BACKGROUND: Cold blood cardioplegic solution has been used to protect myocardium during open heart surgery with the hypothesis stating that it provides more oxygen supply to myocardium compared to crystalloid caridoplegic solution. We repeatedly infused cold blood cardioplegic solution to achieve myocardial protection. We biopsied a small portion of papillary muscle of patients with mitral valve replacement or double valve replacement during aortic cross-clamp time and evaluated the method of myocardial protection through the observation of changes in ultrastructure. We then analysed the relationship between changes in ultrasructure and peak postoperative CK-MB value and SGOT value. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We report observation on changes of myocardial ultrastructure, postoperative CK-MB and SGOT, and electrocardiogram in 31 patients who underwent cardiac operation. There were 11 males and 20 females, and they ranging in age from 28 to 69 years (mean score was 2.08+/-0.560, it was 2.37+/-0.558 at 40 minutes, and it was 2.36+/-0.523 at 70minutes. Mitochondrial score increased significant at 40 minutes. Mean value of postoperative peak CK-MB and SGOT were 37.3+/-17.061IU, 144.5+/-125.5IU respectively. We were not able to find any new Q were in EKG after the operation. There was no significant relationship between myocardium mitochondrial score and mean value of postoperative peak CK-MB and SGOT. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, with this study the cold blood cardioplegic solution was incomplete in preserving ultrastructure of myocardium even with satisfactory results in serum enzyme and EKG evaluation.
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cardioplegic Solutions ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Myocardium ; Oxygen ; Papillary Muscles ; Thoracic Surgery*

PURPOSE: Radiofrequency ablation of the great saphenous vein has proven efficacy with an excellent side effect profile, but it has the disadvantage of a lengthy pullback procedure. A new generation catheter (ClosureFast) was recently introduced to address the aforementioned procedural speed and the "ease of use" issues with using the principles of the segmental ablation technique. This study is done to report the early results after radiofrequency ablation with high ligation and using the ClosureFast catheter. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen limbs in 85 patients with great saphenous vein incompetence were treated between November, 2007 and June, 2009 with radiofrequency ablation with high ligation, and usually with adjunctive stab-avulsion phlebectomies. The patients were examined preoperatively and at 1 to 2 months postoperatively by using duplex sonography to determine the treatment's efficacy, as well as the adverse sequalae. RESULTS: The patients had an average age of 61.3+/-10.1 years (range, 32 to 80 years), and 22 (25.9%) were women. The pretreatment vein diameter measured in the supine position ranged from 5.0 to 20.0 mm (median, 8.5 mm). The total average operation time of the radiofrequency ablation with high ligation, except when performing phlebectomies, was 18.5+/-9.5 minutes. Serious complications such as deep vein thrombosis or neural injury were not observed. Paresthesia occurred in 7 limbs (5.8%). A thermal skin injury and thrombophlebitis were presented in one limb each, respectively, at the beginning period. The occlusion rate was 98.9% in 98 limbs on the follow-up at 1 to 2 months. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation with high ligation is feasible, safe and effective. However, long-term follow-up is needed in the future.
Ablation Techniques ; Catheters ; Extremities ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligation ; Paresthesia ; Saphenous Vein ; Skin ; Supine Position ; Thrombophlebitis ; Varicose Veins ; Veins ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: There has been controversy over the prevalence of recoarctation in infants treated by subclavian flap aortoplasty (SFA) for coarctation of the aorta. To assess the rate of recurrence of coarctation after SFA, we reviewed the surgical results of SFA in infants with coarctation of the aorta. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between 1986 and 1998, a total of 25 patients less than 1 year of age (12 neonates and 13 infants) underwent SFA for aortic coarctation. Age at operation was 3.0+/-3.0 months (mean +/- standard deviation); mean weight was 5.0+/-1.4kg. Classic SFA was performed in 20 patients, reversed SFA in 2 patients, subclavian artery reimplantation in 2 patients and the combined resection-flap aortoplasty in one. The aortic clamping time ranged from 20 to 88 minutes(mean 35.8 minutes). There were one operative death and two late deaths. There was no case of paraplegia or left arm ischemia in complications. Twenty-one (84%) of 24 hospital survivors were followed for 26.0+/-24.0 months. The risk of recoarctation in neonates (33.3%) was a little greater than infants (25.0%) without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that SFA resulted a relatively high incidence of recarctation in infants. It is desirable to select other methods of surgical treatment (combined resection-flap aortoplasty, extended end-to-end repair etc.) for severe isthmic coarctation or hypoplasia of the distal aortic arch in infants, instead of choosing SFA indiscriminately.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Coarctation* ; Arm ; Constriction ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Ischemia ; Paraplegia ; Prevalence ; Recurrence ; Replantation ; Subclavian Artery ; Survivors

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effect of myocardial protection with our cold blood cardioplegic solution and to observe the relationship between ultrastructural study and other evaluation methods and its effectiveness. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We evaluated the changes of myocardial ultrastructure using semiquantitative scoring system, CK-MB fraction, SGOT and LDH1/LDH2, and EKG in 18 patients undergoing valvular heart surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Right atrial auricular biopsies were taken before the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and shortly after the end of CPB. Myocardium-related serum enzymes & EKG were checked for 3 days of postoperative period and their postoperative peak enzyme value and observed new Q wave & ST segment elevation in EKG were choosen. RESULT: There were 8 males and 10 females, and their mean age was 55.6+/-13. Eight patients underwent valvular heart surgery and ten coronary artery bypass grafting. The mean CPB time was 119+/-29minutes and the mean aortic cross-clamp (ACC) time was 75.4+/-24 minutes. Before the start of CPB, the mean mitochondrial score was 1.28+/-0.53 and after the end of CPB, it significantly increased to 2.35+/-0.79. There was no evidence of perioperative myocardial infarction in terms of myocardiumrelated serum enzyme value and Q wave and ST change in EKG. There was no significant relationship between pre-CPB and post-CPB mitochondrial score and the mean time of CPB and ACC, and the mean value of postoperative peak CK-MB, SGOT and LDH1/LDH2, but there was relatively positive correlation of CPB time with peak LDH1/LDH2. CONCLUSION: Despite the apparent satisfactory results in myocardium-related serum enzymes & EKG, with this study using the cold blood cardioplegic solution, there were many changes in myocardial ultrastructures, and more studies are needed to obtain further information.
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biopsy ; Cardioplegic Solutions ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Arrest, Induced* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondria ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardium* ; Postoperative Period ; Thoracic Surgery*

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive techniques for open heart surgery are widely accepted in these days. There are minimally invasive approaches by the right or left parasternal incision and another approaches by mini-sternotomy of upper or lower half or sternum. We report the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive technique with right parasternal incision compared with the routine full sternotomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From April 1997 through February 1999, 20 patients (Group A) underwent minimally invasive cardiac operations. We chose 41 patients (Group B) whose preoperative diagnosis were the same and general conditions were similar and who underwent routine full sternotomy before April 1997. We compared A group and B group in many aspects. We performed routine full median sternotomy in B group but we did a minimally invasive technique through a small right parasternal incision in A group. RESULT: mean age was 36.1 years in both groups. In disease entities, there were 11 cases of ASD, 9 cases of mitral valve disease in group A, and 16 cases of ASD, 25 cases of mitral valve diseases in group B. In ASD, operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time of aortic occulusion time were 263 min, 82 min, and 41 min in group A and 180 min, 53 min, and 32 min in group B. In mitral valve disease, operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic occlusion time were 267min, 106 min, and 70min in A group and were 207 min, 82 min, and 69 min in group B. There were significant differences in operation time, CPB time, and ACC time between group A and group B. There was a significant difference in the amount of bleeding in postoperative day 1 between group A and group B of mitral diasease. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of bleeding in other comparisons. Mean length of incision was 8.7 cm in group A. There was no significant difference in postoperative complications between A group and B group. There was no mortality in either group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that this minimally invasive technique with right parasternal incision is cosmetically excellent but it is not effective in reducing operative time and there was no significant difference in recovery time and postoperative complications compared with routine full sternotomy.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mortality ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Sternotomy ; Sternum ; Thoracic Surgery*

The acute technical failure of endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions is most often due to the inability to re-enter the true lumen after occlusion is crossed in a subintimal plane. True lumen re-entry catheters are very effective at gaining wire passage back to the true lumen and facilitating successful endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions that would otherwise require open bypass. These case reports describe our initial experiences with a new catheter system (the Outback(R) LTDtrade mark catheter) that is designed to allow fluoroscopically controlled re-entry of the true arterial lumen after subintimal guidewire passage during recanalization procedures of arterial occlusions.
Atherosclerosis ; Catheters ; Femoral Artery

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to define the cardioprotective effects (hemodynamic, cytochemical and ultrastructural of the newly developed Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate (HTK) cardioplegia compared to DelNido cardioplegia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Seventy-nine isolated rat hearts were divided into three groups on the basis of techniques of cardioplegia infusion. Twenty-eight hearts (Group 1) were flushed with cold DelNido cardioplegia with every 40 minutes for 2 hours. Twenty-seven hearts (Group 2) were flushed with cold HTK cardioplegia for once during the 2 hours. Twenty-four hearts (Group 3) were flushed with cold HTK cardioplegia with every 40 minutes for 2 hours. Heart rate, left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), changes of +dp/dt max, coronary flow, and rate-pressure product value were measured at pre-ischemic, post-reperfusion 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes for hemodynamic study. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), creatine kinase (CK), CK- MB, troponin-I, myoglobin, and lactate were measured at pre-ischemic and post-reperfusion 45 minutes for cytochemical parameters. Mitochondrial scores were counted in 3 cases from each group for ultrastructural assessment. RESULT: In hemodynamic study, there were no significant differences among group 1, group 2, and group 3. However, the decrease values of heart rate in group 2 and 3 exhibited significantly lower values than in group 1. In cytochemical study, there were no significant differences among group 1, group 2, and group 3. However, the increase values of lactate in group 2 and 3 exhibited significantly lower values than in group 1. In ultrastructural assessment, the mean myocardial mitochondria scores in group 1, group 2, and group 3 were 2.14+/-0.10, 1.52+/-0.57, and 2.10+/-0.16. CONCLUSION: HTK solution provides adequate myocardial protection with some advantages over DelNido solution in isolated rat hearts.
Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cardioplegic Solutions ; Creatine Kinase ; Heart Arrest, Induced* ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Lactic Acid ; Mitochondria, Heart ; Myoglobin ; Rats* ; Troponin I

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is a promising method for image-guided surgery, providing robust functional images with relatively good cost-effectiveness. A cyanine vital dye indocyanine green (ICG) is a safe NIR fluorophore emitting 800~840 nm of light and has been used in numerous surgical procedures. The technique has been applied to lymph node navigation of gastric cancer surgery with an expectation of better visualization of lymphatic structures without any risk of radio-hazard compared with a “dual method” using both vital dyes and radioisotopes. Given the characteristics of ICG, such as fast distribution and quenching effect, diluted concentrations, such as 0.05~0.1 mg/ml, are thought to be optimal for sentinel node navigation. Injection into the subserosal layer is feasible; however, endoscopic submucosal injection has advantages of improved accuracy of the injection site and feasibility of injection one day prior to surgery; these advantages are preferred by some investigators due to a smaller number of sentinel nodes compared with injection in the operation theatre. The technology requires evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity, as well as the non-inferiority, compared with the dual method in a large cohort for justification as a safe node navigation method.
Cohort Studies ; Coloring Agents ; Fluorescence* ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Methods ; Optical Imaging ; Radioisotopes ; Research Personnel ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted

Peripheral venous hypertension is a rare complication in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Primarily, it is secondary to frequent venous accesses, thrombosis, and to other causes. Venous hypertension may cause pain and edema of the ipsilateral arm; increased venous pressure can prevent acceptable flow rates during dialysis. In this case report, we describe our experience using a Gore-Tex tube graft to treat a venous bypass complicated by peripheral venous hypertension with digital pigmentation and an ulcer with crust. Based on our experience, this technique is as an effective and low-risk surgical option to treat this condition.
Dialysis ; Edema ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Pigmentation ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Renal Dialysis ; Reoperation ; Thrombosis ; Transplants ; Ulcer ; Venous Pressure

Colpotomy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Obstetrics ; Patient Selection ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms