Sufentanil: a risk factor for lactic acidosis in patients after heart valve surgery.

Backgrounds: Hyperlactatemia is a common metabolic disorder after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Epinephrine use has been identified as a potential cause of increased lactate levels after cardiac surgery. Stress can lead to an increase in catecholamines, mainly epinephrine, in the body.

Intraoperative method based on tricuspid annular circumference in patients with mild or no tricuspid regurgitation during left-sided cardiac valve surgery for the prophylactic tricuspid annuloplasty.

Background: During left-sided cardiac valve surgery in patients with mild or no tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the tricuspid valve exploration plays a vital role in the decision-making of concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty. Currently lack of an appropriate standard to define tricuspid annular dilatation is a challenge. The aim of this study is to introduce and evaluate an alternative intraoperative method for Tricuspid Valve annuloplasty based on annular circumference that could trace the extent of annular dilatation and predict TR-progression, which can also guide the surgeons to intraoperative decision.

Ablation in selective patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation: medium-term results of the Dallas lesion set.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the Dallas lesion set, which mimics the Cox-maze III left atrial (LA) lesions, for long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF).

Methods: Over a 4-year period, 103 LSPAF patients were treated with the Dallas lesion set. Linear lesions were created at the roofline, at the anterior line and between the roofline and left atrial appendage (LAA).

[Differential expressions of miRNAs in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation].

Objective: To detect the differential expressions of miRNAs in left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Left atrial samples were collected from nonvalvular AF patients and healthy controls. The miRNA transcriptome was analyzed by microarray and verified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Treatment of long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation using minimally invasive surgery combined with irbesartan.

Background: Recent studies have provided evidence that the renin-angiotensin system plays a key role in the onset and progression of atrial fibrillation (AF). The current study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation for long-lasting persistent AF, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of the angiotensin-receptor blocker irbesartan for maintaining sinus rhythm.

Methods: Over a period of 4 years, 83 patients with long-lasting persistent AF underwent minimally invasive ablation at our center.

[Video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation combined irbesartan use for the treatment of the persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: From January 2006 to December 2009, 83 patients with persistent AF having a video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation. There were 58 males, 25 females with a mean age of (57 ± 11) years.