Objective To analyze the influencing factors and outcomes of atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) occlusion guided by echocardiography. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 188 patients receiving transthoracic and percutaneous transcatheter closure of ASD and VSD from July 2009 to July 2017 in our department, including 74 males and 114 females, aged 13.48±13.53 years ranging from 1 to 65 years. Results Fifty-three ASD patients accepted transthoracic closure surgery, of whom 4 patients were difficult to close and 6 patients failed to close; 24 patients underwent percutaneous transcatheter ASD occlusion surgery, of whom 3 were difficult to close and 1 failed in occlusion; 108 VSD patients implemented transthoracic closure surgery, of whom 10 patients were difficult to close and 5 patients failed in closure; 9 VSD patients underwent percutaneous transcatheter closure, of whom 5 failed and then was converted to transthoracic closure. Our study showed that too large or too small aperture was the independent risk factor. Two kinds of closure surgery had their own advantages and disadvantages. The special type of VSD was the influencing factor of transthoracic closure. Conclusion When the ASD diameter≥25 mm, transthoracic closure is the best choice to avoid the use of large occluder. When the ASD diameter<25 mm, percutaneous closure surgery is the best choice. When the ASD diameter≥35 mm, it is best to give up the closure operation. Technical improvements can significantly raise the closure success rate of the subarterial VSD. For the entry diameter>10 mm and membranous aneurysm with multi-break, occlusion surgery should be avoided in VSD.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel wire for echo-guiding percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure.MethodsTwenty sheep were randomly divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group (n=10 in each group). In both groups, an animal model of ASD was established by transthoracic balloon dilatation, and percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect was finished only by echography guiding. The total procedure time, passing time (time needed for the guide wire to enter the left atrium), frequency of delivery sheath dropping into right atrium, frequency of arrhythmias and rate of complications were compared between the two groups.ResultsASD model was uneventfully established in all animals. ASD devices were successfully implanted in all sheep. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly less mean procedure time and mean passing time, lower frequency of guide wire dropping into right atrium and frequency of atrial and ventricular premature contractions, respectively (15.36±4.86 min vs. 25.82±7.85 min, 2.69±0.82 min vs. 5.58±3.34 min, 0% vs. 40.0%, 4.41±2.61 vs. 9.60±3.68, 0.75±0.36 vs. 1.34±0.68; all P<0.05) . Two groups did not have serious complications within postoperative one week.ConclusionThe novel wire system is not only safe and effective in the treatment of ASD occlusion, but also easy to operate.
Before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), echocardiography is the first choice for preoperative screening of suitable patients, which can be used to observe the morphology of aortic valve, determine the cause of aortic stenosis, and evaluate the severity of aortic stenosis and other cardiac structure and function. During TAVR procedure, echocardiography is mainly used for real-time monitoring of complications and immediate postoperative evaluation. After TAVR, echocardiography can be used to evaluate the shape and function of the prosthesis valve and monitor long-term complications. This article reviews the research progress of echocardiography in TAVR for guiding clinical practice.
ObjectiveTo summarize the surgical strategy on treating mitral desease patient associated with hypertrophic obstructive cadiomyopathy (HOCM). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 17 patients with HOCM underwent surgical treatment from November 2003 to May 2015 year. There were 10 males and 7 females with a mean age of 42.2±15.5 years ranging from 7-62 years. There were 16 patients underwent modified Morrow procedure and 1 patient underwent modified Konno procedure to relieve the obstruction of left ventricular outflow tract. And different surgical treatment of mitral valve disease was implemented depending on the severity of regurgitation and under monitoring of transesophageal echocardiography. About 2 weeks after the surgery, we performed transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate the effect of operation. ResultsNo hospital death occurred and the surgery obviously improved the symptom and cardiac function in all cases. After surgery, echocardiography revealed that the mean thickness of the ventricular septum statistically decreased (P < 0.0001), the systolic anterior motion disappeared, the outflow track pressure of left ventricle statistically decreased (P < 0.0001), and the peak flow rate of left ventricle statistically decreased. However, there was no statistical difference in the change of the left ventricular ejection fraction(P=0.083). Nine patients with no mitral regurgitation (MR) or mild MR only underwent the unblock of the left ventricular outflow track, the MR decreased to mild or disappeared. Four patients with moderate or severe MR underwent mitral valve repair, and the MR decrease to mild or disappear. There were no complications occurred regarding to prosthesis implantation over the 4 patients underwent mitral valve replacement for infective endocarditis or other causes. ConclusionFor the HOCM patients with mild MR, the unblock of the left ventricular outflow track alone can effectively improve the MR. For those combined with moderate or severe MR, we should choose mitral valve repair or replacement based on individual situation of patient.
Objective To evaluate the relationship between pattern of left ventricular dilation and functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) by echocardiography. Methods A single-center retrospective observational study was conducted on 117 patients with age of 31-77 years and left ventricular end diastolic dimension≥60 mm treated in our hospital from January 2013 through May 2016. These patients were divided into four groups by FMR degree: FMR-None/Trace (FMR-N/T group,n=33), FMR-Minor (FMR-Mi group,n=37), FMR-Moderate (FMR-Mo group,n=34) and FMR-Severe (FMR-Se group,n=13). We analyzed their basic information and echocardiographic parameters including left ventricular dimension, volume, systolic function, spherical index, regional wall motion score index, tenting height and area of mitral vavle as well as anterior/posterior angle. Results The incidences of inferior/posterior/lateral myocardial infarction and basal myocardial dyskinesia/aneurysm increased with the increase of FMR degree (FMR-N/T vs. FMR-Mi vs. FMR-Mo vs. FMR-Se: 12.1% vs. 18.9% vs. 44.1% vs. 46.2%,P=0.001 and 12.1% vs. 27.0% vs.47.1% vs. 53.8%,P=0.005, respectively). The tenting height and area of mitral valve, anterior/posterior angle, regional wall score index of the left ventricle where the papillary muscle was attached to had a positive correlation with FMR degree (P＜0.05). Conclusion There is a relationship between regional left ventricular dilation and FMR. Evaluating and improving those parameters is very important when we choose the treatment strategy of functional mitral regurgitaion.
Objective To explore the feasibility of transcatheter closure of congenital heart disease (CHD) under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Methods A total of 37 patients with CHD who received transcatheter closure under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography from November 2013 through November 2015 in our hospital were recruited. There were 15 males and 22 females, aged 1 to 16 years. Among them 32 patients suffered atrial septal defect and 5 patients had patent ductus arteriosus. The transcatheter closure of CHD was performed under the guidance of TTE. The patients underwent echocardiography follow-up at one, three and six months after surgery. Results Closure devices were successfully implanted in 37 patients under TTE guidance. The procedure was simple and safe. During the follow-up, no severe complication such as valvular injury, pericardial effusion, residual shunt and peripheral vascular injury occurred. Conclusion Transcatheter closure of CHD under TTE guidance is a feasible method and worth further clinical application.
We tried to explore the value of contrast echocardiography (CEcho) on evaluating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with the inferior wall hypertrophy. A total of 114 patients with HCM were investigated. All the patients received CEcho and routine echocardiography (Echo), and 45 of them received cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and 47 of them received Holter. The frequency and percentage of inferior wall hypertrophy were analyzed in HCM patients, as well as the structure and function. The results showed that: (1) Inferior wall hypertrophy was detected in 55 patients (48%) by Echo, while 68 patients (60%) by CEcho. (2) There was no significant difference between CMR and CEcho in the measurement of inferior wall at end-diastole and end-systole. Thickness of inferior wall by CEcho tended to be higher than CMR. However, the inferior wall thickness measured by Echo was obviously lower than that by CMR (P < 0.05) and CEcho ( P < 0.05). (3) Bland-Altman plot suggested good consistency between CEcho and CMR in measuring inferior wall thickness. 95% CI of mean differences in inferior wall thickness between CEcho and CMR were smaller in HCM patients as compared with that between Echo and CMR. Unary linear regression analysis showed good degree of fitting between CEcho and CMR. (4) Holter showed that HCM patients with inferior wall hypertrophy were likely to have higher incidence of premature ventricular complexes (PVC) ≥ 500/24 h. We demonstrate that CEcho is rather sensitive in detecting inferior wall hypertrophy. Echo may underestimate the inferior wall thickness. The risk of ventricular premature beats may increase in HCM patients with inferior hypertrophy.
An 82-year-old male was hospitalized complaining of dyspnea for 1 year and aggravating for 2 weeks. He had been treated in other hospitals for several times due to such situation and his symptom could be relieved by diuretics. After admission, he was diagnosed as severe aortic stenosis with extremely low left ventricular contractile function; transthoracic echocardiography showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of only 16.1%. He was classified as a typical case of severe aortic stenosis with “low transaortic velocity and low transaortic gradient” since the transaortic velocity being 2.36 m/s and transaortic gradient being 22/14 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa). Dobutamine-stress echocardiography suggested that the patient’s left ventricular reserve function was extremely poor and the potential benefits of valvular surgery were finite as the former data being 2.59 m/s and 27/16 mm Hg respectively. In consideration of progressive exacerbation of the patient’s symptoms, we eventually conducted transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery with the support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. His symptoms such as dyspnea disappeared after the surgery and clinical parameters had also got a significant improvement.
ObjectiveTo explore the value of inferior vena cava inspiratory collapsibility (ΔIVC) in guiding septic shock resuscitation with early goal-directed therapy (EGDT).MethodsA single center, randomized controlled trial was conducted at an 812-bed hospital in Mianyang, Sichuan. Adult patients with early septic shock in the intensive care unit were assessed and treated at defined intervals over 6 h using an ΔIVC-guided resuscitation protocol or an EGDT protocol. Feasibility outcomes were fluid balance and norepinephrine administration. The primary clinical outcomes were in-hospital mortality rate, 90-day survival rate. Secondary outcomes included incidence of acute kidney injury and consumption of health resources.ResultsSixty-eight patients with septic shock were enrolled in this study. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The ΔIVC-guided septic shock resuscitation group was lower than the EGDT group in the ICU 24 h fluid replacement (L): 3.8 (4.0, 5.3) vs. 4.7 (4.0, 6.6), 72 h liquid positive balance (L): 0.2 (–0.65, 1.2) vs. 2.5 (0.0, 4.1), intensive care unit length of stay (d): 7.5 (5.0, 14.0) vs. 15.0 (7.0, 21.5), mechanical ventilation cumulative time (d): 3.0 (0.0, 7.0) vs. 7.5 (2.2, 12.0), ICU costs (ten thousand yuan): 3.4 (2.1, 5.9) vs. 8.6 (4.2, 16.5), bedside blood purification treatment costs (ten thousand yuan): 2.3 (1.1, 3.3) vs. 6.8 (2.1, 10.0) (P<0.05). No difference was observed in the incidence of acute kidney injury (P > 0.05), in-hospital mortality and 90-day survival between the two groups (log-rank χ2=0.35, P>0.05).ConclusionsAmong patients with septic shock, a ΔIVC-guided septic shock resuscitation, compared with EGDT, did not reduce in-hospital mortality. It might prevent the risk of over resuscitation, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation, and lead to a better utilization of intensive care unit resources.
ObjectiveTo summarize the experiences of minimally invasive occlusion of ventricular septal defect (VSD) via small chest incision. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 131 infants with VSD in Hebei children's Hospital between March 2013 and September 2014, including 83 patients with perimembranous VSD, 24 patients with membranous aneurysm and 24 patients with intracristal VSD. There were 63 males and 68 females with a mean age of 35.28±29.22 months and a mean body weight of 14.56±7.47 kg. Before surgery, a multiple-section transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was employed to evaluate various parameters of the VSD. Under general anesthesia, a small incision was made to expose the right ventricle. Under TEE guidance, proper device was delivered and deployed to close the defect. Patients also received postoperative following-up by transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) at regular intervals. ResultsOne hundred twenty-nine patients were successfully performed operation. Two patients were converted to perform traditional surgical closure with cardiopulmonary bypass (cPB). concentric devices were used in 52 patients and eccentric devices were used in 77 patients. During the following-up (1-12 months) period, complications occurred in three patients. Massive pericardial effusion appeared and disappeared after pericardicentesis in one patient. The occlusion device was dislocated in the next day after operation and took out by cPB operation in one patient. There was an asymptomatic residual shunt at 1 mm in one patient. ConclusionThe minimally invasive occlusion of VSD via small chest incision is a safe and effective treatment. It should be encouraged to use in the clinical practice.