• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.630-637
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• 2000

Backgroud: There are well-known problems in the management of low weight neonates or infants with congenital heart defects. In the past, because of a perceived high risk of operations using cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) in these patients, there was a tendency for staged palliation without the use of CPB. However, the recent trend has been toward early reparative surgery using CPB, with acceptable mortality and good long-term survival. Therefore we reviewed our results of the operations in infants weighing less than 3kg and considered the technical aspect of conducting the CPB including myocardial protection. Material and Method: Between Jan. 1995 and Jul. 1998, 28 infants weighing less than 3kg underwent open heart surgery for many cardiac anomalies with a mean body weight of 2.7kg(range; 1.9-3.0kg) and a mean age of 41days(range; 4-110days). Preoperative management in the intensive care unit was needed in 20 infants and preoperative ventilator support therapy in 11. Total correction was performed in 23 infants and the palliative procedure in 5. Total circulatory arrest was needed in 11 infants(39%). Result: There were seven hospital deaths(25%) caused by myocardial failure(n=3), surgical failure(n=2), multiorgan failure(n=1), and sudden death(n=1). The median duration of hospital stay and intensive care unit stay were 13days(range; 6-93days) and 6days(range; 2-77days) respectively. The follow-up was achieved in 21 patients and showed three cases of late mortality(15%) and a one-year survival rate of 62%. No neurologic complications such as clinical seizure and intracranial bleeding were noticed immediately after surgery and during follow-up. Conclusion: The early and late mortality rate of open heart surgery in our infants weighing less than 3 kg stood relatively high, but the improved outcomes are expected by means of the delicate conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass including myocardial protection as well as the adequate perioperative management. Also, the longer follow-up for the neurologic development and complications are needed in infants undergoing circulatory arrest and continuous low flow CPB.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2011

Background: Homograft cardiac valves and valved-conduits have been available in our institute since 1992. We sought to determine the long-term outcome after right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction using homografts, and risk factors for reoperation were analyzed. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 112 patients who had undergone repair using 116 homografts between 1992 and 2008. Median age and body weight at operation were 31.2 months and 12.2 kg, respectively. The diagnoses were pulmonary atresia or stenosis with ventricular septal defect (n=93), congenital aortic valve diseases (n=15), and truncus arteriosus (N=8). Mean follow-up duration was $79.2{\pm}14.8$ months. Results: There were 10 early and 4 late deaths. Overall survival rate was 89.6%, 88.7%, 86.1% at postoperative 1 year, 5 years and 10 years, respectively. Body weight at operation, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and aortic cross-clamping (ACC) time were identified as risk factors for death. Forty-three reoperations were performed in thirty-nine patients. Freedom from reoperation was 97.0%, 77.8%, 35.0% at postoperative 1 year, 5 years and 10 years respectively. Small-sized graft was identified as a risk factor for reoperation. Conclusion: Although long-term survival after RVOT reconstruction with homografts was excellent, freedom from reoperation was unsatisfactory, especially in patients who had small grafts upon initial repair. Thus, alternative surgical strategies not using small grafts may need to be considered in this subset.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.346-352
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• 2013

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) in old and high risk patients. The goal of this study is to compare the early outcomes of conventional AVR vs. TAVI in high risk severe AS patients. Methods: From January 2008 to July 2012, 44 high risk severe aortic stenosis patients underwent conventional AVR, and 15 patients underwent TAVI. We compared echocardiographic data, periprocedural complication, and survival. The mean follow-up duration was $14.5{\pm}10$ months (AVR), and $6.8{\pm}3.5$ months (TAVI), respectively. Results: AVR group was younger ($78.2{\pm}2.4$ years vs. $82.2{\pm}3.0$ years, p<0.001) and had lower operative risk (Euroscore: $9.4{\pm}2.7$ vs. $11.0{\pm}2.0$, p=0.044) than TAVI group. There was no significant difference in early mortality (11.4% vs. 13.3%, p=0.839), and 1 year survival ($87.4%{\pm}5.3%$ vs. $83.1%{\pm}1.1%$, p=0.805). There was no significant difference in postoperative functional class. There was no significant difference in periprocedural complication except vascular complication (0% [AVR] vs. 13.3% [TAVI], p=0.014). TAVI group had more moderate and severe paravalvular leakage. Conclusion: In this study, both groups had similar periprocedural morbidity, and mortality. However, TAVI group had more greater than moderate paravalvular leakage, which can influence long-term outcome. Since more patients are treated with TAVI even in moderate risk, careful selection of the patients and appropriate guideline need to be established.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2013

Background: The safety and efficacy of arterial composite grafts for total arterial revascularization have been demonstrated. The saphenous vein (SV) is a widely used graft because of its accessibility, sufficient length, and ease of manipulation. Our aim was to compare mid-term outcomes of saphenous vein Y-grafts with radial artery Y-grafts joined by anastomosis to the left internal thoracic artery. Materials and Methods: Records of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with composite Y-grafts based on the left internal thoracic artery technique in 552 patients were analyzed retrospectively. After propensity score matching, 79 radial arterial (RA) composite grafts (RA group) and 79 saphenous vein composite grafts (SV group) were compared. The duration of mean follow-up was $24.6{\pm}14.6$ months (range, 1 to 55 months). Results: There were no differences in surgical mortality, all-cause mortality, or morbidity among the groups. Rates of 4-year survival were 91.7% and 96.3% in the RA and SV groups, respectively (p=0.519). The coronary reintervention-free survival rate and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events were similar in the two groups (p=0.685, p=0.564). Conclusion: Construction of composite Y-grafts using the radial artery or saphenous vein showed similar mid-term results. Long-term follow-up and randomized trials will be needed to confirm our present conclusions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.256-264
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• 2013

Background: Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) remains a challenge, especially in cases of multiple valve surgery. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of native valve IE and compared the outcomes of single valve surgery with those of multiple valve surgery. Materials and Methods: From 1997 to 2011, 90 patients underwent surgery for native valve IE; 67 patients with single valve surgery (single valve group) and 23 patients with multiple valve surgery (multiple valve group). The mean follow-up duration was $73.1{\pm}47.4$ months. Results: The surgical mortality in the total cohort was 4.4%. The overall survival (p=0.913) and valve-related event-free survival (p=0.204) did not differ between the two groups. The independent predictor of postoperative complications was New York Heart Association class (p=0.001). Multiple valve surgery was not a significant predictor of surgical mortality (p=0.225) or late mortality (p=0.936). Uncontrolled infection, urgent or emergency surgery, and postoperative complications were identified as independent predictors of valve-related morbidity, excluding multiple valve surgery (p=0.072). Conclusion: In native valve IE, multiple valve surgery as a factor was not an independent predictor of mortality and morbidity. The number of surgically corrected valves in native IE seems to be unrelated to perioperative and long-term outcomes.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 2016

Purpose: Skin grafting is used for the transfer of cutaneous tissue from one site of the body to another. To improve graft survival, close contact between the graft and the wound bed is essential for vessels to grow across the gap. Here, we introduce an easy and efficient dressing method to improve graft survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients who underwent split thickness skin graft and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) or conventional treatment between January 2007 and April 2015. Overall, 25 consecutive patients were included in the NPWT group and 49 were included in the conventional dressing group to compare the outcome of the procedure. The data were obtained from medical records, including age, sex, cause of the skin defect, size of graft, time for healing, wound preparation time, and complications. Results: Of the NPWT group, the average wound size was $147.04{\pm}146.74cm^2$ (range, $9{\sim}900cm^2$). With the exception of one patient, all wounds healed without the need for further procedure. The average duration of time required for the NPWT group, which was defined as removal of stitches (or staples) and no need for additional active dressing, was $6.4{\pm}1.97days$ (range, 5~15 days). The average time for the conventional dressing group was $10.78{\pm}2.38days$ (range, 5~15 days). Conclusion: NPWT can be used to cover regions in which wound healing does not occur fully or when neither tie-over nor compressive dressings are applicable. This treatment also reduced wound healing time and allowed earlier patient mobilization and hospital discharge.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-136
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to improve the survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Methods: We analyzed data regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcomes and clinical characteristics of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. The data included prehospital emergency medical service reports of 207 patients, 135 patients of Heart Saver, who survived over 72 hours after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in Gyeonggi-do from January, 2012 to December, 2013. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 descriptive statistics. Results: Among patients who achieved ROSC, 87.6% were men and 73.6% were aged 41-70 years; 86.7% were cases of witnessed cardiac arrest, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed by bystanders in 65.9% of cases. The initial electrocardiogram showed ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia in 96.3% of patients. The call time was 1.0 minutes, arrival time was 6.3 minutes, time spent at the scene was 8.0 minutes, hospital arrival time was 10.0 minutes, and total CPR duration was 9.6 minutes. The certificate of them was paramedics in 89.6%. Conclusion: To improve the survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, standard prehospital care for these patients and educational programs regarding CPR for lay rescues should be developed.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2014

Loranthus tanakae (Franch. & Sav.) is an endangered species of mistletoe, distributed in Korean peninsula. The objective of our research is to determine the effect of storage duration and conditions [air flow (AF) and air tight (AT)] at different temperatures for survivability and germination of mistletoe seeds, and also to monitor the effect of seed scarification on germination in vitro. The result revealed that the seeds stored in natural conditions (no stratification) showed highest survival rate of 100% and retained up to 93.3% even after two months of storage in natural conditions and showed higher germination percentage (90%) compare to after ripened seeds. However, the seed stored at $0^{\circ}C$ decreased the germination percentage (ranged from 63 to 73%). Therefore, it can be confirmed that mistletoe does not need after ripened treatment to promote germination. Our research also showed that the storage of L. tanaka seeds in freezing temperatures of $-20^{\circ}C$ and in room temperature for long time either in AT or AF conditions caused the loss of survival and germination rate. On the other hand, the chemical scarification (0.01N HCl incubation for 12 hrs. at $38^{\circ}C$) method was proven more effective to enhance germination percentage of L. tanakae. Regarding the temperature regime, $22^{\circ}C$ showed early germination of mistletoe seeds in vitro.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02b
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• pp.206-233
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• 1994

The Medical Research Council has for some years encouraged collaborative clinical trials in leukaemia and other cancers, reporting the results in the medical literature. One unreported result which deserves such publication is the development of the expertise to design and analyse such trials. This report was prepared by a group of British and American statisticians, but it is intended for people without any statistical expertise. Part!, which appears in this issue, discusses the design of such trials; Part II, which will appear separately in the January 1977 issue of the Journal, gives full instructions for the statistical analysis of such trials by means of life tables and the logrank test, including a worked example, and discusses the interpretation of trial results, including brief reports of particular trials. Both parts of this report are relevant to all clinical trials which study time to death, and would be equally relevant to clinical trials which study time to other particular classes of untoward event: first stroke, perhaps, or first relapse, metastasis, disease recurrence, thrombosis, transplant rejection, or death from a particular cause. Part I, in this issue, collects together ideas that have mostly already appeared in the medical literature, but Part II, next month, is the first simple account yet published for non-statistical physicians of how to analyse efficiently data from clinical trials of survival duration. Such trials include the majority of all clinical trials of cancer therapy; in cancer trials, however, it may be preferable to use these statistical methods to study time to local recurrence of tumour, or to study time to detectable metastatic spread, in addition to studying total survival. Solid tumours can be staged at diagnosis; if this, or any other available information in some other disease is an important determinant of outcome, it can be used to make the overall logrank test for the whole heterogeneous trial population more sensitive, and more intuitively satisfactory, for it will then only be necessary to compare like with like, and not, by chance, Stage I with Stage III.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.369-380
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• 1981

In this department 504 cases of valve replacement were done since 1968 to the end of October 1981. Since October 31, 1978 to the end of October 1981 ,333 Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial xenograft bioprosthetic cardiac valves were replaced in 265 patients. There were 149 males and 116 female. Ages ranged from 2 to 63 years with 25 cases under 15 years of age. Among 265 cases of Ionescu valve replacement there were 157 MVR, 36 VAR, 6 TVR, 45 MVR+ AVR, 16 MVR+TVR and 5 MVR+AVR+TVR cases with mortality of 5.7%, 8.3%, 16.7%, 8.9%, 18.8% and 20% for each group respectively. Over all mortality rate in 265 Ionescu valve replacement cases was 7.9% with 21 total deaths. Main causes of operative deaths were due to LCOS in 7, bleeding in 5, arrhythmia in 3, air embolism in 2,and heart block in 2 cases. There were 12 late complications with 6 deaths. Over all long-term survival rate was 89.8%. MVR showed the highest long-term survival rate with 92.4%, and MVR+AVR+TVR the lower with 80% lower with 80%.Average follow-up period was 14 month duration. Twenty five congenital anomaly cases were operated with Ionescu-valve replacement that consisted of 7 VSD+AI, and 5 Ebstein anomaly cases with over all operative mortality of 16% and late mortality of 14.3% among 21 operative survivors. There were 25 Ionescu valve replacement cases in pediatric patients under the age of 15 years, with 4 operative deaths. Fourteen MVR, 7 AVR, and 3 TVR cases were found. Even though long-term follow-up study was short in postoperative period with total of 33~.0 months among 244 operative survivors ranging one to 36 months, the late survivors showed beneficial long-term results two thromboembolic episodes in 244 patients were found. More cases and longer term follow-up study are warranted for valve replacement in pediatric and TVR cases with Ionescu-valves which have advantageous hemodynamic structures compared with other bio-prosthetic heart valves.