Heart Valve Replacement with Axillary Mini-thoractomy / 中国医师杂志

Objective To compare the efficacy of heart valve replacement(HVR) with axillary mini-thoractomy (AMT) and HVR with routine medial sternoctomy(MS). Methods The patients wre randomly divided into two groups. In group I 38 cases received HVR with routine MS, and in group II 49 cases received HVR with AMT. Results ⑴The surgical incision was invisible and cosmetic in group I and the volume of post-operative thoracic tube drainage was significantly less than that in group II; ⑵In group I the mean hospitalized days of the patients also was less than those in group II; ⑶There was no significant difference in cardiopumonary bypass time and aortic clamp time between the two groups. Conclusion Axillary mini-thoractomy could be used in most patients of heart valve replacement and has the advantage of the cosmetic and minimal injury.

The Relationship of Left Atrial Size of Rheumatic Heart Disease to Myocardial Pathology and Its Clinical Implications / 第二军医大学学报

The relation between left atrial (LA) size and myocardial pathological changes, and clinical implications were studied in 25 patients with- rheumatic mitral stenosis. The results showed that LA size was significantly correlated with pathological severity of myocardium (P 100 ml/m2 and accompanied by moderate or severe pathological changes easily suffered from Af (P200ml/m2 and severe pathological changes. The results suggest that occurence of Af may be predicated based on the LA volume and Af cardioversion should be selectively performed to obtain better results.