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Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in monitoring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.Methods:Between March 2019 and November 2021, 23 consecutive patients from TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, including 21 cases with dilated cardiomyopathy, 1 case with myocardial noncompaction and 1 case with ischemic cardiomyopathy, underwent HeartCon blood pump, a type of third generation LVAD implantation for severe heart failure. TEE was preformed in all cases before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. The dimensions of left-sided and right-sided cardiac chamber, ventricular function, de-airing, interventricular septal position, inlet cannulae position and the function of device were observed and recorded during LVAD implantation. Paired t test was used for statistical analysis of left-sided and right-sided heart parameters in pre- and post-operative measurements. Results:The left heart was dilated significantly and coexistent with right heart enlargement in some degree before LVAD implantation in total 23 cases. More than moderate mitral regurgitation (MR) in 16 cases and less than moderate MR in 7 cases were present. Mild or trace aortic regurgitation (AR) existed in 13 cases. More than moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in 4 cases and less than moderate TR in 16 cases were observed. Left atrial appendage thrombosis was detected in 2 cases. After LVAD implantation, TEE revealed that the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter reduced significantly (42 mm/m 2 vs 32.8 mm/m 2, P<0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction increased accordingly (22.2% vs 34.0%, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in right ventricular diameter and fractional area change between pre- and post-operative findings(all P>0.05). The ratio of left ventricular inner diameter to right ventricular inner diameter (2.09 vs 1.69, P<0.05) decreased in total 23 cases after LVAD implantation.Interventricular septal position became neutral position instead of pre-oprative rightward position. The severity of MR decreased in varying degrees in total 23 cases after LVAD implantation. All patients underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty with residual mild regurgitation in 8 cases. Conclusions:HeartCon blood pump can effectively unload the left ventricle with sufficient cardiac output in patients with severe congestive heart failure. TEE plays a major role in the clinical decision making during LVAD implantation, which can evaluate pre-operative cardiac abnormalities, intra-operative air embolism, inlet cannulae position, cannulas patency and cardiac function, especially blood volume status and the balance between double ventricles, which is critical for optimal functioning of the device.
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Objective: To investigate echocardiography characteristics and clinical significance in patients with diastolic mitral regurgitation. Methods: A total of 15 patients with diastolic mitral regurgitation were studied including 1 patient with large volume of aortic regurgitation, 6 with atrial ifbrillation (AF), 2 with atrial lfutter, 1 with II° type I atrio-ventricular block (A-V block), 1 with II° type II A-V block and 4 with III° A-V block. The characteristics of mitral regurgitation were observed, the heart rates, left ventricular size were measured and left ventricular function was detected in all patients. Results: There was 1 large volume aortic regurgitation patient with diastolic mitral regurgitation occurred in slow iflling phase with less volume, it was less than positive velocity; 1 AF patient occurred in mid and late diastolic phase with less volume, it was obviously less than positive velocity; the rest 8 patients all occurred in mid and late diastolic phase, the velocity reached or surpassed to positive velocity. All 15 patients had slow heart rate, increased left heart, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, tissue Doppler imaging showed that the early diastolic peak slowed down in mitral ring. There were 93% (14/15) patients having obvious systolic regurgitation. Conclusion: The time phase, quantity and velocity of diastolic mitral regurgitation have various characteristics, most of them associated with systolic regurgitation combining abnormal cardiac structure and function. Echocardiography provides important information for clinical treatment.
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Objective To measure the sizes of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by echocardiography,compare the results with those by X-ray angiography(XA),to analysis the correlation of measurements between echocardiography and XA,to explore the value of echocardiography on screening the size of PDA suitable for transcatheter occlusion.Methods One hundred and forty-one participants was included.The parameters of PDA including the length of PDA(PDAL),the aortic side diameter (PDADao) and the pulmonary side diameter of PDA(PDADpa) were measured from the parasternal great artery short-axis view (PSSA) and the suprasternal descending aorta long-axis view(SSLA) of echocardiography and left lateral projection of XA,and the other parameters such as the left ventriclular end-diastolic diameter index (LVEDDI),the main pulmonary artery diameter index(MPADI),the pressure drop of PDA shunt (△P) and the pulmonary artery systolic pressure index(PASPI) were measured by echocardiography.The sizes of PDA from PSSA,SSLA and XA were compared,and the correlations of the sizes of PDA between echocardiography and XA,the correlations between the other parameters by echocardiography and the PDADpa index(PDADIpa) by XA(PDADIpa-XA) and PSSA(PDADIpa-PSSA) were analyzed.Results ①The difference of the sizes of PDA:Between PSSA and SSLA had difference on mersurement of PDA(all P ＜ 0.05),except SSLA had no difference on measurement of PDADao with XA (P ＞0.05),others echocardiography parameters all had difference on measurement of PDA with XA (all P ＜ 0.05).②Correlation:Both PSSA and SSLA had positive correlations with XA (all P ＜0.01).And among these parameters,PDAL by SSLA,PDADao by SSLA and PDADpa by PSSA had better correlations with XA (r =0.92,0.87 and 0.91,respectively,all P ＜0.01).LVEDDI,MPADI and PASPI had positive correlations with PDADIpa (all P ＜0.01),the LVEDDI and MPADI had better correlations with PDADIpa-PSSA(r =0.76,0.72,all P ＜0.01),but the PASPI had a better correlation with PDADIpa-XA(r =0.70,P ＜0.01).PASP had a negative correlation with △P (r =-0.79,P ＜0.01).Conclusions There was difference between the sizes of PDA at different echocardiographic views,PDADpa by PSSA and the PDAL and the PDADao by the SSLA were more close to those parameters by XA.Multiplane views of echocardiography can evaluate all the more accurately the size of PDA and play an important role in guiding transcatheter occlusion of PDA.
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Objective To investigate the clinical value of the gated blood pool imaging phase analysis method in the evaluation of left ventricular mechanical synchronization in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods A total of 169 patients with chronic heart failure were enrolled in our study , using gated blood pool imaging phase analysis method to obtain left ventricular phase angle width ( PHB) and left ventricular phase angle standard deviation ( PSD) as evaluating left ventricular mechanical synchrony index; using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) measurement of the standard deviation of systolic peak time(Ts-SD) of each segment by using the current prevailing 12 non-apical segments analysis method as evaluating left ventricular mechanical synchrony index, and parameters derived from both methods were compared. Results LVPHB was highly correlated with Ts-SD (r = 0. 83 ,P = 0. 000 ) . LVPSD was modestly correlated with Ts-SD ( r - 0. 69, P = 0. 000) . The ejection fraction measured by echocardiography was (42.93 ± 14. 89) % ,which was significantly higher than that measured by ERNA (39. 76 ± 17. 89)% (P <0. 01). Conclusions The evaluation of left ventricular mechanical synchrony in patients with chronic heart failure by the gated blood pool imaging can provide similar information with TDI, which can simultaneously measure two ventricular functions and get more accurate measurement of ejection fraction. Cardiac resynchronization therapy patients can be identified by combining two kinds of approaches, and cardiac resynchronization therapy responders could be improved as well. More patients with heart failure can benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy therapy.
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Objective To evaluate the value of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography(RT-3DE)in diagnosing congenital tricuspid valve anomaly.Methods Eighteen patients with congenital tricuspid valve anomaly were studied by RT-3DE,the spatial framework and neighboring structures of the tricuspid valve were analyzed and compared with result of the operation.Results The anomaly of tricuspid,chorda tendineae,the papillary muscle and their connection with neighboring structures could be displayed clearly from different directions.The diagnose accordance rate of RT-3DE was 83%.Conclusions RT-3DE may provide more information on congenital tricuspid valve anomaly than 2DE.
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Objective To study the changes in the endothelial reserve capacity to release tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and nitric oxide (NO) and its relation to vasodilation and to diabetic angiopathy. Methods The capacity of vascular endothelium to release tPA and NO was examined by venous occlusion of the upper arm. Brachial artery diameter was measured at baseline, during postocclusion reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated endothelium-dependent), and after sublingual nitroglycerol administration (endothelium-independent), using a high resolution ultrasound technique in 15 control subjects and 23 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Vasodilation was expressed as the percentage change relative to the baseline diameter, while endothelial tPA and NO release was expressed as the percentage change relative to the baseline tPA and NO levels. Thickness of the intima of carotid artery was measured using ultrasound imaging. Results There was no significant difference in endothelium-independent vasodilation between control subjects and diabetics. However, significant reductions in endothelium-dependent vasodilation (P