• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.929-936
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• 2003

We analysed the surgical outcomes of immediate reoperations after mitral valve repair. Material and Method: Eighteen patients who underwent immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair from April 1995 through July 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 13 female patients. The mitral valve disease was regurgitation (MR) in 12 patients, stenosis (MS) in 3, and mixed lesion in 3. The etiologies of the valve disease were rheumatic in 9 patients, degenerative in 8, and endocarditis in 1. The causes of reoperation was residual MR in 13 patients, residual MS in 4, and rupture of left ventricle in 1. Fourteen patients had rerepair for residual mitral lesions (77.8%) and four underwent replacement. Result: There was no early death. After mean follow-vp of 33 months, there was one late death. Echocardiography revealed no or grade 1 of MR (64.3%) in 9 patients and no or mild MS in 11 patients (78,6%). Reoperation was done in one patient. The cumulative survival and freedom from valve-related reoperation at 6 years were 94% and 90%, respectively. The cumulative freedom from recurrent MR and MS at 4 years were 56% and 44%, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair offers good early and intermediate survival, and mitral valve rerepair can be successfully performed in most of patients. However, because mitral rerepair have high failure rate, especially in rheumatic valve disease, adequate selections of valvuloplasty technique and indication are important to reduce the failure rate of mitral rerepair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.311-314
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• 1996

Eighteen patients (13 female and ave male) aged from 15 to 62 years (mean age 42.6 years) underwent excision of cardiac myxoma(17 left atrial, one right atrial) between 1985 and 1994 at Pusan National University hospital. All patients complained of exertional dyspnea and most had a few additional symtoms including palpitation, chest pain, syncope, general weakness, weight loss, fever, cough and epigastric disconyort. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography alone in left atrial myxomas but a myxoma in right atrium was diagnosed incidentally during mitral valve replacement for rheumatic valvular heart disease. The tumor attachment sites were fossa ovalis in 13, other interatrial septum in 4, mitral valve annulus in one and free wall of left atrium in two cases. The tumor was excised successfully via right atriotomy in 8 and biatriotomy in 10 cases. There was no hospital nor late death, and no recurrent case during the follow up period. Curative surgical excision of cardiac myxoma can be performed with low morbidity and very low r currence rate.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 1997

Between December 1993 and March 1996, 75 patients had undergone ubannular procedures in mitral valve reconstruction. Their mean age was 45 years and they consisted of 28 males and 47 females. The cause of mitral disease in 75 patients were classified as follow : 29 cases were degenerative, 40 cases were rheumatic, 3 cases were congenital, 2 cases were infectious and 1 case was ischemic. Average number of mitral anatomical lesion per patient was 3.1 and we used average 1.5 procedures on subannular structure in mitral valve per patient. Subannular procedures were chordae shortening 21, chordae transfer 22, new chordae formation 20, papillary muscle splitting 33, shortening of papillary muscle 2. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was carried out for providing an immediate and accurate assessment of the adequacy of the reconstruction. There was no operative death. Patients have been followed up from 2 to 29months, mean 12.5. There were two failures that necessitated reoperation. The mean functional class (NYHA) was 3.19 preoperative and improved to 1.12 postoperatively. After mitral valve repair, the patients were improved hemodynamic, echocardiographic data. In conclusion, subannular procedure in mitral valve repair when feasible is stable and safe with a low prevalence of reoperation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2003

Eleutherococcus senticosus is a typical oriental folk medicinal herb. It has been used clinically as a anti-rheumatic disease, anti-stress, ischemic heart disease and gastric ulcer. In the present study, we examined the adjuvant activity of the crude polysaccharides fraction from Eleutherococcus senticosus, EN-3, on the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses against bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin (OVA). The thioglycollate-induced macrophages and silica-induced dendritic-like cells cultured with BSA and EN-3 synergistically increased the production of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-12. When mice were subcutaneously immunized with BSA + EN-3, the antibody titer against BSA was showed significantly higher than those immunized with BSA alone. In addition, when mice were immunized with OVA + FIA + EN-3, the antibody titer was showed similar patterns with the FCA. The assay for determining subisotype of antibody revealed that EN-3 augmented OVA-specific antibody titer of IgG1 and IgG2b. The culture supernatant obtained from splenocytes of mice treated with OVA + FIA + EN-3 also showed a higher level of both OVA-specific Th1-type (IL-2, IFN-${\gamma}$ and GM-CSF) and Th2-type cytokine (IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10). In vitro analysis of T cell proliferation to OVA on 8 weeks, the splenocytes of mice treated with OVA + EN-3 showed a significantly higher proliferating activity than those treated with OVA alone. These results suggest that EN-3 may possess adjuvant activities to potentially to enhance humoral as well as cellular immune response.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.156-162
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• 2019

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive joint deterioration; Furthermore, RA can also affect body tissues, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. The early stages of RA can be difficult to diagnose because the signs and symptoms mimic those of many other diseases. It is not known exactly what triggers the onset of RA and how to cure the disease. But recent discoveries indicate that remission of symptoms is more likely when treatment begins early with strong medications known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are typical examples of biotherapies that have been developed for RA. The substances may occur naturally in the body or may be made in the laboratory. Other biological therapies care biological response modifiers (BRMs)such as monoclonal antibodies, interferon, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and a protein binder using repeat units. These substances play significant anti-inflammatory roles. Proteins with recurrent, conserved amino acid stretches mediate interactions among proteins for essential biological functions; for example, ankyrin (ANK), Heat repeat protein (HEAT), armadillo repeat protein (ARM) and tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR). Here, we describe Leucine rich repeats (LRR) that ideally fold together to form a solenoid protein domain and is more applicable to our current study than the previously mentioned examples. Although BRMs have limitations in terms of immunogenicity and effector functions, among other factors, in the context therapeutic use and for proteomics research, We has become clear that repeat-unit-derived binding proteins will increasingly be used in biotechnology and medicine.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 1983

Between 1974 and 1982, 31 patients from 7 to 15 years of age have undergone valve replacement for their acuqired cardiac valvular diseases at Seoul National University Hospital. Furteen patients (45.2%) had a definite history of rheumatic fever and only 4 patients (12.9%) had atrial fibrillation on their preoperative electrocardiograms. Characteristically, the valvular lesions were ones of insufficiency with or without associated stenosis in all patients except only one whose mitral valve was tightly stenotic. Thrity-seven valves were replaced in 31 patietns including a case of successful replacement of his failed xenogragt mitral valve : 4 mechanical valves were used in 3 patients and 33 xenograft valves were used in the remaining 28 patients. The size of the valves were not the major problem at the time of opertion because most of the patients had a dilated heart from disease. There were 3 diaths within 30 days of surgery (9.7% operative mortality rate) and 3 late deaths (9.7% late mortality rate) with an overall mortality rate of 19.4%. Twenty-eight early survivors were followed up for a total of 488 patient-months. Thromboembolic complications occurred in 5 patients with 2 deaths: cmbolic rate of 17.9% or the actuarial embolic incidence of 12.29%/patients-year. four xenograft tissue valves in 4 patients had failed during the period from 19 to 41 months of surgery with an overall valve failure rate of xenograft of 14.3% or the actuarial incidence of 9.84% failure/patient-year. One of these 4 patients had required replacement of his failed mitral xenograft valve which had severe calcification and tissue disruption with primary tissue failure rate of 3.6% or the actuarial incidence of 3.13% failure/patient-year. The actuarial survial including the operative morality was 50.0% at 5 years of surgery. /the actuarial incidence free from thromboembolism in bioprosthetic group was 85.4% at 42 months, while it was 33.4% in mechanicial group at 60 months after operation. The actuarial incidence free from overall valve failur of 100.0% until 18 months after surgery was followed by a rapid decrease during the next 2-year period, and it was only 17.8% at the follow-up end of 42 months after surgery. It was suggested that the major advantage of low thrombogenecity with xenograft valve should be balanced against the high incidence of accelerated valve failure when it is used in children whose age is younger than 15 years old. The possible role of recurrent rheumatic attacks to the early failure of xenograft tissue valve was also discussed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.598-606
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• 1997

Among 136 patients having undergone mitral valve surgery from September of 1994 through August of 1995 in Sejong Heart Institute, forty four patients(18 males, 26 females) underwent mitral valve reconstruction using prosthetic rings and their clinical results were evaluated. Patients'ages ranged from 5 to 63 years(mean age 38.2 years). Mitral valvular diseases were due to rheumatic origin in 30 patients(68%), degenerative in 13(30%), and congenital in one patient(2%). Mitral regurgitation(MR) was in 33 patients(76%), mitral stenosis 2(5%), and mitral stenoinsufaciency 9 patients(19%). The patients were divided into Carpentier's functional groups : type I, 5 patients(11%) : type I, 24 patients(55%) ; type III, 4 patients (9%) i and mixed(II + III), 11 patients(25%). Average number of anatomic lesions of mitral valve per patient was 3.7. The techniques included prosthetic ring amluloplasty(44 patients, 32 Carpentier ring and 12 Duran ring), leaflet mobilization(24, 55%), chordae shortening(23, 52%), chordae transposition(23, 52%), commissurotomy(16, 35%), leaflet resection(9, 20%), papillary muscle splitting(8, 18%), and chordae reimplantation(1, 2%). Average 3.4 surgical procedures were applied on mitral valve per patient. There were two hospital mortality and one reoperation due to development of MR(grade III) after 2 weeks. During the mean follow up of 12 months, patients improved in terms of functional class of the New York Heart Association, which was mean 3.0 preoperatively and 1.3 postoperatively. Doppler echocardiographic studies showed adequate valve area(2.07$\pm$0.11 cm2 mean $\pm$standard error), improved ventricular contractiliy in 41 patients(93%), ab ence of MR in 23(53%), trace MR in 18(42%), and garde II MR in 2 patients(5%).

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.812-819
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• 2003

Background: Left ventricular dysfunction is one of the important prognostic factors of early mortality and long-term survival after valve operation. We studied the intermediate term results of mitral valve reconstruction in patients with moderate to severe left ventricular dysfunction. Material and Method: Forty four patients who underwent mitral valve reconstruction with a left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of <45% or less (20∼45%) from April 1995 through July 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. Ages ranged from 10 to 67 years (46∼14 years) and 32 patients were in NYHA class III-IV. The mitral valve diseases were regurgitation (MR) in 28 patients, stenosis(MS) in 10, and mixed lesion in 5. The etiologies of mitral valve disease were rheumatic in 20 patients, degenerative in 14, ischemic in 5, annular dilatation in 2, congenital in 2, and endocarditis in 1. Operatively, all patients had annuloplasty and/or various valvuloplasty techniques, and a total of 52 procedures were concomitantly performed. Total cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic crossclamp time were 160$\pm$57 minutes and 112$\pm$45 minutes respectively. Result: Two operative deaths occurred as a result of left ventricular failure (4.5%). After the mean follow-up of 39 months (range, 10∼83 months), there was no late death. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed no or grade I of MR in 29 patients (72.5%) and no or mild MS in 35 patients (87.5%). The actuarial survival at 5 years was 100%. Four patients required mitral valve replacement due to progressive mitral valvular disease. The actuarial freedom from valve-related reoperation at 5 years was 84$\pm$9%. Conclusion: This study suggests that mitral valve reconstruction in patients with moderate to severe left ventricular dysfunction offers good early and intermediate survival and acceptable freedom from valve-related reoperation, and it is the strategy for effective management for these patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.875-882
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• 1996

Multlvalvular heart surgery was performed In 78 cases, in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascu far Surgery of Chonbuk national University Hospital from november 1983 to March 1994. There Where 31 men and 47 women. whose ranged from 14 to 63 years. The causes of the valvular lesions were 57 rheumatic origin, 18 degenerative, 1 previous endocarditls, 1 prosthetic valve mal-function. There were 25 double valve replacement with or wit out tricuspid valve repair, i M VR and aortic valve repair, 18 MVR and tricuspid valve repair, 1 MVR and aortic and tricuspid valve repair, 10 AVR and mi- tral valve repair, 1 AVR and tricuspid valve repair, 8 mitral aortic valve repair, 13 mitral and tricuspid valve repair. They were improved mean New York Heart Association functional cldss, from 2.72% 121 Early deaths were 5 cases(6.4%). The cause of death wet'e low cArdiac output syndrome. veritricular tachycardia, massive bleeding and cerebral thromboembolism. All the survivors belonged to New York Heart Association functional class I or ll at discharge. The patients who had had valve replacement operation were medicated with warfarin to maintain the level of 30∼ 50% of normal prothrombin time. During follow-up(93.6%, mean 49.9 months), 2 late deaths were developed. One was due to intracranial hemorrhage and the other congestive heart failure. The pre-operative New York Heart Association Functional class IV was statistically sig ificant operat- ive risk factors(p< 0.05).

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.504-509
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• 1996

When a valve prosthesis is to be implanted in the aortic position, simple interrupted suture, figure-of- eight suture, or horizontal mattress suture technique is used as a suture method. However, the suture techniques may be unacceptable for aortic valve replacement in patients with friable annulus caused by some lesions, such as endocarditis and degenerative change. We used an alternative technique for the aortic vlave replacement in 4 patients with valve endocarditis, ) patients with degenerative valvular lesion, and 1 with rheumatic valvular disease. Mattress sutures through the annulus were placed with pledgets on the ventricular side of the annulus, whi h resulted in implantation of the prosthesis at a supra-annular level. Mechanical valves of 21 mm or larger were implanted in the supra-annular position in all patients and there was no impeded motion of leaflets during the follow-up period of mean 13.3 mouths. The transvalvular pressure gradient was less than 6 mm Hg in 3 patients and 20 to 40 mm Hg in 5 patients. The supra-annular implantation of mechanical aortic valve using a vertical mattress suture technique may be a useful alternative method of aortic valve replacement for the selected patients with friable or destroyed aortic annulus.