Objective To investigate the methods and effectiveness of multi ple surgical treatment for complex aortic arch and descending aorta disease, including cardiopulmonary bypass operation, hybrid operation, and total endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods Between October 2006 and September 2011, 48 patients with complex aortic arch anddescending aorta disease were treated. There were 31 males and 17 females, aged from 28 to 81 years (mean, 52.4 years). The disease duration ranged from 1 to 90 days (mean, 10.2 days). There were 30 cases of type B aortic dissection involving the aortic arch, 11 cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm, 3 cases of thoracic pseudoaneurysme, 3 cases of penetrating aortic ulcer, and 1 case of aortoesophageal fistula. Cardiopulmonary bypass operation, hybrid operation, and total EVAR were performed in 15, 12, and 21 cases, respectively. Results In the patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass operation, the following complications occurred: 1 case of bleeding, 1 case of coma, 3 cases of psychiatric disorders, 4 cases of pneumonia, 2 cases of acute renal insufficiency, and 2 cases of multi-organ dysfunction; finally 3 patients died. In the patients undergoing hybrid operation, cerebral infarction and renal function failure occurred in 1 case. In the patients undergoing total EVAR, no complication occurred. A total of 41 patients were followed up 2 to 60 months (mean, 28.6 months). Sl ight left subclavian steal syndrome occurred in 3 cases, but self rel ieved. Other patients recovered to normal l ife. Conclusion In the surgical treatments of complex aortic arch and descending aorta disease, cardiopulmonary bypass operation will be gradually replaced by EVAR because of the surgical trauma and risk, hybrid operation is an important technique, and total EVAR will be the future progress.
Objective To investigate the role of clinical pharmacists in warfarin therapy. Methods A total of 134 patients underwent prosthetic heart valve replacement and had warfarin for life from March 2013 to October 2013 in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital. All patients were equally divided into two groups (an intervention and a non-intervention group) crosswise by sequence. There were 67 patients in each group. The anticoagulant effects of the two groups were compared. Results There was no statistical difference in the patients' demographic information between the two groups. However, the time for the patients to reach the target international normalized ratio(INR) values for the first time (7.1±3.3 dvs. 10.5±5.0 d,P=0.000) and time of INR in the therapy range (46.3%±18.8%vs.19.0%±16.2%,P=0.000) during their hospitalization, proportion of time of under anticoagulation (47.5%±19.5%vs. 71.2%±22.9%,P=0.000), proportion of time of anticoagulation overdose (5.3%±8.2%vs. 9.9%±16.7%,P=0.002) were significantly different. While there was no statistical difference in postoperative hospitalization time between the two groups (19.9±6.6 dvs. 18.1±7.0 d,P=0.137). There were 4 patients (6.0%) with minor hemorrhage and no severe complication was found in the intervention group. There were seven patients (10.4%) with mild hemorrhage, two patients with stroke, one patient with mild pulmonary embolism, and severe complication rate of 4.5% in the non-intervention group. Conclusion With clinical pharmacists involved in the whole anticoagulation therapy progress of patients after mechanical heart valve replacement, the time to achieve the therapeutic window for the first time is effectively shorten, and the time of the INR value controlled in therapeutic range is highly improved during hospitalization time. Moreover, the patients' risk of thrombosis and bleeding is eventually reduced.
Objective To summarize the cl inical experience of vascular bypass grafting combined with endovascularaortic repair (EVAR) for aortic dilatation disease. Methods Between January 2008 and August 2011, 12 patients with aorticdilatation disease were treated with vascular bypass grafting combined with EVAR. Of 12 patients, 11 were male and 1 wasfemale, aged 47-81 years (mean, 65.9 years). All cases were diagnosed through computed tomography angiography (CTA),including 1 case of Stanford type A dissection, 5 cases of Stanford type B dissection, 4 cases of aortic arch aneurysm, and 2 casesof abdominal aortic aneurysm. Eight patients received neck artery bypass grafting before EVAR, and 4 patients underwentfemoral artery bypass grafting after EVAR. Results After operation, pulmonary infection occurred in 3 patients, renalinsufficiency in 2 patients, cerebral infarction in 1 case, decreased hemoglobin and platelets in 7 cases, and poor healing of groinwound in 1 case. Eleven patients were followed up 3-42 months, with an average of 18.6 months. In 1 case undergoing EVARof the thoracic and abdominal aorta, EVAR was performed again because new aneurysms formed at 6 months after operation,and the patient achieved good recovery after 3 months. CTA showed reduced false lumen, thrombosis formation, no endoleak,no deformation or displacement of stent, and anastomotic patency of artificial blood vessels in the other patients at 3, 6, and12 months after operation. Conclusion Vascular bypass grafting combined with EVAR can expand the indications forendovascular repair. It not only provides sufficient anchoring area, but also ensures the blood supply to vital organs, simplifiesthe surgical procedure, and reduces the difficulty of endovascular treatment.