• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.428-434
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• 2023

Pulmonary veins (PVs) and their myocardial sleeves play an important role in the development of atrial fibrillation. Hence, detailed knowledge of PV anatomy is required to improve the procedural success rate and prevent complications during cardiac procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the PV anatomy along with anatomical variations in the Indian population. Total 100 formalin fixed cadaveric hearts were examined. The number and pattern of the PVs were observed along with the measurement of their horizontal and vertical diameters. The ovality index for each PV was calculated. Classical PV pattern was observed in 62% cases. Variant pattern like additional right middle PV pattern and left common PV pattern were found in 20% and 10% cases respectively. A separate pattern with presence of both right middle PV and left common PV was observed in 6% cases. In the classical pattern right superior PV was the largest followed by right inferior, left superior and left inferior PV. The additional right middle PV had the smallest diameter whereas the left common PV had the largest diameter. Almost all the veins had greater vertical diameters in comparison to horizontal diameters. The variant PVs were oval and had greater ovality index compared to the normal PVs. In classical pattern 54.8% hearts whereas in variant pattern 79% hearts had one or more oval PV. The given data can help clinicians for planning and execution of various interventional and electrophysiological procedures involving PVs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1010-1014
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• 2004

Though acute pulmonary thromboembolism is usually managed medically with the use of thrombolytics or anticoagulants, an emergent life-saving surgery would be required. In a case of acute pulmonary thromboembolism with acute severe right heart failure and deferment of it could result in fatal outcomes in a short time. In addition, the mortality is raised considerably if it is combined with right heart thrombi. Despite paradoxical thromboembolism via patent foramen ovale was reported, few report might be presented, in which showed the thrombus in right atrium has traversed atrial septal defect into left atrium and left ventricle like this case as the evidence of paradoxical thromboembolism. We report a case of acute pulmonary thromboembolism with acute right heart failure arising from deep vein thrombosis, developed immediately after low anterior resection for colon cancer in a 63-year-old male, who was managed successfully by emergent thromboembolectomy with cardiopulmonary bypass.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.351-355
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• 2009

The incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism increases with age. The risk factors of pulmonary thromboembolism include surgery, malignancy, obesity, lupus anticoagulants, and vascular conditions such as deep vein thrombosis. Thromboembolism in younger patients or in unusual locations, the possibility of primary thrombophilic conditions should be considered. Primary thrombophilic states include myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). JAK2 V617F mutation is found commonly in patients diagnosed with MPD, in 90~95% of polycythemia vera (PV) and in 50~60% of essential thrombocytosis (ET) patients. Sometimes the JAK2 V617F mutation is found in cases without MPD. The relationship between JAK2 V617F mutation and thrombosis has not been defined. Recently, clinical evidence suggests that this mutation may be variably associated with thrombosis. We present one case of pulmonary thromboembolism in a young patient, who was positive for the JAK2 V617F mutation and did not have MPD.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.404-408
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• 2011

Scimitar syndrome (SS) is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by hypoplasia of the right lung and partially anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the inferior vena cava. The term scimitar derives from the shadow created by the anomalous pulmonary vein on chest X-ray that closely resembles that of a curved Turkish sword. It rarely presents as an isolated abnormality. Various cardiac and non-cardiac anomalies have been association with SS, such as right lung hypoplasia, dextroposition of the heart, hypoplasia of the right pulmonary artery, systemic arterial blood supply to the right lower lung from the infra-diaphragmatic aorta, and a secundum type of atrial septal defect. However, an imperforate anus has not been reported previously in association with SS. We describe the first case of infantile scimitar syndrome accompanied with an imperforate anus in a newborn who presented with tachypnea and right pulmonary atelectasis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.9
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• pp.271-278
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• 2018

Purpose: Abnormal potassium channels expression affects vessel function, including vascular tone and proliferation rate. Diverse potassium channels, including voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels, are involved in pathological changes of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Since the role of the Kv1.7 channel in PAH has not been previously studied, we investigated whether Kv1.7 channel expression changes in the lung tissue of a monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat model and whether this change is influenced by the endothelin (ET)-1 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathways. Methods: Rats were separated into 2 groups: the control (C) group and the MCT (M) group (60 mg/kg MCT). A hemodynamic study was performed by catheterization into the external jugular vein to estimate the right ventricular pressure (RVP), and pathological changes in the lung tissue were investigated. Changes in protein and mRNA levels were confirmed by western blot and polymerase chain reaction analysis, respectively. Results: MCT caused increased RVP, medial wall thickening of the pulmonary arterioles, and increased expression level of ET-1, ET receptor A, and NADPH oxidase (NOX) 4 proteins. Decreased Kv1.7 channel expression was detected in the lung tissue. Inward-rectifier channel 6.1 expression in the lung tissue also increased. We confirmed that ET-1 increased NOX4 level and decreased glutathione peroxidase-1 level in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). ET-1 increased ROS level in PASMCs. Conclusion: Decreased Kv1.7 channel expression might be caused by the ET-1 and ROS pathways and contributes to MCT-induced PAH.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2002

We report one case of an 18-day-old female patient, weighing 3.4 kg, with severe cyanosis. The diagnosis was made with only transthoracic echocardiography, which revealed cor triatriatum with an atretic small opening of fibromuscular membrane, obstructive infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage(TAPVD), severely restrictive interatrial communication, and scanty mitral inflow and aortic forward flow. The preoperative decision-making for biventricular repair was not easy due to collapsed left heart system caused by remarkably reduced blood flow An emergent operation was performed due to severe cyanosis. All left heart structures were somewhat hypoplastic but thought to be adequate for systemic circulation. Biventricular repair was done without specific intraoperative problems. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient has been doing well with no evidence of pulmonary vein stenosis or mitral regurgitation for 4 months after operation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 1999

A thromboembolic event in patients later given a diagnosis of cancer is the result rather than the cause of the cancer. The risk of hidden cancer is significantly higher for patients with recurrent idiopathic thromboembolism compared to those with secondary deep vein thrombosis. Microemboli from hepatic or adrenal metastases and large-sized emboli from the great veins invaded by the tumor are the sources of tumor embolization The intraarterial tumor emboli less likely invade the arterial wall. Thrombus formation and organization may be capable of destroying tumor cells within pulmorlary blood vessels. Therefore, all tumor emboli are not true metastases. The treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients with cancer consists of anticoagulation with heparin and warfarin, venacaval filters, appropriate anti-neoplastic agents, and surgical methods(embolectomy, thromboendarterectomy). However, considerable literatures suggest that oral anticoagulant such as warfarin is ineffective in the treatment of those. We report a case of primary unknown squamous cell carcinoma incidentally found in the thrombus after pulmonary embolectomy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.914-921
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• 1997

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia(Osler-Rendu-Weber Syndrome) is characterized by telangiectasia of the skin and mucous membranes and intermittent bleeding from vascular abnormalities. About 20% of patients with this syndrome have pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas. Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is uncommon malformation which has an abnormal connection between the pulmonary capillary bed, in which venous blood in the pulmonary artery is shunted through the fistula into the pulmonary vein without exposure to alveolar oxygen and result in unoxygenated, desaturated systemic arterial blood, polycythemia, cyanosis and clubbing. Death often results from cerebral abscess and rupture of the malformation with massive hemorrhage. Therapeutic intervention is recommended for all symptomatic patients because of the risk of those serious complications. Treatment options include surgery and transcatheter obliteration with steel coils or detachable balloons. Therapeutic embolization has the advantages that multiple bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas can be occluded and also that the procedure can be repeated if necessary. Recently we experienced a case of the multiple bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas associated with telangiectatic change of hepatic artery and multiple angiodysplasia on the gastric mucosa in 41 years old female patient who had mild dyspnea of exertion(NYHA class II). clubbing finger, severe iron deficiency anemia. She was treated with embolization technique using steel coils and iron replacement. After the therapeutic embolization. significant improvement of dyspnea of exertion with disappearance of multiple pulmonary nodule on follow-up simple chest x-ray was noted. During the subsequent six months follow-up period, she had the improvement of symptoms and iron deficiency anemia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 1980

Truncus ateriosus is one of the cyanotic congenital heart disease. The incidence is relatively uncommon, as 0.4% of totoal congenital heart disease. Embryologically the defect is due to a lack of partitioning of the embryonic truncus and conus during the first few weeks of fetal life. The ventricular septal defect is invariable present. A single arterial vessel arises from the heart and supplies blood to the aorta, the lung, and the coronary arteries. In 1949, collett and Edwards classified this defect according to anatomic variation to four major types, such as type I, II, III, and IV. Type IV is defined that pulmonary arteries are absent, and the pulmonary arterial supply arises from the descending thoracic aorta. This patients often have a continuous murmur head particularly well in the interscapular area. No effective surgical treatment is available. We have experienced one case of truncus arteriosus, type IV of Collett and Edwards in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyungbook National University Hospital. This patient was 10 year-old girl. The chief complaints were cyanosis and dyspnea on exertion since birth. She was admitted at this hospital on April 16, 1980. The continous machinery murmur was heard loudest at the interscapular area. The chest X-ray films revealed cardiomegaly with an increase in pulmonaryvascular markings. The pulmonary secotr was significantly concave. No filling of pulmonary arteries noticed by the right ventriculogram. There was possible biventricular hypertrophy in EKG. The echocardiogram showed that the demension of the aortic root was larger than normal and minimal increase of the left ventricular internal dimension. The cardiac catheterization data was obtained by use of the great saphenus vein approach. The systolic pressure of the right ventricular outflow tract was 80 mmHg and was similar to that of the aorta. The oxygen saturation data revealed the evidence of the left to right shunt at the level of ventricular septum. The patient was operated and the diagnosis was confirmed as trucus arteriosus, type IV. No effective surgical interventins were performed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.289-292
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• 2015

Lemierre syndrome (LS) is a septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) following an oropharyngeal infection. LS is commonly caused by normal anaerobic flora and treated with appropriate antibiotics and anticoagulation therapy. Although the incidence of disease is very rare, 15% cases of LS are fatal even in the antibiotic era because of disseminated septic thromboemboli. We reported a case of extensive bilateral LS due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a 63-year-old female with lung adenocarcinoma. Initial examination revealed a retropharyngeal abscess; hence, intravenous ceftriaxone and steroid were initiated empirically. However, pulmonary thromboembolism developed and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis was identified in the bacterial culture. Despite intensive antibiotic and anticoagulation therapies, extensive septic thrombophlebitis involving the bilateral IJV and superior vena cava developed. Adjunctive catheter-directed thrombolysis and superior vena cava stenting were performed and the patient received antibiotic therapy for an additional 4 weeks, resulting in complete recovery.