Spinal Cord Protection of Aorto-Iliac Bypass in Open Repair of Extent II and III Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the serious complications of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and left heart bypass (LHB) are well-established extracorporeal circulatory assistance methods to increase distal aortic perfusion and prevent spinal cord ischaemia in TAAA repair. Aorto-iliac bypass, a new surgical adjunct offering distal aortic perfusion without the need of complex perfusion skills, was developed as a substitute for CPB and LHB.

Delayed xenon post-conditioning mitigates spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits by regulating microglial activation and inflammatory factors.

The neuroprotective effect against spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats exerted by delayed xenon post-conditioning is stronger than that produced by immediate xenon post-conditioning. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Activated microglia are the main inflammatory cell type in the nervous system.

Serine-threonine protein kinase activation may be an effective target for reducing neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord injury.

The signaling mechanisms underlying ischemia-induced nerve cell apoptosis are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of apoptosis-related signal transduction pathways following ischemic spinal cord injury, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), serine-threonine protein kinase (Akt) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. We established a rat model of acute spinal cord injury by inserting a catheter balloon in the left subclavian artery for 25 minutes.

Preoperative transcatheter occlusion of bronchopulmonary collateral artery reduces reperfusion pulmonary edema and improves early hemodynamic function after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.

Objective: The present study assessed the effectiveness of preoperative transcatheter occlusion of the bronchopulmonary collateral artery (PTOBPCA) in reducing reperfusion pulmonary edema after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PEA).

Methods: The data from 155 patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension at Anzhen Hospital, treated from January 2007 to August 2013, with PEA were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were classified into a control (group A, n = 87) and treated (group B, underwent PTOBPCA, n = 68) group.

[An analysis of risk factors for postpartum cardiac events in pregnant women with heart disease].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for postpartum cardiac events in pregnant women with heart diseases and to provide prenatal counseling for them.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was made in cases of pregnant women with heart diseases admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of Anzhen Hospital from May 2004 to May 2012. Data were used to identify univariate and multivariate predictors for postpartum cardiac events.

Pulmonary oligemia maneuver can alleviate pulmonary artery injury during pulmonary thromboendarterectomy procedure.

Background: Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) has evolved as a treatment of choice for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). This study aimed to characterize if pulmonary oligemia maneuver (POM) can alleviate pulmonary artery injury during PTE procedure.

Methods: A total of 112 cases of CTEPH admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital from March 2002 to August 2011 received PTE procedure.

High volume practice proved the safety of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in left main coronary artery lesions: a two-year single center experience.

Background: Left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis has been recognized as a risk factor for early death among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aimed to assess if LMCA lesions pose an additional risk of early or mid-term mortality and/or a major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), compared with non-left main coronary artery stenosis (non-mainstem disease).

Methods: From January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, 4869 patients had a primary isolated OPCABG procedure at Beijing Anzhen Hospital.

Application of intraoperative arterial pressure-based cardiac output monitoring for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

Background: For patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), it is important to establish a hemodynamic monitoring system to obtain powerful parameters for better intraoperative treatment. This study aimed to observe the clinical feasibility of arterial pressure-based cardiac output (APCO) for cardiac output (CO) monitoring and to evaluate the correlation between APCO and pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) for CO measurement for patients undergoing OPCABG intraoperatively.

Methods: Fifty patients of American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) classification II-III, undergoing elective OPCABG at Beijing Anzhen Hospital were randomly enrolled into this study.

[Analysis of risk factors of postoperative hemodialysis in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors of postoperative hemodialysis in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB).

Methods: The perioperative data of 2379 consecutive patients undergoing OPCAB from November 2007 to February 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into dialysis group and non-dialysis group according to their use of hemodialysis therapy or not.

[Effects of intraoperative application of radical scavenger edaravone in severe elderly cases].

Objective: To observe the effects of intraoperative application of radical scavenger edaravone in severe elderly cases.

Methods: A total of 400 severe elderly patients scheduled for surgery were randomly assigned to receive edaravone 60 mg/40 ml (Group Y) or an equal volume of normal saline (Group C). The arterial blood samples were harvested at immediately after pricking, 1 hour after the beginning of surgery and before saturation to determine the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA).

[Assessment of left ventricular systolic function and diastolic filling characteristics in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism].

Objective: The purpose of the present study aimed to evaluate the left ventricular systolic function and diastolic filling characteristics in pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Methods: A total of 102 patients with PTE, including acute or acute on chronic PTE, were consecutively recruited from January of 2006 to December of 2010. The patients [53 males and 49 females; age (64 ± 14) years, range 23 - 85 years] all underwent Doppler echocardiographic assessment before thrombolytic therapy or within 24 h of hospital admission to the emergency intensive care unit of Beijing Anzhen hospital.

Myocardial autophagy variation during acute myocardial infarction in rats: the effects of carvedilol.

Background: The loss of cardiac myocytes is one of the mechanisms involved in acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-related heart failure. Autophagy is a common biological process in eukaryote cells. The relationship between cardiac myocyte loss and autophagy after AMI is still unclear.

[Preoperative anxiety and depression in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and related influencing factors].

Objective: To study the effects of demographic variables, surgery-related uncertainty and other related variables on preoperative anxiety and depression in patients undergoing selective cardiac surgery.

Methods: 103 patients who were scheduled for cardiac surgery were investigated by using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a self-made questionnaire, and the related influencing factors were analyzed.

Results: The positive rates of anxiety, depression, and both anxiety and depression were 27%, 20%, and 14% respectively.