Abstract： Replacement of the aortic valve and aortic root has been the standard surgical strategy for patients with aortic root aneurysm for many years. Along with the increasing knowledge about the aortic root anatomy and physiology, and complications after aortic valve replacement, the technique of valve-sparing aortic root replacement has developed greatly. We focus on the etiology and classification aortic valve insufficiency, the valve-sparing techniques and clinical outcomes of valve-sparing aortic root replacement in this review.
Objective To analyze the incidence of valve prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) and ventricular remodeling of elderly patients after aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 134 patient aged over 65 years who underwent AVR for the aortic stenosis or regurgitation at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2016. There were 73 males and 61 females aged 69.7±3.6 years ranging from 65-79 years. The clinical and ultrasound cardiography data were evaluated. PPM was defined as an effective orifice area index (EOAI) of ≤0.85 cm2/m2. The incidence of PPM and the left ventricular remodeling after surgical AVR in the patients with aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation was analyzed, and the outcomes of aortic valve mechanical prosthesis and aortic valve bioprosthesis were compared. Results The incidence of PPM was 32.5% in aortic stenosis and 13.0% in aortic regurgitation (P<0.05). One patient died in the early post-operation, and the incidence of severe PPM was 6.0%. Conclusion The incidence of PPM after AVR in the patients with aortic regurgitation is less than that in the patients with aortic stenosis.
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 summarize the clinical experiences of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) which provides temporary cardiopulmonary assist for critical patients, and preliminary analysis of the cause of failure. Methods From February 2005 to October 2008, 58 adult patients (male 42, female 16) undergoing cardiogenic shock required temporary ECMO support. Age was 44.8±17.6 years, and support duration of ECMO was 131.9±104.7 hours. There were 24 patients (41.4%) with coronary heart disease, 11 patients (19.0%) with cardiomyopathy, 10 patients (17.2%) with cardiac valve disease,and 9 patients (15.5%) with congenital heart disease. Results 22 patients died in hospital. 11 patients (50%) died of multisystem organ failure, 5 patients (22.7%) died of refractory heart failure despite the ECMO support. Another patients died of bleeding and severe pulmonary hypertension etc. The percentage for patients need cardiac resuscitation before ECMO support and patients with acute renal failure treated by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) under ECMO support were obviously higher in dead patients than those in survivor patients (45.5% vs.19.4%, 40.9% vs. 5.6%; P=0.043，0.001). All of the discharged patients were reassessed, mean followup time were 15.6 months. Three patients died of refractory heart failure， 1 patient died of neurologic complications. The other 32 survivors were in good condition with cardiac symptom of New York Heart Association class Ⅰ or Ⅱ. Conclusion ECMO offers effective cardiopulmonary support in adults. Early intervention and control of complications could improve our results with increasing experience. Combining using CRRT during the ECMO support is associated with significantly higher mortality rate. Suffered cardiac arrest prior to ECMO also influences the survival.
Objective To summary the clinical experiences of ventricular septal myotomymyectomy on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy(HOCM) and investigate the treatment strategies during perioperative period for better clinical results. Methods From October 1996 to June 2009, 62 patients with HOCM underwent surgical treatment. There were 41 male and 21 female, aged 668 years with mean 34.05 years. The ventricular septal myotomymyectomy operation (Morrow operation or modified Morrow operation) was performed through the aortic incision under general anesthesia and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The concomitant operations included coronary artery bypass grafting (5 cases), mitral valve replacement (12 cases), mitral valve plasty(9 cases), aortic valve replacement (4 cases), tricuspid valve plasty(2 cases) and ductus arteriosus closure (2 cases). During the perioperative period, the patients were examined by echocardiography or transesophageal echocardiograph(TEE), electrocardiogram or dynamic echocardiogram and chest radiography. Left atrial diameter，left ventricular enddiastolic [CM(159mm]diameter，left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) pressuregradient，interventricular septal thickness, ejection fraction[CM)](EF), the changes of mitral valve construction and function were evaluated. Results The time of CPB and aortic occlusion were 104.23±47.14 min and 66.76±36.32 min, respectively. The endotracheal intubation time was 13.23±11.76 h and the postoperative intensive care unit(ICU) stay was 42.53±37.41 h. Four patients died and the mortality was 6.45％(4/62). The main causes of death included septic shock complicated with acute renal failure(1 case), refractory arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, atrial flutter complicated with severe low cardiac output syndrome (1 case), severe acute renal failure(1 case) and Ⅲ°atrioventricular(AV) block complicated with low cardiac output syndrome(1 case). Postoperative left atrial diameter (34.56±6.45 mm vs.43.46±7.21 mm，t=6.948,P=0.000), left ventricular enddiastolic diameter (37.14±6.31 mm vs.42.03±6.23 mm，t=3.145,P=0.020), LVOT pressure gradient (23.54±17.78 mm Hg vs. 103.84±44.04 mm Hg,t=13.618,P=0.000) and interventricular septal thickness (17.12±5.67 mm vs.26.93±5.23 mm, t=10.694,P=0.000) decreased significantly compared with those before operation. There was no mitral valve regurgitation, or only mild mitral valve regurgitation. No systolic anterior motion(SAM) was found. The main postoperative arrhythmias included complete left bundle branch block, intraventricular block, complete atrioventricular block and atrial fibrillation. All the 58 cases were cured and discharged. Fiftythree cases were followed up for 3 months12 years, and 5 cases were lost. No death, complication and reoperation were found. Symptoms relieved significantly. The cardiac function was in New York Heart Association grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ. The quality of life improved significantly. Conclusion Most patients with HOCM can achieve satisfactory relief of LVOT obstruction and SAM via ventricular septal myotomymyectomy. The main arrhythmias after operation are bundle branch block and atrial fibrillation. Satisfactory effects can be achieved by accurate surgical technique and effective drug treatments.
Objective To evaluate the longterm results of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in treating cardiac diseases with heart insufficiency by analyzing the longterm survival rate and heart failure exemption rate of the patients. Methods A total of 239 patients who had coronary heart disease with left heart dysfunction (LVEFlt;40%) were enrolled in our study. Among the patients, there were 215 males and 24 females aged from 32 to 78 years old with an average age of 59.1. Before operation, 193 patients had a past history of myocardial infarction and 31 had angina. According to the New York heart function assessment (NYHA), 26 patients were categorized as class Ⅰ, 106 as class Ⅱ, 73 as class Ⅲ and 34 as class Ⅳ. Coronary angiography showed 10 cases (4.2%) of single vessel disease, 35 cases (14.6%) of double vessel disease and 194 cases (81.2%) of triple vessel disease. The result of preoperative ultrasound cardiogram showed that LVEF was 35.7%±4.6%. All patients received CABG, including 153 (64.0%) onpump surgeries and 86 (35.9%) offpump surgeries. Selective operation was done on 237 patients and there were 2 emergency cases. Valve repair or replacement, ventricular aneurysmectomy or aneurysm plication were not carried out during the operation. Results There were 1 to 6 (3.4±1.1) bypass grafting vessels in each case. Five (2.09%) patients died during the hospital stay, among which 2 died of low cardiac output and circulation failure, 1 died of malignant arrhythmia, 1 died of renal failure, and 1 died of coma with multiorgan failure. The followup period was 512±1.79 years. During the followup, 18 patients (7.7%) were lost and 29 patients died. Among them, there were 24 cardiac deaths and the cardiac death rate at the first year and the fifth year was 2.8% and 9.4% respectively. There were 40 cases of heart failure during the followup period. The exemption rate of heart failure was 93.7% and 81.8% at the first year and the fifth year respectively. The survival rate was 97.2% at the first year and 89.3% at the fifth year. Conclusion The longterm result of CABG in treating patients with ischemic heart insufficiency is satisfying.