Extracardiac Right Atrium-to-Right Ventricle Homograft for Uncorrectable Tricuspid Valve Disease

Surgically uncorrectable tricuspid valve disease in children is rare. However, when it happens the surgical options are very limited. Tricuspid valve replacement using a mechanical valve or stented bioprosthesis is impractical. Use of homografts in the “anatomic position” has its limitations. We report here the use of an extracardiac homograft connection between the right atrium and right ventricle in a 16-month-old boy in whom severe tricuspid valve stenosis developed after surgical repair of a complex ventricular septal defect associated with dextrocardia and anomalous systemic venous drainage. The patient remains well receiving no cardiac medication 12 months after the procedure.     

The posterior urethral valve uropathy: Results of treatment

Nineteen children treated for posterior urethral obstruction due to congenital valve in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, over a 9-year period have been analysed. Their ages ranged from birth to 12 years. Results show that associated kidney pathology may be irreversible even after successful excision of the valve. This determines the final prognosis, which is worse the younger the child at presentation.     

Prosthetic valve endocarditis due to candida albicans treated successfully with medical treatment alone

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by Candida species is associated with high morbidity and mortality. A combination of surgical resection and antifungal drug therapy is the golden standard for treatment, yet surgical intervention is not possible in all cases of Candida PVE. We report a case of PVE due to Candida albicans cured by medical treatment alone. This case suggests that, in some instances, Candida PVE can be managed medically with antifungal therapy. Such a conservative approach should be applied with caution and necessitates very close follow-up on a long-term basis.     

Ross术后中远期主动脉瓣反流的危险因素分析

Objective To analyze the risk factors of the postoperative mid- and long-term aortic valvular regurgitation after ROSS procedure(pulmanary valve homograft transplantation). Methods Between March 1998 and July 2007,47 patients[25male, 22 female, mean age (13.31±5.79) years, ronge 1-34 years] with aortic valvular disease underwent the Ross procedure at our insti tution. There were 6 patients suffering fron rheumatic heart disease and 41 patients suffering from congenital heart disease. The aver age aortic blood flow velocity was (4.67±3.47) m/s, the average pressure gradient across aortic valve (88.26±58.06)mm Hg, LVEDD (45.53 ±10.78) mm, EF 0.69±0.08. All the patients were followed up in out-patient departement by ultrasonic cardio gram. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to find out the risk factors of the postive aortic valvular regurgitation. Results There was no poetoperative death in hospital. The mean follow-up periods was (36.15±22.1) months, rasnge from 12 to 110 months and none long-dated death. Compared with the data recorded in hospital, the diamenters of the aortic sinus and aortic annu lus enlarged significantly, respectively from (26.16±5.10) mm to (32.37±6.84) tam and from (19.41 ～3.98) mm to (23.45± 5.86) mm. The average flow velocity d the homograft (new aortic valve) was(1.39±0.48) m/s, graclient pressure (8.17+6.16) mm Hg. Mild aortic regurgitstion was present in 5 patients (10.6%), moderate aortic tegmgitafion in 2 pmieats (4.3%) and aevere aortic regurgitation in 1 petient (2.1%). The rate of free from regurgitation was 82.9%. Multiple logistic analyses identified the per esence of bicuspid aortic valve, enlargement of aortic annulus and age above 14 years as the risk factors for posterative aortic regurg itation. Conclusion The Ross procedure is a safe and effective procedure with good clinical results in mid-and long-term follow-up. However, the presence of bicuspid aortic valve, enlargement of aortic annulus and age above 14 years preoperatively were identified as the risk factors for postoperative aortic regurgitation.     

Combined aortic and mitral valve repair in active infective endocarditis

We describe a case of successful combined repair of the aortic and mitral valves for an indication of active infective endocarditis involving both valves. Mitral valve repair was achieved by vegetation debridement, fixation of the anterior mitral commissure, resection and suturing of the posterior mitral leaflet, and posterior annuloplasty with autologous pericardium. Aortic valve repair was achieved by vegetectomy and commissural plication. Postoperative clinical course was without signs of recurrent infection, and echocardiogram demonstrated mitral valve competence with trivial aortic regurgitation. We concluded that simultaneous valve repair is a viable option in the context of active endocarditis.     

年龄小于45岁原发性慢性闭角型青光眼的显微手术治疗

目的探讨原发性慢性闭角型青光眼年轻患者临床治疗的经验和体会。方法对临床收治的41例52眼、年龄〈45岁、临床确诊为进展期或晚期原发性慢性闭角型青光眼的病例进行抗青光眼显微手术处理的病例进行回顾性分析。结果随访时间平均（32．50±5．08）个月；男16例，女25例；进展期28眼，晚期24眼；52眼均行抗青光眼手术-复合式小梁切除手术治疗；眼轴长平均（22．40±1．63）mm，其中〈21mm占17．31％，小眼球占13．46％；前房深度平均（1．90±0．39）mm，其中〈1．9mm占61．46％；超声生物显微镜检查高褶虹膜构型占59．62％，其中睫状突位置靠前者10眼；术前平均眼压（41．73±12．26）mmHg，末次术后平均眼压（12．03±4．57）mmHg，术前后眼压差异有统计学意义（t=3．520，P〈0．001）。术后并发症主要有浅前房，恶性青光眼。恶性青光眼手术处理方式包括玻璃体抽液、前段玻璃体切割以及超声乳化白内障吸除加人工晶状体植入术治疗。4眼因眼压控制不理想，行二次抗青光眼手术治疗。结论年轻原发性慢性闭角型青光眼患者，女性多见，多伴有眼轴短、前房浅等特点，抗青光眼复合式小梁手术治疗要注意防治术后浅前房、恶性青光眼的发生。术前详细检查、手术操作精细以及有效处理术后并发症将有助于提高手术成功率和减少并发症。     

Clinical performance of non-contact tonometry by Reichert AT550® in glaucomatous patients

Measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) by non-contact tonometry (NCT) has been demonstrated to be a valid and reliable technique to be used in primary eye care; it is easier to use, it does not transmit infectious diseases, and it is not necessary to use anaesthetic or staining eye drops. Recently, a new NCT device has showed an excellent level of agreement with Goldmann tonometry, but there are no records of its performance in glaucomatous eyes. To rectify this, IOP was measured in twenty-two patients (44 eyes) receiving medical treatment to control elevated IOP, with AT550 and Goldmann tonometry. Mean values of IOP were 18.98 +/- 2.77 and 19.08 +/- 3.02 mmHg using Goldmann and AT550, respectively. Plots of differences against means displayed good agreement (mean difference +/- limits of agreement, -0.09 +/- 3.30); this value was not significantly different from zero (t-test for dependent samples, p = 0.709). In conclusion, IOP values as measured with the AT550 NCT are clinically comparable with those obtained with Goldmann tonometry in glaucomatous patients. This validates this NCT not only for screening of IOP but to follow-up glaucomatous patients with a rapid, non-invasive method.     

The effect of central corneal thickness on estimates of the anterior chamber depth

Background: The slitlamp can be used to estimate the anterior chamber depth (ACD). The length of a slit object is increased until the corneal and iris/lens images appear to just touch. Multiplying the just‐touching‐slit‐length (JTSL) by a conversion factor gives an estimate of the ACD as measured by ultrasonography. The purpose of this study was to determine if central corneal thickness (CCT) affects the accuracy of this technique. Methods: The ACD of 50 subjects was measured by A‐scan ultrasonography and estimated by the slitlamp technique. CCT was measured by ultrasonic pachometry. The refractive error was determined subjectively. Results: The average ultrasonographic ACD for all subjects was 3.32 ± 0.65 mm. The average JTSL was 2.46 ± 0.38 mm. The conversion ratio between the ultrasonographic ACD and the average JTSL was 1.35. The predicted ACD using the regression equation of JTSL on the ultrasound anterior chamber depth (USACD) was 3.32 ± 0.54 mm. The corresponding value using the regression equation of JTSL and CCT on USACD was exactly the same, that is, 3.32 ± 0.54 mm. Conclusion: Incorporation of CCT into a regression equation does not improve the accuracy of the Smith technique.