If one word is used to describe the development of congenital heart disease surgery in China, "hardship" would be the most appropriate. Generations of pioneers have used their ingenuity to overcome obstacles and promoted the development of the discipline. Seventy years of efforts have established the world's largest congenital heart disease treatment system. However, the huge number of potential patients, low early diagnosis rate and over-screening as well as the uneven developed diagnosis and treatment capabilities hinder the future development. The overall improvement of treatment of congenital heart disease in China lies on more efforts from our fellow experts. The publication of the "Chinese expert consensus on surgical treatment of congenital heart diseases" undoubtedly provides theoretical and practical guidance for the improvement of treatment.
Objective To investigate the surgical indications and the mid and long term results of morphologic tricuspid valve replacement for corrected transposition of the great arteries(cTGA). Methods From September 1997 to September 2007, 18 cases with cTGA were treated in Fu Wai Hospital. There were 15 male and 3 female, aged from 16 to 51 years(33.3±12.8 years), and weighed from 47 to 90 kg(60.9±14.7 kg). There were 10 cases with isolated morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency, 3 complicated with ventricular septal defect, 2 complicated with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary valve stenosis, 2 with morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency after septal defect repair, and 1 with mechanical valve dysfunction after morphologic tricuspid valve replacement. The preoperative mean morphologic right ventricle ejection fraction was 562%±11.6%. Of the 18 cases, 12 were in grade Ⅱ and 6 were in grade Ⅲ according to New York Heart classification(NYHA).All the cases had undergone morphologic tricuspid valve replacement. Postoperative indices such as cardiac function and morphological right ventricle ejection fraction were followed up. Results One patient died of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Two had pervavlvular leak, which were cured by pervavlvular leak repair at 7th and 30th day after operation, respectively. Sixteen were followed up with a followup time of 57.0±407 months. There was no statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative mean morphologic right ventricle ejection fraction(52.8%±9.2% vs.56.2%±11.6%; t=2.062, Pgt;0.05). The followup showed that 12 were in NYHA grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ, and 4 were in NYHA grade Ⅲ. There was no statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative percentage of cases in NYHA grade Ⅲ(χ2=1.532,Pgt;0.05). Conclusion Morphologic tricuspid valve replacement can prevent the further damage to morphologic right ventricular function caused by morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency. The mid and long term results were satisfying. During the followup, the morphologic right ventricle can function appropriately.
Objective To compare the clinical early results of on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting re-operations (re-CABG)and introduce our experience. Methods From April 2000 to June 2006, 21 cases with coronary artery diease of re-CABG were performed in this hospital. 10 patients received off-pump CABG (off-pump group), and 11 underwent CABG re-operations with cardiopulmonary bypass CABG(on-pump group). There were no significant difference regarding gender, age, weight, diabetes, hypertension, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between two groups before operation. On-pump CABG procedures were performed on hypothermia cardiopulmonary bypass. Standard methods were used to finish off-pump CABG. Flow meters were utilized to measure the flow of grafts in both groups. Results No one in off-pump group needed to conver to on-pump CABG. There was no operative or late mortality. The operation time, respiratory support time, the volume of chest tube drainage, blood transfusion and postoperative hospital stay were less in off-pump group than those in on-pump group after operation. Early death occurred in 1 patient in on-pump group. The number of distal anastomosis were more in on-pump group than that in off-pump group. Conclusions Both off-pump CABG and on-pump CABG can be applied to CABG re-operations and achieved similar completeness of revascularization, similar early surgical results.
Objective To provide a ventricular assist device for patients with heart failure, Fu Wai (FW) axial blood pump was developed for partly or totally to assist the left ventricular function. Vitro hemolysis and animals tests were also employed to test the hydromechanics and hemocompatibility of the FW left ventricular assist devices developed in Fu Wai hospital. Methods Using vitro test loop, FW axial blood pump has been used to evaluate the performance of hemolysis, the pump has also been tested for hemolysis characteristic through five sheep experiments. Results At 8 400 r/min, the pump generates 5 L/min flow against 100 mm Hg, the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) was0.17±0.06 mg/L. The plasma free hemoglobin of in vivo tests was around 30 mg/dl. Conclusion The results obtained in vitro and in vivo testing indicate an acceptable design for the blood pump, further in vivo tests will be performed before clinical use.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and associated with incremental morbidity and mortality. It is implicated that multiple reentry circuits have been the dominant mechanism of AF. The classical surgical treatment for medically refractory AF is the maze procedure composed of aultiple cuts and sutures within the atrial walls to disrupt the abnormal reentry circuits. Although the maze procedure is recognized as the most effective treatment of AF, it is complicated, time consuming and much invasive. New surgical ablation therapy, applying alternate energy sources (cryothermy, radiofrequency, microwave) have evolved to simplify the maze procedure without cut and suture and demonstrated promising success rates. The optimal lesion set has not yet been defined, Modification of lesion sets and techniques that ensure continuous and transmural lesions may improve the outcomes of ablation therapy and recover rate of sinus rhythm.
Hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) combining with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has a long-term patency of left internal mammary artery to left anterior descending artery (LIMA-LAD) grafting, and the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has a minimal invasiveness. It provides an alternative revascularization for patients with coronary heart disease. For patients who meet the HCR indications, most studies suggest that HCR can significantly reduce perioperative trauma, and offer favorable mid- and long-term prognosis, which is comparable with traditional revascularization strategies. Based on the major research results in this field in the past 10 years, we review the current application status and discuss the potential future direction of HCR in this paper.
Objective To improve the operative effects of patients who had tetralogy of Fallot with aortopulmonary collateral arteries (TOF-APCAs) and evaluate the clinical effects of staging and onestop hybrid approach for TOFAPCAs. Methods From January 2003 to December 2007, thirty patients with TOF-APCAs had undergone combined therapy of APCAs embolization and complete surgical repair. Fifteen patients had APCAs embolization therapy before or after TOF radical operation(staging hybrid group ); Fifteen had onestop hybrid treatment(onestop hybrid group). Results Angiography revealed that there were 19 APCAs in staging hybrid group, and of which 15(78%) were embolized successfully. Five cases had complications and one died from respiratory circulating failure. The rest all recovered and discharged. And 22 APCAs were found in one-stop hybrid group, eighteen (82%) of them were embolized successfully. Only one case had pulmonary effusion. The time of hospitalization(median 37 d vs. 22 d, P=0.011),ICU staying(median 7.0 d vs. 4.7 d,P=0.029)and endotracheal intubation(median 131 h vs. 19 h,P=0.009) was obviously longer, and the hospitalization expenses(median 64 101 [CM(159mm]yuan vs. 48 021 yuan, P=0.033)were obviously higher in staging hybrid group than that in one-stop hybrid group.And there was no statistical significance in cardiopulmonary bypass time(P=0.126) and aortic clamping time(P=0.174) between two groups. Conclusion In comparison with traditional staging hybrid approach, one-stop hybrid approach can simplify the operative process for patients who have TOFAPCAs, improve the operative successful rate and cut down expenses.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of using acellular bovine pericardium as a viable tissue engineering vascular patch.MethodsFresh bovine pericardium was treated by enzyme detergent cell extraction, then they were used as vascular patches, ovine jugular vein segments were harvested, separated into endothelial and myofibroblast cells, expanded in cell culture, sequentially seeded onto acellular bovine pericardium patches (3cm×3cm). After 7 days of in vitro culture, the autologous cell/patches as experimental group ( n =5) were used to replace partial pulmonary artery wall. Animals were sacrificed at 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 weeks. The acellular bovine pericardium patches without autologous cells were used as control group ( n =3). Animals were sacrificed at intervals of 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Explanted patches were evaluated by macroscopic and histologic examinations, assayed for calcium, elastin and collagen content.ResultsAll animals were survived without complications of thrombosis and aneurysm before sacrificed; there was no significant difference in calcium content in two groups; elastin ratio assay showed progressive increase over 4 to 24 weeks, similar to normal pulmonary artery wall, suggesting an ongoing tissue remodeling.ConclusionThe acellular bovine pericardium patch with or without autologous cell seeded to a certain extent can be changed into viable vascular wall tissue after being used to replace partial ovine pulmonary artery wall.
Objective To summarize and analyze the clinical outcomes and experiences of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) in patients with acute renal insufficiency after heart transplantation. Methods There were 39 patients received orthotopic heart transplantation from September 2007 to September 2008 in Fu Wai hospital. Seven cases required the use of PRISMA CRRT machine (Gambro Healthcare,Inc.) because of acute renal insufficiency after heart transplantation, and received continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration(CVVHDF) treatment via M100 blood filter (hemofilters). Activated coagulation time (ACT) was maintained in 160200 s. Results Six survivals with New York Heart Association (NYHA)Ⅰdischarged ,1 case died of multiple system organ failure (MSOF) and severe infection. The time of CRRT was 48658 h, with an average of 252 h. Seven patients were oliguric or anuric during CRRT, but hemodynamics and internal environment were stable. After stopping CRRT, the creatinine level rose to 267.1±68.5 μmol/L, then the creatinine level decreased to normal range with urine increasing gradually. Postoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 56.5±19.0 ml/min, and there was no statistical significance compared with preoperative GFR(Pgt;0.05). Six survivals were followed up for 513(9.7±3.8)months,and their creatinine level was in normal range(90.6±26.7 μmol/L). There was no statistical significance compared with the creatinine level at discharge (83.2±26.5 μmol/L, Pgt;0.05). Conclusion The prognostic outcomes of patients with acute renal insufficiency after heart ransplantation are excellent after using CRRT. No significant renal dysfunction is found.
Objective Engineer heart tissue (EHT) was constructed with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and poly lacticacidCOglycolic acid (PLGA), and grafted onto the surface of myocardial infarction rats. We hypothesized that great omentum wrapping would increase EHT blood supply and ameliorate EHT microenvironment which is in favor of cardiac collagen remodling and heart function. We hope that omentun wrapped EHT could provide a valuable strategy for surgically myocardial infarction therapy. Methods MSCs were isolated from SD rats.Eight weeks after SD rats were subjected to left anterior descending (LAD) ligation, 18 rats were enrolled and divided into three groups, group A(n=6): great omentum wrapped MSCsPLGA EHT implantation; group B (n=6):MSCsPLGA EHT implantation; control group (n=6): the myocardial infarction; the sham group (n=6): only opened and closed chest, underwent LAD ligation, but no EHT implantation. Four weeks after transplantation, the following variables were evaluated: specimen stained with picrosirius red, left ventricle function evaluated by echocardiography, infarction ventricular wall motion by color kinesis (CK). Results Hearts of group A showed significantly less fibrosis than group B and control group (Plt;0.05). Infarction ventricular wall motion assessed by CK indicated significantly improvement in group A compared with group B and control group (Plt;0.05). Four weeks after transplantation, cardiac echocardiography showed left ventricle ejection fraction was lower in control group and group B compared with group A (Plt;0.05). Conclusion Transplantation of MSCsPLGA EHT with great omentum wrapping ameliorated infarction ventricular collagen remodeling, ameliorated infarction ventricular wall motion and preserved left ventricular function.