginsenoside Rg3, an effective compound from red ginseng, has been shown to have antiplatelet activity in addition to its anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Platelets are important for both primary hemostasis and the repair of the vessels after injury; however, they also play a crucial role in the development of acute coronary diseases. We prepared ginsenoside Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) to examine its role in platelet physiology. Methods: To examine the effect of Rg3-RGE on platelet activation in vitro, platelet aggregation, granule secretion, intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) mobilization, flow cytometry, and immunoblot analysis were carried out using rat platelets. To examine the effect of Rg3-RGE on platelet activation in vivo, a collagen plus epinephrine-induced acute pulmonary thromboembolism mouse model was used. Results: We found that Rg3-RGE significantly inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization in a dose-dependent manner in addition to reducing ATP release from collagen-stimulated platelets. Furthermore, using immunoblot analysis, we found that Rg3-RGE markedly suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation (i.e., extracellular stimuli-responsive kinase, Jun N-terminal kinase, p38) as well as the PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase)/Akt pathway. Moreover, Rg3-RGE effectively reduced collagen plus epinephrine-induced mortality in mice. Conclusion: These data suggest that ginsenoside Rg3-RGE could be potentially be used as an antiplatelet therapeutic agent against platelet-mediated cardiovascular disorders.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.621-627
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• 1999

Background: Sixty five cases with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA) indicated for biventricular repair were operated on between 1984 and september 1998. Comparison between the results of the conventional(classic) connection(LV-PA) and the anatomic repair was done. Material and Method: Retrospective review was carried out based on the medical records of the patients. Operative procedures, complications and the long-term results accoding to the combining anomalies were analysed. Result: Mean age was 5.5$\pm$4.8 years(range, 2 months to 18years). Thirty nine were male and 26 were female. Situs solitus {S,L,L} was in 53 and situs inversus{I,D,D} in 12. There was no left ventricular outflow tract obstruction(LVOTO) in 13(20%) cases. The LVOTO was resulted from pulmonary stenosis(PS) in 26(40%)patients and from pulmonary atresia(PA) in 26(40%) patients. Twenty-five(38.5%) patients had tricuspid valve regurgitation(TR) greater than the mild degree that was present preoperatively. Twenty two patients previously underwent 24 systemic- pulmonary shunts previously. In the 13 patients without LVOTO, 7 simple closure of VSD or ASD, 3 tricuspid valve replacements(TVR), and 3 anatomic corrections(3 double switch operations: 1 Senning+ Rastelli, 1 Senning+REV-type, and 1 Senning+Arterial switch opera tion) were performed. As to the 26 patients with CCTGA+VSD or ASD+LVOTO(PS), 24 classic repairs and 2 double switch operations(1 Senning+Rastelli, 1 Mustard+REV-type) were done. In the 26 cases with CCTGA+VSD+LVOTO(PA), 19 classic repairs(18 Rastelli, 1 REV-type), and 7 double switch operations(7 Senning+Rastelli) were done. The degree of tricuspid regurgitation increased during the follow-up periods from 1.3$\pm$1.4 to 2.2$\pm$1.0 in the classic repair group(p<0.05), but not in the double switch group. Two patients had complete AV block preoperatively, and additional 7(10.8%) had newly developed complete AV block after the operation. Other complications were recurrent LVOTO(10), thromboembolism(4), persistent chest tube drainage over 2 weeks(4), chylothorax(3), bleeding(3), acute renal failure(2), and mediastinitis(2). Mean follow-up was 54$\pm$49 months(0-177 months). Thirteen patients died after the operation(operative mortality rate: 20.0%(13/65)), and there were 3 additional deaths during the follow up period(overall mortality: 24.6%(16/65)). The operative mortality in patients underwent anatomic repair was 33.3%(4/12). The actuarial survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 75.0$\pm$5.6%, 75.0$\pm$5.6%, and 69.2$\pm$7.6%. Common causes of death were low cardiac output syndrome(8) and heart failure from TR(5). Conclusion: Although our study could not demonstrate the superiority of each classic or anatomic repair, we found that the anatomic repair has a merit of preventing the deterioration of tricuspid valve regurgitations. Meticulous selection of the patients and longer follow-up terms are mandatory to establish the selective advantages of both strategies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 1997

From July 1983 to December 1993, total 112 consecutive mitral valve replacements in 107 patients were performed in patient with mitral valvular abnormalities. To estimate the risk factor related to operative death, all patient's perioperative data were reviewed retrospectively. Except 20 patients received concomitant aortic valve replacement and 2 patients had incomplete data, 85 patients were included in this study. Mean age were $37.3\pm$ 13.1 years ranging from 13 to 72 years. Thirty-seven patients were male and fourty-eight patients were female. Mean follow-up durations were $51.1\pm33.8$ months ranging from 6 months t 11 years. Patients in this study showed improvement in mean NYHA functional clssification, from $3.02\pm0.73$ to 1 $78\pm0.55,$ and also in cardiothoracic ratio, from 0.61 $\pm0.09$ to $0.58\pm0.08$ at 6 months follow-up after operation. Operative complications were detected in 23 patients(27.1 %) and common postoperative complications were rhythm disturbance in 7 cases, pulmonary complications in 6 cases and low cardiac output syndrome in 6 cases. Early mortality was 10.6%(n=9) and the most common cause of death was a congestive heart failure due to low cardiac output syndrome. Main cause of our higher operative mortality than other study was that operative mortality in the initial period of our mitral surgery was high(5 operative deaths among 19 mitral valve replacement from July 1983 to December 1985). Actuarial survival was 80.8% at 5 years, 71.8% at 11 years including operative deaths. Actuarial freedom from anticoagulant-related bleeding was 85.3% at 5 years, 78.3% at 11 years. 95.1% at 5 years and 88.8% at 11 years among the patient in this study were free from thromboembolism, and 97.5% at 5 years and 75.1% at 11 years were free from reoperation. Preoperative cardiothoracic ratio and patient's age were statistically significant operative risk factors.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2004

Current artificial heart valves have several disadvantages, such as thromboembolism, limited durability, infection, and inability to grow. The solution to these problems would be to develop a tissue-engineered heart valves containing autologous cells. The aim of this study was to optimize the protocol to obtain a porcine acellular matrix and seed goat autologous endothelial cells on it, and to evaluate the biological responses of xenograft and xeno-autograft heart valves in goats. Material and Method: Fresh porcine pulmonic valves were treated with one method among 3 representative decellularization protocols (Triton-X, freeze-thawing, and NaCl-SDS). Goat venous endothelial cells were isolated and seeded onto the acellularized xenograft leaflets. Microscopic examinations were done to select the most effective method of decellularizing xenogeneic cells and seeding autologous endothelial cells. Two pulmonic valve leaflets of. 6 goats were replaced by acellularized porcine leaflets with or without seeding autologous endothelial cells while on cardiopulmonary bypass. Goats were sacrificed electively at 6 hours, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6. months after operation. Morphologic examinations were done to see the biological responses of replaced valve leaflets. Result: The microscopic examinations showed that porcine cells were almost completely removed in the leaflets treated with NaCl-SDS. The seeded endothelial cells were more evenly preserved in NaCl-SDS treatment. All 6 goats survived the operation without complications. The xeno- autografts and xenografts showed the appearance, the remodeling process, and the cellular functions of myofibroblasts, 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months after operation, respectively. They were compatible with the native pulmonary leaflet (control group) except for the increased cellularity at 6 months. The xenografts revealed the new endothelial cell lining at that time. Conclusion: Treatment with NaCl-SDS was most effective in obtaining decellularized xenografts and facilitate seeding autologous endothelial cells. The xenografts and xeno-autografts were repopulated with myofibroblasts and endothelial cells in situ serially. Both of grafts served as a matrix for a tissue engineered heart valve and developed into autologous tissue for 6 months.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1999

Background: The atrial fibrillation in patients with mitral valvular heart disease is frequently converted to sinus rhythm after the mitral valve surgery. This sinus restoration implies an important meaning in that it not only helps postoperative convalescence in patients with unstable hemodynamics but also reduces the rate of postoperative thromboembolism. Material and Method: We retrospectively analyzed 184 patients who received mitral valve surgery from June 1986 to December 1996 to investigate the trend of rhythm change following mitral valve surgery and thus to clarify the predisposing factors of postoperative sinus rhythm conversion and its maintenance. Result: The sinus rhythm was restored after the operation in 54 out of 139 patients with atrial fibrillation preoperatively(38.8%). However, the atrial fibrillation recurred in 41 patients at the time of discharge showing a recurrence rate of 75.9 percent. The mean duration of sinus rhythm in patients with eventual atrial fibrillation recurrence was 8.2${\pm}$5.9 days. Only 15 patients were in sinus rhythm at the time of late follow-up with the mean follow-up period of 84.4${\pm}$34.7 months. While the age, duration of symptoms, duration of atrial fibrillation, left atral size, and pulmonary artery pressure were thought to be the predisposing factors for sinus conversion after the operation, only the duration of atrial fibrillation and ejection fraction were considered risk factors for the recurrence of the atrial fibrillation following sinus conversion. Conclusion: This study suggests that the early operation is mandatory for the satisfactory result regarding postoperative rhythm. Moreover, additional operative measure in adjunct to the intervention of mitral valve should be considered for the maintenance of restored sinus rhythm as reflected by high postoperative recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1062-1068
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• 1997

From August 1989 to January 1996, a total of 105 cases of bidirectional Glean operations have been done as the interim stage for the patien s with some risk of univentricular correction at Sejong General Hospital. From December 1992, we started the conversion to Fontal operations for them, and 42 cases underwent Fontal-stage operation till February 1996. Their diagnoses were univentricular heart in 19(right ventricular type : 14), tricuspid atresia 11, double outlet of right ventricle 9, and others in 3 cases. The median age of bidirectional Glerln-stage operation was 12.5 months(range 2 months to 8 years) and Fontan-stage operation was at 59.6 months of median age(range 1 year 5 months to ,9 year 7 months). The mean waiting interval between the two operations was 33.88 $\pm$ 17.85 months with a range of 10 months to 6 years 3 months. During the waiting periods, 18 patients developed significant systemic-pulmonary collaterals andfor systemic verso-veno collateral channels. There were 5 hospital deaths after operations due to low cardiac output in 4 and sepsis in one. Most of the Fontal-stage operations were done by the late al tunneling with Core-Tex tube graft patch and fenestrated with the size of 2.5 ~6 mm. All the patients were followed-up(7 months to 4 years 2 months, mean 21.97$\pm$10.82 months) and there were 5 late deaths(postoperatively 6 months to 2 years) due to thromboembolism in 1, after heart transplantation 1, plastic bronchitis 1, protein loosing enteropathy 1, and pneumonia in 1. Dividing the patients by the waiting interval of 2 years, the early correction to Fontal group (N=16) showed the better results(hospital mortality 1116, late mortality 1116, significant collateral development 2/16) compared to the other group(N=26) (4/26, 4/26, 16/26). In conclusion, after the bidirectional Glean-stage operation successfully got rid of the previous risk factors, we recommand to do the Fontan-stage operation no later than 2 years of interval.