In recent years，West China Hospital of Sichuan University actively participated in medical assistance and rescue in Wenchuan，Yushu and Lushan earthquakes. However，professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical assistance and rescue in earthquakes remain unclear because of the particularity of cardiovascular surgery, which often affects the assembly of medical assistance and rescue teams. Thus，we need to explore the necessity for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake. In this article，medical rescue work of cardiovascular surgeons within 72 hours after 2008 “5?12” Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 “4?20” Lushan earthquake is analyzed and compared to identify professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical rescue within 72 hours after earthquake. It is necessary for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake.
Baoxing airborne medical team of West China Hospital participated in the medical rescue in 2013 “4?20”Lushan earthquake. The medical team excellently fulfilled their rescue task for 1 week in the earthquake-struck areas where there was power and communication failure and lack of water and food supply. We found some experiences and problems in airbornemedical team assembly and member selection, which may provide quotable experiences for future disaster assistance and rescue teams.
Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect (ASD) mainly includes occlusion or repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation includes transcatheter radiofrequency ablation or Maze surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There are many treatments for ASD patients combined with atrial fibrillation, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. We reported an ASD patient combined with atrial fibrillation treated by totally endoscopic "one-stop" radiofrequency ablation and simultaneous transthoracic ASD occlusion of atrial fibrillation, with good postoperative results.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and breast cancer are common diseases with high incidence, which can be promoted and maintained by a wide range of regulatory factors (changes of hormone secretion, chronic inflammation, dysfunctions in autonomic nervous system, coagulation system and endothelia). There may be a consistent pathophysiological link between the increased incidence of breast cancer and AF, which is currently seldomly reported. The development process of these two diseases are complex, and the occurrence of breast cancer may increase the incidence of AF. In this paper, we reviewed the relationship between breast cancer and AF based on the latest reports.
With the opening of the two child policy in China, the number of pregnant women has increased. Pregnancy has a huge impact on the cardiovascular system, and heart disease during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal heart failure and death, intrauterine growth retardation, and the risk of complications such as premature birth. Pregnancy with heart disease ranks first among indirect obstetric deaths in China. Reducing maternal mortality is a global goal of the World Health Organization. Thus, to strengthen the prevention and management of patients with critical heart disease during pregnancy is important. However, clinical decision-making and management of pregnant women with heart disease is still controversial. This article combines relevant literature of pregnancy and heart disease published in recent years and reviews of relevant diagnostic and therapeutic methods, to provide clinical reference for pregnant women with heart disease preventive care and management of the whole strategy.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases, by leading to cell apoptosis and thus causing organic injuries. Anti-ROS therapy is highly anticipated, but currently, there is still no appropriate prevention method. Studies have shown that thioredoxin (Trx), being a kind of significant endogenous antioxidant system, has excellent antioxidant capacity. Promotion of Trx can reduce key biomolecules to eliminate ROS or regulate many signaling pathways, thus resisting ROS injuries, which may be a new anti-ROS strategy. Therefore, we reviewed the research progress of Trx in cardiac antioxidant therapy to discuss its potential and possibility to be a target for prevention of heart-related ROS injury.
Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of mobile APP in telemanagement for patients who received oral warfarin anticoagulant therapy after mechanical heart valve replacement. Methods A prospective cohort study was performed. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 80 patients who underwent mechanical heart valve replacement for more than half a year and received oral warfarin anticoagulant therapy in outpatient department were included in our hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. These patients were divided into a telemanagement group (40 paitents, telemanagement using mobile APP) and a control group (40 patients, anticoagulant management in outpatient clinics) according to patients' wishes and local hospital international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring conditions. After 12-month follow-up, clinical effect of the two groups was compared. The INR, time in therapeutic range (TTR), fraction in therapeutic range (FTTR), anticoagulation-related complications and patient satisfaction were analyzed. Results During the follow-up period of anticoagulation, there was no significant difference in INR between the two groups (P=0.732). The average interval of INR monitoring in the telemanagement group was 3-65 (21.4 ± 12.5) days, while that in the control group was 7-93 (39.6 ± 14.7) days (P=0.012). TTR was 42.7% (6 027.6 d/14 116.0 d) in the control group and 67.9% (10 168.6 d/14 972.0 d) in the telemanagement group (P=0.018). And FTTR in the two groups was 45.6% (144/316) and 67.1% (432/644), respectively (P=0.015). No serious thromboembolism or hemorrhage events occurred in the 80 patients during the 12-month follow-up period. There was no significant difference in the incidence of anticoagulation-related complications, general bleeding and embolism between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion For patients with stable anticoagulation after cardiac mechanical valve replacement, it is safe and effective to telemanagement by mobile APP. Telemanagement can increase the frequency of anticoagulation monitoring without increasing anticoagulation risk, meanwhile, it also could obtain more convenient and rapid consultation, save time and economic costs,and improve the quality of life and patient satisfaction.
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) have recently updated and published the 2024 ESC guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. Based on the latest evidences, the guidelines have been updated in many aspects, such as diagnostic criteria for atrial fibrillation, AF-CARE treatment principles, comorbidities and risk factor management. In particular, there are significant changes in the recommendations for surgical management of atrial fibrillation in the guidelines. Therefore, this paper aims to interpret the content updates of the guidelines in AF-CARE treatment principles, diagnostic criteria and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, especially highlighting the updates and new suggestions about surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. The metabolic changes of atrial myocytes, especially lipid metabolism, have a significant impact on the electrical signals and structural remodeling of atrial tissue, and play an important role in the occurrence and development of AF. The reduction of fatty acid oxidation ratio and increased aerobic glycolysis ratio are characteristic changes of tissue metabolic remodeling in AF. In this review, we will introduce the latest research status of lipid metabolism in AF from aspects of AF metabolism, clinical treatment and diagnosis and prognosis.
