• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.379-382
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• 1999

Background: There are several advantages to the ministernotomy approach. The skin incision is much smaller than the traditional median sternotomy incision. This approach allows the patients to return to normal life more quickly and provide them with good self-image. Material and Method: From April to July 1998, we performed a ministernotomy via lower half sternum in 25 patients. There were 10 males(40%) and 15 females(60%) with a mean age of 30${\pm}$16 years(range 3 to 55 years). The body surface area ranged from 0.58 to 1.9 m2(mean 1.5 to 0.4 m2). A vertical skin incision of 11cm in mean length was made in the midline over the sternum extending inferiorly from the third intercostal space. The sternum was divided vertically in the midline from the xyphoid process to the level of second intercostal space using a standard saw and then transversely to the left(n=17) or to both sides(n=4) of the second intercostal space using an oscillating saw. The sternum was divided vertically only in children (n=4). Result: The ministernotomy was used in 25 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valve replacement(n=10), repair of ventricular septal defect(n=4) and atrial septal defect(n=11). There was no significant complication related to ministernotomy. The mean ICU stay time 20 hours. Patient and family acceptance was very high. Conclusion: We concluded that minimally invasive cardiac surgery via ministernotomy can be done safely. These methods may benefit the patients with lesser discomfort, smaller incision, and earlier ICU discharge than the traditional incision.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1342-1346
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• 1996

A right thoracotomy was used for the reoperation or mitral valve of 15 patients who had previously undergone a cardiac operation through a median sternotomy. In our experience. this approach provided dn excellent exposure of the nlitral valve and easy cannulations of both cavie with minimal dissection, ilvoiding any damage of cardiac and major vessels during re-sternotomy Arterial cannulation was performed in the ascending aorta in 13 patients And in the femoral artery in 2 patients. In earlier cases, venous cannulation was done in the SVC And IVC through the right atrium and snared. In later cases, this could be done without snaginly of both cavae or by placing a silgle light-angled catheter into the right atrium. Crystalloid cardioplegic solution was infused for myocardial protection. Hypothermia was controlled at 20\ulcorner$25^{\circ}C$. For defibrillation, internal paddles were used In one patient while sterilized external paddles were used in 10 patients. In the remaining four patients. however. the heart beat spontaneously The respirator could be weaned within 48 hours alter the operation and no pulmonary complication was observed. One out of the 15 patients expired due to sudden attack of ventricular tarchycardid developed ten days after the operation, but the rest of the patients were discharged with good condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.451-458
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• 1991

We have observed 101 cases of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax from Sep. 1979 to Dec. 1989 at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, College of Medicine, Inje University, Pusan Paik Hospital and the result obtained as follows. 1] Age range of patients was the first decade to seventh decade. Males outnumbered females by 6.7: l. One or two episodes of recurrent attack were noted in majority cases. 2] In distribution of the lesion sites, right side was 55 cases[55.4%], left 42 cases[41.9%], and bilateral 4 cases[3.0%]. 3] In clinical manifestations, abrupt onset of dyspnea was 78 cases[77.2%], chest pain 48 cases[47.5%], cough 9 cases[8.9%] and chest discomfort 8 cases[7.9%]. 4] Of 101 cases, 48 cases were associated with pulmonary tuberculosis and other cases were associated with subpleural bullae and blebs[26 cases], emphysema[7 cases], bronchiectasis[2 cases], lung cancer[1 case], and silicosis[1 case], 5] In 88 cases[87.2%] of patients, the magnitude of collapse was above 50% in plain chest film. 6] The interval of recurrence after last attack was frequently within 1 year. 7] In the management, closed thoracostomy with underwater-sealed drainage was applied in first recurrent 53 cases but 2nd recurrence was developed in 16 cases. In 52 cases, surgical management was applied. The pleurodesis with chemical agent[tetracycline] via chest tube was applied in 2 cases. Among 51 cases subjected to the open thoracotomy, pleural abrasion was performed in 3 cases, excision of bullae & blebs in 12 cases, wedge resection in 28 cases, lobectomy in 6 cases and wedge resection combined with lobectomy in 2 cases. In one case subjected to the median sternotomy, wedge resection on both lung apex was performed. 8] Postoperative complications were developed in 8 cases but not serious.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.698-704
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• 1989

We experienced the seven cases of penetrating and non-penetrating cardiac injuries combined with cardiac tamponade from June 1986 to June 1989 at Seoul and Chun-An Hospital of SOONCHUNHYANG medical college. The results were as follows. l. In sex distribution, 7 cases were male. In age distribution, The fourth decades occupied about 58 % of all cases. 2. In mode of injury, 4 cases were stab wounds, 1 case penetration by metallic fragment, 2 cases blunt chest trauma. 3. We routinely checked the CVP with subclavian vein catheterization in case of suspicious cardiac tamponade. Significant increments were showed in 4 cases. 4. Becks triad [low blood pressure, raised central venous pressure, distant heart sound] were recorded in 43 % of the cases with proven tamponades. 5. The sites of injury included RV in 4 cases, LV in 1 case, RA in 1 case and branch of RCA in 1 case. The RV injuries were the most common. 6. Coronary artery damage occurred in 2 cases. LADA was severed in 1 case combined with RV rupture and branch of RCA was torn 1 case. 7. Pericardiocentesis was performed 1 case at another hospital before referring to our hospital. We have never used the procedure because we think that it is potentially dangerous with no clear benefit. 8. Subxyphoid pericardial window was performed in 2 cases of severe cardiac tamponade. We have employed this method to stabilize the patients who had systolic hypotension. 9. Surgical approaches were performed with median sternotomy in 3 cases, thoracotomy in 4 cases. 10. We undertook the simple closure in 6 penetrating cardiac wounds. The removal of impacted metallic fragment was performed under the cardiopulmonary bypass. Simple ligation was performed in 2 cases of coronary artery severance 11. One patient with no sign of life was urgently intubated and undertaken an emergency room thoracotomy on the stretch car without antiseptic preparation. The cardiorrhaphy in 6 cases were performed in the operating theater 12. One patient undertaken emergency room thoracotomy did not survive due to refractory hypovolemic shock. But the remaining 6 patients recovered.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.871-873
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• 2007

A rupture of an innominate artery caused by blunt trauma is relatively rare because this artery is short and protected by the chest bony cage. This report describes a 25-year-old man who suffered a traffic accident, that resulted in an innominate artery rupture, which was detected by a chest computed tomogram and angiogram. This patient underwent urgent surgery through a right clavicular incision and median sternotomy without a cardiopulmonary bypass due to multiple injuries. An approximately 3 cm sized injury was found from the innominate artery to the proximal right subclavian artery and the origin of the common carotid artery. The injured lesion was repaired with a saphenous vein patch. After surgery, he was discharged from hospital without complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 1998

A clinical evaluation was performed on 11 cases of the cardiac rupture by blunt chest trauma at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital during the period from July, 1993 to May, 1995. The results were as follows ; The sex distribution was 8 mem and one women, and mean age was 41 years old. The causes of accident was traffic accident in most cases. And then one case was cultivator accident and another one was fall down. The average times from trauma to admission was 139 minutes and the patients that transferred via other hospitals have relatively long average times to 227 minutes. The average times from admission to operation was 117 minutes and we consumed 25 minutes for the preoperative preparation. The sites of injury were 7 cases in the right heart and 3 cases in the left heart. There were symptoms and signs of the cardiac tamponade(dyspnea, chest pain, nausea/vomitus, neck vein distention & hypovolemic shock) at admission and in most of them typical symptoms and signs of a tamponade appeared. Surgical approach was performed with median sternotomy in 10 cases. Subxiphoid pericardial window was created in one case. Another case which was very difficult in surgical procedure was operated under cardiopulmonary bypass and the result was good.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.630-632
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• 2008

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery using AESOP (Automated Endoscope System for Optimal Positioning) offers certain advantages such as better a cosmetic outcome, a shortened post operative recovery time and a shorten hospital stay, and these advantages are not achieved by conventional cardiac surgery. We report here on our first robot-assisted (AESOP) left minithoracotomy surgery in a 26 year-old female with a subarteral ventricular septal defect, and this might have been treated by median sternotomy before the development of AESOP.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.962-967
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• 1990

The anomalous pulmonary venous return of the entire left lung was an extremely rare congenital anomaly. The reported surgical experience with correction of this disorder was limited. The 3-year-old female patient underwent an operation upon the unilateral total anomalous pulmonary venous return from the left lung, in which the left superior pulmonary vein drained into innominate vein and the left inferior pulmonary vein into the coronary sinus, in Yeungnam University Hospital. The symptoms were nonspecific except frequent upper respiratory infection. Cyanosis was not seen. On auscultatory findings, a grade 2/6 systolic ejection murmur was audible over left second intercostal space of left sternal border and second heart sound had an increased pulmonary component which was widely splitted. The electrocardiogram demonstrated a right ventricular hypertrophy and right axis deviation and chest X-ray showed slightly increased pulmonary vascularity and bulged pulmonary conus. The echocardiogram demonstrated increased right atrial, ventricular, and pulmonary arterial dimension, and also secundum atrial septal defect and enlarged coronary sinus. The cardiac catheterization confirmed the left-to-right with a Qp/Qs of 2.0: 1 and oxygen step-up was seen in pulmonary artery, right ventricle, right atrium, and left innominate vein, and the catheter was not been introduced into the left pulmonary vein. A median sternotomy incision was done. Left superior pulmonary vein was drained to the innominate vein through anomalous vertical vein and the left inferior pulmonary vein drained to right atrium through the coronary sinus. The diversion of the left inferior pulmonary vein to posterior wall of left atrium was done after division in the proximity of coronary sinus. The anomalous vertical vein was diverted to base of left atrial auricle and then a atrial septal defect was sutured directly. The postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the eleventh postoperative day. In the postoperative follow-up-2 months, she has been well without specific problems.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.844-853
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• 1990

We have performed 27 cases of orthotopic homologous cardiac transplantation using Korean mongrel dogs and one case of sham operation for the evaluation of harmful effect of cardiopulmonary bypass itself on the dog from April, 1989 to June, 1990. Our previous reports have already demonstrated basal hemodynamic and hematologic data on the canine homologous heart transplantation and the fundamental principles of transplantation of the heart. The mean body weight of recipients was 13.2$\pm$1.2kg with a rage of 11 ~ 15kg, and the hemodynamic and hematologic pictures were almost same as the result of previous reports from our hospital, except marked decrease in postoperative platelet count[from 3.18 $\pm$0.80x106/mm3 to 1.41$\pm$0 37x 106/mm3]. Mean survival time was 24.82$\pm$49.40 hours with the longest survival of 264 hours. Donor cardiectomy included coronary vasodilatation with diltiazem, potassium arrest, and the rapid cooling of the heart suspending in the specially designed ice-bath. Median sternotomy provided excellent exposure of the surgical field. 6 \ulcorner0 prolene suture was used for the anastomosis of both atrial cuffs and the great arteries, and we found the fact that stenosis, bleeding, thrombus formation around the anastomotic site could be decreased with the use of everted horizontal mattress suture techniques. Immunosuppression was done with a combination of lower dose Cyclosporin-A, Azathioprine, methyl-prednisolone, but our cases still showed too short survival to worry about graft rejection. Still poor was our quality control of experimental animal, we had much difficulties in postmortem evaluation of the dogs. Low cardiac output due to biventricular failure, intractable supraventricular or ventricular tachyarrhythmia, postoperative massive bleeding, sepsis were most frequent findings that could be thought as a cause of death. A few cases showed subendocardial patch hemorrhage in both ventricular cavity or atrial septum at autopsy, suggesting acute subendocardial infarction. Although our team overcome most of the technical problems of orthotopic heart transplantation, we should pile up further knowledges about donor heart preservation, quality control of animal, infection, rejection, the effect of the cardiopulmonary bypass to improve the results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.407-410
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• 2015

A two-month-old infant presented with coarctation of the aorta, severe left ventricular dysfunction, and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation. Through median sternotomy, the aortic arch was repaired under cardiopulmonary bypass and regional cerebral perfusion. The patient was postoperatively supported with a left ventricular assist device for five days. Left ventricular function gradually improved, eventually recovering with the concomitant regression of mitral regurgitation. Prompt surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta is indicated for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. A central approach for surgical repair with a back-up left ventricular assist device is a safe and effective treatment strategy for these patients.