• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.8 s.253
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• pp.529-537
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• 2005

Background: Historically the Fontan operation in patients with single ventricle and heterotaxy syndrome has been associated with high mortality because of systemic or pulmonary anomalous venous drainage, incompetent common atrioventricular valve, right ventricle type univentricular heart, and arrhythmia. Material and Method: A retrospective review of 62 patients $(age:\;54.79\pm33.97\;months)$ with heterotaxy syndrome who underwent a extracadiac Fontan operation between 1996 and 2005 was performed. Twenty one patients had left atrial isomerism, and 41 had right isomerism. The Fontan procedure was staged in all but 2 patients, and a fenestration was less placed in left isomerism. Result: Left isomerism was associated more with interrupted inferior vena cava and pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, and right isomerism was associated more with anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, common atrioventricular valve and morphologic right ventricle. There were 3 hospital deaths$(4.8\%)$ and 3 late deaths $(5.2\%)$ with a follow-up duration of $48.8\pm31.0$ months. Eight-year survivals were $90.5\pm6.4\%$ in left isomerism and $88.6\pm5.4\%$ in right isomerism (p=0.94). At 8 years, freedom from reoperation was $73.9\pm11.3\%$ in left isomerism, and $82.3\pm6.7\%$ in right isomerism (p=0.87). Atrioventricular valve regurgitation progressed after Fontan operation in heterotaxy syndrome, and reoperation for pulmonary arteriovenous fistula and permanent pacemaker implantation for sinus node dysfunction were required more in left isomerism. Conclusion: The extracardiac Fontan operation can now be performed in patients with heterotaxy syndrome with excellent survival. However, morbidity in terms of postoperative atrioventricular valve regurgitation, arrhythmia, and pulmonary arteriovenous fistula remains significant.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2010

Background: Diagnosing chronic pulmonary embolism at an early stage is difficult because of the patient’s nonspecific symptoms. This condition is not prevalent in Korea, and in fact, there have been only a few case reports on this in the Korean medical literature. We analyzed the surgical outcome of performing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in patients with chronic pulmonary embolism. Material and Method: The study subjects included those patients who underwent surgery for chronic pulmonary embolism from 1996 to 2008. For making the diagnosis, echocardiography, chest CT and a pulmonary perfusion scan were performed on the patients who complained of chronic dyspnea. Result: Pulmonary endarterectomy was performed as follows: by incision via a mid-sternal approach (7 patients); by incision via a left posterolateral approach (1 patient); using the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest technique (4 patients); under ventricular fibrillation (3 patients); and under cardioplegic arrest (1 patient). The postoperative systolic pulmonary artery blood pressure significantly decreased from a preoperative value of $78.9{\pm}14.5\;mmHg$ to $45.6{\pm}17.6\;mmHg$ postoperatively (p=0.000). The degree of tricuspid regurgitation was less than grade II after surgery. Two patients died early on, including one patient who had persistent pulmonary hypertension without improvement and right heart failure. Conclusion: Patients who have chronic pulmonary embolism are known to have a poor prognosis. However, we think that early surgical treatment along with making the proper diagnosis before the aggravation of right heart failure can help improve the quality of a patient's life.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.416-421
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• 2012

A 10-year-old 4-kg spayed female Chihuahua with severe congestive heart failure was referred for surgical treatment. Through several examinations, the dog was diagnosed as severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and moderate TR. Because of the poor prognosis associated with continuation of medical management, surgical repair of the mitral valve was considered as the treatment option for the dog. The mitral valve repair was performed undergoing cardio pulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit. However after mitral repair, the dog was died without recovery from anesthesia. Many risk factors associated with failure of cardiac surgery are included CPB management, hypothermia, organ dysfunction, hemorrhage, hypotension, electrolyte & acid base imbalance, and infection. Although the dog is died from the operation, it is an important to reveal the factors of failure in veterinary clinic. From the case report, causes of failure of mitral valve repair can be considered from the failure of oxygenation and gas exchange by hypothermia and serious hypotension with low heart rate by low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). Through the several considerations from this case, it is known that coming cardiac surgery for mitral valve repair is required to be more careful for successful operation. Further it can be brought to increase success rate in further operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1117-1123
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• 1988

Prolapse of the aortic valve is the main cause of insufficiency of the aortic valve as a complication of ventricular septal defect. Aortic insufficiency gets worse by the progress of prolapse of aortic valve due to lack of support of the valve and the hemodynamic effect of blood flow through the ventricular septal defect. This produces typical clinical picture, that may be serious and threatening when it is untreated. Type and timing for the surgical treatment of the ventricular septal defect with aortic insufficiency is considered. Among 113 ventricular septal defect, 9 patients of ventricular septal defect with associated aortic insufficiency were experienced from June. 1983 to June 1988 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chon-Buk University Hospital. Male was 6 patients and female was 3 patients. Ages were from 7 years to 24years. 5 patients were from 10 to 19 years age. 3 patients were below 10 years age. The ratio of pulmonary blood flow to systemic f low [Qp/Qs] was 1.53 and in pulmonary vascular resistance, normal or slight increase was 7 patients, moderate 1 patient, and severe 1 patient. Ventricular septal defect was subpulmonic in 5 patients and infracristal in 4 patients. Prolapse of right coronary cusp was 7 patients, right and non coronary cusp 1 patient and non coronary cusp 1 patient. Teflon patch closure of ventricular septal defect was undertaken in 3 patients and primary closure in 1 patient. Among the 4 patients of defect closure alone, one patient performed valve replacement 7 months later due to progressive regurgitation and cardiac failure and the result was good. The other 3 patients were good result. Closure of ventricular septal defect and aortic valvuloplasty performed in 4 patients. 2 patients of these required valve replacement for the sudden intractable cardiac failure and died due to low cardiac output. The cause of intractable cardiac failure was tearing of repaired valve at the fixed site. The other 2 patients were good result. Closure of ventricular septal defect and valve replacement performed in 1 patient with good result.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.595-603
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• 1993

We analysed 60 consecutive patients who got Senning operation for transposition of the great arteries [TGA] with or without ventricular septal defects [VSD]. There were 41 simple TGA [group I] and 19 TGA with VSD [Group II], the operative mortality was 20 % [in group I 4.9 %, group II 52.6 %]. Among the survivors [n=48], the mean follow-up period was 7 years [range, 1 year to 13.5 years] and the actuarial survival rate at 13 years were 95 % in group I and 42 % in group II. Preoperative high left ventricular pressure and high pulmonary arterial pressure affected the surviving [p<0.01]. There occurred various type of arrhythmia like junctional rhythm, first degree atrioventricular [AV] block, sick sinus syndrome and complete AV block, and we inserted 2 permanent pacemakers for these patients. The incidence of arrhythmia were 28.2 % [11/39] in group I and 55.6 % [5/9] in group II, and the actuarial freedom from arrhythmia at 13 years after operation was 66 % [71 % in group I, 44 % in group II]. Increased aortic cross clamping time had affected the development of arrhythmia [p<0.05] which meant the complexity of the operation. The total incidence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction [LVOTO] was 31.3 % [15/48], but only 3 patients [6.25 %] showed the significant gradient requiring reoperation. The pulmonary venous pathway obstruction [PVO] were found in 3 patients, all in group I, and among them only one required the reoperation. The estimated freedom from PVO was 89 % at 13 years [87 % in group I, 100 % in group II], but we couldn`t find any significant systemic venous obstruction in our series. There occurred 27.1 % [13/48] mild degree tricuspid valve regurgitation without necessary surgical correction. We experienced 14.6 % [7/48] reoperation rate: 3 residual VSD, 3 LVOTO, 1 PVO, 3 atrial baffle leakage. For this high incidence of complication rate after Senning operation and high mortality in TGA with VSD, We do not use this kind of surgical modality any more and do the Jatene operation for all the TGA patients since several years ago.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.510-517
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• 1988

With the ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus by Gross in 1938, surgeons first entered the field of congenital heart disease, and treatment of the patent ductus is representative of the rapid advance made in thoracic surgery in the last 40 years. We have had clinical experiences about 36 cases of this in the department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular surgery, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje medical college from March 1891 to June 1987. And the results were summarized as follows. 1. There were 11 males, 25 females. The age range of the patients were from 8 months to 36 years with the mean age of 7.9 years. 2. The chief complaints of the patients on admission were frequent URI[50%], dyspnea on exertion[29.8%], chest pain[11.1% k 1%], growth retardation[2%], cough[2.8%], anorexia[2.8%]. But there were 11 patients[30.6%] having no subjective symptoms. 3. In auscultation, the usual continuous machinery murmur was noticed in 30 patients[83.3%], only systolic murmur in 6[16.7%]. 4. In the preoperative chest P-A views, there were noticed cardiomegaly in 20 cases, enlarged pulmonary conus and / or pulmonary plethora in 22 patients[61.1%]. 5. In the preoperative EGG findings, there were noticed pattern of LVH in 8 patients[22.2`], RVH in 2[5.6%], BVH in 4[11.5%] and normal in 19[52.89o]. 6. The size of PDA[mean] was 9.5 mm[length] and 8.8 mm[width], the range of length was from 4 to 29 mm and the range of width was from 4 to 18 mm. 7. There were noticed 6 cases which were combined with other anomalies[VSD in 2 cases, Coarctation of aorta in 2, Mitral regurgitation in 1, and AP window in 1]. 8. On operation, simple ligation of the ductus was performed in 30 cases[83.3%], division and suture-ligation in 5[13.9%]. 9. Postoperative complications were noticed in 4 cases[pneumonia in one case, wound infection or disruption in 3], but there were no mortality.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.392-396
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• 2018

Purpose: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) that causes upper airway obstruction might lead to chronic hypoxemic pulmonary vasoconstriction and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. We aimed to evaluate whether adenotonsillectomy (T&A) in children suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to severe ATH could improve RV function. Methods: Thirty-seven children (boy:girl=21:16; mean age, $9.52{\pm}2.20years$), who underwent T&A forsleep apnea due to ATH, were included. We analyzedthe mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), the presence and the maximal velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and the right ventricular myocardial performance index (RVMPI) with tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) by transthoracic echocardiography pre- and post-T&A. The follow-up period was $1.78{\pm}0.27years$. Results: Only the RVMPI using TDE improved after T&A ($42.18{\pm}2.03$ vs. $40{\pm}1.86$, P=0.001). The absolute value of TAPSE increased ($21.45{\pm}0.90mm$ vs. $22.30{\pm}1.10mm$, P=0.001) but there was no change in the z score of TAPSE pre- and post-T&A ($1.19{\pm}0.34$ vs. $1.24{\pm}0.30$, P=0.194). The mPAP was within normal range in children with ATH, and there was no significant difference between pre- and post-T&A ($19.6{\pm}3.40$ vs. $18.7{\pm}2.68$, P=0.052). There was no difference in the presence and the maximal velocity of TR (P=0.058). Conclusion: RVMPI using TDE could be an early parameter of RV function in children with OSA due to ATH.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.384-390
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• 2003

Background: Since Ross and Sormeville first reported the use of aortic homograft valve for correction of pulmonary atresia in 1966, homograft valves are widely used in the repair of congenital anomalies as conduits between the pulmonary ventricle and pulmonary arteries. On the basis of these results, we have used it actively. In this report, we describe our experience with the use of cryopreserved valved homograft conduits for infants and children requiring right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection in various congenital cardiac anomalies. Material and Method: Between January, 1996 and December 2001, 27 infants or children with a median age of 16 months(range 9days to 18years) underwent repair of RVOTO using homograft valved conduit by two surgeons. We studied 22 patients who have been followed up at least more than one year. The diagnosis at operation included pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (n=13), truncus arteriosus (n=3), TGA or corrected TGA with RVOTO (n=6). Homograft valved conduits varied in size from 15 to 26 mm (mean, 183.82 mm). The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 80.4 months (median, 48.4 months). Result: There was no re-operation due to graft failure itself. However, early progressive pulmonary homograft valve insufficiency developed in one patient, that was caused by dilatation secondary to the presence of residual distal pulmonary artery stenosis and hypoplasia after repair of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. This patient was required reoperation (conduit replacement). During follow-up period, there were significant pulmonary stenosis in one, and pulmonary regurgitation more than moderate degree in 3. And there were mild calcifications at distal anastomotic site in 2 patients. All the calcified homografts were aortic in origin. Conclusion: We observed that cryopreserved homograft conduits used in infant and children functioned satisfactorily in the pulmonic position at mid-term follow-up. To enhance the homograft function, ongoing investigation is required to re-establish the optimal strategy for the harvest, preservation and the use of it.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2002

We report one case of an 18-day-old female patient, weighing 3.4 kg, with severe cyanosis. The diagnosis was made with only transthoracic echocardiography, which revealed cor triatriatum with an atretic small opening of fibromuscular membrane, obstructive infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage(TAPVD), severely restrictive interatrial communication, and scanty mitral inflow and aortic forward flow. The preoperative decision-making for biventricular repair was not easy due to collapsed left heart system caused by remarkably reduced blood flow An emergent operation was performed due to severe cyanosis. All left heart structures were somewhat hypoplastic but thought to be adequate for systemic circulation. Biventricular repair was done without specific intraoperative problems. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient has been doing well with no evidence of pulmonary vein stenosis or mitral regurgitation for 4 months after operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.303-306
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• 2002

Patients with severe Ebstein's anomaly showing in the neonatal period, represent progressive cardiac enlargement with pulmonary hypoplasia and functional pulmonary atresia with patent ductus alteriosus-dependent pulmonary circulation. Biventricular repair in these patients had been mostly unsuccessful except for Starnes' procedure that converts the anatomy to single ventricle physiology for Fontan procedure. A 4-days old male was admitted with the diagnosis of severe Ebstein's anomaly with anatomic pulmonary atresia and severe cardiac enlargement. He successfully underwent biventricular repair with vertical plication method of atrialized right ventricle, tricupid annuloplasty, transannular right ventricular outflow tract reconstrulltion, atrial septal defect patch closure with fenestration, and right atrial reduction angioplasty Postoperatively, cardiothoracic ratio was significantly reduced and mild tricuspid regurgitation was remnant in echocardiography. The patient is currently 10 months old and is fully active without restrictions.