ObjectiveTo compare clinical results of different anticoagulation methods for patients with large left atrium in the early period after mitral valve replacement (MVR) in order to optimize anticoagulation therapy for them. MethodsA total of 144 patients with large left atrium who underwent MVR in Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College from January 2012 to September 2013 were included in this study. There were 76 male and 68 female patients with their age of 36-60 (47.4±7.0) years. All the patients were divided into 2 groups according to different anticoagulation methods after MVR. Group A patients received warfarin anticoagulation since the 2nd postoperative day. Group B patients received warfarin and aspirin (0.1 g daily) since the 2nd postoperative day. Morbidity and mortality during follow-up were compared between the 2 groups. ResultsInternational normalized ratio (INR) was 2.03±0.11 in group A and 2.01±0.11 in group B,and there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (t=0.804,P>0.05). Twenty patients (13.9%) had hemorrhagic complications. There was no statistical difference in INR between patients with hemorrhagic complications in group A and B (t=0.496,P>0. 05) and there was no statistical difference in hemorrhagic rate between group A and B(P>0. 05). There was no thromboembolic complication in group B,and 9 patients (6.3%) in group A had thromboembolic complications. Three patients (2%) died of intracranial hemorrhage in group A during follow-up. Two patients died in group B,including 1 patient with recurrent pericardial effusion and pericardial tamponade who died 60 days after surgery,and another patient who died of unknown reason during follow-up. ConclusionFor MVR patients with large left atrium,anticoagulation with warfarin and aspirin can significantly decrease the incidence of thromboembolic complications but does not increase the incidence of hemorrhagic complications.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of stiff left atrial syndrome (SLAS) after Mei mini maze procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF), and to explore its risk factors and treatments. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of the patients who underwent Mei mini maze procedure in Xinhua Hospital between 2010 and 2020. According to whether SLAS occurred in the early postoperative period, patients were divided into a SLAS group and a non-SLAS group. The basic data, perioperative echocardiogram and laboratory test indexes of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 1 056 patients were collected. There were 672 (63.6%) males with an average age of 63.6±9.3 years, including 489 patients with persistent AF and 567 patients with paroxysmal AF. Fourteen (14/1 056, 1.3%) patients developed SLAS, with an average occurrence time of 2.1±1.1 days after the surgery. The average follow-up time of the whole group was 21.4±7.8 months. Two patients in the SLAS group developed SLAS again after discharge, and the occurrence time was 3 weeks and 4 weeks after the operation, respectively; while no SLAS occurred after discharge in the non-SLAS group. Diabetes and small preoperative left atrial diameter were risk factors for SLAS after surgery. Patients with SLAS had a good prognosis after adequate diuretic therapy. Conclusion The incidence of SLAS after Mei mini maze procedure for AF is low, and it mostly occurs in the early postoperative period. After adequate diuretic treatment, the prognosis is good.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of the epicardial circumferential left atrial ablation (CLAA) with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in curing atrial fibrillation (AF). MethodsThirty experimental pigs, weight from 60-78 kg, were divided into 3 groups with the method of random sampling:a group of AF (AF group, n=10), a group of PVI (PVI group, n=10), and a group of CLAA and PVI (CLAA+PVI group, n=10). AF mode was induced by rapid atrial pacing. After AF was induced, no ablation was performed for pigs in the AF group, PVI was performed for pigs in the PVI group with bipolar radiofrequency ablation clamp, and the CLAA+PVI group underwent CLAA after accepted PVI with bipolar radiofrequency ablation clamp. After ablation, we applied electrovert on AF pigs to recover to sinus rhythm, then we tested the vulnerability and lasting time of AF in all 3 groups. ResultsAll pigs developed a stable and sustained AF by rapid left atrial pacing. The pigs of the PVI group and the CLAA+PVI group successfully underwent ablation with the beating heart. Isolated PVI terminated AF in 3 of 20 pigs, and CLAA with PVI terminated AF in 5 of 8 pigs (15% vs. 62.5%, P=0.022). After all pigs recovered to the sinus rhythm, compared with the AF group (10/10), the incidence of sustained AF by burst pacing was statistically decreased in the PVI group (3/10, P=0.003) and the CLAA+PVI group (0/10, P<0.001). There was no statistical difference between the PVI group and the CLAA+PVI group (P=0.211). There was a statistical decreasing of AF duration in the PVI group (P=0.003) and the CLAA+PVI group (P<0.001) compared with the AF group and there was a statistical decreasing of AF duration in the CLAA+PVI group compared to that of the PVI group (P=0.008). ConclusionCompared with isolated PVI, CLAA+PVI may effectually stop the lasting of AF, restrain the recurrance of AF, and improve the treatment effect of AF.
Abstract： Objective To analyze the influence of preoperative left atrial dimension （LAD） on the effectiveness of surgical radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation （AF） through a 5-year postoperative follow-up of AF patients after surgical radiofrequency ablation. Methods Clinical data of 433 patients with persistent or permanent AF who received bipolar radiofrequency ablation procedures during concomitant cardiac surgery in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2006 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were divided into 4 groups according to their preoperative LAD：Group A， 75 patients with their LAD＜50 mm， including 22 males and 53 females with their average age of 56.50±10.05 years；Group B， 89 patients with their LAD ranging from 50 to 60 mm， including 32 males and 57 females with their average age of 55.63±10.28 years；Group C， 117 patients with their LAD ranging from 60 to 70 mm， including 41 males and 76 females with their average age of 55.13±10.96 years；and Group D， 152 patients with their LAD＞70 mm， including 68 males and 84 females with their average age of 53.22±11.49 years. Postoperative ECG records right after surgery， before discharge， at 6 months and 1，2，3，4 and 5 years during follow-up were collected. The relationship between preoperative LAD and postoperative sinus rhythm restoration rate was analyzed. Results There was statistical difference in sinus rhythm restoration rate right after surgery（P=0. 011）， before discharge（P=0. 002）， at 6 months（P＜ 0. 001） and 1 year （P＜0. 001）， 2 years（P＜0. 001）， 3 years（P＜0. 001）， 4 years（P＜0. 001） and 5 years（P= 0. 006） during follow-up among the 4 groups. Postoperative sinus rhythm restoration rates right at 6 months and 1，2，3， 4 and 5 years during follow-up was 90.4%， 89.9%， 90.3%， 91.3%， 89.1%， and 90.9% in Group A， 80.2%，79.0%，78.1%， 76.1%，72.5%，70.0% in Group B，74.7%，74.0%，71.2%，72.4%，70.0%， and 64.7% in Group C， and 61.8%，57.6%，56.8%，53.9%，50.7%，and 48.6% in Group D， respectively. Conclusion Patients with a larger preoperative LAD have a lower postoperative sinus rhythm restoration rate after surgical radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of AF.
Objective To examine the effect and safety of thoracoscopic surgery for left atrium myxoma excision. Method Sixty-nine left atrial myxoma patients underwent excision of left atrial myxoma in our hospital between January 2012 and August 2014 year. The patients were divided into two groups according to the procedure. Thirty patients under-went thoracoscopic surgery, as a thoracoscopic group, with 8 males and 22 females, aged 47.36±13.02 years. Thirty-nine patients received median sternotomy surgery, as a median sternotomy group, with 10 males and 29 females, aged 49.17±13.09 years. The effect and safety between the two groups were compared. Results All patients survived after surgery without death and other serious complications. Compared with the median sternotomy surgery group, longer cardiopul- monary bypass and aortic cross clamp time, shorter ICU stay, ventilator support, and postoperative drainage time, shorter hospital stay time, less postoperative drainage, lower cost, and more higher rate of returning to work in 1 month after surgery were found in the thoracoscopic group with P value less than 0.05. There was no complication of stroke and other neurological complication in the two groups. All patients were followed up for 11 months to 4 years and 7 months, average age of 38.5±12.7 months. There was no recurrence in both groups. Conclusions The thoracoscopic left atrial myxoma excision cardiopulmonary is effective and safe. It can be used as a surgical treatment of left atrial myxoma preferred.
Objective To explore the operability of concomitant ablation for the patients with valvular heart diseases with left atrium bigger than 60 mm. Methods We prospectively included 306 patients with concomitant ablation in our hospital between 2013 and 2015 year. Based on diameter of left atrium measured by intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), we separated these patients into two groups including a group L (left atrium >60 mm, 93 patients, 55 males and 38 females at age of 57.0±10.1 years) and a group S (left atrium <60 mm, 213 patients, 120 males and 93 females at age of 55.2±9.9 years) and followed them on 4 time points (time on discharge, three months, six months, and one year after surgery). Then, we analyzed the impact of left atrial size on cardioversion outcome of surgical ablation based on the following data. Results The successful rate of the group S and the group L in the 4 time points was 72.8% vs. 75.3%, 74.2% vs. 75.3%, 78.9% vs. 77.4%, and 77.0% vs. 77.4%, respectively . The result of both univariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operation characteristic(ROC) curve analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in cardioversion rates between the group S and the group L. And there was no evident correlation between size of left atrium and ablation failure. Conclusion Patients with left atrium enlarged from 60 mm to 70 mm can achieve the same satisfactory results in cardioversion, and should not be the contraindication of concomitant surgical ablation.