• 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.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.421-423
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• 2010

A 52-year-old female presented with pain and swelling owing to recurrent inflammation on a generator pocket. She had undergone a permanent pacemaker implantation (DDD type) 7 years previously. We planned to insert a new pacemaker after removal of the previous generator and wires through a surgical approach. However, she had a history of the left modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with radiation therapy for breast cancer. For this patient, it would be difficult to care for the postoperative wound if we approached via the median sternotomy. Therefore, we decided to use a right atrial approach via a right thoracotomy. We removed the previous pacing wires through an atriotomy and inserted a new pacemaker using epicardial pacing leads without cardiopulmonary bypass.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.166-172
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• 2017

Purpose: Thoracic traumas represent 10-15% of all traumas and are responsible for 25% of all trauma mortalities. Traumatic cardiac injury (TCI) is one of the major causes of death in trauma patients, rarely present in living patients who are transferred to the hospital. TCI is a challenge for trauma surgeons as it provides a short therapeutic window and the management is often dictated by the underlying mechanism and hemodynamic status. This study is to describe our experiences about emergency cardiac surgery in TCI. Methods: This is a retrospective clinical analysis of patients who had undergone emergency cardiac surgery in our trauma center from January 2014 to December 2016. Demographics, physiologic data, mechanism of injuries, the timing of surgical interventions, surgical approaches and outcomes were reviewed. Results: The number of trauma patients who arrived at our hospital during the study period was 9,501. Among them, 884 had chest injuries, 434 patients were evaluated to have over 3 abbreviated injury scale (AIS) about the chest. Cardiac surgeries were performed in 18 patients, and 13 (72.2%) of them were male. The median age was 47.0 years (quartiles 35.0, 55.3). Eleven patients (61.1%) had penetrating traumas. Prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) were performed in 4 patients (22.2%). All of them had undergone emergency department thoracotomy (EDT), and they were transferred to the operating room for definitive repair of the cardiac injury, but all of them expired in the intensive care unit. Most commonly performed surgical incision was median sternotomy (n=13, 72.2%). The majority site of injury was right ventricle (n=11, 61.1%). The mortality rate was 22.2% (n=4). Conclusions: This study suggests that penetrating cardiac injuries are more often than blunt cardiac injury in TCI, and the majority site of injury is right ventricle. Also, it suggests prehospital CPR and EDT are significantly responsible for high mortality in TCI.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.621-629
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• 1992

Thirteen sternocosal elevations for pectus excavatum were performed on twelve patients between Jan 1989 and Sep. 1991. Eleven among the twleve patients were male. The subjects ranged in age from 2 years to 20 years, with a mean age of 8.33 years[SD=4.80 years], Eleven patients were below 15 years. The early postoperative evaluation by Humphreys` criteria except keloid formation was excellent in all the patients. The lower vertebral index[LVI], configuration index[CI], and upper vertebral index[UVI] were measured on the lateral chest roentgenogram. The LVI and CI improved significantly from 0.31$\pm$0.06 and 1.14$\pm$0.06 preoperatively to 0.25$\pm$0.03 and 0.78$\pm$1.10 postoperatively. The degrees of depression, flatness, and asymmetry and funnel index were measured at the most deformed portion on the computed tomgram performed pre- and postoperatively. The degrees of depression and funnel index improved significantly from 3.32$\pm$0.73 and 5.77$\pm$1. 54 preoperatively to 1.85$\pm$0.14 and 2.96$\pm$0.43 postoperatively, There was no significant change in the degree of flatness however, Six postoperative morbidities occurred in five patients Three were superficial wound infection, two hemopneumothorax, and one reoeration, Reoperation was performed due to forward displacement of the distal sternum below the posterior sternotomy, The findings of this study suggest that the sternocostal elevation is an excellent primary method for the pectus excavatum of children and young adolescents.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 2001

배경: 최근 들어 최소 절개술의 도입의 장점으로 입원간의 단축이 거론되고 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 최소 흉골 절개술(mini-sternotomy)하에 시행된 개심술 환자에 대하여 전향적으로 수술 후 문제가 없는 환아에 대하여 5일 이내에 퇴원을 시도하고 그 안전성, 경제성 등을 평가하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1998년 11월부터 1999년 7월까지 최소 흉골 절개술하에 개심술을 시행한 환자 중 5일 이내에 퇴원한 환자 29명과 1997년 1월부터 5월까지 전통적인 흉골 절개술로 개심술을 시행한 29명의 환아들을 각각 실험군(제1군)과 대조군(제2군)으로 하였다. 환자는 동일한 수술자로부터 수술을 받았고 질병군은 유사하였다. 결과: 제1군과 제2군의 수술 후 재원일수, 총 병원비, 합병증, 수술 후 소견 등에 차이가 있는지 비교하였다. 평균 수술 후 재원일수는 4.5$\pm$0.6일 및 9.1$\pm$2.4일이었다(p<0.05). 두 환자군에서 수술 후 합병증으로 인한 재입원은 없었고 수술 후 시행한 심초음파에서도 심장수술과 관련된 병변은 관찰되지 않았다. 제1군의 총 입원비의 평균은 7,333,184$\pm$113원이었고, 환자부담액은 3,464,383$\pm$80원이었다. 반면 제2군에서의 총 입원비의 평균은 7,486,136$\pm$140원, 환자부담액은 3,660,194$\pm$92원이었다(p>0.05). 결론: 본 연구를 통해 단기 퇴원 지침하에 환자를 치료함으로써 수술 후 재원일수를 단축시키는 시도가 합병증이나 잔존 병변을 남기지 않고 안정적으로 시행될 수 있다는 사실을 확인하였다. 하지만 경제적 이점은 통계적인 유의성을 찾을 수 없었다. 향후 환자군의 크기와 질병군의 난이도 등을 조절한 비교 평가가 필요하다고 생각된다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.649-652
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• 2009

A 75-year-old man presented with worsening dyspnea and intermittent dysphagia of one month's duration. A plain chest X-ray showed severe tracheal indentation by the right superior mediastinal mass. A chest CT established the diagnosis of a saccular aneurysm arising from the right proximal subclavian artery. Resection of the aneurysm and arterial revascularization was done through a median sternotomy with supraclavicular extension. Aneurysm wall and thrombus culture results were negative and pathology showed an atherosclerotic aneurysm. After the operation, dyspnea and dysphagia were reduced, but he died of advanced stomach cancer 8 months later.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.516-519
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• 2008

Aorto-cutaneous fistula is a rare complication after performing open heart surgery, but if this develops, it is a fatal condition. So, prompt diagnosis and aggressive surgical treatment is needed. We report here on a patient who had two mechanical double valves placed during heart surgery and she was treated for repeated sternal wound infections for about 5 years. She visited the ER due to abrupt bleeding at the sternal wound. She was diagnosed as having an aorto-cutaneous fistula by performing an aortogram and we then performed cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery. The patient is currently doing well and is under follow up 24 months after the repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.166-169
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• 2002

Poststernotomy mediastinitis is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of cardiac surgery. Up to present, poststernotomy wound infection has been treated by closure of wound directly or by use of myocutaneous flaps after irrigation and debridement of wound. We describe a new treatment of poststemotomy wound infection by using the vacuum-assisted closure technique. This technique was successfully applied in 3 patients with poststernotomy wound infection and mediastinitis, and a healed sternotomy wound could be achieved using this new technique.