BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the validity and long-term outcomes of direct bilateral axillary arterial cannulation for acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2020, 208 consecutive patient...BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the validity and long-term outcomes of direct bilateral axillary arterial cannulation for acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2020, 208 consecutive patients with acute type A aortic dissection underwent emergency surgical repair. Cardiopulmonary bypass was attempted to establish direct bilateral axillary arterial cannulation and bicaval drainage. Antegrade selective cerebral perfusion was established by axillary perfusion and direct cannulation of the left common carotid artery. RESULTS: Ascending aortic, partial arch, and extended total aortic arch replacement were performed in 50 (24.0%), 7 (3.4%), and 151 (72.6%) patients, respectively. Aortic root surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting were performed concomitantly in 23 and seven patients, respectively. Cardiopulmonary bypass was attempted only through bilateral axillary cannulation in all patients but was successful in 13 (6.3%) patients without bilateral axillary cannulation. No postoperative complications occurred related to this technique. There were seven hospital deaths (early mortality rate, 3.4%). Five patients had postoperative reoperation for bleeding, and nine (4.3%) were transferred to other hospitals due to postoperative permanent cerebral infarction, particularly two with arm ischemia. The 10-year survival rate of patients who underwent emergency surgical repair with this technique was 71.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Direct bilateral axillary arterial cannulation followed by selective cerebral perfusion was successful in 93.7% of patients and this may be an optimal solution for providing stable outcomes after emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. However, we experienced two complications of arm ischemia, attention should be paid to potential arm ischemia.
OBJECTIVE: The midterm results of patients who underwent biventricular repair surgery for Shone's complex were examined, and mortality and reoperation risk factors were evaluated. METHODS: This retrospective study includ...OBJECTIVE: The midterm results of patients who underwent biventricular repair surgery for Shone's complex were examined, and mortality and reoperation risk factors were evaluated. METHODS: This retrospective study included 34 patients with Shone's complex who underwent mitral valve (MV) surgery between 2005 and 2020. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients (56%) had coarctation, 10 (29%) patients had subaortic stenosis, 9 (26.5%) patients had a hypoplastic aortic arch (AA), and 9 (26.5%) patients had aortic valve (AV) stenosis. Twenty-four (70.6%) patients had bileaflet AV. Associated left-sided in-flow stenotic lesions included parachute MV in 19 (56%) patients and supramitral ring in 18 (53%) patients. The estimated freedom from reoperation rate on the 6th month, 1 year and 2 years after surgery was 84.4%, 79.5%, and 71.5%, respectively. The overall mortality rate was 20.6% (seven patients) with a median follow-up of 10 months (0-41). The estimated survival rate on the 6th month, 1 year, and 3 years after surgery was 83.8%, 79.4%, and 79.4 respectively. Bicuspid aortic valve (p = .017) (HR (95% CI) = 0.130 (0.025-0.695) and hammock mitral valve (p = .038) (HR (95% CI) = 11,008 (1,146->100) were associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: The presence of a bicuspid aortic valve hammock mitral valve might have an effect on negative effect on the outcome.
Naik KD, Whitson BA, McLaughlin EM
… +2 more, Matre NB, Rozycki AJ
J Card Surg
· 2022 Dec · PMID 36478440
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BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are frequently prescribed for the management of atrial fibrillation and venous thrombosis. There is a lack of published data on the utilization of DOACs in individuals who h...BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are frequently prescribed for the management of atrial fibrillation and venous thrombosis. There is a lack of published data on the utilization of DOACs in individuals who have undergone recent cardiac surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of apixaban and rivaroxaban compared to warfarin in patients postcardiac surgery. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients were separated into a DOAC cohort or a warfarin cohort based on the agent they received after cardiac surgery. Patients could be included if they were ≥18 years of age and received or were discharged on either rivaroxaban, apixaban, or warfarin within 7 days after cardiac surgery. The primary outcome for the study was the rate of International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) major bleeding during hospitalization and for 30 days following discharge or until first follow-up appointment. RESULTS: There were a total of 194 patients included in the analysis, 97 in the DOAC cohort and 97 in the warfarin cohort. Four patients (4.1%) in the DOAC group experienced ISTH major bleeding, while 2 patients (2.1%) in the warfarin cohort experienced ISTH major bleeding (p = 0.68). No patients in the DOAC cohort experienced a thrombotic event, whereas 2 patients (2.1%) in the warfarin cohort experienced a thrombotic complication (p = 0.5). CONCLUSION: Apixaban and rivaroxaban demonstrated similar safety when compared to a matched cohort of warfarin patients. Larger prospective randomized studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Feng W, Zhou J, Lei Y
… +7 more, Chen W, Miao Y, Fu X, Pi J, Zhang M, Na Z, Lou W
J Card Surg
· 2022 Dec · PMID 36448468
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OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on perioperative nursing of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed,...OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on perioperative nursing of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP using predefined search strings from inception of database to May 2021. Randomized control trials (RCTs) with sample size >40 on cardiac surgery with either ERAS nursing or routine nursing reporting extubation (trachea) time, length of stay, out of bed activity time, and nursing satisfaction were included in the analysis. Stata SE 12.0 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 27 RCTs were included. All the included studies were Chinese due to lack of studies in English. The results of meta-analysis showed that the extubation time standardized mean difference ([SMD] = -3.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.77, -2.45; p < .001), out of bed activity time (SMD = -2.89; 95% CI: -3.34, -2.44; p < .001), and hospitalization time (SMD = -2.08; 95% CI: -2.37, -1.79; p < .001) of cardiac surgery patients with ERAS nursing was significantly shorter than those with routine nursing. The patient's satisfaction after surgery with ERAS was higher than that of routine nursing relative risk ([RR] = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.30; p < .001). CONCLUSION: ERAS nursing can accelerate perioperative rehabilitation of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and highly accepted by patients.
Robich MP, Iribarne A, Butzel D
… +11 more, DiScipio AW, Dauerman HL, Leavitt BJ, DeSimone JP, Coylewright M, Flynn JM, Westbrook BM, Ver Lee PN, Zaky M, Quinn R, Malenka DJ
BACKGROUND: Valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) offers an alternative to reoperative surgical aortic valve replacement. The short- and intermediate-term outcomes after ViV TAVR in the real...BACKGROUND: Valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) offers an alternative to reoperative surgical aortic valve replacement. The short- and intermediate-term outcomes after ViV TAVR in the real world are not entirely clear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of 121 ViV TAVR patients and 2200 patients undergoing primary native valve TAVR from 2012 to 2017 at six medical centers. The main outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, acute kidney injury, and pacemaker implantation. RESULTS: ViV patients were more likely male, younger, prior coronary artery bypass graft, "hostile chest," and urgent. 30% of the patients had Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score <4%, 36.3% were 4%-8% and 33.8% were >8%. In both groups many patients had concomitant coronary artery disease. Median time to prosthetic failure was 9.6 years (interquartile range: 5.5-13.5 years). 82% of failed surgical valves were size 21, 23, or 25 mm. Access was 91% femoral. After ViV, 87% had none or trivial aortic regurgitation. Mean gradients were <20 mmHg in 54.6%, 20-29 mmHg in 30.6%, 30-39 mmHg in 8.3% and ≥40 mmHg in 5.87%. Median length of stay was 4 days. In-hospital mortality was 0%. 30-day mortality was 0% in ViV and 3.7% in native TAVR. There was no difference in in-hospital mortality, postprocedure myocardial infarction, stroke, or acute kidney injury. CONCLUSION: Compared to native TAVR, ViV TAVR has similar peri-procedural morbidity with relatively high postprocedure mean gradients. A multidisciplinary approach will help ensure patients receive the ideal therapy in the setting of structural bioprosthetic valve degeneration.
BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The midterm clinical outcomes of patients with latent left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction who undergo septal myectomy are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate th...BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The midterm clinical outcomes of patients with latent left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction who undergo septal myectomy are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with latent LVOT obstruction who underwent septal myectomy. METHODS: We studied 34 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and latent LVOT obstruction who underwent septal myectomy in 2011-2019 at Anzhen Hospital. After 2:1 propensity score matching, the study cohort included 34 patients with latent LVOT obstruction and 68 patients with resting LVOT obstruction. RESULTS: Compared to patients with resting LVOT obstruction, patients with latent LVOT obstruction had a thinner interventricular septal thickness (18.2 ± 3.2 mm vs. 20.4 ± 5.6 mm; p = .01), while the proportion of moderate or severe mitral regurgitation was significantly higher (26.5% vs. 5.9%; p = .003). Moreover, the proportion of mitral valve procedures (26.5% vs. 5.9%; p = .004) was significantly higher in patients with latent LVOT obstruction. However, there was no intergroup difference in cardiovascular death (5.9% vs. 1.5%, p = .26). Furthermore, the 5-year survival rates after sudden cardiac death (100.0% vs. 91.7%; p = .26) and cardiovascular death (95.5% vs. 89.0%; p = .32) were similar between HCM patients with latent versus resting LVOT obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Midterm clinical outcomes were similar and excellent in a matched cohort of HCM patients with latent versus resting LVOT obstruction after septal myectomy.
Wu Q, Shen Y, Xie L
… +4 more, Zhang J, Qiu Z, Tang M, Chen L
J Card Surg
· 2022 Dec · PMID 36444896
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the quality of life (QoL) and status of COVID-19 vaccination in heart transplant recipients (HTRs). METHODS: Patients w...OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the quality of life (QoL) and status of COVID-19 vaccination in heart transplant recipients (HTRs). METHODS: Patients who underwent allogeneic heart transplants between June 2006 and December 2019, who survived were selected from a follow-up registration form at our center. Data were collected using questionnaires in 2021, the QoL survey was conducted using the MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and compared to the same time frame in 2019. The patients were divided into two groups: post-epidemic (A) and pre-epidemic (B) groups. We also recorded whether the participants had been vaccinated against COVID-19 (Beijing Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine). All the data obtained were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 88 patients who participated in the study. Only 12 (13.6%) were vaccinated. In terms of SF-36 scale assessments, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Group A scored lower in vitality [52.5(49.0, 58.0) vs. 75.0(69.0, 79.0), p < .001], social functioning [54.0(50.5, 58.0) vs. 74.0(67.5, 78.0), p < .001], role emotional [58.5(55.0, 62.0) vs. 67.0(63.0, 71.0), p < .001], and mental health [58.5(55.0, 62.0) vs. 76.0(72.0, 79.0), p < .001]. In Group A the mental component summary (MCS) significantly decreased [222.0(214.5, 230.0) vs. 289.0(277.5, 299.5), p < .001]. The PCS and MCS of HTRs who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly higher than those who had not [PCS: 283.5(280.0, 287.0) vs. 276.0(271.0, 279.0), p < .001; MCS: 245.0(141.5, 254.0) vs. 220.0(213.5, 226.5), p < .001]. CONCLUSION: Low acceptance levels of COVID-19 vaccination were observed in the HTRs. The QoL of the HTRs decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Septal myectomy is currently the gold standard treatment for symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The procedure needs to be tailored and performed in a personalized fashion, taking in...Septal myectomy is currently the gold standard treatment for symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The procedure needs to be tailored and performed in a personalized fashion, taking into consideration the anatomic and physiologic heterogeneity of this disease. The extent and location of surgical myectomy will depend on the location of the hypertrophy, with the goal of widening the outflow tract and improve the function of the mitral valve. CMR helps to identify hypertrophy not well visualized by TTE, providing more accurate wall thickness measurements and differentiating HOCM from other causes of LV hypertrophy. CMR also helps identify an abnormal attachment of papillary muscle to the MV or to the septal myocardium and mitral valve pathology. A collaborative approach with cardiac surgeons, radiologists and cardiologists will optimize preoperative planning to improve the success for surgical myectomy.
INTRODUCTION: The axillary artery is a reliable inflow vessel when addressing pathology of the aortic root and aortic arch that may preclude standard central cannulation strategies. This narrative review examines the use...INTRODUCTION: The axillary artery is a reliable inflow vessel when addressing pathology of the aortic root and aortic arch that may preclude standard central cannulation strategies. This narrative review examines the use of the axillary artery in cardiac surgery. Anatomy, indications for use, cannulation strategies, and potential complications will be discussed. METHODS: A comprehensive review of the current literature was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Review, and authoritative committee guidelines. A narrative review incorporating current available evidence was undertaken. COMMENT: Use of the axillary artery in select cardiac surgical cases is reliable, reproducible, and may be preferable in certain cases involving ascending aortic pathology, reoperative surgery, porcelain aorta, access for transcatheter valve therapies, and peripheral mechanical circulatory support.
We report an unusual case of giant intracardiac medullary thyroid cancer metastasis. A 76-year-old woman with a 9-year history of medullary thyroid cancer presented an unexpected 7.5 cm mass in the right ventricle. Compl...We report an unusual case of giant intracardiac medullary thyroid cancer metastasis. A 76-year-old woman with a 9-year history of medullary thyroid cancer presented an unexpected 7.5 cm mass in the right ventricle. Complete resection and tricuspid valve replacement led to 40 months survival.
BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo cardiac surgery are at increased risk of stroke, postoperative cognitive decline, and delirium. These neurocognitive complications have led to increased costs, intensive care unit stays,...BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo cardiac surgery are at increased risk of stroke, postoperative cognitive decline, and delirium. These neurocognitive complications have led to increased costs, intensive care unit stays, morbidity, and mortality. As a result, there is a significant push to mitigate any neurological complications in cardiac surgery patients. Near-infrared spectroscopy to measure regional cerebral oxygen saturations has gained consideration due to its noninvasive and user-friendly nature. Cerebral oximetry desaturations during cardiac surgery have been linked to an array of adverse clinical outcomes. However, the most effective intraoperative interventions to protect this vulnerable patient population have yet to be ascertained. AIM OF STUDY: To provide a comprehensive summary of the intraoperative management for cerebral oximetry desaturations during cardiac surgery. The review highlights clinical outcomes from cerebral oximetry use to quantify the importance of identifying cerebral desaturations during cardiac surgery. The review then interrogates possible interventions for cerebral oximetry desaturations in an effort to determine which interventions are most efficacious and to enlighten possible areas for further research. METHODS: A narrative review of randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews with metanalyses was performed through August 2021. RESULTS: There is significant heterogeneity among patient populations for which cerebral oximetry monitoring has been studied in cardiac surgery. Further, the definition of a clinically significant cerebral desaturation and the assessment of neurocognitive outcomes varied substantially across studies. As a result, metanalysis is challenging and few conclusions can be drawn. Cerebral oximetry use during cardiac surgery has not been associated with improvements in neurocognitive outcomes, morbidity, or mortality to date. The evidence to support a particular intervention for an acute desaturation is equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: Future research is needed to quantify a clinically significant cerebral desaturation and to determine which interventions for an acute desaturation effectively improve clinical outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: Prior studies have demonstrated robotic excision of cardiac tumors as a safe and effective treatment option. The procedure is performed with five incisions: three robotic arm ports, one atrial retractor port,...OBJECTIVE: Prior studies have demonstrated robotic excision of cardiac tumors as a safe and effective treatment option. The procedure is performed with five incisions: three robotic arm ports, one atrial retractor port, and one working port. We report our unique initial experience in robotic tumor removal. To our knowledge, this is one of the first reports demonstrating cardiac myxoma and fibroelastoma removal with use of exclusively 8-mm ports. METHODS: All data for robotic cardiac tumor resection at our institution from June 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected; 18 cases were included, including 13 cardiac myxomas and five fibroelastomas. Baseline demographics, intraoperative characteristics, and surgical outcomes were recorded. Descriptive statistics were calculated; continuous variables were reported as median [interquartile range], and categorical variables were reported as percentages. RESULTS: Median patient age was 64 [55, 70] years old. The cohort consisted of primarily female (67%) and white (83%) patients. Median body mass index was 26.3 [23.0, 31.5] kg/m . 11% of patients were current tobacco users and 50% had hypertension. All patients underwent myxoma or fibroelastoma removal with the use of five 8-mm robotic ports. Each patient underwent percutaneous cannulation via the femoral arteries. Aortic occlusion was achieved via an endoaortic balloon (67%) or transthoracic cross-clamp (33%). Cross-clamp time was 30 [26, 41] minutes. Concomitant procedures performed during myxoma removal included patent foramen ovale closure (28%), mitral valve repair (8%), left atrial appendage closure (8%), Cox-maze procedure (6%), and coronary artery bypass grafting (6%). All cardiac tumors were packaged with use of the endo-bag and subsequently removed through the working port. Maximal myxoma and fibroelastoma diameters were 2.5 [1.7, 3.5] and 0.6 [0.4, 0.7] cm, respectively. Procedural cardiopulmonary bypass time was 77 [65, 84] minutes. No intraoperative mortality, reoperation for bleeding, or postoperative cardiac issues were recorded. One in-hospital mortality occurred as the result of a thrombotic event in the context of a hypercoagulable state unrelated to the patient's operation. No other mortalities were observed at 30 days. Hospital length of stay was 4.5 [3.0, 7.8] days. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the robotic platform facilitated safe and effective cardiac tumor excision. Our results highlight the efficacy of 8-mm port sizing and the concurrent use of other minimally invasive techniques, including percutaneous cannulation, in this patient population. In general, patients prefer the least invasive treatment option available. Our findings emphasize the importance of training cardiac surgeons to perform robotic procedures using the least invasive means possible to provide patients with various options for their treatment.
BACKGROUND: We present the case of a patient who underwent successful transapical aortic valve implantation in a severe quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) with severe regurgitation and multiorgan failure. CASE SUMMARY: A 57...BACKGROUND: We present the case of a patient who underwent successful transapical aortic valve implantation in a severe quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) with severe regurgitation and multiorgan failure. CASE SUMMARY: A 57-year-old man experienced intermittent palpitation and shortness of breath for 6 months. The condition deteriorated in the past month and caused multiorgan failure. The echocardiography and computed tomography angiography revealed severe aortic regurgitation due to congenital QAV. The aortic valve replacement was successfully performed in this high-risk patient using a J-Valve system. Postoperation and follow-up were uneventful. CONCLUSION: The J-Valve system effectively treated QAV regurgitation with good clinical outcomes in this case.
BACKGROUND: Poor preoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been associated with reduced short-term survival after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery; however, its impact on long-term mortality is u...BACKGROUND: Poor preoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been associated with reduced short-term survival after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery; however, its impact on long-term mortality is unknown. This study's objective was to determine if baseline HRQoL status predicts 5-year post-CABG mortality. METHODS: This prespecified, randomized on/off bypass follow-up study (ROOBY-FS) subanalysis compared baseline patient characteristics and HRQoL scores, obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) and Veterans RAND Short Form-36 (VR-36), between 5-year post-CABG survivors and nonsurvivors. Standardized subscores were calculated for each questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression assessed whether HRQoL survey subcomponents independently predicted 5-year mortality (p ≤ .05). RESULTS: Of the 2203 ROOBY-FS enrollees, 2104 (95.5%) completed baseline surveys. Significant differences between 5-year post-CABG deaths (n = 286) and survivors (n = 1818) included age, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, renal dysfunction, diabetes, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, atrial fibrillation, depression, non-White race/ethnicity, lower education status, and off-pump CABG. Adjusting for these factors, baseline VR-36 physical component summary score (p = .01), VR-36 mental component summary score (p < .001), and SAQ physical limitation score (p = .003) were all associated with 5-year all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-CABG HRQoL scores may provide clinically relevant prognostic information beyond traditional risk models and prove useful for patient-provider shared decision-making and enhancing pre-CABG informed consent.
BACKGROUND: Percutaneous axillary artery cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) offers a novel alternate approach to mechanical circulatory support for patients with contraindications to femoral perfusion. To our k...BACKGROUND: Percutaneous axillary artery cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) offers a novel alternate approach to mechanical circulatory support for patients with contraindications to femoral perfusion. To our knowledge, this has not yet been reported in minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). AIM: We aim to highlight our experience using percutaneous axillary artery cannulation to safely facilitate CPB for minimally invasive cardiac surgery MICS. METHODS: Four patients who underwent robotic cardiac surgery utilizing the axillary artery for percutaneous cannulation between November 2019 and August 2021 at a single center were identified and included in the analysis. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed to support this case series. RESULTS: There were no perioperative hematomas, brachial plexus injuries, or neurovascular injuries. Within 30-days postoperatively there was no mortality, vessel injury, stroke, new onset atrial fibrillation, or other life-threatening bleeding. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous cannulation of the axillary artery is a novel and promising CPB modality for robotic cardiac surgery in patients with extensive peripheral and aortic atherosclerotic disease.
OBJECTIVE: To observe fat tissue and the expression of adipokines in rheumatic heart valves and explore the possible role of fat tissue and adipokines in the pathology of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). METHODS: In this r...OBJECTIVE: To observe fat tissue and the expression of adipokines in rheumatic heart valves and explore the possible role of fat tissue and adipokines in the pathology of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 29 patients who received mitral valve replacement surgery were included. The study group consisted of 25 patients with RHD while the control group consisted of 4 patients with secondary mitral insufficiency caused by coronary heart disease (CAD). The clinical data of the patients including medical history, age, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)], apolipoprotein(b) [apo(b)] were collected and compared. Cardiac ultrasonography was used to assess valve conditions before surgery. The removed valves were collected. The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, oil-red O staining, and Masson's trichrome staining were adopted to evaluate the histological changes in the mitral valve. Immunohistochemical (IMC) staining was performed to evaluate the expression of adiponectin, leptin, and chemerin. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in general information and blood lipid levels between the two groups (all p > .05). Preoperative ultrasonography showed adipose tissue in the mitral valve of RHD patients. In the study group, rheumatic mitral valve samples showed thickening, adherence at the junction of the leaflets, calcification, and yellowish or fat mass by naked observation. The HE staining showed that there was calcification, inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrous tissue arranged disorder, and neovascularization. The oil-red O staining suggested fatty infiltration. Masson's trichrome staining suggested disorderly arrangement of collagen fiber and elastic fiber in rheumatic lesions, and the lesions were dominated by collagen fiber hyperplasia and less elastic fiber hyperplasia. The results of IMC indicated that chemerin was not expressed in valves of the control group. Most of the valve samples from the study group also did not show leptin and the leptin was seen in only a few rheumatic mitral valves with vascular hyperplasia. Adiponectin was not found in the valves of the study group and the control group. CONCLUSION: Adipose tissue in the rheumatic mitral valve could be observed by ultrasound. The fat mass and adipokines existed in rheumatic mitral valves, the adipocytokine chemerin is involved in the progression of the pathology in RHD.
BACKGROUND: Four-factor prothrombin complex (PCC4), a concentrate of factors II, VII, IX, and X and proteins C and S, has been used selectively for reversal of oral anticoagulation before surgery. There is data to suppor...BACKGROUND: Four-factor prothrombin complex (PCC4), a concentrate of factors II, VII, IX, and X and proteins C and S, has been used selectively for reversal of oral anticoagulation before surgery. There is data to support PCC4 as opposed to supplemental fresh frozen plasma (FFP) to manage postoperative bleeding following cardiac surgery. The preemptive, intraoperative use of PCC4 in cardiothoracic surgery has not been studied though it may prevent postoperative bleeding, the need for blood transfusion and the risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury, volume overload, and right ventricular (RV) heart failure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the intraoperative administration of PCC4 to decrease bleeding and lower the rate of blood transfusion. METHODS: A single institution retrospective chart review was conducted from May 2020 to November 2021 of patients who received PCC4 intraoperatively during cardiothoracic surgery of high-risk variety. Patients were evaluated for the type of surgery, demographics, baseline anticoagulation, PCC4 dose, type and quantity of blood transfusion within 72 hours (h) postoperatively, chest tube output, the incidence of RV failure, hypersensitivity reactions, acute kidney injury (AKI), thrombosis, acute lung injury, and mortality within 45 days of the operative dose of PCC4. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients received PCC4 at a mean dose of 2920 units (U). Sixty-five percent of cases were left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) or heart transplants. The protocol is to use PCC4 30 units (U)/kg immediately after the completion of protamine administration. Inclusion criteria are cardiothoracic surgery with increased risk of postoperative right heart failure commonly secondary to blood product transfusion, or cardiothoracic surgery associated with increased risk of bleeding, including heart transplant, LVAD implant, aortic dissection, and redo sternotomy (e.g., coronary artery bypass). Total chest tube output was recorded as a mean of 757 ml for 24 h after surgery (32 ml/h). Overall median event rates of FFP and red blood cell (RBC) transfusions were 0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0-3 U) and 4 (IQR: 2-5 U). Overall, 43% and 89% of cases received FFP and RBC, respectively. There was one occurrence of RV failure, one occurrence of AKI requiring renal replacement therapy, one occurrence of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, one occurrence of venous thromboembolism related to a central venous access line, and one death unrelated to surgery or PCC4 that was attributed to advanced heart failure not amenable to advanced therapies. CONCLUSION: Overall patients received a low rate of blood transfusion, had minimal chest tube output, and there was a small incidence of right heart failure. Patients did not have an increased risk of adverse effects such as AKI or venous thromboembolism. A randomized controlled clinical trial comparing the observed dose and timing of PCC4 versus routine postoperative bleeding management with blood product transfusion is recommended.
Currently, there is a lack of expert consensus and clinical guidelines about the treatment strategy for aortic roots in patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection with aortic sinuses less than 45 mm in diamete...Currently, there is a lack of expert consensus and clinical guidelines about the treatment strategy for aortic roots in patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection with aortic sinuses less than 45 mm in diameter and without combined connective tissue disorder. The physiological aortic sinus plays a key role in the protection of the aortic valve and cardiac function. Thus, we invented a "watching without dealing with" technique of aortic root repair to preserve the aortic sinus as much as possible. This technique could simplify the operation and improve the patient's prognosis, which is worth learning and promoting.