• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.530-534
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• 2002

Background: In aortic surgery, division and ligation of the left brachiocephalic vein(LBV) may improve exposure of the aortic arch but controversy continues about the safety of this division and whether a divided vein should be reanastomosed after arch replacement was completed. The safety of LBV division and the fate of the left subclavian venous drainage after LBV division were studied. Material and Method: From November 1998 to January 2001, planned division and ligation of the LBV on the mid-line after median sternotomy was peformed in 10 patients during the aortic surgery with the consideration of local anatomy and distal aortic anastomosis. Assessment for upper extremity edema and neurologic symptoms, measurement of venous pressure in the right atrium and left internal jugular vein, and digital subtraction venography(DSV) of the left arm were made postoperatively. Result: In 10 patients there was improvement in access to the aortic arch for procedures on the ascending aorta or aortic arch. The mean age of patients was 62 years(range 24 to 70). Follow-up ranged from 3 weeks to 13 months. One patient died because of mediastinitis from methicilline-resistant staphylococcus aureus strain. All patients had edema on the left upper extremity, but resolved by the postoperative day 4. No patient had any residual edema or difficulty in using the left upper extremity during the entire follow-up period. No patient had postoperative stroke. Pressure difference between the right atrium and left internal jugular vein was peaked on the immediate postoperative period(mean peak pressure difference = 25mmHg), but gradually decreased, then plated by the postoperative day 4. In all DSV studies left subclavian vein flowed across the midline through the inferior thyroid venous plexus. Conclusion: We conclude that division of LBV is safe and reanastomosis is not necessary if inferior thyroid vein, which is developed as a main bridge connecting the left subclavian vein with right venous system, is preserved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.1523-1528
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• 2020

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly that can be difficult to detect and often remains undiagnosed. PAPVR is diagnosed using non-invasive imaging techniques such as echocardiography, CT, and MRI. Image data are reviewed on a 2-dimensional (D) monitor, which may not facilitate a good understanding of the complex 3D heart structure. In recent years, 3D printing technology, which allows the creation of physical cardiac models using source image datasets obtained from cardiac CT or MRI, has been increasingly used in the medical field. We report a case involving a 3D-printed model of PAPVR with a biatrial connection. This model demonstrated separate drainages of the right upper and middle pulmonary veins into the lower superior vena cava (SVC) and the junction between the SVC and the right atrium, respectively, with biatrial communication through the right middle pulmonary vein.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.422-426
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• 2003

Primary cardiac tumor has very low incidence, especially in cases of malignancy. A 29 year old male patient visited our cardiologic clinic for recent aggrevation of dyspnea on exertion and palpitation. Echocardiography showed a large tumor in the left atrium, which suggested the left atrial myxoma. Urgent open heart surgery was taken. The operative finding was fossa ovalis based a large tumor (35$\times$90$\times$50 mm) that invaded the posterior wall of LA and right superior pulmonary vein directly. The tumor was excised well by simple dissection, and the final pathologic report was malignant myxofibrosarcoma. His postoperative course was smooth and he was discharged in good health. Postoperative radiation and chemotherapy had taken with satisfactory clinical outcome.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.217-220
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• 2018

A female Russian rat snake, Elaphe schrenckii, was presented for loss of movement. Physical examination showed the swelling in the area of heart. Radiographic examination revealed cardiomegaly, pericardial effusion, and a soft opacity in the area of swelling. Although pericardiocentesis to remove fluid out from the heart as well as vigorous treatments were given to the Russian rat snake, it died during treatments. Postmortem examination confirmed pericardial effusion of pale yellow, translucent fluid with mild dilation of the right atrium and ventricle. Formalin -fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections were stained with routine H&E and the classical von Kossa's method for histopathological demonstration. Histopathological examination revealed multifocal calcification in myocardium and consists of the displacement of muscular fiber by limy deposits. Congestive heart failure was suspicious for the snake when it was alive. In wild reptiles, muscle degeneration has been reported with nutrition disorders but the present case is the first report of myocardial degeneration in a Russian rat snake and contributes to the rare reports of cardiac disease in snakes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 1975

Since 1959 the authors experienced 43 cases of chronic constrictive pericarditis treated surgically at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, the National Medical Center in Seonl. Of 43 cases, detailed patients' records could be obtainable in 36 cases, and most of our studies. were made on the basis of these 36 available cases. About 84 per cent of the cases were male with several pediatric cases, and duration of symptoms ranged between 2 months and 10 years. The diagnosis of this condition is not difficult, however, about half of our cases were previously treated under the impression rf various other conditions such as liver cirrhosis or nephrotic syndrome at other hospitals and clinics. Many of our cases showed hepatic functional disturbances and about 89 per cent of the cases showed reversed A/G ratio, and we are sure that some of them had so-called protein losing enteropathy. Three of 36 cases showed normal electrocardiogram, and most peculiar electrocardiographic findings were ST or T changes and low amplitude of QRS complexes. Seven cases showed auricular fibrillation and five had first degree A-V block. Mean preoperative peripheral venous pressure at the antecubital fossa and arm-to-tongue circulation time were 273 mm $H_2O$and 20.2 seconds, respectively, and they were markedly reduced postoperatively to 152 mm $H_2O$ and 13 seconds, respectively. Several different approaches were made with various extents of pericardial decortication according to patients' condition and probably surgeon's preference. In 12 cases we met cardiovascular injuries during decortication and one of them died of massive bleeding through the torn right atrium, and we experienced excellent postoperative result in a grave case operated on just a small pericardial window. Eleven of 35 cases were tuberculous pericarditis and others were non-specific pericarditis histopathologically, and 6 of total 43 cases operated on passed away by various ways with the mortality rate of 13.9 per cent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.435-442
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• 2016

Background: Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is rare. However, such cardiac ruptures carry a high mortality rate. This study reviews our experience treating blunt traumatic cardiac rupture. Methods: This retrospective study included 21 patients who experienced blunt traumatic cardiac rupture from 1999 to 2015. Every patient underwent surgery. Several variables were compared between survivors and fatalities. Results: Sixteen of the 21 patients survived, and 5 (24%) died. No instances of intraoperative mortality occurred. The most common cause of injury was a traffic accident (81%). The right atrium was the most common location of injury (43%). Ten of the 21 patients were suspected to have cardiac tamponade. Significant differences were found in preoperative creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) levels (p=0.042) and platelet counts (p=0.004) between the survivors and fatalities. The patients who died had higher preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale scores (p=0.007), worse Trauma and Injury Severity Scores (p=0.007), and higher Injury Severity Scores (p=0.004) than those who survived. Conclusion: We found that elevated CK-MB levels, a low platelet count, and multi-organ traumatic injury were prognostic factors predicting poor outcomes of blunt cardiac rupture. If a patient with blunt traumatic cardiac rupture has these factors, clinicians should be especially attentive and respond promptly in order to save the patient's life.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.148-154
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• 1997

In the pharmacology of traditional Korean medicine, each drug has its own specific characters. The different characters of drugs are employed to treat diseases, rectify the hyperactivity or hypoactivity of yin or yang, and help the body restore its normal physiological functions, consequently curing the diseases and restoring health. The various characters and functions of these drugs concerning medical treatment include drugs' properties, flavours, actions of lifting, lowering, floating and sinking, channel tropism, toxicity, etc. Among these theories, theory of properties and flavours of drugs provides the basis for drug analysis and application. 'Property' refers to the cold, hot, warm or cool nature of a drug. These properties of drugs are so sorted out according to the different actions of the drugs on the human body and thier therapeutic effects. Drugs which cure heat syndrome(yang syndrome) have a cold or cool property, whereas drugs which cure cold syndrome (yin syndrome) have hot or warm property Drugs of cold and cool-natured and drugs of warm and hot natures are of opposite properties. A cold-natured drug is different from a cool-natured on only in degree, and so is a warm-natured drug from a hot-natured drug. Most of the cool- or cold- natured drugs have the effects of clearing heat, purging fire, removing toxic substances, and nourishing yin, and are uese to cure heat syndromes. On the contrary, drugs of warm or hot nature usually have the effects of dispersing cold, warming up the interior, supporting yang, and treating collapse, and are therefore used to treat cold syndromes. We thought that the property of drug may be related to the autonomic nervous system in western medicine. In other words, drugs of warm or hot nature increase heart rate or acts like sympathomimetics, and drugs of cool or cold nature decrease heart rate or acts like para sympathomimetics . According to this hypothesis, we administrated some drugs to isolated rat right atrium in magnus tube. But there is no correlation between 'property' in traditional Korean medicine and autonomic nervous system in western medicine.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-246
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• 2015

A 9 month-old female Chihuahua (weighing 1.5 kg) was referred with loud left basal murmur and exercise intolerance. Diagnostic imaging studies revealed the elongation of left ventricle (LV) with classic triple bumps on the main pulmonary artery, aorta and left atrium on the dorsoventral view of radiograph. Echocardiography revealed patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) duct and continuous turbulent shunt flow (maximal velocity 5.73 m/s) between the aorta and pulmonary artery with left to right direction. The PDA in this dog was successfully closed though femoral vein (transvenous approach) using an Amplatzer$^{(R)}$ vascular plug. To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first case of PDA occlusion treated with vascular plug through femoral vein.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2020

A 9-month-old, 11.3 kg, intact, male, mixed-breed dog was referred for treatment of cor triatriatum dexter (CTD); a 5-month-old, 1.9 kg, intact, male Maltese for pulmonic stenosis (PS); and a 3-year-old, 6.62 kg, intact, female West Highland white terrier for esophageal stricture with regurgitation. A balloon catheter intervention was performed in the dog with CTD, and subsequent color Doppler ultrasound and abdominal ultrasound showed normal blood flow across the perforated membrane dividing the right atrium and the disappearance of the severe ascites present before treatment. Balloon catheter intervention in the dog with PS reduced the blood flow through the stenosis from 5.82 m/s to 3.97 m/s. In the dog with esophageal stricture, balloon catheter intervention widened the esophagus and no subsequent regurgitation was observed. Balloon catheter intervention is an interventional radiology procedure that represents a definitive treatment option for various stenotic lesions in dogs, including CTD, PS, and esophageal stricture. Although interventional radiology procedures for these diseases have already been reported, details of procedures and successful outcome have not been reported in Korea.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 1999

Budd-Chiari syndrome is a state of hepatic failure caused by impairment of blood flow anywhere from the inferior vena cava to the right atrium. In this case, a 45 year old patient had undergone membranotomy and dilatation with autogenous pericardial graft due to obstruction of the inferior vena cava caused by a congenital membrane in 1987. Ten years after the operation, restenosis occurred. Although a noninvasive method with a Gianturco stent dilatation was performed, a satisfactory result was not obtained. A reoperation was performed. The stenotic segment of inferior vena cava was excised and after augmentation with a prepared pentagon shaped Gore-Tex artificial graft allowing passage of two fingers. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful without signs of rebleeding or any other complications and the patient was discharged at postoperative two weeks without the use of anticoagulants. An excellent result was obtainable after operation using a prepared Gore-Tex graft and such a result. Reoperational case of Budd-Chiari syndrome may require rapid and excellent the operative techenic by prevention of massive bleeding under use of extracorporeal circulation.