ObjectiveTo summarize the clinical characteristics and the long-term results of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) in the chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients with unilateral main pulmonary artery occlusion.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 15 CTEPH patients with unilateral main pulmonary artery occlusion in Fuwai Hospital between 2004 and 2018. There were 11 males and 4 females aged 34.1±12.0 years at operation.ResultsThe mean circulatory arrest was 31.1±12.1 minutes. The ICU stay was 5 (2-29) d. The hospital stay was 15 (8-29) d. There was no hospital death. There was a decline in systolic pulmonary artery pressures (sPAP, 69.9±27.9 mm Hg to 35.1±9.7 mm Hg, P=0.020) after surgery. On postoperative V/Q scan, only 6 patients (40.0%) had significant improvement in reperfusion (≥75% estimated) of the occluded lung. There was no death during the median observation period of 49 months follow-up, while 2 patients had recurrence of pulmonary embolism.ConclusionCTEPH patients with unilateral main pulmonary artery occlusion represent a challenging cohort. PTE is a curative resolution in both early- and long- term results, although there is a high requirement of perioperative management and a high risk of postoperative complications and rethrombosis.
Objective To explore the clinical manifestations, computed tomography features, management and prognosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess complicated with septic pulmonary embolism. Methods The clinical data of patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess complicated with septic pulmonary embolism admitted to Dongnan Hospital of Xiamen University from January 2012 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Results There were 8 patients who had Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess complicated with septic pulmonary embolism. Fever occurred in all patients, respiratory symptoms were noted in 5 patients, abdominal pain occurred in 2 patients, endophthalmitis coexisted in 1 patient, and diabetes mellitus coexisted in 7 patients, with no chest pain or hemoptysis. In biochemical indexes, procalcitonin increased most obviously. Microbiological studies revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae in 8 patients. Chest CT showed peripheral nodules with or without cavities, peripheral wedge-shaped opacities, a feeding vessel sign, pleural effusion, and infiltrative shadow. One patient finally deteriorated to acute respiratory failure, and died due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or septic shock. There was one case of spontaneous discharge. A total of 6 patients were improved and cured. Conclusions The clinical manifestation of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess complicated with septic pulmonary embolism is unspecific and misdiagnosis rate is relatively high. The major characteristics of chest CT scan include peripheral nodules with or without cavities, peripheral wedge-shaped opacities and a feeding vessel sign. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis can be made based on these features combined with clinical data and primary disease (liver abscess).
Objective To compare right anterolateral minithoracotomy and traditional median sternotomy in the treatment of left atrial myxoma. Methods Forty-one patients with left atrial myxoma treated in our hospital from January 2009 to January 2018 were divided into two groups according to the operation method: a right anterolateral minithoracotomy group including 15 patients, with 7 males and 8 females, aged 45.1±15.4 years; a median sternotomy group including 26 patients, with 10 males and 16 females, aged 49.4±11.9 years. The clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results There was no significant difference in preoperative clinical data between the two groups. All patients completed the operation without perioperative death. There was no significant difference in the operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic clamp time or the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. However, compared with the median sternotomy group, the right anterolateral minithoracotomy group had shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay, and less volume of drainage and blood transfusion 24 hours after surgery (all P<0.05). After 3–106 months follow-up, no recurrence was observed in both groups. Conclusion Compared with traditional median sternotomy for left atrial myxoma resection, right anterolateral minithoracotomy is safe, effective and less traumatic. It can be used as a routine treatment for left atrial myxoma.
ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and efficacy of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). MethodsThe clinical data of 496 patients with DVT who were treated in our hospital from January 2010 to October 2014 were analyzed retrospectively, to compare the time of venous pressure decreased to normal (T1) and time of circumference difference decreased to normal (T2) in patients received pure therapy (control group) and pure therapy combined with IPC (combination group), according to different types of patients in acute, sub-acute, and chronic phase. In addition, comparison of the remission rate of pulmonary embolism (PE), incidence of PE, and recurrence of DVT was performed between the control group and combination group too. Results① For DVT patients in acute stage, the time of T1 and T2 of patients in central type, peripheral type, and mixed type who received anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis/catheter thrombolysis+IPC, were significantly shorter than those patients who received only anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis/catheter thrombolysis (P<0.05). For DVT patients in sub-acute stage, the time of T1 and T2 of patients in central type and mixed type who received anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis+IPC, were significantly shorter than those of patients who received only anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis (P<0.05), the time of T1 of patients in peripheral type who received anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis+IPC, were significantly shorter than those of patients who received only anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis (P<0.01), but the time of T2 of patients in peripheral type didn't differed between patients who received only anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis and anticoagulant therapy/systemic thrombolysis +IPC (P>0.05). For DVT patients in chronic stage, the time of T1 and T2 of patients in central type and mixed type didn't differed between patients who received only anticoagulant therapy and anticoagulant therapy +IPC (P>0.05); the time of T1 of patients in peripheral type who received anticoagulant therapy+IPC, were significantly shorter than those of patients who received only anticoagulant therapy (P<0.05), but the time of T2 didn't differed with each other (P>0.05). ② There were 63 patients in control group and 47 patients in combination group had PE before treatment. After the treatment, the PE symptom of control group relieved in 56 patients (88.89%, 56/63) and maintained in 7 patients (11.11%, 7/63), the symptom of combination group relieved in 44 patients (93.62%, 44/47) and maintained in 3 patients (6.38%, 3/47), so the remission rate of PE symptom in combination group was higher (P<0.05). There were 6 patients suffered from new PE in control group[4.26% (6/141)] and 0 in combination group[0 (0/245)] after treatment in patients who hadn't PE before treatment, and the incidence of PE was lower in combination group (P<0.05). ③ There were 325 patients were followed up for 3-36 months with the median time of 27 months, including 157 patents in control group and 168 patients in combination group. During the follow-up period, 74 patients recurred[47.13% (74/157)] in control group and 46 patients recurred[27.38% (46/168)] in combination group, and the recurrence rate was lower in combination group (P<0.05). In addition, 41 patients suffered from post-thrombotic syndrome[26.11% (41/157)] in control group and 27 patients[16.07% (27/168)] in combination group, and the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome was lower in combination group (P<0.05). ConclusionsIPC can significantly shorten the time of venous pressure and the circumference difference decreased to normal for DVT patients in acute stage and majority DVT patients in sub-acute stage, and it can relieve the clinical symptoms of PE, reduce the incidence rate of PE and recurrence rate of DVT. Therefore, IPC is a safe, reliable, and effective treatment for DVT patients in acute stage and majority DVT patients in sub-acute stage.
Objective To explore the clinical value of Wells score combined with thromboelastography (TEG) in rapid prediction of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Methods A total of 130 AECOPD patients admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Guangxi University of Science and Technology from January 2022 to March 2023 were selected as the study subjects. According to results of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of the pulmonary artery, the patients were divided into a PE group (n=37) and a non-PE group (n=93). Both groups underwent Wells score analysis combined with TEG. Thromboelastographic parameters were comparing between the two groups, including Wells score, reaction time (R time), reaction time (K time), coagulation index (CI), and maximum amplitude (MA). The diagnostic value of different prediction models to diagnose AECOPD with PE was compared, including Wells score, thromboelogram and Wells score combined with TEG. Results The Wells score of the patients in the PE group was significantly higher than that in the non-PE group, and R time of the patients in the PE group was significantly lower than that in the non-PE group. The K time, CI, MA and other parameter levels of the patients in the PE group were significantly higher than those in the non-PE group (all P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, and area under ROC curve of the combination of Wells score and TEG prediction model in diagnosing AECOPD complicated with PE were greater than those of the Wells score alone prediction model (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of Wells score and TEG has significant clinical value in quickly predicting AECOPD complicated with PE, and is worthy of clinical application and promotion.
Objective To explore the application value of artificial intelligence (AI) pulmonary artery assisted diagnosis software for suspected pulmonary embolism patients. Methods The data of 199 patients who were clinically suspected of pulmonary embolism and underwent pulmonary artery CT angiography (CTA) from June 2016 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Images of pulmonary artery CTA diagnosed by radiologists with different experiences and judged by senior radiologists were compared with the analysis results of AI assisted diagnostic software for pulmonary artery CTA, to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of this software and low, medium, and senior radiologists for pulmonary embolism. The agreement of pulmonary embolism based on pulmonary artery CTA between the AI software and radiologists with different experiences was evaluated using Kappa test. Results The agreement of the AI software and the evaluation of pulmonary embolism lesions by senior radiologists based on pulmonary artery CTA was high (Kappa=0.913, P<0.001), while the diagnostic results of pulmonary artery CTA AI software was good after judged by senior radiologists based on pulmonary artery CTA (Kappa=0.755, P<0.001). Conclusions The AI software based on pulmonary artery CTA diagnosis of pulmonary embolism has good consistency with diagnostic images of radilogists, and can save a lot of reconstruction and diagnostic time. It has the value of daily diagnosis work and worthy of clinical promotion.
ObjectiveTo investigate the risk or protective factors for systemic embolism (SE) in patients undergoing bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement (MVR). Methods Between October 2002 and March 2013, a total of 146 patients underwent bioprosthetic MVR. There were 78 females and 68 males with mean age of 66.23±5.17 years. The primary reason of mitral valve disease was mitral valve degeneration or mitral valve leaflet prolapse in 40 patients, rheumatic heart valve disease in 101 patients, ischemic heart disease in 3 patients, infectious endocarditis in 1 patient, and mechanical peri-valvular leak in 1 patient. All patients were given anticoagulation therapy with warfarin for 3 months. Thereafter, antithrombotic medication was prescribed according to the surgeon's preference. The patients were followed up by telephone or mail for postoperative condition and SE events. ResultsSixteen (10.96%) patients developed SE events, including cerebral infarction in 13 cases, transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 2 cases and spleen infarction in 1 case. A total of 16 patients died during follow-up. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year cumulative survival rate after surgery was 95.2%, 93.6%, 92.5% and 88.3% respectively. Patients with SE events had lower rate of left atrial appendage obliteration than those without SE events (25.0% vs. 78.6%, P=0.015). Multivariate analysis showed that left atrial appendage obliteration was an independent protective factor for SE in patients undergoing bioprosthetic MVR (P=0.041). ConclusionLeft atrial appendage obliteration is a major protective factor for systemic embolism in patients undergoing bioprosthetic MVR no matter what antithrombotic medication is taken.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants (Apixaban, Rivaroxaban, or Dabigatran) after joint replacement.MethodsCNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, CBM, PubMed, EMbase and The Cochrane Library databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on new oral anticoagulants after joint replacement from inception to October, 2019. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies, and then meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 13 RCTs were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that compared to Enoxaparin, the new oral anticoagulant significantly reduced the incidence of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (RR=0.60, 95%CI 0.46 to 0.78, P<0.000 1) and symptomatic DVT (RR=0.40, 95%CI 0.28 to 0.58, P<0.000 1), while the incidence of symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) during treatment (RR=0.91, 95%CI 0.59 to 1.39, P=0.65) and mortality (RR=1.00, 95%CI 0.40 to 1.76, P=0.99) were not reduced. Major bleeding (RR=1.05, 95%CI 0.81 to 1.35, P=0.72) and clinically relevant non-major bleeding events (RR=0.99, 95%CI 0.73 to 1.33, P=0.94) with new oral anticoagulants were not statistically different from Enoxaparin.ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that new oral anticoagulants can effectively reduce the incidence of DVT in patients after joint replacement without increasing the risk of adverse events such as bleeding. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify the above conclusions.
ObjectiveThis study was aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy using the AngioJet System for the treatment of lower extremity acute arterial embolism and thrombosis.MethodsThe clinical data of 20 patients with acute lower extremity arterial embolism and thrombosis admitted to the Department of Vascular Surgery in the People’s Hospital in Gansu Province where the author worked from September 2016 to March 2017, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with the AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy system. Clinical data of the patients were retrospectively collected. The clinical efficacy of AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy wasanalyzed.ResultsEighteen (90.0%) of the 20 patients successfully completed the mechanical thrombectomy by using the AngioJet System. The mean time for hospital stay and operation was (4.2±1.4) d and (1.3±0.4) h, respectively. The average doses of urokinase and heparin during operation were (35.80±12.30) ×104 U and (45.10±8.30) mg, respectively. Two patients received a complementary treatment of incision for removing the thrombus. Two patients received catheter-directed thrombolysis after the mechanical thrombectomy, 5 patients received bare-metal stent implantation after balloon expansion. Clinical success was in 16 cases. According to the Cooley standard, 10 patients were in excellent condition,6 in good condition, 2 in fair condition, and 2 in poor condition. There were 2 cases of distal arterial embolization,2 cases of antecardial discomfort of bradycardia, and 4 cases of bleeding at the puncture point, but no serious bleeding complications such as gastrointestinal and intracranial hemorrhage occurred. A total of 16 patients presented myoglobinuria during and after operation. All patients were followed up for 6–12 months. The results of ultrasound examination showed that the artery was patency in 15 cases. One patient died of myocardial infarction in 9 months after surgery,2 patients developed lower extremity ischemia symptoms again after surgery, and 2 patients had lower extremity ulcer caused by lower extremity ischemia symptoms. During the follow-up period, no lower limb necrosis, amputation, and death occurred in the remaining patients.ConclusionsThe AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy system is safe and effective. Combined with the use of catheter-directed thrombolysis and stent implantation, the AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy could lead to quick recovery of the perfusion of the lower extremity and improve the limb salvage rates, exhibiting excellent clinical value.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of thrombo embolism (TE) in Chinese hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed HCM patients admitted to West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The endpoints were defined as a composite of TE events, including ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, and peripheral arterial embolization. ResultsA total of 537 HCM patients were included with a median follow-up of 4.2 years. Forty-two patients reached the TE endpoint and the incidence was 1.9%. The annual incidence of TE was approximately 1.1% and 6.6% for HCM patients without/with atrial fibrillation, respectively. The recurrence rate of TE was high (approximately 26.2%). The mean age was 66.4±13.7 years for the first TE, and the incidence of TE was significantly increased at age ≥70 years. ConclusionThe incidence of TE is high in HCM patients, especially in those with atrial fibrillation, and the recurrence rate of TE is also high.