Atrial fibrillation (AF) is difficult to cure for its complex etiology and long disease duration. Heart failure, sudden death and stroke are the main causes for consequent high mortality and morbidity. In recent years, minimally invasive surgery has made rapid progress, not only improved treatment efficiency of traditional Cox Maze procedure but also massively reduced surgical injuries, and has become a preferred treatment strategy for lone AF. Minimally invasive surgery and catheter ablation complement each other, and are likely to open up a new prospect of AF treatment.
Surgical aortic valve replacement is the primary choice for the treatment of aortic valve stenosis. It can significantly improve the quality of life and life expectancy of patients, but some patients have risks such as advanced age and poor general conditions and can not receive open chest surgery. In 2002, a French doctor, Cribier, successfully performed transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) surgery on a patient with aortic stenosis. At present, the safety and effectiveness of TAVI surgery have been confirmed by many studies. However, its complications are also relatively common. This article summarizes the related reports at home and abroad.
Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease (PH-LHD) is the most common in various types of pulmonary hypertension. Although there are many treatments for pulmonary hypertension, it may be harmful when we adopt treatment without detrimental diagnosis and classification of pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, it is very crucial to have accurate diagnosis and classification of pulmonary hypertension before making treatment decisions. However, there are still some difficulties in the classification of pulmonary hypertension in clinical work. It is a great challenge with limited treatment to solve the PH-LHD which often has complicated pathophysiological mechanisms of precapillary and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension. Here, we review the research status of PH-LHD.
Objective To modify the method for aortic end strengthening in acute type A aortic dissection operation, and investigate its clinical efficacy. Methods We modified the method for aortic end strengthening in acute aortic dissection operation based on ‘Sandwich method’ in the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery of West China Hospital. From January 2006 to December 2008, twentyeight patients with acute type A aortic dissection underwent modified aortic end strengthening operation. We made adventitia turn over and enfold to strengthen the aortic end in 10 cases, and placed stripshaped felt or pericardium belts between dissection (between adventitia and intima)and inner intima and strengthened the aortic end by suture in 18 cases. The hemorrhage of anastomotic stoma and the postoperative early prognosis were observed. Results No bleeding complication was found in all the cases. Two cases died, one died of severe low cardiac output syndrome and another died of multiple organ failure. No nervous system complication was found except that 2 cases had delayed revival. No sternum and surgical incision related complication was found. The rest 26 cases were cured and discharged. Conclusion The modified method for aortic end strengthening can not only strengthen the aortic end but also make people be able to find the petechia of anastomotic stoma clearly, then stitch hemostasia could be done effectively. The method is easy to implement and effective, it should be extend in clinic.
Abstract: Objective To investigate the in vivo effective orifice area (EOA) and whether prosthesispatient mismatch (PPM) is going to happen after 19mm St.Jude Regent valves replacement were performed. Methods Twentythree patients with valvular heart diseases were divided into 2 groups according to aortic annular diameter. 19mm St. Jude Regent valves were replaced in aortic valve place (Regent valve group), and 21mm other doubleleaflet mechanical valves were replaced in aortic place (other valves group). All of the operations were accomplished under cardiopulmonary bypass in West China Hospital. All of the patients were followed up in 3 to 6 months after their surgery processes. Color Doppler echocardiography was used to measure the hemodynamic parameters in their followup. Then left ventricular mass (LV mass), EOA and effective orifice area index (EOAI) etc. were calculated and compared by using SPSS 12.0. Results No cardiac episodes were detected during the perioperative period and 36 months after operation. LVmass reduced in 36 months after operation in both groups. No statistical significance of EOA, EOAI and LVmass reduction were detected between the two groups. Conclusions (1)The EOA and in vivo hemodynamic effects of 19mm Regent valve are similar to 21mm other double leaflet mechanical valve. (2)It is safe to use 19mm Regent valve in those patients whose aortic annular diameter are small and need double valve replacement. Using 19mm Regent valve will not cause short time cardiac episodes and PPM. (3)More further works should be done to make sure what is the standard of PPM in Chinese people, such as enlarging the patients number and prolonging the followup time. (4) Further clinical and followup works should be done to make St.Jude Regent valve’s feature out.