Early and Midterm Results of Hybrid Endovascular Repair for Thoracic Aortic Disease / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: A hybrid procedure using an open surgical extra-anatomic bypass of aortic arch vessels and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is less invasive than open surgery, and provides a suitable proximal landing zone. Here we report our experience with a hybrid TEVAR procedure at a single center. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with thoracic aortic disease who received a hybrid TEVAR procedure between August 2008 and January 2010. Patients' data were prospectively collected and mean follow-up was 10.8+/-5.5 months (range 3~20). RESULT: Nine patients (7 males and 2 females) with a mean age of 63.8+/-15.8 years (range 38~84) underwent a hybrid procedure. Five patients had an arch or a proximal descending aortic aneurysm, two had a dissecting aneurysm of the descending aorta, and two had an aneurysm of the ascending arch and descending aorta. Mean expected mortality calculated by logistic EuroSCORE was 21%. Six patients underwent debranching and rerouting from ascending aorta to arch vessels, 2 had carotid-carotid bypass grafting, and 1 underwent carotid-axillary bypass grafting. Mean operation time was 221.4+/-84.0 min (range 94~364). Deployment success of endovascular stent grafting was 100% with no endoleak on completion angiography. There was no mortality, and a small embolism in the branch of the right opthalmic artery in one patient. During follow-up, one intervention was required for the endoleak. Actuarial survival at 20 months was 100%. CONCLUSION: Early and mid-term results are encouraging and suggest that hybrid TEVAR procedures are less invasive and safer and represent an effective technique for treating thoracic aortic disease.

The Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Superior Turbinate Pneumatization on Computed Tomography / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Middle turbinate pneumatization (MTP; concha bullosa) is a common anatomic variation, and superior turbinate pneumatization (STP) was also described. However, there has been little study of the STP and its clinical significance. In this study, we tried to determine the prevalence of STP. We also evaluated whether STP correlates with MTP, inflammation of posterior ethmoid or sphenoid sinus. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Patients with sinonasal symptoms and for whom paranasal sinus computed tomography (PNS CT) scans was performed between August 2008 and January 2009 were evaluated. A retrospective review of CT scans of 112 patients (224 sides) was done for STP, MTP and paranasal sinus haziness. RESULTS: We found STP in 37 patients (33%)-bilaterally in 14 and unilaterally in 23 patients, and in 51 out of the 224 sides (22.8%). The prevalence of STP in CT without mucosal hazziness is higher (29%) than that in CT with mucosal hazziness (15%). MTP was found in 70 sides (31.2%). There was no association between the presence of STP and MTP. No correlation was found between STP and posterior ethmoid or sphenoid sinus inflammation. CONCLUSION: STP is a not infrequently found anatomic variation and may not be related with MTP and adjacent sinus inflammation

Nonocclusive Mesenteric Ischemia That Developed during Redo-doubleValve Replacement Surgery, and This Was Caused by Acute Aortic Dissection / 대한흉부외과학회지

Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a rare complication that occurs in about 0.05% of patients after open- heart surgery, and NOMI refers to the mesenteric ischemia that's caused by splanchnic vasospasm without occlusion of the great intestinal vessels. In the presently reported case, NOMI developed to maintain the blood flow to the heart and brain after several minutes of a hypotensive status and the latter was caused by acute aortic dissection that complicated an aortic cannulation procedure. Unfortunately, the patient died even though the problems were diagnosed early and proper treatment was administered. Early diagnosis of NOMI by angiography and the selective infusion of vasodilators are thought to be the only way to improve survival for patients with clinically suspected NOMI.

Repeated Pulmonary Metastasectomy in Patients with Osteosarcoma / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is a standard treatment for pulmonary metastases in patients with osteosarcoma, but the role of performing repeated resections is not clear. This study was designed to clarify the feasibility of performing a repeated pulmonary metastasectomy and the prognostic factors for pulmonary metastases in patients with osteosarcoma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 1990 and July 2005, 62 patients with osteosarcoma were diagnosed with pulmonary metastases and 36 patients underwent pulmonary resection. We reviewed the patients retrospectively. RESULT: The total number of pulmonary metastasectomies was 62 in 36 patients. Among 36 patients, 18 had a second metastasectomy, 7 had a third metastasectomy, and one patient had a fourth metastasectomy. There was no distinctive difference between the first and second metastatectomy in terms of median survival time, and the 3-year and 5-year survival rate (first resection: 20.5 months, 32.6% and 29.4%; second resection: 11.3 months, 34.9% and 34.%). However, the median survival time (7.1 months) was shorter in patients with a third metastatectomy than in patients with one metastatectomy (p=0.01). In long-term survivors, the number of female patients, patients with a disease free time longer than 12 months, patients with a single metastasis and patients with anatomic resection was larger when compared to non-long term survivors, but showed no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Repeated pulmonary metastasectomy is expected to prolong survival time in patients with osteosarcoma, and is expected to increase long-term survival in selected cases. Further studies with a large number of patients are necessary.