A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial for Assessing the Usefulness of Suppressing Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Target Levels after Thyroid Lobectomy in Low to Intermediate Risk Thyroid Cancer Patients (MASTER): A Study Protocol

Background@#Postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression therapy is recommended for patients with intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer to prevent the recurrence of thyroid cancer. With the recent increase in small thyroid cancer cases, the extent of resection during surgery has generally decreased. Therefore, questions have been raised about the efficacy and long-term side effects of TSH suppression therapy in patients who have undergone a lobectomy. @*Methods@#This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial in which 2,986 patients with papillary thyroid cancer are randomized into a high-TSH group (intervention) and a low-TSH group (control) after having undergone a lobectomy. The principle of treatment includes a TSH-lowering regimen aimed at TSH levels between 0.3 and 1.99 μIU/mL in the low-TSH group. The high-TSH group targets TSH levels between 2.0 and 7.99 μIU/mL. The dose of levothyroxine will be adjusted at each visit to maintain the target TSH level. The primary outcome is recurrence-free survival, as assessed by neck ultrasound every 6 to 12 months. Secondary endpoints include disease-free survival, overall survival, success rate in reaching the TSH target range, the proportion of patients with major cardiovascular diseases or bone metabolic disease, the quality of life, and medical costs. The follow-up period is 5 years. @*Conclusion@#The results of this trial will contribute to establishing the optimal indication for TSH suppression therapy in low-risk papillary thyroid cancer patients by evaluating the benefit and harm of lowering TSH levels in terms of recurrence, metabolic complications, costs, and quality of life.

A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial for Assessing the Usefulness of Suppressing Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Target Levels after Thyroid Lobectomy in Low to Intermediate Risk Thyroid Cancer Patients (MASTER): A Study Protocol

Background@#Postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression therapy is recommended for patients with intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer to prevent the recurrence of thyroid cancer. With the recent increase in small thyroid cancer cases, the extent of resection during surgery has generally decreased. Therefore, questions have been raised about the efficacy and long-term side effects of TSH suppression therapy in patients who have undergone a lobectomy. @*Methods@#This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial in which 2,986 patients with papillary thyroid cancer are randomized into a high-TSH group (intervention) and a low-TSH group (control) after having undergone a lobectomy. The principle of treatment includes a TSH-lowering regimen aimed at TSH levels between 0.3 and 1.99 μIU/mL in the low-TSH group. The high-TSH group targets TSH levels between 2.0 and 7.99 μIU/mL. The dose of levothyroxine will be adjusted at each visit to maintain the target TSH level. The primary outcome is recurrence-free survival, as assessed by neck ultrasound every 6 to 12 months. Secondary endpoints include disease-free survival, overall survival, success rate in reaching the TSH target range, the proportion of patients with major cardiovascular diseases or bone metabolic disease, the quality of life, and medical costs. The follow-up period is 5 years. @*Conclusion@#The results of this trial will contribute to establishing the optimal indication for TSH suppression therapy in low-risk papillary thyroid cancer patients by evaluating the benefit and harm of lowering TSH levels in terms of recurrence, metabolic complications, costs, and quality of life.

The Impact of Mitral Annular Calcification on Left Ventricular Function in Nonagenarians

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is known to be associated with degenerative processes of the cardiac fibrous skeleton and cardiovascular disease mortality. However, MAC has not been evaluated in an extreme age group (patients > or =90 years of age). In this study, the clinical significance of MAC associated with aging was examined in this age group and compared with MAC associated with aging in a younger (20 to 50 years of age) group of patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We assessed echocardiographic parameters in 43 nonagenarians and 51 young patients. In the nonagenarian group, patient's age was 92+/-2 years and 27% were male; in the young control group, patient's age was 36+/-9 years and 51% were male. Comprehensive M-mode and Doppler echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging, were performed. The frequency and severity of MAC was assessed from the leading anterior to the trailing posterior edge at its largest width for least 3 cardiac cycles. RESULTS: Echocardiography showed that the left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension was larger in the young controls (p=0.007); however, the ejection fraction (EF) was lower in the nonagenarian group (p=0.001). The frequency of MAC was greater in nonagenarians {42/43 (97%)} than in controls {9/51 (17%), p<0.0001}. The maximal width of MAC was larger in nonagenarians (0.52+/-0.17 mm and 0.05+/-0.13 mm, p<0.0001). MAC was correlated with LV mass index (g/m2) (r=0.280, p=0.014) and EF (%) (r=-0.340, p=0.001). More importantly, early mitral inflow velocity/early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/E') was strongly correlated with MAC in non-agenarians (r= 0.683, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: MAC may be associated with extreme age and increased LV filling pressure in nonagenarians. Further study is necessary to assess the cardiovascular mortality and structural changes related to mitral annulus calcification associated with aging.

Vein Crossover Bypass Surgery for a Chronic Femoral Vein Ligation: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

A twenty six year old man was admitted to our clinic for bleeding from a venous ulcer of the left leg. His left femoral vein had been ligated for bleeding control after a traffic accident that happened when he was 5 years old. He had a varicose vein, stasis dermatitis, and a venous ulcer on his left leg. To shunt left femoral venous return to the right femoral vein, we did a crossover bypass with arteriovenous fistula using the right greater saphenous vein. To get good patency of the arteriovenous fistula, the bypass graft was closed 6 weeks after the initial operation. He maintained his left leg circumference relatively well for 6 months after the operation. We report the case of a patient who had a vein crossover bypass for a chronic femoral vein ligation.

Risk factors affecting graft stenosis and occlusion after coronary artery bypass graft surgery / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been a main treatment modality of ischemic heart disease since Sabiston reported the first CABG operation using a saphenous vein graft in 1963. However, graft stenosis that happens after CABG surgery is one of the main limitations of the procedure. We investigated risk factors that are related to graft stenosis and occlusion in patients that needed a coronary angiogram after CABG surgery. METHODS: From May 1995 to April 2004, we performed 348 CABG surgeries. Among them, we performed follow up coronary angiogram for 45 patients because of clinical indications, corresponding to 146 graft vessels. According to the angiography findings, patients with 27 graft vessels that showed stenosis or occlusion were defined as group S and patients with 119 graft vessels that showed no stenosis or occlusion were defined as group P. RESULTS: The mean patient age of group S is 59.44 (+/-8.549) years and the mean patient age of group P is 57.99 (+/-8.676) years. Group P patients had more stenotic native coronary arteries than group S patients, which is statistically significant (80.0+/-7.2% vs. 68.0+/-11.9%, p=0.005). Group S patients had a statistically significant lower postoperative HDL level than the level of the group P patients (40.4+/-15.9 mg/dL vs. 50.5+/-4.4 mg/dL, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: When performing CABG surgery and postoperative patient management, the severity of native coronary artery stenosis and the postoperative HDL level should be considered for better patient outcome.

Innominate Artery Injury by Blunt Chest Trauma: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Innominate artery injury by blunt chest trauma is rarely reported. This report describes a 40-year-old male who had innominate artery dissection and pseudoaneurysm caused by blunt chest trauma and was treated successfully by ascending aorta to innominate artery bypass graft. The patient recovered without any complications and was discharged one week after the operation.

Femoral Endarteritis as a Complication of Percutaneous Suture Closure Device: A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Percutaneous suture closure device is known as relatively safe and convenient tool, which can decrease not only bed rest period of patient but also time consuming effort of manual compression of doctor after femoral artery puncture. However [C1], there are also some reports on complication of its use. We report a 62-year-old male patient who had femoral artery endarteritis [0] with pseudoaneurysm as a complication of percutaneous suture closure device after percutaneous coronary angiography [C2]. He was treated successfully by appropriate antibiotics and vessel reconstruction using autologous saphenous vein patch.

Postoperative Echocardiographic Hemodynamic Comparison between Recently Available Bileaflet Mechanical Valves / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: There was no difference between the bileaflet mechanical valves on the midterm and longterm clinical outcome. We reviewed the hemodynamic comparison between recently available mechanical valves by Doppler Echocardiography. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed 396 postoperative hemodynamic datas (EOA, MDPG, and MSPG) by doppler echocardiography in 345 patients. Mechanical valves from 5 venders (Sorin Bicarbon, SJM, ATS, On-X, and Edward MIRA) were compared. There were 232 valves in mitral position, 162 in aortic, and 2 in tricuspid. RESULT: There were 178 men (mean age; 50.6+/-13.9 years old) and 167 women (52.6+/-14.6). MDPG/EOA of 27 mm in mitral position was Sorin; 4.2+/-1.5 mmHg/3.0+/-0.9 cm2, SJM; 2.3+/-1.2/3.5+/-0.6. In 29 mm, Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed 3.4+/-1.2/3.1+/-0.6, 3.3+/-1.1/2.7+/-0.4, 3.8+/-0.8/3.2+/-0.6, 4.0+/-3.0/3.1+/-0.9, 2.9+/-0.9/3.0+/-0.8. In 31 mm, Sorin, SJM, ATS, MIRA revealed 3.9+/-1.9/2.9+/-0.6, 3.5+/-1.2/3.0+/-0.6, 3.4+/-0.8/2.8+/-0.2, 3.7+/-1.5/2.7+/-0.7. In 33 mm, Sorin, SJM, MIRA revealed 4.4+/-0.9/2.5+/-0.4, 3.4+/-1.5/3.3+/-0.5, 4.7+/-2.4/3.0+/-0.3. MSPG/EOA of 19 mm aortic position was Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA 18.0 mmHg/1.2 cm2, 25.6+/-8.7/1.1+/-0.3, 25.9+/-12.6/1.2+/-0.3, 23.0/1.3, 27.9+/-7.1/1.2+/-0.1 in that order. In 21 mm, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed 18.3+/-6.7/1.5+/-0.5, 13.7+/-2.1/1.7+/-0.3, 17.0/1.4, 17.1+/-5.5/1.8+/-0.5. In 23 mm Sorin, SJM, ATS, On-X, MIRA revealed 14.0+/-4.6/1.7+/-0.6, 12.8+/-3.2/2.0+/-0.2, 16.8+/-12.2/2.1+/-0.9, 14.0/1.5, 15.0+/-5.5/1.8+/-0.5. In 25 mm, SJM and MIRA revealed 14.0+/-5.1/1.8+/-1.0, 11.0/2.3. There was no statistically significant difference in these values between the venders given the same position and size. 2 redo valve replacements were performed, 1 due to severe hemolysis in ATS and 1 due to leaflet immobilization in SJM. CONCLUSION: Postoperative hemodynamic comparison by doppler echocardiography shows no statistically significant difference between recently available mechanical valves in this country.

Papillary Fibroelastoma Causing Neurologic Symptoms in Patients with Valvular Heart Disease / 대한흉부외과학회지

A 43 years old female patient who had been diagnosed as having valvular heart disease but had not received any treatment invited and admitted due to progressive dyspnea. She was diagnosed as having aortic and mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation. Neurologic symptoms developed suddenly therefore, surgery was performed. In the operation field, there were many fungating tissue around the mitral valve annulus and left atrial wall. After operation, no neurologic symptoms were observed and pathologist revealed that fungating tissue was papillary fibroleastoma. The patient recovered and was followed in outpatients department.