• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.595-598
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• 1999

Some extensive thoracic aortic aneurysms are not amenable to staged repair, such as extremely large distal aortic aneurysms that are unsuitable for an elephant trunk anastomosis, or aneurysms that are accompanied by complications such as ruptured descending thoracic aneurysm. We report here a case of successful replacement of the aorta from the ascending to the descending aorta in one operation. The patient was 65-year-old man who had an aneurysm which involved the entire thoracic aorta and ruptured in the descending aorta. The operation was performed via transverse thoracosternotomy, and under the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged without any neurologic complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 1998

A 28 years old pregnant woman(Gestational age 35 weeks) had been operated emergency Cesarian section for delivery and emergency graft replacement of ascending aorta and total arch for acute type A aortic dissection. 1 year and 6 months later, she underwent aortic graft replacement from descending thoracic aorta to both common iliac arteries because of further progression of aortic dissection. So far she has a complete artificial graft aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1197-1204
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• 1997

Between April 1981 and June 1996, 65 patients had aortic root replacement at our institution. Disease entities were pure aortic annuloectasia in 31 patients(47.7%), Stanford type A aortic dissection with annuloectasia in 8(43.1%), atherosclerotic aneurysm with aortic regurgitation in 4(6.2%), and paravalvular leakage after aortic valve replacement in 2(3.1 %). 34 patients(52.3%) had the clinical stigmata of the Marfan syndrome. The operative procedures were Bentall operation in 61 patients(93.8%); 3 of conventional procedure and 58 of Cabrol's modification, aortic valve-sparing operation in 2(3.1 %), and root replacement with homograft in 2(3.1%). Hospital deaths occurred in 3 patients(4.8%) because of uncontrolled bleeding(1) and bypass weaning failure due to low cardiac output(2), and all had emergency operation with Cabrol's procedure. Postoperative complications developed in 19(29.2%) patients and most of them were transient. Surviving 62 patients have been followed up to cumulative total 315.0 patient-years(mean 60.2 $\pm$42.4 months). Late deaths occurred in 7 patients(11.3%), aneurysmal changes of remaining aorta were detected in 12 patients(19.4%). Actuarial survival rate at 10 years was 72.0 $\pm$ 9.7%, and the subsequent aortic operation-free rate at 10 years was 68.0$\pm$ 8.9% In a multivariate analysis, Marfan syndrome, emergency operation, preoperative dissection, combined arch replacement, and total circulatory arrest emerged as significant risk factors for hospital death or subsequent aortic operation. Over 60 years of age was the only risk factor for late death. Our 16 years'cummulative experience shows that aortic root replacement, mainly by means of Cabrol's procedure, can be applied successfully to variety of aortic root disease. However, long-term follow up will be needed to determine the late result of aortic valve-saving operation and root replacement with homograft. When dissection is present or the distal native aorta is diseased in'Marfan patients, close follow-up is necessary because of the subsequent aneurysmal change of remaining aorta.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-367
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• 2001

매우 드물게 발생하지만 대동맥판막수술중에 우관상동맥의 급성폐색은 우심실부전을 일으켜 매우 치명적인 결과를 초래할 수 있다. 심한 대동맥 판막부전증을 가진 67세 여자 환자에서 19 mm Hancock II 조직판막을 이용하여 대동맥판막치환술을 시행한 후 심폐기에서 이탈하는 과정주에 우심실부전이 발견되었으며, 우관상 동맥의 폐색을 의심하여 우측 내흉동맥을 사용하여 관상동맥 우회수술을 시행하였고 이후에 심폐기에서 순조롭게 이탈할 수 있었다. 수술후 9일째 시행한 관상동맥 조영술에서 우관상동맥 근위부에 색전에 의한 폐색을 확인할 수 있었다. 이에 저자들은 우관상동맥의 폐색으로 인한 우심부전증이 우관상동맥우회수술후에 회복된 증례를 보고하고자 한다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.733-744
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• 2007

Background: There is a controversy regarding the pathogenesis and management principle of an acute intramural hematoma (IMH) of the aorta, Recent studies have reported intimal defects in many patients diagnosed with IMH, and suggested that intimal defects play important roles in the pathogenesis, progression of the pathology, and prognosis. Material and Method: This study reviewed the preoperative and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scan images of 36 patients who underwent surgical treatment for Stanford type A acute IMH of the aorta. The surgical findings were also reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Result: In 15 patients (41.7%), the findings suggestive of the intimal defects were found in the preoperative CT. During the operation, 20 patients (72.2%) were found to have small intimal defects in the ascending aorta or the arch, of which 13 patients (50.5%) did not have the CT findings suggestive of intimal defects. In 17 patients, the intimal defects were located in the aortic arch or distal ascending aorta, where a gross examination would have been impossible without total circulatory arrest. In all patients, the intimal defects identified were included in the resected aortic segment, or locally closed. Follow-up CT at 4 months or longer after surgery showed that the IMH in the descending aorta had disappeared or was markedly improved. Conclusion: Most patients undergoing surgical treatment for acute type A IMH had intimal defects. This suggests that a large proportion of IMH might have a similar pathogenic mechanism as classic dissection. Consequently, it is believed that those two entities of acute aortic syndrome should be treat-ed using the same principles.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.667-673
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• 2007

Background: Patients with severe aortic valve disease frequently display mitral valve regurgitation (MR). In such patients, the clinical course of MR after isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) may be important for determining the treatment strategies. After isolated AVR, the change of the concomitant moderate degree or less of MR according to the type of aortic valve disease is not known well. The aim of this study was to analyze the post-operative changes of MR after performing AVR in those patients with severe AS (Group S) and those with severe AR (Group R). Material and Method: We retrospectively evaluated 43 patients with severe aortic disease and a moderate degree or less of mitral valve regurgitation, and these patients underwent isolated aortic valve replacement from January 1996 to June 2005. The patients were divided into two groups: the aortic valve stenosis group (n = 29) and the aortic valve regurgitation group (n = 14). The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography preoperatively and at 7 days, $6{\sim}10$ months and more than 18 months (mean follow-up duration: 38 months) postoperatively. Result: The mean age was 60.9 years (Group S: 62 years, Group R: 52.5 years) and 60% (Group S=55%, Group R=71%) of the patients were male. The preoperative MR was mild in 29 (67.5%), mild to moderate in 11 (25.5%), and moderate in 3 (6.9%) patients. In the Group S patients, MR improved in 16 (55%) patients at the immediate postoperative days and in 17 (59%) patients at more than 18 months postoperatively. On the other hand, all the Group R patients exhibited earlier improvement. The decrease of LA size had a similar pattern to the MR change, but there were no significant differences in the change of the ejection fraction of the two groups. Conclusion: In the patients with severe aortic valve disease and concomitant low grade MR, the MR after AVR improved earlier and more effectively in the patients with AR than in those patients with AS.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.652-659
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• 2004

Background: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of aortic valvuloplasty in pediatric age. Material and Method: Between January 1993 and March 2004, 35 patients underwent aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis (AS) or aortic regurgitation (AR). The mean age was 81.1$\pm$61.5 (1∼223) months. The mean follow up was 50.8$\pm$30.2 (3∼121) months. Nine patients had AS, 21 had AR, and 6 had AS and AR. Valve morphology was tricuspid in 24 patients, bicuspid in 9, quadricuspid in 1, and unicuspid in 1. The mean peak pressure gradients of AS were 72.0$\pm$33.0 mmHg, and the mean grades of AR were 3.1$\pm$0.9. Result: There was one late mortality without early mortality. After operation, AS improved with mean peak pressure gradients of 23.5$\pm$21.0 mmHg (p < 0.05), and AR improved with mean grades of 1.9$\pm$0.8 (p < 0.05). At mean follow up of 35.0$\pm$23.0 months, AS maintained with mean peak pressure gradients of 31.5$\pm$24.0 mmHg, but AR progressed with mean grades of 2.8$\pm$1.3 (p < 0.05). Reoperation was required in 6 patients 38.3$\pm$21.8 months after the original operation. The actuarial figures for freedom from reoperation at 2, 5 and 8 years were 96.9$\pm$3.1%, 79.5$\pm$5.5%, and 56.8$\pm$11.4%, respectively. Age at operation, presence of AS, preoperative severity of AS or AR, and morphology of aortic valve were not significant risk factors for reoperation, and improvement of AS or AR. Conclusion: Aortic valvuloplasty showed good immediate postoperative valve function. Aortic valvuloplasty offers children many years with tolerable valve function and allows to postpone aortic valve replacement or Ross procedure in pediatric patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2003

Malperfusion of major organs which frequently accompanies acute aortic dissection is one of the major causes of death. Malperfusion does not only develop before surgery, but also during or after surgery in various manifestations according to the aortic branches involved. Expeditious diagnostic and therapeutic measures based on high degree of clinical suspicion are mandatory for successful treatment. The authors report four cases of acute aortic dissection accompanied by malperfusion of various organs that were successfully treated.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2001

배경: 대동맥판막협착증 환자는 판막질환으로 인한 만성적인 후부하의 증가에 대한 보상성 좌심실 심근비후가 일어나게 된다. 대동맥 판막 치환 후 좌심실 심근 비후의 감소가 이루어지는 것으로 알려져 있으나 21mm이하의 작은 인공판막으로 치환시 좌심실 심근 변화에 대해 논란이 있다. 대상 및 방법: 1994년 9월부터 1998년 7월까지 한림대학교 강동성심병원 흉부외과에서 대동맥판막협착증으로 진단받고 판막치환술을 시행한 20명을 대상으로 하였다. 환자는 남녀 각각 13명, 7명이며 평균나이 61$\pm$13.8세 체표면적은 평균 1.57$\pm$0.14m$m^2$이었다. 환자의 추적관찰은 수술 전, 수술 후 초기(평균 10.4일) 및 수술 후 만기(평균 29.9개월)에 심초음파로 시행하였다. 환자들은 사용된 판막에 따라 2개의 군(1군;21mm 이하, 2군;23mm이상)으로 나누었다. 결과: 모든 군에서 NYHA Functional class의 유의한 감소가 있었다. 좌심실 구추률은 수술 전후 1군은 유의한 차이가 없었으나 2군에서는 유의한 차이가 있었다. 그러나 수술 전 좌심실 구출률이 2군에서 1군에 비해 유의하게 감소되어 있었다(p=0.044). 좌심실근량지수는 1군은 수술후 초기에 유의한 감소가 없었으나 수술후 만기에는 유의한 감소를 보여주었다. 그러나 2군은 수술후 초기와 만기에 모두 유의한 감소를 보여주었다. 결론: 21 mm이하 군과 23 mm이상 군 모두 임상적 호전이 있었다. 그러나 19 mm판막군이 2례로 적어 19 mm 판막의 사용시 환자의 나이와 체표면적, 운동량을 고려하여 신중한 판막선택이 고려된다.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2022

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (INM) ensures the stability and safety of specific surgeries in high-risk groups. As part of INM, intensive tests are conducted during the surgical process. When INM tests are applied during surgery, a delay in notifying the operating surgeon in cases of neurological defects can cause serious irreversible sequelae to the patient. Aortic replacement, which is necessitated due to aortic aneurysms and aortic dissection, is a complicated procedure that blocks the blood flow to the heart. When arteries that branch out from the aorta and supply blood to the spinal cord are replaced, blood flow to the spinal cord decreases, resulting in spinal ischemia. In aortic surgery, INM plays an important role in preventing spinal ischemia and serious complications by quickly detecting the early signs of spinal ischemia during cross-clamping and reporting it to the surgeon. Therefore, this paper was prepared to help examiners who conduct INM by detailing the process, method, time, and warning criteria for INM. This paper identifies the need for INM in aortic surgery and the process flow for a smooth test, accurate and rapid examination, and subsequent reporting.