Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with Weekly Paclitaxel for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Paclitaxel is an active agent against NSCLC and it has a radiosensitizing effect. We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of weekly paclitaxel administration along with concurrent radiotherapy for treating locally advanced and locally recurrent NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five previously untreated stage III or locally recurrent NSCLC patients received weekly paclitaxel (60 mg/m2) and concurrent radiotherapy. Chemotherapy was given on days 1, 8, 15 and 22. Concurrent radiotherapy at 1.5 Gy was given twice a day to a total dose of 54 Gy in 3.5 weeks. After the completion of CCRT, consolidation chemotherapy was delivered if possible. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 72% with one complete response and 17 partial responses. The median overall survival was 16 months with a 2 year survival rate and a 5 year survival rate of 38% and 24%, respectively. The rate of grade > 3 radiation pneumonitis was 16% (4 patients) and 2 patients were died from the pneumonitis. The rate of grade 3 radiation esophagitis was 12% (3 patients) and the hematologic toxicities were not significant. CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel with concurrent radiotherapy is effective for treating locally advanced and locally recurrent NSCLC, but radiation pneumonitis is the major toxicity and this is potentially fatal.

Surgical Treatment of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in the Rib: Two cases report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) involves disorders previously referred as "histiocytosis X" (including eosinophilic granuloma, Letterer-Siwe, and Hand-Schuller syndrome). Its clinical patterns are various and it is a basically benign tumoral condition but with a strong tendency toward dissemination and destruction. Its natural history is unpredictable. But, in solitary bone lesion, wide resection with tumor-free margin is required in order to provide the best chance for a cure. In the majority of patients LCH is a osteolytic lesion with a predilection for calvarium and is rarely seen in the skull base and the femur. LCH of rib, especially if solitary, is relatively rare. We report two rare cases of solitary LCH developed in the rib, which were successfully treated by surgical resection.

Midterm results of aortic root enlargement with AVR in patients with narrow aortic root and AS / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: For AVR using conventional prosthetic valves in adult patients with a narrow aortic root, aortic root enlargement is necessary to reduce postoperative pressure gradient across the aortic valve (deltaP). An evaluation of early and mid-term results of aortic root enlargement with AVR and echocardiographic follow up of deltaP and left ventricular function was performed. METHOD: From Aug. 1991 to Feb. 1998, eighteen patients aged 17 to 59 years(mean, 38+/-12 years) underwent Manouguian procedure with AVR. Aortic annular circumstance was enlarged 10.0mm to 18.0mm(mean, 12.6+/-6.3mm). Eight patients(44.0%) had NYHA class III status before operation, and seven cases of them underwent concomitant MVR. Valve pathology was ASr in 6 cases, AS in 4 cases, nd ASr+MSr in 8 cases. Replaced valve size was 21mm in 8 cases and 23 mm in 10 cases, and St. Jude Medical mechanical valve was used in 10 cases and Carbomedics in 8 cases. RESULT: Follow-up duration was 6 to 57 months (mean, 26+/-18 months), and total follow-up was 287 patient-year. There were one hospital death and one late death, therefore, actuarial survival rate was 85.7% at 56 months. Peak deltaP wad decreased significantly at postoperative mid-term period as 13+/-5mmHg, compared with thepreoperative one (42+/-8mmHg) (p<0.01). LVM(gm/m(2)) was also diminished as 35.8%(115+/-36gm/m(2))at postoperative mid-term period, compared with preoperative one (179+/-56gm/m(2))(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were no specific complications related to the procedure. And we could have adequate enlargement of aortic annulus to suitable prosthetic valve that have no effect of patient-prosthese mismatch.

Off-pump CABG for Unstable Angina Complicated With COPD / 대한흉부외과학회지

In an attermpt to aviod the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary by pass such as pulmonary complication neurologic complication and renal failure off-pump CABG has been rediscovered and developed. We experienced off-pump CABG in 2 cases with unstable angina complicated with COPD and report herein the cases with review of literature.

Clinical Study of Isolated and Combined Aortic Valve Replacement / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: To review the middle and long term results of aortic valve replacement(AVR) for 11 years, we surveyed and followed up the patients who underwent AVR. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between Feb. 1986 and May 1997, 134 patients underwent AVR. The patients consisted of 71 men and 63 women whose mean age was 38.9 years, ranging from 17 to 70. RESULT: The concomitant operations were 62 mitral valve replacement(MVR), 14 MVR + tricuspid valve annuloplasty, 10 Cabrol operation, 16 aortic annulus widening, and so forth. We used 119 mechanical(75 St. Jude Medical, 38 CarboMedics, 6 Sorin) and 15 tissue (Carpentier-Edwards) valves. Early postoperative complications occurred in 35 cases; 9 congestive heart failure, 6 low cardiac output, 5 postoperative bleeding, 5 pleural effusion, and so forth. There were 13 early postoperative deaths(9.7%) due to low cardiac output(5), CHF (2), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy(2), and so forth. The cumulative total follow-up period was 452.7 patient-years with a mean of 3.4+/-3.1 years/patient. There were 9 cases of valve-related complications; anticoagulant-related bleeding(4), prosthetic valve endocarditis(2), thromboembolism(2) and prosthetic valve failure(1) occured at rate of 0.9, 0.4, 0.4, 0.2%/ pt-yr, respectively. Late valve-related death occurred in 3 cases(2.0%/pt-yr) associated with anticoagulant-related bleeding(2) and prosthetic valve endocarditis(1). CONCLUSION: Actuarial survival rate by Kaplan-Meier method was 91.0+/-4.3 % at 11 years.

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery: Lower half sternotomy / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: There are several advantages to the ministernotomy approach. The skin incision is much smaller than the traditional median sternotomy incision. This approach allows the patients to return to normal life more quickly and provide them with good self-image. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From April to July 1998, we performed a ministernotomy via lower half sternum in 25 patients. There were 10 males(40%) and 15 females(60%) with a mean age of 30+/-16 years(range 3 to 55 years). The body surface area ranged from 0.58 to 1.9 m2(mean 1.5 to 0.4 m2). A vertical skin incision of 11cm in mean length was made in the midline over the sternum extending inferiorly from the third intercostal space. The sternum was divided vertically in the midline from the xyphoid process to the level of second intercostal space using a standard saw and then transversely to the left(n=17) or to both sides(n=4) of the second intercostal space using an oscillating saw. The sternum was divided vertically only in children (n=4). RESULT: The ministernotomy was used in 25 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valve replacement(n=10), repair of ventricular septal defect(n=4) and atrial septal defect(n=11). There was no significant complication related to ministernotomy. The mean ICU stay time 20 hours. Patient and family acceptance was very high. CONCLUSION: We concluded that minimally invasive cardiac surgery via ministernotomy can be done safely. These methods may benefit the patients with lesser discomfort, smaller incision, and earlier ICU discharge than the traditional incision.

Surgical correction of Tetralogy of Fallot / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: The authors studied factors that affected operative mortality and clinical course by analysis of 98 patients who had underwent total correction of TOF at department of thoracic surgery, Pusan Paik hospital from Sept, 1985 to Aug, 1996 to predict the outcome of operation and improve the result of total correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To analyse the factors that affect operative mortality, patients were divided into two groups, non-survivor (group I) and survivor (group II), compared body surface area (BSA), aortic clamping time (ACT), total bypass time (TBT), preoperative PRV/LV, postoperative PRV/LV, operation method between them. These same patients were also divided into two groups, group A (non-survivor or severe complication group) and B (survivor and only mild complication group), comparing the same items. RESULTS: There were statistical differences between group I and II about postoperative PRV/LV as 0.67+/-0.13, 0.46+/-0.15. There were statistical differences between group A and B about postoperative PRV/LV as 0.62+/-0.12, 0.44+/-0.15. Transventricular cases were predominant in group A, transatrial cases in group B (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We suggested that the operative results of TOF were better in cases of lower postoperative PRV/LV and transatrial approach.

Clinical Experiences of Open Heart Surgery / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: From Sept. 1985 to Sept. 1997, 2,000 cases of open heart surgery (OHS) were performed in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among the total of 2,000 cases of OHS, 1532 cases were congenital heart disease (CHD) and 468 cases were acquired heart disease (AHD). The age distribution was 9 days (4.0kg) to 68 years in CHD and 11 to 66 years in AHD. In 1532 cases of CHD, there were 1403 acyanotic cases and 129 cyanotic cases. RESULT: The CHD cases consisted of 940 ventricular septal defects (61.4%), 324 atrial septal defects (21.1%), 112 tetralogy of Fallot (7.3%), 46 pulmonary stenosis (3%), 38 endocardial cushion defects (2.5%), 15 valsalva sinus ruptures (1%), 4 transposition of great arteries (0.3%), 4 double outlet right ventricles (0.3%), and etc. Corrective operations were applied for congenital heart disease with a result of 3.1% hospital mortality. Of 468 AHD, 381 cases were valvular heart diseases, 48 ischemic heart diseases, 12 cardiac tumors, 8 annuloaortic ectasias, 16 dissecting aortic aneurysms and etc. In the 381 valvular heart diseases, there were 226 single valve replacements (36 aortic valve replacements (AVR), 188 mitral valve replacements (MVR), and 2 tricuspid valve replacements (TVR), among these were 71 cases of double valve replacements (AVR & MVR), 54 cases of MVR with tricuspid valve annuloplasty (TVA), and 18 cases of AVR, MVR with TVA. The total implanted prosthetic valves were 466. In MVR, 123 St. Jude Medical valves, 90 Carpentier-Edwards valves, 65 CarboMedics valves, 42 Sorin valves and 16 other valves were used. In AVR, 68 St. Jude Medical valves, 36 CarboMedics valves, 14 Carpentier-Edwards valves and 9 other valves were used. Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) were performed in 48 cases. The patterns of bypass graft were 14 patients of single vessel graft, 21 patients of two vessels graft, 10 patients of three vessels graft and 3 patients of four vessels graft. CONCLUSION: The hospital operation mortality rate of congenital acyanotic, cyanotic and acquired heart diseases were 2.0%, 15.5%, and 5.1% respectively. The overall mortality rate was 3.6% (72/2,000).

Hematologic Changes and Factors Related to Postoperative Hemorrhage Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)-induced hemostatic defects may result increased possibility of excessive hemorrhage and additional multiple transfusion reactions or reoperation. Particularly, fibrinolytic activation and decreased platelet count and function by CPB were proposed as a predictor of hemorrhage during postoperative periods in several reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Present study, which was conducted in 20 adult patients undergoing CPB, was prospectively designed to examine the hematologic changes, including fibrinolytic activation during and after CPB and to clarify the relationships between these changes and the magnitude of the postoperative nonsurgical blood loss. The serial blood samples for measurment of hematologic parameters were taken during operation and postoperative periods. Blood loss was respectively counted via thoracic catheter drainage at postoperative 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours and total period. RESULTS: The results were obtained as follows:Platelet count rapidly declined following CPB (p<0.01), which its decreasing rate was an inverse proportion to total bypass time (TBT, r=0.55, p=0.01), And platelet count in postoperative 7th day was barely near to its control value. Fibrinogen degradating product (FDP) and D-dimer level significantly increased during CPB (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively), and both of fibrinogen and plasminogen concentration correlatively decreased during CPB (r=0.57, p<0.01), implying activation of fibrinolytic system. Postoperative bleeding time (BT), postoperative activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and postoperative prothrombin time (PT) were significantly prolonged as compare with each control value (p=0.05, p<0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively). Total blood loss was positively correlated with patient's age, aortic clamping time (ACT) and TBT, while there was negative correlation between platelet count and blood loss at pre-CPB, CPB-off and the 1st postoperative day, and in some periods. Postoperative aPTT and postoperative PTwere positively related to postoperative 6 hr and 48 hr blood loss (r=0.53, p=0.02; r=0.43, p=0.05) but not to total blood loss, whereas there was no relationship between postoperative BT and blood loss at any period. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that CPB results various hematologic changes, including fibrinolytic activation and severe reduction in platelet count. Diverse factors such as age, platelet count, ACT, TBT and postoperative aPTT and PT may magnify the postoperative bleeding. This study will be a basic reference in understanding CPB-induced hemostatic injuries and in decreasing the postoperative hemorrhage.

A Study on Risk Factors for Early Major Morbidity and Mortality in Multiple-valve Operations / 대한흉부외과학회지

To define the risk factors affecting the early major morbidity and mortality after multiple-valve operations, the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative informations were retrospectively collected on 124 consecutive patients undergoing a multiple-valve operation between October 1985 and July 1996 at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Pusan Paik Hospital. The study population consists of 53 men and 71 women whose mean age was 37.9+/-11.5 (mean+/-SD) years. Using the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, 41 patients (33.1%) were in functional class II, 60 (48.4%) in class III, and 20 (16.1%) in class IV preoperatively. Seven patients (5.6%) had undergone previous cardiac operations. Atrial fibrillations were present in 76 patients (61.3%), a history of cerebral embolism in 5 (4.0%), and left atrial thrombus in 13 (10.5%). The overall early mortality rate and postoperative morbidity was 8.1% and 21.8% respectively. Among the 124 cases of multiple-valve operation, there were 57 (46.0%) of combined mitral valve replacement (MVR) and aortic valve replacement (AVR), 48 (38.7%) of combined MVR and tricuspid annuloplasty (TVA), 12 (9.7%) of combined MVR, AVR and TVA, 3 (2.4%) of combined MVR and aortic valvuloplasty, 2 (1.6%) of combined MVR and tricuspid valve replacement, and others. The patients were classified according to the postoperative outcomes; Group A (27 cases) included the patients who had early death or major morbidity such as low cardiac output syndrome, mediastinitis, cardiac rupture, ventricular arrhythmia, sepsis, and others; Group B (97 cases) included the patients who had the good postoperative outcomes. The patients were also classified into group of early death and survivor. In comparison of group A and group B, there were significant differences in aortic cross-clamping time (ACT, group A:153.4+/-42.4 minutes, group B:134.0+/-43.7 minutes, p=0.042), total bypass time (TBT, group A:187.4+/-65.5 minutes, group B:158.1+/-50.6 minutes, p=0.038), and NYHA functional class (I:33.3%, II:9.7%, III:20%, IV:50%, p=0.004). In comparison of early death (n=10) and survivor (n=114), there were significant differences in age (early death:45.2+/-8.7 years, survivor:37.2+/-11.6 years, p=0.036), sex (female:12.7%, male:1.9%, p=0.043), ACT (early death:167.1+/-38.4 minutes, survivor:135.7+/-43.7 minutes, p=0.030), and NYHA functional class (I:0%, II:4.9%, III:1.7%, IV:35%, p=0.001). In conclusion, the early major morbidity and mortality were influenced by the preoperative clinical status and therefore the earlier surgical intervention should be recommended whenever possible. Also, improved methods of myocardial protection and operative techniques may reduce the risk in patients with multiple-valve operation.