An 82-year-old male was hospitalized complaining of dyspnea for 1 year and aggravating for 2 weeks. He had been treated in other hospitals for several times due to such situation and his symptom could be relieved by diuretics. After admission, he was diagnosed as severe aortic stenosis with extremely low left ventricular contractile function; transthoracic echocardiography showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of only 16.1%. He was classified as a typical case of severe aortic stenosis with “low transaortic velocity and low transaortic gradient” since the transaortic velocity being 2.36 m/s and transaortic gradient being 22/14 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa). Dobutamine-stress echocardiography suggested that the patient’s left ventricular reserve function was extremely poor and the potential benefits of valvular surgery were finite as the former data being 2.59 m/s and 27/16 mm Hg respectively. In consideration of progressive exacerbation of the patient’s symptoms, we eventually conducted transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery with the support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. His symptoms such as dyspnea disappeared after the surgery and clinical parameters had also got a significant improvement.
ObjectiveTo share the experience of treating special cardiac malformations by applying minimally invasive techniques.MethodsEight children with special cardiac malformations admitted to our hospital from July 2014 to September 2020 were recruited, including 3 males and 5 females, aged 0.8-1.2 (1.1±0.4) years, and weighted 7.8-11.5 (9.6±2.9) kg. There were 2 patients of huge muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD), 3 perimembranous cribriform VSD, 1 right coronary-right atrial fistula, 1 right coronary-right ventricular fistula, and 1 young, low-weight child with large aortopulmonary. All were treated with minimally invasive techniques using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a guiding tool. All children received intraoperative TEE immediately to evaluate the curative effect of the surgery, and all went to outpatient clinic for reexamination of echocardiography, electrocardiogram and chest X-ray after discharge.ResultsEight children underwent minimally invasive surgery successfully without any incision infection, intracardiac infection, arrhythmia or pericardial effusion. None of the 8 children were lost to follow-up, and the results of all reexaminations were satisfactory.ConclusionThe application of minimally invasive techniques is a bold and innovative attempt for the treatment of a few special types of cardiac malformations. It has significant advantages in reducing trauma and medical costs in some suitable patients, and has certain clinical reference values.
ObjectiveTo explore the key points, indications and safety of trans-jugular transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) in infants.MethodsThe clinical data of 53 infants with ASD from January 2017 to May 2019 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. There were 20 males and 33 females with the age of 1.2 (0.5-2.9) years, and body weight of 9.0 (6.8-10.6) kg. The ASD diameter was 9.8 (8.0-14.0) mm. Thirty-one patients were treated under the guidance of transesophageal ultrasound (TEE), and the other 22 patients under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We used the steerable curved sheath through the internal jugular vein under the guidance of echocardiography, and the average occluder size was 13.5±4.5 mm.ResultsAll of the 53 patients were successfully occluded, and none of them changed to radiation-guided or transthoracic surgery. Postoperative hospital stay was 3.35±0.70 d. There was no complication such as peripheral vascular injury, occluder malposition or displacement, serious arrhythmia or pericardial effusion. The patients were followed up for 14.3±5.1 months without arrhythmia, residual shunt, occluder malposition or displacement or thrombus.ConclusionEchocardiography-guided trans-jugular closure of ASD for infants with low weight and large ASD shunt or patients with inferior vena cava abnormalities not suitable for femoral vein treatment, not only overcomes the radiation risk of radiation guidance, but also maintains the advantages of minimal invasiveness and safety, providing a new treatment option for such patients.
Aortic stenosis accounts for a large proportion of valvular heart disease in China. This article described an unusual case of severe aortic stenosis with severe cardiopulmonary decompensation treated by emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Preoperative assessment was performed by transesophageal echocardiography. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation team was informed to be ready. During the operation, no obvious perivalve leakage was observed after valve released. The transvalvular pressure gradient decreased to 7 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa).The patient’s symptoms were completely relieved after the operation, and no adverse events occurred during the hospitalization. After discharge, color Doppler echocardiography showed that stenosis was eliminated, cardiac function was improved, no significant perivalvular leakage was observed, and pulmonary hypertension reduced to moderate. The success of this operation confirmed the efficacy of emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and showed that after a rigorous evaluation, emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement may be a reasonable choice for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel wire for echo-guiding percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure.MethodsTwenty sheep were randomly divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group (n=10 in each group). In both groups, an animal model of ASD was established by transthoracic balloon dilatation, and percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect was finished only by echography guiding. The total procedure time, passing time (time needed for the guide wire to enter the left atrium), frequency of delivery sheath dropping into right atrium, frequency of arrhythmias and rate of complications were compared between the two groups.ResultsASD model was uneventfully established in all animals. ASD devices were successfully implanted in all sheep. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly less mean procedure time and mean passing time, lower frequency of guide wire dropping into right atrium and frequency of atrial and ventricular premature contractions, respectively (15.36±4.86 min vs. 25.82±7.85 min, 2.69±0.82 min vs. 5.58±3.34 min, 0% vs. 40.0%, 4.41±2.61 vs. 9.60±3.68, 0.75±0.36 vs. 1.34±0.68; all P<0.05) . Two groups did not have serious complications within postoperative one week.ConclusionThe novel wire system is not only safe and effective in the treatment of ASD occlusion, but also easy to operate.
目的 探讨四维经食管超声心动图（4D-TEE）在瓣膜修复中的作用。 方法 2016 年 1 月我院对 3 例行二尖瓣修复和 1 例行主动脉瓣膜修复的患者采用西门子 SC2000 4D-TEE 进行术前术后评估，其中男 2 例、女 2 例，年龄38～59 （48.0±10.5）岁。同期采用二维经食管超声心动图指导二尖瓣和主动脉瓣修复的 13 例患者作为对照，其中男 8 例、女 5 例，年龄43～67（56.4±7.5）岁。 结果 术中 4D-TEE 可实时显示瓣叶的各项参数，如不同节段瓣叶高度、交界区面积、瓣叶面积、对合面的大小、窦管交界大小，瓣膜运动形态、主动脉管壁位移等信息。可根据内置软件建立个性化的瓣膜几何模型，动态模拟瓣膜启闭并直观呈现。对照组仅可显示某切面的瓣膜、腱索、乳头肌、心腔等信息。 结论 4D-TEE 跳过了对二维图像的解读步骤，更直观完整地显示了瓣膜形态和动态，可以通过它的辅助来进行更有效的手术决策。
Objective To systematically evaluate the safety, efficacy, and economics of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) versus transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). Methods PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Database were systematically searched to collect relevant studies on comparing ICE and TEE-guided LAAO from inception to June 15th, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the literatures, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 and R 4.0.3. Retrospective cohort studies were excluded for sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the types of occluder and ICE catheter. Results A total of 14 studies with 6 599 patients were included. Meta-analyses showed no statistical differences in technical success rate, overall complications, device embolization, peri-device leakage, device-related thrombus, stroke, vascular complications, bleeding, operation time, fluoroscopy time, or contrast agent volume between the ICE and TEE-guided LAAO. The total in-room time (MD=–33.47 min, 95%CI –41.20 to –25.73, P<0.00001) and radiation dosage (MD=–170.20 mGy, 95%CI –309.79 to –30.62, P=0.02) were lower in the ICE group than those in the TEE group, whereas the incidence of pericardial effusion/tamponade was higher than the TEE group (RR=1.57, 95%CI 1.01 to 2.45, P=0.048). Except for pericardial effusion/tamponade, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analysis showed similar results. The analysis based on the cost data from the United States showed comparable or even lower total costs for ICE versus TEE, but comparative domestic cost studies were lacking. Conclusion Current evidence suggests that ICE-guided LAAO can reduce radiation dosage and total in-room time, and there is no statistical difference in the overall complication rate between the two groups. Owing to the limitations of sample size and quality of the included studies, the conclusion still needs to be verified by large sample size and high-quality randomized controlled trials.
【摘要】随着超声心动图的普及与发展,无症状性类风湿性关节炎心脏瓣膜改变的检出率逐渐增多。临床应重视类风湿性关节炎心脏瓣膜损害以及超声心动图在这类疾病中的诊断价值,以期改善患者预后。【Abstract】 Objective More and more cardiac valve changes are detected in asymptomatic patients with rheumatoid arthritis by echocardiography. It is essential to pay attention to the clinical features of heart valves damage and the diagnostic value of echocardiography on that in order to improve the prognosis of patients.
In recent years, transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a focused issue in the field of valve intervention, which brings hope to mitral regurgitation patients who are not suitable for surgical thoracotomy. This paper presents the case of echocardiography-guided transseptal mitral valve replacement with the HighLife system in an elderly female patient with severe mitral regurgitation who failed to respond to standard medical therapy. During the procedure, echocardiography was used to guide the wire looping, cinching, atrial septal puncture, ring closure, atrial septal balloon dilatation, prosthetic valve implantation and immediate postoperative evaluation. Echocardiography plays an important role in transseptal mitral valve replacement, which can help the procedural process and improve the safety of the procedure.