The saphenopopliteal junction (SPJ) is found at various levels and has various patterns compared with the saphenofemoral junction. Although this can cause difficulty in the surgical treatment of varicose veins and affect the outcome, there have been few reports on preoperative assessment of the small saphenous vein (SSV) regarding this point. This study was undertaken to evaluate three-dimensional CT venography with dual-route injection for the preoperative assessment of a small saphenous-type varicose vein. We examined a total of 15 legs in 15 patients with a small saphenous-type varicose vein, which were preoperatively evaluated by CT venography and then surgically treated. The patients included 4 men and 11 women with ages ranging from 50 to 80 years old (mean age, 66 years). The grading of varicose veins according to the CEAP classification was C2, C3, C4, and C5 in 3, 4, 6 and 2 legs, respectively. The CT imaging was performed with contrast medium diluted ten-fold, which was injected into the great and small saphenous veins simultaneously. CT venography clearly visualized the lower extremity veins. Whereas the popliteal vein coursed deep above the level of the femoral intercondylar groove, it followed a shallow course below the level of the knee joint. In 11 legs (74%), the SPJ was located in the shallow portion, whereas it was in the deep portion in 4 legs (26%). Among the former group, the SSV was connected to the great saphenous vein via the Giacomini vein in 2 cases, and the gastrocnemius vein was connected to the SSV before the SPJ in 3 cases. Among the latter group, a localized large venous aneurysm with thrombus before its termination was found in one case. In another case, the SSV showed branched termination in the deep portion. Our three-dimensional CT venography with dual-route injection provides more accurate information on venous anatomy in the lower extremity. The accuracy of images acquired by CT venography with dual-route injection was verified by intraoperative findings. Although Doppler ultrasound is essential for examining the presence of regurgitation in the veins and locating the course of a varicose vein in the surgical field, all 15 cases had scheduled surgery under local anesthesia based on accurate preoperative diagnosis. This study suggests that CT venography with dual-route injection is beneficial in preventing undesired complications during surgery and avoiding additional procedures for recurrent varicose veins.

We performed aortic valve reconstruction (AVrC) using autologous pericardium for a patient with severe aortic stenosis and chronic renal failure, prior to kidney transplantation. The patient received kidney transplantation in the early phase after cardiac surgery. The case was a 61-year-old man with severe aortic valve stenosis who received dialysis due to chronic renal failure. We performed AVrC using autologous pericardium for the following reasons. Anticoagulant therapy is not desirable because of the need to perform kidney transplantation in the early phase after cardiac surgery. Implantation of prosthesis was not desirable because the patient requires oral immunosuppression therapy after kidney transplantation. There was no significant postoperative pressure gradient of the aortic valve orifice or aortic valve regurgitation (AR). The patient received kidney transplantation 113 days after surgery. AVrC using autologous pericardium was feasible for aortic stenosis patients in a patient waiting to receive kidney transplantation because anticoagulation therapy is not necessary after AVrC.

To re-examine the effectiveness of spa bathing for chronic pain. The comparison study was between spa bathing and usual hot baths, with 41 patients, 7 with rheumatoid arthritis, 11 with cerebrovascular hemiplegia, and 23 with vibration syndrome.
The patients bathed once a day for 10min, at 40°C and then once a day for six consecutive days for 10min. at 40°C
There was not much correlation between blood circulation and chronic pain: but spa bathing showed a significant longterm improvement in lessening pain than did hot bathing. The spa bathing in lessening was most efficacious 120min. and 180min. after bathing.

Femoropopliteal bypass (FP bypass) with woven Dacron grafts was performed in 159 legs of 122 patients from November 1980 to June 1993. The operative mortality rate was 0.8%. Actuarial analysis at 10 years for overall patency of FP bypass was 75.1% (mean follow-up 45.1 months). Both univariate and multivariate analysis revealed three risk factors affecting long-term patency; poor run off, difficulty in anticoagulation therapy and high serum cholesterol. The 5-year patency rate with these factors were 55.8% (p<0.01), 61.7% (p<0.01) and 63.9% (p<0.05), relatively. Therefore we recommend early surgical treatment, and strict control of anticoagulation and adequate treatment of hyperlipidemia are of great importance.

Twenty-two cases with delayed cardiac tamponade following open cardiac surgery were divided into three groups according to the color and hematocrit value of pericardial fluid. In 7 patients (group B) more than half of pericardial fluid consisted of the patient's blood (mean hematocrit 31%), in 9 patients (group D) there was less blood (mean hematocrit 8%), and in 6 patients (group E) it was serous. In group B, compared with group E, the patients had more often received postoperative anticoagulant therapy (100% vs 37%, p<0.05), more often developed excess anticoagulation (thrombo test<15%) (71% vs 17%, p<0.05), and had undergone longer cardiopulmonary bypass (260±74 vs 194±49min, p<0.05). Postoperative anticoagulant therapy seems to be a risk for delayed cardiac tamponade due to intrapericardial bleeding.

Atrial fibrillation is common in adults with atrial septal defect. A right atrial separation procedure was performed for the ablation of atrial fibrillation during the concomitant repair of atrial septal defect. The operation was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. A Y-shape incision was made in the right atrium, followed by cryoablation of the tricuspid annulus and the atrial septum. After the operation, all three patients recovered and maintained a normal sinus rhythm during follow-up periods of 12, 4, and 1 months. This is a simple and effective procedure for the elimination of chronic atrial fibrillation associated with atrial septal defects in adults.

Gelatin-resorcin-formalin (GRF) glue has been generally applied in the surgical treatment of acute aortic dissection. Recently, midterm or late redissection and false anastomotic aneurysm following the use of this adhesive have been reported in several articles and the toxicity of its component has been suggested to be involved in this complication. We herein report 2 cases of aortic root redissection a few years after the initial surgery for type A acute aortic dissection. In another hospital, a 57-year-old man had undergone total arch replacement for acute dissection in which the proximal end was repaired using GRF glue. The aortic root was revealed to be redissected by computed tomography (CT) 2 years after the intervention and continued to enlarge since then. This aortic complication was treated by composite graft replacement. The intraoperative findings of marked degeneration in dissected root tissue were impressive. The other patient was a 71-year-old man. He had undergone prosthetic replacement of the ascending aorta associated with aortic valve resuspension using GRF glue for acute dissection. Three years later, symptoms of cardiac failure due to aortic regurgitation (AR) occurred and necessitated surgical correction. The AR was due to the redissection of the non-coronary cusp sinus. Repair of the coronary sinus and aortic valve replacement was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful in both cases. Other papers have cautioned that this tissue adhesive should not be used in aortic valve resuspension. Intensive long-term follow-up is required for aortic dissection patients surgically treated using this glue.

A 73-year-old man underwent initial below-knee femoro-popliteal bypass (FPBK) using an autologous saphenous vein graft (SVG). Six years later, a sudden leg pain developed in his right lower extremity and an emergency angiography disclosed total occlusion of the external iliac artery as well as SVG. Because sufficient arterial perfusion was not obtained even after emergent thrombectomy, redo FPBK was performed using a synthetic graft. For the distal anastomosis, we reused a segment of the previous patent SVG that had been still open at the distal anastomotic site. After cutting down the SVG at the non-thrombosed part, which was 1cm long from the distal anastomosis, 6mm ringed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft was anastomosed to the stump in an end-to-end fashion. The proximal anastomosis was completed between the ePTFE graft and common femoral artery in an end-to-side fashion. The postoperative angiography demonstrated no stenosis of the distal anastomotic site and no occlusion of previous SVG. In a patient requiring redo FPBK, if previous SVG is not completely thrombosed at the distal anastomotic site, reutilizing the graft is one of the options to complete the redo operation in a safe and simple way. Because the long term patency of this type of composite graft has not been established, further careful observation is needed.

Infected femoral artery aneurysm is difficult to treat because of the risk of reinfection and anastomosis. The treatment of choice has been a topic of much controversy. Revascularization is mandatory for limb salvage after excision of infected grafts. Revascularization requires various ingenious techniques such as retro-sartorius bypass and obturator bypass. We treated a patient with suspected infection of an aorta-femoral graft, using femoro-femoral crossover bypass in front of the pubis and inside of the thigh muscle. We performed complete debridement of infected tissue. After resterilization of the operative field once more and exchange of all the instruments we performed revascularization detouring around areas of focal infection, using autogenious vein graft through the front of the pubis and inside of the thigh muscle to reach the left superficial femoral artery.

A 65-year-old man had acute Stanford type A aortic dissection complicated with upper extremity paralysis, 7 months after coronary artery bypass grafting. The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) appeared patent on CT angiography. However, color Doppler ultrasonography revealed malperfusion of the SMA. Progressive metabolic acidosis indicated bowel ischemia. Although antihypertensive therapy was selected due to possible injury of the right internal thoracic artery (RITA) graft at thoracotomy, revascularization of the SMA and reconstruction of axillary arteries were indicated due to increased paralysis and acidosis. Following anastomosis of a saphenous vein graft between the iliac artery and the SMA, the color and movement of the small intestine apparently improved. The axillary artery was transected and reconstructed with fenestration. Metabolic acidosis improved after SMA bypass but before superior axillary artery reconstruction. Upper extremity paralysis improved. Seven days later, however, he complained of sudden onset of back pain associated with hypotension, which was due to cardiac tamponade. He underwent replacement of the ascending aorta, elevation of the aortic valve, and reimplantation of the radial artery graft. He had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged with no remaining complaints. In this case, treatment of upper extremity and bowel ischemia was selected prior to central operation, and irreversible damage was avoided. Color Doppler ultrasonography was helpful for diagnosing bowel ischemia before progression to necrosis. It must be remembered that patency diagnosed with CT angiography does not necessarily rule out mesenteric ischemia.