With the prevalence of atrial fibrillation and the increasing use of intracardiac pacemakers, the incidence of isolated tricuspid regurgitation is gradually increasing. Severe isolated tricuspid regurgitation has a seriously negative effect on the survival rate and life quality of patients. As the major invasive therapy, surgery is not routinely carried out due to high perioperative mortality. This article attempts to summarize the etiology, natural course and adverse consequences of isolated tricuspid regurgitation, current treatment strategies, surgical indications and techniques, efficacy evaluation, prognostic factors and transcatheter treatment progress of isolated tricuspid regurgitation, aiming to provide references for cardiologists and further researches.
Objective To review our experience of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting （MIDCAB） via a lower median ministernotomy in 72 cases. Methods Via a lower median ministernotomy,the left internal mammary artery was harvested to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery. Saphenous vein was resected and used for single - or multi-vessel coronary revascularization on the beating heart. Results There were 1 operative death （1.4 % ）. Complications occurred in 3 patients （4.2%）. The operative duration was 195.6 ± 50. 6 min. The number of distal anastomoses was 2.3±0. 8（1-4）. The median time to tracheal extubation, and lengths of postoperative ICU and hospital stays were 11 hours, 3 and 9 days, respectively. Total chest drainage was 8. 54±5.9 ml/kg and 47 patients needed blood transfusion with an amount of 1 091.3±636.2 ml. The incision on the chest wall was 9 to 11 cm long in all cases. Sixty-six patients （92.9%, 66/71） were followed-up for a duration of 36.2±17.6 months. There were no late death and 43 patients （65.2%） were free from angina. Eighteen patients （27.3%, 18/ 66） experienced marked relief of their symptoms. Conclusions MIDCAB is possible via a lower ministernotomy for single - or multi-vessel coronary revascularization. The small incision reduces the risk of infection and blood loss. It is safe, easy and requires no special operative instruments.
Heart failure is a leading cause of death in human populations. Because of the insufficient numbers of donor hearts, ventricular assist as a way for the treatment of heart failure and its clinical use is increasing. Initially ventricular assist devices were approved as a bridge-to-recovery indication, and these systems are now increasingly being used as a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) , destination therapy (DT) or permanent support. According to the different structure and working mechanism, ventricular assist device is generally divided into three generation. This review makes a summary on the type of blood pump and its research progress in clinical application.
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an effective method for the treatment of coronary heart disease at present. However, there is still a high rate of vein graft occlusion after CABG, which has a serious impact on the short and long-term clinical results. Venous access technique has been considered as an important factor on affecting the long-term patency rate. Compared with harvesting technology of the open saphenous vein harvesting, no-touch technology retained the surrounding tissue and vascular adventitia of great saphenous vein, and it avoided the high pressure of expansion vein. After CABG was performed by using the no-touch technique, the vein grafts obtained a better short and long-term patency rate, but the effect still needs further clinical verification.
Objective To analyze the causes of mechanical valve dysfunction and the reconstructive surgical procedure, and summarize the treatment experiences in perioperative period. Methods From October 1996 to October 2008, 12 276 patients underwent mechanical valve replacement in Fu Wai Hospital. Thirtytwo of them were reoperated because of mechanical valve dysfunction. There were 12 male and 20 female aged from 1661 years with an average age of 43.8 years. All the reoperations were performed under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, including 16 mitral valve replacement, 8 aortic valve replacement, 3 aortic and mitral valve replacement, 3 tricuspid valve replacement, 2 disc rotation and 1 excision of an excessive knot. There were 13 emergency operation and 19 elective operation. Results The time of ventilator assistant respiration was 5.1-144.0 hours.The median time was 15 hours and tracheostomy was needed in 2 cases. Six patients died after reoperations, the mortality rate was 18.8%(6/32). Three died of low cardiac output syndrome, 2 died of multiple organ failure and 1 died of malignant arrhythmia. Three cases had complications. There were 1 infective endocarditis, 1 intractable hiccup and 1 incisional infection, respectively. They were all cured and discharged. Conclusion Prosthetic valve dysfunction is one of the serious complications after mechanical valve replacement. Early detection, early diagnosis and early reoperation are needed.
Abstract: Objective To study the impact of different kinds of mechanical circulation support devices on plasma free hemoglobin(FHb). Methods From Mar. 2004 to Dec. 2005, 20 patients received mechanical circulation support in Fu Wai Hospital, who were divided into 4 groups according to the different type of supporting devices. 9 got extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, 8 received BVS5000 left ventricular support, 2 got MEDOS left ventricular support and 1 received AB5000 left ventricular support. Random control group included 9 cardiotomy patients after CPB supporting and 9 patients with offpump coronary artery bypass grafting during the same period. Parameters such as FHb, Tbil, Dbil, Cr and BUN were monitored throughout the supporting term. The results were compared according to the different types of mechanical circulation support devices. Results The elevation of FHb caused by CPB could be decreased to normal within 1d. However, in BVS5000 group, the elevated FHb level decreased to normal till 2 days later. The others mechanical circulation support devices such as ECMO, MEDOS, AB5000 elevated the FHb throughout the whole supporting period. Compared with those in ECMO group, the patients in BVS5000 group had obviously lower level of FHb since the third day after the beginning of supporting. In patients who got ECMO treatment, there was a trend that the elevation degree of FHb was lower in those with support flow rate less than 2.5 L/min. For most patients got devices support, there was also an elevation of Tbil and BUN level during the supporting period. Conclusion Mechanical circulation support devices, such as ECMO, BVS5000, MEDOS and AB5000, can cause red cell destruction in acceptable level. BVS5000 has much smaller impact on cell destruction than others do in postoperative patients.
Abstract： Objective To compare minimally invasive technique with multiple short incisions and traditional open technique for great saphenous vein (GSV) harvesting in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods Fortyseven patients underwent first time CABG between November 2007 to January 2009. These patients included 37 males and 10 females with their age ranged from 43 to 78 years and their average age was 61.3±84 years old. The patients were prospectively randomized into the minimally invasive harvesting group (group A,n=21) and the traditional open harvesting group (group B, n=26). For group A, we adopted the method of minimally invasive technique with multiple short incisions, while for group B, the traditional long incisions were adopted. The incision length, GSV harvesting time, lower limbs suture time and incision complications were compared between the two groups. Results During harvesting, no injury to the saphenous vein trunk or complications related to the quality of venous grafts occurred in both groups. There were no significantly differences in the number of venous grafts and the GSV length between the two groups. Group A had significantly longer GSV harvesting time than group B (51.9±11.5 min vs. 40.3±7.6 min,P=0.000). However, incision length (16.1±4.1 cm vs. 49.2±7.2 cm, P=0.000), incision suture time (11.0±3.0 min vs. 33.6±4.8 min,P=0.000) and lower limbs total operation time (62.6±14.9 min vs.73.8±11.6 min,P=0.006) in group A were much shorter than those in group B. Fortyseven patients were followed up (100%) and the followup time ranged from 3 to 26 months. The rate of leg wound complications such as serous exudates, hematomas and wound infection was 4.8% (1/21) in Group A and 34.6% (9/26) in Group B. These complications were all cured with additional treatments. Group A had lower leg wound complication rate than Group B (Plt;0.05). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that minimally invasive technique for GSV harvesting can be performed at a satisfactory speed and helpful in decreasing the lower limb incision complication rate.
Objective To summarize the clinical experiences of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) which provides temporary cardiopulmonary assist for critical patients, and preliminary analysis of the cause of failure. Methods From February 2005 to October 2008, 58 adult patients (male 42, female 16) undergoing cardiogenic shock required temporary ECMO support. Age was 44.8±17.6 years, and support duration of ECMO was 131.9±104.7 hours. There were 24 patients (41.4%) with coronary heart disease, 11 patients (19.0%) with cardiomyopathy, 10 patients (17.2%) with cardiac valve disease,and 9 patients (15.5%) with congenital heart disease. Results 22 patients died in hospital. 11 patients (50%) died of multisystem organ failure, 5 patients (22.7%) died of refractory heart failure despite the ECMO support. Another patients died of bleeding and severe pulmonary hypertension etc. The percentage for patients need cardiac resuscitation before ECMO support and patients with acute renal failure treated by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) under ECMO support were obviously higher in dead patients than those in survivor patients (45.5% vs.19.4%, 40.9% vs. 5.6%; P=0.043，0.001). All of the discharged patients were reassessed, mean followup time were 15.6 months. Three patients died of refractory heart failure， 1 patient died of neurologic complications. The other 32 survivors were in good condition with cardiac symptom of New York Heart Association class Ⅰ or Ⅱ. Conclusion ECMO offers effective cardiopulmonary support in adults. Early intervention and control of complications could improve our results with increasing experience. Combining using CRRT during the ECMO support is associated with significantly higher mortality rate. Suffered cardiac arrest prior to ECMO also influences the survival.