Abstract： Objective To summarize our operative experiences of cardiac reoperation after mechanical valve prosthesis replacement and investigate the causes of reoperation and the perioperative techniques and operation methods. Methods From January 2001 to December 2008, we performed reoperation on 105 patients (59 males and 46 females, aged 50.2±10.6 years old) who had undergone mechanical valve prosthesis replacement. Among the patients, there were 31 cases of mitral valvular replacement (+ tricuspid valvular plasticity), 38 cases of aortic valvular replacement (+ tricuspid valvular plasticity), 11 cases of Bentall procedure, 7 cases of mitral and aortic bivalvular replacement (+tricuspid valvular plasticity), 8 cases of tricuspid valvular replacement, 6 cases of repairing of prosthetic leakage, and 4 others cases. The time interval between two operations was 3 months to 18 years (46.3 ±31.9 months). Before reoperation, the cardiac function (NYHA) of the patients was class Ⅱ in 27 patients, class Ⅲ in 53 patients, and class Ⅳ in 25 patients. Results There were 6 hospital deaths with a mortality of 5.71%(6/105). All others recovered to NYHA class ⅠⅡ. The causes of mortality included 1 case of multiple organ failure, 1 case of low cardiac output after operation, 1 case of aortic pseudoaneurysm rupture, 1 case of severe infection due to brain complication and 2 cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). The causes for cardiac reoperation after mechanical valve prosthesis replacement were 67 cases of prosthetic leakage (63.80%), 16 cases of PVE (15.23%), 14 cases of prosthetic thrombosis (13.33%) and 8 cases of other valvular anomalies. Followup was done for 11 to 107 months, which showed two cases late deaths of cardiac arrest and cerebral hemorrhage. Conclusion Patients who have received mechanical valve prosthesis replacement may undergo cardiac reoperation due to paravalvular prosthetic leakage, paravalvular endocarditis, and prosthetic thrombosis. The keys to a successful cardiac reoperation include appropriate preoperative preparations, operational timing, and suitable choosing of cardiopulmonary bypass and operational skills.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a combination of beating-heart minimally invasive approach and leaflets augmentation technique treating severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after cardiac surgery. Methods From January 2015 to August 2017, patients undergoing reoperative tricuspid valve repair (TVP) with minimally invasive approach and leaflets augmentation were enrolled. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was established via femoral vessels and the procedures were performed on beating heart with normothermic CPB. A bovine pericardial patch was sutured to leaflets to augment the native anterior and posterior leaflets. Other repair techniques, such as ring implantation and leaflet mobilization, were also applied as needed. Results A total of 28 patients (mean age 55.6±10.1 years, 5 males, 23 females) were enrolled. One patient was converted to median sternotomy due to pleural cavity adhesion. Twenty-seven patients underwent totally endoscopic TVP with leaflets augmentation. No patients was transferred to tricuspid valve replacement. Two patients died in hospital. All patients were followed up for 7.4±5.0 months and there was no late death and reoperation. Regurgitation area was converted from 20.7±10.1 cm2 to 3.3±3.3 cm2 after TVP according to the latest echocardiography (P<0.001). Conclusion Minimally TVP with leaflets augmentation is effective in treating severe isolated TR after primary cardiac surgery. It can significantly increase success rate of tricuspid valvuloplasty and decrease the surgical trauma.
ObjectiveTo analyze the etiologies, operation techniques and outcomes of redo aortic root replacement after cardiac surgery.MethodsBetween December 2013 and December 2019, 30 patients who had at least one previous cardiac operation received aortic root replacement in our hospital, including 20 males and 10 females with an average age of 50.4±12.7 years. The mean time interval between this operation and the previous one was 8.0±8.5 years. The principal indication for surgery was aortic sinus dilatation and ascending aortic aneurysm in 14 patients (47%), acute aortic dissection in 5 patients (17%), pseudoaneurysm in 3 patients (10%), prosthetic valve endocarditis in 4 patients (13%), prosthetic leakage in 4 patients (13%). Bentall procedure was used in all 30 patients, with concomitant mitral valve plasticity or replacement in 5 patients, tricuspid valve plasticity in 6 patients, coronary artery bypass grafting in 3 patients, and total aortic arch replacement and elephant trunk procedure in 2 patients.ResultsThe mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 96-296 (161.3±43.0) min, and the mean aortic occlusion time was 48-117 (85.7±20.4) min. There were 5 in-hospital deaths with an overall in-hospital mortality of 17%. The causes of deaths were low cardiac output syndrome in 2 patients and septic shock in 3 patients. The follow-up time was 3-75 (33.5±21.1) months. Three patients died during the follow-up, 1 patient died of septic shock and 2 died of cerebral hemorrhage.ConclusionRedo aortic root replacement is difficult to deal with, and the risk is high. Preoperative evaluation is required, appropriate surgical approach, adequate myocardial protection, and a complete surgical plan are essential to ensure the success of the operation.
ObjectiveTo summarize the clinical experiences of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) for cardiac atrioventricular valve reoperation.MethodsPerioperative data of 32 patients who underwent MICS for cardiac atrioventricular valve reoperation from 2009 to 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were retrospectively reviewed, including 13 males and 19 females with a mean age of 51.0±12.6 years. All patients were given combined intravenous and inhalation anesthesia, and a double-lumen tube for mechanical ventilation. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established in all patients by femoral artery and venous cannulation or combined with percutaneous superior vena cava cannulation, without aortic cross-clamping. The MICS approaches included right anterolateral small incision surgery, thoracoscopic assisted small incision surgery and total thoracoscopic surgery. The clinical data of the 32 patients were compared with the perioperative indicators of 24 patients undergoing reoperation with conventional median thoracotomy during the same period.ResultsAmong them, 21 patients underwent isolated tricuspid valve replacement, 4 isolated tricuspid valvuloplasty, 1 combined tricuspid valve replacement and atrial septal defect repair and 6 combined mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valvuloplasty. Twenty-seven patients completed the operation in a beating heart, and 5 under the condition of ventricular fibrillation. Operation time (3.23±1.56 h vs. 5.46±2.13 h, P<0.001), postoperative mechanical ventilation time (9.19±5.40 h vs. 43.23±21.74 h, P<0.001), ICU stay (35.03±18.26 h vs. 79.15±22.43 h, P<0.001) and hospital stay of patients with minimally invasive surgery (9.35±6.43 d vs. 15.85±7.56 d, P=0.001) were shorter than those with median thoracotomy. And the extracorporeal circulation time was not significantly prolonged. There were 4 perioperative complications in patients with minimally invasive surgery, and 1 died in hospital after operation.ConclusionMICS for cardiac atrioventricular valve reoperation can avoid the risk of median sternotomy and separation of cardiac scar adhesion. Especially, total thoracoscopic surgery has more advantages when compared with other operations, including less trauma, less myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, more rapid recovery and fewer postoperative complications. Total thoracoscopic surgery may be the development direction of MICS for cardiac atrioventricular valve reoperation. However we should take effective and feasible measures to solve the problems caused by cardiopulmonary bypass.