ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and therapeutic methods of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA).Methods:The clinical data and coronary angiography of 32 patients confirmed by coronary angiography as coronary aneurysm in Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University and Shenzhen People′s Hospital were collected. They were followed up, and the different therapeutic methods were analyzed.Results:Thirty-two cases (1.8%) of coronary artery aneurysms were found in 1 778 patients undergoing coronary angiography. The main sites of coronary ectasia were right coronary artery, anterior descending branch and circumflex branch, and the left main branch was rare. Among the patients with coronary artery aneurysms, there were 25 patients with coronary artery stenosis. All the 32 patients were given anticoagulant, antiplatelet, improvement of coronary spasm and statin therapy, among whom 2 patients were treated with stent implantation and 6 patients were treated with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and ligation of coronary aneurysm. During the follow-up (average 15 months) of 1 patient, acute myocardial infarction reoccurred, and coronary angiography indicated that the stenosed coronary segments after artery ectasia was occluded because of thromboembolism. In the remaining patients, there were no major cardiovascular events such as angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death.Conclusions:Coronary artery aneurysm is not a rare heart disease. Coronary thromboembolism, thrombosis and vasospasm are the main causes of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. Anticoagulant, antiplatelet, antispasmodic drugs and suitable coronary artery bypass can significantly improve the clinical prognosis of patients with coronary artery aneurysm.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Transesophageal echocardiography was performed during closed-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in in-hospital cardiac arrest to further explore the hemodynamic mechanism of CPR.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CPR attempts were performed according to advanced cardiovascular life support guidelines in 6 cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest. Multi-plane transesophageal echocardiography was carried out within 15 min of initiation of CPR. Throughout CPR, the motion of the mitral, tricuspid and aortic valves, the changes in the left ventricular cavity size and the thoracic aortic diameter were observed. Trans-mitral and trans-aortic Doppler files of blood flow were also documented.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves with simultaneous opening of the aortic valve occurred exclusively during chest compression, resulting in forward blood flow in the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Peak forward aortic flow at a velocity of 58.8 +/- 11.6 cm/s was recorded during the compression phase. Whereas, a closure of the aortic valve and rapid opening of the atrioventricular valves associated with ventricular filling during relaxation of chest compression was noted in all 6 patients. Peak forward mitral flow at a velocity of 60.6 +/- 20.0 cm/s was recorded during the release phase. Mitral regurgitation during the chest compression period was detected in 5 patients, reflecting a positive ventricular-to-atrial pressure gradient. A reduction in the left ventricular chamber and an increase in the thoracic aortic diameter during the compression phase was found in all patients, indicating that direct cardiac compression contributed to forward blood flow.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These observations favor the cardiac pump theory as the predominant hemodynamic mechanism of forward blood flow during CPR in human beings.</p>