Abstract： Objective To introduce the new procedure of endobronchial ultrasoundguided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUSTBNA) for staging lung cancer and diagnosing thoracic diseases, in order to determine its value in the evaluation of thoracic diseases. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of all patients examined with EBUSTBNA our institution between September 2009 and May 2010. Among the patients, there were 75 males and 31 females with an average age of 62.3 years old. Based on their primary indication, we divided all the 106 patients into three categories. (1) There were 76 patients with known or bly suspected lung cancer. Enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes on radiographic examination of the chest (≥1.0 cm) were detected in all the patients. (2) There were 22 patients with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes or mediastinal masses of unknown origin. (3) There were 8 patients with pulmonary mass located close to the central airways. Results (1) 76 patients underwent EBUSTBNA for known or bly suspected lung cancer. Among them, 58 patients were confirmed to have mediastinal lymph nodes metastasis on EBUSTBNA. Sixteen in the 18 patients with negative EBUSTBNA underwent thoracoscopy or thoracotomy for pulmonary resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection. Postoperative pathology confirmed that 12 patients did not have metastatic nodes, 2 patients had metastatic nodes and 2 other patients had benign lesions within the lung. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EBUSTBNA for the mediastinal staging of lung cancer were 96.66%(58/60), 100.00%(12/12) and 97.22%(70/72), respectively. (2) 22 patients underwent EBUSTBNA for the evaluation of mediastinal adenopathy or mass in the absence of any identifiable pulmonary lesion. Among them, 7 had malignancy, 13 had benign diseases on EBUSTBNA and the sensitivity of EBUSTBNA in distinguishing malignant mediastinal diseases was 87.50% (7/8). (3) 8 patients with pulmonary mass located close to the central airways were accessed by EBUSTBNA. Definite diagnosis was achieved in 7 patients, and lung cancer was detected in 6 patients. The sensitivity and the diagnostic accuracy of EBUSTBNA for the diagnosis of unknown pulmonary mass was 85.71%(6/7) and 87.50%(7/8), respectively. All the procedures were uneventful, and there were no complications. Conclusion EBUSTBNA is a highly effective and safe procedure. We believe that EBUSTBNA should be used routinely in the diagnosis and staging of thoracic diseases.
Objective To summarize the experience of surgical treatment of congenital heart diseases through right axillary mini-thoracotomy and analyse related problems. Methods Two hundred and twenty-four patients of congenital heart diseases underwent open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB） through a right axillary mini-thoracotomy（3rd or 4th intercostal）. Among them repair of ventricular septal defect （VSD） in 168, repair of atrial septal defect （ASD） in 48, total correction of tetralogy of Fallot （TOF） in 6, double-outlet right ventricular in 1 and Ebstein syndrome in 1. Results There was 1 postoperative death （0.45%）, the cause of death was acute pulmonary edema. Postoperative complication occurred in thirteen cases （5.8%）. There were no significant changes in CPB time, aortic cross clamping time, ventilating time and hospital stay days between right axillary minithoracotomy and median sternotomy at the same period （Pgt;0. 05）, but the bleeding volume both intraoperative and postoperative in the patients of right axillary mini-thoracotomy were significantly less than those in the patients of median sternotomy （Plt;0. 01）. Two hundred and fourteen patients were followed up （follow-up time from 2 months to 7 years）, 3 of them had early mild cardiac function insufficiency（ejection fractionlt;0. 50）, small residual shunt were found in 2 patients after VSD operation and the others recovered satisfactorily. Conclusion There were merits in right axillary mini-thoracotomy approach for treatment of properly selected congenital heart diseases; safe and reliable, low operative bleeding volume, and good results of aesthetics. But the use of this incision for repair of TOF and more complex congenital heart diseases should be careful.
Objective To summarize the experiences of donor heart procurement of heart transplantation so as to improve the efficiency of donor heart protection. [WTHZ]Methods [WTBZ]From April 2002 to October 2006, sixtyone patients with endstage heart disease had undergone orthotopic heart transplantation. Donors were all male brain deaths, aged from 21 to 53, and 5 of them were older than 40. There were 6 cases in which the weight difference between donor and recipient＞20%, and the rest ≤±20%. Fortyfive cases had the same ABO blood type, and 16 had matching ABO blood type. Four donor hearts were procured under the condition of stable hemodynamics and enough oxygen after brain death(typeⅠ), fortyfour donor hearts were procured under the condition of brain death with acute hemorrhage and hypovolemia (typeⅡ), and 13 donor hearts were procured under the condition of brain death with cardiac arrest (typeⅢ). Twenty cases underwent standard transplantation procedure, one underwent total heart transplantation procedure and 40 underwent bicaval transplantation procedure. The donor heart cold ischemic period ranged from 52 to 347 min（92±31 min）, and 13 cases were more than 240 min. Results Two cases died of low cardiac output syndrome on 7th and 9th day after operation respectively, and their donor heart cold ischemic period were 327 and 293 min respectively. The rest of patients all recovered and discharged. One died of acute rejection on 18th month after operation because of rejecting immunosuppressive agents, and 1 died in traffic accident on 23rd month after transplantation. The rest 57 cases survived 6-59 months(mean 35 months), and had good life quality with NYHA cardiac function classification in 0-I grade. Conclusions Heart transplantation with donor aged over 40 may also have satisfactory results. Patients with endstage dilated cardiomyopathy can procure donor heartsfrom donors with heavy weight. Using different techniques to procure donor hearts may furthest reduce myocardial injury. Donor hearts which have been protected by myocardium protecting liquid for a long time should be used with caution.
Objective To explore the expression of CD105 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and it＇s relationship with P53 protein. Methods Using streptavidin biotinperoxidase （SP） method, the expression of CD105 protein and P53 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were examined in normal esophageal tissues （n=10） and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues（n=86）. Results The expression positive rate of CD105 protein was 74. 4%（64/86） in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma , 0% in normal esophageal epithelium. Expression positive rate of CD105 protein was 66. 1%（37/56） in early stage （stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ ）, 90.0% （27/30） in later stages （stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ ）. The expression of CD105 protein were bly associated with P53 protein（P〈0. 05）. Conclusion CD105 protein may participate in the onset and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. CD105 protein could he a new diagnostic /therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Objective To review our experience of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting （MIDCAB） via a lower median ministernotomy in 72 cases. Methods Via a lower median ministernotomy,the left internal mammary artery was harvested to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery. Saphenous vein was resected and used for single - or multi-vessel coronary revascularization on the beating heart. Results There were 1 operative death （1.4 % ）. Complications occurred in 3 patients （4.2%）. The operative duration was 195.6 ± 50. 6 min. The number of distal anastomoses was 2.3±0. 8（1-4）. The median time to tracheal extubation, and lengths of postoperative ICU and hospital stays were 11 hours, 3 and 9 days, respectively. Total chest drainage was 8. 54±5.9 ml/kg and 47 patients needed blood transfusion with an amount of 1 091.3±636.2 ml. The incision on the chest wall was 9 to 11 cm long in all cases. Sixty-six patients （92.9%, 66/71） were followed-up for a duration of 36.2±17.6 months. There were no late death and 43 patients （65.2%） were free from angina. Eighteen patients （27.3%, 18/ 66） experienced marked relief of their symptoms. Conclusions MIDCAB is possible via a lower ministernotomy for single - or multi-vessel coronary revascularization. The small incision reduces the risk of infection and blood loss. It is safe, easy and requires no special operative instruments.
Objective To report a reliable left heart failure model in sheep using selected ligation of the diagonal branch. Methods Four male sheep were used. After a left anterior thoracotomy in sheep, the diagonal branch of coronary artery was ligated at a point approximately 40% of the distance from the apex to the base of the heart. Hemodynamic and echocardiography measurements were done preligation, 30 minutes and 7 days after the coronary artery of diagonal branch ligation. The electrocardiograms were obtained as needed, and cardiac function was also evaluated. The sheep were killed for postmortem examination of their hearts. Results Four sheep survived the experimental procedures. Comparing with before surgery, systemic arterial blood pressure and cardiac output were decreased, pulmonaryartery systolic pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and central venous pressure were increased at 30 min and 7 days after selected ligation of the coronary artery of diagonal branch; left ventricular end-diastolic dimension and left ventricular end-systolic dimension were increased; left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening were also decreased (Plt;0.05). Conclusion A reliable ovine model of left ventricular failure using selected ligation of the diagonal branch of the coronary artery can be achieved. This animal model is comparable to the clinical correlation.
Objective To summarize the clinical experiences in treating primary tracheal tumors by surgery, so as to improve the results of surgical treatment. Methods The clinical data concerning 22 surgically treated patients were retrospectively analyzed. Four patients tumor were benign and eighteen cases’s tumor was malignant. Tracheal resections and end to end anastomosis were performed in 14 cases, carinal resection was performed in 4 cases, lateral tracheal wall resection was performed in 1 case, local scrape were performed in 2 cases, tumor was resected transfiberoptic bronchoscopy in 1 case. Tracheal resectable length was from 2.0cm to 5.2cm，and the average resectable length was 3.8cm in operation. Results 17 cases had been misdiagnosised ( 77.3%) in outpatient department. It was easy to be misdiagnosised as asthma. One case died of respiratory failure after operation in 30 days. The complication rate was 31.8%, complications consist of pneumonia in 4 cases, anastomosis leakage in 1 case and chylothorax in 2 cases. Anastomosis stenosis was found in 3 cases, the syndromes were improved after treatment.Twenty cases were followed up from 1 month to 8 years. Four cases with benign tumors were still alive. Among 16 cases with malignant tumors, 6 cases had survived more than 5 years， 3 cases died of brain, liver, bone metastasis of malignant tumors. Conclusion Surgical resection is the most effective treatment of tracheal tumors. Tracheal resection and reconstruction is the main choice of primary tracheal tumors treatment. Benign tumors can be resected conservatively. The reductions of operative complications are the key points of good surgical results. To know the characteristic of primary tracheal tumors well can reduce the misdiagnosis rate.
Objective To investigate the suppression effect and mechanism of Astilbin on lung allograft rejection in rats, in order to know the function of Astilbin on rats’ lung acute rejection. Methods The model of rat left lung transplantation was set up. Sixty lung transplanted rats were divided into two groups randomly, control group: rats were fed with normal saline 1ml per day, experimental group: rats were fed with Astilbin 1mg/kg per day. Survival time, transforming rate of T cells in spleen, activity of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in spleen lymph cells and apoptosis of T cells were observed. Changes in ultrastructure of pulmonary arteries were observed by electron microscope. Results The survival time in experimental group was prolonged than that in control group (25.4±2.1 d vs. 13.4±1.2 d;t=2.042, Plt;0.05）. Transforming rate of T cells of spleen in experimental group was significant lower than that in control group (23 465.8±8 783.4 cpm vs. 74 567.3±12 874.6 cpm; t=2.284，Plt;0.05）.Activity of IL-2 of spleen lymph cells in experimental group was significant lower than that in control group (425±2.65U/ml vs. 23.46±1.82U/ml; t=3.165, Plt;0.01).Effectively derive apoptosis of activated T cells in acute rejection were observed in experimental group, the ultrastructure of pulmonary arteries showed attenuated injury in experimental group. Conclusion Astilbin decreased the IL-2 concentration in plasma and induced the apoptosis in activated T cells, then suppressed the acute rejection of lung allograft and prolonged the survival period of lung transplantation rats.
Objective To improve the surgical results of infective endocarditis, the results and methods of aortic root replacement in patients with severe aortic valve infective or prosthetic valve endocarditis were summarized. Methods From Sept.1995 to June 2008, there were 11 patients with severe aortic valve endocarditis treated surgically, included 6 active endocarditis and 5 healed endocarditis. Preoperative arterial blood bacterial culture were positive in 6 patients. Preoperative echocardiography showed all patients had various degree of aortic regurgitation or paraprosthetic leakage, left ventricular endsystolic diameter(LVESD) was 6.0±0.7cm, LVESD was equal or greater than 5.5cm in 7 patients, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 47.8%±11.2％, and LVEF was equal or less than 50% in 8 patients. After careful debridement, composite conduit (9 patients) or cryopreserved allograft (2 patients) was used to replace the aortic root. Concomitant procedures were coronary artery bypass grafting in 4 patients, mitral annuloplasty in 3 patients, and ventricular septal defect repair in 1 patient. Results There was one patient died of postoperative cardiac arrest, one patient had Ⅲ° atrioventricular block and pacemaker implanted. Ten patients were followed up, followup time were from 3 months to 13.2 years. During the followup period, one patient had recurrence of endocarditis and died, others survived uneventually. Conclusion Aortic root replacement must be considered in following patients: endocarditis combined with root aneurysm or sinus aneurysm, infectious disease involved in sinus wall or nearby coronary ostia, annulus impairment and severe destructive annulus after debridement. The key points of the surgery are debriding the infectious tissue completely, preventing aortic root bleeding. Although the root replacement is relatively complex, the surgical results could be improved after complete debridement of infectious tissue.
Objective To investigate the incidence of perioperative stroke in elderly patients (≥65 years) undergoing offpump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) versus onpump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods WTBZ]We electronically searched PubMed (from 1966 to 2010), Cochrane Library (Issue 12, 2010), EMbase (from 1974 to 2010), CNKI (Chinese, from 1997 to 2010), CBM (Chinese, from 1989 to 2010), and manually searched some journals to collect published or grey literatures of clinical researches on comparison between OPCAB and CABG for elderly patients in the incidence of perioperative strokes. We assessed the methodology quality of included researches and extracted data to conduct metaanalysis by RevMan 5.0 software. Four subgroups (aged 65 to 70 years, 70 to 75 years, 75 to 80 years, and older than 80 years) according to the age of the patients, and subgroups according to the study design were analyzed respectively. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by deleting the studies of low quality. Results We finally identified 17 studies including 5 historical cohort studies and 12 case control studies. No randomized controlled trial was searched. A total of 7 275 patients including 2 521 (34.65%) in the OPCAB group and 4 754 (65.35%) in the CABG group were identified. The metaanalyses of historical cohort study subgroup and case control study subgroup showed statistical difference in stroke incidence between the OPCABG and CABG groups with OR 0.25 and 95%CI 0.10 to 0.62,and with OR 0.25 and 95%CI 0.15 to 0.41,respectively. Statistical difference was tested in three age subgroups (70 to 75 years, 75 to 80 years, and elder than 80 years) and the OR (95%CI) value was 0.35 (0.21, 0.59), 0.14 (0.04, 0.54), and 0.09 (0.02, 0.38),respectively. The difference of stroke incidence between OPCAB and CABG patients in all the three subgroups was significant, while there was no statistical difference in the subgroup aged 65 to 70 years with OR 0.10 and 95%CI 0.01 to 1.68. The sensitvity analysis showed that metaanalysis was stable in case control study subgroup, was not stable in historical cohort study subgroup. Conclusions OPCAB may reduce incidence of perioperative stroke in elderly patients. However, it still needs to be confirmed by more multicenter, largesample, and randomized doubleblind controlled trials in the future.