BACKGROUND: Recent trends suggest that minimally invasive cardiac surgery reduces postoperative morbidity and offers a cosmetic benefit. This study was performed to evaluate the CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay following a lower partial sternotomy and those of the median sternotomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A group of 26 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through lower partial sternotomy from August 1997 to July 1999 (A group) were compared to 45 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through median sternotomy from January 1996 to July 1997 (B group). The mean ages (46.4+/-14.6 years, A group and 46.8+/-13.2 years, B group) were similar. Operations were performed with central cannula and antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia. RESULT: There was no death in each group. No differences were found in CPB time, ACC time, OP time, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative complications were sternal splitting in a patient in group A and a patient with bleeding that required reoperation and a patient with delayed wound closure in group B. CONCLUSION: The lower partial sternotomy offered a cosmetic benefit, but does not significantly reduced the length of operative time and hospital stay. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery will be applied increasing because of the suggested advantage and choosing a proper operative technique will be helpful.
Adult ; Catheters ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Reoperation ; Sternotomy* ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Wounds and Injuries

Congenital bronchobiliary fistual is a rare disease with unclear etiology. An abnormal tract communicates the tracheobronchial junction to a hepatic segment, usually the left lobe. Billous sputum, a positive HIDA(o-Dimethyliminodiacetic acid) scan, and a trification at the level of the carina lead to the diagnosis, which can be confirmed by bronchoscopic contrast injection. We experienced a case of congenital bronchobiliary fistual in a 27-day-old girl. Our case is reported with literature reviews.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Rare Diseases ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the incidences, the risk factors, and the clinical course of the hyperamylasemia in patients who underwent open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty seven patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass were studied at Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, from July 1997 to June 1998. The thirty seven patients were divided into two groups, 13 patients in group I had normal serum amylase levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels of gorup II showed 54.3+/-4.6, 78.0+/-9.2, 372.0+/-103.4, 460.5+/-80.4, 280.4+/-46.6, and 131.0+/-15.6, preoperative, immediate postoperative, at postoperative 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, respectively. In group II, serum amylase level of the postoperative day 2 was the highest and was significantly higher than that of the preoperative day (p<0.001). Serum amylase level started to decreased at postoperative day 3 and returned to the normal level at postoperative day 7. Significant clinical symtoms of overt pancreatitis were not shown in patients in group II. The following perioperative variable such as diagnosis, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross clamping time, mean systemic pressure during bypass, and administration of steroid were compared between groups. There were no significant differences between groups. In all patients, Serum amylase level of postoperative day 2 and aortic cross clamping time were correlated significantly (p=0.047). CONCLUSION: Serum amylase level after cardiopulmonary bypass could be elevated postoperatively and serum amylase level of POD 2 was considered to have significant correlation with aortic cross clamping time. Shortening of aortic cross clamping time will help in reducing the hyperamylsemia. In this study, although significant clinical symptoms and overt pancreatitis were not seen from hyperamylsemic patients, careful clinical observation of hyperamylasemia would be necessary.
Amylases ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Constriction ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia* ; Incidence ; Pancreatitis ; Risk Factors ; Thoracic Surgery