A summary of second systemic pulmonary shunt for congenital heart disease with pulmonary hypoxemia.

Background: There has been an increasing number of children with congenital heart disease that undergo primary or second systemic-pulmonary shunt, while there are few reports on the second systemic-pulmonary shunt. Therefore, this study summarizes the experience of second systemic-pulmonary shunt for congenital heart disease in our hospital.

Methods And Results: Sixty-five children with congenital heart disease who underwent systemic-pulmonary shunt for the second time in our hospital were analyzed.

Serum UCH-L1 as a Novel Biomarker to Predict Neuronal Apoptosis Following Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest.

Background: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) has been used in cardiac surgery involving infant complex congenital heart disease and aortic dissection. DHCA carries a risk of neuronal apoptotic death in brain. Serum ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) level is elevated in a number of neurological diseases involving neuron injury and death.

Total liquid ventilation reduces oleic acid-induced lung injury in piglets.

Background: Pediatric patients are susceptible to lung injury that does not respond to traditional therapies. Total liquid ventilation has been developed as an alternative ventilatory strategy for severe lung injury. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of total liquid ventilation on oleic acid (OA)-induced lung injury in piglets.

Comparative analysis of early and middle outcomes of the arterial switch operation in children with complete transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and severe pulmonary artery hypertension.

Background: The best age for the arterial switch operation (ASO) in complete transposition of great arteries with ventricular septal defect is usually considered to be within six months. This is because of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary arterial obstructive pathological changes. There are few reports on ASO surgery in children older than three years old.

Clinical results of combined palliative procedures for cyanotic congenital heart defects with intractable hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries.

Background: Congenital heart defects with intractable hypoplasia of the pulmonary arteries without intercourse or with intercourse stenosis is unsuitable for surgical correction or regular palliative procedures. We reported our experience with combined palliative procedures for congenital heart defects with intractable hypoplasia pulmonary arteries.

Methods: From 2001 to 2012, a total of 41 patients with cyanotic congenital heart defects and intractable hypoplasia of the pulmonary arteries underwent surgical procedures.

Atrial natriuretic peptide attenuates inflammatory responses on oleic acid-induced acute lung injury model in rats.

Background: An inflammatory response leading to organ dysfunction and failure continues to be a major problem after injury in many clinical conditions such as sepsis, severe burns, and trauma. It is increasingly recognized that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) possesses a broad range of biological activities, including effects on endothelial function and inflammation. A recent study has revealed that ANP exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

A novel and feasible way to cultivate and purify endothelial progenitor cells from bone marrow of children with congenital heart diseases.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are used in vascular tissue engineering and clinic therapy. Some investigators get EPCs from the peripheral blood for clinic treatment, but the number of EPCs is seldom enough. We have developed the cultivation and purification of EPCs from the bone marrow of children with congenital heart disease, to provide enough seed cells for a small calibre vascular tissue engineering study.

Partial liquid ventilation decreases tissue and serum tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations in acute lung injury model of immature piglet induced by oleic acid.

Background: Pediatric patients are susceptible to lung injury. Acute lung injury in children often results in high mortality. Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) has been shown to markedly improve oxygenation and reduce histologic evidence of injury in a number of lung injury models.

[Influence of coronary artery variation on the outcome of arterial switch operation].

Objective: To investigate the influence of coronary artery variation on the outcome of arterial switch operation for transposition of great arteries.

Methods: Among 280 patients undergoing arterial switch operations at our hospital from 2001 to 2008, 73 (26.1%) had concurrent coronary arteries variation (54 males and 19 females; median age: 0.

[Combined palliative procedures for cyanotic congenital heart defects with intractable hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries].

Objective: To explore the clinical experiences of combined palliative procedures for cyanotic congenital heart defects with intractable hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries.

Methods: From August 2001 to September 2009, 31 patients with cyanotic congenital heart defects and intractable hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries underwent surgical procedures. Among them, 26 patients were pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and the other 5 cases complicated congenital heart defects with pulmonary stenosis.

Effect of partial liquid ventilation on oleic acid-induced inflammatory responses in piglets.

Background: Pediatric patients are susceptible to lung injury. Acute lung injury (ALI) in children often results in a high mortality. Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) has been shown to markedly improve oxygenation and reduce histologic evidence of injury in a number of lung injury models.

Novel strategy for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: enhancement of apoptosis.

Advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by extensive vascular remodeling that is usually resistant to vasodilator therapy. As the major component of the vascular media, decreased apoptosis of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) plays key roles during pulmonary vascular remodeling. Recent studies showed that enhancement of apoptosis of PASMC can reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Molecular mechanisms of congenital heart disease.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of birth defect. Despite the many advances in our understanding of cardiac development and many genes related to cardiac development identified, the fundamental etiology for the majority of cases of congenital heart disease remains unknown.

Methods: This review summarizes normal cardiac development, outlines the recent discoveries of the genetic causes of CHD, and provides possible strategies for exploring them.