From March 1988 to June 1994, 275 CarboMedics cardiac valve prostheses (199 mitral, 70 aortic and 3 tricuspid) were implanted in 226 consecutive patients(mean age 39 years, male/female 90/136) by one surgical team operating on adult cardiac patients at Kyungpook University Hospital. Total follow up represented 16,848 patient-months (mean 76 months) and follow up rate was 96%. One hundred and forty-nine patients (66%) wer in NYHA functional class III or IV preoperatively, and 204 patients (99.5%) were in class I or II postoperatively. Early mortality was 4.9% and late death was 9.3%. The actuarial survival at 81 months was 86.l2+/-3.1%. The linearized incidence of valve-related death, prosthetic valve thrombosis, anticoagulation-related hemorrhage, non-structural dysfunction and reoperation were 0.71%, 0.43%, 0.07%, 0.21%, and 0.14% respectively. The 81-month rate of freedom from all valve related complications and deaths including hospital mortality was 88.1+/-2.5%. Thee facts suggest that the CarboMedics cardiac valve has excellent result, low incidence of valve-related complications and no structureal deterioration.
Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valves ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Reoperation ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass can be avoided by "Off-pump" coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery. Recent studies have reported that OPCAB had the most beneficial impact on patients at highest risk by reducing bypass-related complications. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of OPCAB and conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CCAB) in patients with poor left ventricular (LV) function. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From March 1997 to February 2004, seventy five patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35% or less underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting at our institute. Of these patients, 33 patients underwent OPCAB and 42 underwent CCAB. Preoperative risk factors, operative and postoperative outcomes, including LV functional change, were compared and analysed. RESULT: Patients undergoing CCAB were more likely to have unstable angina, three vessel disease and acute myocardial infarction among the preoperative factors. OPCAB group had significantly lower mean operation time, less numbers of total distal anastomoses per patient and less numbers of distal anastomoses per patient in the circumflex territory than the CCAB group. There was no difference between the groups in regard to in-hospital mortality (OPCAB 9.1% (n=3) Vs. CCAB 9.5% (n=4)), intubation time, the length of stay in intensive care unit and in hospital postoperatively. Postoperative complication occurred more in CCAB group but did not show statistical difference. On follow-up echocardiography, OPCAB group showed 9.1% improvement in mean LVEF, 4.3 mm decrease in mean left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and 4.2 mm decrease in mean left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD). CCAB group showed 11.0% improvement in mean LVEF, 5.1 mm decrease in mean LVEDD and 5.5 mm decrease in mean LVESD. But there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study showed that LV function improves postoperatively in patients with severe ischemic LV dysfunction, but failed to show any difference in the degree of improvement between OPCAB and CCAB. In terms of operative mortality rate and LV functional recovery, the results of OPCAB were as good as those of CCAB in patients with poor LV function. But, OPCAB procedure was advantageous in shortening of operative time and in decrease of complications. We recommend OPCAB as the first surgical option for patients with severe LV dysfunction.
Angina, Unstable ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left* ; Ventricular Function, Left*

Bleeding due to cardiac perforation by endocardial pacemaker lead is a rare complication. We report one case of left hemothorax due to right ventricular perforation after the insertion of permanent transvenous pacemaker. Operative finding showed a pacing lead penetrating right ventricle, pericardium, and left pleura sequentially, but there was no evidence of hemopericardium.
Heart Ventricles ; Hemorrhage ; Hemothorax* ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardium ; Pleura

BACKGROUND: Reduction aortoplasty has been advocated for dilatation of the ascending aorta associated with aortic valve disease in older, high-risk patients. We report our results with modification of reduction aortoplasty and aortic valve replacement. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between July 2001 and December 2002, 14 consecutive patients who underwent modification of reduction aortoplasty, suture plication technique without excision of the dilated aortic wall, were reviewed. The mean age was 63.7+/-6.7 (50 to 75) years. Ten patients had congenital bicuspid aortic valve. Twelve patients had severe aortic valve stenosis and 6 had regurgitation of grade III~IV. The diameter of the ascending aorta was measured before and immediately after surgery and 6 and 12 months postoperatively using echocardiography or computed tomography. Follow-up was complete in an average of 14.7+/-5.4 (7 to 24) months. RESULT: There were no early postoperative deaths and no bleeding complications. Reduction aortoplasty with suture plication technique decreased the diameter of ascending aorta from 49.4+/-3.5 mm preoperatively to 33.2+/-3.4 mm postoperatively (p<0.001). During follow-up, there were no late deaths and no aneurysm recurrence on the ascending aorta. CONCLUSION: Suture plication technique of reduction aortoplasty without excision of the dilated aortic wall offers good early and short-term results in older, high-risk patients with dilatation of the ascending aorta associated with aortic valve disease. Surgical long-term results of our technique should be evaluated in further studies.
Aneurysm ; Aorta* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Aortic Valve* ; Bicuspid ; Dilatation* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Sutures*