Effect of Right Heart Systolic Function on Outcomes in Patients with Constrictive Pericarditis Undergoing Pericardiectomy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To determine the influence of right ventricular function in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) undergoing surgery and to compare the outcomes of patients who received surgery with those managed medically.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with the diagnosis of CP and healthy volunteers were recruited from January 2006 to November 2011. Patients with CP chose to either receive pericardiectomy or medical management. Echocardiographic measurements were performed to evaluate heart function, and survival was recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 58 patients with CP (36 received pericardiectomy, 22 managed medically), and 43 healthy volunteers were included. CP patients who received surgery had a higher survival rate than those managed medically (P = 0.003), and higher survival was also seen in the subgroup of CP patients with severely impaired right systolic function. Albumin level, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, and tricuspid regurgitation velocity were associated with survival in CP patients who received surgery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Preoperative right heart function does not affect surgical outcomes. Patients with severely impaired preoperative right systolic function obtain a greater survival advantage with surgery than with medical treatment.</p>

Surgical Treatment Strategies of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis withRight Cardiac Cavities Extension / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and surgical treatment strategies of intravenous leiomyomatosis(IVL)extending through inferior vena cava into the right cardiac cavities. Methods Thirty patients of IVL extending through inferior vena cava into the right cardiac cavities were treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from November 2002 to January 2015.The following variables were studied: age,cardiopulmonary bypass time,deep hypothermic circulatory arrest time,origins of IVL,blood loss,duration of post-operative hospital stay,hospitalization expenses,edema of lower extremity,blood transfusion,postoperative complication,residual IVL,and re-grow or recurrence. Results Thirteen of 30 patients reported double lower limb edema. The cardiopulmonary bypass was applied in 27 cases,and the average duration of cardiopulmonary bypass was(106.9±53.7)min. Then,21 patients were treated with the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest,and the mean time was(28.2±11.6) min. The tumors originated from the genital veins in 9 cases,the iliac vein in 13 cases,and both veins in 8 cases. The average intra-operative blood loss volume was (2060.5±2012.3)ml,and 21 patients received blood transfusion. The average hospitalization time was(18.9±8.3)days and the average hospitalization expenses was (80 840.4±28 264.2)RMB yuan. While 14 patients had postoperative complications,there was no serious postoperative complication or death.All patients have shown a favorable outcome.Conclusions Tumor embolus extending through inferior vena cava into the right cardiac cavities should be suspected in patients with multiple hysteromyoma. Successful therapy for IVL with right cardiac cavities extension is dependent on reasonable surgical treatment strategies. Surgical removal of the ovaries is vital to avoid IVL re-grow or recurrence.

Endoscopic Saphenous Vein Harvesting versus Open Vein Harvesting Techniques / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting (EVH )reduces leg wound morbidity and improves rehabilitation of lower extremity as compared to open vein harvesting (OVH) in patients with coronary artery disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 333 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) between January 2007 and December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.These patients were divided into EVH group (n=210) and OVH group (n=123). Parameters including age,sex,with/without diabetes mellitus,leg wound complications rate,postoperative hospital stay,hospitalization expense,and vein graft patency were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The age,sex,with/without diabetes mellitus were not significantly different between two groups (P>0.05). However,the incidences of leg wound complications, poor wound healing, wound infections, wound pain,wound numbness, and edema of lower extremity were significantly lower in the EVH group than the OVH group (P<0.05). The ecchymoma and deep vein thrombosis incidences were not significantly different between these two groups (P>0.05). The postoperative hospital stay showed no significant difference (P>0.05), while the hospitalization expense was significantly higher in the EVH group than in the OVH group (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference of vein graft patency (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The EVH system is a safe and effective alternative to OVH because it can markedly reduce postoperative leg wound morbidity and the EVH vein graft has good patency.</p>