• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.655-662
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• 2010

Background: Despite the rapid expansion of percutaneous endovascular repair, open surgical repair is still recognized as an option to achieve a cure. We retrospectively analyzed over a 6 year period the surgical outcomes, the complications and the mortality-related factors for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Material and Method: We analyzed 36 patients who underwent surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms between May 2001 and June 2005, and between April 2007 and November 2009. The indications for surgery were rupture, a maximal aortic diameter > 50 mm, and medically intractable hypertension or pain. Result: The mean patient age was $69.67{\pm}6.97$ years (range: 57 to 84 years). Thirty two patients (88.9%) were males and 4 patients (11.1%) were females. Extension to the iliac artery existed in 28 patients (77.8%). Thirteen patients (36.1%) had ruptured aortic aneurysms. The mean maximal diameter of the aorta was $73.7{\pm}13.3$ mm (60 to 100 mm). Surgery was performed by a midline laparotomy and 10 patients (27.8%) underwent emergency surgery. The mortality rate was 8.3%; the mortality rate for the patients with ruptured aneurysms was 23.1 % and the mortality rate for patients with unruptured aneurysms was 0%. The postoperative complications included wound infection (3 cases), sepsis (2 cases), renal failure (2 cases) and pneumonia (1 case). Unstable vital signs, pre-operative transfusion, ruptured aneurysm, emergency surgery, comorbidity (DM and syncope) and complications (sepsis and renal failure) were the statistically significant mortality-related factors (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Emergency surgery for ruptured aortic aneurysms continues to have high mortality, but the unruptured cases are repaired with relative safety. Even though endovascular aortic repair is the trend for abdominal aortic aneurysms, an elective operation of the unruptured aneurysms could decrease the procedure's morbidity and the inconvenient for repeat evaluation with good surgical results.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2005

Background : Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen in hospital-acquired infection, and is prevalent in intensive care units (ICU). The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were examined in both the ICU and general ward. This study was performed to investigate the MRSA rate and necessity for MRSA screening cultures in patients admitted to ICU. Methods : Between June and September 2004, those patients admitted to both the medical ICU and general ward participated in this study. Bacterial cultures were performed on swabs of the nares and throat taken within 24 hours of admission. Clinical data were also collected. Results : One hundred and twenty one patients and 84 patients, admitted to the medical ICU and medical general ward, respectively, were investigated. The numbers of nasal MRSA colonization in the ICU and general ward were 3 (2.5%) and 3 (3.6%), respectively. There were 2 (1.7%) cases of throat MRSA colonization in the ICU, but none in the general ward. The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were no different between the ICU and general ward. There were no significant differences in the previous admission, operation history and admission route between the ICU and general ward groups. Conclusion : The MRSA colonization rates of the nares and throat were 3.3 and 3.6% in the ICU and the general ward, respectively. The MRSA screening test does not appear to be required in all patients admitted to the ICU, but further studies, including high-risk patients, are recommended.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.149-161
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• 1995

The first national survey on esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula was conducted to access the current status of its incidence, clinical manifestation, preoperative diagnosis and management, type of its anomaly, associated anomalies, and surgical results and course. The 43 members of the Korea Association of Pediatric Surgeons received questionnaires and registration forms to be filled out on each patient who were born during the three years from January 1, 1992 through December 31, 1994. Questionnaires composed of six broad areas which include 1) preoperative diagnosis and management, 2) surgical technic, 3) long gap, 4) postoperative management, and 5) complications and courses. A total of 148 cases was returned by 28 members working at 23 institutions and 27 members returned questionnaires. We obtained the following results by analysis of the 148 cases of tracheoesophageal anomalies. The incidence of tracheoesophageal anomaly was about 1/10,000-11,000 in 1994, which is one third of that of anorectal malformations in Korea and the distribution of the patients was almost proportionate to the size of each province. Both sexes are about equally affected. Majority of the members make diagnosis of tracheoesophageal anomaly by taking a simple infantogram with a radiopaque tube in upper pouch and a little under half(46%) prefers to perform echocardiography as a part of preoperative management to identify congenital heart disease and lateralize the aorta. Esophageal atresia with distal TEF(87.5%) was by far the most common and there were pure esophageal atresia(5.6%), H-type TEF(2.1%), and so on. About half(49%) of the patients had one or more associated anomalies in addition to tracheoesophageal anomalies. Congenital heart disease was associated in 46 cases(31%), anorectral malfomations in 19 cases(13%), musculoskeletal anomalies in 15 cases(10%), genitourinary anomalies in 10 cases(7%) and gastrointestinal anomalies in 7 cases(5%). Postoperatively, parenteral nutrition and assisted ventilation were given in 66% and 52% of patients respectively. Ninety three(74%) of 126 cases who underwent sugical procedure, experienced one or more complications such as respiratory complication(65%), leak(22%), stricture(21%) and so on. The survival rates related to the Waterston risk categories were 90.2% in group A, 71.4-75% in $B_1$, $B_2$, and $C_1$, groups, and 28% in group $C_2$, and the overall survival rate was 71.4%. Thirty six(28.6%) of 126 cases died of pneumonia/sepsis(12 cases), respiratory failure(12 cases), and congenital heart disease(4 cases). With short term follow-up, 69% of patients have been excellent whereas remainders of the cases have suffered from some sort of morbidity related to gastroesophageal reflux, recurrent respiratory infection, and esophageal stricture.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 2005

Background : Some malignancies including lymphoma, head and neck cancer, and lung cancer are believed to be associated with the reactivation of tuberculosis (TB) because cyclic anti-cancer chemotherapy can induce the leukopenia or immunological deterioration. This report describes the clinical characteristics and treatment response of TB that developed during cyclic anti-cancer chemotherapy in patients with a solid tumor. Materials and Methods : From January 1 2000 to July 31 2004, patients with TB diagnosed microbiologically, pathologically, or clinically during anti-cancer chemotherapy in a tertiary hospital were enrolled, and their medical records were reviewed. Patients with the known risk factors for the reactivation of TB were excluded. Results : Twenty-two patients were enrolled and their mean age was 56.5 years (range 21-78). The male to female ratio was 3.4:1 and pulmonary TB was the main variant (20 patients, 90.9%). Gastric cancer (10 patients, 45.4%) and lymphoma (4 patients, 18.2%) were the leading underlying malignancies. The other malignancies included lung cancer, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, cervix cancer, and ovary cancer. Fifteen patients (68.2%) had a healed scar on a simple chest radiograph suggesting a previous TB infection. Among these patients, new TB lesions involved the same lobe or the ipsilateral pleura in 13 patients (87.6%). An isoniazid and rifampicin based regimen were started in all the subjects except for one patient with a hepatic dysfunction. The mean duration of medication was $9.9{\pm}2.4$ months and no adverse events resulting in a regimen change were observed. With the exception of 5 patients who died of the progression of the underlying malignancy, 70.6% (12/17) completed the anti-TB treatment. Conclusion : The clinical characteristics and response to anti-TB treatment for TB that developed during anticancer chemotherapy for a solid tumor were not different from those of patients who developed TB in the general population.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.186-194
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• 2005

Purpose : Hepatitis A viral infections have been continued after re-emerging since mid 1990s in Korea. The incidence of this disease has been increased in young adults younger than 30 years of age since 2000. This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A in Korea(two regions; Incheon and Changwon) in 2005, and was compared with the results of similar studies in mid 1990s. Methods : The study was conducted from January 2005 to June 2005, and consisted of 1,301 enrolled subjects, neonates to 50 years old, living in Incheon and Changwon in Korea. All sera were frozen and stored at $-70^{\circ}C$ until assayed. Anti-HAV IgG antibodies were measured by microparticle enzyme immunoassay(HAVAB, Abbott Lab., IL, USA). Results : The prevalence of anti-HAV IgG was 61.1% in infants younger than 1 year old, 30.5% in 1~5 years, 14.6% in 6~10 years, 1.7% in 11~15 years, 6.5% in 16~20 years, 36.6%in 21~30 years, 77.5% in 31~40 years, and 99.8% in 41~50 years. Statistical differences were not found between male and female, but there was statistical difference in 6~10 years old age group between the two areas. Conclusion : Our study indicate that the prevalence of antihepatitis A virus antibody has shifted from children to old adolescents and young adults. This result suggests that the risk of sudden outbreaks or increasing incidence of hepatitis A viral infections in young adults may be expected in our society. The preventive strategies of hepatitis A including vaccination should be prepared.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.140-149
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• 1997

Purpose : Kawasaki Disease(KD) is a febrile disease with acute multisystemic vasculitis which is seen commonly in early childhood. The cause and etiologic agents are still unknown to identify using ordinary bacterial and viral culture, but the clinical labaratory studies suggest that KD is one of autoimmune disorder caused by infectious agents, but that is not proved yet. The study was performed to investigate the IgG subclasses in acute stage of KB before treatment of IVIG(Intravenous immunoglobulin). Method : The 35 cases in acute stage of KD before treatment of IVIG who were hospitalized from jan. 1995 to dec. 1996. The obtained sera were measured level of total IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE and IgG subclasses IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 by using EIA and SRID method. Results : 1) The sex ratio is male to female is 1.5: 1.0, and male is prone to infected. 2) Total IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE level is normal range with age adjusted, but few cases are shown slight high level of total IgG compare to normal range of age adjusted. 3) acute phage reactants such as CRP, C3, ESR are all increased in acute stage of cases. 4) IgG subclasses IgGl, IgG2, IgG3 are shown normal range of age adjusted, but remarkably low level of IgG4 in all of cases. Conclusions : The low level of IgG4 is able to increasing the incidence of KD, and may use early diagnostic tools combine with other clinical symptoms and signs. But the resulsts of reported studies are different to each other, so it needs more times and cases to get final evaluation of changes of serum immnunoglobulin levels correlate to increase the incidence of high risk group of KD patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.10 s.255
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• pp.680-684
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• 2005

Background: With the increasing age of the population, coronary artery bypass grafting in the elderly patients is becoming common. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) has been proven to be less morbidity and to facilitate early recovery. The elderly patients may have benefits by avoiding the adverse effects of the cardiopulmonary bypass. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our results of OPCAB in elderly patients. Material and Method: A retrospective chart review was carried out for 12 patients aged over 80 years who underwent isolated OPCAB from January 2001 and March 2004. Data were collected risk factors for disease, extent of coronary disease, and in-hospital outcomes. Postoperative graft patiency was evaluated in 9 patients by multi-slice computed tomography. Result: Eleven patients had triple vessel disease or left main disease. Four patients were suffered from preoperative CVA, and 4 patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Two patients had myocardial infarction (MI), among them 1 patient was suffered from pulmonary edema after preoperative MI. There was no perioperative death, perioperative MI, and no ventricular arrhythmia. Also there was no perioperative stroke and renal failure. But there was one deep sternal infection who recovered by treating of muscle flap. Atrial fibrillation was newly developed in 1 patient, but was well controlled by medication. Mean intubation time was $15.9\pm4.4(8\~20hrs)$ hrs and mean ICU stay was $2.9\pm0.8(2\~4 days)$ days. Mean hospital day was $21.6\pm14.3(13\~56 days)$ days. Postoperative mean CK-MS was $11.3\pm14.1\;ng/mL$. Early postoperative graft patency rate was $100\%(24/24)$. Follow-up was completed in all patients. In this time, there was no patients with angina or death. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that OPCAB reduces morbidity and favors hospital outcomes. Therefore, OPCAB is safe, reasonable and might be preferable operative strategy in elderly patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.142-149
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• 2003

To know the feasibility of the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) for multivessel coronary artery disease with purely bilateral internal thoracic arteries (ITAs), we analyzed the short-term clinical results and the coronary angiography of the patients. Material and Method: From March 2001 to June 2002, four hundred and five patients underwent CABG. Purely bilateral ITAs were used in 159 patients (39.3%). We analyzed these patients retrospectively The mean age of these patients was $61.2{\pm}8.5$ (range: 30 ~80) years and there were 123 male patients. The preoperative risk factors were as follows: diabetes in 54 patients (34.0%), history of acute myocardiac infarction within 4 weeks in 29 (18.2%), and emergency operation in 6 (3.8%). Off-pump CABG was carried out in 128 patients (80.5%). Associated procedures were mitral valvuloplasty (5), aortic valve replacement (3), Dor procedure (1), and so on. Result: The mean number of distal anastomoses was $3.1{\pm}0.9$ (range: 2~6), the mean duration of hospital stay was $8.4{\pm}4.5$ days. There was one (0.6%) operative death. Except for one early death, no other patients suffered from low cardiac output. The other postoperative complications were occurred as follows: reoperation due to bleeding in 3 patients, perioperative myocardiac infarction in 1, transient cardiac arrest in 2, transient cognitive dysfunction in 7, and transient ischemic attack in 1, and deep sternal wound infection in 1 patient. Recently, early postoperative angiography was performed in 19 patients who had triple vessel disease. The total number of distal anastomosis was 78 (mean $4.1{\pm}0.8$/patient). All distal anastomosis sites were patent, but competition flow was observed at the bypass sites where the native coronary artery stenosis was not significant. Conclusion: The CABG with purely bilateral ITAs for triple vessel disease was performed safely. The early patency rate was relatively good in small number of patients. However the long-term patency rate and the functional study to evaluate the sites where competition flow was observed should be followed.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.511-519
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• 2006

Autogenous bone grafts have been considered the gold standard for maxillofacial bony defects. However, this procedure could entail a complicated surgical procedure as well as potential donor site morbidity. Possibly the best solution for bone-defect regeneration is a tissue engineering approach, i.e. the use of a combination of a suitable scaffold with osteogenic cells. A major source of osteogenic cells is the bone marrow. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent and have the ability to differentiate into osteoblastic, chondrocytic, and adipocytic lineage cells. However, the isolation of cells from bone marrow has someproblems when used in clinical setting. Bone marrow aspiration is sometimes potentially more invasive and painful procedure and carries of a risk of morbidity and infection. A minimally invasive, easily accessible alternative would be cells derived from periosteum. The periosteum also contains multipotent cells that have the potential to differentiate into osteoblasts and chondrocytes. In the present study, we evaluated the osteogenic activity and mineralization of cultured human periosteal-derived cells. Periosteal explants were harvested from mandibule during surgical extraction of lower impacted third molar. The periosteal cells were cultured in the osteogenic inductive medium consisting of DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum, 50g/ml L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, 10 nmol dexamethasone and 10 mM -glycerophosphate for 42 days. Periosteal-derived cells showed positive alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining during 42 days of culture period. The formation of ALP stain showed its maximal manifestation at day 14 of culture period, then decreased in intensity during the culture period. ALP mRNA expression increased up to day 14 with a decrease thereafter. Osteocalcin mRNA expression appeared at day 7 in culture, after that its expression continuously increased in a time-dependent manner up to the entire duration of culture. Von Kossa-positive mineralization nodules were first present at day 14 in culture followed by an increased number of positive nodules during the entire duration of the culture period. In conclusion, our study showed that cultured human periosteal-derived cells differentiated into active osteoblastic cells that were involved in synthesis of bone matrix and the subsequent mineralization of the matrix. As the periosteal-derived cells, easily harvested from intraoral procedure such as surgical extraction of impacted third molar, has the excellent potential of osteogenic capacity, tissue-engineered bone using periosteal-derived cells could be the best choice in reconstruction of maxillofacial bony defects.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.617-622
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• 2006

Purpose : High-Sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) has been recognized as a very useful and sensitive predictor of the future risk of myocardial infarction. But the clinical significance of hs-CRP in children remains uncertain. To confirm the existence of obesity-induced vascular inflammation and the association between metabolic syndromes and elevation of CRP in children, we investigated the relationship among CRP, obesity, blood pressure(BP), and serum lipids in schoolboys. Methods : Twenty-eight obese(BMI $29.61{\pm}3.29kg/m^2$) and 93 non-obese(BMI $18.99{\pm}2.21kg/m^2$) boys aged 14 years were examined. Serum CRP levels was measured by the high sensitive latex turbidimetric immunoassay and subjects with CRP levels below 0.3 mg/dL were adopted to avoid the influence of acute infection. Results : Obese children had significantly higher hs-CRP levels than their non-obese group($0.104{\pm}0.075$ vs. $0.054{\pm}0.005mg/dL$). In the obese group, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, apolipoprotein B, atherogenic index, and triglyceride were significantly higher than in nonobese. The BMI, diastolic blood pressure, apolipoprotein E, atherognic index, and triglyceride showed positive correlation with log CRP by simple regression. Multiple regression analysis indicated that BMI and apolipoprotein E were strongly related to CRP. Conclusion : This study revealed that obese children tended to have higher levels of serum hsCRP, BP elevation and dyslipidemia than the control group and that BMI and apolipoprotein E were strongly related to CRP. These results indicate that obesity related metabolic syndrome can be developed in children.