Comparison of cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation guided by real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography vs. contrast agent injection / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Pulmonary vein (PV) occlusion generally depends on repetitive contrast agent injection when cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). The present study was to compare the effect of cryoballoon ablation for AF guided by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) vs. contrast agent injection.@*METHODS@#Eighty patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF) were enrolled in the study. About 40 patients underwent cryoballoon ablation without TEE (non-TEE group) and the other 40 underwent cryoballoon ablation with TEE for PV occlusion (TEE group). In the TEE group during the procedure, PVs were displayed in 3-dimensional images to guide the balloon to achieve PV occlusion. The patients were followed up at regularly scheduled visits every 2 months.@*RESULTS@#No differences were identified between the groups in regard to the procedure time and cryoablation time for each PV. The fluoroscopy time (6.7 ± 4.2 min vs. 17.9 ± 5.9 min, P < 0.05) and the amount of contrast agent (3.0 ± 5.1 mL vs.18.1 ± 3.4 mL, P < 0.05) in the TEE group were both less than the non-TEE group. At a mean of 13.0 ± 3.3 mon follow-up, success rates were similar between the TEE group and non-TEE group (77.5% vs. 80.0%, P = 0.88).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Cryoballoon ablation with TEE for occlusion of the PV is both safe and effective. Less fluoroscopy time and a lower contrast agent load can be achieved with the help of TEE for PV occlusion during procedure.

Long term outcome of atrial fibrillation patients with KCNA5 and NPPA mutations post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The outcome of atrial fibrillation patients with genetic mutations post ablation was not well evaluated.</p><p><b>METHODS AND RESULTS</b>Three atrial fibrillation patients with evidence of mutations in KCNA5 and NPPA post successful circumferential pulmonary vein ablation were included. Mutation in KCNA5 was found in one male patient with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. He was free of atrial fibrillation post ablation after 46 months follow-up. Mutations in NPPA were found in two male patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and they were free from atrial fibrillation after 64 months and 38 months follow-up post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation, roof line and mitral isthmus line ablation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Satisfactory long term results are observed in atrial fibrillation patients with KCNA5 and NPPA mutations post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation.</p>

Comparison of morphology and growth kinetics of adult normal and herniated nucleus pulposus cells cultured in vitro / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To investigate the morphology and growth kinetics of the cells derived from the adult normal and herniated nucleus pulposus tissues. Methods: The cells derived from the adult normal and herniated nucleus pulposus were cultured in vitro. Passage 1,3,5 cells were chosen for light microscope and electron microscope observation. The cell growth rate, MTT value, maximal growth density, cellular mitotic index, cloning efficiency, and other parameters were observed in normal and herniated nucleus pulposus and the results were compared. Results: Compared with adult normal nucleus pulposus cells, the cells isolated from herniated nucleus pulposus were irregularly arranged and lost polarization, with rough endoplasmic reticulum slightly dilated. Under the same cellular density and culture conditions, the growth rate of passage 1 cells from adult normal and herinated nucleus pulposus had no significant difference, but the differences of passage 3 cells(P0.05); those of passage 3 cells were respectively 6.96±0.19 and 5.48±0.22, 0.154±0.018 and 0.110±0.009, (22.52±2.16)‰ and (16.68±2.35)‰, and (48.7±3.3)% and (40.7±2.5)%; and of passage 5 cells were respectively 2.42±0.13 and 0.98±0.14, 0.085±0.006 and 0.050±0.007, (15.61±1.96)‰ and (9.34±2.12)‰, and (40.2±2.3)% and (28.34±2.9)%. There were significant differences between the parameters of passage 3 and 5 cells(P<0.05). Conclusion: The adult normal and herinated nucleus pulposus cells are different in cellular morphology when cultured in vitro. The continuous proliferation ability of the herniated nucleus pulposus cells is obviously decreased than that of the adult normal control group, and aging is more easily seen in the herniated ones.