• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

The two major problems related to the blood flow in replaced prosthetic heart valve are thrombus formation and hemolysis. Reliability of prosthetic valve is very important because its failure means the death of patient. There are many factors affecting the valvular failures and their representatives are mechanical failure and thrombosis, so early noninvasive detection is essentially required. The purpose of this study is to detect the various thromboses formation by using acoustic signal acquisition and its spectral analysis on the frequency domain. We made the thrombosis models using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and they are thrombosis model on the disc, around the sewing ring and fibrous tissue growth across the orifice of valve. Using microphone and amplifier, we measured the acoustic signal from the prosthetic valve, which is attached to the pulsatile mock circulation system. A/D converter sampled the acoustic signal and the spectral analysis is the main algorithm for obtaining spectrum. Then the spectrum of normal and 5 different kinds of abnormal valve were obtained. Each spectrum waveform shows a primary and secondary peak. The secondary peak changes according to the thrombus model. To quantitatively distinguish the frequency peak of the normal valve from that of the thrombosed valves, analysis using a neural network was employed. Acoustic measurement has been used as a noninvasive diagnostic tool and is thought to be a good method for detecting possible mechanical failure or thrombus.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.750-755
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• 1992

We report a case of leaflet embolization of central leaflet fracture a 31mm mitral Edw-ards-Duromedics prosthesis. A leaflet was fractured to two segments, a larger one embolized to right common iliac artery and a smaller one to left femoral artery, respectively. Patient was reoperated with 29mm mitral Carbomedics prosthesis and incidentally found of smaller segment in left femoral artery at cannulation site. The embolectomy was done 15 days after cardiac operation through midline abdominal incision, Leaflet escape of a mitral Edward-Duromedics prosthesis is a rare, potentially curable mode of valve failure. After mechanical valve replacement, unexplained heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, mechanical valve failure should be suspected. Correct interpretation of clinical signs, symptoms and fluroscopy should allow early diagnosis of leaflet escape and prompt surgical therapy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.254-258
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• 2012

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology primarily affecting the aorta and its major branches and usually occurring in the second or third decade of life. Here, we report a case of Takayasu arteritis in a 10-month-old patient. The infant presented with signs of congestive heart failure and severe aortic regurgitation. Echocardiography and computed tomography angiography showed an abnormally dilated thoracic and abdominal aorta. The infant was initially treated with prednisolone, followed by commissuroplasty of the aortic valve but neither approach ameliorated the heart failure. The patient was eventually treated with a mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery at the age of 12 months, and her condition stabilized. Although unusual, this case indicates that the diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis should be considered in children with unexplained systemic symptoms, aortic valve regurgitation, and heart failure. Because severe aortic regurgitation may be a fatal complication of Takayasu arteritis, early aortic valve replacement surgery should be considered, even in very young children.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1073-1082
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• 2003

Many researchers have investigated the blood flow characteristics through bileaflet mechanical heart valves using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. Their numerical approach methods can be classified into three types; steady flow analysis, pulsatile flow analysis with fixed leaflets, and pulsatile flow analysis with moving leaflets. The first and second methods have been generally employed for two-dimensional and three-dimensional calculations. The pulsatile flow analysis interacted with moving leaflets has been recently introduced and tried only in two-dimensional analysis because this approach method has difficulty in considering simultaneously two physics of blood flow and leaflet behavior interacted with blood flow. In this publication, numerical calculation for pulsatile flow with moving leaflets using a fluid-structure interaction method has been performed in a three-dimensional geometry. Also, pulsatile flow with fixed leaflets has been analyzed for comparison with the case with moving leaflets. The calculated results using the fluid-structure interaction model have shown good agreements with results visualized by previous experiments. In peak systole. calculations with the two approach methods have predicted similar flow fields. However, the model with fixed leaflets has not been able to predict the flow fields during opening and closing phases. Therefore, the model with moving leaflets is rigorously required for advanced analysis of flow fields.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 1998

There are various reports on the fracture of mechanical heart valves implanted in human or animal, and they are pointed out that problems are induced by an erosion of disk surface, due to a cavitation effect. We have been investigating this mechanism using accelerated fatigue tester, and it was found that erosion was enhanced by a compliance effect in the test circuit. In this study, effects of compliance value and location on erosion were discussed, while disk closing velocity was measured by a high speed video camera. It was clarified that faster closing velocity was resulting in a enhancement of erosion on the disk surface.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.463-471
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• 2003

The long-term results of combined mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement (AVR) have not been well evaluated. This study was performed to investigate the early and long-term results of mitral valve repair with AVR. Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients who underwent mitral valve repair and AVR between September 1990 and April 2002. The average age was 47 years: 28 were men and 17 women. Twelve patients had atrial fibrillation and three had a previous cardiac operation. The mitral valve disease consisted of pure insufficiency (MR) in 34 patients, mitral stenosis (MS) in 3, and mixed lesion in 8. Mitral valve disease was due to rheumatic origin in 24 patients, degenerative in 11, annular dilatation in 8, and ischemia or endocarditis in 2. The functional anatomy of mitral valve was annular dilatation in 31 patients, chordal elongation in 19, leaflet thickening in 19, commissural fusion in 13, chordal fusion in 10, chordal rupture in 6, and so on. Aortic prostheses used included mechanical valve in 32 patients, tissue valve in 12, and pulmonary autograft in one. The techniques of mitral valve repair included annuloplasty in 32 patients and various valvuloplasty of 54 techniques in 29 patients. Total cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross clamp time were 204$\pm$62 minute and 153$\pm$57 minutes, respectively. Result: Early death was in one patient due to low output syndrome (2.2%). After follow up of 57$\pm$37 months, late death was in one patient and the actuarial survival at 10 years was 96$\pm$4%. Recurrent MR developed grade II or III in 11 patients and moderate MS in 3. Three patients required reoperation for valve-related complications. The actuarial freedom from recurrent MR, MS, and reoperation were 64$\pm$11%, 86$\pm$8%, and 89$\pm$7% respectively. Conclusion: Combined mitral valve repair with AVR offers good early and long-term survival, and adequate techniques and selection of indication of mitral valve repair, especially in rheumatic disease, are prerequisites for better long-term results.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1999

The goal of oral anticoagulation therapy with warfarin is to maintain INR values within the therapeutic range in order to prevent complications such as bleeding and thrombosis. The purposes of this study were to investigate the current level of anticoagulation control using INR values, to investigate the incidences of thromboembolism and bleeding complications, and to compare the effect of low intensity INR regimen with therapeutic range recommended by ACCP (American College of Chest Physician). Two hundred three patients with mechanical heart valve replacement done at Yonsei University Cardiovascular Center between January 1994 and December 1996 were selected and reviewed retrospectively. The target INR ranges of $2.5\sim3.5$ (ACCP standard) and low intensity INR of $2.0\sim3.5$ were used for evaluation. According to ACCP standard, $51.2\%$ of patients and $31.1\%$ of INR values were within the therapeutic range when average INR and cumulative INR were used, respectively. Applying low intensity INR values of $2.0\sim3.5$, the therapeutic control was achieved in $57.4\%\;and\;90.1\%$, using average INR and total INR, respectively. The incidences of major and minor bleedings were $0.5\%\;and\;26.6\%$, respectively. The incidence of thromboembolism was $0.5\%$. There was no significant difference in terms of complication incidences between INR $2.0\sim2.5\;and\;INR\;2.5\sim3.5$ groups. However, INR values at the time of bleeding were generally high. In conclusion, the evaluation of patients with mechanical heart valve replacement showed low level of therapeutic control with warfarin therapy. This is partially explained by the fact that the physicians at Yonsei University Cardiovascular Center were using lower intensity INR values as a goal than recommended INR. Also, in the near future, systematic anticoagulation service should be implemented at various hospitals in Korea so that patients on anticoagulant therapy can be more closely monitored to be within the recommended INR by ACCP.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.438-451
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• 1990

Pneumatic total artificial heart[TAH] has been clinically applied for the purpose of permanent or temporary use followed by cardiac transplantation in the patients with end stage heart diseases. In spite of the good durability of the pneumatic TAH, thrombus formation, bleeding and infection resulted in death. The Tomasu heart, which is a type of pneumatic TAH, was used in this study. This model is a modified Jarvik heart and consists of atrial cuffs, outflow vascular grafts and thin-layer seamless diaphragm type of ventricles. Cardiac outputs of the left artificial heart were measured by Donovan`s mock circulation under variable conditions of driving parameters, and an experimental artificial heart implantation was performed in 4 calves to observe the changes of hemodynamic parameters in early postoperative period and hematologic and bio-chemical changes in a long-term survival case. In the mock circulation test, cardiac output of the heart was increased with the increase of the left atrial pressure and left driving pressure. Maximum cardiac output was obtained at the heart rate of 120 to 130/min and percent systole of 40 to 45Zo under the condition of a constant left driving pressure of 180mmHg and left atrial pressure of 10mmHg. During the first 24 hours of TAH pumping, driving pressure ranged from 178$\pm$5mmHg to 187$\pm$8mmHg for the left heart and from 58$\pm$6mmHg to 78$\pm$28mmHg for the right heart. The Mean arterial pressure significantly increased between 2 and 8 hours after the start of pumping. The survival time ranged from 27 hours to 46 days. The causes of death were respiratory failure in 2 cases, mechanical valve failure in one, and left ventricular outflow obstruction due to thrombus in a 46-day survival case. This study demonstrated that Tomasu artificial heart operated effectively during the first 24 hours of artificial heart pumping, but thrombus formation around the valve holding area was the main problem in long-term survival case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1023-1030
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• 1999

This is a retrospective study of 42 pregnancies from 33 women with prosthetic heart valves who were on anticoagulation regimen prior to or during their pregnancy. Material and Method: Of the 17 women with bioprosthesis, 15 had 21 pregnancies following cessation of the anticoagulation therapy which resulted in the delivery of 20 healthy babies and 1 abortion. Remaining 2 had 3 pregnancies maintained with heparin, resulting in 2 healthy babies and 1 spontaneous abortion. Result: Among 16 women with mechanical heart valves, there were 7 pregnancies during which warfarin was used and this was associated with 4 fetal wastages(2 therapeutic abortion, 1 spontaneous abortion and 1 stillbirth with cerebral hemorrhage). However, in pregnancies where heparin was used, there was no fetal wastage. A patient who did not take anticoagulant for the first trimester and took warfarin for the remaining period and a patient who did not take anticoagulant during pregnancy delivered normal babies. There was an other fetal wastage in a patient on anti-platelet therapy for the first trimester and warfarin therapy for the remaining periods. There was 1 minor petechial complication in a heparin administered group. Conclusion: The study indicates that woman with bioprosthetic heart valves can go through pregnancy without undue risks or complications. On the other hand, the use of warfarin during pregnancy in women with mechanical heart valves, was shown to be associated with unacceptable high risk for the fetus. However, in the same group of women, judicious use of heparin during pregnancy was accompanied by a much reduced risk. The safety and adequate therapeutic range of heparin usage under such circumstances are subject to further studies.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1001-1012
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• 1989

In 1968, Carpentier and his associates introduced glutaraldehyde as a compound for preparing cardiac tissue valve, and this technique has provided a considerably more suitable and durable tissue valve substitute. To increase further durability of valve tissue, Reis and his colleagues designed a flexible stent to reduce the stress on the heterogeneous tissue valve mounted. However with the advent of more innovative mechanical valve currently, many bioprosthetic valves are being substituted by mechanical valves at our department of cardiothoracic surgery because of bioprosthetic valve failure. Main cause of bioprosthetic valves failure were calcification or/and tear of tissue valves. The purpose of this retrospective study is to clarify the relationship between the patients clinical profile during implantation of tissue valves and pathologic features of the failed bioprosthetic valve. From March, 1982 through June, 1988, 53 bioprosthetic heart valves that had been ex-planted from 45 patients at the department of cardiac surgery of Yonsei University Hospital were subjected to this study. The patients were 10 to 65 year-old [mean age: 30.3 yr] with 17 males and 28 females. Re-replacements of prosthetic valves were carried out twenty nine in mitral position, eight in aortic position and eight in both aortic and mitral position simultaneously. The grading and location for calcification of valves were verified by radiograms. The calcification of the explanted valves leaflets was graded from 0 to 4 plus according to Cipriano and associates method. The types of tear and perforation of leaflet were classified into four types as Ishihara has adopted initially in 1981. In younger age group under thirty three years, explanted tissue valves were significantly more affected in terms of grades of severity of valve calcification as compared with older age group [p < 0.035]. Valve calcification appeared more severe in male as compared to female [p< 0.002]. Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial bioprosthetic valves showed more severe calcification than Hancock porcine tissue valves [p< 0.035]. Calcium deposit was found very prevalent at the area of commissural attachment [86 % of all]. Type I of valve rupture was shown to be related with simultaneous calcification. However, the relation of explanted valve position, duration of implanted prosthetic valve, atrial fibrillation and anticoagulant therapy to the severity of bioprosthetic valve calcification were not significantly clear statistically [p > 0.05].