Non-heart-beating donor is an important source for lung transplantation, and has been successfully used in clinical practice for many years with satisfactory outcomes. But donor shortage, imperfect lung preservation techniques and ethical controversies still limit the development of non-heart-beating donor. In recent years, with continuous scientific progress, great progress has been made in each aspect of non-heart-beating donor. Here we review the clinical categories, ischemia time, death determination, ethical progress, and lung preservation techniques of non-heart-beating donor.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness and safety of Mei mini maze procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF). MethodsWe analyzed the clinical data of 207 patients with 111 males, 96 females at 58.9±14.8 years in our hospital between October 2010 and February 2014. Among them, 98 patients were with paroxysmal AF and 109 patients were with persistent AF. The procedure was performed through three ports on left chest wall. Radiofrequency ablation procedures of AF included pulmonary veins isolation and ablations of the roof and posterior wall of left atrium, which were achieved by bipolar radiofrequency ablation. Ganglionic plexus ablation was made by the ablation pen. Left atrial appendage was excluded. ResultsTime of the procedures was 112.4±32.5 minutes. No conversion to sternotomy or pacemaker implantation occurred and no patients died. The hospital stay was 7.2±3.1days. The mean follow-up time was 24.2±8.9 months. A total of 187 (90.3%) patients were in sinus rhythm. And 20 patients could not maintain sinus rhythm. Stroke, thrombus in the left atrium and stenosis of pulmonary vein were not found after their procedures. ConclusionMei mini maze procedure is safe and presents optimistic outcomes for the atrial fibrillation.