Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of valve surgeries for infective endocarditis and the affecting factors, and compare the early- and long-term postoperative outcomes of different surgery approaches. Methods The patients with infective endocarditis who underwent valve replacement/valvuloplasty in our hospital from 2010 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed. Results A total of 343 patients were enrolled, including 197 patients with mechanical valve replacement, 62 patients with bioprosthetic valve replacement, and 84 patients with valvuloplasty. There were 238 males and 105 females with an average age of (44.2±14.8) years. Single-valve endocarditis was present in 200 (58.3%) patients, and multivalve involvement was present in 143 (41.7%) patients. Sixty (17.5%) patients had suffered thrombosis before surgery, including cerebral embolisms in 32 patients. The mean follow-up time was (60.6±43.8) months. Early mortality within one month after the surgery occurred in 17 (5.0%) patients, while later mortality occurred in 19 (5.5%) patients. Eight (2.3%) patients underwent postoperative dialysis, 13 (3.8%) patients suffered postoperative stroke, 6 patients underwent reoperation, and 3 patients suffered recurrence of infective endocarditis. Smoking (P=0.002), preoperative embolisms (P=0.001), duration of surgery (P=0.001), and postoperative dialysis (P=0.001) were risk factors for early mortality, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥60% (P=0.022) was protective factor for early mortality. New York Heart Association classification Ⅲ-Ⅳ (P=0.010) and ≥3 valve procedures (P=0.028) were risk factors for late mortality. The rate of composite endpoint events was significantly lower in the valvuloplasty group than that in the valve replacement group. Conclusion For patients with infective endocarditis, smoking and preoperative embolisms are associated with high postoperative mortality, multiple-valve surgery is associated with a poorer prognosis, and valvuloplasty has advantages over valve replacement and should be attempted in the surgical management of patients with infective endocarditis.

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may develop neurological complications such as Alzheimer′s disease, stroke and epilepsy, which severely affect their quality of life. Currently, neurological complications after TBI are poorly understood and there are no comprehensive treatments or definitive interventions for them. Complex pathophysiological changes in the brain, systemic immunological responses, and gastrointestinal dysfunction after TBI all severely affect the biodiversity of the intestinal microbiota and related metabolites, which leads to intestinal dysbiosis and metabolic disorders and exert continued effects on the nervous system. Intestinal microbial probiotic flora that colonize in living organisms are a category of active microorganisms beneficial to the host and supplementation of intestinal probiotics can have a modulatory effect on the nervous system directly or indirectly. The targeted therapeutic effects of intestinal microbial probiotic flora on neurological complications after TBI and the intrinsic mechanism of the effects have not been comprehensively summarized currently. For this purpose, the authors reviewed the research progress on the effects of regulating intestinal microbial probiotic flora on post-TBI neurological complications so as to provide a reference for the clinical prevention and treatment of post-TBI neurological complications.

Objective To explore the automated identification and diameter measurement methods for inferior vena cava (IVC) based on clinical ultrasound images of IVC. Methods An automated identification and localization method based on topology and automatic tracking algorithm was proposed. Tracking algorithm was used for identifying and continuously locating to improve the efficiency and accuracy of measurement. Tests were conducted on 18 sets of ultrasound data collected from 18 patients in intensive care unit (ICU),with clinicians' measurements as the gold standard. Results The recognition accuracy of the automated method was 94.44％ (17/18),and the measurement error of IVC diameter was within the range of±1.96s (s was the standard deviation). The automated method could replace the manual method. Conclusion The proposed IVC automated identification and localization algorithm based on topology and automatic tracking algorithm has high recognition success rate and IVC diameter measurement accuracy. It can assist clinicians in identifying and locating IVC,so as to improve the accuracy of IVC measurement.

Objective    To explore the difference of myocardial injury between off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and modified perfusion on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCAB). Methods    A total of 558 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2017 to 2019 were included. According to whether or not they received modified perfusion cardiopulmonary bypass, all the 558 patients were divided into two groups including an OPCAB group (OP group) and an ONCAB group (ON group). There were 465 patients in the OP group including 282 males and 183 females with an average age of 63.58±7.87 years. In the ON group, there were 93 patients including 64 males and 29 females with an average age of 63.91±7.51 years. Creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and cardiac specific troponin I (cTnI) were measured 24 hours before operation, 30 minutes after operation, 12 hours after operation, 36 hours after operation and 48 hours after operation. Results    No perioperative death occurred in all patients. CK-MB (5.00 ng/mL vs. 8.60 ng/mL, Z=–2.189, P=0.029) and cTnI (3.00 ng/mL vs. 7.80 ng/mL, Z=–5.307, P=0.000) in postoperative 12 hours in the ON group were less than those in the OP group. CK-MB (5.00 ng/mL vs. 5.60 ng/mL, Z=–2.280, P=0.023) and cTnI (0.10 ng/mL vs. 1.02 ng/mL, Z=–6.418, P=0.000) in postoperative 36 hours in the ON group were less than those in the OP group. cTnI (0.07 ng/mL vs. 0.81 ng/mL, Z=–1.946, P=0.032) in postoperative 48 hours in the ON group was less than that in the OP group. Conclusion    Compared with OPCAB, modified perfusion ONCAB has less myocardial damage. 

Objective    To investigate the influence of different discontinuation time of clopidogrel and aspirin before off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting on postoperative volume of drainage and blood products imported. Methods    A total of 454 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2017 through December 2019 were included. According to the preoperative discontinuation of clopidogrel and aspirin, all the 454 patients were divided into three groups including a guide group, a non-stop group and a stop group. There were 86 patients in the guide group including 59 males and 27 females with an average age of 64.12±6.15 years. They continued to take aspirin 100 mg/d before operation, but stopped clopidogrel for more than 5 days. In the non-stop group, there were 234 patients including 141 males and 93 females with an average age of 63.71±7.01 years. They continued to take aspirin 100 mg/d before operation, and stopped clopidogrel <5 days. In the stop group, there were 134 patients including 76 males and 58 females with an average age of 62.90±7.78 years. They stopped aspirin and clopidogrel for more than 5 days before operation. The clinical effectiveness was compared among the three groups. Results    No perioperative death occurred in all patients. There was no statistical difference in platelet count, coagulation function, liver function, renal function, or myocardial markers among the groups (P>0.05). The hemoglobin [97 (15) g/ L vs. 98 (21) g/L vs. 100 (20) g/L, F=4.894, P=0.008] in the non-stop group was lower than that in the guide group and the non-stop group at 30 minutes postoperatively. The flow volume (399.87±127.19 mL vs. 367.05±125.89 mL vs. 349.63±130.68 mL, F=7.770, P=0.000) in the non-stop group at 3 hours postoperatively, the flow volume [600 (300) mL vs. 580 (245) mL vs. 550 (350) mL, Z=8.218, P=0.016] in the non-stop group at 6 hours postoperatively, the flow volume [750 (370) mL vs. 730 (350) mL vs. 730 (350) mL, Z=8.329, P=0.016] in the non-stop group at 12 hours postoperatively, the flow volume [890 (365) mL vs. 850 (340) mL vs. 850 (350) mL vs. Z=6.585, P=0.037] in the non-stop group at 24 hours postoperatively and the flow volume [950 (375) mL vs. 940 (360) mL vs. 940 (380) mL, Z=8.680, P=0.013] in the non-stop group at 48 hours postoperatively were more than those of the guide group and the stop group. The retention time of drainage tube was longer in the non-stop group [3 (1) d vs. 3 (1) d vs. 3 (1) d, Z=6.579, P=0.037] than in the guide group and the non-stop group. The amount of suspended erythrocytes input [0 (2) U vs. 0 (2) U vs. 0 (0) U, Z=6.150, P=0.046], and the amount of plasma input [200 (200) mL vs. 0 (200) mL vs. 0 (200) mL, F=4.144, P=0.016], the number of cases of plasma input (119 patients vs. 34 patients vs. 47 patients, Z=10.116, P=0.006) were more than those of the guide group and the stop group. Conclusion    Aspirin maintenance is recommended for patients before off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. If not necessary, clopidogrel is discontinued for at least 5 days.

Objective    To explore the effect of whether or not to stop beating after conversion to cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods    From 2016 to 2018, 177 patients with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in Beijing Anzhen Hospital were transferred to CPB. According to whether they stopped beating after conversion to CPB during the operation, they were divided into two groups. A non-stop beating group: there were 76 patients with 45 males, 31 females. aged 63.53±6.98 years, who were not to stop beating after conversion to CPB. A stop beating group: there were 101 patients with 66 males and 35 females, aged 63.98 ± 8.37 years, who were to stop beating and underwent the modified perfusion and application of papaverine in perfusion after conversion to CPB. The clinical effect of the two groups was compared. Results    There were 14 deaths in the perioperative period. The mean graft flow (MGF) in the stop beating group was higher (P=0.033), and the pulse index (PI) was lower (P=0.001) than those in the non-stop beating group. Intra-aortic balloon counter pulsation (P=0.036), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P=0.038), continuous renal replacement therapy (P=0.014), ventilator-assisted time (P=0.021), ICU monitoring time (P=0.012), perioperative mortality (P=0.025) and the ejcetion fraction value (P=0.023) were significantly different between the groups. Conclusion    Compared with not to stop beating, those to stop beating can get better perioperative clinical effect after conversion to CPB, which is worthy of recommendation.

The features of myocardial strains from speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) have not been well defined in fulminant myocarditis (FM) patients. In this study, changes in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and global and layer-specific myocardial strains over time were monitored. We aimed to determine the echocardiographic patterns of FM and ascertain their significance in FM treatment. Twenty patients who were clinically diagnosed with FM and received mechanical life support were prospectively enrolled. Conventional echocardiographic measurements were obtained, and serial strain echocardiography was performed from admission to hospital discharge until LVEF recovery (> 50%). Global/regional peak systolic longitudinal strains (GLS/RLS) and layer-specific longitudinal strains were quantified, and their changes with time were monitored in 14 FM patients. All patients had severely impaired cardiac function. Steep improvement in LVEF and GLS were observed within 6 days. Layer-specific strain analysis showed that reduction at admission or recovery at discharge in the endocardium and epicardium strains were equal. In conclusion, FM patients who received mechanical circulatory supports exhibited steep improvement in ventricular function within 6 days. The patchy and diffused distribution pattern of reduced RLS and equally and severely impaired strain in the endocardium and epicardium are valuable features in the diagnosis of FM.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion (ACAF) for the treatment of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine.Methods The data of 45 cases with cervical posterior longitudinal ligament ossification treated by ACAF from March 2017 to October 2017 were retrospectively analyzed,including 25 males and 20 females,age 45-68 years,average 57.5 years.There were 18 cases involving C3 vertebral body,30 cases involving C4 vertebral body,40 cases involving C5 vertebral body,34 cases involving C6 vertebral body,and 7 cases involving C7 vertebral body.The function of the neural function was evaluated by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system at preoperation and latest follow-up.The curvature of the cervical spine was measured on the lateral X-ray film of the cervical spine,the maximum occupying ratio of the spinal canal was measured on the cross section of the CT scan,and compression of the cervical spinal cord was evaluated by the cervical MRI.Results Patients were followed up for 3 to 6 months (average,3.9 months).The improvement of neurological function was obtained in all the patients.The JOA score improvement rate at the latest follow-up was 71.3％±9.6％.The cervical lordosis was improved from preoperative 4.5°±3.8° to 10.3°±4.8° at the latest follow-up.The canal stenosis ratio was decreased from preoperative 54.3％±8.2％ to 12.5％±5.3％ at the latest follow-up.MRI showed that the cervical spinal cord was adequately decompressed in situ.No specific complications were identified that were associated with this technique.Conclusion The present study elaborates the surgical tips and demonstrates the satisfactory outcome of ACAF for the treatment of OPLL.This novel technique has the potential to serve as an alternative surgical technique for the treatment of cervical OPLL.

Objective    To compare long-term outcomes following mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) for native valve endocarditis (NVE). Methods    Between November 1993 and August 2016, consecutive 101 patients with NVE underwent mitral surgery in our department, MVP for 52 patients and MVR for 49 patients. There were 69 males and 32 females at age of 38.1±14.9 years. The mean follow-up was 99.4±75.8 months. Results    There was no statistical difference in cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, in-hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay or hospital stay after surgery between the two groups. Survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 97.6%, 97.6%, 97.6% for MVP, and 93.5%, 84.3%, 84.3%, 66.2% for MVR with a statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.018). There was no stroke in the patients with MVP during follow-up periods. However, stroke-free survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 93.9%, 89.4%, 70.2% for MVR patients with a statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.023). There was no statistical difference in recurrence of infection, perivalvular leakage and reoperation between the two groups. Composite endpoint-free survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 97.6%, 92.9%, 92.9% for MVP, and 91.3%, 79.6%, 75.8%, 51.0% for MVR with a statistical difference (P=0.006). Conclusion    MVP is associated with better outcomes than MVR in the patients  with NVE; generalizing MVP technique in the patients with NVE is needed.