Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of BalMedic bovine jugular vein conduit (BalMedic) with homograft in right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.Methods Totally 10 patients were implanted homograft to reconstruct right ventricular outflow tract,while 14 patients were implanted BalMedic from January 2003 to July 2009,and the function of the implanted conduit was evaluated by Doppler echocardiography one year after operation.Results 9 patients in group Homograft were cured,while 1 patient died of multiple organ failuie caused by infective endocarditis,which was confirmed associated to the conduit.13 patients in group BalMedic were cured,while 1 patient died of heart failure 2 days after operation,which no independent with the conduit.No stenosis of the pulmonary valve and further stoma had been found in both two groups,and they were no significant different( P ＞0.05 ).There were no thrombus aud aneurysm in both two groups.Two patients in group Homograft had low-grade regurgitation with pulmonary valve,while one had middle-grade regurgitation.And 4 patients in group BalMedic had low-grade regurgitation with pulmonary valve,no else became worse.Conclusion Both homograft and BalMedic can be used in reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract.BalMedic may have better prospect.

A series of 29 cases of esophageal stenosis or obstruction caused by chemical burn or malignancy in the cervical or upper thoracic segment were treated by resection, and its continuity was re-established by a vascularized free or pedicled jejunal graft. It was successful in 28 cases, with only one failure. The age of these cases ranged from 4 to 65 years old. Among them, 4 children were between 4 and 6. Sixteen cases of pedicled jejunal grafts had their vessels anastomosed to cervical vessels at the upper end. The lengths of the grafts varied from 40 to 60 cm. In the 13 free jejunal grafts, jejunal blood vessels were anastomosed to the right gastroepiploic vessels and cervical vessels at the lower and upper ends, respectively, to re-establish circulation for long jejunal segments, while for the short jejunal grafts anastomosis was made to the cervical vessels only. The vascularized jejunal patch graft is an effective measure for repairing anastomotic fistula or localized wall defect. A regime of monitoring blood circulation of the jejunal transplant is described.

Objective To investigate the surgical strategy for aortic regurgitation attributable to Behcet disease.Methods The follow-up results of 18 patients with aortic regurgitation attributable to Behcet disease were retrospectively analyzed and the surgical effects of different surgical methods were summarized.Results 6 cases underwent isolate aortic valve replacement several times,one case was survial,the motality was 83 percent.5 cases with severe paravalvular leakage after initial aortic valve replacement underwent the modified Bentall procedure,in which the valved conduit was proximally attached to the left ventricular outflow tract.In these patients one case underwent re-do operation because of the fight coronary pseudoaneurysm and died of the low cardica output in postoperative 7 months.One case underwent re-do operation because of the prosthetic detachment and died of the low cardiac output in postoperative 11 months,the motality was 40 percent.7 cases underwent the modified Bentall procedure using the pericardium skirt below the valve sewing ring,one case underwent the re-do operation because of the prosthetic detachment and died of the low cardiac output in postoperative 15 months.The mortality was 14.3 percent.Conclusion The modified Bentall procedure with the valved conduit using the pericardium skirt below the valve sewing ring could prevent the prosthetic detachment and paravalvular leakage effectively.

Heart transplantation is the primary therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. The shortage of donors has been the main limiting factor for the increasing quantity of heart transplantation. With persistent updating and introduction of novel technologies, the donor pool has been increasingly expanded, such as using the heart from older donors, donors infected with hepatitis C virus, donors dying from drug overdose or donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors, etc. Meantime, the proportion of recipients with advanced age, multiple organ dysfunction, mechanical circulatory support and human leukocyte antigen antibody sensitization has been significantly increased in recent years. The shortage of donors, complication of recipients' conditions, individualized management of immunosuppressive therapy and prevention and treatment of long-term cardiac allograft vasculopathy are all challenges in the field of heart transplantation. In this article, novel progresses on donor pool expansion, improving the quality of recipients, strengthening the diagnosis and treatment of rejection, and preventing cardiac allograft vasculopathy were reviewed, aiming to prolong the survival and enhance the quality of life of patients with end-stage heart failure on the waiting list or underwent heart transplantation.

Objective To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of depression in empty-nest elderly, so as to provide evidence for reducing depression in empty-nest elderly. Methods During July to August 2016, the elderly over 60 years old in Shaanxi Province, including 504 empty-nest elderly and 194 non-empty-nest, were selected convenience sampling method. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Social Support Scale, and self-designed questionnaire about the general condition were used. ANOVA was applied to analyze the depression scores; Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relation between social support and depressive symptoms; and Logistic regression analysis had been used to analyze the influencing factors of depression. Results The detection rate on depression of empty-nest elderly was 45.63%, and that of the non-empty-nest elderly was 32.99%, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=10.447,P< 0.05). The scores of GDS of the empty-nest and non-empty-nest elderly were (9.68±5.26) and (8.51±4.69) respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (t=7.390,P< 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that living pattern (OR=0.596), degree of education (OR=0.799), age (OR=1.394), place of abode (OR=1.699), happiness degree of later life (OR=1.663) and current life satisfaction (OR=1.474) were correlated with depressive symptom (P<0.05). In addition, Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the social support of the empty-nesters was negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.260,P<0.01). Conclusions The incidence of depression is high in empty-nest elderly, which seriously affects the physical and mental health of them. Targeted measures should be taken to provide more comprehensive social support for empty-nest elderly, improve their life quality and reduce the incidence of depression.

Objective To make volunteer service for the aged of university students as an important complement for the aged care to establish a long-term mechanism of volunteer service for the aged. Methods The teaching model integrated volunteer service for the aged into nursing practice teaching was built by adding practice of community volunteer service for the aged to the courses of community nursing. Results This research structured the organization and management model in volunteer service for the aged nursing practice teaching and preliminarily created an appraisal and motivation mechanism through setting up rules and regulations, evaluation for service effects as well as excitation mechanism. Conclusions We found a teaching model integrated with nursing practice teaching and volunteer service for the aged as well as an approach to attain a long-term and persistent development of volunteer service for the aged so as to provide a practical and theoretical basis basis for a long-term development volunteer service for the aged of university students.

Objective? To understand the heaLth seeking behavior among ruraL residents of Yanchuan County in Yan'an City and to anaLyze its infLuencing factors. Methods? From JuLy 2017 to August 2017, we seLected 552 ruraL permanent residents of Yanchuan County in Yan'an City by convenience sampLing. ALL of them were investigated with the seLf-designed heaLth seeking behavior questionnaire for ruraL residents. The binary Logistic regression was used to anaLyze the infLuencing factors of heaLth seeking behavior among ruraL residents. ResuLts? When ruraL residents were iLL, 224 (40.58%) ruraL residents bought medicines for treatment, 216 (39.13%) knew disease reLated knowLedge and 352 (53.01%) ruraL residents attended ruraL cooperative medicaL care. Binary Logistic regression showed that the infLuencing factors of heaLth seeking behavior of ruraL residents incLuded ages, monthLy income, attending insurance or new ruraL cooperative medicaL care, knowing disease reLated knowLedge, diet ruLes and the proportion of vegetabLes and meats each meaL. ConcLusions? HeaLth conscious of ruraL residents is weak; the heaLth seeking behavior is traditionaL, backward and negative;they Lack knowLedge on heaLth, medicaL treatment, heaLth care and emergency treatment and their medicaL insurance participation is inactive. Government sector shouLd pay attention to heaLth seeking behavior of ruraL residents, strengthen the deveLopment of ruraL doctor team and cLinics in viLLages and towns,improve medicaL care system and ruraL cooperative medicaL care so as to soLve the probLems high cost and difficuLty of getting medicaL service among ruraL residents.

Objective: To summarize the clinical experience of cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) in acute type A aortic dissection received aortic arch reconstruction on age over 70 years patients. Methods: From April 2013 to December 2017, 35 elderly patients aged over 70 who were involved the aortic arch, brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery and left subclavian artery and severe arch lesions, large false lumen and large rupture risk of acute A aortic dissection were reconstructed by triple-branched stent graft in emergency extracorporeal circulation. During the period of cardiopulmonary bypass, selective cerebral perfusion and discontinuous arrest under moderate hypothermia(25 degrees C) were used to reduce the time of cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, and to strengthen the management of the protection of important organs. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass time was(144.85±32.98)minutes, and aortic cross clap time was(51.82±17.59)minutes, and selective cerebral perfusion time was(12.17±4.70)minutes, discontinuous arrest time was(4.50±3.54) minutes, the lower body arrest time was(16.6±7.49)minutes. All patients were smoothly weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass.35 patients resuscitated within 48 hours, of which 3 patients had transient mental disorders in the early stage and recovered before hospital discharge; 2 patients had cerebral infarction. Hospital mortality in this group was 17.1%(6/35). Conclusion Advanced age is not a contraindication to the reconstruction of the arch of the aortic dissection. Reasonable management of cardiopulmonary bypass can provide an important guarantee for the reconstruction of the elderly patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

Objective:To extract the early result of postoperative echocardiographic evaluation in patients underwent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, and to assess the efficacy of surgical treatment for end-staged heart failure.Methods:Between June 2019 and May 2023, the patients underwent left ventricular assist device implantation were enrolled in this study. Demographic baseline characteristics and perioperative echocardiographic parameters were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 28 patients were included in the study. After LVAD implantation, the heart sizes of the patients obviously reduced and the left heart contractibility function improved. The right ventricular contractibility remained stable. The proportion of the patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation was significantly reduced, but patients with mild to moderate aortic insufficiency increased. No serious complications such as death, pericardial tamponade and thrombosis events were observed during the follow-up period.Conclusion:LVAD implantation improved the left cardiac function, while the right cardiac function remained stable. However, it should be paid attention that the aortic valve function was impaired after the surgery. Generally, the early results of LVAD implantation for the treatment of end-stage heart failure were satisfactory.