Management of adult patients with a left ventricular assist device.

The number of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantations is growing as a result of increased waiting periods for cardiac transplantation and the decreased availability of organ donors. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved permanent LVAD support. After an acute hospitalization, patients with LVADs may need prolonged convalescence in a healthcare facility because they have complex medical needs and are physically disabled. Admission criteria need to be developed as essential patient and nursing competencies need to be defined as a part of a successful LVAD program in an acute rehabilitation center. Acute rehabilitation centers can help patients with LVADs transition to a home setting.     

双侧侧脑室外引流并脑脊液置换术治疗原发性脑室出血23例

我科自1995年1月至2005年1月共收治原发性脑室出血23例，经双侧侧脑室外引流并脑脊液置换术冶疗取得较好效果，现报道如下。     

Simultaneous assessment of cardiac perfusion and function using 5-dimensional imaging with Tc-99m teboroxime

BACKGROUND: Dynamic single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) acquisition and reconstruction of early poststress technetium 99m teboroxime washout images has been shown to be useful in the detection of coronary disease. Assessment of poststress regional wall motion may offer additional use in assessing coronary disease. Our goal was to investigate the feasibility of simultaneously imaging myocardial ischemia and transient poststress akinesis using gated-dynamic SPECT. METHODS AND RESULTS: A gated-dynamic mathematical cardiac torso (MCAT) phantom was developed to model both teboroxime kinetics and cardiac regional wall motion. A lesion was simulated as having delayed poststress teboroxime washout together with a transient poststress wall motion abnormality. Gated projection data were created to represent a 3-headed SPECT system undergoing a total rotation of 480 degrees . The dynamic expectation-maximization reconstruction algorithm with postsmoothing across gating intervals by Wiener filtering, and the ordered-subset expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm with 3-point smoothing across gating intervals were compared. Compared with the ordered-subset expectation maximization with 3-point smoothing, the dynamic expectation-maximization algorithm with Wiener filtering was able to produce visually higher-quality images and more accurate left ventricular ejection fraction estimates. CONCLUSION: From simulations, we conclude that changing cardiac function and tracer localization possibly can be assessed by using a gated-dynamic acquisition protocol combined with a 5-dimensional reconstruction strategy.     

An Implantable Aortic Valvo-pump for Destination Therapy

To investigate the possibility of a long-term applicable left ventricular assist device, a 23 mm outer diameter and 31 g weight implantable aortic valvo-pump was developed. It consists of a rotor and a stator; the rotor has a driven magnets assemble and an impeller, the stator has a motor coil with iron core and a outflow guide vane. The device locates the position of aortic valve, delivers the blood directly from left ventricle to aorta. Neither connecting conduits nor “bypass” circuits are necessary. Therefore, the device has promisingly better antithrombogenicity than other heart pumps. In hemodynamic testing, the pump can produce a blood flow of 7 l/min volume with 50 mmHg pressure increase at 15,000 rpm rotating speed, and at zero flow rate the pump can maintain a diastolic pressure over 80 mmHg at same rotating speed. For further studies the blood compatibility and the durability of the device are of most importance.     

Concomitant mitral valve repair and left ventricular reconstruction in a patient with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and inferior left ventricular aneurysm

The surgical approach to ischemic mitral regurgitation with concomitant inferior left ventricular aneurysm remains uncertain in terms of the indication for operation and the short-and long-term outcomes. We performed concomitant mitral valve repair, left ventricular reconstruction, and aortic valve replacement on a 71-year-old male with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation, inferior left ventricular aneurysm, and degenerative aortic regurgitation. Postoperative status was in New York Heart Association functional class I without mitral regurgitation 8 months after operation. We discuss, and review the procedures reported in the literature.     

Torsades de pointes after intracoronary papaverine

Coronary blood flow velocity and coronary flow reserve can be assessed in humans using a coronary Doppler catheter and the vasodilator papaverine. Although it is a safe, elegant and reproducible technique, serious complications can occur. Coronary flow reserve assessment in a 49-year-old man with a critical stenosis in the proximal part of the circumflex artery was complicated by a papaverine-induced ventricular arrhythmia. Several features of the present case report support papaverine-induced disturbances of the repolarization phase as the pathophysiological mechanism: a 'torsade de pointes' pattern of the tachycardia, the lengthening of the QT-interval, the appearance of a new U-wave and the presence of additional risk factors (hypokalaemia and alcalosis). Patients presenting additional risk factors for this complication should be excluded from coronary flow reserve assessment.     

定量组织速度成像对右室起搏患者左室收缩运动的研究

目的　应用定量组织速度成像 (QTVI)评价右室心尖起搏 (RVAP)VVI型对左心收缩功能的影响。方法　应用GEVivid 7彩色多普勒超声显像仪对 2 0例RVAP患者和 2 0例正常人的心尖四腔切面的室间隔和左室外侧壁速度和位移曲线进行观察 ,测量心电图Q波分别至室间隔和左室外侧壁收缩期峰速度的时间 ,并除以R R间期进行校正。结果　QTVI显示右室起搏器置入者的室间隔与左室外侧壁速度曲线的收缩期S波非同步出现。Q波至室间隔收缩期峰速度的时间短于Q波至左室外侧壁收缩期峰速度的时间 ,两者分别为 ( 0 .12± 0 .0 2 )s和 ( 0 .14± 0 .0 2 )s,P <0 .0 5。结论　右室起搏后早期的左室整体收缩功能虽未见明显下降 ,但QTVI可以发现室间隔与左室壁收缩明显的不协调 ,可作为早期分析左室收缩运动的定量方法。     

经导管同期封堵治疗膜周部室间隔缺损合并房间隔缺损

目的　探讨经导管介入同期治疗膜周部室间隔缺损 (VSD)合并房间隔缺损 (ASD)的可行性、方法及疗效。方法　 4例患者 ,年龄为 12～ 2 6岁。术前超声检查提示VSD合并ASD。VSD均为膜周部缺损 ,缺损直径 3～ 6mm ,缺损上缘距主动脉瓣 2～ 6mm。ASD均为继发孔型 ,缺损直径 5～ 8mm。4例患者均于术中先行左心室造影 ,确定VSD适合封堵后 ,先行VSD封堵 ,最后行ASD封堵。结果　 4例患者均经导管一次封堵治疗成功。左心室造影显示VSD呈囊袋型 3例 ,囊袋直径分别为 4、5和 10mm ,封堵器的直径分别为 4、8和 12mm。 1例缺损为管状 ,直径 3.5mm ,用 4mm的封堵器治疗成功。4例患者ASD伸展径为 6～ 10mm ,封堵器直径为 6～ 12mm。所有患者术中及术后无并发症。结论　经导管介入同期封堵治疗膜周部VSD合并ASD具有技术上的可行性、安全性和良好的治疗效果     

Non-invasive estimation of the diastolic elastic and viscoelastic properties of the left ventricle

The present study applies a non-invasive method to the quantitative evaluation of left ventricular stiffness in normal subjects and in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). We have studied 20 patients with IHD and 25 healthy subjects. The third heart sound (S3) was detectable in all patients. We have correlated the energy spectrum of S3, divided into 15 Hz bands, with a series of echocardiographic parameters. The existence of a significant correlation between the spectrum energy and the diameter and thickness of the left ventricle at the moment of S3 allowed us to explore the possibility of interpreting the origin of S3 based on a mathematical model. Our hypothesis has been that, once the left ventricle starts vibrating, it behaves as a simple physical model composed of a mass and an elastic element. To this purely elastic model one can add a factor accounting for viscosity, with a damping effect, to obtain a more complex viscoelastic model. The stiffness coefficient 'k' was computed in both models from the peak frequency of S3 and the left ventricular mass at the moment of S3. Furthermore, in the viscoelastic model, the damping element 'c' was also computed. Both parameters--k and c--were significantly increased in the group with IHD compared with the control group. Although a simplification of the vibrating system, these models make it possible to obtain non-invasively information on the characteristics of the left ventricle through the combined use of echocardiography and spectral analysis of S3.