If one word is used to describe the development of congenital heart disease surgery in China, "hardship" would be the most appropriate. Generations of pioneers have used their ingenuity to overcome obstacles and promoted the development of the discipline. Seventy years of efforts have established the world's largest congenital heart disease treatment system. However, the huge number of potential patients, low early diagnosis rate and over-screening as well as the uneven developed diagnosis and treatment capabilities hinder the future development. The overall improvement of treatment of congenital heart disease in China lies on more efforts from our fellow experts. The publication of the "Chinese expert consensus on surgical treatment of congenital heart diseases" undoubtedly provides theoretical and practical guidance for the improvement of treatment.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of using acellular bovine pericardium as a viable tissue engineering vascular patch.MethodsFresh bovine pericardium was treated by enzyme detergent cell extraction, then they were used as vascular patches, ovine jugular vein segments were harvested, separated into endothelial and myofibroblast cells, expanded in cell culture, sequentially seeded onto acellular bovine pericardium patches (3cm×3cm). After 7 days of in vitro culture, the autologous cell/patches as experimental group ( n =5) were used to replace partial pulmonary artery wall. Animals were sacrificed at 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 weeks. The acellular bovine pericardium patches without autologous cells were used as control group ( n =3). Animals were sacrificed at intervals of 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Explanted patches were evaluated by macroscopic and histologic examinations, assayed for calcium, elastin and collagen content.ResultsAll animals were survived without complications of thrombosis and aneurysm before sacrificed; there was no significant difference in calcium content in two groups; elastin ratio assay showed progressive increase over 4 to 24 weeks, similar to normal pulmonary artery wall, suggesting an ongoing tissue remodeling.ConclusionThe acellular bovine pericardium patch with or without autologous cell seeded to a certain extent can be changed into viable vascular wall tissue after being used to replace partial ovine pulmonary artery wall.
Abstract: Objective To summarize the clinical results of homemade flexible annuloplasty ring in mitral valve repair, in order to discuss the appropriate ring size. Methods Sixtysix patients (55 males,and 11 females with a mean age of 44.62±15.94 years) with mitral insufficiency underwent mitral valve repair with homemade flexible annuloplasty ring from April 2002 to November 2009 in Fu Wai Hospital. In order to choose the ring with an appropriate size, we made and kept to the following principles: if the intercommissural distance was bigger than size 30, we chose a ring 2size smaller; if the measured distance was smaller than size 30, 1size smaller ring would be chosen. Patients were followed by echocardiography to observe the mitral valve function. Results All patients were cured and discharged from the hospital. The results of echocardiography showed mild to moderate regurgitation in 1 patient, mild regurgitation in 11 patients, and normal mitral function or trace regurgitation in the rest 54 patients. Mitral valve forward velocity was 1.40±0.30 m/s with no mitral stenosis or systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the anterior mitral leaflet. Fiftyone patients were followed up from 2 months to 7 years(24.60±25.90 months). The results of echocardiography on 38 patients showed that 1 patient had moderate regurgitation, 5 patients had mild to moderate regurgitation, 9 patients had mild regurgitation and others had normal mitral function or trace regurgitation. For these 38 patients included in the followup study, mitral valve forward velocity was 1.50±0.40 m/s with no mitral stenosis, SAM or left ventricular outlet tract obstruction. During the followup, the left atrium size (43.19±10.48 mm vs. 48.59±9.40 mm, t=4.524, P=0.000) and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (52.64±7.35 mm vs. 6269±8.77 mm, t=7.607, P=0.000) decreased significantly than the preoperative size and diameter respectively. The application of restrictive homemade flexible annuloplasty ring in mitral valve annuloplasty had satisfactory, durable and stable clinical results.
Objective To improve the operative effects of patients who had tetralogy of Fallot with aortopulmonary collateral arteries (TOF-APCAs) and evaluate the clinical effects of staging and onestop hybrid approach for TOFAPCAs. Methods From January 2003 to December 2007, thirty patients with TOF-APCAs had undergone combined therapy of APCAs embolization and complete surgical repair. Fifteen patients had APCAs embolization therapy before or after TOF radical operation(staging hybrid group ); Fifteen had onestop hybrid treatment(onestop hybrid group). Results Angiography revealed that there were 19 APCAs in staging hybrid group, and of which 15(78％) were embolized successfully. Five cases had complications and one died from respiratory circulating failure. The rest all recovered and discharged. And 22 APCAs were found in one-stop hybrid group, eighteen (82％) of them were embolized successfully. Only one case had pulmonary effusion. The time of hospitalization(median 37 d vs. 22 d, P=0.011),ICU staying（median 7.0 d vs. 4.7 d,P=0.029）and endotracheal intubation（median 131 h vs. 19 h,P=0.009） was obviously longer, and the hospitalization expenses（median 64 101 [CM(159mm]yuan vs. 48 021 yuan, P=0.033）were obviously higher in staging hybrid group than that in one-stop hybrid group.And there was no statistical significance in cardiopulmonary bypass time（P=0.126） and aortic clamping time（P=0.174） between two groups. Conclusion In comparison with traditional staging hybrid approach, one-stop hybrid approach can simplify the operative process for patients who have TOFAPCAs, improve the operative successful rate and cut down expenses.
Objective To summarize the experience of emergency coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) on serious myocardium ischemia in early post CABG. Methods Between 1998 and 2002, emergency redo CABG was performed in 13 patients with serious early post operative myocardium ischemia. The causes included vein graft embolize(4 cases),uncompleted revascularize(3 cases), graft spasm(1 case) and anastomose stenosis or occlusion (5 cases). The grafts was 1 3(1.8±0.9) during redo CABG. Results There were 6 deaths, the mortality was 46%. The mean follow up was 31 months. There was no recurrence of angina. NYHA function was Ⅰ Ⅱ. Conclusion Emergency CABG is an important method in saving the patients with severe myocardium ischemia in early post CABG. The perioperative prevention and early treatment should be emphasized.
Objective To provide a ventricular assist device for patients with heart failure, Fu Wai （FW） axial blood pump was developed for partly or totally to assist the left ventricular function. Vitro hemolysis and animals tests were also employed to test the hydromechanics and hemocompatibility of the FW left ventricular assist devices developed in Fu Wai hospital. Methods Using vitro test loop, FW axial blood pump has been used to evaluate the performance of hemolysis， the pump has also been tested for hemolysis characteristic through five sheep experiments. Results At 8 400 r/min, the pump generates 5 L/min flow against 100 mm Hg, the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) was0.17±0.06 mg/L. The plasma free hemoglobin of in vivo tests was around 30 mg/dl. Conclusion The results obtained in vitro and in vivo testing indicate an acceptable design for the blood pump, further in vivo tests will be performed before clinical use.
Objective To study the development of a physiologic fixation method and investigate the effect of physiologic fixation method on porcine aortic root and aortic valve leaflets. Methods Physiological fixer of aortic root was manufactured in a factory. The fixers with different diameter were made of organic glass. Porcine aortic root with ascending aorta and anterior leaflet of mitral valve and partial ventricular septum were dissected out from the fresh heart. The roots were attached to appropriately sized inflow and outflow spigots. Physiologic fixation was utilized to maintain aortic root and leaflets natural anatomical shape, the aortic root was pressurized to the inflow and outflow portions simultaneously, and the leaflets floated freely at zero-pressure differential with in the pressurized root. Results The process of physiologic fixation retained the properties of a native valve. The leaflets were much softer and extensible than those from valves fixed under low pressure. The results of pulsatile flow testing indicated that the effective orifice areas of predilation at 80mmHg were significantly greater than those of predilation at 40 mmHg（P〈0.05）, while mean pressure differences were found to be lower comparatively（P〈0.05）. This difference translates into a mode of valve function that more closely approximates that of the native aortic valve. Conclusion Physiologic fixation process retains the valve＇s natural anatomical shape as well as the underlying structure of the leaflets, providing improved flow characteristics.
Abstract： Objectives To evaluate the early and mid-term follow-up outcomes of “one-stop” hybrid coronary revascularization strategy for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. Methods From June 2007 to December 2009, 104 consecutive patients underwent “one-stop”hybrid coronary revascularization in Fu Wai Hospital. There were 93 male patients and 11 female patients with mean age of （61.8±10.2）years（ranging from 35 to 81 years）. All the patients had multivessel coronary artery disease including left anterior descending （LAD）coronary artery stenosis, and underwent “one-stop”hybrid coronary revascularization. “One-stop”hybrid procedure was first performed through a lower partial sternotomy at the second left intercostal space. The distal anastomosis of in situ left internal mammary artery （LIMA）to LAD graft was completed. Angiography was performed immediately to confirm patency of the LIMA graft after closure of the thorax. A 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel was administered through a nasogastric tube after confirmation of LIMA graft patency. Intravenous unfractionated heparin was administered to obtain an activated clotting time of greater than 250 s. Then percutaneous coronary intervention（PCI）was performed on the non-LAD lesions. Results All the patients underwent“one-stop”hybrid coronary revascularization including grafted LIMA to LAD，and one hundred and ninety one drug eluting stents and three bare metal stents were used for other non-LAD lesions. No death event occurred during surgery and in hospital. All the patients were followed up for a mean duration of 1.5 years. There was no myocardial infarction, neurologic event or death occurred during follow-up except one patient with stent stenosis who was treated by PCI. Conclusion “One-stop” hybrid coronary revascularization is a feasible and safe alternative for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.
Atrial fibrillation （AF） is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and associated with incremental morbidity and mortality. It is implicated that multiple reentry circuits have been the dominant mechanism of AF. The classical surgical treatment for medically refractory AF is the maze procedure composed of aultiple cuts and sutures within the atrial walls to disrupt the abnormal reentry circuits. Although the maze procedure is recognized as the most effective treatment of AF, it is complicated, time consuming and much invasive. New surgical ablation therapy, applying alternate energy sources （cryothermy, radiofrequency, microwave） have evolved to simplify the maze procedure without cut and suture and demonstrated promising success rates. The optimal lesion set has not yet been defined, Modification of lesion sets and techniques that ensure continuous and transmural lesions may improve the outcomes of ablation therapy and recover rate of sinus rhythm.
Objective To investigate the surgical indications and the mid and long term results of morphologic tricuspid valve replacement for corrected transposition of the great arteries（cTGA）. Methods From September 1997 to September 2007, 18 cases with cTGA were treated in Fu Wai Hospital. There were 15 male and 3 female, aged from 16 to 51 years（33.3±12.8 years）, and weighed from 47 to 90 kg(60.9±14.7 kg). There were 10 cases with isolated morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency, 3 complicated with ventricular septal defect, 2 complicated with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary valve stenosis, 2 with morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency after septal defect repair, and 1 with mechanical valve dysfunction after morphologic tricuspid valve replacement. The preoperative mean morphologic right ventricle ejection fraction was 562%±11.6%. Of the 18 cases, 12 were in grade Ⅱ and 6 were in grade Ⅲ according to New York Heart classification（NYHA）.All the cases had undergone morphologic tricuspid valve replacement. Postoperative indices such as cardiac function and morphological right ventricle ejection fraction were followed up. Results One patient died of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Two had pervavlvular leak, which were cured by pervavlvular leak repair at 7th and 30th day after operation, respectively. Sixteen were followed up with a followup time of 57.0±407 months. There was no statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative mean morphologic right ventricle ejection fraction（52.8%±9.2% vs.56.2%±11.6%; t=2.062, Pgt;0.05）. The followup showed that 12 were in NYHA grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ, and 4 were in NYHA grade Ⅲ. There was no statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative percentage of cases in NYHA grade Ⅲ（χ2=1.532，Pgt;0.05）. Conclusion Morphologic tricuspid valve replacement can prevent the further damage to morphologic right ventricular function caused by morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency. The mid and long term results were satisfying. During the followup, the morphologic right ventricle can function appropriately.