Cardiac Denervation for Arrhythmia Treatment with Transesophageal Ultrasonic Strategy in Canine Models

Stellate ganglion (SG) modification has been investigated for arrhythmia treatment. In this study, transesophageal SG imaging and intervention were explored using a homemade 30F integrated focused ultrasonic catheter in healthy mongrel canines in vivo. Anatomic details of SGs were ultrasonically imaged and evaluated. SG had a heterogeneous echoic structure and characteristic profiles sketched by hyper-echoic outlines in an ultrasonogram. Left SGs in the experimental group were successfully ablated through the esophagus under ultrasonic guidance provided by the catheter itself. Two weeks after the ablation, the QT and QTc of the experimental group decreased compared with those of the sham group and at baseline (both p values < 0.001). Histologic examination revealed that left SGs were destroyed. No major complications were observed. This approach may be further explored as a method for ganglia remodeling evaluation and as a strategy of ganglia modification for arrhythmia and for other diseases.     

The Importance of Venous Return in Starling‐Like Control of Rotary Ventricular Assist Devices

Rotary ventricular assist devices (VADs) are less sensitive to preload than the healthy heart, resulting in inadequate flow regulation in response to changes in patient cardiac demand. Starling‐like physiological controllers (SLCs) have been developed to automatically regulate VAD flow based on ventricular preload. An SLC consists of a cardiac response curve (CRC) which imposes a nonlinear relationship between VAD flow and ventricular preload, and a venous return line (VRL) which determines the return path of the controller. This study investigates the importance of a physiological VRL in SLC of dual rotary blood pumps for biventricular support. Two experiments were conducted on a physical mock circulation loop (MCL); the first compared an SLC with an angled physiological VRL (SLC‐P) against an SLC with a vertical VRL (SLC‐V). The second experiment quantified the benefit of a dynamic VRL, represented by a series of specific VRLs, which could adapt to different circulatory states including changes in pulmonary (PVR) and systemic (SVR) vascular resistance versus a fixed physiological VRL which was calculated at rest. In both sets of experiments, the transient controller responses were evaluated through reductions in preload caused by the removal of fluid from the MCL. The SLC‐P produced no overshoot or oscillations following step changes in preload, whereas SLC‐V produced 0.4 L/min (12.5%) overshoot for both left and right VADs. Additionally, the SLC‐V had increased settling time and reduced controller stability as evidenced by transient controller oscillations. The transient results comparing the specific and standard VRLs demonstrated that specific VRL rise times were improved by between 1.2 and 4.7 s ( = 3.05 s), while specific VRL settling times were improved by between 2.8 and 16.1 seconds ( = 8.38 s) over the standard VRL. This suggests only a minor improvement in controller response time from a dynamic VRL compared to the fixed VRL. These results indicate that the use of a fixed physiologically representative VRL is adequate over a wide variety of physiological conditions.     

扩张型心肌病家兔左室壁复极异质性的改变及意义

目的：观察离体心脏左心室三层心肌的单相动作电位的改变，以探讨扩张型心肌病易发心室颤动与三层心肌跨室壁复极不均一性的关系。方法：用阿霉素制作扩张型心肌病家兔模型，测定其室颤阈值（VFT）以及心外膜、中层心肌和心内膜心肌细胞的单相动作电位复极90％时程（APD90）、跨室壁复极离散度（TDR）。结果：扩张型心肌病VFT明显降低（P＜0．001），三层心肌细胞APD90均明显延长（P＜0．001），中层心肌细胞较心外膜、心内膜下心肌细胞延长更为显著（P＜0．05）；扩张型心肌病跨室壁复极离散度增加（P＜0．01）。结论：中层心肌细胞APD90明显延长、跨室壁复极离散度增加、三层心肌复极不均一性增加可能是扩张型心肌病容易发生心室颤动的重要原因。     

Load-induced proteoglycan orientation in bone tissuein vivo andin vitro

Summary Previous studies of Alcian blue-induced birefringence in adult avian cortical bone showed that a short period of intermittent loading rapidly produces an increased level of orientation of proteoglycans within the bone tissue. In the absence of further loading, this persists for over 24 hours. We have proposed that this phenomenon could provide a means for “capturing” the effects of transient strains, and so provide a persistent, constantly updated strain-related influence on osteocyte populations related to the bones' averaged recent strain history, in effect, a “strain memory” in bone tissue. In our present study, we use the Alcian blue-induced birefringence technique to demonstrate that proteoglycan orientation also occurs after intermittent loading of both cortical and cancellous mammalian bonein vivo andin vitro. We also show that the change in birefringence is proportional to the magnitude of the applied strain, and that the reorientation occurs rapidly, reaching a maximal value after only 50 loading cycles. Examination of electron micrographs of bone tissue after staining with cupromeronic blue allows direct visualization and quantification of the change in proteoglycan orientation produced by loading. This shows that intermittent loading is associated with a realignment of the proteoglycan protein cores, bringing them some 5 degrees closer to the direction of collagen fibrils in the bone matrix.     

左心室巨大室壁瘤不同左心室成形方法的对比研究

目的研究左心室巨大室壁瘤的左心室成形方法,对改进的左心室心内膜环缩技术和传统的线性缝合技术进行近、远期疗效对比。方法自1992年1月至2004年12月,对148例左心室巨大室壁瘤患者进行手术治疗,按照手术中左心室成形方法不同分为两组,传统术式组:89例,采用传统的线性缝合成形技术;改良术式组:59例,采用改良的心内膜环缩成形技术,旷置梗死的心肌组织,再缝合环缩后的切口。采用多次信访、电话随访和门诊复查相结合的方法对两组患者术后的近、远期疗效进行对比观察。结果手术死亡5例(3.4%),其中传统术式组4例,改良术式组1例(P=0.320)。术后主要并发症为低心排血量和心室颤动。随访134例(93.7%),随访时间51.4±27.0月。远期死亡21例,术后早期心功能Ⅲ级以上是影响远期死亡的危险因素(P=0.000)。改良术式组5年和8年生存率明显优于传统术式组(91.6%vs.76.3%,P=0.040;91.6%vs.61.4%,P=0.000)。两组心功能分级(NYHA)和左心室射血分数(LVEF)术后早期和随访期间较术前改善和升高(P<0.05),改良术式组改善更明显。两组左心室舒张期末内径(LVEDD)术后早期与术前比较明显减小(P=0.000),但随访30个月时有重新增大的趋势(P=0.046)。传统术式组随访30个月时LVEDD扩大比率明显高于改良术式组(38.8%vs.16.7%,P=0.030)。结论左心室巨大室壁瘤的手术近、远期疗效满意,保持适当的左心室形态和容积是手术的关键。心内膜环缩法进行左心室成形是一种简单有效的手段,其远期结果优于线性缝合法。