BACKGROUND: The absorption coefficient of the arterial thrombus is 7~10 fold greater than that of arterial wall for the wave lengths of 480~510nm. This fact suggest that selective laser thrombus ablation could be possible without ablation of surrounding vessel wall in this wavelengths. METHODS: Pulsed dye laser(488nm, 2.2micros, 10Hz) thrombus ablation was investigated in viro. Ablation threshods of whole blood clot and normal aortic tissue were measured using a 1.5mm multifiber laser catheter(14x150microm). Whole blood clot samples were lasered to determine the ablation efficiency. The operative fluence was 80mJ/mm2. The transmission efficiencies of 488nm wave length through various transmission media(including contrast media of saline solution) were observed using a upsilon Fr arterial sheath filled with transmission medium. RESULTS: The ablation threshold for fresh whole blood clot in saline solution was 36.5+/-2.4mJ/mm2(9.0+/-0.6mJ/pulse) as compared with that for normal human aortic tissue which was over 405mJ/mm2(>100mJ/pulse)(p<0.05). Pulsed dye laser ablated whole blood clot with the efficiency at 0.026+/-0.009gm/J. The role of thrombus ablation was 0.154+/-0.056gm/min. This experiment also revealed that cotrast media(Ultravist(R) 370, Schering, France) allows light tramission of 488nm wave length at relatively high efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: These facts suggested that selective pulsed dye laser ablation of fresh intravascular thrombi can be obtained at relatively low energy fluence without damaging the surrounding vascular tissue. A new pulse dye laser delivery system such as catheter system or native coronary artery filled with contrast media, which has large area of frontfiring face, may facilitate a safe and effective thrombus ablation.
Absorption ; Catheters ; Contrast Media* ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Lasers, Dye* ; Sodium Chloride ; Thrombosis*

Successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of an internal mammary artery graft was performed in a 40 year old male patient who had recurrent angina soon after bypass surgery. Coronary angiography showed total occlusion of proximal portion of the left anterior descending artery and normal right coronary artery. Angiography of the left internal mammary artery graft revealed a tight stenosis (90% diameter narrowing) in the mammary artery at its insection into the left anterior descending artery.Angiography after the angioplasty demonstrated a widely patent graft (residual stenosis 10%) and translesional pressure gradient was 10 mmHg.
Adult ; Angiography ; Angioplasty* ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Insects ; Male ; Mammary Arteries* ; Transplants*

To determine factors involved in left ventricular aneurysm formation after transmural anterior myocardial infarction, 74 patients with a first myocardial infarction who underwent cardiac catheterization within 6 weeks of infarction were evaluated.Patients were divided into four groups depending on the status of the left anterioe descending artery(LAD) and the presence Group I(n=15);aneurysm with occluded LAD, Group II(n=16);no aneusrysm and occluded LAD, Group III(n=18);aneusrysm and patent LAD, and Group IV(n=25);no aneusrsm with patent LAD. Neither age, sex nor risk factors for coronary disease correlated with aneusrysm formation,but the duration of chest pain in patients with previous angina was significantly longer in group II(no aneusrysm with occluded LAD) compared with other groups(P<0.01). Single vessel disease was more commom in Group I and III(aneusrysm) compared with II and IV(no aneusrysm)(P<0.06). Collateral blood supply was more frequently observed in Group I and II(occluded LAD) compared with Group III and IV(patent LAD)(P<0.01) and was slightly less in Group I(aneusrysm) compared with Group II(no aneusrym)(P<0.07). Delta area decreasing rate of the left ventricle was significantly lower in Group I and III(aneusrysm)compared with Group II and IV(no aneusrysm)(P<0.01). Single vessel disease in assocition with poor collateral circulation tends to be a determinant of left ventricular aneusrysm formation after anterior myocardial infarction.
Aneurysm* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Collateral Circulation ; Coronary Disease ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Risk Factors

Myocardial bridging is a systolic compression(milking effect) of mainly the left anterior descending coronary artery with coronary angiography. This phoenomenon is known to occur when a segment of an artery travels through the myocardium. The function significance of this finding remains controversial. We identified angiographic systolic compression of the coronary artery in two patients and documented the coronary flow velocity patterns and coronary flow velocity reserve with intracoronary injection of adenosine. The intracoronary flow velocity patterns distal to the myocardial bridging segment of the left anterior descending artery show the attenuated systolic component and abnormal diastolic flow velocity pattern with the exaggerated early acceleration, a diastolic spike and dome shape of coronary flow. The coronary flow velocity reserve was reduced.
Acceleration ; Adenosine ; Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Myocardial Bridging* ; Myocardium

Recent studies showed effective early recannalization of infarct-related artery achieved by intravanous urokinase, but dosage of urokinase is still arbitary. Thirty-five patients with acute trasmural myocardial infarction were treated with intraveous urokinase from April 1984 to October 1988. The incidence of coronary thrombolysis, left ventricula function and effect on fibrinolytic system were investigated. Inital 18 patients recieved 0.5 to 2.0 million unitis of urokinase and remaining 17 patients received 3 million units of urokinase intravenously for 1 hour. Thirteen of 17 patients(76.4%) with 3 million units but only four of 18 patients(22.2%) with 0.5 to 2.0 million units showed patent infarct-related coronary artery. Left ventricular function was significantly better in patients with patent infarct-related coronary artery, and the difference was marked in anterior myocardial infarction. There were three local bleeding at puncture site in 3 million units group, one of which required transfusion. Thus, intravenous infusion of 3 million units of urokinase provide rapid reperfusion of infarct-related coronary arterty and myocardial salvage is more lkiely to occur.
Arteries ; Coronary Vessels ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Punctures ; Reperfusion ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator* ; Ventricular Function, Left

To evaluate the change in valvular morphology and occurence and severity of mitral regurgitation produced by PMV, 45 patients(33 women and 12 men,mean age 38+/-10 years) were studied using two-dimensional(2-D) and Doppler echocaediography before and 1-2 days after this procedure. Mitral valve area after PMV increased in all patients, from 0.9+/-0.2 to 1.8+/-0.4cm2(P<0.0001). In valve area estimation, the correlation between Gorlin`s method and 2-Dechocardiography was better(r=0.61, p<0.0001) than that between Gorlin`s method and Doppler pressure halftime(r=0.38, P<0.01) before valvuloplasty, but after the procedure Gorlin`s and 2-D image valve area correlated less well(r=0.33, P<0.05) than Gorlin`s-Doppler pressure halftime correlation(r=0.46, P<0.002). Before PMV, 37 patients had no mitral regurgutation, 7 had grade 1 and 1 had grade 2 mitral regurgutation. After PMV, new mitral regurgutation occurred in 14 patients, increased in severity in 5 patients and so mitral regurgutation newly developed or increased in severity in 19(42%) patients. There were no differences between the patients with and those without an increase in mitral regurgutation after PMV, in age, sex, caediac rhythm, initial mitral valve area, increase in mitral valve area and fluoroscopic calcification. However, morphologic characteristics especially mobility(P<0.01) and thickening(P<0.05) of mitral leaflets were better pressured, and EBDA/BSA(effective balloon dilating area/body surface area) was significantly smaller(P<0.02) in patients without an increase in mitral regurgutation. Thus, an increase in mitral regurgutation after PMV might be related to the features of valve morphology especially and thickand EBDA/BSA.
Female ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis

BACKGROUND: In survivors of acute myocardial infarction(ANI), reduced heart rate variability(HRV) has been demonstrated to be an independent predictor of sudden cardiac death and mortality. The heart rate variability can be examined and analyzed non-invasively and quantitated with 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring. In general, the patency of infarct-related artery appears to be one of the most important prognostic factor after AMI. Therefor, the correlation between infarct artery patency and HRV was examined in survivors of AMI. METHODS: The 24-Hour ambulatory electrocardiogram was performed in 23 patients with AMI and 20 normal controls, and analyzed for frequency & time domain HRV. HRV was recorded dwithin 7 days after AMI, and coronary angiogram was performed at 7th day after AMI. The AMI patients were divided into two groups, depending upon patency of infarct-related artery and correlated to clinical manifestations. Thirteen patients had patent vessel(Group 1) and ten patients had non-patent vessel(Group 2). Parameters of frequency domain HRV include LF, HF & LF/HF ratio and time domain HRV include SDNN, SDANN, SD, rMSSD and pNN50. RESULTS: All parameters of HRV was depressed in patients of AMI than in normal control(p<0.05). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was 54.1+/-10.6% in group 1 and 42.6+/-12.2% in group 2(p<0.05). The mean values of LF, SDNN, SDANN, and SD in group 1 and group 2 were 5.09+/-0.83msec2/Hz & 4.09+/-0.53msec2/Hz, 84.5+/-24.2msec & 59.0+/-11.8msec, 73.2+/-22.8msec & 50.5+/-12.6msec, and 37.8+/-13.1msec & 27.2+/-4.4msec(p<0.05), respectively. There was no difference between two groups in HF,rMSSD and pNN50. The location of infarction and thrombolytic therapy itself did not influence of HRV. The mean values of HF, SDANN, rMSSD and pNN50 in patients with LVEF<40% were reduced significantly than in patients with LVEF> or =40%. There was a significant correlation between LVEF and LF, between LVEF and HF and between LVEF and LF/HF ratio(r:0.55, p<0.05;r:0.67, p<0.05;r:-0.56, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: HRV was depressed due to reduced vagal activity in patients with AMI. The values of LF, SDNN, SDANN, and SD in group of patent infarct-related artery were reduced significantly than in non-patent group.
Arteries* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Survivors ; Thrombolytic Therapy

Pulmonary artery aneurysms are extremely rare. Even though their etiology or mechanism remain uncertain, congetial anenrysms follow the congenital heart defects which elevate the pulmonary artery pressure or increase the pulmonary blood flow and acquired aneurysms are developed by syphilis, mycotic change and atherosclerosis. Pulmonary artery aneurysms involve the artery trunk rupture and exanguination if untreated, there has been an emphasis in the need for surgical intervention whenever the diagnosis is made regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. Here we report a case of patient ductus arterious associated with main pulmonary artery aneurysm in 39 year old female patient with review of literatures.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Diagnosis ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rupture ; Syphilis

A case of right-sided infective endocarditis in a 22-year-old male with ventricular septal defect of perimembranous type, right ventricular(RV) infundibular and pulmonic valve stenosis was reported. The vegetations were found on the mural endocardium of RV infundibulum and pulmonic valve. Streptococcus viridans was identified in 5 consecutive blood cultures, Pulmonary embolism and septic infarction in the lung was associated with systemic embolization, which was manifested by left renal infarction. The RV infundibular stenosis was due to anomalous muscle bundle at the proximal portion. Therefore, we thought that the mechanism of RV infundibular vegetation was probably due to 'Venturi effect and turbulence'. Several clinical features which were found in this case were also reviewed.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Endocarditis* ; Endocardium ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Infarction ; Lung ; Male ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Viridans Streptococci ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Circulating B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been used as a marker of left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure, and known to be increased after exercise in healthy men as well as patients with left ventricular dysfunction. However, the relationship between exercise duration and BNP level, and the determinants of circulating BNP concentration during exercise have not been fully elucidated. For these reason, we measured circulating BNP level during exercise, and exercise-induced changes of cardiac function by echocardiography in healthy men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten healthy male volunteers (mean age 27+/-3 year-old) underwent symptom-limited bicycle ergometer in supine position for 30 min. The workload started at 25 W for 6 min with increment of 50 W every 3 min. Blood samples for BNP were obtained at baseline, every 1 min for first 3 min, 25 W, 75 W, 125 W, peak exercise and 10 min after resting. RESULTS: BNP level was increased only at peak exercise (mean:5.3+/-0.5 vs 7.7+/-4.1 pg/ml, median:5.0 vs 6.3 pg/ml, p<0.05), not during submaximal exercise, and sustained 10 minutes after exercise (190+/-25 watt, 14.9+/-12 min). Peak BNP level was significantly correlated with baseline BNP level (r=0.723, p<0.05), E' (0.18+/-0.04 vs 0.29+/-0.08 m/sec, r=-0.649, p<0.05) and E/E' (4.18+/- 0.87 vs 5.66+/-2.31, r=0.769 p<0.01) by bivariate correlation analysis, but correlated with only baseline BNP level by multiple linear regression analysis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Circulating BNP concentration was minimally increased only after peak exercise in young healthy men, not increased at submaximal exercise The BNP concentration after exercise is only determined by baseline BNP level, not by duration and workload of exercise.
Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Linear Models ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain* ; Supine Position ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Volunteers