• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1020-1029
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• 1988

The authors evaluated 153 patients who had undergone cardiac valve replacement between October 1979 and July 1988. The results are as follows: l. Out of 153 patients, there were 56 males and 97 females ranging from 15 to 62 years of age with a mean of 37 years. 2. Isolated mitral valve replacement took place in 82 patients, aortic valve replacement[AVR] in 16, double valve replacement[DVR] in 34, AVR combined with open mitral commissurotomy in 19, and tricuspid valve replacement[TVR] was done in 2 patients. 3. 153 patients had 187 prosthetic valves replaced with Ionescu-Shiley valves[16], Carpentier-Edwards[36], Bjork-Shiley[19], St. Jude Medical[108], and Duromedics[8]. 4. Our of 98 patients with atrial fibrillation[ 64% of a total 153 patients ] during the preoperative period, 22 patients recovered NSR[ 22/98, NSR recovery rate 22.4%] after valvular surgery and remaining 76 patients revealed persisting atrial fibrillation[76/153, 49.7% ]. 5. Preoperative episodes of systemic arterial embolization were attained in 9 patients[9/153, 6% ], and left atrial thrombi were confirmed in 22 patients intraoperatively[ 22/153, 14% ]. Of these, only one patient, however, demonstrated the correspondence of preoperative embolization and intraoperative existence of LA thrombi. 6. With mechanical prostheses, anticoagulant therapy was begun 48 hours after operation with sodium warfarin[2.5-5.0mg/day], maintaining the prothrombin time between 16 and 18 seconds or 30 to 50% of control values and continued for life. With tissue prostheses, sodium warfarin was continued for 3 to 6 months and converted into buffered ASA[ 325 mg/day ] for one year. 7. The mean follow-up for the survivors was 30.1 months, with a range from 3 months to 9 years. All suspected or confirmed thromboembolic episodes counted as events and occurred in 4 patients[ 1.04%/patient-year] with mechanical valve replacement. No persistent paralysis or death was noted. Late complications have not yet occurred in the patients with isolated MVR and AVR. 8. There were remarkable structural failures of tissue valves in 3 patients[ 1.9%/patient-year ], while no instance of failure of a mechanical valve. 9. There were 10 operative early deaths[10/153, 6.5%] and 5 late deaths[5/153, 3.3%]. Consequently, overall mortality was 9.8%[ 15/153] during follow-up period. 10. We currently favor using the St. Jude Medical valve in all patients requiring valve replacement except in those who can not take warfarin anticoagulation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.152-160
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• 2001

Purpose: We tried to establish the reproducibility of the measurement of maximal elastance (Emax) and to compare the degree of the reproducibility of two estimation methods: single pressure-volume loop method and parameter optimization method. Materials and methods: In 47 patients (42 males and 5 females, $53{\pm}10$ years old) with suspected coronary artery disease (election fraction; 22-68%), gated Tc-99m MIBI myocardial SPECT and arterial tonometry were acquired. In 11 patients among these 47 patients, gated SPECT and tonometry were performed twice consecutively with patients in situ. Emax and void volume (Vo) were estimated using single pressure-volume loop method of Lee and parameter optimization method based on linear approximation of Yoshizawa. Correlation between the consecutive measurements by each method and correlation between the two estimation methods were compared. Results: Reproducibility of Emax (r=0.96) and Vo (r=0.99) by single pressure-volume method was better than the reproducibility of Emax (r=0.89) and Vo (r=0.64) by parameter optimization method. Correlations of Emax and Vo were fair between the two methods. The correlation of Emax (r=0.77) was better than that of Vo (r=0.55). Conclusion: Reproducibility of Emax measurement by single pressure-volume loop method using gated myocardial SPECT and arterial tonometry was excellent. Reproducibility by parameter optimization method was also fair but was less than that achieved by single pressure-volume method.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.924-927
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• 1998

Background: Myocardial cell death after myocardial infarction or reperfusion is classified into necrosis and apoptosis. Bcl-2 protein is a cytoplasmic protein, which inhibits apoptosis and is expressed in acute stage of myocardial infarction but not in normal heart. This study was performed to investigate whether Bcl-2 protein was expressed respectively to the reperfusion time. Materials and methods: Thirty nine New Zealand white rabbits weighing 1.5-4.8 kg (mean, 2.9kg) were alloted into 7 groups (n=5 in each group) which underwent left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD) occlusion for 30 minutes, followed by reperfusion. The animals were sacrificed at 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours, and 3, 7 days after occlusion. Ventricle was excised immediately after intervention. Tissues were fixed in 10% buffured formalin and embedded in paraffin. Bcl-2 protein was detected by immunohistochemical stain with using monoclonal antibody against Bcl-2 protein. Results: The positive immunohistochemical reactivity for Bcl-2 protein was observed in 12, 24 hours, and 3 days reperfusion groups. Bcl-2 protein was detected in salvaged myocytes surrounding the infarcted area. Conclusions: Bcl-2 protein is expressed at the late acute stage of infarct. Therefore, the expression of Bcl-2 protein may not protect acute cell death, but may play a role in the prevention of late cell death after myocardial is chemia-reperfusion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.278-284
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• 1996

Nine infants with transposition of great arteries have undergone arterial switch operation from May 1989 to May 1994 in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital. Patients' age ranged from 3 days to 90 days, averaging 30$\pm$21 days. Diagnosis was made by two-dimensional echocardiography in all patients. Eight patients were diagnosed as transposition of great arteries with ventricular septal defect and one patient was a simple transposition of great arteries. Associated anomalies were patent ductus arteriosus (8), atrial septal defect (7) and coarctation of aorta(1). The anatomy of the coronary arteries were 7 (77 %) type A and 2 (23 %) type D according to the Yacoub classification. Pulmonary artery reconstruction was done according to Lecompte maneuver with tautologous pericardial patch in 8 patients. Overall operative mortality rate was 55% Left heart failure and pulmonary hypertensive crisis were the cause of death on postoperative 1~2 days in three patients, and two succumbed to death due to sepsis on postoperative 2~ 3 weeks. The mean follow-up period was mean 17 months. No patient had clinically significant postoperative aortic regurgitation and supravalvular pulmonary stenosis. The excessive use of inotropic support postoperatively was identified as a stastically significant risk factor following the arterial switch operation. But other variables such as low body weight, long cardiopulmonary bypass time, excessive hemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermia and volume loading were not significant risk factors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.314-317
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of Patlak tool on GE PET workstation for quantitative analysis of dynamic PET images in cardiac patients. Three patients including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), and angina were studied. All subjects underwent dynamic cardiac PET scan using a GE Advance scanner. After 10 min transmission scan for attenuation correction using two rotating $\^$68/Ge rod sources, three patients with cardiac disease were performed dynamic cardiac PET scan after the administration of approximately 370 MBq of FDG. The dynamic scan consisted of 36 frames with variable frame length (12${\times}$10s, 6${\times}$20s, 6${\times}$60s, 12${\times}$300s) for a total time of 70 min. Blood samples were obtained to determine the plasma substrate concentration. Region of interest of circular and rectangular shape to acquire input functions and tissue data were placed on left ventricle and myocardium. A value of 0.67 was used for lumped constant. Mean plasma substrate concentrations for three patients were 100 mg/dl (CAD), 100 mg/dl (MI), 132 mg/dl (angina), respectively. Regional MMRGlc values (mean${\pm}$SD) at lateral myocardium area for CAD, MI, and angina were 8.43${\pm}$0.24, 4.08${\pm}$0.16, and 6.15${\pm}$0.23 mg/min/100ml, respectively. Patlak tool on GE PET workstation appeared to be useful for quantitative analysis of dynamic PET images in cardiac patients, although further studies may be required for absolute quantitation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.274-279
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• 1992

Clinical role of $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ myocardial scintigraphy in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) is now well accepted, however, the role of it in the identification of viable myocardium in patients with chronic CAD has not yet been clarified. To determine the usefulness of rest-injected $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ scan as a marker of myocardial viability, the regional uptake of this agent at rest was compared with that of $^{201}Tl$ on reinjection and 24 hours after reinjection images. Subject patients were 13 chronic CAD patients who showed irreversible perfusion defect(s) on standard pharmacologic (dipyridamole) stress-redistribution images. Immediately after the redistribution images were obtained, 37 MBq thallium was injected at rest, and images were reacquired at 10 minutes and 24 hours after reinjection. After then 740 MBq $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ was injected, and 1 hour later rest MIBI myocardial imaging was performed. Five sets of imagestress, redistribution, reinjection, delayed images of thallium, and rest image of MIBI) were then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Left ventricle was arbitrarily divided into 9 segments (apex, basal and apical portions of anterior, septal, inferior, and lateral walls). Seven patients and 30 regions showed a fixed perfusion defect on the stress-redistribution images. Among 30 regions, 15 showed positive uptakes and 6 showed negative uptakes on both $^{201}Tl$ reinjection/delayed images and $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ rest images. Five regions showed only thallium uptake and were regarded as viable clinically. Of four regions which showed only $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ uptake, two were regarded as viable, while the other two were regarded as a nonviable scar tissue clinically. In conclusion, $^{201}Tl$ reinjection technique was more reliable in the identification of viable myocardium. However, the role of $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ in identification of viable myocardium was still remained to be clarified because 2 of 9 regions showed only $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ uptake and were regarded as viable tissues.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.42-54
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• 1992

To understand the structural changes of the myocardial myocytes and endothelial cells in ischemic and reperfused heart, and to elucidate their roles in those conditions, the authors observed cat and rat myocardium ultrastructurally and evaluated them with morphometric techniques. In cat, mild ischemia and moderate degree reperfusion injury was induced by ligation of the anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery and reperfusion. In rat, severe ischemia and irreversible reperfusion iniury was made using in vitro Langendorff techniques. In normal cat myocytes, the volume densities of cytoplasm, myofibrils, mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum and T tubules were $0.11{\pm}0.013,\;0.51{\pm}0.096,\;0.25{\pm}0.082,\;0.09{\pm}0.008,\;0.02{\pm}0.010$ (Mean${\pm}$S.D.) respectively, and the myofibril/mitochondria ratio was $2.33{\pm}1.379$. The numerical density and average volume of mitochondria were $0.76{\pm}0.210/{\mu}m^3$ and $0.33{\pm}0.057{\mu}m^3$ respectively. In normal cat endothelial cells, the volume densities of cytoplasm, cytoplasmic vesicles, tubular systems (including endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus) and mitochondria were $0.43{\pm}0.023,\;0.28{\pm}0.007,\;0.22{\pm}0.021,\;0.03{\pm}0.014$ respectively. The mean thickness of endothelial cells was $230{\pm}45.2{\mu}m$. The numerical density and average volume of cytoplasmic vesicles were $508{\pm}55.0/{\mu}m^3,\;578{\pm}104.8nm^3$ respectively. In cat myocytes which received mild ischemic injury, the volume densities of organelles were not changed significantly in ischemic and reperfusion states. In reperfusion group myocytes, the numerical density of mitochondria was decreased significantly and the average volume was increased significantly. In endothelial cells, the volume density of tubular system in ischemic group and the average volume of cytoplasmic vesicles in reperfusion group were increased significantly. In rat myocytes which received severe ischemic injury, the volume density and average volume of mitochondria were increased significantly, and the volume density of sarcoplasmic reticulum and numerical density of mitochondria were decreased significantly in both ischemic and reperfusion groups. In ischemic and reperfused endothelial cells, the volume density and numerical density of cytoplasmic vesicles, the volume density of cytoplasm were decreased significantly. The volume densities of tubular system were increased significantly in both ischemic and reperfused groups. The volume density of mitochondria in ischemic group and the average volume of cytoplasmic vesicles in reperfusion group showed significant increase. The authors, based on the above observations, conclude that the mitochondria of myocytes and the cytoplasmic vesicles of endothelia are the first group of targets in ischemic and reperfusion injury and in this respect, the degree of ischemic insult is not significant. The role of myocyte mitochondria in reperfusion injury may be insignificant, but endothelial cells may contribute actively to reperfusion injury.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.743-754
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• 2023

Background: Myocardial fibrosis post-myocardial infarction (MI) can induce maladaptive cardiac remodeling as well as heart failure. Although 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) has been applied to cardiovascular diseases, its efficacy and specific molecular mechanism in myocardial fibrosis are largely unknown. Herein, we aimed to explore whether TGFBR1 signaling was involved in Rg3's anti-fibrotic effect post-MI. Methods: Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation-induced MI mice and TGF-β1-stimulated primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were adopted. Echocardiography, hematoxlin-eosin and Masson staining, Western-blot and immunohistochemistry, CCK8 and Edu were used to study the effects of Rg3 on myocardial fibrosis and TGFBR1 signaling. The combination mechanism of Rg3 and TGFBR1 was explored by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi). Moreover, myocardial Tgfbr1-deficient mice and TGFBR1 adenovirus were adopted to confirm the pharmacological mechanism of Rg3. Results: In vivo experiments, Rg3 ameliorated myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy and enhanced cardiac function. Rg3-TGFBR1 had the 1.78×10^-7 M equilibrium dissociation constant based on SPRi analysis, and Rg3 inhibited the activation of TGFBR1/Smads signaling dose-dependently. Cardiac-specific Tgfbr1 knockdown abolished Rg3's protection against myocardial fibrosis post-MI. In addition, Rg3 downregulated the TGF-β1-mediated CFs growth together with collagen production in vitro through TGFBR1 signaling. Moreover, TGFBR1 adenovirus partially blocked the inhibitory effect of Rg3. Conclusion: Rg3 improves myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function through suppressing CFs proliferation along with collagen deposition by inactivation of TGFBR1 pathway.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1964-1973
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic performance of CT fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) for myocardial bridging-related ischemia using dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) as a reference standard. Materials and Methods: Dynamic CT-MPI and coronary CT angiography (CCTA) data obtained from 498 symptomatic patients were retrospectively reviewed. Seventy-five patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 62.7 ± 13.2 years; 48 males) who showed myocardial bridging in the left anterior descending artery without concomitant obstructive stenosis on the imaging were included. The change in CT-FFR across myocardial bridging (ΔCT-FFR, defined as the difference in CT-FFR values between the proximal and distal ends of the myocardial bridging) in different cardiac phases, as well as other anatomical parameters, were measured to evaluate their performance for diagnosing myocardial bridging-related myocardial ischemia using dynamic CT-MPI as the reference standard (myocardial blood flow < 100 mL/100 mL/min or myocardial blood flow ratio ≤ 0.8). Results: ΔCT-FFR_systolic (ΔCT-FFR calculated in the best systolic phase) was higher in patients with vs. without myocardial bridging-related myocardial ischemia (median [interquartile range], 0.12 [0.08-0.17] vs. 0.04 [0.01-0.07], p < 0.001), while CT-FFR_systolic (CT-FFR distal to the myocardial bridging calculated in the best systolic phase) was lower (0.85 [0.81-0.89] vs. 0.91 [0.88-0.96], p = 0.043). In contrast, ΔCT-FFR_diastolic (ΔCT-FFR calculated in the best diastolic phase) and CT-FFR_diastolic (CT-FFR distal to the myocardial bridging calculated in the best diastolic phase) did not differ significantly. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that ΔCT-FFR_systolic had largest area under the curve (0.822; 95% confidence interval, 0.717-0.901) for identifying myocardial bridging-related ischemia. ΔCT-FFR_systolic had the highest sensitivity (91.7%) and negative predictive value (NPV) (97.8%). ΔCT-FFR_diastolic had the highest specificity (85.7%) for diagnosing myocardial bridging-related ischemia. The positive predictive values of all CT-related parameters were low. Conclusion: ΔCT-FFR_systolic reliably excluded myocardial bridging-related ischemia with high sensitivity and NPV. Myocardial bridging showing positive CT-FFR results requires further evaluation.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on the residual echocardiographic findings including strain analysis among post-coronavirus disease (COVID) patients. The aim of our study is to prospectively phenotype post-COVID patients. METHODS: All patients discharged following acute COVID infection were systematically followed in the post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul's Hospital. At 4-18 weeks post diagnosis, patients underwent comprehensive echocardiographic assessment. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was assessed by 3D, 2D Biplane Simpson's, or visual estimate. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) was measured using a vendor-independent 2D speckle-tracking software (TomTec). RESULTS: A total of 127 patients (53% female, mean age 58 years) were included in our analyses. At baseline, cardiac conditions were present in 58% of the patients (15% coronary artery disease, 4% heart failure, 44% hypertension, 10% atrial fibrillation) while the remainder were free of cardiac conditions. COVID-19 serious complications were present in 79% of the patients (76% pneumonia, 37% intensive care unit admission, 21% intubation, 1% myocarditis). Normal LVEF was seen in 96% of the cohort and 97% had normal right ventricular systolic function. A high proportion (53%) had abnormal LV GLS defined as < 18%. Average LV GLS of septal and inferior segments were lower compared to that of other segments. Among patients without pre-existing cardiac conditions, LVEF was abnormal in only 1.9%, but LV GLS was abnormal in 46% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Most post-COVID patients had normal LVEF at 4-18 weeks post diagnosis, but over half had abnormal LV GLS.