Objective To evaluate clinical outcomes of mild-to-moderate or moderate functional mitral regurgitation（FMR）after aortic valve replacement （AVR） in patients with severe aortic stenosis （AS），and analyze prognostic factors of these patients with mild-to-moderate or moderate FMR （2＋to 3＋）. Methods From September 2008 to December 2011，a total of 156 patients with severe AS （peak aortic gradient （PAG）≥50 mm Hg） as well as FMR （2＋to 3＋） underwent surgical treatment in Zhongshan Hospital. There were 95 male and 61 female patients with their average age of 59.2±10.5 years. Detailed perioperative clinical data were collected，and postoperative patients were followed up. The ratio of FMRpreoperative/FMR postoperative was calculated. Patient age，gender，body weight，history of hypertension，ventricular arrhythmia，atrial fibrillation （AF），left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF），left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD），left atrial diameter （LAD），pulmonary artery hypertension （PAH），PAG were assessed by logistic multivariate regression analysis. Results Six patients died postoperatively，including 4 patients with low cardiac output syndrome and 2 patients with refractory ventricular arrhythmia. Perioperative mortality was 3.8%. The average follow-up time was 20.3±8.5 months and follow-up rate was 85.3% （133/156）. Eight patients died during follow-up，including 3 patients with heart failure，2 patients with ventricular arrhythmia，and 3 patients with anticoagulation-related cerebrovascular accident. Multivariate regression analysis showed that FMR preoperative/FMR postoperative ratio was not correlated with age≥55 years，male gender，body weight≥80 kg，LVEDD≥55 mm，LVEF≤50%，history of hypertension or ventricular arrhythmia. However，LAD≥50 mm，PAH≥50 mm Hg，PAG≤75 mm Hg and preoperative AF were negatively correlated with postoperative FMR improvement. Conclusions Risk factors including LAD≥50 mm，PAH≥50 mm Hg，PAG≤75 mm Hg and preoperative AF are negatively correlated with postoperative improvement of FMR （2＋to 3＋）. Patients with severe AS and above risk factors should receive concomitant surgical treatment for their FMR during AVR，since preoperative FMR（2＋to 3＋）usually does not improve or even aggravate after AVR.
Abstract: There is a 1% - 4% incidence of cardiac disease in pregnancy, and rheumatic heart disease is the most common diagnosis. On the condition that medical treatment is inefficacious, an open heart surgery should be performed. Because of the changes in physiological functions, there is a major difference between pregnant patients and the general population in perioperative management of valve replacement. Now , the pregnancy is not an absolute contraindication for cardiopulmonary bypass, though the incidence of mortality and birth defects remains high. It is helpful in decreasing complications and increasing survival rate by improving themethods of cardiopulmonary bypass, postoperative monitoring, anticoagulation etc. In this article, the progress in t reatments of perioperative period of cardiac valve replacement during pregnancy is reviewed.
Objective To evaluate the right ventricular function of the patients 2 years after surgery by ultrasonic cardiography (UCG) who underwent mitral valve replacement (MVR) concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP). Method We finally identified 36 patients required MVR with tricuspid valve annular dilation concomitant merely mild tricuspid regurgitaion (TR) based on preoperative UCG in our hospital between April and November 2012 year. All patients were randomly divided into two groups by digital table including a tricuspid annuloplasty group (a TAP group, n=18, 7 males and 11 females at age of 45.67±12.49 years) and a no-tricuspid annuloplasty group (a NTAP group, n=18, 6 males and 12 females at age of 45.44±10.48 years). General clinical data and extracorporeal circulation data were recorded. UCG evaluation was practiced preoperation, alone with 1 week, 6 months, and 2 years after surgery. Results Two years postoperative maximal long-axis of RA (RAmla), mid-RA minor distance (RAmmd), right ventricle dimension-1(RVD1) , right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), 3D RV end-systolic volume (3DRVESV), tricuspid valve annular end-diastolic dimension (TVAEDD), tricuspid valve annular end-systolic dimension (TVAESD) of patients were all smaller in the TAP group than those in the NTAP group. Yet right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), percent shorting of tricuspid valve annulus (PSTVA) were greater in the TAP group than those in the NTAP group, although there was no statistical difference between the two groups in two years postoperative 3D RV end-diastolic volume (3DRVEDV). The patients in the TAP group had a superior trend than that of the NTAP group. Moreover, the patients' TR constituent ratio in the TAP group was much better than that of the NTAP group in 2 year after operation. Conclusions Concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty for patients with tricuspid valve annulus dilation and mild TR underwent MVR is favorable for the recovery of their 2 years postoperative function of tricuspid valve and right ventricle. It is benefit to reduce patient's long term postoperative TR residues and exacerbation.
A 78-year-old female patient was admitted to West China Hospital of Sichuan University because of “amaurosis and polypnea for 4+ years”. The examination results before admission showed that severe stenosis of aortic valve, bicuspid aortic valve malformation, severe horizontal heart with 61.54° aortic angle. The preoperative evaluation of the patient indicated that the Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 17.9%, which was high risk for surgery. After discussion by the heart team, the aortic stenosis was finally relieved by transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The operation was successfully completed by using the method of pulling and releasing the device with the same side basket. One month follow-up showed that the patient’s condition was stable and no complications occurred. This case aims to provide a reference for the treatment of horizontal heart with aortic stenosis. In the future, it is hoped that through continuous clinical practice, such patients will be provided with a safer and more efficient treatment plan.
Abstract： Objective To summarize the methods and results of supra-annular aortic valve replacement（AVR） in patients with severely damaged aortic annulus. Methods Supra-annular AVR was performed in 5 patients between March 2008 and Dec. 2010 in Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University. There were 4 males and 1 female with their mean age of 46.3 years (ranging from 38 to 53 years). Non-specific infectious diseases were diagnosed in 4 patients who had severe paravalvular leakage after their first AVR operations (2 patients with Behcet’s disease and 2 patients with arteritis), and one patient had severe infectious endocarditis. All the patients had severely destroyed aortic annulus and could not undergo routine AVR. The prosthetic valves were fixed to the aortic sinus wall between the annulus and coronary arterial ostia, and the sutures passed through from the outside of aortic wall into the inside and prosthetic valve ring. Coronary artery bypass grafting was performed if the coronary ostium was involved. Results All patients recovered from the operations uneventfully, and were followed up from 6 months to 3 years. All patients were in New York Heart Association（NYHA） functional class Ⅰ or Ⅱ during the follow-up period, and paravalvalar leakage, pseudoaneurysm and aortic root aneurysm were not found by the examination of 3D computed tomographic angiography and echocardiography at 6 months（4 cases）, 1 year（2 cases）, and 3 years（1 case）, respectively . Conclusions Supra-annular AVR is an alternative surgical method for patients with severely damaged aortic annulus. The procedure is simple and effective to prevent paravalvular leakage and pseudoaneurysm formation.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between four classic inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), IL (interleukin family), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve replacement (VR) surgeries.MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMBase, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP database and WanFang database from the inception to April 2020. Studies on the relationship between POAF and the above four inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed. Two researchers independently reviewed the literature, extracted data and evaluated the quality of the literature. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 47 articles were included, covering 10 711 patients. The levels of preoperative CRP (SMD=0.38, 95%CI 0.14-0.62, Z=3.12, P=0.002) and postoperative CRP (SMD=0.40, 95%CI 0.06-0.74, Z=2.33, P=0.02), IL-6 (SMD=1.34, 95%CI 0.98-1.70, Z=7.26, P<0.001) and TNF-α (SMD=?0.33, 95%CI ?0.65-?0.01, Z=2.02, P=0.040) were related to POAF, while preoperative IL-8 (SMD=?0.05, 95%CI ?0.28-0.18, Z=0.42, P=0.68) and TNF-α (SMD=?0.43, 95%CI ?1.22-0.36, Z=1.07, P=0.28), postoperative WBC (WMD=1.16, 95%CI ?0.09-2.42, Z=1.82, P=0.07) and IL-10 (SMD=0.21, 95%CI ?0.35-0.77, Z=0.73, P=0.46) were not related to POAF. The relationships between preoperative WBC and IL-10, postoperative IL-8 and POAF were inclusive, which needed further verification. Furthermore, the relationship between postoperative CRP and POAF were not consistent, as they were not significantly correlated in sub-group analysis.ConclusionThe inflammatory substrate before the surgery and inflammatory reaction induced by the operation is related to the occurrence and maintenance of POAF. Compared with preoperative inflammatory status, postoperative inflammatory factors may have a greater predictive value for POAF. Preoperative CRP, postoperative IL-6 and TNF-α levels are reliable biomarkers of POAF.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive approach to treat symptomatic severe aortic stenosis with surgical taboos or high risk. With the update of the guidelines, the indication of TAVR has been extended to the intermediate-risk aortic stenosis population, and even has a tendency to further expand to the low-risk population. This review highlights the research progress and new evidence of TAVR in respects of patient selection, valve and approach selection, ethnic differences, and surgical complications such as perivalvular leakage, cardiac conduction block, vascular complications, stroke, acute kidney injury, and coronary artery occlusion.
Recent clinical trials showed that dabigatran was superior to warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, however whether it is suitable for the lifelong anticoagulation in patients after heart valve replacement, remains controversial. Many animal experiments showed that dabigatran group was better than heparin and warfarin in the prevention of thrombosis and bleeding complications after valve replacement. Randomized, phaseⅡstudy to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of oral dabigatran etexilate in patients after heart valve replacement (RE-ALIGN) clinical trial showed that dabigatran wasn't as effective as warfarin in preventing thrombosis, but increases the risk of bleeding. And there are some case reports about thrombosis and bleeding complications after taking dabigatran. At present, the efficacy and safety of dabigatran applying in patients after heart valve replacement still needs further study.
“Valve-in-valve” technique is an effective method to treat the bioprosthesis structural valve degeneration. In this paper, an 82-year-old male patient with severe aortic valve regurgitation had underwent surgical aortic valve replacement. He had a bioprosthesis structural valve degeneration which caused severe aortic stenosis more than 3 years after surgery. His symptoms of chest distress and short breath were aggravated progressively, and not relieved by conventional treatment. As the deterioration in his unstabled circulation system, an emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement was conducted for him. The operation was finally successful, the symptoms were relived significantly after operation, and then the follow-up indicated that he had a good recovery.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of different surgical strategies for moderate functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) at the time of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on patients' prognosis.MethodsA total of 118 AVR patients, including 84 males and 34 females, aged 58.1±12.4 years, who were complicated with moderate FMR were retrospectively recruited. Patients were divided into three groups according to the treatment strategy of mitral valve: a group A (no intervention, n=11), a group B (mitral valve repair, n=51) and a group C (mitral valve replacement, n=56). The primary endpoint was the early and mid-term survival of the patients, and the secondary endpoint was the improvement of FMR.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 29.5 months. Five patients died perioperatively, all of whom were from the group C. Early postoperative FMR improvement rates in the group A and group B were 90.9% and 94.1% (P=0.694). The mid-term mortality in the three groups were 0.0%, 5.9% and 3.9%, respectively (P=0.264), while the incidences of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events were 0.0%, 9.8% and 17.7%, respectively (P=0.230). Improvements of FMR in the group A and group B were 100.0% and 94.3% at the mid-term follow-up (P>0.05).ConclusionFor patients receiving AVR with moderate FMR, conservative treatment or concurrent repair of mitral valve may be more reasonable, while mitral valve replacement may increase the incidence of early and mid-term adverse events.