• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.369-376
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• 2021

Background: Sutureless and rapid deployment valves for aortic valve replacement (AVR) were introduced in Korea in December 2016. This study evaluated changing trends in the prosthetic valves used for AVR in Korea after the introduction of sutureless and rapid deployment valves. Methods: From December 2016 to December 2018, 4,899 patients underwent AVR in Korea. After applying the exclusion criteria, 4,872 patients were analyzed to determine changes in the type of prosthetic valve used for AVR. The study period was divided into 5 groups corresponding to 5-month intervals. Results: The total number of AVR cases was 194.88±28.78 per month during the study period. Mechanical valves were used in approximately 27% to 33% of cases, and the proportion of mechanical valve use showed a tendency to decrease, with marginal significance overall (p=0.078) and significant decreases in patients less than 60 years of age and in men (p=0.013 and p=0.023, respectively). The use of sutureless valves increased from 13.4% to 25.8% of cases (p<0.001), especially in elderly patients (>70 years) and those requiring concomitant surgery. In a comparison between sutureless and rapid deployment valves, the use of Perceval S valves (a type of sutureless valve), gradually increased (p<0.001). Conclusion: After the introduction of sutureless and rapid deployment valves in Korea, the rate of use of these new valves remarkably increased, especially in elderly patients and those requiring concomitant surgery. Further studies should investigate the clinical outcomes of these new prostheses.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2002

A gastroduodenostomy is the most physiological reconstruction after a distal gastrectomy. However, a gastroduodenostomy with either sutures or staples has many complications. These include bleeding, leakage and stenosis. A sutureless gastroduodenostomy with a biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) in was used adenocarcinoma patients to prevent these complications from 1999. A BAR is composed of polyglycolic acid and Barium sulfate to allow for X-ray visualization. Hardy in first introduced the BAR in 1985. Since then, it has been used in an anastomosis of the colon or small bowel surgery but its use in a gastroduodenostomy is the first trial in the world. A 70 year male patient, old who received a subtotal gastrectomy (Billroth I), underwent a A sutureless gastroduodenostomy with a BAR. The gastroduodenostomy with the BAR was watertight and maintained the initial burst strength in the gastrografin X-ray study performed at the postoperative 1 week. The BAR began to fragment 3 weeks after the operation and disappeared from the digestive tract completely. The diameter of the anastomosis site was sufficient for passed foods. No other secondary changes from remained foreign bodies were found in the endoscopic examination. In a second operation to treat a primary hepatoma, there was no adhesive changes around the gastroduodenostomy site. In conclusion, a sutureless gastroduodenostomy with BAR is a safe, easy and efficient reconstructive method after a distal gastrectomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2024

Background: Sutureless aortic valves may enable shorter procedure times, which benefits patients with elevated surgical risk. We describe the outcomes of patients with aortic stenosis who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) using the sutureless Perceval aortic bioprosthesis. Methods: Data from a retrospective cohort were obtained from a clinical database. The study enrolled patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent surgical AVR with a sutureless bioprosthesis between August 2015 and December 2020. In total, 113 patients were included (mean age, 75.3±8.4 years; 57.5% women; median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 9.7%; mean follow-up period, 51.19±20.6 months). Of these patients, 41 were octogenarians (36.2%) and 3 were nonagenarians (2.6%). Transthoracic echocardiography was employed to assess changes in ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and mean pressure gradient (MPG). Results: The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.6%, and 13 patients developed new-onset atrial fibrillation. A permanent pacemaker was implanted in 3 patients (2.6%). The median intensive care unit stay was 1 day (interquartile range [IQR], 1-2 days), and the median hospital stay was 12 days (IQR, 9.5-15 days). The overall survival rate at 5 years was 95.9%. LVMI and MPG were reduced postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period. No structural valve deterioration was observed, and no meaningful paravalvular leakage developed during follow-up. Conclusion: The use of a sutureless valve in the aortic position is safe and feasible, even for high-risk elderly patients requiring surgical AVR. LVMI and MPG decreased postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2016

Background: In elderly high-risk surgical patients, sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR) should be an alternative to standard AVR. The potential advantages of sutureless aortic prostheses include reducing cross-clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and facilitating minimally invasive surgery and complex cardiac interventions, while maintaining satisfactory hemodynamic outcomes and low rates of paravalvular leakage. The current study reports our single-center experience regarding the early outcomes of sutureless aortic valve implantation. Methods: Between October 2012 and June 2015, 65 patients scheduled for surgical valve replacement with symptomatic aortic valve disease and New York Heart Association function of class II or higher were included to this study. Perceval S (Sorin Biomedica Cardio Srl, Sallugia, Italy) and Edwards Intuity (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) valves were used. Results: The mean age of the patients was $71.15{\pm}8.60years$. Forty-four patients (67.7%) were female. The average preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was $56.9{\pm}9.93$. The CPB time was $96.51{\pm}41.27minutes$ and the cross-clamping time was $60.85{\pm}27.08minutes$. The intubation time was $8.95{\pm}4.19hours$, and the intensive care unit and hospital stays were $2.89{\pm}1.42days$ and $7.86{\pm}1.42days$, respectively. The mean quantity of drainage from chest tubes was $407.69{\pm}149.28mL$. The hospital mortality rate was 3.1%. A total of five patients (7.69%) died during follow-up. The mean follow-up time was $687.24{\pm}24.76days$. The one-year survival rate was over 90%. Conclusion: In the last few years, several models of valvular sutureless bioprostheses have been developed. The present study evaluating the single-center early outcomes of sutureless aortic valve implantation presents the results of an innovative surgical technique, finding that it resulted in appropriate hemodynamic conditions with acceptable ischemic time.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.115-120
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• 1983

We implanted pacemakers using screw-in sutureless myocardial electrode in 40 patients between February, 1980 and November, 1982 at Seoul Nation University Hospital. Mean age of total patient who received the pacemaker implantation was 39.9 years, but excluding the patient who received the open heart surgery, mean age was 49.3 years. Cause of pacemaker implantation was complete A-V block in 13 patients, symptomatic sick sinus syndrome in 12 patients, complete A-V block after open heart surgery in 12 patients, second degree A-V block with dizziness in one patient, and atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular response in two patients. In thirty nine cases, electrodes were implanted by subxiphoid approach, on the diaphragmatic surface of right ventricle. I n one case, electrode was implanted through the left anterior thoracotomy. Acute stimulation threshold, measured in 35 patients, varied from 0.1 to 2.5 mA [mean 0.85 mA.], and R-wave amplitude [sensitivity], measured in 19 patients, varied from 2.9 mV to 11.5 mV [mean 7.6 mV]. There was no hospital death. The postoperative complications included wound seroma in two patients [5%], wound hematoma in three patients [7.5%], and pacing failure in one patient [2.5%]. The subxiphoid implantation of the pacemaker using sutureless myocardial lead was valuable in obtaining safe, reliable and long-term impulse generation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.862-867
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• 1994

We experienced two cases of dissecting aneurysm[DeBakey type III] of the thoracic aorta treated using intraluminal sutureless graft. Controversy still exists about the exact timing of surgical intervention for dissection of the descending thoracic aorta. The surgical indication of dissecting aneurysm[DeBakey type III] is continuous flow in the false lumen, continuous chest pain, compromise of arterial supply to a specific organ or limb, or extension of the dissection while the patient is receiving satisfactory medical treatment. Surgical therapy for dissection of the aorta has had a high mortality. One contributing factor has been hemorrhage from the prosthesis and the suture lines. Recently, a new method of treatment with a intraluminal sutureless graft that requires no end-to-end anastomosis has been developed. In our cases, cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest was utilized in repairing dissecting aneurysm of descending aorta[DeBakey type III] in order to avoid the aortic cross clamping because of friable aortic intima. The basic technique consists of vertical incision of descending aorta in the area of intimal tear and inserting the whole ringed graft into the true lumen of the dissected aorta and circumferentially ligating the aorta against the groove in the rings. Postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.359-361
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• 2023

Coronary ostium obstruction due to dislodgement of the prosthetic valve is a rare and life-threatening complication, and particular caution is required for sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR) with concomitant valvular surgery. In general, coronary artery bypass surgery is performed when coronary ostium obstruction occurs after AVR, but other options may need to be considered in some cases. Herein, we present a case of coronary artery occlusion in an 82-year-old female patient who had undergone AVR and mitral valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve stenosis at the age of 77 years. A hybrid procedure involving redo AVR and percutaneous coronary intervention after left main coronary ostium endarterectomy was performed. To summarize, we present a case of hybrid AVR in a patient with coronary artery obstruction after AVR that was successfully managed using this method.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.364-368
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• 2004

Congenital pulmonary vein stenosis is a rare anomaly and related to high mortality due to progressive pulmonary hypertension and heart failure in infancy. Aggressive anti-failure medication and surgical treatment is recommended. Surgical options are balloon dilatation, endovascular stent, pneumonectomy, lung transplantation, patch grafting, and sutureless repair. We report a case of congenital pulmonary vein stenosis with normal anatomical connection successfully treated with sutureless technique and using pulmonary vasodilators, such as Sildenafil, lloprost and iNO postoperatively.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.851-852
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• 2022

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.172-179
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• 2018

Background: This study aimed to compare preliminary data on the outcomes of sutureless aortic valve replacement (SU-AVR) with those of aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of SU-AVR in moderate- to high-risk patients from 2013 to 2016. Matching was performed at a 1:1 ratio using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality score with sex and age. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. The secondary outcomes were operative outcomes and complications. Results: A total of 277 patients were studied. Ten patients (50% males; median age, 81.5 years) underwent SU-AVR. Postoperative echocardiography showed impressive outcomes in the SU-AVR group. The 30-day mortality was 10% in both groups. In our study, the patients in the SU-AVR group developed postoperative thrombocytopenia. Platelet counts decreased from $225{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$ preoperatively to 94.5, 54.5, and $50.1{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$ on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3, respectively, showing significant differences compared with the AVR group (p=0.04, p=0.16, and p=0.20, respectively). The median amount of platelet transfusion was higher in the AVR group (12.5 vs. 0 units, p=0.052). Conclusion: There was no difference in the 30-day mortality of moderate-to high-risk patients depending on whether they underwent SU-AVR or AVR. Although SU-AVR is associated with favorable cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp times, it may be associated with postoperative thrombocytopenia.