• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.482-489
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• 2010

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether hand-measured carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was a reliable and simple tool that could be used to evaluate the severity of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) with normal high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). Material and Method: We examined left carotid IMTs in 688 patients with stable CAD and excluded 121 patients with abnormally elevated hs-CRP ($\geq$0.5 mg/dL). We sought to determine the association between risk factors and the severity of stable CAD and carotid IMT in 567 patients who were divided into lower and higher groups based on the median value. Patients underwent a coronary artery angiogram and had at least significant stenosis (>50% of the original luminal diameter involving one or more major coronary artery). Result: Of the 567 patients, 300 (52.9%) were in the lower IMT group and 267 (47.1%) were in the higher IMT group; the median value was 0.76 mm. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, the following groups were different: older age (~49 vs. 70~ years, respectively; OR=6.552), high FBS (~99 vs. 120~ mg/dL; OR=1.713) and severity of CAD (1 vessel vs. 2 vessel disease; OR=1.711, 1 vessel vs. 3 vessel disease; OR=1.714). Conclusion: We conclude that there are correlations between increased carotid IMT and severity of CAD in stable angina patients with normal CRP levels.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.546-551
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• 2007

Background: The radial artery is gaining widespread acceptance as complementary arterial conduits for surgical myocardial revascularization, but there have been limited reports about its angiographic patency compared with that of internal thoracic artery or saphenous vein. We tried to evaluate angiographic patency of radial artery graft and to compare that of radial artery and other gratis with retrospective manner. Material and Method: From January 2001 to Jure 2006, totally 132 patients (male 92, female 40) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft using radial artery were re-admitted to our hospital for follow up angiographic examination. Mean age was 58.2+8.87 and mean follow up duration was 32 month ($2{\sim}110$ month). Off pump and on pump bypass surgery were performed 74 and 58 patients respectively. Along with radial artery, left internal thoracic arteries were used in 57 cases, concomitant left internal thoracic artery and saphenous veins were used in 47 cases and bilateral internal thoracic arteries were used in 20 cases. Result: Totally 412 distal anastomosis were performed and 376 anastomosis remained patent (91.2%). Left internal thoracic artery showed the most excellent patency in all of the conduits (98.5%). Radial artery graft patency was 90.8% (169/186). There was no statistical difference of the patency by conduit between on-pump and off-pump group. But radial artery showed more higher patency rate (98/110, 89%) in the severe stenotic lesion that preoperatively revealed more than 90% stenosis than in the lesser severe (<90%) stenotic lesion (60/76, 78%)(p < 0.005). Radial artery conduit represented the worst result when it was grafted in the right coronary system. But when it was positioned in the left heart especially diagonal or obtuse marginal area, patency was comparable with left internal thoracic artery. Conclusion: Radial artery graft showed good midterm patency when it was used in the severe stenotic lesion more than 90% and left coronary system. But great notice should be taken when it is grafted in the right coronary system or less severe stenotic lesion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 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
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1095-1101
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• 1996

From July 1983 to June 1995, 95 consecutive patients with mitral stenosis were treated surgically in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chonbuk national University Hospital, mitral valve replacement(MVR) in 62 patients and open mitral commissurotomy(OMC) in 33 patients. Mitral stenosis combined with coronary artery disease, with aortic valve disease, or wish mitral valvular Insufficiency, were excluded from this study. Surgical procedures for mitral stenosis were evaluated, according to complication, reoperation, mor- tality, nd functional change at mid- and long-term postoperative period. Cardiothoracic ratio in the MVR group was greater than the OMC group(0.59 $\pm$0.07 in MVR, 0.53 $\pm$0. 07 in OMC, p<0.05), but other variables(age, sex, MYHA functional classification, EKG finding, echocardiographic finding) did not show significant difference between two groups in the preoperative periods. Even though pathologic valvular lesion(Sellor's pathologic type m: 35 in MVR, 13 in OMC) and valvular calcification(35 in MVR, 11 in OMC) were severe in the MVR group(p=0.001) at intraoperative observation, OMC was possible in 11 patients(23.9%) among 46 patients with valvular calcification and in 13 patients(27.1 %) among 61 patients with Sellor's pathologic type IH . There was no significant difference in early and late mortality, actuarial survival(75% in MVR, 87.6% in OMC at 12 year), but early and late hemorrhagic, thromboembolic complications in the MVR group were greater than in the OMC. Functional changes in NYHA functional classification, EKG lEnding, cardiothoraclc ratio, and echocardiographic finding(EF, LVIDS, LWDd, LAD) did not differ between two groups in mid- and long-term postoperative periods. We conclude that our efforts for preservation of the native valve would be continued, because hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications in the MVR were greater than in the OMC, and OMC was possible even in patients with severely stenotic and calcified mitral valve, although there was no sis-nificant difference in the functional change, mortality, and survival between the M VR and OMC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.441-446
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• 2009

Background: Side clamping of ascending aorta during proximal graft anastomosis in coronary bypassing surgery in-creases the risk of direct aortic injury as well as embolization of intimal atheroma. Heartstring proximal sealing system (Guidant Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif), developed to avoid aortic side clamping, may minimize risks of such complications. The aim of the current study is to compare the surgical outcomes of the two proximal anastomosis techniquesi.e., Heartstring system versus aortic side clamping in off pump coronary bypassing' surgery (OPCAB). Material and Method: From January 2003 to August 2008, 499 patients underwent OPCAB. Of them, proximal graft anastomosis was performed using Heartstring system in 182 patients (Group I) and conventional manual anastomosis in 317 patients (Group II). The two groups were compared for postoperative major complications and mortality. Result: Two groups showed similar characteristics in terms of preoperative demographic data, left ventricular ejection fraction, renal function and history of diabetes, hypertension and smoking. Although there was no inter-group difference in the history of cerebral ischemia (p=0.48), preoperative brain magnetic resonance angiography revealed greater incidence of severe carotid artery stenosis (>75% of lumen) in the Group I than in the. Group II (44.5% in the Group I and 30.0% in the Group II, p=0.003). There were no inter-group differences in postoperative mortality (p=0.40) and complications (p=0.47) including neurologic events (3 in the Group land 2 in the Group II, p=0.258). Whereas neurologic events all comprised transient ischemic attacks in the Group I, they comprised multiple embolic strokes in the Group II. One patient in the Group II experienced aortic dissection during proximal anastomosis which resulted in ascending aortic replacement. Conclusion: Although proximal anastomosis using Heartstring system did not show statistically significant benefit over aortic side clamping, the. absence of embolic stroke maybe a definite benefit which may be better defined through further studies over a larger cohort.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.796-799
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• 2004

A 52 day-old male infant who had Taussig-Bing anomaly with coarctation of the aorta underwent initial palliative Damus-Kaye-Stansel (DKS) procedure including arch reconstruction because of suspected intramural coronary artery, size discrepancy of great arteries, potential subaortic stenosis, refractory pneumonia, and severe congestive heart failure. Total repair was done 44 months later, which was composed of VSD patch closure, DKS take-down, and arterial switch procedure, We report a successful case of DKS take-down and arterial switch operation for the reuse of native aortic and pulmonary valves rather than Rastelli-type procedure in a patient with Taussig-Bing anomaly having palliative DKS procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.371-382
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• 1985

Over the past 4 decades after World War II a great deal of data and clinical experiences have been accumulated relating to the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital and acquired cardiovascular diseases in Korea. Clinical data on cardiovascular surgical cases performed in all 22 hospitals for open heart surgery in Korea was collected from it`s starting up to December 1984. The first recorded open heart surgery for a young adult atrial septal defect was performed by Young Kyoon Lee, M.D. on August 7, 1959, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea. And, some scattered reports on cardiovascular surgical cases in it`s early period have changed recently the number of hospitals for open heart surgery and clinical cases enormously in total amount of 13, 100 cardiovascular operations performed on 12, 990 cases up to December 1984. Of the total 13, 100 cardiovascular operations, congenital cardiovascular anomaly occupied 70%. Of the congenital cases, 6, 580 operations for acyanotic group [operative mortality 4.5%], and 2, 489 operations for cyanotic group [operative mortality 20%]. The incidence of congenital cardiovascular anomaly in order of frequency was ventricular septal defect [29%], patent ductus arteriosus [26%], Tetralogy of Fallot [22%], atrial septal defect [8, 6%], pulmonary valve stenosis [3.0%], and endocardial cushion defect [1.1%]. Of the 3, 412 valvular heart disease cases, which occupied 85% of total 4, 031 acquired cardiovascular disease, individual incidence was in mitral 2, 565 [63.5%], double valve 451 [11.1%], and simple aortic valve 351 [8.7%]. Total number of valve replaced, mechanical and tissue, was 2, 795, and 1, 884 for mitral, 808 for aortic, and 103 for tricuspid in position. Operative mortality for prosthetic valve replacement in total was 9.8%. Remained acquired cardiovascular cases chronic constrictive pericarditis [7.9%], cardiac tumor [1.9%], coronary artery bypass [1.8%], cardiac trauma [1.2%] and less than 1% of thoracic aortic aneurysm. Overall operative mortality for open and non-open cardiovascular surgical operation was 7.7% [congenital acyanotic group 3.2%, congenital cyanotic group 19.4%, and acquired group 7.8%]. In conclusion, present status of cardiovascular surgery in Korea is stabilized with accumulation of clinical cases and experiences, and the future in the field of cardiovascular surgery is promising, especially in the infant cardiac surgery and aortocoronary bypass surgery, with abrupt increase of specialized cardiac centers, trained specialists, and expanding social health insurance.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.114-119
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• 2002

Takayasu's arteritis(TA) is a chronic idiopathic vasculitis mainly involving the aorta and its main branches, such as brachiocephalic, carotid, subclavian, vertebral and renal arteries, as well as coronary and pulmonary arteries The clinical features usually reflect limb or organ ischemia resulting from gradual stenosis of involved arteries. We experienced a case of idiopathic Takayasu's arteritis with negative tuberculin test involving multiple main branch arteries at active stage without pulse. We treated this patient with combined therapy of steroid and azathioprine, with remission of disease activity. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2002 ;6 : 114-9)

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.770-775
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• 1998

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly, accounting for 30 percent of congenital heart disease detected in the adult. Many patients with ASD are well tolerated and reach adult without significant symptoms. The patients with ASD die 4th and 5th decades, but prolonged survival is not uncommon. In general, the survival depends on whether pulmonary hypertension develops during adulthood or not. The most common cause of death in the patients with ASD is right ventricular failure or arrhythmias. Materials and methods: From January 1988 to June 1997, 33 cases of ASD underwent open heart surgeries in our hospital. Among them, 31 cases were adult ASD, and 2 tricuspid regurgitation, 1 pulmonic stenosis, 1 mitral regurgitation, 1 tricuspid regurgitation, and 1 coronary artery disease were combinded. All of the patients underwent surgical repair using autologus pericardial patch or direct closure. Results: The postoperative course was smooth and uneventful. Most of the patients showed significant improvement in ECG finding, hemodynamic profile, radiologic finding, and echocardiography, after surgery. Conclusions: Conclusively, most of the ASD should be closed even in patients over the age of 60 years, and early surgical repair must be done to prevent pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular failure, and arrythmias.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1118-1127
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• 1990

Arterial switch operation for repair of nineteen cases of transposition of the great arteries associated with ventricular septal defect and three cases with double outlet right ventricle with subpulmonary ventricular septal defect[Taussig-Bing type DORV] was performed from November 1987 to September 1990 at the Seoul National University Children`s Hospital. Sixteen of them were under six months of age, and three were under one year of age with body weight ranged from three to fourteen kilograms. Preoperative cardiac catheterization was done in eighteen patients, in which the pressure of the left ventricle was greater than 70% of the right ventricle in all but one. Patent ductus was associated in thirteen cases[68.4%] of TGA+VSD, and atrial septal defect or patent oval foramen was in sixteen cases. Four atrial septostomy, one modified Blalock- Taussig shunt, one pulmonary artery banding, one coarctoplasty using subclavian arterial flap, were perfomed before arterial switch operation. There were five hospital deaths, all in the. patients with transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect[overall mortality rate 22.7%]. Lecompte Maneuver was used in all patients, and in all patient the U-shaped flap of coronary arteries were transposed to V-shaped cleavage created in the neoaorta. Arterial defect in the neopulmonary artery was covered with 0.0625% Glutaraldehyde fixed autogenous pericardium There have been no late deaths, Postoperative cardiac catheterization and angiocardiogram in four patients has revealed no stenosis in the neopulmonary artery or neoaorta with reasonable P[RV/LV], Anatomic correction for transposition and double outlet right ventricle with subpulmonary ventricular septal defect would seem to be a good operative alternative to intraatrial switch procedures, with the advantage of incorporating the left ventricle to systemic circulation.