Objective To confirm the changes of pulmonary artery pressure, neo pulmonary artery stenosis and reoperation in children with unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (UAPA) undergoing pulmonary artery reconstruction. Methods The clinical data of the infants with UAPA undergoing pulmonary artery reconstruction in our hospital from February 19, 2019 to April 15, 2021 were analyzed. Changes in pulmonary artery pressure, neo pulmonary artery stenosis and reoperation were followed up. Results Finally 5 patients were collected, including 4 males and 1 female. The operation age ranged from 13 days to 2.7 years. Cardiac contrast-enhanced CT scans were performed in all children, and 2 patients underwent pulmonary vein wedge angiography to confirm the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography and intraoperative direct pulmonary arterial pressure measurement indicated that all 5 children had pulmonary hypertension, with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 31.3±16.0 mm Hg. Pulmonary arterial pressure decreased immediately after pulmonary artery reconstruction to 16.8±4.2 mm Hg. The mean follow-up time was 18.9±4.7 months. All 5 patients survived during the follow-up period, and 1 patient had neo pulmonary artery stenosis or even occlusion and was re-operated. Conclusion Pulmonary artery reconstruction can effectively alleviate the pulmonary hypertension in children with UAPA. The patency of the neo pulmonary artery should be closely followed up after surgery, and re-pulmonary angioplasty should be performed if necessary.
Objective To investigate the role of Kv1. 5 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension simulated by hypobaria and hypoxia, and the effects of dichloroacetate ( DCA) on the Kv1. 5 expression in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells ( PASMCs ) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure ( mPAP) . Methods Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group ( N group) , a high altitude group ( HA group) , and a DCA treated group ( DCA group) . The N group were fed in normalconditions, the HA group and DCA group were fed in a hypobaria and hypoxia chamber simulated to an altitude of 5000 meters. In addition, the DCA group rats were gastric gavaged with DCA ( 70 mg · kg - 1 · d - 1 ) .Twenty-one days later, percentage of wall thickness ( WT% ) and percentage of wall area ( WA% ) of the pulmonary arteriole, mPAP, and the ratio of right ventricle / left ventricle and septum ( RV/ LV + S) were evaluated. Real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot were carried out to detect the Kv1. 5 expression in PASMCs. Results In the HA group, WT% , and WA% of pulmonary arteriole, mPAP and RV/ ( LV + S) all increased significantly compared with the N group ( P lt;0. 01) . These changes in the DCA group were significantly lower than those in the HA group( P lt; 0. 01) . Furthermore, the protein and mRNA expression of Kv1. 5 in the PASMCs deceased significantly in the HA group compared with the N group( P lt;0. 01) , but recovered in the DCA group ( P lt;0. 01) . Conclusions The expression of Kv1. 5 in PASMCs is tremendously inhibited in rats fed in high altitude, which might be a important role of pulmonaryhypertension. DCA can inhibit the remodeling of pulmonary arterials probably by recovering Kv1. 5 expression.
Abstract: Objective To observe the physical characteristics of decellularized porcine pulmonary valved conduits crosslinked by carbodiimide (EDC). Methods [WTBZ]Twenty porcine pulmonary valved arteries were mobilized on relative asepsis condition. They were cut longitudinally into three samples at the junction position of pulmonary valve (every sample was comprised of a part of the pulmonary conduit wall and the corresponding valve). The samples were randomly divided into three groups by lotdrawing method. Group A was the control group which was made up of the fresh porcine arterial valved conduit samples without any other treatments. Group B was comprised of porcine pulmonary samples decellularized by trypsindetergent digestion. Group Cincluded the decellularized porcine pulmonary samples crosslinked by EDC. We observed the water content, thickness, tensile strength, and shrinkage temperature of all the samples, based on which the physical characeteristics of these samples were analyzed. Results [WTBZ]Complete cellfree-pulmonary conduit matrix was achieved by trypsindetergent digestion. Compared with group A, in group B, the water content of pulmonary wall was significantly higher (P=0.000), while the water content of pulmonary valve was not significantly different; the thickness of pulmonary wall and valve (P=0.000，0.000) and tensile strength of pulmonary wall and valve (Plt;0.01） was significantly lower, while shrinkage temperature was not significantly different. Compared with group B, in group C, the water content of pulmonary wall was significantly lower (P=0.000), while the water content of pulmonary valve, and the thickness of pulmonary wall and valve were not significantly different; the tensile strength of pulmonary wall (Plt;0.01) and valve (P=0.000), and the shrinkage temperature of them (P=0.000, 0.000) were significantly higher. Compared with group A, in group C, the water content of pulmonary wall and valve, and the tensile strength of them were not statistically different, while the thickness of pulmonary wall and valve was significantly lower (P=0.000, 0.000), and the shrinkage temperature of them was significantly higher (P=0.000, 0.000). Conclusion [WTBZ]EDC crosslinking method is available for treating decellularized porcine pulmonary valved conduits in order to enhance its tensile strength, and decrease water content of pulmonary wall.
Objective To explore the correlation between different ultrasound pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and high-resolution CT (HRCT) pulmonary artery width (PAD) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 473 patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were hospitalized in the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2016 to December 2020. They were divided into four groups according to the degree of PASP elevation: PASP normal group: PASP≤36 mm Hg, 182 cases; mildly elevated group: PASP 37 to 50 mm Hg, 164 cases; moderately elevated group: PASP 51 to 70 mm Hg, 89 cases; severely elevated group: PASP>70 mm Hg, 38 cases. The PAD of chest HRCT and the width of the ascending aorta (AAD) on the same plane were measured, and the ratio of PAD to AAD (PAD/AAD) was calculated. The differences of PAD, AAD, PAD/AAD in different PASP groups of COPD were compared. The correlations between PASP, lung function, blood gas analysis and PAD, PAD/AAD were analyzed. Results With the decrease of FEV1%pred, FVC%pred, FEV1/FVC, PaO2 and SaO2 in the patients, PaCO2 increased, PASP gradually increased, PAD and PAD/AAD gradually increased. PAD and PAD/AAD were significantly different between the severely elevated PASP group and the other three groups, and there were significant differences between the moderately elevated group and the normal group, and between the moderately elevated group and the mildly elevated group. PASP and PaCO2 were positively correlated with PAD and PAD/AAD, and FEV1%pred, FVC%pred, FEV1/FVC, PaO2, SaO2 were negatively correlated with PAD and PAD/AAD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, decreased FEV1%pred was an independent risk factor for PAD/AAD>1 in COPD patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the width of PAD and PAD/AAD had certain predictive value for PASP. Conclusions There is a significant positive correlation between different degrees of ultrasound PASP and PAD and PAD/AAD in patients with COPD. HRCT PAD has certain predictive value for PASP. The heavier the hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention, the worse the pulmonary ventilation function, the higher the pulmonary artery pressure, the greater the possibility of PAD and PAD/AAD.
Abstract: Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of fast track (FT) treatment in young children with atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) following surgical repair. Methods A total of 51 young children patients including 24 boys and 27 girls with age at 12.5±8.9 months from 4 to 36 months, underwent CAVSD repair in the pediatric surgery department of Fu Wai Hospital from January 2006 to March 2009. Among them, 21 patients were administered FT management. PICU length of stay and the rate of reintubation were analyzed retrospectively and the decrease of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) after operation was also measured. Results Twentyone patients under FT treatment were extubated within 8 hours after operation. The mean pulmonary artery pressure(MPAP) decreased significantly after surgery (39.59 mm Hg vs.24.50 mm Hg,t=5514,Plt;0.05). PICU length of stay was 2.05±0.87 d (18 h-3 d). One patient was reintubated due to lung infection, which had nothing to do with the FT treatment. During the followup which lasted for 3 to 6 months, 21 patients had good heart function with no reoperation or death. Conclusion FT treatment is safe and feasible to some CAVSD patients associated with PAH, and shorter PICU length of stay can be achieved. The validation of FT model for the CAVSD patients with severe PAH needs research with large sample.
ObjectiveTo investigate pulmonary artery growth, valvular regurgitation and right heart function after right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) anastomosis for right ventricle outflow (RVOT) reconstruction in patients with different types of pulmonary atresia and ventricle septal defect (PA/VSD). MethodsClinical data of 31 PA/VSD patients who underwent right ventricle-pulmonary anastomosis for RVOT reconstruction from November 2002 to September 2012 in Guangdong General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 20 male and 11 female patients with their age ranging from 14 days to 14.50 years (47.90±53.84 months). Patients were followed up after discharge to evaluate the anastomasis, pulmonary artery growth, pulmonary artery and tricuspid regurgitation and their relationship with follow-up duration. Right ventricular strain and other echocardiography indexes were used to evaluate right heart function. ResultsThree patients died postoperatively. Twenty-seven patients (27/31, 87.1%)were followed up for 4-129 (35.97±28.24)months. There was no late death during follow-up. There was no anastomotic restenosis in patients who received radical surgery. Four patients who received palliative surgery had comparative anastomotic restenosis. The diameters of RV-PA anastomasis, left and right branches of the pulmonary artery during follow-up were significantly larger than early postoperative diameters (P < 0.05). Echocardiography showed that pulmonary artery and tricuspid regurgitation were aggravated, which was not correlated to follow-up duration. Overall right heart function was good during follow-up. ConclusionsClinical outcomes of RV-PA anastomosis for RVOT reconstruction in patients with PA/VSD are satisfactory. RV-PA anastomasis, left and right branches of the pulmonary artery can keep their growth and development. Mid-term and long-term right heart function is good.
Objective To explore and compare the diagnostic value of blood pressure, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in evaluating right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 84 APE patients who were diagnosed by computed tomographic pulmonary angiography. The patients were divided into a RVD group and a non-RVD group by echocardiography. Eighteen clinical and auxiliary examination variables were used as the research factors and RVD as the related factor. The relationship between these research factors and RVD were evaluated by logistic regression model, the diagnostic value of BNP and PASP to predict RVD was analyzed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results The patients with RVD had more rapid heart rate, higher diastolic blood pressure, higher mean arterial pressure, higher incidence of BNP>100 pg/ml and higher incidence of PASP>40 mm Hg (allP<0 05="" upon="" logistic="" regression="" model="" bnp="">100 pg/ml (OR=4.904, 95%CI 1.431–16.806, P=0.011) and PASP>40 mm Hg (OR=6.415, 95%CI 1.509–27.261, P=0.012) were independent predictors of RVD. The areas under the ROC curve to predict RVD were 0.823 (95%CI 0.729–0.917) for BNP, and 0.798 (95%CI 0.700–0.896) for PASP. Conclusions Blood pressure related parameters can not serve as a predictor of RVD. Combined monitoring of BNP level and PASP is helpful for accurate prediction of RVD in patients with APE.
ObjectiveIn order to correct left pulmonary artery (LPA) stenosis in tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), a technique for LPA reconstruction by widening pulmonary arterial posterior wall was devised. To evaluate its surgical technique as well as postoperative outcome. MethodsFrom January 2008 through August 2014 year, 1 142 consecutive patients underwent repair of TOF including 44 patients with TOF and LPA stenosis in our hospital. We used widening pulmonary arterial posterior wall for LPA reconstruction in 21 patients. The median age was 22.8 months (range, 1 month to 11 years), and the median weight was 9.1 kg (range, 3.8-29 kg). ResultsThere was one operative death. No death occurred during the follow-up period in the other 20 patients. There were 4 patients with complicate unbalanced pulmonary perfusion postoperatively. Echocardiography at 3-72 months follow-up demonstrated no obvious stenosis was found at LPA in 14 patients, and mild stenosis (32.8±12.7 mm Hg) in 6 patients. Only 1 patient required further interventions because of restenosis of LPA. ConclusionsLPA reconstruction by widening pulmonary arterial posterior wall is an effective method in the management of stenosis of LPA in the patients with TOF. We emphasize division of the arterial duct or ligamentum completely because it will tether and kink the LPA. This procedure retains the better growth potential by increasing autogenous tissue of native tissue.
Abstract: Objective To retrospectively compare the difference of the effects of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) between distal and proximal types of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods The data of 70 patients (including 44 male patients and 26 female patients, the average age was 46.2 years old, ranging from 17 to 72) with CTEPH having undergone PTE from March 2002 to March 2009 in Anzhen Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We classified them into two different groups which were the proximal CTEPH group (n=51) and the distal CTEPH group (n=19) according to the pathological classification of the CTEPH. Clinical data, hemodynamics blood gas analysis and so on of both groups were compared. Results There was no perioperative deaths in both groups. Compared with the proximal group, cardiopulmonary bypass time [CM(159mm](189.5±41.5 min vs.155.5±39.5 min,P=0.003), aorta cross clamp time (91.3±27.8 min vs.67.2±27.8 min,P=0.002) and DHCA time (41.7±14.6 min vs.25.7±11.6 min,P=0.000) were significantly longer in the distal group. The incidence of residual pulmonary hypertension in the distal group was significantly higher than that in the proximal group (42.1% vs.13.7%,P=0.013), while the incidence of pulmonary reperfusion injury postoperatively in the proximal group was significantly higher than that in the distal group (41.2% vs.10.5%, P=0.021). SwanGanz catheterization and blood gas index were obviously improved in both groups. However, the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP, 67.8±21.3 mm Hg vs.45.5±17.4 mm Hg,P=0.000) and the pulmonary vascular resistance ［PVR, 52.8±32.1 kPa/(L·s) vs.37.9±20.7 kPa/(L·s),P=0.024］ in the distal group were significantly higher than those in the proximal group and the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood of the distal group was significantly lower than that of the proximal group (76.7±8.7 mm Hg vs.88.8±9.3 mm Hg,P=0.000). After operation, 70 patients were followed up with no deaths during the followup period. The time of the followup ranged from 2 to 81 months (32.7±19.6 months) with a cumulative followup of 191.8 patientyears. Three months after operation, 47 patients were examined by pulmonary artery computer tomography angiogram (PACTA) and isotope perfusion/ventilation scan, which showed that the residual occlusive pulmonary artery segment in the proximal group was significantly fewer than that in the distal group (isotope perfusion/ventilation scan: 2.2±11 segments vs. 4.7±2.1 segments, P=0.000; PACTA: 3.5±1.4 segments vs. 4.9±2.0 segments,P=0.009). The New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and 6 minute walk distance (6MWD) in the proximal group were significantly better than those in the distal group (1.7±0.5 class vs 2.3±0.4 class; 479.2±51.2 m vs. 438.6±39.5 m, P=0.003). Venous thrombosis in double lower limbs reoccurred in two patients. According to KaplanMeier actuarial curve, the freedom from reembolism at 3 years was 96.7%±2.8%. Bleeding complications occurred in three patients. The linear Bleeding rate related to anticoagulation was 2.47% patientyears. Conclusion Although the early and midlong term survival rate of PTE procedure to treat both proximal and distal types of CTEPH is agreeable, the recovery of the PASP, PVR and 6MWD, and blood gases in patients with proximal type of CTEPH are significantly better than those in patients with distal type of CTEPH. On one hand, anticoagulation can singularly provide enough protection to patients with proximal type of CTEPH, but on the other hand, diuretics and pulmonary hypertension alleviation drug should be added to the treatment regimen for patients with distal type of CTEPH after the procedure of PTE.
Abstract： Objective To evaluate clinical outcomes of pulmonary artery banding for morphologic left ventricular training in corrected transposition of the great arteries.?Methods?A total of 89 patients with corrected transposition of the great arteries underwent surgical repair in Shanghai Children’s Medical Center from January 2007 to December 2011 year. Among them, 11 patients underwent pulmonary artery banding, whose clinical records were retrospectively analyzed. Except that one patient was 12 years, all other patients were 3 to 42 （16.40±11.67） months old and had a body weight of 6 to 32 （11.70±7.20）kg. All the patients were diagnosed by echocardiogram and angiocardiogram.?Results?There was no postoperative death after pulmonary artery banding in 11 patients. The pulmonary arterial pressure/systemic blood pressure ratio （Pp/Ps） was 0.3 to 0.6 （0.44±0.09） preoperatively and 0.6 to 0.8 （0.70±0.04） postoperatively with statistical difference （P＜0.01）. Tricuspid regurgitation was mild in 2 （18.2%） patients, moderate in 5 （45.4%）, severe in 4 （36.4%）preoperatively，and none in 2（18.2%）patients, mild in 7 （63.6%），and mild to moderate in 2 （18.2%）postoperatively. Five patients underwent staged double-switch operation after pulmonary artery banding at 15.20±8.31 months, and 1 patient died. The other 6 patients were followed up for 18.83±3.43 months, and echocardiogram showed tricuspid regurgitation as trivial in 2 （33.3%）, mild in 3 （50.0%）, and moderate in 1 （16.7%）patient.?Conclusions?In patients with corrected transposition of the great arteries, pulmonary artery banding is helpful to reduce tricuspid regurgitation, and morphologic left ventricle can be trained for staged double-switch operation with good clinical outcomes. It is important to follow up these patients regularly to evaluate their morphologic left ventricular function and tricuspid regurgitation after pulmonary artery banding.