Pediatric valve replacement, 15 years experience in Oman

Background Despite improving surgical techniques, treatment of heart valve disease in children remains controversial. Somatic growth and adequate anticoagulation are of concern when children undergo valve replacement. We conducted this study to evaluate the performance of valves in this age group. Methods 42 children under the age of 13 years who underwent valve replacement were included in this study. Totally, 50 valves were implanted in 42 patients: 48 were mechanical prostheses, two were bioprosthetic both in pulmonary position. 37 (74%) valves were implanted in mitral position, 10 (20%) in aortic position, 1 (2%) in tricuspid position and 2 (4%) in pulmonary position. Preoperatively, 14 (33,3%) patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV, while 27 (64.2%) were in NYHA class III. Results There were 2 (4.7%) hospital deaths and 2 (4.7%) late deaths while 2 (4.7%) patients were lost to follow up. The mean follow up period was 9.4 yrs. 35 (83.3%) patients are in NYHA Class I and free of all medications except warfarin. 3 (7.1%) patients have undergone 5 successful pregnancies. The median INR was 2.23. Major thrombo-embolic episode occurred in 1 (2.3%) patient. Conclusions In view of the problems of sizing, anticoagulation and need for re-operation at an early age, there is a reluctance to replace valves in children. This study shows that despite these problems, valve replacement can be undertaken safely and successfully in children, when repair has failed or not technically feasible.     

Intradiscal Thermal Annuloplasty for Discogenic Pain: An Outcome Study

Objectives: Published studies of intradiscal thermal annuloplasty (IDTA) have shown at most 50% pain relief as an improved outcome with little focus on functional improvement in the treatment of discogenic pain. Previous studies have used a number of criteria for patient selection including low back pain unresponsive to conservative care, no compressive radiculopathy, positive provocative discography and absence of previous surgery at the same symptomatic level. The purpose of present study is to examine the hypothesis that additional inclusion criteria for patient selection such as disc height, absence of degenerative disc disease (DDD) in untreated discs, absence of herniated nucleus pulposus or lumbar canal stenosis may improve the outcome of treatment. Methods: In this prospective case‐series study additional criteria of patient selection were introduced, namely disc height of at least 50%, no lumbar canal stenosis, one or two levels of DDD, no evidence of nucleus pulposus herniation on magnetic resonance image. Thirty‐four patients were enrolled in the study and 32 of them were followed over a period of 12 months. The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score and seven activities of daily living (ADLs) were followed and reported on a scale from 0 to 10. Results: Sustained decrease of the VAS pain scores was observed from 3 to 12 months following IDTA. ADLs improved in all patients between 3 and 12 months post‐treatment. Patients in the Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) group had a higher VAS score but showed the same level of improvement in ADLs as compared to commercial insurance or self‐pay patients. In the non‐BWC patient group an average VAS pain score decrease of more than 6 points on a 10‐point scale was reported at 6 to 12 months following IDTA. Conclusions: We found dramatic improvement of pain scores and ADLs following IDTA when strict patient selection was applied. We believe that IDTA is an effective, minimally invasive treatment for discogenic pain in properly selected patients.     

球囊二尖瓣扩张术后心房纤颤复律的临床研究

目的探讨二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊二尖瓣扩张后,转复心房纤颤的临床效果及影响心房纤颤转复后窦性心律维持的相关因素.方法 206例二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊扩张术后,采用口服胺碘酮及电复律治疗心房纤颤,对复律成功的患者给予小剂量胺碘酮维持窦性心律并随访1年.结果服用胺碘酮者58例,17例转复成功(29.3%);189例行电转复,178例转复成功(94.2%),电转复成功率明显高于胺碘酮转复(P＜0.01).心房纤颤复发组与保持窦性心律组相比,左心房内径明显扩大(P＜0.01),心房纤颤持续时间明显长(P＜0.01),中度二尖瓣关闭不全人数的比率明显高(P＜0.05).随访1年,有45例患者心房纤颤复发.影响心房纤颤转复后维持窦性心律的相关因素有左心房内径扩大、心房纤颤持续时间长及明显的二尖瓣关闭不全.结论对左心房内径明显扩大、心房纤颤持续时间过长及有明显的二尖瓣关闭不全的患者,在选择心房纤颤转复时应慎重.     

Unusual presentation and clinical variability in Belgian pedigrees with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA

We studied 14 patients from three unrelated Belgian pedigrees with a familial mitochondrial disorder and multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In one family with an oculopharyngeal presentation there is a clear autosomal dominant inheritance. Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO), “ragged red fibres” (RRF) and multiple deletions of mtDNA are common to all three families. Therefore a diagnosis of autosomal dominant progressive ophthalmoplegia with multiple deletions of mtDNA (adPEO) was made in one family at least. Our data confirm the previous observations that adPEO is a systemic disorder rather than a pure myopathy. In our pedigrees frequently associated features include axonal peripheral neuropathy, dysphagia, psychiatric illness, and sudden death. Mild ataxia, pes cavus and mitral valve prolapse with associated mitral insufficiency also occur. In some cases onset is atypical with neuropathy, adolescent onset myopathy or psychiatric illness. In such cases the common features of PEO and muscle weakness always complete the clinical phenotype later during the course of the disease. Biochemical studies on mitochondrial fractions prepared from one patient's muscle, revealed no abnormalities of respiratory chain enzyme activities.     

二尖瓣置换合并射频迷宫术的体外循环管理

目的探讨二尖瓣置换合并射频迷宫术的体外循环 (CPB)方法。方法 :76例风湿性心脏二尖瓣病变合并房颤患者实施瓣膜置换时 ,采用心内直视射频消融迷宫术对其合并的心房纤颤予以治疗。先期的 13例 (A组 )患者在CPB转流阻闭升主动脉后进行射频消融术和二尖瓣置换 ;后期 6 3例 (B组 )采用阻断上下腔静脉后先射频消融右心房 ,再行二尖瓣置换和左房射频消融。结果 :A组 13例患者CPB转流 (10 4± 2 5 )min ,主动脉阻断 (6 1± 11)min。B组 6 3例患者CPB转流 (81± 19)min ,主动脉阻断 (47± 11)min ;应用冷晶体心肌保护患者开放升主动脉后心脏自动复跳率 5 5 .9% ,应用冷血心肌保护患者心脏自动复跳率 71.4 %。术后恢复窦性心律 6 4例 ,占 84 .2 %。结论 :在二尖瓣置换合并射频迷宫术的体外循环中阻闭升主动脉前先射频消融左房可以明显缩短体外循环时间和主动脉阻断时间 ;应用冷血心肌保护液可以加强心肌保护效果且射频消融迷宫术治疗顽固性房颤效果明显     

吸入一氧化氮对心瓣膜置换术后肺动脉高压患者血流动力学的影响

目的：观察吸入一氧化氮（ＮＯ）对心瓣膜置换术后肺动脉高压患者血流动力学的影响。方法：选择９例心瓣膜置换术后伴肺动脉高压的病人，吸入ＮＯ０．００３％，观察三个时象点：吸入ＮＯ前；开始吸入ＮＯ后１５分钟；停止吸入ＮＯ后１５分钟。结果：吸入ＮＯ能显著降低肺动脉压和肺循环阻力指数（Ｐ＜０．０１），停止吸入ＮＯ１５分钟后，肺动脉压和肺循环阻力指数恢复到原有水平。在整个观察过程中，心率、平均动脉压、中心静脉压、肺动脉楔压、体循环阻力指数和心脏指数均无显著变化（Ｐ＞０．０５）。结论：吸入ＮＯ具有选择性肺血管扩张作用，是治疗心瓣膜置换术后肺动脉高压的较理想药物。