• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.363-372
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• 1997

One hundred forty-four patients underwent operation for coarctation of the aorta at Seoul National University Children's Hospital between June 1986 and Decembsr 1995. Age ranged 0.1 to 191 months. Of these 78.5%(113) were infants. We classified the patients in terms of the anatomic location of coarctatiln and the associatCd anomalies(I[401= primary coarctation, 11(741=isthmic hypoplasia, lIIf30)=tubular hypoplasia involving transverse arch, Ar63 =with ventricular septal defect, B(28)=with other major cardiac defects). Subcalvian flap coarctoplasty(60), resection & anastomosis(44), extended aortoplasty(26), and onlay patch(14) were used as surgical methods. Overall operative mortality was 16.0(23/144)%. The hospital mortality was signific'antly higher in patheints with type 111, subtype B, younger age(under 3 months), extended aortoplasty(p(0.01). However, one-stage total repair in patients with subtype A or B were not found to be a predictor of hospital death. Restenosis had occured in 18 patients among 121 survivals(14. 9%). The mean follow-up period was 29.1 $\pm$28.8(0~129.2) months. Preoperative, immediate postoperative(within 3 months after operation) and postoperative(later than 6 months after operation) echocardiographic data on the dimensions of ascending aorta(AA), transverse arch(TA), an4 aortic isthmus(Al) were available in 77 patients(I=20, ll=42, 111= 15). Preoperative and postoperative aortic isthmus(All) and tra sverse arch indices(TAI), defined as TAIAA & AIIAA respectively, were compared. Immediate postoperative All in type 1, II and TAI in type 111 were significantly smaller in stenotic than non-stenotic group suggesting incomplete relieves of stenotic segment Younger age, subclavian coarctoplasty in patient under 3 months of age were round to be the risk factors for restenosis in this series. In conclusion, We found that aortic arch index and transverse arch index can be a useful tool to figure out the anatomic and clinical characteristics of the patients with aortic coarctation, and that anatomy, associated anomalies, age, and surgical methods may influence the surgical outcome of the coarctation repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.559-565
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• 2003

By improving the flow pattern in Fontan circuit, total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) could result in a better outcome than atriopulmonary connection Fontan operation. For the patients with impaired hemodynamics after atriopulmonary Fontan connection, conversion to TCPC can be expected to bring hemodynamic and functional improvement. We studied the results of the revision of the previous Fontan connection to TCPC in patients with failed Fontan circulation. Material and method: From October1979 to June 2002, eight patients who had failed Fontan circulation, underwent revision of previous Fontan operation to TCPC at Yonsei University Hospital. Intracardiac anomalies of the patients were tricuspid atresia (n=4) and other functional single ventricles (n=4). Mean age at TCPC conversion was 14.0$\pm$7.0 years (range, 4.6~26.2 years) and median interval between initial Fontan operation and TCPC was 7.5 years (range, 2.4~14.3 years). All patients had various degree of symptoms and signs of right heart failure. NYHA functional class was 111 or IV in six patients. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (n:f), cyanosis (n=2), intraatrial thrombi (n=2), and protein losing enteropathy (PLE) (n=3) were also combined. The previous Fontan operation was revised to extracardiac conduit placement (n=7) and intraatrial lateral tunnel (n=1). Result: There was no operative death. Major morbidities included deep sternal infection (n=1), prolonged pleural effusion over two weeks (n=1), and temporary junctional lachyarrhythrnia (n=1). Postoperative central venous Pressure was lower than the preoperative value (17.9$\pm$3.5 vs. 14.9$\pm$1.0, p=0.049). Follow-up was complete in all patients and extended to 50,1 months (mean, 30.3$\pm$ 12.8 months). There was no late death. All patients were in NYHA class 1 or 11. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia developed in a patient who underwent conversion to intraatrial lateral tunnel procedure, PLE was recurred in two patients among three patients who had had PLE before the convertsion. There was no newly developed PLE. Conclusion: Hemodynamic and functional improvement could be expected for the patients with Fontan circulatory failure after atriopulmonary connection by revision of their previous circulation to TCPC. The conversion could be performed with low risk of morbidity and mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2004

Background: Patch angioplasty is an alternative surgical procedure to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for left main coronary ostial stenosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of patch angioplasty by analyzing the short-term and long-term results. Material and Method: Twenty nine patients who had undergone patch angioplasty due to left main coronary ostial stenosis between July 1991 and May 2003 were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 53.1 $\pm$12.5 years. There were 8 males and 21 females, and there were 12 female patients who had no risk factor for atherosclerosis. Twenty six (89.7%) patients showed isolated coronary ostial stenosis without any distal coronary lesion. Result: Anterior approach was used in 28 patients and superior approach was used in one patient. Transsection of the main pulmonary artery was used in one patient. Concomitant CABG was performed in 4 patients because of left anterior descending artery lesions in 3 patients and unstable postoperative hemodynamic status in one patient. Hospital mortality had occurred in one patient (3.4%) and late mortality also in one patient, therefore the overall 5 year survival rate was 91.2$\pm$6.1%. Seventeen coronary angiographies were done in 13 patients (44.8%) postoperatively. Two distal patch stenoses, 1 proximal patch stenosis, and 1 new right coronary ostial lesion were identified and 3 percutaneous interventions and 1 CABG were performed during the follow-up period. The overall 5 year freedom from reintervention rate was 82.4 $\pm$ 8.5%. Aortic regurgitation less than grade 1 had developed postoperatively in 4 patients and one patient showed progression of preexisting aortic regurgitation from grade II to III. Conclusion: Patch angioplasty in left main coronary ostial lesion showed acceptable short-term and long-term results in this study. However, restenosis at the patch anastomosis site and aortic regurgitation should be carefully investigated during the follow-up period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2004

Background: For the treatment of isolated left main coronary artery disease, twelve arterial revascularizations with Y-composite grafts using left internal thoracic artery and radial artery or right gastroepiploic artery were peformed. This study was performed to investigate whether V-composite graft can satisfy the blood flow required to make myocardium act properly or not. Borderline stenotic lesions on the left main coronary artery, which are very prone to remodel the bypassed vessels due to competitive flows, were also considered. Material and Method: Among 247 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting from March 2000 to April 2003, 12 patients (4.7%) who had received total arterial revascularizations for the isolated left main coronary artery disease were studied retrospectively. Result: left anterior descending arteries were bypassed with left internal thoracic artery by off-pump technique in all patients, however, 2 cases of left obtuse marginal branches were bypassed under on-pump beating heart. Except for one patient, who did not have an obtuse marginal branch more than 1 mm in diameter, 11 patients had gone through complete arterial revascularizations by use of the Y shape arterial graft. Among five patients who had less than 75% stenosis, one patient showed string sign on left internal thoracic artery grafted to left anterior descending artery. However, two grafts to obtuse marginal blanches were completely obstructed and one showed slender sign. There were no graft-dominant flow in patients with stenotic lesion less than 75%. On the contrary to the result of patients with stenotic lesions less than 75%, all the patients with stenotic lesions more than 90% showed graft-dominant blood flow. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is assumed that, when stenotic lesions are over 90%, coronary artery bypass grafting with an Y shape arterial graft could possibly give enough help to the obstructed coronary arteries in blood supplying to myocardium, which needs massive quantity of blood to act well. However, when patients have borderline stenoses, through scrupulous examinations, more prudent and flexible decisions are required in choosing the treatment methods, such as, direct anastomosis of vein or artery to aorta, or adding supplementary treatment methods like percutaneous coronary intervention, rather than choosing a fixed treatment methods.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2010

Background: The commercially used vascular xenografts have some problems such as calcification, fibrosis and tissue degeneration that are associated with inflammatory and immunologic reactions. We compared two methods of xenograft preservation (fresh cryopreservation versus acellularized cryopreservation) of goat aorta. Material and Method: Aortic valved xenografts were harvested from adult pigs, and these were preserved using fresh cryopreservation (FC group, n=4) or acellularized crypreservation (AC group, n=4). These xenografts were implanted into adult goats. There were 2 short-term survivors (less than 100 days) and 2 long-term survivors in each group. These xenografts were explanted and they underwent microscopic examination. Result: The goats survived 31, 40, 107 and 411 days in the FC group and the other goats survived 5, 40, 363 and 636 days in the AC group. All the short-term survivors in each group expired because of rupture at the proximal anastomosis site. Marked neutrophil infiltration was observed in the FC group FC and lymphocytes were observed in the AC group. There were no differences in the occurrence of calcification, fibrosis and thrombosis among the groups. Conclusion: Some goats survived more than 100 days after the xenograft implantation irrespective of the methods of preservation. Because severe tissue degeneration developed in both groups, we think these methods are not appropriate for xenograft preservation of aorta. It was worth a preliminary trial for improving the preservation method or to modify the processing of xenografts.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.691-701
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• 2009

Purpose: Deviations of arterial palmar arches in the hand can be explained on the embryological basis. The purpose of this study was to provide new information about palmar arches through cadaver's dissection. The values of the location and diameter in these vessels were analyzed in order to support anatomical research and clinical correlation in the hand. Methods: The present report is based on an analysis of dissections of fifty - three hands carried out in the laboratory of gross anatomy. A reference line was established on the distal wrist crease to serve as the X coordinate and a perpendicular line drawn through the midpoint between middle and ring fingers, which served as the Y coordinate. The coordinates of the x and y values were measured by a digimatic caliper, and statistically analyzed with Student's t - test. Results: Complete superficial palmar archs were seen in 96.2 % of specimens. In the most common type of males, the superficial arch was formed only by the ulnar artery. In the most common type of females, the superficial arch was formed anastomosis between the radial artery and the ulnar artery. The average length of the superficial and deep palmar arch is $110.3{\pm}33.0mm$ and $67.9{\pm}14.0mm$ respectively. Regarding the superficial palmar arch, ulnar artery starts $-16.1{\pm}5.1mm$ on X - line, and $2.5{\pm}24.5mm$ on Y - line. Radial artery appears on palmar side $7.7{\pm}3.2mm$ on X - line, and $20.9{\pm}10.9mm$ on Y - line. But radial artery starts on $6.3{\pm}3.6mm$ on X - line, and $3.4{\pm}5.1mm$ on Y - line. Digital arteries of superficial palmar arch starts on $6.1{\pm}3.7mm$, $33.9{\pm}8.8mm$ on index finger, $1.8{\pm}3.4mm$, $40.1{\pm}7.3mm$ on middle finger, $-3.2{\pm}4.9mm$, $42.6{\pm}7.0mm$ on ring finger, and $-8.9{\pm}5.1mm$, $42.5{\pm}80mm$ on little finger in respective X and Y coordinates. Radial artery of deep palmar arches measured at the palmar side perforating from the dorsum of hand. It's coordinates were $9.7{\pm}4.8mm$ on X - line, $21.7{\pm}10.2mm$ on Y - line. Ulnar artery was measured at hypothenar area, and it's coordinates were $-20.4{\pm}6.3mm$ on X - line, and $30.6{\pm}7.4mm$ on Y - line. Conclusions: Anatomically superficial palmar arch can be divided into a complete and an incomplete type. Each of them can be subdivided into 4 types. The deep palmar arch is less variable than the superficial palmar arch. We believe these values of the study will be used for the vascular surgery of the hand using the endoscope and robot in the future.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1062-1068
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• 1997

From August 1989 to January 1996, a total of 105 cases of bidirectional Glean operations have been done as the interim stage for the patien s with some risk of univentricular correction at Sejong General Hospital. From December 1992, we started the conversion to Fontal operations for them, and 42 cases underwent Fontal-stage operation till February 1996. Their diagnoses were univentricular heart in 19(right ventricular type : 14), tricuspid atresia 11, double outlet of right ventricle 9, and others in 3 cases. The median age of bidirectional Glerln-stage operation was 12.5 months(range 2 months to 8 years) and Fontan-stage operation was at 59.6 months of median age(range 1 year 5 months to ,9 year 7 months). The mean waiting interval between the two operations was 33.88 $\pm$ 17.85 months with a range of 10 months to 6 years 3 months. During the waiting periods, 18 patients developed significant systemic-pulmonary collaterals andfor systemic verso-veno collateral channels. There were 5 hospital deaths after operations due to low cardiac output in 4 and sepsis in one. Most of the Fontal-stage operations were done by the late al tunneling with Core-Tex tube graft patch and fenestrated with the size of 2.5 ~6 mm. All the patients were followed-up(7 months to 4 years 2 months, mean 21.97$\pm$10.82 months) and there were 5 late deaths(postoperatively 6 months to 2 years) due to thromboembolism in 1, after heart transplantation 1, plastic bronchitis 1, protein loosing enteropathy 1, and pneumonia in 1. Dividing the patients by the waiting interval of 2 years, the early correction to Fontal group (N=16) showed the better results(hospital mortality 1116, late mortality 1116, significant collateral development 2/16) compared to the other group(N=26) (4/26, 4/26, 16/26). In conclusion, after the bidirectional Glean-stage operation successfully got rid of the previous risk factors, we recommand to do the Fontan-stage operation no later than 2 years of interval.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.180-192
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• 2007

Background: As determined from the recent investigations of discordant cardiac xenotransplantation, hyperacute rejection occurs mainly at the endothelial cells in donor microvascular systems, but this does not occur at cardiac valve leaflets or at medium-to-large caliber vessels. On the basis of this background, this study was performed to look into the biocompatibility for transplantation of a middle or large diameter xenogenic blood vessel by conducting xenogenic arterial transplantation with the carotid artery in a pig-to-goat model. Material and Method: The experimental group was composed of 10 pairs of pig-to-goat combinations. They were divided into each period of 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Four carotid artery grafts obtained through collection of the bilateral carotid arteries from two pigs were preserved at $-70^{\circ}C$ without other treatment, and then they were transplanted into the bilateral carotid arteries of two goats. Doppler ultrasonography was done on a periodic basis after transplantation to evaluate the patency of the grafted blood vessel. At the ends of a predetermined period, the grafts were explanted from the goats and they underwent gross examination. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were conducted. In addition, in order to examine the immunological rejection of the grafted xenogenic blood vessel, immunohistochemical staining was conducted with T-lymphocyte indicator and von Willebrand factor. Result: Two goats at the each one-week period and the one-year period died during the experimental period because of a reason unrelated to the experimental procedure, and the remaining 8 goats survived until the end of each experiment period. On Doppler ultrasonography, unilateral carotid artery occlusion was found in a goat, whose period was specified as 3 months, among the 8 survived goats. However, the vascular patency was maintained well and there was no graft that formed aneurysms in the other goats. On gross examination, the region of vascular anastomosis was preserved well, and calcification of the grafted blood vessel was not shown. Histologically, the endothelial cells of the graft disappeared one week after transplantation, and then there was progressive spread of the recipients' endothelial cells from the anastomotic site. The reendothelialization occurred over the whole graft at one month after transplantation. The neointimal thickening and adventitial inflammation became severe by 3 months after transplantation, but this lessened at 6 months and 12 months, respectively. The rate of CD3 positive cells was very low among the infiltrated inflammatory cells. Conclusion: The fresh-frozen xenogenic artery kept its patency without being greatly influenced by xenogenic immune reaction.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.236-243
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• 1998

Objectives: Local invasion of the thyroid cancer that is invasion of the upper aerodigestive tract, neurovascular structures of the neck and superior mediastinum, is infrequent and comprises of 1-16% of well-differentiated thyroid cancer. However the proximity of the thyroid gland to these structures provides the means for an invasive cancer to gain ready access into theses structures and when invasion occurs, it is the source of significant morbidity and mortality. So locally invasive thyroid cancer should be removed as much as possible, but still much debates have been exist whether the surgical method should be radical or conservative. This study was desinged to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the surgical treatment of the locally invasive thyroid cancer. Material and Methods: At the department of otorhinolaryngology of Hallym university, 10 patients diagnosed as locally invasive thyroid cancer among the 81 patients treated for thyroid cancer between 1991 to 1997 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Of the 10 patients, 3 patients had histories of previous surgical treatment with or without radiation or radioactive iodine therapy. The site of invasion of thyroid cancer were trachea(7 cases), recurrent laryngeal nerve(5 cases), mediastinal node(5 cases), esophagus(3cases), larynx(3cases), carotid artery(3 cases), pharynx(l case), and other sites(4 cases). The operation techniques included 1 partial laryngectomy and 1 partial cricoid resection, 2 shavings and 3 window resections of the trachea, 1 sleeve resection of the trachea with end-to-end anastomosis and 1 cricotracheoplasty for tracheal invasion, 2 shavings and 1 partial esophagectomies for esophageal invasion, and 1 wall shaving and 2 partial resections with $Gortex^{\circledR}$ tube reconstruction for carotid artery invasion, and so on. Conclusions: These data and review of literature suggest that the surgical method should be perfomed on the basis of individual condition and complete removal of all gross tumor with preservation of vital structures whenever possible will offer a good result.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2008

Purpose: For most surgeons, colon interposition after gastrectomy remains an infrequently performed procedure because of its complexity. The aim of this study was to assess its technical feasibility and safety as a post-gastrectomy reconstruction method by reviewing our experience with colon interposition. Materials and Methods: From March 2001 to February 2002, 30 colon interpositions after-gastrectomy were done with using the ileo-ascending or transverse colon. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features and the surgical outcomes. Results: There were 16 males and 14 females in this study with a mean age of 67.5 years (range: 31 to 76 years). Twenty-five ascending colons and 5 transverse colons were used for the interposition, respectively. The mean operation time was 373 minutes (range: 204 to 600 minutes). There were 9 operative morbidities (30%) and 1 operative mortality. The restoration of bowel motility was noted at 3.8 postoperative days; a soft diet was started at 4.9 postoperative days and the duration of the hospital stay was 18.2 days. The percentage of weight loss in the patients with total, proximal and distal gastrectomy was 16.3%, 14.0% and 8.8%, respectively, at 6 months, and thereafter the weight loss gradually recovered as 8.1%, 7.5% and 5.6%, respectively, at 5 years postoperatively. Gastric stasis was the one of the most meaningful long-term complications, and especially in the patients who underwent distal gastrectomy with colon interposition. Conclusion: Colon interposition after gastrectomy was a very complex procedure with a long operating time and many anastomosis sites. The postoperative outcomes failed to achieve satisfactory weight gain and the patients displayed postprandial symptoms. This suggested that this procedure was not an appropriate procedure for conventional reconstruction after gastrectomy.