• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 1979

A 23-year-old male patient complained dyspnea on exertion and orthopnea since December 1977. On examination, he was tall and slender. There was grade IV/VI to-and-fro murmur on the left sternal border especially on Erb`s point. The liver was descended 2 fingers breadth below right costal margin. There were no signs of Marfan`s syndrome. Echocardiography demonstrated partial closure of aortic valve and dilated aortic root with enlargement of ascending aorta. Left heart cardiac catheterization revealed moderately elevated pulmonary wedge pressure and right ventricular pressure. The left ventricular end diastolic pressure was markedly elevated to 26 mmHg. On aortography, the aortic regurgitation was severe and it was belonged to angiographically Grade IV. The aortic valve was replaced with Carpentier-Edwards valve without excision and replacement of ascending aorta, under the impression of rheumatic valvular heart disease. After closure of aortotomy, blood pressure was transiently elevated and bleeding from the site of inserting air vent needle of ascending aorta was developed. The bleeding was not controlled by any means. On postmortem microscopic study, the histologic changes were strikingly limited to the ascending aorta from the region of the aortic valve ring.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2001

Chronic mitral valvular insufficiency (CMVI) is the most common heart disease in dogs. The prevalence of CMVI is age-dependent. CMVI is usually affected to small to medium size breeds. It is more prevalent in males than females. The characteristic lesions of CMVI are caused by an acquired chronic structural degeneration of the mitral valve defined as endocardiosis or myxomatous degeneration. The main clinical signs are cough, respiratory distress, weakness and pleural effusion and ascites by secondary right-sided heart failure. The most prominent clinical finding is a systolic heart murmur. The thoracic radiography and echocardiography are useful methods in diagnosis of CMVI. Thoracic radiographic findings are left atrial enlargement, left main stem bronchial compression and pulmonary edema. Echocardiography is confirmed to increased left atrial and ventricular dimension, mitral regurgitation, mitral valve thickening and abnormal movement. Thoracic radiography and echocardiography are used to obtain a definite diagnosis of CMVI, and then to study the progression of the condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.419-421
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• 2021

Fracture of prosthetic valve leaflets in the absence of traumatic injury is very rare. Leaflet fracture can cause acute pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock and is potentially life-threatening, requiring emergency surgery. Thus, a leaflet fracture must be diagnosed quickly and accurately. We present the case of a 46-year-old man with CarboMedics prosthetic aortic and mitral valve replacements implanted 24 years previously. The patient presented at our emergency department with abrupt dyspnea and fever. We diagnosed severe mitral valve regurgitation with anterior leaflet fracture. The patient underwent venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and delayed mitral valve replacement. The foreign body was removed step by step because the diagnosis was missed. Two pieces of broken leaflets were found in the left common iliac artery and left external iliac artery. The patient was treated successfully and remains asymptomatic 1 year following surgery.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1212-1218
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• 2005

Purpose : Forward pulmonary blood flow may be absent in some neonates with Ebstein's anomaly by anatomical or functional pulmonary atresia in association with the elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, patent ductus arteriosus and tricuspid regurgitation. We reviewed the presentation and outcomes of symptomatic neonates with Ebstein's anomaly focusing on the pulmonary atresia. Methods : Clinical presentation and outcome of 15 symptomatic neonates with Ebstein's anomaly seen at Asan medical center from 1998 to 2004 were reviewed. Results : Ten(67%) of 15 patients showed no forward pulmonary blood flow and 6 of them had functional pulmonary atresia. $O_2$ saturation and pH were lower and cardiothoracic(CT) ratio in chest radiography was more increased in the patients with pulmonary atresia than in the patients without pulmonary atresia(P<0.05). pH and CT ratio were not different between the anatomical and functional pulmonary atresia group, but $O_2$ saturation was lower in functional atresia group(P<0.05). 13 patients(87%) were managed with $PGE_1$. 4 of 6 patients with functional pulmonary atresia were treated with inhaled nitric oxide. Surgery was performed in 1 of 5 patients without pulmonary atresia and in 8 of 10 patients with pulmonary atresia during follow-up period(mean 37 months). 3 patients(20%) died and none of patients without pulmonary atresia died. Conclusion : We found that most symptomatic neonates with Ebstein's anomaly had functional or anatomical pulmonary atresia. The neonates with Ebstein's anomaly who had no forward pulmonary blood flow were more symptomatic and needed surgery earlier. Further studies will be needed to distinguish effectively functional and anatomical pulmonary atresia and to manage appropriately neonates with functional atresia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.11
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• pp.446-450
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• 2016

Purpose: Generally, aspirin is used as a protective agent against thrombogenic phenomenon after pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) using a bioprosthetic valve. However, the appropriate duration of aspirin use is unclear. We analyzed the impact of postoperative duration of aspirin use on the longevity of bioprosthetic pulmonary valves in patients who underwent repair for congenital heart diseases. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 137 patients who underwent PVR using a bioprosthetic valve between January 2000 and December 2003. Among these patients, 89 were included in our study and divided into groups I (${\leq}12$ months) and II (>12 months) according to duration of aspirin use. We analyzed echocardiographic data from 9 to 11 years after PVR. Pulmonary vale stenosis and regurgitation were classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Results: The 89 patients consisted of 53 males and 36 females. Their mean age was $14.3{\pm}8.9$ years (range, 2.6-48 years) and body weight was $37.6{\pm}14.7kg$ (range, 14-72 kg). The postoperative duration of aspirin use was $7.3{\pm}2.9$ months in group I and $32.8{\pm}28.4$ months in group II. However, no significant difference in sex ratio, age, body weight, type of bioprosthetic valve, and number of early redo-PVRs. In the comparison of echocardiographic data about 10 years later, no significant difference in pulmonary valve function was found. The overall freedom rate from redo-PVR at 10 years showed no significant difference (P=0.498). Conclusion: Our results indicated no benefit from long-term aspirin medication (>6 months) in patients who underwent PVR with a bioprosthetic valve.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.306-309
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• 2020

A 59-year-old man presented for possible durable ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation. He had previously been diagnosed with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, a ventricular septal defect, an atrial septal defect, pulmonary valve stenosis, and aortic valve regurgitation. In the previous 22 years, he had undergone palliative cardiac surgery 3 times. VAD implantation as a bridge to transplantation was planned. Owing to severe adhesions, mesocardia, a left ascending aorta, and moderate aortic regurgitation, we performed VAD implantation and aortic valve closure via a dual left thoracotomy and partial sternotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2021

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital heart disease. However, the details of cardiac chamber remodeling after surgery are not well known, although this is an important issue that should be analyzed to understand long-term outcomes. Methods: Between November 2017 and January 2019, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed preoperatively, at a 1-month postoperative follow-up, and at a 1-year postoperative follow-up. Cardiac chamber volume, valve regurgitation volume, and ejection fraction were measured as functions of time. Results: Thirteen patients (10 men and 3 women) were included. The median age at surgery was 51.4 years. The preoperative median ratio of flow in the pulmonary and systemic circulation was 2.3. The preoperative mean right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume index (EDVi) and RV end-systolic volume index (ESVi) had significantly decreased at the 1-month postoperative follow-up (p<0.001, p=0.001, respectively). The decrease in the RVEDVi (p=0.085) and RVESVi (p=0.023) continued until the postoperative 1-year follow-up, although the rate of decrease was slower. Tricuspid valve regurgitation had also decreased at the 1-month postoperative follow-up (p=0.022), and continued to decrease at a reduced rate (p=0.129). Although the RVEDVi and RVESVi improved after ASD closure, the RV volume parameters were still larger than the left ventricular (LV) volume parameters at the 1-year follow-up (RVEDVi vs. LVEDVi: p=0.016; RVESVi vs. LVESVi: p=0.001). Conclusion: Cardiac remodeling after ASD closure is common and mainly occurs in the early postoperative period. However, complete normalization does not occur.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.237-248
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• 1999

Background: The late results of repair of tetralogy of Fallot(TOF) are favorable in most patients. Some portion of the patients with tetralogy, however, require reoperation for residual lesions or result in late death. The outcome of patients after tetralogy repair performed during the past 13 years was studied, with an emphasis on postrepair survival and problems including reoperations. Material and Method: A retrospective review of clinical, echocardiographic and catheterization data was performed in 569 of 775 patients with TOF who underwent corrective repair between 1983 and 1995 at Sejong General Hospital, Buchon, Korea. Result: Of 28(4.9%) early deaths(defined as 30 days postrepair), 12 deaths(42.9%) were <1 year of age, with an operative mortality of 15.4%. The surviving 541 patients(age 2.8 months to 43.4 years, median 23 months) have been followed up from 1 month to 12.6 years(median 35 months) postoperatively. Most patients were in good functional class and had normal right ventricular(RV) function. Postrepair results were compared between the transatrial-transpulmonary approach and the conventional right ventriculotomy. The former technique provided a lesser incidence of significant pulmonary regurgitation(P<0.001) and alesser degree of RV dysfunction(P<0.05) compared with those in the latter. There were 10(1.8%) late deaths during the follow-up period and 6 of the deaths were directly related to reoperation or ventricular dysfunction. The 10-year actuarial survival rate was 96.7%. There were 44 reoperations(8.1%) in 39 patients(7.2%), with an operative mortality of 10.3%. The main indications or reoperation included residual ventricular septal defect(VSD) (n=6), pulmonary stenosis(PS) (n=11), VSD with PS(n=17), pulmonary regurgitation(n=7), and tricuspid regurgitation(n=2). The 5- and 10-year freedom from reoperation were 89.4% and 76.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Although the majority of patients with repaired TOF are clinically well, with a high rate of survival, approximately 7% of patients have residual lesions that require surgical therapy. Therefore, the timely and meticulous corrective repair is mandatory to avoid reoperation, and continued close surveillance is also needed for the early detection of residual problems.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.846-855
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• 1999

Background : Secondary pulmonary hypertension is an important final endpoint in patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, accompanied by deterioration of pulmonary hemodynamics. The clinical diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and/or cor pulmonale could be difficult, and simple noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary artery pressures has been an relevant clinical challenge for many years. Doppler echocardiography might to be a more reliable method for evaluating pulmonary hemodynamics in such patients in terms of the accuracy, reproducibility and easiness for obtaining an appropriate echocardiographic window than M-mode echocardiography. The aim of this study was to assess echocardiographic parameters associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, defined by increasing right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP), calculated from trans-tricuspid gradient in patients with chronic hypoxic lungs. Method : We examined 19 patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, suspected pulmonary hypertension under the clinical guidelines by two dimensional echocardiography via the left parasternal and subcostal approach in a supine position. Doppler echocardiography measured RVSP from tricuspid regurgitant velocity in continuous wave with 2.5MHz transducer and acceleration time(AT) on right ventricular outflow tract in pulsed wave for the estimation of pulmonary arterial pressure. Results : On echocardiography, moderate to severe degree of pulmonary arterial hypertension was defined as RVSP more than 40mmHg, presenting tricuspid regurgitation. Increased right ventricular endsystolic diameter and shortened AT were noted in the increased RVSP group. Increased RVSP was correlated negatively with the shortening of AT. Other clinical data, including pulmonary functional parameters, arterial blood gas analysis and M mode echocardiographic parameters were not changed significantly with the increased RVSP. Conclusion : These findings suggest that shortened AT on pulsed doppler can be useful when quantifying pulmonary arterial pressure with increased RVSP in patients with chronic lung disease with hypoxemia. Doppler echocardiography in pulmonary hypertension of chronic hypoxic lungs is an useful option, based on noninvasiveness under routine clinical practice.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 1996

Twenty two patients underwent total anatomic correction of complete atrioventricular septal defect associated with other cardiac anomalies between July 1986 and December 1994. Age ranged from 6 months to 11 years(mean 49.6 $\pm$ 35.8 months), and they were composed of 7 males and 15 females. Combined major cardiac anomalies were tetralogy of Fallot(TOF) in 11 cases, double outlet of right ventricle (DORV) in 6 ca es, and transposition of great arteries (TGA) in 5 cases. Down's syndrome was associated in 5 patients with TOF and 1 patient with DORV. They were classified as Rastelli type A in 3 patients, B in 2 patients, and C in 17 patients. Modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was performed.in 5 patients and Waterston shunt in 1 patient as a palliative procedure. There were 7 perioperative deaths(31.8%) and the causes were pump weaning failure, low cardiac output, acute renal failure, persistant pulmonary hypertension and hypertensive crisis, and sepsis. Reoperations were performed in 4 cases to repair atrioventricular valvular regurgitation or to relieve the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) or pulmonary arterial stenosis. One late death was due to aspiration pneumonia. Second reoperation was necessary for progressive worsening of left atrioventricular regurgitation and RVOT stenosis in one patient. Fourteen survived patients were followed up for a mean of 66.0 $\pm$ 26.7months and all of them w re NYHA functional class I or II.