Medição automática de valva mitral a partir de ecocardiograma utilizando processamento digital de imagens / Automatic measurement of the mitral valve based on echocardiography using digital image processing

Fundamento: A avaliação da área valvar mitral por meio da reconstrução multiplano na ecocardiografia tridimensional é restrita a softwares específicos e à experiência dos ecocardiografistas. Eles precisam selecionar manualmente o frame do vídeo que contenha a área de abertura máxima da valva mitral, dimensão fundamental para a identificação de estenose mitral. Objetivo: Automatizar o processo de determinação da área de abertura máxima da valva mitral, por meio da aplicação de Processamento Digital de Imagens (PDI) em exames de ecocardiograma, desenvolvendo um algoritmo aberto com leitura de vídeo no formato avi. Método: Este estudo piloto observacional transversal foi realizado com vinte e cinco exames diferentes de ecocardiograma, sendo quinze com abertura normal e dez com estenose mitral reumática. Todos os exames foram realizados e disponibilizados por dois especialistas, com autorização do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa, que utilizaram dois modelos de aparelhos ecocardiográficos: Vivid E95 (GE Healthcare) e Epiq 7 (Philips), com sondas multiplanares transesofágicas. Todos os vídeos em formato avi foram submetidos ao PDI através da técnica de segmentação de imagens. Resultados: As medidas obtidas manualmente por ecocardiografistas experientes e os valores calculados pelo sistema desenvolvido foram comparados utilizando o diagrama de Bland-Altman. Observou-se maior concordância entre valores no intervalo de 0,4 a 2,7 cm². Conclusão: Foi possível determinar automaticamente a área de máxima abertura das valvas mitrais, tanto para os casos advindos da GE quanto da Philips, utilizando apenas um vídeo como dado de entrada. O algoritmo demonstrou economizar tempo nas medições quando comparado com a mensuração habitual. (AU)

Background: The evaluation of mitral valve area through multiplanar reconstruction in 3-dimensional echocardiography is restricted to specific software and to the experience of echocardiographers. They need to manually select the video frame that contains the maximum mitral valve opening area, as this dimension is fundamental to identification of mitral stenosis. Objective: To automate the process of determining the maximum mitral valve opening area, through the application of digital image processing (DIP) in echocardiography tests, developing an open algorithm with video reading in avi format. Method: This cross-sectional observational pilot study was conducted with 25 different echocardiography exams, 15 with normal aperture and 10 with rheumatic mitral stenosis. With the authorization of the Research Ethics Committee, all exams were performed and made available by 2 specialists who used 2 models of echocardiographic devices: Vivid E95 (GE Healthcare) and Epiq 7 (Philips), with multiplanar transesophageal probes. All videos in avi format were submitted to DIP using the image segmentation technique. Results: The measurements obtained manually by experienced echocardiographers and the values calculated by the developed system were compared using a Bland-Altman diagram. There was greater agreement between values in the range from 0.4 to 2.7 cm². Conclusion: It was possible to automatically determine the maximum mitral valve opening area, for cases from both GE and Philips, using only 1 video as input data. The algorithm has been demonstrated to save time on measurements when compared to the usual method. (AU)

Surgery for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: challenge and future / 中华外科杂志

After more than 60 years of development, with the deepening of the pathophysiological understanding of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the extent and resection thickness of myectomy have increased significantly. Myectomy combined with the correction of anomalies of the mitral valve apparatus has become the standard treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Only a few centers worldwide can routinely perform it due to the difficulty. Because of the advances of new drugs and interventional therapy, the development of surgical treatment faces many challenges. At the same time, generations of cardiovascular surgeons are constantly trying to promote septal myectomy, including developing devices and the surgical field, as well as improving surgical planning by advanced technology. At present, the superior long-term efficacy of septal myectomy has been confirmed. It is necessary to work together to promote the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, so as to guard people's health.

Current status and thought of transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair in the treatment of hypertrophy cardiomyopathy / 中华外科杂志

Septal reduction therapies, which include septal myectomy and alcohol septal ablation and so on, are the current treatment strategies for patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and drug-refractory symptoms. With the deepening of theoretical understanding and the rapid development of interventional therapies, some researchers have tried to perform transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair to treat high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including obstructive and non-obstructive. The reported results are relatively satisfactory, but many urgent problems need to be solved, such as the lack of data on animal experiments and large cohort studies, and the unknown medium- and long-term outcomes. However, transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair brings new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. On one hand, it can be used as a monotherapy, on the other hand, it can be combined with novel molecular targeted drug therapy or emerging minimally invasive surgical procedures targeting hypertrophic ventricular septum, which deserves our further attention and exploratory research.

Long-term outcome of transcatheter repair of paravalvular leak post surgical mitral valve replacement / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To explore the long-term clinical efficacy of transcatheter repair of mitral paravalvular leak (PVL) post surgical mitral valve replacement. Methods: This study is a retrospective study. Patients who completed transcatheter repair of paravalvular leak after surgical mitral valve replacement at Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from March 2010 to December 2018 were included. Technical success was defined as the occluder being stably implanted in the paravalvular leak site without affecting the function of the mitral valve and surrounding tissues; and there were no intervention-related complications, such as new hemolysis or aggravated hemolysis, and echocardiography confirmed mitral paravalvular regurgitation reduced by more than 1 grade. Patients were followed up at 30 days, 1, and 3 years after the intervention. The main endpoints were all-cause death and re-surgery due to interventional failure or serious complications. The occurrence of occluder-mediated hemolysis and chronic renal insufficiency was recorded, and patients were monitored with echocardiography during follow up. Results: A total of 75 patients were included, aged (54.3±22.9) years old, and 38 patients were males. All patients had decreased cardiac function and/or hemolysis before intervention. Procedural success was achieved in 54 patients (72.0%). Incidence of device-mediated hemolysis was 18.7% (14/75). During the follow-up period, all-cause death occurred in 7 patients (9.3%), and 3 were cardiac deaths.The 3-year event-free survival rate was 81.3% (61/75). The need for cardiac surgery was 9.3% (7/75): 3 cases due to severe device-mediated hemolysis, 2 cases due to prosthetic valve failure and 2 cases due to moderate to severe residual regurgitation. The echocardiography follow-up results showed that the position of the occluder was stable, there was no impact on the artificial valve function and surrounding structures, and the residual regurgitation was stable without progressive increase in event-free patients. Compared with pre-intervention, the left ventricular end systolic diameter ((33.9±7.4)mm vs. (38.3±8.9) mm, P=0.036), end diastolic diameter ((53.7±8.3) mm vs. (58.4±9.1) mm, P=0.045) and left atrial diameter (59.3 (44.5, 90.7) mm vs. 64.3 (44.8, 96.6) mm, P=0.049) were significantly reduced, pulmonary artery systolic pressure was also significantly decreased ((36.5±15.8) mmHg vs. (46.3±14.9) mmHg, P=0.022, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). There was no significant difference between 3 years and 1 year after transcatheter repair of mitral paravalvular leak post surgical mitral valve replacement (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Transcatheter repair of mitral paravalvular leak post surgical mitral valve replacement is an effective treatment option in selective patients.

Calcificación anillo mitral: reemplazo mitral con prótesis mecánica en posición supra anular / Mitral annular calcification: mitral valve replacement with mechanical prosthesis in supra annular position

Abstract: An 84 year old woman presented with recurrent severe heart failure. She had a heavily calcified mitral valve annulus. Radiological images before and after a mechanical valve was implanted in a supra annular position are shown.

Insuficiencia mitral congénita en el adulto: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Congenital mitral regurgitation in adults: a case report and literature review

Congenital mitral valve disease is a rare form of mitral regurgitation. The etiological diagnosis is often challenging. The transthoracic echocardiogram is presented as a good initial approach method. The case of a 29-year-old patient referred for the diagnosis of severe congenital mitral regurgitation in parachute is presented. This report aims to illustrate the clinical and echocardiographic presentation of congenital mitral regurgitation.

Infective endocarditis in pregnancy: A case report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Infective endocarditis in pregnancy is extremely rare in clinical practice. Guidelines addressing prophylaxis and management of infective endocarditis do not extensively deal with concomitant pregnancy, and case reports on infective endocarditis are scarce. Due to increased blood volume and hemodynamic changes in late pregnancy, endocardial neoplasms are easy to fall off and cause systemic or pulmonary embolism, respiratory, cardiac arrest and sudden death may occur in pregnant women, the fetus can suffer from intrauterine distress and stillbirth at any time, leading to adverse outcomes for pregnant women and fetuses. The disease is dangerous and difficult to treat, which seriously threatens the lives of mothers and babies. Early diagnosis and reasonable treatment can effectively improve the prognosis of patients. The most important method for the treatment of infective endocarditis requires early, adequate, long-term and combined antibiotic therapy. Moreover, surgical controversies regarding indication and timing of treatment exist, especially in pregnancy. In terms of the timing of termination of pregnancy, the timing of cardiac surgery, and the method of surgery, individualized programs must be adopted. A pregnant woman with 30+5 weeks of gestation is reported. She was admitted to hospital due to intermittent chest tightness, suffocation and fever, with grade Ⅲ cardiac insufficiency. Imaging revealed large mitral valve vegetation, 22.0 mm×4.1 mm and 22.0 mm×5.1 mm, respectively, and severe valve regurgitation. Mitral valve perforation was more likely, blood culture suggested Staphylococcus epidermidis infection, after antibiotic conservative treatment, the effect was poor. After the joint consultation including cardiology, neonatology, interventional vascular surgery, anesthesiology, and obstetrics, the combined operation of obstetrics and cardiac surgery was performed in time. The heart was blocked for 60 minutes, the bleeding was 1 200 mL, the newborn was mildly asphyxiated after birth, and the birth weight was 1 890 g. Nine days after the operation, the patient was discharged from the hospital, and the newborn was discharged with the weight of 2 020 g. Critical cases like this require a thorough weighing of risks and benefits followed by swift action to protect the mother and her unborn child. An optimal outcome in a challenging case like this greatly depends on effective interdisciplinary communication, informed consent of the patient, and concerted action among the specialists involved.

A gauze-pad wrapping of the heart can save a patient's life

Abstract We describe one case of iatrogenic rupture of the left ventricle after mitral valve replacement and myectomy of the outflow tract. The cause and site of the rupture could not be identified, neither from the internal nor from the external examination. After unsuccessful use of hemostatic patches in the surface of the ruptured area, wrapping of the ventricles with a surgical gauze pad controlled the hemorrhage, hence saving the patient's life.

Mitral valve-in-valve: defining the indication limits by in vitro hydrodynamic tests in a brazilian transcatheter prosthesis

Abstract Introduction: Reoperations in cardiac surgery represent a clinical challenge, particularly because of the higher rate of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Mitral valve reoperation owing to bioprosthesis dysfunction, transcatheter treatment with a prosthesis implantation over the prosthesis has emerged as an alternative, especially for patients with a previous approach. In this study, we analyzed the hydrodynamic behavior of transcatheter prosthesis implantation in conventional mitral bioprostheses through hydrodynamic tests and produced a recommendation for the size of transcatheter valve most adequate for valve-in-valve procedure. Methods: Mitral bioprostheses were attached to a flow duplicator and different combinations of transcatheter prostheses were implanted inside. The equipment simulates the hydrodynamic behavior of the valves submitted in vitro and determines transvalvular pressures and flow parameters. Results: All tests could be performed. Better hydrodynamic performance occurred for transcatheter prostheses 1 mm smaller than bioprostheses, except for the 27-mm bioprostheses. Effective valve areas (cm²) and transvalvular gradients (mmHg) were, respectively: Bioprosthesis × Inovare: 27 × 28 mm: 1.65 and 5.95/29 × 28 mm and 31 × 30 mm: 2.15 and 3.6. Conclusion: The mitral valve-in-valve implantation proved to be feasible in vitro. The use of 27-mm bioprostheses should be judicious, with preference for a 26-mm transcatheter valve. In the 29 and 31-mm bioprostheses, the implantation was very satisfactory, with good effective valve areas and transvalvular gradients, with preference for smaller transcatheter valves.