Symptomatic Epidural Pneumorrhachis : A Rare Entity

Pneumorrhachis, which involves the entrapment of air or gas within the spinal canal, is a rare clinical entity, and the pathogenesis and etiologies of this uncommon entity are various and can present a diagnostic challenge. Usually, pneumorrhachis represents an asymptomatic epiphenomenon but it can produce symptoms associated with its underlying pathology. Here, we report a rare case of symptomatic epidural pneumorrhachis accompanying pneumothorax. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are discussed and a review of the literature is included.

Isolated Spinal Neurocysticercosis : Unusual Ocular Presentation Mimicking Pseudotumor Cerebri

Spinal intradural cysticercosis is a rare manifestation of neurocysticercosis. We report a unique patient who showed visual symptoms and normal imaging of the brain caused by isolated spinal neurocysticercosis. A 59-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency unit with a history of severe headache and progressive blurred vision. Brain computed tomographic scanning and magnetic resonance imaging showed normal cerebral anatomy without hydrocephalus. The fundoscopic evaluation by an ophthalmologist showed bilateral papilledema. Perimetry studies revealed visual field defects in both eyes. With the diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri, a lumbar tap was attempted; however, we could not drain the cerebrospinal fluid in spite of appropriate attempts. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed multilevel intraspinal lesions that were confirmed histologically to be neurocysticercosis. An intraoperative lumbar puncture revealed an increased opening pressure and cytochemical analysis showed elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein level. The headache resolved immediately after surgery. However, the visual symptoms remained and recovered only marginally despite antihelminthic medications after six months of operation.

Reduction Aortoplasty with Suture Plication Technique for Dilatation of the Ascending Aorta associated with Aortic Valve Disease / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Reduction aortoplasty has been advocated for dilatation of the ascending aorta associated with aortic valve disease in older, high-risk patients. We report our results with modification of reduction aortoplasty and aortic valve replacement. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between July 2001 and December 2002, 14 consecutive patients who underwent modification of reduction aortoplasty, suture plication technique without excision of the dilated aortic wall, were reviewed. The mean age was 63.7+/-6.7 (50 to 75) years. Ten patients had congenital bicuspid aortic valve. Twelve patients had severe aortic valve stenosis and 6 had regurgitation of grade III~IV. The diameter of the ascending aorta was measured before and immediately after surgery and 6 and 12 months postoperatively using echocardiography or computed tomography. Follow-up was complete in an average of 14.7+/-5.4 (7 to 24) months. RESULT: There were no early postoperative deaths and no bleeding complications. Reduction aortoplasty with suture plication technique decreased the diameter of ascending aorta from 49.4+/-3.5 mm preoperatively to 33.2+/-3.4 mm postoperatively (p<0.001). During follow-up, there were no late deaths and no aneurysm recurrence on the ascending aorta. CONCLUSION: Suture plication technique of reduction aortoplasty without excision of the dilated aortic wall offers good early and short-term results in older, high-risk patients with dilatation of the ascending aorta associated with aortic valve disease. Surgical long-term results of our technique should be evaluated in further studies.

Congenital Quadricuspid Aortic Valve / 대한흉부외과학회지

Quadricuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital abnormality but it is well recognized as the cause of significant aortic regurgitation. We describe 5 patients who underwent surgery for severe aortic regurgitation associated with quadricuspid valve. In all patients, this abnormality had been incidentally detected during surgery. Two of the patients had infective endocarditis. In accordance with the Hurwitz and Roberts classification, two valves were type d, two were type a, and one was type c.

Mitral Valve Repair for Active and Healed Endocarditis / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Mitral valve repair rather than replacement for mitral regurgitation (MR) offers a number of well-accepted benefits. However, the surgical results of repair for mitral valve endocarditis remain largely unknown. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fourteen patients who underwent mitral valve repair for MR caused by mitral valve endocarditis from April 1995 through October 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 9 male patients and mean age was 32+/-10 years. Four patients had previous embolism and 2 had active infections. The grade of MR were III in 6 patients and IV in 8. Operatively, mitral annuloplasty was performed in 12 patients and various valvuloplasty techniques were applied in all patients. One patient had immediate valve replacement due to residual MR after weaning of cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULT: There was no early operative death. Early postoperative transthoracic echocardiography revealed no or grade I of MR and no or mild mitral stenosis in 13 patients. After the mean follow-up of 36 months, there was no late death, and no or grade I of MR in 11 patients (84.6%) and no or mild mitral stenosis in 12 patients (92.3%). Reoperation required in one patient (7.1%). The cumulative freedom from recurrent MR and valve-related reoperation at 5 years were 91+/-9% and 75+/-22%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation caused by endocarditis offers good early and intermediate survival and functional improvement without reinfection, and it is an attractive alternative to valve replacement in selective patients with bacterial endocariditis.

Left Atrial Myxoma Associated with Mitral Regurgitation and Coronary Artery Disease / 대한흉부외과학회지

Obstructive intracardiac lesions, like mitral stenosis or insufficiency (MR), by myxomas of the left atrium have been commonly reported, but the attenuation of MR by myxoma combined with coronary artery disease is very rare. We report a 70-year-old female patient whose left atrial myxoma had attenuated moderate MR to mild MR and required mitral valve surgery after removal of the myxoma. She also had coronary artery disease, severe pulmonary hypertension and moderate tricuspid regurgitation due to the mitral valve lesions obstructed by myxoma. The patient underwent removal of myxoma, mitral and tricuspid valve reconstructions, and coronary artery bypass grafting. She was discharged at the postoperative 14 day without any problems.

Immediate Reoperation for Failed Mitral Valve Repair / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: We analysed the surgical outcomes of immediate reoperations after mitral valve repair. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eighteen patients who underwent immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair from April 1995 through July 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 13 female patients. The mitral valve disease was regurgitation (MR) in 12 patients, stenosis (MS) in 3, and mixed lesion in 3. The etiologies of the valve disease were rheumatic in 9 patients, degenerative in 8, and endocarditis in 1. The causes of reoperation was residual MR in 13 patients, residual MS in 4, and rupture of left ventricle in 1. Fourteen patients had rerepair for residual mitral lesions (77.8%) and four underwent replacement. RESULT: There was no early death. After mean follow-up of 33 months, there was one late death. Echocardiography revealed no or grade I of MR (64.3%) in 9 patients and no or mild MS in 11 patients (78.6%). Reoperation was done in one patient. The cumulative survival and freedom from valve-related reoperation at 6 years were 94% and 90%, respectively. The cumulative freedom from recurrent MR and MS at 4 years were 56% and 44%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair offers good early and intermediate survival, and mitral valve rerepair can be successfully performed in most of patients. However, because mitral rerepair have high failure rate, especially in rheumatic valve disease, adequate selections of valvuloplasty technique and indication are important to reduce the failure rate of mitral rerepair.

Surgical Treatment of Postinfarction Posterobasal Left Ventricular Aneurysm: Report of 2 cases / 대한흉부외과학회지

At least 88 percents of ventricular aneurysms result from anterior infarction, while the remainder follow inferior infarction. Posterior infarction that produce a distinct left ventricular aneurysm is unusual. We report two operative cases of postinfarction posterobasal left ventricular aneurysms, one with a true aneurysm and the other with a false one.

Pacemaker Lead Endocarditis Combined with Rupture of Sinus Valsalva after Redo Aortic Valve Replacement / 대한흉부외과학회지

Pacemaker lead-related infective endocarditis is an uncommon, but serious complication. We report a case of a 45-year-old man who had symptom of intermittent high fever and rupture of sinus Valsalva that developed after a redo aortic valve replacement and transvenous permanent pacemaker implantation. Positive blood cultures of streptococcus viridans and transesophageal echocardiography showing a large mobile vegetation on pacemaker lead and tricuspid valve lead to the diagnosis of pacemaker lead-related infective endocarditis. Initial antibiotic therapy followed by surgical extraction of the pacemaker lead and wide debridement of infective tissues including multiple vegetations was required. Postoperative antibiotic therapy was continued for 4 weeks. The postoperative course has been uneventful. The patient is totally asymptomatic and is doing well up to now.

Biventricular Repair of Double Outlet Right Ventricle with Non-Committed Ventricular Septal Defect by Arterial Switch: Report of 1 cases / 대한흉부외과학회지

Although surgical options for double outlet right ventricle (DORV) with non-committed ventricular septal defect (VSD) are vary in accordance to the morphological characteristics, it is very difficult to use biventricular repair technique when there is tricuspid chordae originating from conal septum or when the distance between the tricuspid valve and the pulmonic valve is too short. We report our clinical experience of biventricular repair of DORV with non- committed VSD by VSD rerouting to the pulmonary artery and arterial switch in case of a presence of conal tricuspid chordae and short distance between the tricuspid valve and the pulmonic valve.

Outcomes of Combined Mitral Valve Repair and Aortic Valve Replacement / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: 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+/-62 minute and 153+/-57 minutes, respectively. RESULT: Early death was in one patient due to low output syndrome (2.2%). After follow up of 57+/-37 months, late death was in one patient and the actuarial survival at 10 years was 96+/-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+/-11%, 86+/-8%, and 89+/-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.

Aortic Root Replacement in Patient of Right Ventricular Hypoplasia with Annuloaortic Ectasia, Ventricular Septal Defect and Aortic Regurgitation: Report of 1 case / 대한흉부외과학회지

Annuloaortic ectasia, aortic regurgitation (AR), and ventricular septal defect (VSD) in patients with right ventricular hypoplasia is a very rare condition. We report a patient who underwent aortic root replacement with a composite graft for annuloaortic ectasia associated with VSD and AR in right ventricular hypoplasia. The patient was a 19 year-old male. Transthoraic echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization revealed a perimembranous VSD (2 cm in diameter), severe AR, annuloaortic ectasia, bipartite right ventricle with hypoplasia, and hypoplastic tricuspid valve. Operative findings showed that free margins of the right and noncoronary cusps were markedly elongated, thickened, and retracted, and commissure between the right coronary cusp and the noncoronary cusp was fused and calcified. VSD was closed with an autologous pericardial patch and composite graft aortic root replacement using direct coronary button reimplantation was performed, and the hypertrophic muscle of the right ventricular outflow tract was resected. The patient had transient weaning failure of cardiopulmonary bypass and was discharged at the postoperative 14 days without any problems.

Anticoagulant Therapy for Left Ventricular Thrombosis after Dor Procedure / 대한흉부외과학회지

Left ventricular thrombosis is a frequent and potentially dangerous complication in acute myocardiac infarction, but its occurrence and adequate therapy has not been known in patients with Dor procedure for the ischemic cardiomyopathy. We report a patient, 45 year-old male, who had a new left ventricular thrombus developed after coronary arterial bypass graft, Dor procedure, and removal of the left ventricular thrombus for ischemic cardiomyopathy. Left ventricular thrombus was disappeared on the follow-up cardiac MRI following intravenous heparin injection and oral coumadin therapy. This case suggest that anticoagulation therapy may prevent patients with the severe left ventricular dysfunction and apical aneurysm and dyskinesia from developing the left ventricular thrombus, and that thrombi will resolve without clinical evidence of systemic embolism.

Cabrol Technique Application in Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using Radial Artery / 대한흉부외과학회지

In off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), multiple proximal anastomosis may increase the risk of cerebral embolism (air, debris) and aortic injury (dissection, pseudoaneurysm). Radial artery (RA) has no intraluminal valve such as saphenous vein. We applied Cabrol technique using aortic root replacement for proximal anastomosis in off-pump CABG. Cabrol technique using RA graft can reduce numbers of proximal anastomosis and reduce number of aortic manipulation in off-pump CABG. We report a Cabrol technique for proximal anastomosis in off-pump CABG with RA graft.