[Endoscopic radial artery harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting: applications and histologic assessment].

Objective: To observe the influence of endoscopic radial artery harvesting techniques on the prevalence of complications after coronary artery bypass grafting, and to assess the potential trauma to the radial artery through the histological changes.

Methods: From August 2003 to June 2008, 87 patients undergoing CABG had radial artery harvested by endoscopic harvesting system. About 4 mm proximal and distal radial artery end segment of 10 patients undergoing endoscopic and conventional harvesting were examined with light and electro-microscope.

Short-term safety and curative effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying hepatocyte growth factor gene on ischemic cardiac disease.

Background: Adenovirus-mediated angiogenic growth factor gene transfer provides a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of coronary heart disease. Preclinical studies showed that direct intramyocardial injection of recombinant adenovirus with hepatocyte growth factor gene (Ad-HGF) was able to promote neovascularization, improve heart function and abate the area of ischemic myocardia in animal models. However, the safety and therapeutic effect of Ad-HGF were not evaluated in clinical trials.

[Clinical effect of off-pump epicardial microwave ablation of atrial fibrillation].

Objective: To apply the off-pump epicardial microwave ablation (MW) to treat the permanent atrial fibrillation (PAF) and evaluate the clinical effect.

Methods: From April 2003 to April 2005, a total of 46 patients with PAF underwent off-pump epicardial MW, including the patients with mitral valve disease (28 cases), mitral and aortic valve disease (5 cases), coronary artery disease (8 cases) and lone PAF (5 cases). FLEX 10 probe was placed around four pulmonary orifices and the access orifice of the inferior vena cava to tricuspid annulus.