ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of concomitant tricuspid valve repair during mitral valve surgery on the early and mid-term prognosis of the tricuspid valve and right heart function in the patients with moderate or less tricuspid regurgitation. MethodsA retrospective study of 461 patients with mitral valve disease requiring cardiac surgery combined with moderate or less tricuspid regurgitation in our hospital from 2011 to 2014 was done. They were 309 males and 152 females with a median age of 53.00 (44.00, 60.00) years. According to whether they received tricuspid valve repair (Kay’s annuloplasty, DeVega’s annuloplasty or annular ring implantation), the patients were divided into a mitral valve surgery only group (a nTAP group, n=289) and a concomitant tricuspid valve repair group (a TAP group, n=172). At the same time, 43 patients whose tricuspid valve annulus diameter was less than 40 mm in the TAP group were analyzed in subgroups. ResultsThe median follow-up duration was 3.00 years (range from 0.10 to 9.30 years). There was no perioperative death. Three months after surgery, the anteroposterior diameter of the right ventricle in the TAP group was significantly improved compared with that in the nTAP group [–1.00 (–3.00, 1.00) mm vs. 0.00 (–0.20, 2.00) mm, P=0.048]. Three years after surgery, the improvement of right ventricular anteroposterior diameter in the TAP group was still significant compared with the nTAP group [–1.00 (–2.75, 2.00) mm vs. 2.00 (–0.75, 4.00) mm, P=0.014], and the patients in the TAP group were less likely to develop moderate or more tricuspid regurgitation (3.64% vs. 35.64%, P<0.001). Annuloplasty ring implantation was more effective in preventing regurgitation progression (P=0.044). For patients with a tricuspid annulus diameter less than 40 mm, concomitant tricuspid valve repair was still effective in improving the anteroposterior diameter of the right ventricle in the early follow-up (P=0.036). Conclusion Concomitant tricuspid valve repair for patients with moderate or less tricuspid regurgitation during mitral valve surgery can effectively improve the tricuspid valve and right heart function in the early and mid-term after surgery. Annuloplasty ring implantation is more effective in preventing regurgitation progression. Patients whose tricuspid annulus diameter is less than 40 mm can also benefit from concomitant tricuspid repair.
Objective To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of thrombolysis with anticoagulation therapy for patients with acute sub-massive pulmonary thromboembolism. Methods The clinical data of 84 patients with acute sub-massive pulmonary thromboembolism were analyzed retrospectively, mainly focusing on the in-hospital efficacy and safety of thrombolysis and/ or anticoagulation. The efficacy was evaluated based on 6 grades: cured, markedly improved, improved, not changed, deteriorated and died. Results Among the 84 patients,49 patients received thrombolysis and sequential anticoagulation therapy( thrombolysis group) , 35 patients received anticoagulation therapy alone( anticoagulation group) . As compared with the anticoagulation group, the thrombolysis group had higher effective rate( defined as patients who were cured, markedly improved or improved, 81. 6% versus 54. 3%, P = 0. 007) , lower critical event occurrence ( defined as clinical condition deteriorated or died, 2. 0% versus 14. 3% , P = 0. 032) . There was no significant difference in bleeding rates between the two groups ( thrombolysis group 20. 4% versus anticoagulation group 14. 3% , P gt; 0. 05) . No major bleeding or intracranial hemorrhage occurred in any of the patients. Conclusions Thrombolysis therapy may be more effective than anticoagulation therapy alone in patients with acute sub-massive pulmonary thromboembolism, and thus warrants further prospective randomized control study in large population.
Abstract： Right ventricular dysfunction or right heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome and often leads to a poor prognosis and high mortality. In order to detect right ventricular dysfunction at an early stage, provide a therapy guidance and evaluate treatment outcomes， right ventricular function evaluation has aroused more and more concern in clinical physicians. With the advantages of being non-invasive， accuracy and repetitiveness， echocardiography is used extensively in the assessment of heart function. In this review， we focus on how to use echocardiography to evaluate right ventricular function easily, efficiently， accurately and sensitively， and provide a good foundation for its further clinical application.
Evaluationthe right heart function has vital clinical value, especially in patients after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot(TOF).As an important tool used to assess the structure and function of heart, echocardiography has been used to evaluatethe right heart function of TOF after the surgery. This article reviews the current research on echocardiography techniques and right heart function in patients after surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot．
Objective To analyze the relation between preoperative pulmonary artery pressure(PAP) and postoperative complications in heart transplant patients, and summarize the experience of perioperative management of pulmonary hypertension (PH), to facilitate the early period heart function recovery of postoperative heart transplant patients. Methods A total of 125 orthotopic heart transplant patients were divided into two groups according to preoperative pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(PASP) and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR), pulmonary [CM(1583mm]hypertension group (n=56): preoperativePASPgt;50 mm Hg or PVRgt;5 Wood·U; control group (n=69): preoperative PASP≤50 mmHg and PVR≤5 Wood·U. Hemodynamics index including preoperative cardiac index (CI)，preoperative and postoperative PVR and PAP were collected by SwanGanz catheter and compared. The extent of postoperative tricuspid regurgitation was evaluated by echocardiography. Postoperative pulmonary hypertension was treated by diuresis，nitrogen oxide inhaling，nitroglycerin and prostacyclin infusion, continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT)and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO). Results All patients survived except one patient in pulmonary hypertension group died of multiorgan failure and severe infection postoperatively in hospital. Acute right ventricular failure occurred postoperatively in 23 patients, 10 patients used ECMO support, 10 patients with acute renal insufficiency were treated with CRRT. 124 patients were followed up for 2.59 months，7 patients died of multiple organ failure, infection and acute rejection in follow-up period, the survivals in both groups have normal PAP, no significant tricuspid regurgitation. No significant difference in cold ischemia time of donor heart, cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) and circulation support time between both groups; but the patients of pulmonary hypertension group had longer tracheal intubation time in comparison with the patients of control group (65±119 h vs. 32±38 h, t=2.17，P=0.028). Preoperative PASP，mean pulmonary artery pressure(MPAP) and PVR in pulmonary hypertension group were significantly higher than those in control group, CI was lower in pulmonary hypertension group ［PASP 64.30±11.50 mm Hg vs. 35.60±10.20 mm Hg; MPAP 43.20±8.50 mm Hg vs. 24.20±7.20 mm Hg; PVR 4.72±2.26 Wood·U vs. 2.27±1.24 Wood·U; CI 1.93±0.62 L/（min·m2） vs. 2.33±0.56 L/（min·m2）; Plt;0.05］. Postoperative early PASP, MPAP and PVR in pulmonary hypertension group were significantly higher than those in control group (PASP 35.40±5.60 mm Hg vs. 31.10±5.70 mm Hg, MPAP 23.10±3.60 mm Hg vs. 21.00±4.00 mm Hg, PVR 2.46±0.78 Wood·U vs. 1.79±0.62 Wood·U; Plt;0.05). Conclusion Postoperative right heart insuficiency is related to preoperative pulmonary hypertension in heart transplant patients. Donor heart can quickly rehabilitate postoperatively by effectively controlling perioperative pulmonary hypertension with good follow-up results.
Objective To analyze and summarize the early and medium-term outcomes of self-expanding interventional pulmonary valve stent (SalusTM) for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation. Methods We established strict enrollment and follow-up criteria. Patients who received interventional pulmonary valve in transthoracic implantation in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from September 2, 2021 to July 18, 2023 were prospectively included, and all clinical data of patients were collected and analyzed. ResultsA total of 38 patients with severe pulmonary regurgitation were included, with 23 (60.5%) males and 15 (39.5%) females. The mean age was 24.08±8.12 years, and the mean weight was 57.66±13.54 kg. The preoperative mean right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and right ventricular end-systolic volume index (RVESVI) were 151.83±42.84 mL/m2 and 83.34±33.05 mL/m2, respectively. All patients successfully underwent transcatheter self-expandable pulmonary valve implantation, with 3 (7.9%) patients experiencing valve stent displacement during the procedure. Perioperative complications included 1 (2.6%) patient of postoperative inferior wall myocardial infarction and 1 (2.6%) patient of poor wound healing. The median follow-up time was 12.00 (6.00, 17.50) months. During the follow-up period, there were no deaths or reinterventions, and no patients had recurrent severe pulmonary regurgitation. Three (7.9%) patients experienced chest tightness and chest pain, and 1 (2.6%) patient developed frequent ventricular premature beats. Compared with preoperative values, the right atrial diameter, right ventricular diameter, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion were significantly reduced at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, with improvement in the degree of pulmonary regurgitation (P<0.01). Compared with preoperative values, RVEDVI and RVESVI decreased to 109.51±17.13 mL/m2 and 55.88±15.66 mL/m2, respectively, at 1 year postoperatively (P<0.01). Conclusion Self-expanding interventional pulmonary valve in transthoracic implantation is safe and effective for severe pulmonary valve regurgitation and shows good clinical and hemodynamic results in one-year outcome.
Objective To analyze the clinical features of patients with acute pulmonary embolism ( APE) with normal blood pressure and right ventricular dysfunction. Methods 130 hospitalized patients with normotensive APE between January 2009 and January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography to determine if they were complicated with RVD. The clinical features, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment were analyzed and compared between the normotensive APE patients with or without RVD. Results 41 normotensive APE patients with RVD were as RVD group, and other 89 patients without RVD were as non-RVD group. The incidences of syncope ( 34.1% vs. 7.8% ) , tachycardia( 41.4% vs. 21.3% ) , P2 hyperthyroidism( 46.3% vs. 25.8% ) , jugular vein filling ( 12.1% vs. 1.1% ) , and cyanosis ( 26.8% vs. 8.9% ) were all significantly higher in the RVD group than those in the non-RVD group ( P lt; 0.05) . Computed tomography pulmonary angiography ( CTPA) revealed that the incidences of thromboembolism involving proximal pulmonary artery ( 58. 3% vs. 8. 3% ) and thromboembolism involving lobar pulmonary ( 77.8% vs.51.2% ) were also higher in the RVD group ( P lt; 0.001, P = 0.025 ) . In the RVD group, the patients were assigned to received thrombolysis plus anticoagulation therapy, or anticoagulation therapy alone. The clinical indicators ( heart rate, PaCO2 , AaDO2 , SPAP, TRPG) were all statistically improved after thrombolysis or anticoagulation treatment ( P lt;0.001) . But compared with the patients who underwent anticoagulation therapy alone, the cost of treatment and the incidence of minor bleeding were significantly higher, and the levels of AaDO2 , SPAP and TRPG were statistically lower in the patients with thrombolysis plus anticoagulation therapy. Conclusions For APE patients with central pulmonary embolism demonstrated by CTPA, syncope, and tachycardia, transthoracic echocardiograph should be performed as early as possible to confirm RVD diagnosis. For normotensive APE patients with RVD, anticoagulant treatment can achieve higher efficacy of costeffectiveness ratio.