• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 1996

Between January 1992 and February 1995, 36 patients with mitral regurgitation were treated by a mitral repair There wert nineteen men and seventeen women whose mean age was 41.8 years, ranged from 10 to 71. Seventeenth patients had dystrophic change of mitral valve, twelve patients had rheumatic change of mitral valve, second patients had infective change of mitral valve and another fifth patients had functional change of mitral valve. Operation proced res were suture annuloplasty (35 cases), resection of leaflet (25 cases), chordal shortening(9 cases) and commisurotomy(1 cases). These procedures were combined in most patients. Two third of the patients were in New York Heart Association class III or IV and four fifth of the patients were in mitral regurgitation grade III or IV by doppler echocardiogram. After mitral valve repair, the patients were improved hemodynamic, echocardiographic data and functional class. Intraoperative TEE had been used in all most patients after weaning of bypass. If there remained MR more than grade 2, the valve was re-repaired or replacement. There were no operative death. The late mortality was 5.5% and cause of death was congestive heart failure. Patients have been followed up from 3 to 40 months, mean 15. Second patients underwant reoperation due to recurred mitral regurgitation, 4 and 19 days after the operation. During reoperation, we found that the repair suture was disrupted in both patients. Th s expierence demonstrated that intraoperative TEE is accurate and predictable and excellent immediate and mid-term results have been achieved by mitral valve repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 1997

.Itrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias requiring treatment. About 60% of patients with mitral valvular disease have atrial fibrillation and one third of patients with atrial fibrillation may have the past history of thromboembolic events. Between April 1994 and June 1995, 20 patients with organic heart diseases combined with atrial fibrillation underwent open heart surgery including Cox-maze 111 procedure. There were 6 men and 14 women with an average age of 48 years (range, 31 to 66 years). Nineteen patients had valvular heart diseases and 1 ventricular septal defEct (VSD). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 36 months (:42 months) (range, 1 to 132 months). T e past medical history of thromboembolic events was positive in 7 patients (35%) and left atrial thrombus was detected in 9 patients (45%). The concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 5 patients, MVR in 4, MVd and tricuspid annuloplasty(TAP) in 4, mitral valvuloplasty(Mln) in 3, Mln and Tln in 1, MIW and coronary artery bypass surgery in 1, AVR in 1, and patch closure of VSD in 1. Mean aortic cross-clamping time was 175 minutes (range, 116 to 270 minutes). Atrial fibrillation recurred in 16 patients (80%) during the early postoperative period, but, recurrent atrial fibrillation was converted to regular rhythm at postoperative forty-first day in average. There was no early or late death in this series of 20 patients and postoperative complications were inappropriate tachycardia in 5 patients (25%), low cardiac output syndrome in 3 (15%), aggravated hemiplegic in 1, and acute renal failure in 1. Mean follow-up interval of patient was 16.5 months (range, 10.5 to 24 months) and all patients are currently in regular rhythm. Seventeen patients (85%) are in sinus rhythm and 3 (15%) in junctional rhythm. Right atrial contraction was detected in 95% of patients and left atrial contraction in 63% on postoperative transthoracic echocardiogram. The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation concomitant with open heart surgery is warranted in the recent clinical setting of improved myocardial protection technique, considering the untoward side-effects of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.206-213
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• 2009

Background: Previous series have suggested that younger patients with primary lung cancer exhibit a more aggressive disease course with a worse prognosis, as compared to older patients, although this issue is still debatable. Material and Method: We reviewed the medical records of 79 patients (32 patients 50 years and younger (Group I) and 47 patients 70 years and older (Group II)) who underwent curative resection for primary lung cancer between July 2000 and June 2008. Result: The median age of the patients was 46.5 years in Group I and this was 73 years in Group II. The older patients were more likely to have major comorbidities (44% versus 77%, respectively; p=0.003). Histological examinations identified that the minor histological types (excluding non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)) were predominantly found in the Group I patients (16% versus 2%, respectively; p=0.037). For the TNM staging of the NSCLC, with excluding the minor histologic types, a higher proportion of patients had stage III disease in Group I (33% versus 13%, respectively; p=0.038). There was no significant difference in major morbidity (16% versus 30%, respectively; p=0.148) and operative mortality (0% versus 4.3%; p=0.512) between the groups. The mean follow-up interval was 33 months (range: $1{\sim}98$ months) for patients in both groups. For the patients with NSCLC, the five-year overall survival rate was 52.3% for Group I and 53.7% for Group II (p=0.955). The rate of freedom from recurrence at five years was significantly lower for the Group I patients than for the Group II patients (39.4% versus 70.4%, respectively; p=0.027), and only being a member of Group I impacted recurrence, based on the Cox proportional hazard analysis (p=0.034). Of the patients who had recurrence, four patients in Group I underwent aggressive surgical treatment. All of these patients exhibited long-term survival (range: $46{\sim}87$ months). Conclusion: In our study, the early outcome and long-term survival were similar for the younger and older patients after curative resection of primary lung cancer. However, we think that younger patients require meticulous follow-up as they had a tendency to proceed to surgery with advanced stage disease, a higher recurrence rate than did the older patients and the survival rates were improved, even for the recurred cases, with early aggressive treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.199-207
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• 2002

Purpose : Since the successful application of total atrio-pulmonary connection(TAPC) to patients with various types of physiologic single ventricles in 1971, post-operative survival rates have reached more than 90%. However some patients have been shown to present with late complications such as right atrial thrombosis, atrial fibrillation and protein losing enteropathy eventually leading to re-operation to control the long-term complications. The aim of this study is to review the results of total cavo-pulmonary connection(TCPC) in cases with late complications after TAPC. Methods : Between Jan. 1995 and Dec. 2000, 6 patients(5 males and 1 female) underwent cardiac catheterization $11{\pm}3$ months after conversion of previous TAPC to TCPC. We compared the hemodynamic and morphologic parameters before and after TCPC and also assessed the clinical outcomes. The indications for TAPC were tricuspid atresia in 4 cases and complex double-outlet right ventricle with single ventricle physiology in 2 cases. Results : There was no peri-operative mortality and all patients were clinically and hemodynamically improved at a mean follow-up of 11 months(range : 4 to 13). However, protein losing enteropathy recurred in 2 patients; this was were successfully treated with subcutaneous administration of heparin. Right atrial pressure before TCPC was $18.0{\pm}3.6mmHg$, but baffle pressure, corresponding to right atrial pressure decreased to $14.8{\pm}3.6mmHg$ after TCPC. The size of the pulmonary arteries did not regress after TCPC. Conclusion : The conversion of TAPC to TCPC improves clinical and hemodynamic status by decreasing the right atrial pressure and by providing a laminar cavo-pulmonary flow which enhances the effective pulmonary circulation in the so-called Fontan circulation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.561-565
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• 2003

Purpose : Urinary tract infection(UTI) is the most common bacterial infectious disease that may induce severe renal injury unless early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are performed. If recurrent UTI is prevented, renal injury can be also reduced. Therefore, we studied the risk factors of recurrent UTI in children. Methods : We performed a retrospective study of 168 children(58 girls and 110 boys) who were treated for UTI in the Department of Pediatrics, Korea University Medical Center, during 2000-2001. Among 168 children, 93 children were followed up for more than six months. For the detection of recurrence of UTI, we performed monthly routine urine cultures and physical examinations. Results : The total rate of recurrence was 32.3%. The recurrent rate in boys and girls were 37.1% and 17.4%, respectively(P<0.05). The most common causative bacteria in the first onset and in recurrence were Escherichia coli. There was a significant difference in the onset age of UTI between boys with recurrence($4.8{\pm}1.0months$) and without recurrence($16.5{\pm}3.8months$)(P<0.01). In 77% of cases, urinary tract infection recurred within six months of the first infection. The time of the first recurrence after UTI was $3.7{\pm}0.6months$ in boys and $14{\pm}8.2months$ in girls(P<0.01). The number of recurrences showed a significant difference between the group under the age of one year($0.69{\pm}0.8/year$) and those above the age of one year($0.16{\pm}0.4/year$)(P<0.05). There was no difference in the recurrent rate between those with structural abnormality and those with normal anatomy. Conclusion : Monthly routine urine cultures are efficient in detecting recurrent UTI in children. Because the male sex and young age especially less than one year of age are risk factors for increased recurrence rate of UTI, these children should be followed-up with urine cultures.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.145-165
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• 1998

We inquired into the prescription including Radix Aconiti(附子) on the records of the past. According to the role of Radix Aconiti(附子), we can divide into four group. (1) In the case of excess in the upper and deficiency in the lower(上盛下虛), heat in the upper and cold in the lower(上熱下寒), Radix Aconiti(附子) supplies the fire from the gate of life(命門火) and the fire of deficiency type(虛火) is recurred into the origine(根源) by it. (2) In the case that Yang(陽) is kept externally by Yin(陰)-excess in the interior(陰盛格陽), and there is heat syndrome in the exterior with cold syndrome in the interior(裏寒外熱), Radix Aconiti(附子) can remove cold(祛寒) and revitalizes(回陽). (3) In the case of the heat of excess type syndrome(實熱證), Radix Aconiti(附子) treats heat-syndrome(熱證) with heat-clearing(淸熱) drug. (4) In the case of wind-syndrome(風證) and phlegm-syndrome(痰證), Radix Aconiti(附子) supplies the kidney-Yang(元陽) and promotes movement of the other drugs. According to frequency in use of drugs, we can divide into four group. (1) In e case of the fire of deficiency type(虛火), Radix Aconiti(附子) is used with drugs of invigorating-Yin(補陰), invigorating-Yang(補陽) and diuresis(利水), such as Rhizoma rehmanniae(熟地黃), Cortex cinnamomi(肉桂), Fructus comi(山茱萸), Poria, etc. (2) In the case that Yang is kept externally by Yin(陰)-excess in the interior(陰盛格陽), Radix Aconiti(附子) is used with drugs of dispelling cold(祛寒) and revitalization(回陽), such as Rhizoma zingiberis siccatum(乾薑), Radix glycyrrhizae(甘草), Radix ginseng(人蔘), etc. (3) In the case of the heat of excess type syndrome(實熱證), Radix Aconiti(附子) is used with drugs of heat-clearing(淸熱), such as Rhizoma coptidis(黃蓮). (4) In the case of wind-syndrome(風證) and phlegm-syndrome(痰證), Radix Aconiti(附子) is used with drugs of dispersing(發散), invigorating(補氣), enriching the blood(補血), removing the phlegm(去痰), heat-clearing(淸熱). such as Radix oxterici koreani(羌活), Radix ledebouriellae(防風), Radix ginseng(人蔘), Radix angelicae gigantis(當歸), etc. Especially in many of cases, Radix Aconiti(附子) is used with drugs of nourishing-Yin(滋陰), but it is hardly used with drugs of treating middle-jiao energy(中氣).

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2001

Background : The incidence of malignant melanoma is currently increasing at a rate greater than any other cancer occuring in human. At this time, early diagnosis and surgical excision were the mainstay of treatment for patients with malignant melanoma. We reviewed the results of average 4 years of follow-up after surgical excision of total 16 cases of malignant melanoma since 1985. Materials and Methods : There were 16 patients (mean age 58.5 years, 5 men, 11 women). The site of the primary lesion was foot and toe (6), back (3), hand (2), thigh (2), shoulder (1), lower abdomen (1) and lip (1). The lymph node was involved at 9 patients. The histologic diagnosis was made with H-E, S-100 stain, and HMB-45 stain as a special stain. Results : Histologically, there were Clark's stage I for 3 patients, II in 4, III in 2, IV in 3, and stage V in 4 patients. The wide excision only greater than 2cm margin was performed for 4 patients. The wide excision and lymph node dissection were performed for 4 patients. The amputation was only performed for 3 patients, and the amputation and lymph node dissection were performed for 5 patients. After surgical excision, chemotherapy was done with Taxol for each 2 patients of stage IV and V. After long term follow-up for mean 4 years, 4 patients died related with melanoma, 1 patient was recurred, and 11 patients were cured. Conclusion : The incidence of malignant melanoma was rare in Korea, but early involvement of lymph node at initial diagnosis was found in many cases (9/16, 56%). And then, early detection and appropriated excision as well as careful dissection of adjacent lymph nodes will offer the patient the best chance for cure.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.4 s.20
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• pp.222-227
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• 2005

Purpose: There are several reports suggested the usefulness of serum tumor markers, AFP, CEA and CA19-9 as prognostic factors or indicators for recurrence in gastric cancer. This clinical study was peformed to evaluate positive rate of tumor markers according to site of recurrence in gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: From the database of patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer between January 1999 and January 2004, 52 patients who showed recurrence were included in this retrospective study. Serum levels of tumor markers were measured at the time of preoperative diagnosis of the gastric cancer and at the time of postoperative recurrence during follow up, respectively. Results: The overall positivity of tumor markers at the time of recurrence was found to be significantly higher than that of prior to surgery in the recurred group for the single test as well as the combination tests. For the peritoneum, the most common recurrent site, the positivity of CA19-9 was higher at the time of recurrence. And the significant positivity of CEA at the time of recurrence was detected in the liver cases. Conclusion: Having a preoperative positive tumor marker may identify the patient as having an increased chance of a recurrence. Although tumor markers continue to have limited diagnostic significance in gastric cancer, CA19-9 may be useful as a predictor for peritoneal recurrence of the gastric cancer, and CEA for recurrence to liver.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.364-372
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• 2001

Background : To observe the immediate and long-term results of bronchial artery embolization(BAE) for hemoptysis and the factors influencing the recurrences. Methods : This study involved 75 patients with massive, or moderate and recurrent hemoptysis, who underwent bronchial artery embolization(BAE) from 1994 to 1999. The underlying diseases included pulmonary tuberculosis in 35, bronchiectasis in 22, aspergilloma in 12, lung cancer in 3, and 3 with other diseases. Results : After BAE, bleeding was controlled immediately in 61 patients(82.7%). One patient died of another medical problem, 3 patients were referred to surgery and 5 patients could not be followed-up. In the remaining 66 patients who were followed for more than one-year after BAE, 37(56.1%) patients had another hemorrhage (26 hemoptysis, 11 minor hemosputa). Among the recurred 37 subjects, 19(51.4%) experienced hemorrhage within 1 month after BAE, 31(83.8%) within 1 year, and 36(94.1%) within 3 years. The underlying lung diseases, the amount of bleeding and the extent of the involved lungs were factors affecting the outcome, especially blood loss >500cc was an important factor affecting the recurrence rate. BAE for two cases with lung malignancy was ineffective. Long-term control of bleeding (3-year cumulative non-recurrence) was achieved in 30 subjects(45.5%). Conclusion : Bronchial artery embolization(BAE) is effective as an initial treatment for moderate to massive hemoptysis. Because most of the recurrences occurred within 3 years, it is important to follow-up such patients for at least 3 years after BAE and the most significant factor affecting the prognosis was amount of blood loss.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify potential dangers involved in procedure and evaluate complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) comparing to surgical gastrostomy (SG). Methods: A retrospective study of 66 children with feeding gastrostomy between 1994 and 2002 was done. Results: Of 66 children, 23 (mean age 29 months) had PEG and 43 (mean age 49 months) had SG. 31 cases of SG group had fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease. PEG groups were followed up with an average 13 months and SG groups with 21 months. Major complications occurred in 33% of PEG group (8/23) and 55% of SG group (24/43). Major complications were significantly lower in PEG group than SG group and minor complications, too (p<0.05). Of major complications, aspiration pneumonia was the most common but paralytic ileus was significantly higher in SG group than PEG group. 8 patients died of underlying disease but not related to gastrostomy. Removals of stomata were done in 5 of PEG group and 3 of SG group. GER recurred in 25% of SG group with fundoplication and newly developed in 17% of SG group. GER persisted in 17% and newly developed in 5% of PEG group. Conclusion: The gastrostomy was a significant procedure with the potential to produce complications. PEG is recommended as an initial procedure in children requiring a feeding gastrostomy but should be considered a major undertaking.