OBJECTIVES: Early detection of asymptomatic diastolic dysfunction is essential to prevent the development of heart failure in hypertensive patients. Current studies suggest that left atrial strain contributes to the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function, but there are fewer studies on the correlation between left atrial strain and diastolic function in hypertensive patients. In this study, we applied a two-dimensional speckle tracking technique to evaluate the changes in left atrial strain in hypertensive patients, and to investigate the relationship between left atrial strain and left ventricular diastolic function. METHODS: A total of 82 hypertensive patients who were visited the Department of Cardiology at the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 2021 to January 2022, were enrolled for this study, and 59 healthy subjects served as a control group. According to the number of left ventricular diastolic function indexes recommended by the 2016 American Society of Echocardiography Diastolic Function Guidelines (mitral annular e´ velocity: Septal e´<7 cm/s, lateral e´<10 cm/s, E/e´ ratio>14, left atrial volume index>34 mL/m², peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity>2.8 m/s), the hypertensive patients were divided into 3 groups: Group Ⅰ (0 index, n=36 ), Group Ⅱ (1 index, n=39), and Group Ⅲ (2 indexes, n=7). Two-dimensional speckle tracking technique was used to measure left atrial reservoir strain (LASr), conduit strain, and contraction strain, and to analyze the correlation between left atrial strain and left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive patients. RESULTS: The LASr, left atrial conduit strain (LAScd), and LASr/(E/septal e´) of the hypertension group were lower than those of the control group, and E/LASr was higher than that of the control group. There was no significant difference in left atrium volume index between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Compared with Group Ⅰ, LASr, LAScd, and LASr/(E/septal e´) were decreased in Group Ⅱ and Group Ⅲ, LASr/(E/septal e´) was also decreased in Group Ⅲ compared with Group Ⅱ (all P<0.05). Compared with Group Ⅰ, E/LASr was increased in Group Ⅲ. LASr was positively correlated with septal e´, lateral e´, E, and E/A, and negatively correlated with E/septal e´. CONCLUSIONS The changes of left atrial function in patients with early hypertension are earlier than those of left atrial structure. Left atrial strain and its combination with conventional ultrasonographic indices [LASr/(E/septal e´)] of diastolic function are potentially useful in assessing left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive patients.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Atrial Appendage ; Heart Atria/diagnostic imaging* ; Hypertension/complications* ; Diastole

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) with renal vein, inferior vena cava (IVC), and right atrial embolism is a rare solid tumor, whose etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. Moreover, it is often misdiagnosed. One patient with renal AML complicated with renal vein, IVC, and right atrial embolism was admitted to the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, who was a 35-year-old female, without any previous medical history, presented with right low back pain for more than 3 years. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed irregular lobulated fatty density mass in the right kidney, renal vein, IVC, and right atrium. The contrast-enhanced scan showed no enhancement of fat components at each phase and mild enhancement of solid components. Radical resection of the right kidney and removal of tumor thrombus were performed, and there was no recurrence 1 year after the operation. It is rare for renal AML to grow along the renal vein, IVC, and extend to the right atrium. Imaging examination is extremely important, and the CT findings of this case are characteristic, but the diagnosis eventually depends on pathological and immunohistochemical examinations.
Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Vena Cava, Inferior/pathology* ; Angiomyolipoma/surgery* ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Kidney Neoplasms/surgery* ; Embolism/pathology* ; Heart Atria/diagnostic imaging* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology*

Adult ; Cerebral Infarction ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Heart Atria ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Myxoma ; complications ; diagnostic imaging

Female ; Heart Atria ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Heart Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Leiomyomatosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of ultrasonography in prenatal diagnosis of left inferior vena cava and double inferior vena cava in fetus. METHODS: The clinical data and ultrasonographic findings of the fetuses with left inferior vena cava (18 cases) or double inferior vena cava (16 cases) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The ultrasonographic images of left inferior vena cava showed that in the transverse view of the fetal upper abdomen the inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta were in the normal position; below the level of the hilum, the inferior vena cava was located behind the left side of the abdominal aorta; at the level of the hilum, it crossed the front of the abdominal aorta and run diagonally to the upper right, forming the right inferior vena cava and finally entered into the right atrium. The ultrasonographic images of double inferior vena cava showed that in the transverse view of the fetal lower abdomen, in front of spine there were three transections of blood vessels; in coronal plane of abdomen, the veins run on both sides of the abdominal aorta and entered to the iliac vein of the same side. In 34 cases of abnormal inferior vena cava, there were 17 cases complicated with other system abnormalities, including 13 cases of cardiac anomalies. CONCLUSIONS The left inferior vena cava and double inferior vena cava have characteristic imaging findings, and prenatal diagnosis can be made with ultrasonography. This type of congenital deformity is frequently complicated with other system abnormalities, which should be excluded in fetus, especially for heart system.
Female ; Fetus ; abnormalities ; Heart Atria ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer with left atrial tumor thrombus accounts for a small proportion of local advanced lung cancer. Whether surgery could bring benefits, as well as surgical options are still controversial, and have always been hot spots in surgical research. We report a single center experience of surgical treatment to non-small cell lung cancer with left atrial tumor thrombus, aim to figure out more reasonable treatment strategy. METHODS: From August 2006 to July 2017, a total of 11 cases of non-small cell lung cancer with left atrial tumor thrombus underwent surgery in Thoracic Surgery Department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital. Clinical data, treatment options, pathological types and prognosis of these patients were collected to perform a retrospective study. RESULTS: Of the 11 patients (mean age of 57.9), 7 were men and 4 were women. Six of them received neoadjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. All patients underwent smooth operation, including 3 cases with cardiopulmonary bypass, 1 case of posterolateral approach under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, 6 cases of conventional posterolateral approach and 1 case of video-assisted minithoracotomy. Nine patients were evaluated as R0 resection while 2 cases were evaluated as R1 resection. The Surgeries cost an average of 292 min (210 min-380 min), with an average of 436 mL (100 mL-1,600 mL) blood loss. One patient (9.1%) died within 90 days after surgery, and another 4 cases (36.4%) suffered postoperative complications such as arrhythmia, cerebral infarction or hypoxemia. Six cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 4 cases of adenocarcinoma and 1 case of sarcomatoid carcinoma were identified by pathology. Seven cases were staged as pT4N0M0 while 4 cases were staged as pT4N1M0. Nine patients underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, and two patients underwent radiotherapy during follow-up. The overall follow-up time was 2 to 53 months, the 3-year disease-free survival rate was 30.7%, the median disease-free survival time was 31 months, the 3-year overall survival rate was 49.1% and the median overall survival time was 33 months. CONCLUSIONS For selected patients of non-small cell lung cancer complicated with left atrial tumor thrombus, choose a reasonable surgical approach to resect both the tumor and the thrombus, strengthen the perioperative management and apply neoadjuvant/adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, might obtain satisfying prognosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perioperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis ; complications ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Left anterior fascicular block (LAFB) is a heart disease identifiable from an abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG). It has been reported that LAFB is associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Non-specific intraventricular conduction delay due to the lesions of the conduction bundles and slow cell to cell conduction has also been considered as another cause of heart failure. Since the location and mechanism of conduction delay have notable variability between individual patients, we hypothesized that the impaired conduction in the ventricular myocardium may lead to abnormal ECGs similar to LAFB ECG patterns. To test this hypothesis, based on a computer model with a three dimensional whole-heart anatomical structure, we simulated the cardiac exciting sequence map and 12-lead ECG caused by the block in the left anterior fascicle and by the slowed conduction velocity in the ventricular myocardium. The simulation results showed that the typical LAFB ECG patterns can also be observed from cases with slowed conduction velocity in the ventricular myocardium. The main differences were the duration of QRS and wave amplitude. In conclusion, our simulations provide a promising starting point to further investigate the underlying mechanism of heart failure with LAFB, which would provide a potential reference for LAFB diagnosis.
Adult ; Bundle-Branch Block/diagnostic imaging* ; Computer Simulation ; Electrocardiography ; Heart/diagnostic imaging* ; Heart Atria/diagnostic imaging* ; Heart Conduction System/physiopathology* ; Heart Failure/diagnostic imaging* ; Heart Ventricles/diagnostic imaging* ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Anatomic ; Models, Theoretical ; Muscle Cells ; Myocardium ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Poisson Distribution

Prolonged P-wave duration has been observed in diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the possible mechanisms. A rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was used. P-wave durations were obtained using surface electrocardiography and sizes of the left atrium were determined using echocardiography. Cardiac inward rectifier K+ currents (I(k1)), Na+ currents (I(Na)), and action potentials were recorded from isolated left atrial myocytes using patch clamp techniques. Left atrial tissue specimens were analyzed for total connexin-40 (Cx40) and connexin-43 (Cx43) expression levels on western-blots. Specimens were also analyzed for Cx40 and Cx43 distribution and interstitial fibrosis by immunofluorescent and Masson trichrome staining, respectively. The mean P-wave duration was longer in T2DM rats than in controls; however, the mean left atrial sizes of each group of rats were similar. The densities of I(k1) and I(Na) were unchanged in T2DM rats compared to controls. The action potential duration was longer in T2DM rats, but there was no significant difference in resting membrane potential or action potential amplitude compared to controls. The expression level of Cx40 protein was significantly lower, but Cx43 was unaltered in T2DM rats. However, immunofluorescent labeling of Cx43 showed a significantly enhanced lateralization. Staining showed interstitial fibrosis was greater in T2DM atrial tissue. Prolonged P-wave duration is not dependent on the left atrial size in rats with T2DM. Dysregulation of Cx40 and Cx43 protein expression, as well as fibrosis, might partly account for the prolongation of P-wave duration in T2DM.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Connexin 43/metabolism ; Connexins/metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Fibrosis/pathology ; Heart Atria/*diagnostic imaging/physiopathology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The clinical data for a patient with sick sinus syndrome was retrospectively analyzed. The patient was treated because of his heart palpitations and the increased chest pain. The patient admitted to the hospital under consideration for the left atrial tumor dependent on the echocardiography findings. After the CT scan and the dynamic ECG examination, the patient successfully underwent the left atrial tumor resection, atrial septal repair and cardiac pacing lead installation. The postoperative pathological diagnosis showed that the infective endocarditis and left atrial thrombus in left atrium was cured. The patient was discharged after postoperative anti-inflammatory therapy. By analyzing the reasons for misdignosis before or during surgery, the possible mechanisms for left atrial subendocardial thrombus have been found. This study suggests that it is necessary to combine imaging diagnosis and clinical observations to distinguish tumor from excrescence.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; surgery ; Atrial Septum ; surgery ; Computed Tomography Angiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Heart Atria ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Heart Diseases ; etiology ; surgery ; Heart Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; etiology ; surgery ; Thrombosis ; etiology ; surgery

This study aimed to investigate the causes and managements of the fractures and migrations of the implantable venous access port catheter (IVAPC). The fracture or migration of IVAPC occurred in 4 patients who were treated between May 2012 and January 2014 in Union Hospital, Wuhan, China. The port catheter leakage was found in 2 cases during drug infusion. Catheters that dislodged to the superior vena cava and right atrium were confirmed by port angiogram. The two dislodged catheters were successfully retrieved by interventional procedures. Catheter fracture occurred in two cases during port removal. One catheter was eventually removed from the subclavian vein through right clavicle osteotomy and subclavian venotomy, and the other removed by external jugular venotomy. Flushing the port in high pressure and injury of the totally implantable venous access port (TIVP) during implantation are usually responsible for catheter displacement. Interventional retrieval procedure can be used if the catheter dislodges to the vena cava and right atrium. Catheter fracture may occur during removal if clipping syndrome occurs or the catheter is sutured very tight during implantation.
Angiography ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Central Venous Catheters ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Device Removal ; methods ; Equipment Failure ; Equipment Failure Analysis ; Female ; Heart Atria ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteotomy ; methods ; Suture Techniques ; Vena Cava, Superior ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Young Adult