Hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, skin eruption and hypotension were noticed following transfusion of 11 units of fresh blood during mitral valve replacement in a 57-year-old man. Irregular antibody incompatibility was suspected. Further investigation revealed anti Lewis-a antibody. Three of 11 units of transfused blood were positive for the indirect Coombs test. The patient recovered without renal failure, and was discharged. One year later, he had urgent re-MVR due to malfunction of the prosthetic valve. Hemolytic transfusion reaction had occured after the administration of donor blood which had been showed to be compatible by cross matching. This means that antibody titer diminishes with time, and that posttransfusion screening tests should minimize the unexpected hazards of incompatible blood transfusion. We recommend that antibody screening tests should be routinely performed after open heart surgery, to minimize the risk of hemolysis during future reoperation.

Problems with postoperative respiratory management of three patients after division of double aortic arch are described. Tracheomalacia was present in two of three cases with intracardiac anomalies of different types. Intracardiac anomalies of each patient were as follows: Patient 1, ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect and pulmonary valve stenosis (PS); Patient 2, VSD, corrected transposition of the great arteries with PS; Patient 3, VSD with pulmonary hypertension (PH). In patient 1 and 2, no concomitant surgical intervention was performed for tracheomalacia. In these patients respiratory support had been continued for 41 and 60 days respectively. In patient 3, remaining VSD with PH was the cause of unexpected respiratory problem even after the successful division of the double aortic arch, and necessitated emergency VSD closure 49 days after the initial operation. The patient was extubated on postoperative day 12. Tracheomalacia is a life-threatening problem even after surgical division of the double aortic arch. Although prolonged respiratory support was needed, our two cases were successfully extubated without concomitant surgical intervention of tracheomalacia. Severe cases should be operated on simultaneously with the relief of vascular ring and tracheomalacia. Intracardiac anomalies are also the causes of prolonged intubation. Patient 3 should have been treated by pulmonary artery banding along with the division of aortic arch. In conclusion, precise evaluation of the existence and severity of the tracheomalacia and intracardiac anomalies is of utmost importance to overcome postoperative respiratory failure and for eventual satisfactory results.

From January 1979 through May 1982, 36 premature infants less than 2.5kg and less than 35 weeks of gestation, including 24 patients with respiratory distress syndrome, underwent ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) due to being unresponsive to medical treatment. Ten patients died postoperatively mainly from intracranial hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis. Surviving 26 patients were examined for developmental sequelae based on questionnaire survey. One infant died of respiratory failure secondary to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia 28th month after operation. We found no evidence of recurrent ductal patency following ligation during the follow-up period. Twenty four patients exhibited normal motor and mental development to attend the ordinary elementary school everyday, but one patient shows mental retardation. Most of patients suffered from the frequent upper respiratory infection in childhood to require rehospitalization. There are no patients with hoarseness, but 2 patients developed funnel chest and one required the operation. One third of the patients had ophthalmological handicap (myopia or strabismus). Surgical ligation of PDA in premature infants seems to reduce the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Analyzing long-term follow-up indicates that infants who undergo PDA ligation grow almost normally and do not appear to be at increased risk for sensorineural handicaps. Therefore we emphasize that surgical ligation of PDA is an effective and appropriate treatment of choice for significant PDA in premature infants.

Clinical course and outcome of 34 patients with peripheral and visceral artery aneuryms, operated during 1975-1990, were analysed. There were 24 males and 10 females. Ages ranged from 14 to 87, with an average of 55 years. Peripheral aneurysms located most frequently in the lower extremity, and the incidence of various origin of the aneurysms were as follows: 14 in femoral, 5 in popliteal, 4 in internal iliac, 3 in subclavian, 2 in common iliac arteries, and 1 in each of vertebral, radial, splenic, renal and anterior tibial artery. Most common cause of aneurysm was arteriosclerosis. Multiple aneurysms were found in 59% of sclerotic type and in most of these with bilateral aneurysms in the iliac, femoral and popliteal. Ruptured aneurysms were seen in 26% of this series. Most of the aneurysms in the extremities were totally excised without difficulty, while the aneurysms in common iliac and internal iliac were opened with partial excision or obliterated with endoaneurysmorrhaphy. Arterial reconstruction was performed using saphenous vein graft or synthetic vascular graft, excepting that the internal iliac artery itself was not reconstructed. The early operative results were satisfactory, but late results showed two death and three complications of cardiovascular system. Therefore, careful follow up of the postoperative patients was recommended.