• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.770-774
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• 2006

Background: Continuous air leakage through chest tube after lung surgery may increase pt's hospital stay and lead to many complications including empyema etc. Chemical pleurodesis has frequently been used for prevention of air leakage. Therefore, we performed chemical pleurodesis using diluted fibrin glue in patients with continuous air leak-age and observed the effects and efficiency of treatment. Material and Method: From September, 2001 to August, 2005, 16 patients whose continuous air leakage lasted more than 7 days underwent chemical pleurodesis with diluted fibrin glue. The effects of treatment, complications and recurrences were reviewed. Dissolved fibrinogen 1.0 g and aprotinin 500,000 KIU were mixed in a 50 cc syringe (Mixed solution A). And dissolved thrombin 5,000 IU and Calcium chloride 600 mg were mixed in a 50 cc syringe (Mixed solution B). Cefazolin 1.0 g was mixed in a 50 cc syringe (Mixed solution C). Rubber tube was inserted between the chest tube and the collecting bottle. An inserted rubber tube was positioned 60cm above the patient and forming a loop appearance was done. Mixed solutions A, B and C were injected into the highest rubber tube. Results: Continuous air leakages disappeared in all f6 patients at next day. Chest tubes were removed after 3 days in all patients. Complications were chest pain in 12 patients (75%), leukocytosis in 14 patients (88%), fever and chill in 14 patients (88%). All complications were transient and disappeared without specific treatment. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that diluted fibrin glue chemical pleurodesis was effective in patients with continuous air leakage lasting more than 7 days. Diluted fibrin glue chemical pleurodesis had good results with acceptable complications. long term follow-up is necessary to evaluate the accurate effects of treatment and recurrence in a large number of patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.7 s.252
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• pp.476-482
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• 2005

Recently, coronary artery obstructive disease and coronary artery bypass graft surgery have increased, and the operative result has been improved. We reviewed 154 cases of coronary artery bypass graft surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. Material and Method: We reviewed 148 patients, 154 cases of coronary artery bypass surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. This investigation is designed to illustrate the preoperative diagnosis, severity of disease, operative method, the kind of used bypass graft used, number of distal anasomosis, associated surgery, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Result: There were 84 males, 64 females and the average age was $58.9\pm8.3$ years old. Preoperative clinical diagnosis were unstable angina in 97 cases $(63.0\%)$, stable angina in 31 cases $(20.1\%)$, acute myocardial infarction in 12 cases $(7.8\%)$ and postinfartion angina in 14 cases $(9.1\%)$. Preoperative angiographic diagnosis were three-vessel disease in 68 $(44.2\%)$, two-vessel disease in 39 $(25.3\%)$, one-vessel disease in 35$(22.7\%)$, and left main disease in 12$(7.8\%)$ cases. There were 78 cases of on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery and 76 cases of off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The total distal anastomoses number was 319, mean number of anastomoses was $2.06\pm0.96$. There were 10 concomitant procedures. Postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump was used in 21$(13.6\%)$ cases, but only 4 cases were used at off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. Total early mortality was $7.8\%$. The mortality was decreased as $4.5\%$ from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2004. Post operative complication was perioperative yocardial infarction in 9cases$(5.8\%)$, low cardiac output syndrome in 17 cases$(11\%)$, and arrhythmia in 30 cases$(19.5\%)$ cases. Conclusion: Since 1985, The result of coronary artery bypass graft surgery has been improved because of more refined technique, use of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery, use of internal thoracic artery and radial artery as bypass graft. We should study the long-term follow up more for better operative results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2003

Diagnosing and determining the stage of lung cancer by means of positron emission tomography (PET) ha.. been proven valuable because of the limitations of diagnosis by computed tomography (CT). We compared the efficacy of PET with that of CT in diagnosing pulmonary tumor and staging of lung cancer Material and Method: We performed F-18 FDG PET to determine the malignancy and the staging on patients who have been suspicious or were diagnosed as lung cancer by chest X-ray and CT. The findings of PET and of CT of 41 patients (male, 29: female, 12: mean age, 59) were compared with pathologic findings obtained from a mediastinoscopy and thoracotomy. Result: Out of 41 patients, 35 patients had malignant lesions (squamous cell carcinonla 19 cases, adenocarcinoma 14 cases, adenosquamous cell carcinoma 2 cases) and 6 patients had benign lesions. Diagnosing of lung cancer, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT and PET were the same for two method and the numbers were 100%, 50%, and 92.7% respectively. Eighteen LN groups out of 108 mediastinal LN groups who recieved histologic examination proved to be malignant. Pathologic lymph node (LN) stage was N0-Nl 31 cases, N2 8 cases, N3 2 cases. The correct identification of the nodal staging with CT, PET scans were 31 cases (75.6%), 28 cases (68.3%) respectively. The LN group was underestimated in each 6 cases of CT and PET. In 4 cases of CT and 7 cases of PET, they were overestimated in compare to histologic diagnosis. In the detection of mediastinal LN groups invasion, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT were 39.8 %, 93.3 %, and 84.3 % respectively. For PET, they were 61.1 %, 90.0 %, and 85.2 %. When two methods considered together (CT+PET), they were increased to 77.8 %, 93.3 %, and 90.7 % respectively. Conclusion: PET appears to be similar to CT in the diagnosis and the nodal taging of pulmonary tumor. Two tests may stage patients with lung cancer more accurately than CT alone.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2003

The Fontan operation has undergone a number of major modifications and clinical results have been improving over time. Nevertheless, during the follow-up period, life-threatening complications develop and affect the long-term outcomes. Surgical interventions for these complications are needed and are increasing. Material and Method: From April 1988 to January 2000, 16 patients underwent reoperations for complications after Fontan operation. The mean age at reoperation was 8.8 :-5.5 years. Initial Fontan operations were atriopulmonary connections in 8 and total cavopulmonary connections in 8. Total cavopulmonary connections were accomplished with intracardiac lateral tunnel in 5 and extracardiac epicardial lateral tunnel in 3. Five patients had variable sized fenestrations. The reasons for reoperations included residual shunt in 6, pulmonary venous obstruction in 3, atrial flutter in 3, atrioventricular valve regurgitation in 2, Fontan pathway stenosis in 1, and protein-losing enteropathy in 1 Result: There were 3 early and late deaths respectively Patients who had residual shunts underwent primary closure of shunt site (n=2), atrial reseptation for separation between systemic and pulmonary vein (n=2), conversion to lateral tunnel (n=1), and conversion to one and a half ventricular repair (n=1). Four patients who had stenotic lesion of pulmonary vein or Fontan pathway underwent widening of the lesion (n=3) and left pneumonectomy (n=1) In cases of atrial flutter, conversion to lateral tunnel after revision of atriopulmonary connections was performed (n=3). For the atrioventricular valve regurgitation (n=2), we performed a replacement with mechanical valve. In one patient who had developed protein-losing enteropathy, aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries were obliterated via thoracotomy. Cryoablation was performed concomitantly in 4 patients as an additional treatment modality of atrial arrhythmia. Conclusion: Complications after Fontan operation are difficult to manage and have a considerable morbidity and mortality. However, more accurate understanding of Fontan physiology and technical advancement increased the possibility of treatment for such complications as well as Fontan operation itself. Appropriate surgical treatment for these patients relieved the symptoms and improved the functional class, Although the results were not satisfactory enough in all patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2003

Myasthenia gravis is a rare autoimmune disease involving acetylcholine receptor and its autoantibody on neuromuscular junction. The methods of treatment are medical treatment and surgical thymectomy. In this paper we analyzed the result of thymectomy and the factors affecting the postoperative symptom improvement. Material and method : This study obtained medical records of 37 patients who received the thymectomy for myasthenia gravis from March 1986 to December 1998. Result Out of 37 cases, 21 cases(57%) showed improvement, of which 8 cases (50%) in the group of thymoma(n=16), and 13 cases (62%) in the group of thymic hyperplasia(n=21) showed the improvement of symptoms. Postoperative complications were respiratory insufficiency due to aggravation of symptoms after operation, including tracheal intubation for ventilator support in 9 cases, pneumonia in 3 cases, pneumothorax in 2 cases and left vocal cord palsy in 1 case. There was one postoperative mortality. The relation between postoperative improvement and sex(P=0.3222), age(P=0.7642), thymic pathologic variants,(P=0.4335) and classification of thymoma(P=0.20) showed no statistically significant correlation. However, the lower grade of preoperative symptoms can predict the lower grade of postoperative symptoms significantly(P=0.0032). Follow up study to 36 postoperative survivors was performed in October 2002 based on the out-patient records and call with patients. Out of 36 cases, 33 cases(91.7%) could be investigated and 3 cases could not. Mean follow up period was 83.2 months. Out of 33 cases, 25 cases(75.8%) showed symptomatic improvement, of which 8 cases(53.3%) in the group of thymoma(n=15) and 17 cases(94.4%) in the group of thymic hyperplasia(n=18) showed the improvement of$\boxUl$ symptoms. Conclusion : In myasthenia gravis, thymectomy showed the good improvement, and more important factor affecting the improvement of symptoms was the grdae of preoperative symptoms. Also midterm and long term follow up results showed good symptomatic improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2002

Video-assisted thoracic sympathicotomy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of essential hyperhidrosis with immediate symptomatic improvement. However, this is offset by the occurrence of a high rate of side effects, such as embarrassing compensatory hyperhidrosis. Therefore, by comparing and assessing the degree of symptomatic improvement or compensatory sweating following sympathicotomy at various levels and the extent of block, we are to determine the optimal level of sympathicotomy and which method will result in minimal side effects and maximal benefits. Material and Method: From January 1998 to June 2001, the thoracoscopic sympathicotomy was performed in 150 patients suffering from essential hyperhidrosis in the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Wonkwang University Hospital. The patients were divided into three groups. GroupI(n=50): patients having undergone 72,3,4 sympathicotomy, GroupII (n=50): patients having undergone 72 sympathicotomy which consist of blocking the interganglionic neural fiber on the second rib, and group 111(n=50): patients having undergone 73 sympathicotomy which consist of blocking the interganglionic neural fiber on the third rib. The parameters were composed of the satisfaction rate of treatment, the degree of compensatory sweating, postoperative complications, and changes of plantar sweating. Results: There was no difference in age and sex among the groups. All of the treated patients obtained satisfactory alleviation of essential hyperhidrosis in immediate postoperative period. However the rate of long-term satisfaction were 80%, 92%, and 96% in groupsI,II, and III respectively(p<0.05). More than embarrassing compensatory hyperhidrosis was present in 50%, 28%, and 18% in groups I,II ,and III respectively(p<0.05). Slight but comfortable amounts of palmar humidness was expressed in decreasing order, group III(34%), groupII(6%), and group I(4%) respectively(p<0.05). In regard to plantar sweating, decrease in sweating was expressed in each of the three groups, but was not significant between the groups.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.2 s.259
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• pp.99-105
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• 2006

Background: Interrupted aortic arch is a rare congenital heart anomaly which still shows high surgical mortality. In this study, we investigated the causes of and the risk factors for mortality to improve the surgical outcomes for this difficult disease entity. Material and Method: From 1984 to 2004, 42 patients diagnosed as IAA were reviewed retrospectively. Age, body weight at operation, preoperative diagnosis, preoperative PGE1 requirement, type of interrupted aortic arch, degree of left ventricular outflow stenosis, CPB time, and ACC time were the possible risk factors for mortality. Result: There were .14 hospital deaths. Preoperative use of PGE1, need for circulartory assist and aortic cross clamp time proved to be positive risk factors for mortality on univariate analysis. Preoperative left ventricular outflow stenosis was considered a risk factor for mortality but it did not show statistical significance (p-value=0.61). Causes of death included hypoxia due to pulmonary banding, left ventricular outtract stenosis, infection, mitral valve regurgitation, long cardiopulmonary bypass time and failure of coronary transfer failure in TGA patients. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that surgical mortality is still high due to the risk factors including preoperative status and long operative time. However preoperative subaortic dimension was not related statistically to operative death statistically. Adequate preoperative management and short operation time are mandatory for better survival outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 1997

From March, 1992 to March, 1996, a total of 279 patients underwent coronary bypass surgery at the Sejong General Hospital, Puchon. We selected 22 patients with severe left ventricular(LV) dysfunction from them. The criteria were the presence of global or segmental abnormalities of left ventricular contraction and LV ejection fraction(EF) less than 35% based on biplane LV angiography by planimetry method. The mean age of 17 male and 5 female patients was 60$\pm$5.6years(range:47~73 years). All had the anginas, which were Canadian class II in 6, class 111 in 12 and class IV in 4. All patients except one had the history of previous myocardial infarction more than once. Seven of them had the symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure, such as dyspnea on excertion and increased pulmonary vascular markings. Their mean LVEF was 29.4$\pm$4 5%(range : 18~35%) and mean LV end-diastolic pressure was 18.7 $\pm$8. 2mmHg(range:10~42mmHg). 21 patients had 3 vessel-disease and 1 had 2 vessel-disease. Complete revascularization was tried with the use of 16 internal mammary arteries and 60 sapheuous veins and 3 radial arteries grafts. The mean number of distal anastomosis was 3.5$\pm$ 1.1. Concomitantly, one mitral valvuloplasty and annuloplasty was performed in the patient with moderate mitral regurtigation. The hospital mortality was 4.5%. During the follow-up, there were 3 late deaths. Of 18 survivors, 2 patients were lost in follow-up 24 and 27 month respectively after operation and the remaining 16 patients have bcen followed up with an average of 30.4 $\pm$ 13.4 months.15 patients had improvement with respect to angina but 8 patients still have the continuing or progressing heart failure. The 1-year, 2-year and 3-year actuarial survival rate was 85.2, 69.1, 46.1%, respectively. This study indicates that coronary artery bypass sur ery can be performed in the patients with severe LV dysfunction at acceptable risk but does not greatly contribute to the improvement of congestive heart failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 1997

Retrograde myocardial protection is widely accepted in CABG operation because of the limitations of the antegrade method in the coronary arterial stenosis lesions. We analyzed 76 c ses of retrograde myocardial protection among 96 cases of CABG operation performed between April 1994 and August 1995, There were 48 males and 25 females, and the mean age was 58.2 $\pm$ 8.3 years. 53 patients (70%) were operated for unstable angina, 14 (18%) for stable angina, 6 (8%) for post-infarct angina, 1 (1%) for acute myocardial infarction, and 2()%) for failed PTCA. Preoperative coronary angiography revealed 3-vessel disease in 42 cases, 2-vessel disease in 11, 1-vessel disease in 10, and left main disease in 13 cases. We used SVG(63 cases), LIMA(69 cases), RIMA(11 cases), radial artery(6 cases), and gastroepiploic artery(1 case) for the grafts. Mean anastomosis was 3.2 $\pm$ 1.1. We protected the myocardium with antegrade induction and retrograde maintenance in all the cases except a case of retrograde induction and maintenance. During the aortic cross-clamping, blood cardioplegia was administered intermittently in 19 cases, and continuously in 57 In 39 cases, we used retrograde ardioplegia and antegrade perfusion of RCA graft simultaneously. We had no operative motality. Perioperative complications were arrhythmia in 15 cases, perioperatve myocardial infarction in 10, low cardiac output syndrome In 8, transient neurologic problem in 7, transient psychiatric problem in 6, ARF in 3, bleeding in 2, pneumonia in 2, wound infection in 1, and duodenal ulcer perforation in 1 . In this report, we experienced 76 cases of CABG operation with retrograde myocardial protection under the acceptable operative risk without operative mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1197-1204
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• 1997

Between April 1981 and June 1996, 65 patients had aortic root replacement at our institution. Disease entities were pure aortic annuloectasia in 31 patients(47.7%), Stanford type A aortic dissection with annuloectasia in 8(43.1%), atherosclerotic aneurysm with aortic regurgitation in 4(6.2%), and paravalvular leakage after aortic valve replacement in 2(3.1 %). 34 patients(52.3%) had the clinical stigmata of the Marfan syndrome. The operative procedures were Bentall operation in 61 patients(93.8%); 3 of conventional procedure and 58 of Cabrol's modification, aortic valve-sparing operation in 2(3.1 %), and root replacement with homograft in 2(3.1%). Hospital deaths occurred in 3 patients(4.8%) because of uncontrolled bleeding(1) and bypass weaning failure due to low cardiac output(2), and all had emergency operation with Cabrol's procedure. Postoperative complications developed in 19(29.2%) patients and most of them were transient. Surviving 62 patients have been followed up to cumulative total 315.0 patient-years(mean 60.2 $\pm$42.4 months). Late deaths occurred in 7 patients(11.3%), aneurysmal changes of remaining aorta were detected in 12 patients(19.4%). Actuarial survival rate at 10 years was 72.0 $\pm$ 9.7%, and the subsequent aortic operation-free rate at 10 years was 68.0$\pm$ 8.9% In a multivariate analysis, Marfan syndrome, emergency operation, preoperative dissection, combined arch replacement, and total circulatory arrest emerged as significant risk factors for hospital death or subsequent aortic operation. Over 60 years of age was the only risk factor for late death. Our 16 years'cummulative experience shows that aortic root replacement, mainly by means of Cabrol's procedure, can be applied successfully to variety of aortic root disease. However, long-term follow up will be needed to determine the late result of aortic valve-saving operation and root replacement with homograft. When dissection is present or the distal native aorta is diseased in'Marfan patients, close follow-up is necessary because of the subsequent aneurysmal change of remaining aorta.