Transhiatal versus transthoracic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer continues to represent a formidable challenge for both patients and clinicians. Relative 5-year survival rates for patients have improved over the past three decades, probably linked to a combination of improved surgical outcomes, progress in systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the increasing acceptance of multimodality treatment. Surgical treatment remains a fundamental component of the treatment of localized esophageal adenocarcinoma. Multiple approaches have been described for esophagectomy, which can be thematically grouped under two major categories: either transthoracic or transhiatal. The main controversy rests on whether a more extended resection through thoracotomy provides superior oncological outcomes as opposed to resection with relatively limited morbidity and mortality through a transhiatal approach. After numerous trials have addressed these issues, neither approach has consistently proven to be superior to the other one, and both can provide excellent short-term results in the hands of experienced surgeons. Moreover, the available literature suggests that experience of the surgeonand hospital in the surgical management of esophageal cancer is an important factor for operative morbidity and mortality rates, which could supersede the type of approach selected. Oncological outcomes appear to be similar after both procedures.

Systemic air embolism after transthoracic lung biopsy: A case report and review of literature

Computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsy is a common diagnostic procedure that is associated with various complications, including pneumothorax, hemoptysis and parenchymal hemorrhage. Systemic air embolism is a very rare (0.07%) but potentially lifethreatening complication. We report a fatal case of air embolism to the cerebral and coronary arteries confirmed by head and chest CT, followed by a review of the literature.

Comparison of survival outcomes between transthoracic and transabdominal surgical approaches in patients with Siewert-Ⅱ/Ⅲesophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma:a single-institution retrospective cohort study

Objective： To compare the survival outcomes of transabdominal （TA） and transthoracic （TT） surgical approaches in patients with Siewert-II/III esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Methods： This retrospective study was conducted in patients with Siewert-II/III esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who underwent either TT or TA operations in the West China Hospital between January 2006 and December 2009. Results： A total of 308 patients （109 in the TT and 199 in the TA groups） were included in this study with a follow-up rate of 87.3%. The median （P25, P75） number of harvested perigastric lymph nodes was 8 （5, 10） in the TT group and 23 （16, 34） in the TA group （P〈0.001）, and the number of positive perigastric lymph nodes was 2 （0, 5） in the TT group and 3 （1, 8） in the TA group （P〈0.004）. The 5-year overall survival （OS） rate was 36% in the TT group and 51% in the TA group （P=0.005）. Subgroup analysis by Siewert classification showed that 5-year OS rates for patients with Siewert II tumors were 38% and 48% in TT and TA groups, respectively （P=0.134）, whereas the 5-year OS rate for patients with Siewert III tumors was significantly lower in the TT group than that in the TA group （33% vs. 53%; P=0.010）. Multivariate analysis indicated that N2 and N3 stages, RI/R2 resection and a TT surgical approach were prognostic factors for poor OS. Conclusions： Improved perigastric lymph node dissection may be the main reason for better survival outcomes observed with a TA gastrectomy approach than with TT gastrectomy for Siewert III tumor patients.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening during transthoracic echocardiography:Cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist interpretation

AIM: To study the interobserver variability between a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist in the screening of the abdominal aorta during transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS: Consecutive patients, > 55 years of age, underwent abdominal aortic imaging following standard TTE. Two cardiologists and one vascular medicine specialist performed a blinded review of the images. Interobserver agreement of abdominal aortic size was determined by the correlation coefficient and paired t test. Interobserver reliability for each cardiologist was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: Ninety patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 72 ± 10 years and 48% were male. The mean aortic diameter was 2.31 ± 0.50 cm and 5 patients (5.5%) had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The additional time required for the ab-dominal aortic images was 4.4 ± 0.9 min per patient. Interobserver agreement between the 2 cardiologist interpreters and the vascular medicine specialist was excellent (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). On Bland-Altman analysis ofinterobserver reliability, the 95% lower and upper limits for measurement by the cardiologists were 84% and 124% of that of the vascular specialist. CONCLUSION: The assessment of the abdominal aorta during a routine TTE performed by a cardiologist is accurate in comparison to that of a vascular medicine specialist. In selected patients undergoing TTE, the detection rate of AAA is significant. Additional time and effort required to perform imaging of the abdominal aorta after TTE is less than 5 min.

Congenital Heart Diseases Diagnosed on Transthoracic Echocardiography: Perspectives from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

In a retrospective study of 1224 transthoracic echocardiograms performed between January 2011 and December 2013, we evaluated the spectrum of congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosed at a tertiary referral centre in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria. Diagnosis of CHD was made in 88 (8.3%) subjects, comprising 23 (26.1%) adults and 65 (73.9%) aged less than 18 years. Forty six (52.3%) of those with CHD were females, while 42 (47.7%) were males. The frequencies of the CHD in decreasing order were: ventricular septal defect 23 (26.1%), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) 14 (15.9%) and atrial septal defect (ASD) and atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) were 11 (12.5%) each. One of the patients with AVSD had Ellis Van Creveldt syndrome. Six (6.8%) cases of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were diagnosed in those younger than 18 years, while all the 5 (5.7%) cases of Ebstein’s anomaly were diagnosed in adults. There were 6 (6.8%) cases of Eisenmenger syndrome involving three cases of AVSD, one case of ASD and two cases of Ebstein’s anomaly. Timely definitive cares for these patients are still lacking in Nigeria and many areas of sub-Saharan Africa. We recommend sensitization of all relevant clinicians to actively look for congenital heart defects. Pulse oximetry and postnatal echocardiographic new-born screening which were previously validated should be implemented at secondary and tertiary levels, and efforts should be made towards providing the needed care for patients with CHD.

Transthoracic En-bloc Esophagectomy

In patients with esophageal carcinoma surgical resection remains the standard of curative treatment. For locally advanced tumors (pT1sm–pT3) transthoracic esophagectomy with extended lym- phadenectomy is the standard surgical procedure since it o?ers a complete removal of the primary tumor and possible lymph node metastases. This surgical resection is appropriate for squamous cell but also adenocarcinoma of the esophagus because both histological entities demonstrate a lymphatic spread to the abdominal compartment and the upper mediastinum. In-hospital mortality rates are between 6% and 9%; anastomotic leakage and pulmonary complications mainly contribute to postoperative morbidity. In terms of 5-year survival the transthoracic procedure o?ers a better prognosis compared to the transhiatal resection. 五笔字型计算机汉字输入技术

Usefulness of coronary flow reserve measured by transthoracic coronary Doppler ultrasound in the elderly

The left anterior descending （LAD） coronary artery is the main vessel of human coronary circulation, and life-threa- tening consequences are seen when flow in this area is im- paired, Noninvasive measurement of coronary flow re- serve （CFR）, defined as the ratio of maximal to baseline coronary blood flow, has been repeatedly shown to be a feasible technique by ultrasound transthoracic Doppler （TTD） both in the LAD and, with some limitations, in the posterior descending （PD） coronary artery.

Sub-acute disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis in a girl diagnosed by CT guided transthoracic needle biopsy: case report and literature review

Primary tuberculosis often occurs in children with the main types of hilar lymphonode tuberculosis or Ghon complex. When pulmonary tuberculosis aggravates and tubercule bacillus invades pulmonary veins, a disseminated disease may occur clinically. One 8-year-old girl presented with hypodynamia and emaciation. CT indicated the disseminated disease and extensive mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. But she had negative sputum smears and negative PPD test. The bronchi showed inflammatory change in fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) guided by CT was used as a means for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The case was rapidly diagnosed as sub-acute disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis with the help of combined CT imagine and histology.

Transthoracic vs transhiatal surgery for cancer of the esophagogastric junction:A meta-analysis

AIM:To compare the efficacy and safety of the transthoracic and transhiatal approaches for cancer of the esophagogastric junction.METHODS:An electronic and manual search of the literature was conducted in PubMed,EmBase and the Cochrane Library for articles published between March1998 and January 2013.The pooled data included the following parameters:duration of surgical time,blood loss,dissected lymph nodes,hospital stay time,anastomotic leakage,pulmonary complications,cardiovascular complications,30-d hospital mortality,and long-term survival.Sensitivity analysis was performed by excluding single studies.RESULTS:Eight studies including 1155 patients with cancer of the esophagogastric junction,with 639 patients in the transthoracic group and 516 in the transhiatal group,were pooled for this study.There were no significant differences between two groups concerning surgical time,blood loss,anastomotic leakage,or cardiovascular complications.Dissected lymph nodes also showed no significant differences between two groups in randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and nonRCTs.However,we did observe a shorter hospital stay(WMD=1.92,95%CI:1.63-2.22,P<0.00001),lower30-d hospital mortality(OR=3.21,95%CI:1.13-9.12,P=0.03),and decreased pulmonary complications(OR=2.95,95%CI:1.95-4.45,P<0.00001)in the transhiatal group.For overall survival,a potential survival benefit was achieved for typeⅢtumors with the transhiatal approach.CONCLUSION:The transhiatal approach for cancers of the esophagogastric junction,especially typesⅢ,should be recommended,and its long-term outcome benefits should be further evaluated.

Study on linage Acquisition of Transthoracic Echocardiography in Mechanically Ventilated ICU Patients

Objective This study aimed to determine which parameters in transthoracic echocardiography(TTE)are more likely to be affected when applied in a critical care setting with mechanical ventilation.Methods Ninety mechanically ventilated ICU patients were enrolled into the study group.The control group consisted of 90 patients who underwent interventional therapy.All patients had bedside TTE for parametric measurements including the right ventricular size,septal kinetics and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)by eyeballing(visual assessment),the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(TAPSE),mitral annular plane systolic excursion(MAPSE)by M-mode sonography,the right ventricular outflow tract velocity-time integral(RVOT VTI)and left ventricular outflow tract velocity-time integral(LVOT VTI)by pulse-Doppler,the right ventricular fraction of area change(FAC)and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF Simpson)by endocardium tracing.We compared the differences in the frequency of optimal image acquisition in assessments of these parameters between the two groups,as well as the differences in acquisition rates of parameter measurements in ventilated ICU patients.Results There were significantly fewer patients in the study group than in the control group who had optimal images acquisitions for parameter assessments with M-mode method,pulse Doppler method and endocardiumtracing method(P<0.05);no significant difference was obsered in the number of patients with optimal images for RV eyeballing and LVEF eyeballing between the two groups.In the study group,significantly fewer optimal images were acquired for FAC than forTAPSE(22.2%vs、72.2%,χ2=45.139,P<0.001)and RVOT VTI(22.2%vs.71.1%,χ2=43.214,P<0.001);there were also fewer optimal images acquired for LVEF Simpson than for MAPSE(37.8%ys.84.4%,χ2=41.236,P<0.001)and LVOT VTI(37.8%vs.85.6%,/=43.455,P<0.001).Conclusions Images acquisition of optimal TTE images tend to be difRcult in mechanically ventilated ICU patients,but eyeballing method for functional evaluation could be an alternative method.For quantitative parameters measurements,M-mode based longitudinal function evaluation and pulse Doppler-based VTI were superior to the endocardium-tracing based parameter assessments.

Clinical value of CTS-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy in elder patients with lung cancer

Objective： To evaluate the value of CTS-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy for the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in elder patients. Methods： The intact data of 78 elder patients underwent percutaneous pulmonary biopsy with a spring-core biopsy needle under CTS guidance were analyzed. The diagnosis of all the cases was confirmed by pathology and follow-up. Results： Ninety-five lung biopsies were performed in 78 cases and satisfactory tissue specimens obtained in all cases, the success rate was 100%. The diagnosis for malignant tumors and benign lesions was 72 and 6, respectively. The overall accuracy rate was 100%. Pneumothorax was noted in 5 cases （6.4%） and hemoptysis seen in 10 patients （12.8%）. Conclusion： CTS-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy with a spring-core biopsy needle are accurate, safe and quick for pulmonary lesions in elder patients.

Focus assessed transthoracic echocardiography (FATE) to diagnose pleural effusions causing haemodynamic compromise

The clinical assessment of patients with respiratory and circulatory problems can be complex, time consuming and have a high incidence of error. Bedside transthoracic ultrasound (US) is a useful adjunctive test in the evaluation of acutely unstable patients. This case series describes the use of the Focus Assessed Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE) protocol to diagnose unsuspected pleural collections of fluid and how drainage significantly contributes to the haemodynamic improvement seen in these patients.

Transthoracic echocardiography assists appropriate pulmonary artery catheter placement: An observational study

AIM: To investigate the utility of transthoracic echocardiography in confirming appropriate pulmonary artery catheter(PAC) placement. METHODS: Three commonly used transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) views were used to confirm PAC position in 103 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery- the parasternal short axis right ventricular inflow-outflow view; the subcostal short axis right ventricular inflow-outflow view; and the parasternal short axis ascending aortic view. All PACs were inserted by the managing anesthesiologist under pressure waveform guidance alone, who was blinded to all sonographic information. A sonographer blinded to all pressure waveform information confirmed visualisation of an "empty" PA before PAC insertion, and visualisation of the PAC balloon in the main PA(MPA) or right PA(RPA) after attempts at placement were complete. Agreement, sensitivity and specificity of TTE in confirming appropriate PAC placement was compared against pressure waveformguidance as the "gold standard". The successful view used was compared against patients' anthropomorphic indices, presence of lung hyperinflation, and insertion of PAC during positive pressure ventilation. Agreement between TTE and pressure waveform guidance was analysed using Cohen's Kappa statistic. The relative proportion of total RPA seen by subcostal vs parasternal TTE views was also compared with a further 20 patients' computed tomography(CT) pulmonary angiograms(CTPA), to determine efficacy in detection of distal RPA PAC placement. RESULTS: Appropriate positioning of the PAC balloon, and its to-and-fro movement consistent with a nonwedged state, within the MPA or RPA was confirmed by TTE in 98 of the 103 patients [sensitivity 95%(95%CI: 89%-98%)], and absence of the PAC balloon before insertion correctly established in 100 patients [specificity 97%(92%-99%)]. This was in very good agreement with pressure waveform guidance [Cohen's Kappa 0.92,(0.87-0.98)]. The subcostal view was the best view to visualise the PAC tip when it was placed in the right pulmonary artery(OR 70, P < 0.0001), was more successful in patients with COAD(OR 9.5, P = 0.001), and visualized 61%(vs 44% by parasternal views, P < 0.001) of mean RPA lengths compared with CTPA; however the parasternal views were more successful in patients with higher body mass indexs(OR 0.78 for success with subcostal views, P < 0.001). There was a trend towards insertion during intermittent positive pressure ventilation favoring visualisation by subcostal views(OR 3.9, P = 0.08). The subcostal view visualized a greater length of the RPA than parasternal views(3.9 cm vs 2.9 cm, P < 0.0001). PACs were more often placed in the MPA than RPA(80 vs 18 patients). Three patient's pulmonary arteries were not visible by any TTE view; in a further 2 patients, despite preinsertion visualisation of their pulmonary arteries, the PAC balloon was not visible by any view with TTE where correct placement by pressure waveform was unequivocal.

Right-to-left shunt detection via synchronized contrast transcranial Doppler combined with contrast transthoracic echocardiography:A preliminary study

BACKGROUND Patent foramen ovale(PFO)-related right-to-left shunts(RLSs)have been impli-cated in cryptogenic stroke and migraine,with larger shunts posing a higher risk.When used individually to detect RLS,contrast transcranial Doppler(cTCD)and contrast transthoracic echocardiography(cTTE)may yield false-negative results.Further,the literature exposes gaps regarding the understanding of the limitations of cTCD and cTTE,presents conflicting recommendations on their exclusive use,and highlights inefficiencies associated with nonsynchronous testing.AIM To investigate the accuracy of multimodal ultrasound to improve diagnostic efficiency in detecting PFO-related RLSs.METHODS We prospectively enrolled four patients with cryptogenic stroke(n=1),migraine(n=2),and unexplained dizziness(n=1)who underwent synchronized cTCD combined with cTTE.The participants were monitored and followed-up for 24 months.RESULTS cTTE identified moderate and large RLSs in patients with recurrent cryptogenic stroke and migraines,whereas cTCD revealed only small RLSs.Moderate and large RLS were confirmed on combined cTTE and cTCD.After excluding other causes,both patients underwent PFO occlusion.At 21-and 24-month follow-up examinations,neither stroke nor migraine had recurred.cTTE revealed a small RLS in a third patient with unexplained dizziness and a fourth patient with migraines;however,simultaneous cTCD detected a large RLS.These patients did not undergo interventional occlusion,and dizziness and headache recurred at the 17-and 24-month follow-up examin-ations.CONCLUSION Using cTTE or cTCD may underestimate RLS,impairing risk assessments.Combining synchronized cTCD with cTTE could enhance testing accuracy and support better diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.

Value of transthoracic echocardiography combined with cardiac troponin I in risk stratification in acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Background Acute pulmonary thromboembolism （APE） causes right ventricular dysfunction （RVD） and cardiac troponin I （cTnl） elevation. Patients with RVD and cTnl elevation have a worse prognosis. Thus, early detection of RVD and cTnl elevation is beneficial for risk stratification. In this study, we assessed 14-day adverse clinical events and combined RVD on transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） with cTnl in risk stratification among a broad spectrum of APE patients. Methods The prospective multi-centre trial included 90 patients with confirmed APE from 12 collaborating hospitals. Acute RVD on TTE was diagnosed in the presence of at least 2 of the following： right ventricular dilatation （without hypertrophy）, loss of inspiratory collapse of inferior vena cava （IVC）, right ventricular （RV） hypokinesis, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity 〉2.8 m/s. The study patients were divided into two groups according to clinical and echocardiographic findings at presentation： Group Ⅰ： 50 patients with RVD; Group Ⅱ：40 patients without RVD. Results More than half of the patients （50/90, 55.6%） had RVD. Nearly one third （26/90, 28.9%） of patients had elevated cTnl at presentation and only 4.2% on the fourth day after initial therapy. A multiple Logistic regression model implied RVD, right and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ratio （RVED/LVED）, and cTnl independently predict an adverse 14-day clinical outcome （P〈0.01）. Receiver operating characteristics （ROC） curves revealed that the cut-off values of RVED/LVED and cTnl yielding the highest discriminating power were 0.65 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the incidence of an adverse 14-day clinical event in patients with RVD and elevated cTnl was greater （40.7%） than in patients with elevated cTnl or positive RVD alone （0% and 8.3%, respectively） （P〈0.001）. Conclusions RVD, RVED/LVED, and cTnl are independent predictors of 14-day clinical outcomes. The patients with RVED/LVED greater than 0.65 and cTnl higher than 0.11 ng/ml at presentation possibly have adverse 14-day events. RVD combined with cTnl can identify a subgroup of APE patients with a much more guarded prognosis.

Reliability of transthoracic echocardiography in estimating the size of Amplatzer septal occluder and guiding percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects

Background In China, transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） is popularly used for pre-intervention examination for atrial septal defect （ASD） and for guiding ASD closure. However, the ability to determine ASD size and the safety and efficacy of l-rE for guiding ASD closure still has not been widely accepted. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of l-rE used before, during and after transcatheter ASD closure with Amplatzer septal occluders （ASO）. Methods Sixty-eight subjects （15 men and 53 women; mean age （33.7±17.3） years） were enrolled. TTE was used to measure the diameters and guide transcatheter closure of ASD. The ASD was examined by long-axis view, basal short-axis view, apical four-chamber view and the subcostal view to observe position, diameter and relation with neighbouring structures. The largest diameter was selected as the reference diameter. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the ASD reference diameter： 22 subjects with ASD diameter 4-14 mm （group A）; 21 subjects with ASD diameter 15-20 mm （group B）; and 25 subjects with ASD diameter 21-33 mm （group C）. Results ASD was occluded successfully in groups A and B. In group C, occlusion failed in 2 cases; 1 case remained with a 3-mm residual shunt sustained until 6-month follow-up. However, at 6-month follow-up, no case of thromboembolism, ASO dislocation or death occurred in the three groups. The diameter of ASD measured by l-rE could accurately predict the ASO size that could successfully occlude the ASD, especially in patients with ASD 〈20 mm. The ASD diameter measured by l-rE correlated well with ASO size （r= 0.925, P〈0.001 ; r=0.976, P〈0.001 ; r=0.929, P〈0.001 respectively）. Conclusions ASD diameter measured by l-rE can accurately estimate the size of the ASO needed for successful closure of ASD. The larger the ASD, the much larger the ASO needed. l-rE is a satisfactory guiding imaging tool for ASD closure.

Massive Pulmonary Embolism in Recovery Period of General Anesthesia： Rapid Diagnosis and Successful Rescue by the Guidance of Transthoracic Echocardiography

Massive pulmonary embolism （PE）, an uncommon event in the perioperative period, is a major challenge to anesthesia management. Massive PE is often associated with an unexpected hemodynamic collapse and severe desaturation without other characteristic changes. It is difficult to make a rapid diagnosis during the perioperative period, especially under general anesthesia. We present a rare case of massive PE diagnosed with transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） in the recovery period of general anesthesia.

Can transthoracic Doppler echocardiography be used to detect coronary slow flow phenomenon？

Background Coronary slow flow phenomenon （CSFP） is an important, angiographic clinical entity but is lacking non-invasive detecting techniques. This study aimed to elucidate the value of transthoracic Doppler echocardiography （TTDE） in the diagnosis and monitoring of coronary slow flow in left anterior descending （LAD） coronary artery.Methods We consecutively enrolled 27 patients with CSFP in LAD detected by coronary arteriography from August 2009 to April 2010. Thirty-eight patients with angiographically normal coronary flow served as control. Corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction （TIMI） frame count （CTFC） was used to document coronary flow velocities. All subjects underwent TTDE within 24 hours after coronary angiography. LAD flow was detected and the coronary diastolic peak velocities （DPV） and diastolic mean velocities （DMV） were calculated.Results Sixty of 65 （92.3%） subjects successfully underwent TTDE. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. Coronary DPV and DMV of LAD were significantly lower in the CSFP group than in the control group （（0.228±0.029） m/s vs. （0.302±0.065） m/s, P=0.000; （0.176±0.028） m/s vs. （0.226±0.052） m/s, P=0.000,respectively）. There was a high inverse correlation between CTFC and coronary DPV and DMV （r=-0.727, P=0.000;r=-0.671, P=0.000, respectively）. Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve showed that the area under the curve （AUC） was less than one half for coronary DPV （AUC=0.104） and DMV （AUC=0.204）, respectively.Conclusions In patients with CSFP, there is a high inverse correlation between CTFC and coronary diastolic flow velocities in the LAD coronary artery, as measured by TTDE. The value of TTDE in the monitoring and evaluation of coronary flow in patients with CSFP deserves further investigation.

Analysis of 1-year Consecutive Application with Focused Transthoracic Echocardiography in Noncardiac Surgery

Point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） is an evolving field in anesthesia field and verified to have the potential to provide rapid diagnostic information during the hemodynamic collapse in operating room.[1] In this retrospective observatory study, we retrieved all the data of 1-year consecutive use of intraoperative echocardiography in patients with circulatory collapse or undergoing selective high-risk noncardiac surgery.

Preliminary experience using transthoracic echocardiography guiding percutaneous closure of ruptured right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm

Background In the 21st century, minimally invasive treatment is one of the main developmental directions of medical sciences. It is well known that the echocardiography plays an important role during interventional treatments of some structural heart diseases. Because the ruptured right sinus of the Valsalva aneurysm （RRSVA） is a rare disease, there were few reports about percutaneous catheter closure of RRSVA. This study aimed to sum up our experience with transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） during percutaneous catheter closure of RRSVA.Methods Five RRSVA cases were treated with percutaneous catheter closure. The whole procedure was guided and monitored by TTE and fluoroscopy. The maximum diameter of the RRSVA was measured by TTE before and after the catheter passed through the rupture site. A duct occluder 2 mm larger than the maximum diameter was chosen. The closure effects were evaluated with TTE and fluoroscopy immediately after the occluding device was deployed. All patients were followed up by TTE for 8 to 30 months.Results Before the catheter passed through the rupture site the maximum diameter of the RRSVA measured with TTE and aortography were （7.9 ±2.1） mm and （7.8 ± 1.8） mm. After the catheter passed through the rupture site the maximum diameter measured with TTE was （11.2 ± 3.2） mm, which was significantly larger than before the procedure （P 〈0.05）. The percutaneous catheter closure was successful in four cases and failed in one. Compared to the aortography the TTE was better at distinguishing residual shunts from aortic valve regurgitation immediately after the occluding device was deployed. There were no complications during 8 to 30 months of follow-up.Conclusion Transthoracic echocardiography can play an important role during percutaneous catheter closure of RRSVA,especially for estimating the size of the RRSVA after the catheter passes through the rupture site, and differentiating residual shunt from aortic valve regurgitation immediately after the occluding device is deployed