• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.336-339
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• 1997

The surgical treatment of diseases of thoracic aorta has had much better success rate in recent years compaired to the past. Aortic aneurysms or dissections that extend along the entire thoracic aorta are usually approached in two or three stages. Recently we successfully perfofm d one-stage aortic replacement from the aortic root to the abdominal aorta in chronic DeBakey type I dissection. A 25 year-old man who had dyspnea on exertion (NYHA Fc II) and a Marfanoid feature was operated under the diagnosis of chronic type I dissection with severe aortic regurgitation. ' At operation, a huge ascending aorta with two intimal tearings was seen and the blood supply of intercostal arteries and right renal artery was done from the false lumen. Modified Bentall operation with total aortic replacement was done successfully, and the patient is being followed-up without major complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.352-356
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• 1991

From April, 1981, to April, 1990, 20 male and 7 female patients ranging in age from 17 to 63, were operated on for aortic insufficiency with an aneurysm of the ascending aorta. Ten patients were in New York Heart Association functional class II, 7 in class III, and ten in class IV. The surgical treatment in all cases consisted of total replacement of the ascending aorta with composite graft containing a prosthetic aortic valve and reimplantation of the coronary arteries by an intermediate tube graft. In 15 patients an uncomplicated annulo-aortic ectasia existed, and in 12 an aortic dissection; three of the latter group were operated during the acute phase. 17 patients showed typical Marfan syndrome, and 3 patients showed severe ascending aortic aneurysm secondary to the aortic valve disease. The overall operative mortality was 7%[2 deaths]. Those 2 deaths occurred following emergency operation due to associated aortic dissection, but no death during elective operation. All survivors have been followed-up during a period ranging 1 to 108 month[average 34 months]. There was no late mortality. Among the survivors, clinical improvement is readily apparent[2,3 in class I, 2 in class II ]. In conclusion, the treatment of aortic insufficiency associated with an aneurysm of the ascending aorta by insertion of a composite graft and reimplantation of the coronary arteries through an intermediate Dacron tube is a reliable method with low mortality and excellent results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.238-245
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• 2015

Background: Some patients show favorable changes in the descending aortic false lumen after conventional repair of acute type A dissection, although the incidence of favorable changes has been reported to be low. We aimed to investigate the incidence of positive postoperative changes in the false lumen and the factors associated with positive outcomes. Methods: In 63 patients who underwent surgery for type A acute dissection as well as serial computed tomography (CT) scanning, morphological parameters were compared between the preoperative, early postoperative (mean interval, 5.4 days), and late CT scans (mean interval, 31.0 months) at three levels of the descending thoracic aorta. Results: In the early postoperative CT images, complete false lumen thrombosis and/or true lumen expansion at the proximal descending aorta was observed in 46% of the patients. In the late images, complete thrombosis or resolution of the proximal descending false lumen occurred in 42.9% of the patients. Multivariate analysis found that juxta-anastomotic false lumen thrombosis was predictive of favorable early changes, which were in turn predictive of continuing later improvement. Conclusion: Even after conventional repair without inserting a frozen elephant trunk, the proximal descending aortic false lumen showed positive remodeling in a substantial number of patients. We believe that the long-term prognosis of type A dissection can be improved by refining surgical technique, and particularly by avoiding large intimal tears at the anastomosis site during the initial repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.321-323
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• 2020

We describe the occurrence of acute type A aortic dissection in a patient with situs inversus totalis. A 37-year-old man presented to the emergency department with acute chest pain. Initial chest X-ray findings showed a right-sided heart and a left-sided liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a Stanford type A acute aortic dissection, aortic root dilatation, and situs inversus totalis. All of the thoracic structures were mirror-image reversed and an abnormal coronary artery was observed. The Bentall operation was performed. This report demonstrates that computed tomography and echocardiography were useful for understanding the anatomy and the presence or absence of concurrent anomalies in a patient with situs inversus totalis. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.332-334
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• 1995

Two hypertensive men with DeBakey type III dissection were admitted due to acute onset of leg ischemia.One patient had ischemia of both legs,The other patient had ischemia of the right leg.Angiograms showed occlusion of aortic bifurcation in one patient and occlusion of right common iliac artery and right renal artery in the other patient.The first patient who had ischemia of both legs was relieved by axillo-bifemoral bypass operation and the second patient with right leg ischemia by femoro-femoral bypass.The dissection of the aorta was successfully managed by conservative measures including hypotensive medication.The bypass grafts was functioning well one year later.The aortic dissection should not be overlooked as an etiology of acute onset of ischemia of the lower extremities.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2023

Background: The surgical threshold for bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)-related aortopathy is a matter of debate due to its uncertain etiology and prognosis. This study investigated the prognosis of unrepaired BAV aortopathy in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 720 patients (age, 60.8±11.5 years; 246 women) who underwent SAVR for BAV disease without aortic repair between 2005 and 2020 at Asan Medical Center. The clinical endpoints were defined as occurrences of sudden death, aortic dissection or rupture, and elective aortic repair. To estimate postoperative changes in the dimensions of the unrepaired aorta, the individual annual aortic expansion rate was calculated. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate the risk of aortic expansion. Results: The mean ascending aortic diameter was 39.5±4.6 mm, and 299 patients (41.5%) had a baseline ascending aorta diameter >40 mm. During 70.0±68.3 months of follow-up, the mean annual aortic expansion rate was 0.39±1.96 mm/yr, no aortic dissection or rupture was observed, and sudden deaths were reported in 12 patients (0.34% per person-year). Linear regression analysis revealed no significant correlation between the baseline ascending aortic diameter and postoperative aortic expansion (R²=0.004, β=-0.84, p=0.082). Conclusion: In selected patients undergoing SAVR for a BAV (<55 mm), the risk of adverse aortic events was very low. As this observation contradicts current practice guidelines advocating for proactive aortic replacement in dilated ascending aortas measuring >45 mm, the study results need further validation by studies involving larger populations or randomized controlled trials.

• 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.18 no.2
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• pp.305-313
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• 1985

Surgical therapy for dissection of the aorta has had a high mortality. One contributing factor has been hemorrhage from the prosthesis and the suture lines. Recently, a new method of treatment with an intraluminal graft that requires no end-to-end anastomosis has been developed. Of the four patients with dissecting aneurysm of the aorta treated by inserting sutureless ringed intraluminal graft at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, S.N.U.H., three were DeBakey type I [one with associated aortic insufficiency] and the other was DeBakey type III. Suspected etiology of the dissection was Marfan`s syndrome in one and hypertension in the others. Total cardiopulmonary bypass was utilized in repairing dissecting aneurysms of the ascending aorta [type A] and simple aortic crossclamping was used for the patient with dissecting aneurysm of the descending aorta. The basic technique consists of inserting the whole ringed graft into the true lumen of the dissected aorta and circumferentially ligating the aorta against the groove in the rings. The proximal ring of the graft effectively stabilized the flail aortic valve in patient with aortic insufficiency associated with dissection of the ascending aorta. There were no hospital deaths and one patient with type III dissecting aneurysm developed postoperative paraparesis and renal insufficiency which was resolved. Follow-up has been from 1 month to 16 months with no evidence of prosthetic problems, such as erosion, migration, or thrombosis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.253-259
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• 1993

We have experienced a case of aortic dissecting aneurysm in pregnant woman. She felt initially severe chest pain which was radiated to the neck on the 3days before delivery. Thereafter dyspnea and generalized edema were developed for 1 month after delivery. She was diagnosed as aortic dissection, Debakey typeII. During cardiopulmonary bypass, the selective cerebral perfusion was done through the right and left commom carotid arteries. Aortic replacement with Hemashield vascular graft and reimplantation of innominate artery, resuspension of aortic valve, repair of intimal tear were performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.297-302
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• 1996

From January 1989 to July 1995, 18 patients underwent aortic repair for type A dissections. The e were 9 male and 9 female patients aged 41 to 68 years(mean, 53.8). Thirteen patients underwent the procedure during the acute period, and 5 during the chronic period. During repair of acute dissection, procedures included graft replacement of the ascending aorta only (6 patients), ascending aorta plus partial aortic arch (3), ascending aorta plus total aortic arch (2), Bentall's operation (1), and Bentall's operation plus total aortic arch (1). During repair of chronic dissection, procedures included Bentall's operation (3 patients), ascending aorta only (1), and ascending aorta plus partial aortic arch (1). During repair of the arch, antegrade cerebral perfusion was applied in 4 patients and hypothermic circulatory arrest in 3 patients. There were 4 operative deaths(22.2%), 2 of hemorrhage. and 2 of left ventricular failure in the operating room. Follow-up has been 100% completed and ranged from 2 to 53 months (mean, 17 months). One late death resulted from sepsis following secon operation. Thirteen of the survivors are doing well.