Abstract: Objective To investigate the anticoagulation effect of warfarin on pregnant women with prosthetic mechanical heart valves during the whole course of pregnancy and their fetuses. Methods Followup survey was carried out on 103 pregnant women with prosthetic mechanical heart valves treated in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from April 1998 to June 2010. Their age ranged from 19 and 38 years (26.4±3.8 years). All the 103 pregnant women were given oral administration of warfarin during the whole course of pregnancy. The average dose of domestic warfarin was 3.30±0.43 mg/d (87 cases), while the average dose of imported warfarin was 2.90±1.05 mg/d (16 cases). Results None of the patients suffered from serious embolic events. One patient suffered from spontaneous peritoneal hemorrhage. There were 4 cases of intrauterine deaths, and 5 cases of fetal malformation including 1 case of Down’s syndrome and 4 cases of hydrocephalus. Six cases of low birth weight infants and 1 case of ABO hemolytic disease were also found. All the other neonates were healthy with normal weight. No pregnant women suffered from postpartum hemorrhage. Conclusion Oral administration of low dose warfarin (lt;5 mg/d) during the whole course of pregnancy is a relative safe and effective anticoagulation protocol.
ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effects of L arginine (L arg) on systemic inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).MethodsFifty one patients with rheumatic heart disease were randomly divided into two groups: L arg group ( n =25) and control group ( n =26). For L arg group, L arg at 300mg/kg was given during operation. Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF α),interleukin 1β(IL 1β)and interleukin 10(IL 10) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique at baseline(before operation) and at 2,4,8,24 and 48 h after CPB termination.ResultsTNF α,IL 1β and IL 10 levels were increased in both groups after CPB ( P lt;0.05); levels of TNF α, IL 1β returned to normal at 48 h after CPB; In L arg group, TNF α and IL 1β levels were significantly lower than those in control group at 4,8 and 24 h after CPB ( P lt; 0 05). No significant difference were detected in IL 10 between groups( P gt;0.05).ConclusionL arg may decrease plasma levels of TNF α and IL 1β after CPB, it implies L arg may inhibit inflammation induced by CPB.
Objective To study the protective effects and mechanism of intermittent ventilation on lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB). Methods Twenty-four patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) were divided into two groups with random number table: treatment group (n=13),given intermittent ventilation once every 5 minutes during CPB; control group (n=11),no ventilation during CPB. Blood samples were obtained preoperatively. A bronchoalveolar lavage was performed at 2 hours after CPB. The numbers of granulocytes, total protein (TP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) content in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids(BALF) were measured, and lung oxygenate index (OI) were measured preoperatively and 1 hour, 4 hours after CPB termination,respectively. Results The numbers of granulocytes, TP and TNF-α content of treatment group in the BALF were significantly lower than those of the control group (Plt;0.01, P=0.02,0.02),and the lung OI of treatment group at 1 hour and 4 hours after CPB termination was also significantly lower than that of the control group(Plt;0.05); a significant increase of lung OI occurred in both groups at 1 hour and 4 hours after CPB when compared with the same group at baseline before CPB(Plt;0.05). Conclusion Intermittent ventilation has the protective effects on lung injury during CPB by decreasing granulocytes adhesion and alleviating lung inflammatory reaction and endothelial cells injury.
Objective To investigate the effect of surgical treatment on ventricular septal defect （VSD） in infants under 6kg weight, including the operative indication, surgical techniques and perioperative therapy. Methods All clinical data of 148 consecutive infants under 6kg weight with VSD were collected and studied retrospectively. The infants, age was 1-13（mean 5.3） months with the body weight of 3.5-6.0 （mean 5.3） kg. VSD was perimembranous in 105 cases, subpulmonary in 25, muscular inlet tract in 8, muscular outlet tract 9, and muscular trabecular in 1 case. Other associated cardiac abnormalities included atrial septal defect in 39, patent ducts arteriosus in 17, insufficiency of mitral valve in 9 and moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension in 52. The operations were performed under cardiopulmonary bypass at moderate to low flow, moderate hypothermia and cold crystalloid cardioplegia. Patch repair was used in 85, direct sutures in 63 and 23 cases repaired with partial sternal incision and beating heart. Results The hospital mortality was 4. 1% （6/148）, the causes of death were severe pulmonary hypertention in 2, aortic arch interruption in 2, severe malnutrition in 1 and poor result of mitral valvuloplasty in 1. Other major operative complications included residual shunts （1- 2mm） in 2, and Ⅲ° A-V block in 2, who recoveried 5 days after the operation. The hospital stay was 6 15 （mean 8） days. Follow-up was complete in all 142 survived cases for 4 months-6 years. Two residual shunts healed in first year after the cardiac operation, others recovery smoothly, and are developing well. Conclusion With the improvement of the surgical techniques, the surgical treatment for VSD in infants with low weight is safe and effective, and it is also essential to further improve the effects of surgical treatment in VSD associated with complex abnormalities.