Isoproterenol pre-treatment improve the therapeutic efficacy of cardiosphere-derived cells transplantation for myocardial infarction.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of isoproterenol pre-treatment on the therapeutic efficacy of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) transplantation for myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Thirty 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of MI was generated by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. The MI rats were treated with PBS (MI group, n=8), CDCs (MI + CDC group, n=8) and isoproterenol pre-treated CDCs (MI + ISO-CDC group, n=8), respectively.

Percutaneous trans-jugular vein closure of atrial septal defect with steerable introducer under echocardiographic guidance.

Background: The aim of this study is to discuss a novel surgical approach of percutaneous trans-jugular vein closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) with steerable introducer under echocardiographic guidance.

Methods: From January 2015 to June 2015, ten ASD patients underwent percutaneous trans-jugular vein ASD closure, the occluder placement could be perpendicular to the plane of ASD using the steerable introducer.

Results: All cases succeeded.