AIM: To determine the complications and incidence of the first and second access-related vascular injuries induced by videolaparoscopic cholecistectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed vascular injuries in 200 co...AIM: To determine the complications and incidence of the first and second access-related vascular injuries induced by videolaparoscopic cholecistectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed vascular injuries in 200 consecutive patients who underwent videolaparoscopic cholecistectomy from 2003 to 2005. One hundred and one patients with placement of radial expanding trocars were assigned into group A and 99 patients with placement of pyramidal tipped trocars into group B. All the patients were submitted to open access according to Hasson for the first trocar. RESULTS: Bleeding did not occur at the intraoperative cannula-site in group A. However, it occurred at the intraoperative cannula-site of 7 patients (7.1%) in group B, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). No mortality was registered. More vascular lesions were found in group B. CONCLUSION: The advantage of Hasson technique is that peritoneal cavity access is gained under direct vision, preventing most severe injuries. The open technique with radial expanding trocars is recommended for secure access to the abdominal cavity in videolaparoscopy. Great care should be taken to avoid major complications and understanding the abdominal wall anatomy is important for reducing bleeding during or after s placement of trocars.展开更多
Research to date indicates that the number of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients affected by depression (i.e., major, minor, dysthymia) approximates between 30% and 40% of all cases. A longstandi...Research to date indicates that the number of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients affected by depression (i.e., major, minor, dysthymia) approximates between 30% and 40% of all cases. A longstanding empirical interest on psychosocial factors in CABG surgery patients highlights an association with increased risk of morbidity in the short and longer term. Recent evidence suggests that both depression and anxiety increase the risk for mortality and morbidity after CABG surgery independent of medical factors, although the behavioral and biological mechanisms are poorly understood. Though neither depression nor anxiety seem to markedly affect neuropsy- chological dysfunction, depression confers a risk for incident delirium. Following a comprehensive overview of recent literature, practical advice is described for clinicians taking into consideration possible screening aids to improve recognition of anxiety and depression among CABG surgery patients. An overview of contemporary interventions and randomized, controlled trials are described, along with suggestions for future CABG surgery research.展开更多
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an acute cardiac syndrome characterized by extensive, but potentially reversible, left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of an explanatory coronary obstruction. Thus, TCM is di...Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an acute cardiac syndrome characterized by extensive, but potentially reversible, left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of an explanatory coronary obstruction. Thus, TCM is distinct from coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, substantial evidence for co-existing CAD in some TCM patients exist. Herein, we take this associa-tion one step further and present a case in which the patient simultaneously suffered from AMI and TCM, and in which we believe that a primary coronary event triggered TCM. An 88-year-old female presented with chest pain. Echocardiography revealed apical akinesia with hypercontractile bases. An occluded diagonal branch with suspected acute plaque rupture was identified on the angiogram, but could not explain the extent of akinesia. Cardiac function recovered completely. Thus, this patient adhered to current diagnostic criteria for TCM. TCM is a well-known complication for other conditions associated with somatic stress. It is therefore intuitive to assume that AMI, which also associates with somatic stress and elevated catecholamine, can cause TCM. Our case illustrates that TCM and AMI may occur simulta-neously. Although causality cannot be conclusively inferred from this association, the somatic stress associated with AMI may have caused TCM in this patient.展开更多
Splenic arteriovenous fistula (SAVF) accounts for an unusual but well-documented treatable cause of portal hypertension. A case of a 50-year-old multiparous female who developed suddenly portal hypertension due to S...Splenic arteriovenous fistula (SAVF) accounts for an unusual but well-documented treatable cause of portal hypertension. A case of a 50-year-old multiparous female who developed suddenly portal hypertension due to SAVF formation is presented. The patient suffered from repeated episodes of haematemesis and melaena during the past twelve days and thus was emergently admitted to hospital for management. Clinical and laboratory investigations established the diagnosis of portal hypertension in the absence of liver parenchymal disease. Endoscopy revealed multiple esophageal bleeding varices. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and transfemoral celiac arteriography documented the presence of a tortuous and aneurysmatic splenic artery and premature filling of an enlarged splenic vein, findings highly suggestive of an SAVF. The aforementioned vascular abnormality was successfully treated with percutaneous transcatheter embolization. Neither recurrence nor other complications were observed.展开更多
We report a case of a 74-year-old woman with a 16-year history of a double bilo-enteric anastomosis due to resected hilar cholangiocarcinoma [Type IIIb Klatskin tumor]. The patient presented with cholangitis secondary...We report a case of a 74-year-old woman with a 16-year history of a double bilo-enteric anastomosis due to resected hilar cholangiocarcinoma [Type IIIb Klatskin tumor]. The patient presented with cholangitis secondary to benign anastomotic stenosis which resulted in a large intrahepatic biloma. In order to restore the patency of the anastomosis and overcome cholangitis, several attempts took place, including endobiliary stenting, balloon-assisted biloplasty and transhepatic billiary drainage. Anastomotic patency was achieved, complicated, however, by persistent upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, presented as hemobilia. A biloma-induced pseudoaneurysm of the left hepatic artery was diagnosed. This had ruptured into the biliary tract, and presented the actual cause of the hemobilia. Selective embolism of the pseudoaneurysm resulted in control of the hemorrhage, and was successfully combined with transhepatic dilatation of the anastomosis and percutaneous drainage of the biloma. The patient was ultimately cured and seems to be in excellent condition, 5 mo after treatment.展开更多
Objective Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a catastrophic event with high early mortality rate, but to date, no data on the incidence of AAD in China's Mainland is available. This study aimed to estimate the inc...Objective Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a catastrophic event with high early mortality rate, but to date, no data on the incidence of AAD in China's Mainland is available. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of AAD in China and characterize the clinical profile, management and in-hospital outcomes of this vascular event. Methods We used the China Health Insurance Research Data (the CHIRA Data) 2011 which comprises all inpatient hospital records (300,886) during the period of Jan. 1st 2011 to Dec. 31 2011 of 3,335,000 randomly sampled beneficiaries (1,718,500 men and 1,616,500 women) from 25 cities and counties in different economic-geographic regions of China's Mainland. Patients with acute aortic dissection were identified according to International Classification of Disease 10m Revision (ICD-10) of I71.0, The estimated incidence of AAD was calculated using the equation: estimated incidence = 2.0 × (40% × hospital admission rate) + 60% × hospital admission rate. Results The hospital admission rate was 2.0/100,000 (65/3,325,000, 95% CI: 1.2-2.8). The estimated annual incidence of AAD was 2.8/100,000 (95% CI: 1.9-3.6) and was higher in male than in female (3.7 vs. 1.5, P 〈 0.001). The mean age was 58.9 ± 13.4 years. During the mean hospital stay of 23 ±6 days, the overall in-hospital mortality was 13.9% (9/65). Conclusions Our study showed relatively lower but not negligible incidence and in-hospital mortality of AAD in the mainland of China. The mean age of patients with AAD in Chinese was younger than that reported by researches from west countries, while the male to female incidence ratio is similar to those reported by other studies.展开更多
Objective To examine the relationship between apolipoprotein E (Apo E) gene polymorphism and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), analyzing association of polymorphism with classical risk factors. Methods A total of...Objective To examine the relationship between apolipoprotein E (Apo E) gene polymorphism and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), analyzing association of polymorphism with classical risk factors. Methods A total of 124 patients (including 84 Han population and 40 Uygur population) with angiographically verified CAD or myocardial infarction were prospectively evaluated. Data referring to hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco consump-tion were recorded. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, Apo A1 and B, and triglycerides (TG) were determined. DNA was obtained from 124 patients and 70 controls. In order to determine Apo E genotypes, DNA was PCR amplified and digested with HhaI. The genetic polymorphism of Apo E is due to three common alleles, epsilon(ε) 2, ε3, ε4, at a single autosomal gene locus. These alleles determine the six phenotypes E2/2, E3/3, E4/4, E4/2, E4/3, and E3/2. Results In Uygur population, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.155, 0.648, and 0.197 respectively. In Han po-pulation, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.081, 0.772, and 0.146 respectively. In the patient group, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4was 0.060, 0.758, and 0.182 respectively. In the control group, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.193, 0.671, and 0.136 respectively. ε2 frequency of Uygur’ patients and controls was 0.050 and 0.290 respectively. Serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, TC, and TG values tended to decrease from the Apo E-4 phenotypes to Apo E-2 phenotypes. When deletion polymorphism of ε2 was compared with the common risk factors for CAD, its risk ratio (RR) is 4.38. Conclusions These studies confirm and find that Apo E phenotype distribution in Uygur population differs significantly from that in Han population in Xinjiang. CAD patients have significantly lower ε2 allele and slightly higher ε3 or ε4 allele frequency than controls, especially in Uygur population. It shows protective effects of ε2 on CAD.展开更多
Hepatitis C is the most common indication for orthotopic liver transplantation in the United States. Unfortunately, hepatitis C recurs universally in the transplanted liver and is the major cause of decreased graft an...Hepatitis C is the most common indication for orthotopic liver transplantation in the United States. Unfortunately, hepatitis C recurs universally in the transplanted liver and is the major cause of decreased graft and patient survival. The combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin has been shown to be the most effective therapy for recurrent hepatitis C. However, pre-and post-transplant hypersplenism often precludes patients from receiving the antiviral therapy. Splenectomy and partial splenic embolization are the two invasive modalities that can correct the cytopenia associated with hypersplenism. In this report we review the two treatment options, their associated outcomes and complications.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the changes of the plasma level of MMP-9 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9) in the patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) before and after the treatment, and evaluate the significan...Objective: To investigate the changes of the plasma level of MMP-9 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9) in the patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) before and after the treatment, and evaluate the significance of MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of AAAs. Methods: Blood samples of 35 patients with AAAs and 10 patients with the arterial occlusive diseases (AODs) , which enrolled into the Vascular Surgery Center of Colonge University Hospital from February to August of 2002, were collected before and one month after surgical repair or less-invasive endovascular exclusion. The plasma concentrations of MMP-9 of all the collected samples were measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and compared between the two groups patients at different time point. Results: The mean plasma concentration of MMP-9 of AAAs was significantly higher than that of AODs prior to treatment [(90.3±9.1) ng/ml vs (23.6±7.3) ng/ml, P<0.05], and no apparent difference was showed in the patients with AODs [(23.6±7.3) ng/ml vs (25.3±5.8) ng/ml, P>0.05)] before and after the surgical bypass operation. However, in the patients with AAAs the plasma concentration of MMP-9 was apparently decreased one month after the surgical repair or endovascular exclusion compared with before [(28.6±8.4) ng/ml vs (90.3±9.1) ng/ml, P<0.05)]. No meaningful difference of the mean plasma MMP-9 concentration was seen between two groups after the both being successfully treated [(28.6±8.4) ng/ml vs (25.3±5.8) ng/ml, P>0.05]. Conclusion: Apparent elevation of plasma concentration of MMP-9 in the AAAs and its dramatic decrease after being treated implicated that MMP-9 might play an important role in the formation and development of AAAs. Meanwhile, to investigate the changes of MMP-9 level of AAAs could provide an practical way to facilitate the earlier diagnosis and long term surveillance for AAAs. More importantly, pharmacologic prevention and treatment of AAAs, in which the MMP-9 serves as effective target, might be possible in the future.展开更多
Background Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is very common in the elderly patients above 80 years. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in such patients is being increasingly performed. This study sought to ass...Background Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is very common in the elderly patients above 80 years. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in such patients is being increasingly performed. This study sought to assess in-hospital outcome differences between octogenarians and nonagenarians and predictors of mortality in nonagenarians undergoing TAVR with severe AS. Method The study population was derived from the National Inpatient Sample (MS) for the years 2012-2014 using ICD-9 CM procedure codes 35.05 and 35.06 for TAVR. Hospitalizations below 80 years of age were excluded. After performing propensity score matching (1: 2), in-hospital outcomes were compared in matched cohorts. Then, multivariate model was developed to analyze predictors of in-hospital mortality in nonagenarians. Results There were 11,630 hospitalizations in the octogenarian and 5815 hospitalizations in the nonagenarian group. Primary outcome of in-hospital mortality (6% vs. 4.1%, P ≤ 0.001) was higher in nonagenarians compared to octogenarians. Secondary outcomes including stroke (3.4% vs. 2.8%, P ≤ 0.001), renal failure (18.9% vs. 17.3%, P ≤0.001), blood transfusion (35% vs. 32.6%, P ≤ 0.001), vascular complications (4.5% vs. 3.5%, P ≤ 0.001), and pacemaker implantation (27.8% vs. 24.8%, P ≤ 0.001) were higher in nonagenarians. There was no difference in their length of stay. Median cost (70,3745 vs. 65,3815, P ≤ 0.001) was slightly higher with nonagenarian. Conclusions Although in-hospital mortality is slightly higher in nonagenarians, it is acceptable. This difference in mortality is at least partly explained by higher complications in nonagenarians. Efforts should be made to decrease the complications which can further narrow the difference in in-hospital mortality between the groups.展开更多
Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular heart disease in the Western populations, with an estimated overall prevalence of 3% in adults over 75 years. To understand its patho-biological processes represents a prior...Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular heart disease in the Western populations, with an estimated overall prevalence of 3% in adults over 75 years. To understand its patho-biological processes represents a priority. In elderly patients, AS usually involves trileaflet valves and is referred to as degenerative calcific processes. Scientific evidence suggests the involvement of an active "atherosclerosis-like" pathogenesis in the initiation phase of degenerative AS. To the contrary, the progression could be driven by different forces (such as mechanical stress, genetic factors and interaction between inflammation and calcification). The improved understanding presents potentially new therapeutic targets for preventing and inhibiting the development and progression of the disease. Furthermore, in clinical practice the management of AS patients implies the evaluation of generalized atherosclerotic manifestations (i.e., in the coronary and carotid arteries) even for prognostic reasons. In counselling elderly patients, the risk stratification should address individual frailty beyond the generic risk scores. In these regard, the co-morbidities, and in particular those linked to the global atherosclerotic burden, should be carefully investigated in order to define the risk/benefit ratio for invasive treatment strategies. We present a detailed overview of insights in pathogenesis of AS with possible practical implications.展开更多
MM: To investigate how to reduce the incidence of biliary complications in rat orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS: A total of 165 male Wistar rats were ran- domly divided into three groups: Group A, orthotro...MM: To investigate how to reduce the incidence of biliary complications in rat orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS: A total of 165 male Wistar rats were ran- domly divided into three groups: Group A, orthotropic liver transplantation with modified "two-cuff" technique; Group B, bile duct was cut and reconstructed without transplantation; and Group C, only laparotomy was performed. Based on the approaches used for biliary reconstruction, Group A was divided into two sub-groups: A1 (n = 30), duct-duct reconstruction, and A2 (n = 30), duct-duodenum reconstruction. To study the influence of artery reconstruction on bile duct complication, Group B was divided into four sub-groups: B1 (n = 10), duct-duct reconstruction with hepatic artery ligation, B2 (n = 10), duct-duct reconstruction without hepatic artery ligation, B3 (n = 10), duct-duodenum reconstruction with hepatic artery ligation, and B4 (n = 10), duct-duodenum recon- struction without hepatic artery ligation. The samples were harvested 14 d after operation or at the time when significant biliary complication was found. RESULTS: In Group A, the anhepatic phase was 13.7 + 1.06 min, and cold ischemia time was 50.5 + 8.6 min. There was no significant difference between A1 and A2 in the operation duration. The time for biliary reconstruction was almost the same among all groups. The success rate for transplantation was 98.3% (59/60). Significant differ- ences were found in the incidence of biliary complications in Groups A (41.7%), B (27.5%) and C (0%). A2 was more likely to have biliary complications than A1 (50% vs 33.3%). B3 had the highest incidence of biliary complica- tions in Group B. CONCLUSION: Biliary complications are almost in- evitable using the classical "two cuff" techniques, and duct-duodenum reconstruction is not an ideal option in rat orthotopic liver transplantation.展开更多
Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the developed world. Advanced age is the single strongest risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and independent predictor for poor outcomes follow...Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the developed world. Advanced age is the single strongest risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and independent predictor for poor outcomes following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ACS refers to a spectrum of conditions compatible with acute myocardial ischemia and/or infarction due to various degrees of reduction in co- ronary blood flow as a result of plaque rupture/erosion and thrombosis formation or supply and demand mismatch.展开更多
CORONARY artery perforation catastrophic complication (CAP) is a rare, of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). CAP during PCI procedure is invariably associated with high riskpatients with complex coronary a...CORONARY artery perforation catastrophic complication (CAP) is a rare, of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). CAP during PCI procedure is invariably associated with high riskpatients with complex coronary artery disease such as coronary calcified lesions, multi-vessel lesions, coronary chronic total occlusion and so on,展开更多
Thromboembolic complications have been frequently re- ported in patients with long-lasting nephrotic syndrome (NS). Although thrombotic complications in the venous system are common in patients with NS, arterial thr...Thromboembolic complications have been frequently re- ported in patients with long-lasting nephrotic syndrome (NS). Although thrombotic complications in the venous system are common in patients with NS, arterial thromboses associated with NS are much less common. However, coronary thromboses are extremely rarely observed. So, NS is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). As such, the incidence, pathogenesis, and treatment of these patients have yet to be clearly defined. In the current litera- ture, publications contain less than 15 patients, most of whom are young children.展开更多
Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are abnormal arteriovenous anastamoses between the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. These fistulas may be classified by cause (spontaneous or traumatic), flow velocity (high or...Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are abnormal arteriovenous anastamoses between the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. These fistulas may be classified by cause (spontaneous or traumatic), flow velocity (high or low), or pathogenesis (direct or indirect). The most commonly adopted classification is that described by Barrow based on arterial supply. Traumatic CCFs are almost always direct shunts between the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the cavernous sinus. General features of CCFs, which may be apparent with any lesion, including bruit, headache, loss of vision, altered mental status and neurological deficits. Some fistulae may present primarily with hemorrhage before any evaluation can be performed. However, hemiparesis has been rarely observed. Only a literature review of Murata et al reported a case of hemiparesis caused by posttraumatic CCF, in which the fistula resulted in venous hypertension and subsequent brainstem congestion. While in our case, cerebral infarction was caused by total steal of the blood flow. The patient recovered after occlusion of the fistula with a detachable balloon.展开更多
Endothelial cells form the internal barrier between circulating blood and the vessel wall.They regulate arterial activity and mediate pathological reactions to vascular injuries such as atherosclerosis and balloon ang...Endothelial cells form the internal barrier between circulating blood and the vessel wall.They regulate arterial activity and mediate pathological reactions to vascular injuries such as atherosclerosis and balloon angioplasty.The development and differentiation of endothelial cells is a complex and coordinated process involving multiple levels of signaling and transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation.Elucidating the mechanism of endothelial differentiation will not only enhance our understanding of vascular disease pathogenesis,but also facilitate our ability to produce vessels cells from pluripotent stem cells for regeneration purposes.In this review,we discuss the current understanding of how stem cells differentiate into endothelial cells at the level of signaling,transcription and microRNA regulation.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: 322 consecutive patients who had undergone isolated CABG were reviewed. Preoperative, i...OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: 322 consecutive patients who had undergone isolated CABG were reviewed. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data were collected. Patients were grouped according to whether AF appeared postoperatively. RESULTS: AF occurred in 75 patients (23.3%). Most cases of AF (85.6%) appeared on or before the third postoperative day. The mean age for patients with AF was 62.5 years compared with 56.7 years for patients without AF (P or = 65 years (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.5 to 5.1), lesions in the right coronary artery (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4 to 4.5), and early postoperative withdrawal of beta blocker (OR 3.9; 95% CI 2.1 to 7.7). CONCLUSIONS: AF remains the most common complication after CABG. Age and lesions in the right coronary artery can influence the incidence of AF, and beta blocker and magnesium may be the most economical and effective prevention for AF early after CABG.展开更多
文摘AIM: To determine the complications and incidence of the first and second access-related vascular injuries induced by videolaparoscopic cholecistectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed vascular injuries in 200 consecutive patients who underwent videolaparoscopic cholecistectomy from 2003 to 2005. One hundred and one patients with placement of radial expanding trocars were assigned into group A and 99 patients with placement of pyramidal tipped trocars into group B. All the patients were submitted to open access according to Hasson for the first trocar. RESULTS: Bleeding did not occur at the intraoperative cannula-site in group A. However, it occurred at the intraoperative cannula-site of 7 patients (7.1%) in group B, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). No mortality was registered. More vascular lesions were found in group B. CONCLUSION: The advantage of Hasson technique is that peritoneal cavity access is gained under direct vision, preventing most severe injuries. The open technique with radial expanding trocars is recommended for secure access to the abdominal cavity in videolaparoscopy. Great care should be taken to avoid major complications and understanding the abdominal wall anatomy is important for reducing bleeding during or after s placement of trocars.
文摘Research to date indicates that the number of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients affected by depression (i.e., major, minor, dysthymia) approximates between 30% and 40% of all cases. A longstanding empirical interest on psychosocial factors in CABG surgery patients highlights an association with increased risk of morbidity in the short and longer term. Recent evidence suggests that both depression and anxiety increase the risk for mortality and morbidity after CABG surgery independent of medical factors, although the behavioral and biological mechanisms are poorly understood. Though neither depression nor anxiety seem to markedly affect neuropsy- chological dysfunction, depression confers a risk for incident delirium. Following a comprehensive overview of recent literature, practical advice is described for clinicians taking into consideration possible screening aids to improve recognition of anxiety and depression among CABG surgery patients. An overview of contemporary interventions and randomized, controlled trials are described, along with suggestions for future CABG surgery research.
文摘Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an acute cardiac syndrome characterized by extensive, but potentially reversible, left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of an explanatory coronary obstruction. Thus, TCM is distinct from coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, substantial evidence for co-existing CAD in some TCM patients exist. Herein, we take this associa-tion one step further and present a case in which the patient simultaneously suffered from AMI and TCM, and in which we believe that a primary coronary event triggered TCM. An 88-year-old female presented with chest pain. Echocardiography revealed apical akinesia with hypercontractile bases. An occluded diagonal branch with suspected acute plaque rupture was identified on the angiogram, but could not explain the extent of akinesia. Cardiac function recovered completely. Thus, this patient adhered to current diagnostic criteria for TCM. TCM is a well-known complication for other conditions associated with somatic stress. It is therefore intuitive to assume that AMI, which also associates with somatic stress and elevated catecholamine, can cause TCM. Our case illustrates that TCM and AMI may occur simulta-neously. Although causality cannot be conclusively inferred from this association, the somatic stress associated with AMI may have caused TCM in this patient.
文摘Splenic arteriovenous fistula (SAVF) accounts for an unusual but well-documented treatable cause of portal hypertension. A case of a 50-year-old multiparous female who developed suddenly portal hypertension due to SAVF formation is presented. The patient suffered from repeated episodes of haematemesis and melaena during the past twelve days and thus was emergently admitted to hospital for management. Clinical and laboratory investigations established the diagnosis of portal hypertension in the absence of liver parenchymal disease. Endoscopy revealed multiple esophageal bleeding varices. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and transfemoral celiac arteriography documented the presence of a tortuous and aneurysmatic splenic artery and premature filling of an enlarged splenic vein, findings highly suggestive of an SAVF. The aforementioned vascular abnormality was successfully treated with percutaneous transcatheter embolization. Neither recurrence nor other complications were observed.
文摘We report a case of a 74-year-old woman with a 16-year history of a double bilo-enteric anastomosis due to resected hilar cholangiocarcinoma [Type IIIb Klatskin tumor]. The patient presented with cholangitis secondary to benign anastomotic stenosis which resulted in a large intrahepatic biloma. In order to restore the patency of the anastomosis and overcome cholangitis, several attempts took place, including endobiliary stenting, balloon-assisted biloplasty and transhepatic billiary drainage. Anastomotic patency was achieved, complicated, however, by persistent upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, presented as hemobilia. A biloma-induced pseudoaneurysm of the left hepatic artery was diagnosed. This had ruptured into the biliary tract, and presented the actual cause of the hemobilia. Selective embolism of the pseudoaneurysm resulted in control of the hemorrhage, and was successfully combined with transhepatic dilatation of the anastomosis and percutaneous drainage of the biloma. The patient was ultimately cured and seems to be in excellent condition, 5 mo after treatment.
文摘Objective Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a catastrophic event with high early mortality rate, but to date, no data on the incidence of AAD in China's Mainland is available. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of AAD in China and characterize the clinical profile, management and in-hospital outcomes of this vascular event. Methods We used the China Health Insurance Research Data (the CHIRA Data) 2011 which comprises all inpatient hospital records (300,886) during the period of Jan. 1st 2011 to Dec. 31 2011 of 3,335,000 randomly sampled beneficiaries (1,718,500 men and 1,616,500 women) from 25 cities and counties in different economic-geographic regions of China's Mainland. Patients with acute aortic dissection were identified according to International Classification of Disease 10m Revision (ICD-10) of I71.0, The estimated incidence of AAD was calculated using the equation: estimated incidence = 2.0 × (40% × hospital admission rate) + 60% × hospital admission rate. Results The hospital admission rate was 2.0/100,000 (65/3,325,000, 95% CI: 1.2-2.8). The estimated annual incidence of AAD was 2.8/100,000 (95% CI: 1.9-3.6) and was higher in male than in female (3.7 vs. 1.5, P 〈 0.001). The mean age was 58.9 ± 13.4 years. During the mean hospital stay of 23 ±6 days, the overall in-hospital mortality was 13.9% (9/65). Conclusions Our study showed relatively lower but not negligible incidence and in-hospital mortality of AAD in the mainland of China. The mean age of patients with AAD in Chinese was younger than that reported by researches from west countries, while the male to female incidence ratio is similar to those reported by other studies.
文摘Objective To examine the relationship between apolipoprotein E (Apo E) gene polymorphism and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), analyzing association of polymorphism with classical risk factors. Methods A total of 124 patients (including 84 Han population and 40 Uygur population) with angiographically verified CAD or myocardial infarction were prospectively evaluated. Data referring to hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco consump-tion were recorded. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, Apo A1 and B, and triglycerides (TG) were determined. DNA was obtained from 124 patients and 70 controls. In order to determine Apo E genotypes, DNA was PCR amplified and digested with HhaI. The genetic polymorphism of Apo E is due to three common alleles, epsilon(ε) 2, ε3, ε4, at a single autosomal gene locus. These alleles determine the six phenotypes E2/2, E3/3, E4/4, E4/2, E4/3, and E3/2. Results In Uygur population, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.155, 0.648, and 0.197 respectively. In Han po-pulation, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.081, 0.772, and 0.146 respectively. In the patient group, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4was 0.060, 0.758, and 0.182 respectively. In the control group, the frequency of the ε2, ε3, and ε4 was 0.193, 0.671, and 0.136 respectively. ε2 frequency of Uygur’ patients and controls was 0.050 and 0.290 respectively. Serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, TC, and TG values tended to decrease from the Apo E-4 phenotypes to Apo E-2 phenotypes. When deletion polymorphism of ε2 was compared with the common risk factors for CAD, its risk ratio (RR) is 4.38. Conclusions These studies confirm and find that Apo E phenotype distribution in Uygur population differs significantly from that in Han population in Xinjiang. CAD patients have significantly lower ε2 allele and slightly higher ε3 or ε4 allele frequency than controls, especially in Uygur population. It shows protective effects of ε2 on CAD.
文摘Hepatitis C is the most common indication for orthotopic liver transplantation in the United States. Unfortunately, hepatitis C recurs universally in the transplanted liver and is the major cause of decreased graft and patient survival. The combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin has been shown to be the most effective therapy for recurrent hepatitis C. However, pre-and post-transplant hypersplenism often precludes patients from receiving the antiviral therapy. Splenectomy and partial splenic embolization are the two invasive modalities that can correct the cytopenia associated with hypersplenism. In this report we review the two treatment options, their associated outcomes and complications.
文摘Objective: To investigate the changes of the plasma level of MMP-9 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9) in the patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) before and after the treatment, and evaluate the significance of MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of AAAs. Methods: Blood samples of 35 patients with AAAs and 10 patients with the arterial occlusive diseases (AODs) , which enrolled into the Vascular Surgery Center of Colonge University Hospital from February to August of 2002, were collected before and one month after surgical repair or less-invasive endovascular exclusion. The plasma concentrations of MMP-9 of all the collected samples were measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and compared between the two groups patients at different time point. Results: The mean plasma concentration of MMP-9 of AAAs was significantly higher than that of AODs prior to treatment [(90.3±9.1) ng/ml vs (23.6±7.3) ng/ml, P<0.05], and no apparent difference was showed in the patients with AODs [(23.6±7.3) ng/ml vs (25.3±5.8) ng/ml, P>0.05)] before and after the surgical bypass operation. However, in the patients with AAAs the plasma concentration of MMP-9 was apparently decreased one month after the surgical repair or endovascular exclusion compared with before [(28.6±8.4) ng/ml vs (90.3±9.1) ng/ml, P<0.05)]. No meaningful difference of the mean plasma MMP-9 concentration was seen between two groups after the both being successfully treated [(28.6±8.4) ng/ml vs (25.3±5.8) ng/ml, P>0.05]. Conclusion: Apparent elevation of plasma concentration of MMP-9 in the AAAs and its dramatic decrease after being treated implicated that MMP-9 might play an important role in the formation and development of AAAs. Meanwhile, to investigate the changes of MMP-9 level of AAAs could provide an practical way to facilitate the earlier diagnosis and long term surveillance for AAAs. More importantly, pharmacologic prevention and treatment of AAAs, in which the MMP-9 serves as effective target, might be possible in the future.
文摘Background Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is very common in the elderly patients above 80 years. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in such patients is being increasingly performed. This study sought to assess in-hospital outcome differences between octogenarians and nonagenarians and predictors of mortality in nonagenarians undergoing TAVR with severe AS. Method The study population was derived from the National Inpatient Sample (MS) for the years 2012-2014 using ICD-9 CM procedure codes 35.05 and 35.06 for TAVR. Hospitalizations below 80 years of age were excluded. After performing propensity score matching (1: 2), in-hospital outcomes were compared in matched cohorts. Then, multivariate model was developed to analyze predictors of in-hospital mortality in nonagenarians. Results There were 11,630 hospitalizations in the octogenarian and 5815 hospitalizations in the nonagenarian group. Primary outcome of in-hospital mortality (6% vs. 4.1%, P ≤ 0.001) was higher in nonagenarians compared to octogenarians. Secondary outcomes including stroke (3.4% vs. 2.8%, P ≤ 0.001), renal failure (18.9% vs. 17.3%, P ≤0.001), blood transfusion (35% vs. 32.6%, P ≤ 0.001), vascular complications (4.5% vs. 3.5%, P ≤ 0.001), and pacemaker implantation (27.8% vs. 24.8%, P ≤ 0.001) were higher in nonagenarians. There was no difference in their length of stay. Median cost (70,3745 vs. 65,3815, P ≤ 0.001) was slightly higher with nonagenarian. Conclusions Although in-hospital mortality is slightly higher in nonagenarians, it is acceptable. This difference in mortality is at least partly explained by higher complications in nonagenarians. Efforts should be made to decrease the complications which can further narrow the difference in in-hospital mortality between the groups.
文摘Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular heart disease in the Western populations, with an estimated overall prevalence of 3% in adults over 75 years. To understand its patho-biological processes represents a priority. In elderly patients, AS usually involves trileaflet valves and is referred to as degenerative calcific processes. Scientific evidence suggests the involvement of an active "atherosclerosis-like" pathogenesis in the initiation phase of degenerative AS. To the contrary, the progression could be driven by different forces (such as mechanical stress, genetic factors and interaction between inflammation and calcification). The improved understanding presents potentially new therapeutic targets for preventing and inhibiting the development and progression of the disease. Furthermore, in clinical practice the management of AS patients implies the evaluation of generalized atherosclerotic manifestations (i.e., in the coronary and carotid arteries) even for prognostic reasons. In counselling elderly patients, the risk stratification should address individual frailty beyond the generic risk scores. In these regard, the co-morbidities, and in particular those linked to the global atherosclerotic burden, should be carefully investigated in order to define the risk/benefit ratio for invasive treatment strategies. We present a detailed overview of insights in pathogenesis of AS with possible practical implications.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30671987
文摘MM: To investigate how to reduce the incidence of biliary complications in rat orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS: A total of 165 male Wistar rats were ran- domly divided into three groups: Group A, orthotropic liver transplantation with modified "two-cuff" technique; Group B, bile duct was cut and reconstructed without transplantation; and Group C, only laparotomy was performed. Based on the approaches used for biliary reconstruction, Group A was divided into two sub-groups: A1 (n = 30), duct-duct reconstruction, and A2 (n = 30), duct-duodenum reconstruction. To study the influence of artery reconstruction on bile duct complication, Group B was divided into four sub-groups: B1 (n = 10), duct-duct reconstruction with hepatic artery ligation, B2 (n = 10), duct-duct reconstruction without hepatic artery ligation, B3 (n = 10), duct-duodenum reconstruction with hepatic artery ligation, and B4 (n = 10), duct-duodenum recon- struction without hepatic artery ligation. The samples were harvested 14 d after operation or at the time when significant biliary complication was found. RESULTS: In Group A, the anhepatic phase was 13.7 + 1.06 min, and cold ischemia time was 50.5 + 8.6 min. There was no significant difference between A1 and A2 in the operation duration. The time for biliary reconstruction was almost the same among all groups. The success rate for transplantation was 98.3% (59/60). Significant differ- ences were found in the incidence of biliary complications in Groups A (41.7%), B (27.5%) and C (0%). A2 was more likely to have biliary complications than A1 (50% vs 33.3%). B3 had the highest incidence of biliary complica- tions in Group B. CONCLUSION: Biliary complications are almost in- evitable using the classical "two cuff" techniques, and duct-duodenum reconstruction is not an ideal option in rat orthotopic liver transplantation.
文摘Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the developed world. Advanced age is the single strongest risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and independent predictor for poor outcomes following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ACS refers to a spectrum of conditions compatible with acute myocardial ischemia and/or infarction due to various degrees of reduction in co- ronary blood flow as a result of plaque rupture/erosion and thrombosis formation or supply and demand mismatch.
文摘CORONARY artery perforation catastrophic complication (CAP) is a rare, of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). CAP during PCI procedure is invariably associated with high riskpatients with complex coronary artery disease such as coronary calcified lesions, multi-vessel lesions, coronary chronic total occlusion and so on,
基金The program is supported by grants from the National Na tural Science Foundation of China (No.81400238).
文摘Thromboembolic complications have been frequently re- ported in patients with long-lasting nephrotic syndrome (NS). Although thrombotic complications in the venous system are common in patients with NS, arterial thromboses associated with NS are much less common. However, coronary thromboses are extremely rarely observed. So, NS is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). As such, the incidence, pathogenesis, and treatment of these patients have yet to be clearly defined. In the current litera- ture, publications contain less than 15 patients, most of whom are young children.
文摘Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are abnormal arteriovenous anastamoses between the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. These fistulas may be classified by cause (spontaneous or traumatic), flow velocity (high or low), or pathogenesis (direct or indirect). The most commonly adopted classification is that described by Barrow based on arterial supply. Traumatic CCFs are almost always direct shunts between the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the cavernous sinus. General features of CCFs, which may be apparent with any lesion, including bruit, headache, loss of vision, altered mental status and neurological deficits. Some fistulae may present primarily with hemorrhage before any evaluation can be performed. However, hemiparesis has been rarely observed. Only a literature review of Murata et al reported a case of hemiparesis caused by posttraumatic CCF, in which the fistula resulted in venous hypertension and subsequent brainstem congestion. While in our case, cerebral infarction was caused by total steal of the blood flow. The patient recovered after occlusion of the fistula with a detachable balloon.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91339102,81270001,81270180)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation(LR14H020001)
文摘Endothelial cells form the internal barrier between circulating blood and the vessel wall.They regulate arterial activity and mediate pathological reactions to vascular injuries such as atherosclerosis and balloon angioplasty.The development and differentiation of endothelial cells is a complex and coordinated process involving multiple levels of signaling and transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation.Elucidating the mechanism of endothelial differentiation will not only enhance our understanding of vascular disease pathogenesis,but also facilitate our ability to produce vessels cells from pluripotent stem cells for regeneration purposes.In this review,we discuss the current understanding of how stem cells differentiate into endothelial cells at the level of signaling,transcription and microRNA regulation.
文摘OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: 322 consecutive patients who had undergone isolated CABG were reviewed. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data were collected. Patients were grouped according to whether AF appeared postoperatively. RESULTS: AF occurred in 75 patients (23.3%). Most cases of AF (85.6%) appeared on or before the third postoperative day. The mean age for patients with AF was 62.5 years compared with 56.7 years for patients without AF (P or = 65 years (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.5 to 5.1), lesions in the right coronary artery (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4 to 4.5), and early postoperative withdrawal of beta blocker (OR 3.9; 95% CI 2.1 to 7.7). CONCLUSIONS: AF remains the most common complication after CABG. Age and lesions in the right coronary artery can influence the incidence of AF, and beta blocker and magnesium may be the most economical and effective prevention for AF early after CABG.