• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.243-249
• /
• 2020

Background: Despite the increased use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants, warfarin is still recommended as first-line therapy in patients with mechanical valves or moderate to severe mitral stenosis. Anticoagulation management services (AMSs) are warranted for patients receiving warfarin therapy due to the complexity of warfarin dosing and large interpatient variability. To overcome limited health care resources, we developed a messenger app-based chatbot that provides information to patients taking warfarin. Methods: We developed "WafarinTalk" as an add-on to the open-source messenger app KakaoTalk. We developed the prototype chatbot after building a database containing seven categories: 1) dosage and indications, 2) drug-drug interactions, 3) drug-food interactions, 4) drug-diet supplement interactions, 5) monitoring, 6) adverse events, and 7) precautions. We then surveyed 30 pharmacists and 10 patients on chatbot reliability and on participant satisfaction. Results: We found that 80% of the pharmacists agreed on the consistency of chatbot responses and 44% agreed on the appropriateness of chatbot. Furthermore, 47% of pharmacists said that they were willing to recommend the chatbot to patients. Of the seven categories, information on drug-food interaction was the most useful; 90% of patients said they were satisfied with the chatbot and 100% of patients said they were willing to use it when they were unable to see a pharmacist. We updated the prototype chatbot with feedback from the survey. Conclusion: This study showed that warfarin-related information could be provided to patients through a messenger application-based chatbot.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.19-26
• /
• 2004

Background: The aims of this study are to verify the result of the surgical treatment of ALCAPA and to identify the postoperative changes of left ventricular dimensions and mitral regurgitation (MR), Material and Method: Fifteen patients operated on since 1985 were included in the study. The patients operated on before 1998 (n=9) showed heterogeneous properties with various surgical strategies and cardiopulmonary bypass techniques. However, six patients were operated on with the established surgical strategy since 1998; 1) Dual perfusion and dual cardioplegic solution delivery through ascending aorta and main pulmonary artery, 2) Coronary transfer by rolled-conduit made of pulmonary artery wall flap, and 3) Additional mitral valvular procedure was not peformed. Result: Median age of the study group was 6 months (1 month to 34 years). The operative methods were left subclavian artery to left coronary artery anastomosis in 1, simple ligation in 2, Takeuchi operation in 2, and coronary reimplantation in 10 patients. The mean follow up period was 5.5<5.8 years (2 months 14 years), There were one early death (6.7%) and one late death. Overall 5-year survival rate was 85.6$\pm$9.6%. The Z-value of left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions were 6.4$\pm$3.0 and 5.1 $\pm$3.6 preoperatively, and decreased to 1.7$\pm$ 1.9 and 0.8$\pm$ 1.6 in 3 months (p<0.05). Significant preoperative MR was identified in 6 patients (40%) and all the patients showed immediate improvement of MR within f month postoperatively. There were 3 cases of reoperation due to coronary anastomosis site stenosis and recurrence of MR. However, there was no mortality nor late reoperation in the patients operated on after 1998. Conclusion: The surgical treatment of ALCAPA showed favorable survival and early recovery of ventricular dimensions and mitral valvular function. Although long-term reintervention was required in some cases of earlier period, all the cases after 1998 showed excellent surgical outcome without long-term problem.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.7
• /
• pp.656-662
• /
• 1997

Aortic valvuloplasty has recently gained attention as an attractive alternative procedure for aortic valvular disease. Between March 1995 to August 1996, 14 patients with pure aortic regurgitation(AR) underwent aortic alvuloplasty using leaflet extension with glutaraldehydepreserved autologous pericardium. There were 11 males and 3 females, and the mean age was 34.8 $\pm$ 15.3 years. Preoperative echocardiography and cardiac catheterization revealed that the degree of AR was mean 3.4$\pm$0.65, and more than moderate degree of mitral regurgitation(MR) were detected in 4 patients. In 12 patients, 3 leaflets were extended and in another 2 patients only one deformed leaflet was extended. Concomitant mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) was performed in 4 patients. The competency of the aortic valve after completion of repair was evaluated by the transesophageal echocardiography in operating theater, and there was no aortic and mitral stenosis or regurgitation. In an early postoperative echocardiography, trivial AR was detected in 3 patients and mild MR in 1 patient. The end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions of the left ventricle were decreased significantly(p<0.05) as compared with those of preoperative values. T ere was no mortality and no significant postoperative complication encountered. Late complication developed in 2 patients during the follow-up period(mean 7.9$\pm$ 5.9 months). One patient underwent AVR on postoperative 7th month due to endocarditis, and the another patient with Behcet's disease underwent Ross operation at postoperative 4th month. In conclusion, AVP of leaflet extension technique offers an excellent early clinical result and represents a good alterna!ivy surgical treatment for the pure AR especially in young age group, although long-term follow-up is necessary to determine the durability of glutaraldehyde-preserved autologous pericardium as a valve leaflet.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.2 s.259
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 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
• /
• v.34 no.9
• /
• pp.680-685
• /
• 2001

Background: Tricuspid valve replacement is very rarely performed procedure and its long-term result is not yet satisfactory. Moreover, it is not well known whether bioprosthesis or mechanical prosthesis is the best selection for artificial valve. We reviewed 72 cases of tricuspid valve replacements in 71 patients between January 1989 and December 1998, trying to analyze the overall results and risk factors for mortality and morbidity. Material and Method: Average age of the patients at the time of operation was 42$\pm$13 years(range 16 to 65 years) and the sex ratio of male versus female was 32/39. Primary diagnosis consisted of 50 cases of aquired valvular heart disease and 18 cases of congenital heart disease, such as Ebstein’s anomaly. 4 cases had isolated tricuspid valve regurgitation. Implanted valves were 69 mechanical prosthesis and 3 bioprosthesis. Concomitant mitral or aortic valve replacements were performed in 50 cases. One patient received concomittant pulmonary valve replacement. Result: There were 7(9.72%) operative deaths and 7(13.0%) late deaths. Actuarial survival at 10 years was 59.2$\pm$7.2%. Prosthetic tricuspid valve thrombosis occurred 11 times in 5 patients. Reoperation for prosthetic tricuspid valve failure was performed in 1 patient. In this case, examination of the explanted prostheses showed that the tricuspid stenosis was the result of valve thrombosis. Among the 47 survivors, 46 patients(98%) were in functional class I or II. Conclusion: In our ten-year experience of tricuspid valve replacement, mortality and morbidity were satisfactory. Mechanical prosthesis in tricuspid position showed comparable clinical results as bioprosthesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.476-483
• /
• 2007

Purpose : The objective of this study was to assess ventricular function by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) who have been undergoing open heart surgery (OHS) using cardiopulmonary bypass. We tried to compare the parameters of tissue Doppler imaging before and after OHS in patients with congenital heart disease. Methods : This study was conducted on 32 patients with CHD after OHS from January 2005 to December 2005 at Kyungpook National University hospital. Patients who underwent 2-D echocardiography before and after their OHS. All patients were divided into three groups, left ventricular volume overloading group (group 1), and right ventricular volume overloading group (group 2), and right ventricular pressure overloading group (group 3). The TDIs were examined before and 1 to 3 months after OHS. Peak early diastolic (E), and peak late diastolic (A) velocity of transmitral flow were measured by pulsed wave Doppler examination. Peak systolic (Sm), peak early diastolic (Em), and peak late diastolic (Am) velocity in apical 4-chamber and 2-chamber views were measured by TDI. The author calculated E/Em ratio. Results : The patients were 14 boys and 18 girls and the average age of patients was 2 years and 3 months. The congenital heart diseases which have to get OHS were ventricular septal defect (13 cases), atrial septal defect (7), atrioventricular septal defect (3), isolated pulmonary stenosis (2) and tetralogy of Fallot (7). There were significant decrease of Sm, Em, Am measured on tricuspid annulus and E/Em measured on mitral annulus in apical 4 chamber view (P<0.05). Conclusion : This study showed significant decrease of Sm, Em, Am measured on tricuspid annulus and E/Em measured on mitral annulus in apical 4 chamber view after OHS. These changes might be due to the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass in OHS and/or hemodynamic changes after correction of congenital heart disease. To clarify these changes, further study on more patients is needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.46 no.7
• /
• pp.661-667
• /
• 2003

Purpose : This study was performed to find the chief clinical problems associated with the ages of adult patients of tetralogy of Fallot(TOF) who had undergone total correction. Methods : Of the 30 patients who were registered at the Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease (GUCH) Clinic of Samsung Medical Center for TOF, a retrospective investigation was carried out on 28 patients who underwent total correction. Results : Mean age at retrospective study was 30.8(range : 16-53) years old. Age at total correction was 15.8(range : 2-49) years old. Problems after corrective surgery were assessed. They were arrhythmia, pulmonary valve regurgitation, left pulmonary artery stenosis, residual ventricular septal defect, mitral valve regurgitation, tricuspid valve regurgitation, right ventricle outflow tract obstruction, aortic valve regurgitation, infective endocarditis and protein losing enteropathy. After repair of TOF, such arrhythmias as atrial arrhythmia and AV conduction disturbances were observed in some patients. Cardiomegaly was found significantly in the subjects with arrhythmia(P<0.05), and arrhythmia was less observed in patients who underwent surgery at a young age. Eight patients required a reoperation; the main indications were residual ventricular septal defect, right ventricle outflow tract obstruction and peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. Conclusion : The majority of the patients seemed to live normal lives after Tetralogy of Fallot repair. However, as residual anatomic and functional abnormalities exist postoperatively, continued careful follow-up is needed to detect and correct structural and functional abnormalities.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.305-312
• /
• 2008

Background: Anatomic and functional abnormalities of the systemic atrioventricular (AV) valve are common in single ventricle. pathologies and continue to be associated with poor early and late outcomes in surgically palliated single. ventricle patients. We aggressively performed valvuloplasty for atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR) during the course toward a Fontan operation. Material and Method: Between January 1995 and December 2004, 209 patients underwent a Fontan operation in our institution. We retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of AVVR and the influence of AV valve repair on outcome, and we analyzed the progression of AVVR after the Fontan operation for 168 patients where echocardiographic follow up results for more than 6 months after the Fontan operation were available. During the course toward a Fontan operation, 25 patients underwent 30 procedures for AVVR. These procedures. were. carried out during placement of a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS) for nine patients, between the time of placement of a BCPS and the Fontan operation for four patients, and during the Fontan operation for 17 patients. Five patients underwent procedures for AVVR twice. Result: The late mortality rate after the Fontan operation was 4.2% (n=7), with a median follow-up duration of 52 months (range, $6{\sim}123$ months). Seven patients (4%) had unfavorable outcomes such as significant (moderate or severe) AVVR in six patients, and significant AV valve stenosis in one patient was determined at the last follow up after the Fontan operation. Among the seven patients, four patients underwent AV valve repair after the Fontan operation, and one patient underwent subsequent AV valve replacement. Progression to AVVR of equal to or greater than grade 2 was noted in 30 patients (18%) at the last follow up after the Fontan operation, including 12 patients that underwent previous AV valve procedures. Initial grading of AVVR, a previous AV valve operation, and specific AV valve morphology such as a common AV valve or mitral atresia were significant risk factors for the progression of AVVR after the Fontan operation. Conclusion: In our surgical series, a small percentage of patients showed unfavorable outcomes. related to AVVR during the course toward a Fontan operation. However, a closer follow-up is required to evaluate the progression of the AVVR after a Fontan operation, especially for patients showing poor AV valve function at the first presentation and specific AV valve morphology.

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

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1183-1194
• /
• 1998

Background: From Sept. 1985 to Sept. 1997, 2,000 cases of open heart surgery(OHS) were performed in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University. Material and Method: Among the total of 2,000 cases of OHS, 1532 cases were congenital heart disease(CHD) and 468 cases were acquired heart disease(AHD). The age distribution was 9 days(4.0kg) to 68 years in CHD and 11 to 66 years in AHD. In 1532 cases of CHD, there were 1403 acyanotic cases and 129 cyanotic cases. Result: The CHD cases consisted of 940 ventricular septal defects(61.4%), 324 atrial septal defects(21.1%), 112 tetralogy of Fallot(7.3%), 46 pulmonary stenosis(3%), 38 endocardial cushion defects(2.5%), 15 valsalva sinus ruptures(1%), 4 transposition of great arteries (0.3%), 4 double outlet right ventricles(0.3%), and etc. Corrective operations were applied for congenital heart disease with a result of 3.1% hospital mortality. Of 468 AHD, 381 cases were valvular heart diseases, 48 ischemic heart diseases, 12 cardiac tumors, 8 annuloaortic ectasias, 16 dissecting aortic aneurysms and etc. In the 381 valvular heart diseases, there were 226 single valve replacements(36 aortic valve replacements(AVR), 188 mitral valve replacements(MVR), and 2 tricuspid valve replacements(TVR), among these were 71 cases of double valve replacements(AVR & MVR), 54 cases of MVR with tricuspid valve annuloplasty(TVA), and 18 cases of AVR, MVR with TVA. The total implanted prosthetic valves were 466. In MVR, 123 St. Jude Medical valves, 90 Carpentier-Edwards valves, 65 CarboMedics valves, 42 Sorin valves and 16 other valves were used. In AVR, 68 St. Jude Medical valves, 36 CarboMedics valves, 14 Carpentier-Edwards valves and 9 other valves were used. Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery(CABG) were performed in 48 cases. The patterns of bypass graft were 14 patients of single vessel graft, 21 patients of two vessels graft, 10 patients of three vessels graft and 3 patients of four vessels graft. Conclusion: The hospital operation mortality rate of congenital acyanotic, cyanotic and acquired heart diseases were 2.0%, 15.5%, and 5.1% respectively. The overall mortality rate was 3.6%(72/2,000).