BACKGROUND: There has been a change in the causes of aortic stenosis when comparence of rheumatioc aortic stenosis in recent year. Therefore, we studied the etiology factor of pure aortic stenosis. METHODS: The gross surgical pathologic features of the aortic valves were reviewed in 92 patients with pure aotic stenosis whom underwent aortic valve replacement at Yonsei University, Cardiovascular center between July 1989 and June 1994. RESULTS: The three most frequent causes were 1) calcification of congenital bicuspid valve in 30%, 2) degenerative calcification of aortic valve in 22%, 3) rheumatioc valvular change in 48%. The mean age at the time of aortic valve replacement for the entire series of patients was 54.4 years. The range of age was from 18 years to 77 years. Males predominated for degenerative disease and congenital bicuspid valves, but there were reversed rheumatic origin. One or more complications occured in 17% of patients undergoing operation. The surgical mortality was 3.3%. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that more common cause of aortic stenosis is non-rheumatic disease rather than rheumatinc origin.
Adult* ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mortality

No abstract available.
Heart Arrest, Induced* ; Oxygen*

BACKGROUND: Congenital aortic stenosis in children is characterized by "excessive" left ventricular hypertrophy with reduced left ventricular systolic wall stress that allows for supernormal ejection performance. We hypothesized that left ventricular wall stress was decreased immediately after surgical correction of pure congenital aortic stenosis. Also measuring postoperative left ventricular wall stress was a useful noninvasive measurement that allowed direct assessment for oxygen consumption of myocardium than measuring the peak systolic pressure gradient between ascending aorta and left ventricle for the assessment of surgical results. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between September 1993 and August 1999, 8 patients with isolated congenital aortic stenosis who underwent surgical correction at Yonsei cardiovascular center were evaluated. There were 6 male and 2 female patients ranging in age from 2 to 11 years(mean age, 10 years). Combined Hemodynamic-Ultrasonic method was used for studying left ventricular wall stress. We compared the wall stress peak systolic pressure gradient and ejection fraction preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULT: After surgical correction peak aortic gradient fell from 58.4+/-17.6, to 23.7+/-17.7 mmHg(p=0.018) and left ventricular ejection fraction decreased but it is not statistically significant. In the consideration of some factors that influence left ventricular end-systolic wall stress excluding one patient who underwent reoperation for restenosis of left ventricular outflow tract left ventricular end-systolic pressure and left ventricular end-systolic dimension were fell from 170.6+/-24.3 to 143.7+/-27.1 mmHg and from 1.78+/-0.4 to 1.76+/-0.4 cm respectively and left ventricular posterior wall thickness was increased from 1.10+/-0.2, to 1.27+/-0.3cm but it was not statistically singificant whereas left ventricular end-systolic wall stress fell from 79.2+/-24.9 to 57.1+/-27.6 kdynes/cm2(p=0.018) in 7 patients. For one patient who underwent reoperation peak aortic gradient fell from 83.0 to 59.7 mmHg whereas left ventricular end-systolic wall stress increased from 67.2 to 97.0 kdynes/cm2 The intervals did not change significnatly. CONCLUSION: We believe that probably some factors that are related to left ventricular geometry influenced the decreased left ventricular wall stress immediately after surgical correction of isolated congenital aortic stenosis. Left ventricular wall stress is a noninvasive measurement and can allow for more direct assesment than measuring peak aortic gradient particularly in consideration of the stress and oxygen consumption of the myocardium therefore we can conclude it is a useful measurement for postoperative assessment of congenital aortic stenosis.
Aorta ; Aortic Valve Stenosis* ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Equidae ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Myocardium ; Oxygen Consumption ; Reoperation ; Stroke Volume

BACKGROUND: The insulin resistance is common in the patients with essential hypertension, even in the absence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) or hyperlipidemia. It is well known that the offspring of patients with NIDDM have shown less insulin sensitivity compared with that of normal parents. But it is not yet known whether the insulin resistance is common in the offspring of patients with essential hypertension in Korea, who have no hypertension, NIDDM and hyperlipidemia. The aims of this study were to find out whether the insulin resistance exist in the middle aged normal offspring of the patients with essential hypertension and whether the insulin resistance is dependent on the metabolic abnormalities such as the body mass index(BMI), obesity and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: The serum lipid profiles and oral glucose tolerance test were performed. The anthropometrical measurement was done. The abdominal CT scan at umbilicus level and thigh CT was performed in the 11 offspring of parents with essential hypertension(group I;male : 7, female : 4)and 24 offspring of parents without essential hypertension, NIDDM, ischemic heart disease and hyperlipidemia(group II; male : 9, female : 15). RESULTS: The average age of group I was 44.1+/-6.9 years, and that of the group II was 47.5+/-9.5 years. There were no significant differences in the blood pressure, weight, BMI, waist to hip ratio, waist to thigh ratio. And there were no significant differences in the serum cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, serum Na, and plasma renin activities between both groups. Fasting plasma insulin and 2 hour insulin after 75gm glucose ingestion were significantly higher in group I than in group II(8.5+/-3.0mU/mL versus 5.0+/-1.8mU/mL, 61.6+/-31.7mU/mL versus 33.3+/-16.8mU/mL, p<0.05). The insulin sensitivity index was significantly lower in group I than in group II(355.1+/-92.6 versus 451.8+/-88.1, p<0.05). The visceral fat area was wider in group I than in group II(102.0+/-30.7cm2 versus 64.5+/-28.5cm2, p<0.05). The multiple regression analysis with the fasting plasma insulin and insulin sensitivity index as the dependent variables and family history of essential hypertension, visceral fat area and BMI as the predictor variables revealed that only the family history was associated with the fasting plasma insulin and insulin sensitivity index. CONCLUSIONS: The offspring of the parents with essential hypertension showed the insulin resistance with increased visceral fat area in comparison with the offspring of the parents without essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Eating ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Korea* ; Male ; Middle Aged* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Obesity ; Parents* ; Plasma ; Renin ; Thigh ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Triglycerides ; Umbilicus ; Waist-Hip Ratio

Recently non-invasive diagnostic imaging replaced the invasive catheter angiography in the diagnosis of vascular disease. Catheter methods are now almost confined to the purpose of intervention. Coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft still needs catheter technique because of small diameter and the cardiac motion. The last challenge for radiologists in this domain is to obtain a non-invasive imaging. Electron beam tomography(EBT) for high temporal resolution is able to obtain a coronary arteriogram or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), of which CABG imaging is quite useful for the evaluation of patency. In our experience as well as others, the accuracy of EBT angiogram in evaluating CABG patency revealed that the accuracy of patency of saphenous vein grafts(SVG) is high due to relatively wide lumen, short and straight course and less influence from cardiac motion. The sensitivity and specificity of patency of SVGs were 92%, 97% respectively in the prospective evaluat on and 100% each in the retrospective evaluation. A false positive and a false negative case are rudimentary errors in the initial learing period. In contrast the analysis of left internal mammary artery(LIMA) graft was difficult due to the inherent small size and the adjacent surgical clips provoking beam-hardening artifact; therefore, the method of combining 3 dimensional reconstruction and flow mode study was important in improving the accuracy of LIMA patency. The sensitivity and specificity of LIMA patency were 100% and 80% in both prospective and retrospective evaluation. Therefore, EBT angiography is an accurate non-invasive diagnostic modality for evaluating the patency of CABG, particularly in SVGs. The accuracy can be improved with the improvement of the EBT and the development of the image reconstruction software.
Angiography ; Artifacts ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Saphenous Vein ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Surgical Instruments ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Transplants ; Vascular Diseases

No abstract available.
Mitral Valve* ; Rupture*

The effect of thermocycling and surface finishing on the marginal fidelity of copings for a metal ceramic crown was examined. Methods for minimizing the loss of marginal fidelity were evaluated. The results were as follows ; 1. Thermocycling of ceramic metal coping resulted in increased marginal gap. 2. The greatest marginal gap occurred during the first thermocycling of the copings. 3. No additional distortion of marginal fidelity occurred when surface finishing and second thermocycling were completed after initial thermocycling. 4. The gab increases according to various treatment methods showed group 1 to be the highest values. 5. There was no significant difference between group 2 and group 3(p>0.05). 6. There was significant difference between group 1 and group 2, 3(p<0.05). 7. There was no significant difference among the measurement sites.
Ceramics* ; Crowns

The effect of thermocycling and surface finishing on the marginal fidelity of copings for a metal ceramic crown was examined. Methods for minimizing the loss of marginal fidelity were evaluated. The results were as follows ; 1. Thermocycling of ceramic metal coping resulted in increased marginal gap. 2. The greatest marginal gap occurred during the first thermocycling of the copings. 3. No additional distortion of marginal fidelity occurred when surface finishing and second thermocycling were completed after initial thermocycling. 4. The gab increases according to various treatment methods showed group 1 to be the highest values. 5. There was no significant difference between group 2 and group 3(p>0.05). 6. There was significant difference between group 1 and group 2, 3(p<0.05). 7. There was no significant difference among the measurement sites.
Ceramics* ; Crowns

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Prostheses and Implants*

No abstract available.
Catheters* ; Heart Defects, Congenital*