Objectives:To evaluate the tricuspid valve(TV)geometric remodeling in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension(IPAH)by three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Methods:Two-dimensional and three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography were performed in 30 IPAH patients and 15 healthy controls,and the geometry parameters of TV were obtained by four-dimensional auto tricuspid valve quantitative(4D Auto-TVQ)in the right ventricular-focused apical view.Pulmonary arterial hypertension was determined by right heart catheterization within 48 hours of echocardiography. Results:The 4-chamber diameter,tricuspid annular(TA)perimeter,TA area,maximal tenting height,coaptation point height and tenting volume were larger in IPAH patients than those in healthy controls(all P＜0.05),2-chamber diameter was similar between two groups.In IPAH group,maximal tenting height and coaptation point height were moderately correlated with right ventricular end-diastolic volume(r=0.710,r=0.515,both P＜0.05),while TA perimeter,4-chamber diameter and TA area were moderately correlated with right atrial end-systolic volume(r=0.712,r=0.558,r=0.545,all P＜0.05). Conclusions:IPAH patients have larger maximal tenting height,coaptation point height and tenting volume,TA enlargement is mainly visible in 4-chamber diameter.TV tenting height is associated with right ventricular volume,but TA size is associated with right atrial volume in IPAH patients.

Objective To describe the outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for patients after aortic surgery and to summarize the experience. Methods The clinical data of patients who received ECMO support after aortic surgery in Fuwai Hospital from 2009 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients who received an aortic dissection surgery were allocated into a dissection group, and the other patients were allocated into a non-dissection group. The in-hospital and follow-up survival rates were compared between the two groups, and the causes of death were analyzed. Results A total of 22 patients were enrolled, including 17 patients in the dissection group [13 males and 4 females, with a median age of 54 (46, 61) years] and 5 patients in the non-dissection group [3 males and 2 females, with a median age of 51 (41, 65) years]. There was no statistical difference in the age and gender between the two groups (P>0.05). The in-hospital survival rate (11.8% vs. 100.0%, P=0.001) and follow-up survival rate (11.8% vs. 80.0%, P=0.009) of the patients in the dissection group were significantly lower than those in the non-dissection group. The causes of death in the dissection group included massive bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation (3 patients), ventricular thrombosis (1 patient), irreversible brain injury (2 patients), visceral malperfusion syndrome (4 patients) and irreversible heart failure (5 patients). Conclusion ECMO after aortic dissection surgery is associated with high mortality, which is related to the pathological features of aortic dissection and severely disrupted coagulation system after the surgery. For these patients, strict indication selection and optimal management strategy are important.

Objective:To assess the long-term outcome of sequential radical surgery after immune combined with targeted therapy for patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:Clinical data of 100 patients with initially unresectable HCC undergoing sequential radical surgery after immune combined with targeted therapy at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery of Chinese PLA General Hospital from December 2018 to August 2023 were prospectively collected, including 87 males and 13 females, with a median age of 55 (24-73) years. The pre-treatment tumor staging was determined using the China liver cancer staging (CNLC). The efficacy of immune combined with targeted therapy was accessed using the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumor (mRECIST). The cycles of immune combined with targeted therapy were analyzed. The tumor residual of resected tissue was analyzed through a standard pathological protocol. The prognosis was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:Upon initial diagnosis, there were 46 cases (46.0%) staged CNLC-Ⅲa and 40 (40.0%) staged CNLC-Ⅲb. There were also 14 cases (14.0%) staged CNLC-Ⅰb, Ⅱa, and Ⅱb who underwent immune combined with targeted therapy due to rupture of tumor or insufficient liver remnant. All patients received a median of 5 (3-28) cycles of immune combined with targeted therapy and underwent radical surgery after successful conversion. According to mRECIST, 14 (14.0%) were determined as complete remission, 63 (63.0%) as partial remission, 18 (18.0%) as stable disease, and 5 (5.0%) as disease progression. Of 24 (24.0%) were defined as pathologically complete remission by postoperative pathology. Furthermore, pathological tumor residue was less than 10% in 61 (61.0%) cases and less than 50% in 82 (82.0%) cases. The 1, 3, and 5 year-overall survival rates of patients were 98.0%, 83.1%, and 74.5%, respectively. The 1, 2 and 3 year-recurrence-free survival rates were 67.5%, 54.8%, and 49.6%, respectively.Conclusion:Sequential radical surgery after immune combined with targeted therapy benefits the long-term survival of patients with initially unresectable HCC.

Humans ; Adult ; Serum Albumin, Human ; Consensus ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Thoracic Surgery

Objective    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of peripheral cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in patients with reoperation of congenital heart disease. Methods    The perioperative data of patients with congenital heart disease who underwent reoperation in Fuwai Hospital from 2019 to 2020 were retrospectively collected. They were divided into two groups according to the cannulation methods: a central group and a peripheral group. The prognosis of the patients was analyzed. Results     A total of 80 patients were collected, including 43 patients in the central group, and 37 pateints in the peripheral group. In the central group, the median age was 18 (14, 32) years, and 21 patients were male. The median age of the peripheral group was 16 (10, 27 ) years, and 18 patients were male. The CPB time in the peripheral group was 201 (164, 230) min, which was longer than that in the central group [143 (97, 188 ) min, P<0.001]. The lactate after CPB in the peripheral group was statistically higher than that in the central group [2 (1, 2 ) mmol/L vs. 1 (1, 1) mmol/L, P=0.002]. The dosage of albumin use during CPB in the peripheral group was statistically higher than that in the central group [10 (0, 20) g vs. 0 (0, 0) g, P=0.004]. There was no statistical difference in the postoperative dosage of red blood cells use [0 (0, 2) U vs. 0 (0, 0) U, P=0.117], mechanical ventilation time [14 (11, 19) h vs. 13 (10, 15) h, P=0.296], ICU stay time [43 (23, 80) h vs. 40 (20, 67) h, P=0.237] or postoperative hospital stay time [10 (7, 12) d vs. 8 (7, 10) d, P=778] between the two groups. Conclusion    It’s safe and efficient to establish CPB through peripheral cannulation in patients with complex congenital heart disease undergoing reoperation.

Objective:To assess the clinical efficacy of sequential radical surgery after immune and targeted therapy in downstaging patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Data were prospectively collected from December 2018 to July 2022 on patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma which were downstaged to undergo sequential surgery after treatment with immune and targeted therapy at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital. There were 79 patients, with 69 men and 10 women, aged (53.0±10.9) years, being enrolled into this study. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate, and the log-rank test was used for survival rate comparison. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to analyze factors influencing patient prognosis.Results:There were 7 patients (8.9%) with China Liver Cancer Staging (CNLC) Ⅰb, Ⅱa, Ⅱb who had insufficient residual liver volume or tumor rupture before the downstaging therapy, and 38 patients (48.1%) with CNLC Ⅲa and 34 patients (43.0%) with CNLC Ⅲb. These 79 patients underwent R 0 resection after 3-20 cycles (median 5 cycles) of immune and targeted therapy. Based on the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumor, the results of preoperative imaging assessment were: complete remission in 12 patients (15.2%), partial remission in 50 patients (63.3%), stable disease in 15 patients (19.0%), and disease progression in 2 patients (2.5%). The overall survival rates of patients at 1, 2, and 3 years after diagnosis were 96.1%, 83.5%, and 76.6%; and the recurrence-free survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery were 62.1%, 52.9%, and 34.7%, respectively. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, patients with a preoperative alpha-fetoprotein >20 μg/L ( HR=2.816, 95% CI: 1.232-6.432, P=0.014) and a high proportion of pathological residual tumors ( HR=1.015, 95% CI: 1.004-1.026, P=0.006) had a higher risk of postoperative recurrence; and patients with a high proportion of pathological residual tumors ( HR=1.028, 95% CI: 1.007-1.049, P=0.007) and preoperative alpha-fetoprotein >400 μg/L ( HR=4.099, 95% CI: 1.193-14.076, P=0.025) had a higher risk of death. Conclusion:Immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy and sequential surgery for patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma provided long-term survival benefits. Elevated preoperative alpha-fetoprotein and a high proportion of pathological residual tumor were independent risk factors for recurrence-free survival and overall survival in this group of patients.

Objective:To analyze the value of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) in predicting survival of patients who underwent salvage surgery after tumor downstaging therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:The data of 50 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging (BCLC) C hepatocellular carcinoma treated at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital from December 2018 to December 2021 were collected. There were 45 males and 5 females, with the age of (53.0±10.5) years. The patients were divided into two groups based on the serum AFP level after tumor downstaging therapy, AFP normal group ( n=27, AFP≤20 μg/L) and the control group ( n=23, AFP>20 μg/L). Patient survival and tumor recurrence were followed up by outpatient review or telephone follow-up. The survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The efficacy of combined immunotargeted therapy were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were carried to analyse the factors influcing prognosis. Results:The median survival time was not reached in both groups. The 1-year and 2-year cumulative survival rates were 95.0% and 88.2% in the normal group and 73.4% and 54.1% in the control group, respectively. The median relapse-free survival time of the normal group was not reached, and the median relapse-free survival time of the control group was 11 months. The 1-year recurrence-free survival rate was 78.1% in the normal group and 39.5% in the control group. The cumulative survival rate and relapse-free survival rate in the normal group were significantly higher than those in the control group (χ 2=7.60, 8.83, P=0.006, 0.003). The complete response, partial response and pathological complete response of tumors in the normal group were significant better than those in the control group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that patients with serum AFP >20 μg/L ( HR=2.952, 95% CI: 1.023-8.517, P=0.045) after immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy had an increased risk of postoperative recurrence. Conclusion:The reduction of serum AFP to normal after downstaging therapy could be used as a prognostic indicator of salvage surgical in patients with BCLC C hepatocellular carcinoma, and AFP was related to the efficacy of downstaging therapy in patients.

Objective    To explore the safety and feasibility of the establishment method and management strategy of prolonged support model with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) under dual lumen cannula (DLC) in conscious sheep. Methods    Three adult male sheep were selected. An Avalon Elite DLC was inserted into the superior vena cava, right atrium, and inferior vena cava through the right jugular vein and was connected with centrifugal pump and oxygenator to establish the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit. All the 3 sheep were transferred into the monitoring cage after operation and were ambulatory after anesthesia recovery. Hemodynamic parameters and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation performance were measured every day. Results    All three sheep survived to the end of the experiment (7 days). In the whole process of the experiment, the basic vital signs of the experimental sheep were stable, and no serious bleeding or thrombotic events occurred. During the experiment, hemoglobin concentration and platelet count were relatively stable, plasma free hemoglobin was maintained at a low level, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation flow rate was stable, and oxygenation performance of oxygenator was good. Conclusion    Prolonged V-V ECMO model in conscious sheep under DLC is feasible and stable.

Objective:To compare the predictive value of Oxford acute severity of illness score (OASIS) and simplified acute physiology score Ⅱ (SAPSⅡ) for in-hospital mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the data in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ0.4 (MIMIC-Ⅳ 0.4). Based on Sepsis-3 diagnostic criteria, the basic information of ICU adult sepsis patients with infection and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score ≥ 2 within 24 hours of ICU admission admitted for the first time in the database was extracted, including gender, age, vasopressor drugs, sedative drugs, mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, length of ICU stay, OASIS, SAPSⅡ scores, etc. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. A receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to compare the prognostic value of OASIS score and SAPSⅡ score.Results:A total of 11 098 adult ICU sepsis patients were enrolled in the final analysis, of which 2 320 died and 8 778 survived in hospital, with a mortality of 20.90%. Compared with the survivors, the non-survivors were older [years old: 71 (60, 81) vs. 67 (56, 78)], had longer length of ICU stay [days: 6.95 (3.39, 13.07) vs. 4.23 (2.19, 9.73)] and higher proportions of using vasopressor drugs, sedative drugs, mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy [vasopressor drugs: 50.65% (1 175/2 320) vs. 33.05% (2 901/8 778), sedative drugs: 58.53% (1 358/2 320) vs. 48.41% (4 249/8 778), mechanical ventilation: 89.57% (2 078/2 320) vs. 81.66% (7 168/8 778), renal replacement therapy: 11.98% (278/2 320) vs. 6.57% (577/8 778), all P < 0.01]. Moreover, the non-survivors had higher OASIS score [43 (36, 49) vs. 35 (29, 41), P < 0.01] and SAPSⅡ score [49 (40, 60) vs. 38 (31, 47), P < 0.01] as compared with the survivors. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of OASIS score and SAPSⅡ score for predicting in-hospital death of ICU patients with sepsis was 0.713 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 0.701-0.725] and 0.716 (95% CI was 0.704-0.728), respectively, and the Delong test showed no significant difference in AUC between the two scoring systems ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:OASIS score has a good predictive value for in-hospital mortality in sepsis patients, which is similar to SAPSⅡ score. OASIS score is simpler and has a broader clinical application prospect than SAPSⅡ score.

Objective    To analyze the safety and efficacy of vacuum-assisted venous drainage (VAVD) in cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods    A total of 180 patients from 3 centers between November 17, 2017 and October 1, 2018 were enrolled and randomly assigned to a VAVD group and a gravity drainage (GD) group by 1∶1 ratio. During the open-heart surgery under CPB, the VAVD group completely relied on VAVD, and the GD group used conventional GD. The primary endpoint was arterial flow before CPB, 15 min after aortic cross-clamping and rewarming to 36 °C of nasopharyngeal temperature. The secondary endpoints included hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, blood product transfusion, etc. The safety endpoint was free hemoglobin concentration, etc. Results    The full analysis set contained 175 patients, 87 in the VAVD group and 88 in the GD group. Patients in the VAVD group were aged 52.8±12.0 years, and males accounted for 55.2%; patients in the GD group were aged 51.4±12.1 years, and males accounted for 59.1%. The demographic characteristics between the two groups were not statistically different. Compared to the GD group, the VAVD group could provide comparable arterial flow in CPB [average of 3 time points, 2.37±0.22 L/(min·m2) vs. 2.41±0.25 L/(min·m2), P=0.271], while not elevating free hemoglobin concentration. Conclusion    VAVD can provide enough venous drainage, while not elevating free hemoglobin concentration or damaging blood.