Novel Technique of Aortic Valve Repair

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the results of a newly developed aortic valve repair technique. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between December 1997 and April 2005, 75 aortic valvuloplasties were performed using a new technique that addressed the 3 main components of the aortic root; annulus, sinotubular junction and leaflet. An internal synthetic strip and ring were implanted along the fibrous annulus to reduce the annulus and sinotubular junction, and additional leaflets were implanted for leaflet correction. Based on the primary pathology, there were 35, 22 and 18 cases of isolated aortic regurgitation, aortic regurgitation due to ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic regurgitation due to annuloaortic ectasia, respectively. RESULTS: The average age of the subjects was 46.4+/-16 years; there were 51 and 24 males and females, respectively. There was no operative mortality, with a 2-year freedom from reoperation rate of 97%. Follow up echocardiograms showed significant improvements in the grade of aortic regurgitation, from a preoperative mean of 3.1+/-1.2 to 1.08+/-0.7 immediate postoperatively, to 1.15+/-0.6 at the final follow up. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study showed this technique to be effective in the treatment of aortic regurgitation of various causes. Although long-term results are pending, it is our contention that this aortic valve repair technique will be a reliable method in the future.

Off-pump Reoperative Coronary Artery Bypass by Thoracotomy and Laparotomy : A case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

The incidence of reoperative coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has increased because of the rise in the number of patients who have undergone initial CABG. In addition, recent technological advances have resulted in widespread application of off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). We report a case of redo OPCAB through thoracotomy and small laparotomy in 76-year-old man with recurrent unstable angina.

Combined Heart and Kidney Transplantation in Patient with Postpartum Cardiomyopathy and Renal Failure / 대한흉부외과학회지

Heart and kidney transplantation has made great progress in the modern era. Coupled with the growing successes in individual solid organ transplantation, there has also been an increase in the number of multiple organ transplants, such as heart-kidney transplantation. This trend has been in part due to a better understanding of immunobiology, advances in surgical technique and postoperative care, and an often-common pathologic association between dual-organ failure. This pathologic course is representative for end-stage heart failure leading to secondary renal dysfunction or failure, or for end-stage renal failure as a cause for (uremic) cardiomyopathy. However, refractory cardiac failure has long been considered a contraindication to kidney transplantation. Additionally, cardiac transplantation has been denied for patients with end-stage renal disease. Over recent years, combined heart-kidney transplantation has been offered to select patients who were once denied transplantation. We report the first experience of combined heart-kidney transplantation with one year follow-up results.

Successful Removal of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis with Extension into Inferior Vena Cava and Right Atrium / 대한흉부외과학회지

Abdominal tumors that can grow through vascular lumen and spread to the right heart are rare. Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a rare tumor that originates from the uterus and spreads through the vessels. Although histologically benign, tumor extension with mechanical obstruction of the inferior vena cava, right cardiac cavities, or even the pulmonary artery, may occasionally result in fatal outcome. The best treatment is complete surgical resection of the entire tumor using cardiopulmonary bypass and total circulation arrest. We report a case of intravenous leiomyomatosis of the uterus that showed intravascular growth up to the right atrium. The patient underwent successful resection of the tumor by one-stage cardiotomy with laparotomy.

Surgical Treatment of Traumatic Rupture of Thoracic Aorta / 대한흉부외과학회지

Background: Although traumatic thoracic aortic rupture is potentially a fatal condition requiring surgical attention, the presence of concomitant injury involving other parts of the body may greatly increase the risk of cardiopulmonary bypass. We report our experience of treating associated injuries prior to the thoracic aortic rupture in these patients. Material and Method: From 1997 to 2003, the medical records of 24 traumatic aortic rupture patients were retrospectively reviewed and checked for the presence of associated injury, surgical method, postoperative course, and complications. Surgical technique comprised thoracotomy with proximal anastomosis under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest followed by side arm perfusion to reestablish cerebral circulation. CSF drainage was performed to prevent lower extremity paraplegia. Result: Major concomitant injuries (n=83) were noted in all of the reviewed patients. Of these, there were 49 thoracic injuries, 18 musculoskeletal injuries, and 13 abdominal injuries. Operations for associated injuries (n=16) were performed in 12 patients on mean 7.6+/-12.6 days following the injury. The diagnosis of aortic rupture at the time of injury was detected in only 18 patients. Delayed surgery of the thoracic aorta was performed on average 695+/-1350 days after injury and there were no deaths or progression of rupture in any of these patients during the observation period There were no operative deaths and no major postoperative complications. Conclusion: Treating concomitant major injuries prior to the aortic injury in traumatic aortic rupture may reduce surgical mortality and morbidity.

Colobronchial Fistula as a Late Complication of Esophagocologastrostomy / 대한흉부외과학회지

We report a case of colobronchial fistula, which is an extremely rare complication of esophagocologastrostomy. A 53-year-old man developed recurrent respiratory symptoms 30 months after colon interposition for corrosive esophageal and gastric strictures. Chest radiographs and computed tomography showed an aspiration pneumonia and total atelectasis of the left lower lobe(LLL). Esophagoscopy and barium esophagogram revealed fistula between the colon just below the esophagocolostomy and superior segment of the LLL. The colobronchial fistulectomy and left lower lobe lobectomy were performed. This rare complication should be considered in patients who develop recurrent productive cough whenever they drink or eat something after esophagocologastrostomy.

Colobronchial Fistula as a Late Complication of Esophagocologastrostomy / 대한흉부외과학회지

We report a case of colobronchial fistula, which is an extremely rare complication of esophagocologastrostomy. A 53-year-old man developed recurrent respiratory symptoms 30 months after colon interposition for corrosive esophageal and gastric strictures. Chest radiographs and computed tomography showed an aspiration pneumonia and total atelectasis of the left lower lobe(LLL). Esophagoscopy and barium esophagogram revealed fistula between the colon just below the esophagocolostomy and superior segment of the LLL. The colobronchial fistulectomy and left lower lobe lobectomy were performed. This rare complication should be considered in patients who develop recurrent productive cough whenever they drink or eat something after esophagocologastrostomy.

Clinical Characteristics of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis / 결핵

BACKGROUND: So far, there have been numerous reports on organ damage due to cryptococcosis, however, cases of lung localization have been infrequently reported. Recently pulmonary cryptococcosis has been reported more frequently than before due to enhanced diagnostic techniques and increased underlying diseases. METHODS: The author, therefore, analyzed the clinical manifestations of 5 cryptococcosis cases that we experienced at Hanyang University Hospital from 1985 to 1996 and 9 cases reported in Korea from 1984 and 1996 retrospectively. The following results were obtained. RESULTS: Cryptococcosis occured frequently over sixth decade and the male to female ratio was 3.6:1. Underlying diseases included acute rejection after kidney transplantation, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and state of bilateral adrenalectomy. Remaining 8 cases had no evidence of an underlying disease. Because the symptoms were subacute & nonspecific, and not improved by conventional antibiotics, 6 patients of 14 pulmonary cryptococcosis patients were treated as pulmonary tuberculosis before correct diagnosis was made. There were three asymptomatic cases. According to the results of CXR, solitary alveolar consolidation was the most common finding(8 cases) followed by diffuse infiltration(5 cases). It also showed pleural effusion, hilar lymphadenopathy and cavity formation that was rarely reported in world literature. The diagnosis was made through fine needle aspiration biopsy in 10 cases, open thoracotomy in 2 cases, transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 case and thoracentesis with pleural biopsy in 1 case. Only one case showed positive result in sputum stain and culture ,serum latex agglutination test for cryptococcus neoformans. Treatment modalities were various such as fluconazole, amphotericin B, flucytosine, ketoconazole, surgery and it's combination. After 1990 year, there was a trend that fluconazole or ketoconazole are more used than other therapeutic modalities. CONCLUSION: Because the symptoms are subacute & nonspecific and not improved by conventional antibiotics, pulmonary cryptococcosis is likely to misdiagnosis as pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea. Because the diagnostic yield of sputum stain, culture and serologic test for pulmonary cryptococcosis is low, histologic diagnosis is need in most pulmonary cryptococcosis.

Multiple Small Nodular Lung Lesions with Severe Dyspnea / 결핵

Diffuse panbronchiolitis is a chronic inflammatory lung disease of unknown etiology which is characterized by chronic airflow limitation and airway inflammation, predominantly localized in the respiratory bronchioles with infiltration of inflammatory cells, and has typical clinical, radiological and pathological features. Obstructive respiratory functional impairment, occasional symptoms of wheezing, and also cough and sputum resemble the feature of emphysema, bronchial asthma, or chronic bronchitis, respectively. We experienced a case of pathologically proven advanced diffuse panbronchiolitis in a 55-year-old man with productive cough and exertional dyspnea. The chest radiography showed multiple tiny nodular densities on whole lung fields. It was confirmed by thoracoscopy-guided lung biopsy and the patient was improved after initiation of treatment with low-dose erythromycin

Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema produced by air trubin dental drill / 대한흉부외과학회지

No abstract available.