A case of Congenital Cardiac Anomaly Associated with DiGeorge Syndrome / 대한흉부외과학회지

The DiGeorge syndrome is a rare congenital abnormality consisting of aplasia or hypoplasia of the thymus and parathyroid glands resulting from malformation of the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches. This syndrome usually includes congenital cardiac anomalies and abnormal facial features. We experienced a case of congenital cardiac anomaly associated with DiGeorge syndrome. The patient was 1 month old boy weighing 3.5 kg. The congenital cardiac anomalies included ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, coactation of aorta, and patent ductus arteriosus. We performed one-stage operation with two separate incisions for these cardiac anomalies. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient at 6 months of follow up is doing well.

Partial Spontaneous Expectoration of Primary Endobronchial Leiomyosarcoma / 대한흉부외과학회지

Primary endobronchial leiomyosarcoma is a very uncommon tumor and its diagnosis by spontaneous expectoration of tumor fragment has never been reported in the literature, We report a patient with primary endobronchial leiomyosarcoma that was diagnosed by spontaneous expectoration of partial tumor tissue. The expectorated tissue was found to be pathologically consistent with leiomyosarcomal. Right lower lobectomy and all lymph node dissections were performed during the operation. Pathologic examination showed that the tumor was histologically identical to the patient's previous expectorated tissue and was confined to the bronchus and did not invade the adjacent pulmonary parenchyma and lymph nodes.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in the Elderly / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND:The number of old patients receiving coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) is increasing. With the more recent advances in operative techniques, the age at which CABG is indicated has also increased. This study evaluated the risk factors associated with the hospital mortality and the morbidity following CABG in elderly patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between March 1991 and June 1998, we retrospectively reviewed 45 consecutive patients aged 65 years or older who underwent CABG. We compared the data with the results of 179 patients under the age 65 years operated during the same period. RESULT: Mean age was 68+/-1.41 years(range 65 to 74 years). Emergency surgery was required in 4, and elective surgery in 41 patients. The mean number of distal anastomosis per patient was 3.62 +/-0.81 and mean aortic cross-cramp time was 69.84+/-18.5 minutes. Thirty patients had Canadian class III or IV preoperatively, but 43 patients had class I or II postoperatively. The left ventricular ejection fraction increased significantly from 54.23+/-10.62% preoperatively to 58.14+/-9.88% postoperatively(p.05). Incremental risk factors for hospital deaths in the elderly were emergent operation, preoperative PTCA, postoperative use of IABP and postoperative ARF(p<0.05). The duration of hospital stay after operation was significantly longer for the elderly group than the younger group(19.27+/-12.51 vs 15.55+/-6.99 days; p<0.05). Follow-up was complete for 34 of the hospital survivors and ranged from 1 to 73 months(mean: 23.58+/-19.56 months). There was no late mortality of cardiac origin. CONCLUSION: Age is an important factor in selecting optimal management for elderly patients with coronary compromise, but age alone should not dictate the choice of therapy. Coronary artery bypass surgery in the elderly is associated with acceptable early mortality and excellent long-term results.

Clinical Study of 80 Cases of Mitral Valve Operations Via Extended Transseptal Approach / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Among the various techniques for the adequate exposure of the mitral valve, the extended transseptal approach is the essential prerequisite for accurate repair or replacement of the mitral apparatus. But the efficacy and safty of the extended transseptal approach has not determined in Korea yet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data of 80 consecutive patients, operated from September 1992 to July 1997 were reviewed. Seventy- eight patients underwent mitral valve replacement and 2 patients underwent excision of left atrial myxoma. Thirty-eight of 78 patients had other concomitant procedures such as aortic valve replacement (n=22), tricuspid annulopasty (n=14), coronary artery bypass graft (n=1) and closure of ventricular septal defect (n=1). Mean follow up was 23.3+/-15.0 months and total follow up was 1792 patient-months. RESULTS: The hospital mortality rate was 3.8% (3 patients). Two deaths were due to low cardiac output and one due to postoperative bleeding of coagulopathy. Among the 46 patients who had atrial fibrillation preoperatively, 45 had atrial fibrillation postoperatively and 1 converted to sinus rhythm. All 34 patients who were in normal sinus rhythm preoperatively remained in sinus rhythm after the operation. Mean aortic cross clamping time was 62 minutes for isolated mitral procedure and 90 minutes for concomitant procedures. There were no specific complications related to this approach. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the extended transseptal approach is an easy and good method for mitral valve surgery, especially in patients with small sized left atrium.

Surgical Treatment of the Aortic Aneurysm / 대한흉부외과학회지

Aortic aneurysm has poor prognosis and high mortality, but the incidence of aortic aneurysm is in increasing state. From July, 1986 to July, 1996, we operated on 25 patients with aortic aneurysm and analysed the clinical results and relations between the duration from symptoms onset to operation (Sx-Op), the duration from admission to operation (Adm-Op), preoperative blood pressure, preoperative heart rate and postoperative mortality, retrospectively. The patients were classified as dissecting aneurysm (10 cases), abdominal aortic aneurysm (9 cases), Marfan's syndrome (3 cases), descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (3 cases). The operative technique were graft interposition in 17 cases, Bentall's operation in 4 cases, aneurysm bypass in 2 cases, and wrapping of aorta in 2 cases. Seven patients died of several causes, bleeding in 5 cases, acute renal failure in 1 case and respiratory failure in another one case. Before 1992, the early stage of operation, 6 mortality among 14 operated patients occurred, and after then 1 mortality among 11 operated patients occurred. Eighteen survivors were followed up from 1 to 118 months (mean 50.6 months), and total follow up was 911 patient-months. During the follow up period one patient died of melena 30 months after operation. The other patients did not complain chest pain or dyspnea. The surgical mortality was improved in the late period, and the major cause of death was intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. The Sx-Op duration, the Adm-Op duration, preoperative blood pressure and preoperative heart rate were proven to have no statistical relations with postoperative mortality.