Adolescent ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Child ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; diagnostic imaging ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Fistula ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To compare the relative accuracy of single-plane and biplane area-length methods for determining right ventricular (RV) volume and ejection fraction (RVEF) both in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods The in vitro study consisted of 15 human right ventricular casts and the in vivo study consisted of 45 patients. RV volume by single-plane area-length method was determined by the product of RV area from apical four-chamber view and the distance from RV apex to tricuspid annulus. RV volume by biplane area-length method was defined as 2/3?(the product of RV area from apical four-chamber view and the distance from pulmonary valve to tricuspid valve). The actual volume of RV casts was determined by water displacement method. RV angiography was used to determine RV volumes and RVEF in the in vivo study. Results RV volumes calculated from both single-plane and biplane methods correlated closely with RV cast volumes in the in vitro study (r= 0.87- and 0.91-, respectively; both P 0.05-), but RV volume determined by single-plane method significantly overestimated angiographic volume (P

Objective To assess long term results (more than 5 year) after percutaneous balloon mitral valruloplasty (PBMV) on mitral stenosis (MS) with severe pulmonary hypertension. Methods Thirty patients after PBMV underwent critical evaluations including echocardiography, chest film and clinical status throughout the follow up period (6.4?1.4 years). Results Before and after PBMV and at follow up, mean mitral valve areas were (1.19?0.32) cm 2 vs (1.99?0.45) cm 2 vs (1.44?0.42)cm 2 respectively ( P

Ovbective To evaluate the role of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) in diagnosis of anomalous pulmonary venous connection. Methods Retrospective analysis on 20 cases diagnosed as anomalous pulmonary venous connection by EBCT. The slice thickness and scan time was 1.5～3mm and 100ms respectively. 3～4ml/s non-ionic contrast medium was injected. Three-dimensional reconstruction of EBCT images was carried out in all cases with special workstation. Meanwhile,ultrasound echocardiography was performed on all patients and conventional cardiovascular angiography was performed on 10 patients as control. 14 cases were operated. Results (1) 4 patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and 16 patients with partial pulmonary venous connection were diagnosed by EBCT preoperatively. (2) Compared with the findings from operations (14 cases),CT results (14 cases) corresponded well in 13 cases and corresponded partially in other 1 case. Meanwhile,ultrasound echocardiography (14 cases) only corresponded partially in 2 case and suggested suspected APVC (without any exact number and connective location of APVC were mentioned) in other 8 cases. Cardiovascular angiography was performed in 6 of 14 cases and APVC was found in 4 of them. (3) In 6 non-operation cases,four underwent conventional cardiovascular angiography. APVC were diagnosed in 2 only of these 4 cases. Meanwhile,the diagnoses of these 6 cases were all confirmed by CT ultrasound,echocardiography didn't yield positive findings of APVC. Conclusion EBCT might be significantly superior to UCG and angiography in the detection of anomalous pulmonary venous connection. According to our experience,EBCT with 3-D reconstruction was a noninvasive,effective method in the diagnosis of APVC.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Shikani laryngoscope-guided nasotracheal intubation in patients undergoing maxillofacial surgery. Methods One hundred ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients with body mass index ＜25 kg/m2 , aged 18-64 yr, undergoing maxillofacial surgery under general anesthesia requiring nasotracheal intubation were included in this study. Fifty patients without anticipated difficult airway in preoperative assessment were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 25 each): Macintosh luyngoscope group ( group M ) and Shikani Optical Stylet (SOS) group (group S1 ). The other 50 patients with mouth opening ＜ 3 cm but without difficult ventilation by mask were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 25 each): fiberoptic bronchoscope group (group F) and SOS group (group S2 ). Tracheal intubation was performed under the guidance of laryngoscopes after induction of anesthesia, and then the patients were mechanically ventilated. The degree of glottis exposure and epistaxis was evaluated. The rate of successful intubation, rate of successful intubation at first attempt, intubation time and complications were recorded. Results Compared with group M, the rate of successful intubation, rate of successful intubation at first attempt, and degree of glottis exposure were significantly increased, the intubation time was significantly shortened, and the degree of epistaxis was significantly decreased ( P ＜ 0.05), but no significant change was found in the complications in group S1 ( P ＞ 0.05). Compared with group F, the intubation time was significantly shortened ( P ＜ 0.05), but no significant change was found in the rate of successful intubation, rate of successful intubation at first attempt and complications in group S2 ( P ＞ 0.05). Conclusion Shikani laryngoscope can expose glottis better and the rate of successful intubation at first attempt is higher, thus it is more suitable for nasotracheal intubation in patients undergoing maxillofacial surgery.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of 64-slice spiral CT (64SCT) in assessing coronary artery disease.Methods A total of 30 suspected patients (male 21 cases, female 9 cases, and mean age of 54.6 years) were undergone both 64SCT and selective coronary angiography (SCA). Volume redering (VR) ,multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), maximum intensity projection (MIP) and transverse section were reconstructed. The results of coronary reconstructions were compared with SCA to analyze the accuracy of the 64SCT in detecting coronary artery stenoses.Results In the 396 segments of coronary artery(diameter≥2 mm)of 30 patients, 385 were judged to be evaluable by 64SCT. The evaluable rate was 97.2%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the 64SCT in detecting coronary artery stenoses(≥50% of stenosis) were 96.22%, 94.56%, 89.44% and 96.88%. The accuracy rate of 64SCT in detecting ≥50% stenosis of coronary artery was 95.90%.Conclusion 64SCT has high accuracy in detecting coronary artery stenoses, as a noninvasive method,it can be used for screening patients with known or coronary artery diseases.

Objective To investigate the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its role in incisional pain in the rat model.Methods Incisional pain rat model was established by a longitudinal incision in right plantar hind paw of isoflurane-anesthetized rats.Spinal cords were removed at various postoperative times (1,6,24,72 h).The gene expression of IL-6 in the spinal cord was determined by a Real-time PCR.Immunohistochemistry and double-labeling immunofluorescence were performed to determine the expression of IL-6 after incision.Intrathecal injection of IL-6 antibodies was performed to modulate the spinal IL-6 after surgical incision,and the mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed by paw withdrawal thresholds from mechanical stimuli of von Frey filaments.Results After hind-paw incision,the IL-6 mRNA level was upregulated in the ipsilatcral lumbar spinal cord.The immunoreactivity of IL-6 in spinal cord was increased after hind-paw incision at 6 hours after incision.The upregulated spinal IL-6 was mainly localized in the neurons and endothelial cells.Intrathecal injection of IL-6 antibodies dramatically inhibited the surgical incision that evoked pain hypersensitivity.Conclusions The present study showed that the upregulated IL-6 in the spinal cord contributed to the pain hypersensitivity after surgical incision,inhibiting the upregulated IL-6 in the spinal cord may be a possible new therapeutic target for the treatment of postoperative pain.

Objective To evaluate the CT features of aorto-right atrial fistula after aortic valve replacement(AVR) or ascending aortic replacement.Methods Eighty-seven patients with aortic-right atrial fistula underwent CT after operation.The CT features were retrospectively analyzed.Fistula was measured according to maximum width of the shunt.Results Aorto-right atrial fistula was detected in 87 patients after aortic valve replacement or ascending aortic replacement by CT scan. Among them,25 patients were diagnosed as mild aorto-right atrial fistula,47 patients as moderate,and 15 patients as severe.Thirty-seven patients underwent follow-up CT.Among them,10 patients with mild to moderate aorto-right atrial fistula were considered to have complete regression,8 patients with mild aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have incomplete regression,14 patients with mild to moderate aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have stable condition,and 5 patients with moderate aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have progression at the 3-month follow-up.Conclusion CT is a useful tool for defining aorto-right atrial fistula after AVR or ascending aortic replacement and for evaluating it in follow-up.

Objective To investigate the role of opioid receptors and vagus and sympathetic nerves in the remifentanil-induced cardiovascular depression in rabbits. Methods Forty 2-6 months old New Zealand white rebbits of both sexes weighing 1.5-2.5 kg were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8 each): group Ⅰ remifentanil (group R); group Ⅱ naloxone + remifentanil (group N+ R); group Ⅲ vagus nerve cut-off +remifentanil (group V+ R); group Ⅳ epidural block + remifentanil (group S+ R) and group V vagus nerve cutoff + epidural block + remifentanil (group V + S + R). The animals were anesthetized, tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated. PaCO2 was maintained at 35-45 mm Hg. Vecuronium 0.3 mg/kg was given iv every 40 min to keep muscle relaxed. Right carotid artery was cannulated for continuous MAP monitoring. ECG was continuously monitored. A bolus of remifentanil 5.0 μg/kg was administered iv in all 5 groups. In group N + R naloxone 40μg was given iv about 2 min before remifentanil. In group V + R bilateral vagus nerves were cut off through neck incision. After HR and MAP had stabilized for 30 min, remifentanil was given iv. In group S + R epidural block was performed at L6.7 interspace with 2% lidocaine to block cardiac sympathetic nerves. When HR and MAP decreased by 20% of the baseline values and stabilized for 30 min remifentanil was given iv. In group V + S + R bilateral vagus nerves were cut off first. Then epidural block was performed before remifentanil administration. MAP and HR were recorded at 1 min before iv remifentanil administration (T0 ), at 30 s (T1), 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min (T2-9 ) after remifentanil administration. Results Intravenous remifentanil 5.0 μg/kg significantly decreased HR at T1 and MAP at T1-7 as compared with those at T0 in group R. Pretreatmentwith naloxone 40 μg prevented remifentanil-induced decrease in MAP but did not affect remifentanil-induced decrease in HR in group N + R. Vagus nerve cut-off and sympathetic block induced by epidural anesthesia performed before iv remifentanil did not affect remifentanil-induced cardiac depression in group V + R, S + R and V + S + R. Conclusion Opioid receptors and vagus and sympathetic nerves are not related to remifentanil-induced decrease in HR. Remifentanil induces decrease in MAP by activating opioid receptors.

Objective To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) characteristics of cardiovascular involvement in Beheet syndrome. Methods Eleven patients with clinically diagnosed Behcet syndrome were studied retrospectively from July 1995 to December 2007. Electron beam CT or 64-slice helical CT scanner was used and CT characteristics were reviewed. Results Eleven patients were diagnosed according to the criteria reported by the international study group for Behcet syndrome. Of them, 4 patients presented with aortic valve prolapse (2 patients with mitral valve prolapse), false aneurysm of right coronary artery was demonstrated in 2 patients, false aneurysm of left subclavian artery, aortic aneurysm and penetrating ulcers, aortic arch false aneurysm, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism and interatrial scptum aneurysm in 1 case, respectively. Conclusion CT is a very useful method for the diagnosis and foUow-up of Behcet syndrome.