ObjectiveTo summarize the experience of totally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery (TTCS) for atrial septal defect.MethodsClinical data of 442 patients undergoing TTCS for atrial septal defect from May 2008 to December 2018 in Shanghai Yodak Cardiothoracic Hospital was analyzed retrospectively. There were 149 male and 293 female patients, aged 3-74 (29.1±14.3) years. Surgical procedures were performed through 3 ports at the right chest wall.ResultsAll the operations were completed successfully. Mean operative time was 1.5-4.6 (2.2±0.3) h. The mean extracorporeal circulation and aortic cross-clamp time was 28-118 (55.9±13.3) min and 8-78 (21.5±10.2) min, respectively. Mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay time was 3.5-122.0 (8.1±7.4) h and 13-141 (20.7±10.2) h, respectively. Postoperation drainage volume was 70-1 280 (251.8±131.5) mL. The hospital stay was 4-16 (7.1±1.4) d. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 15 patients (3.3%). The mean follow-up time was 1-128 (67.6±33.3) months, and during the period, there were 25 patients of atrial fibrillation, 25 patients of mild-moderate tricuspid valve incompetence, 1 patient of moderate tricuspid valve incompetence. There was no reoperation or residual shunt during the period of follow-up. And the heart function was improved.ConclusionTTCS is a feasible, safe and minimal invasive approach for patients with atrial septal defect and has good short to medium-term outcomes.
ObjectiveTo summarize the experience of totally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery for ventricular septal defect.MethodsClinical data of 449 patients undergoing totally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery for ventricular septal defect from May 2008 to December 2018 in Shanghai Yodak Cardiothoracic Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. There were 232 male and 217 female patients, aged from 3 to 55 years with a mean age of 17.3±11.2 years.ResultsAll the operations were completed successfully. Mean operative time was 2.4±0.3 h. The mean extracorporeal circulation time and aortic cross-clamp time was 64.2±11.6 min and 28.4±10.7 min, respectively. Mechanical ventilation time and intensive care unit stay was 6.9±3.8 h and 20.5±5.6 h, respectively. Postoperation drainage quantity was 213.1±117.2 mL. The hospital stay was 6.9±1.3 d. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 11 patients (2.4%), including 1 patient of intraoperative reoperation, 3 patients of reoperation for bleeding, 3 patients of the incision infection, 2 patients of small residual shunt, 1 patient of right femoral artery incision stenosis complicated by thromboembolism and 1 patient of right pleural cavity pneumothorax. The mean follow-up time was 72.2±33.9 months. During the period, there was no reoperation, but 2 patients of ventricular septal defect small residual shunt, 1 patient of mild-moderate mitral valve and 1 patient of mild-moderate aortic valve incompetence, respectively. During the period, heart function of the patients was NYHAⅠ-Ⅱ.ConclusionTotally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery for ventricular septal defect is a safe and effective treatment, with few serious complications, fast recovery for patients and good short to medium-term outcomes.
ObjectiveTo introduce a new type thoracic vest designed according to the incision characteristics of female patients undergoing totally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery.MethodsSixty-one female patients undergoing totally thoracoscopic cardiac surgery from February 2019 to May 2020 in our department were enrolled. All female patients had hypermastia and (or) mastoptosis which covered the incision. They were randomly divided into a research group (group A, n=32) and a control group (group B, n=29). The group A used the new type thoracic vest, while the group B used the traditional single shoulder belt. The degree of satisfaction, visual analogue scale (VAS) score 24 hours after the thoracic drainage tube removed, the average time-consuming of dressing change, dressing frequency and the incision infection rate were compared between two groups.ResultsThe degree of satisfaction in the group A was higher than that of the group B (P<0.001). The VAS scores of pain, average time-consuming of dressing change and dressing frequency in the group A were less or lower than those of the group B (P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the incision infection rate between the two groups (P=0.214), but incision infection rate of the group A was lower than that of the group B.ConclusionThe new type thoracic vest seems to be more beneficial for patients than traditional single shoulder belt. It is easy to use, increases the psychological satisfaction of patients, reduces the pain and the incision infection and improves work efficiency, which is worthy of clinical application.
Objective To explore of a surgical approach of posterior pericardial ascending-to-descending aortic bypass through a median sternotomy for complex coarctation and interrupted aortic arch adult patients with coexistent cardiac disorder. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 2 adult patients with complex coarctation and 1 adult patient with interrupted aortic arch and all with coexistent cardiac disorder who underwent ascending-to-descending aortic bypass in our hospital between April 2010 and January 2015. There were 2 males and 1 female with age of 35.6 (27-46) years. One patient was with complex coarctation, and prolapse of anterior mitral leaflet with moderate regurgitation. One patient was with complex coarctation, and bicuspid aortic valve with severe aortic regurgitation, and ascending aortic aneurysm. One patient was with interrupted aortic arch (type A), and bicuspid aortic valve with mild stenosis, and secundum atrial septal defect. The surgical approach used in all patients was the median sternotomy. After aorta, femoral artery and bicaval cannulation, hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass was established. With posterior pericardial ascending-to-descending aortic bypass procedure for repair of complex coarctation and interrupted aortic arch with coexistent cardiac disorder. Results There was no death. The symptoms of the patients obviously improved. All the patients were alive with ascending-to-descending aortic bypass procedure at a mean follow-up ranged from 2 to 59 months. Except that one patient had residual upper-extremity hypertension, and needed antihypertensive medications taken postoperatively, other patients’ systolic blood pressure returned to normal level. All patients’ lower-extremity fatigability resolved. Postoperative computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the patients showed that dacron graft was unobstructed with no graft-related complications of kinking and narrowing, development of false aneurysms or other complications. Conclusion The surgical management of adult patients’ complex coarctation and interrupted aortic arch with coexistent cardiac disorder, a one-stage approach using pericardial ascending-to-descending aortic bypass through a median sternotomy is an alternative surgery.
Objective To evaluate the effect of left atrial enlargement on atrial myocardial fibrosis degree and levels of the angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ)/Rac GTPase activating protein 1 (Rac1)/signal transducersand activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathways expressing in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Methods From March to December 2011, 30 patients with RHD who underwent prosthetic valve replacement in our hospital were enrolled, including 16 males and 14 females, aged 42-70 (56.9±6.8) years. Twenty RHD patients with persistent atrial fibrillation as a research group and ten RHD patients with sinus rhythm as a control group (group A) underwent transthoracic echocardiography and right atrial appendage (RAA) tissue samples were obtained from these patients during mitral/aortic valve replacement operation. The research group according to left atrial diameter (LAD) was divided into two groups, ten patients in each group: a group B with LAD of 50–65 mm and a group C with LAD of LAD>65 mm. For each sample, histological examination was performed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Light-microscopic pictures of atrial tissues samples were stained and tissue fibrosis degree in each group was analyzed. AngⅡ concentration was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Rac1 and STAT3 were measured by western blotting. Results LAD was significantly greater in AF patients with RHD than in the control group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining demonstrated highly organized arrangement of atrial muscles in the control group and significant derangement in both group B and group C with reduced cell density and increased cell size. Moreover, Masson’s trichrome staining showed that atrial myocytes were surrounded by large trunks of collagen fibers in both group B and group C, but not in the group A. There was a positive correlation between atrial tissue fibrosis and LAD. AngⅡ content was positively correlated with LAD. Similarly, Rac1 and STAT3 protein levels were found considerably higher in the group C and group B than in the group A with excellent correlation to LAD. Conclusion In patients with RHD complicated with persistent atrial fibrillation, the degree of atrial fibrosis and the expression level of AngⅡ/Rac1/STAT3 signaling pathways significantly increase with the left atrialenlargement.
ObjectiveTo study the relationship between preoperative heart rate variability (HRV) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 290 patients who were admitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from May to September 2020 and received OPCAB. There were 217 males and 73 females aged 36-80 years. According to the incidence of POAF, the patients were divided into two groups: a non-atrial fibrillation group (208 patients) and an atrial fibrillation group (82 patients). The time domain and frequency domain factors of mean HRV 7 days before operation were calculated: standard deviation of all normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences, percentage difference between adjacent normal-to-normal intervals that were greater than 50 ms, low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), LF/HF. ResultsThe HRV value of patients without POAF was significantly lower than that of patients with POAF (P<0.05). The median SDNN of the two groups were 78.90 ms and 91.55 ms, respectively. Age (OR=3.630, 95%CI 2.015-6.542, P<0.001), left atrial diameter (OR=1.074, 95%CI 1.000-1.155, P=0.046), and SDNN (OR=1.017, 95%CI 1.002-1.032, P=0.024) were independently associated with the risk of POPAF after OPCAB. Conclusion SDNN may be an independent predictor of POAF after OPCAB.
ObjectiveTo analyze the short-term outcomes of cardiac surgery via minimally invasive approach under thoracoscope in a single-center. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent cardiac surgery via minimally invasive approach under thoracoscope between July 2017 and February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 453 patients were enrolled, including 150 males and 303 females at an average age of 42.2±14.6 years. The main disease types included atrial septal defect in 314 patients, partial atrioventricular septal defect in 26 patients, and cardiac tumor in 105 patients. There was no death during the perioperative period. The mean operative time was 3.9±0.8 h, cardiopulmonary bypass time was 101.2±34.0 min, aortic occlusion time was 42.1±25.1 min, ventilator assistance time was 11.6±9.4 h, ICU stay time was 22.6±13.9 h and postoperative hospital stay was 6.0±1.7 d. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 18 (4.0%) patients, including 2 patients with conversion to sternotomy, 3 with incision expand, 3 with reoperation for bleeding, 1 with of redo operation, 4 with incision infection, 2 with respiratory insufficiency, 2 with cerebrovascular accident, and 1 with ventricular fibrillation. The follow-up time was 22.6±15.4 months, during which 1 patient died, 4 patients had moderate mitral regurgitation, 1 patient had mild-moderate mitral regurgitation, and 1 patient had mild-moderate tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusion Minimally invasive cardiac surgery under thoracoscope is safe with small invasions and few complications, and has satisfactory short-term outcomes.