Coexisting ventricular septal defect affects the features of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the correlation exists between ventricular septal defect (VSD) and ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSVA). Methods: Between September 2003 and April 2014, 80 RSVA patients underwent surgical repair. These patients were retrospectively divided into two groups: the VSD group (38 cases) and the non-VSD group (42 cases).  Results: Rupture points of SVA originated more frequently in the right coronary sinus (RCS) of patients in the VSD group than those in the non-VSD group (p=0.002). In the VSD group, more than 92.1% tended to rupture into the right ventricular outflow tract. The rupture points are diverse in the non-VSD group. A significant difference was found in rupture points of RSVA between the two groups (p less than 0.001). Patients in the VSD group presented with aortic valve disease more often than those in the non-VSD group (p less than 0.001). A total of 67 patients were repaired with a patch at the opening of RSVA; of those, all patients in VSD group and 29 patients in non-VSD group were repaired with a patch. Nine patients in non-VSD group received transcatheter closure of RSVA. Conclusion: The presence or absence of VSD affects the rupture points of SVA, aortic valve disease involved, and therapeutic schedule. Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm type should be clinically modified on the basis of presence or absence of VSD.

[The anatomy features and surgical significance of the pulmonary circuits of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries].

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the anatomy features of the pulmonary circuits in the patients with pulmonary atresia (PA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCA), and discuss the clinical significance. METHODS: From April 2002 to June 2010, the anatomy features of pulmonary circuits in 33 patients with PA/VSD/MAPCA were examined and analyzed. There were 21 male and 12 female patients. The age ranged from 11 months to 29 years. The anatomic types of PA/VSD included group B for 22 cases, group C for 11 cases. Thirty-one patients of them underwent 33 operative procedures. The operations included aorta-pulmonary shunt in 8 cases, one stage unifocalization with VSD open in 2 cases, complete repair in 23 cases. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (87.9%) patients had native pulmonary arteries, 6 of them were normal size and 23 were hypoplastic size. Four patients (12.1%) had no native pulmonary arteries. The postoperative oxygen saturation of the patients undergone shunt and one stage unifocalization was increased to 83% to 90%. There was one early death after complete repair because of multiorgan function failure. There were 4 cases of severe low cardiac output and 3 cases of respiratory function failure. Sixteen patients after complete repair were followed up more than one year. The postoperative right ventricular pressure was 41 to 99 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa). The ejection fraction value was more than 50% in 14 patients and less than 50% in 2 patients. Two patients had medium pulmonary insufficiency. CONCLUSIONS: An individualized approach based on the anatomy of the pulmonary circuits permits achievement in the patients with PA/VSD/MAPCA. The surgical strategy for PA/VSD/MAPCA mainly depends on the anatomy features of native pulmonary arteries, confluent pulmonary arteries and MAPCA.

[Clinical analysis of surgical procedures and outcomes for corrected transposition of great arteries with heart anomaly].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of anatomically corrective repair and traditional repair of corrected transposition of great arteries (c-TGA) with heart anomaly. METHODS: From April 2002 to December 2006, nineteen patients including fourteen male and five female with c-TGA, underwent operations, age ranged from 2 to 22 years old and weight ranged from 10 to 48 kg. Fifteen of them received anatomically corrective repair and the other four received traditional repair. Eighteen patients were referred to SLL (segmental anatomy) in situs solitus while fifteen of them with levocardia and three with dextrocardia. One patient was referred to IDD (segmental anatomy) in situs inversus with levocardia. Associated cardiac lesions included ventricular defect in eighteen patients, double outlet of right ventricle in one patient, pulmonary stenosis in seventeen patients and pulmonary hypertension in two patients. The operative procedures to anatomically correct atrioventricular discordance included an atrial switch plus a ventricle-arterial switch. The atrial switch was performed using the modified Senning procedure (n=13), Senning procedure (n=1) and Mustard procedure (n=1). The ventricle-arterial switch was performed using a Rastelli procedure (n=13) or an arterial switch (n=2). The patients underwent Mustard and Rastelli procedure had received bi-direct Gleen shunt due to postoperative high pressure of superior vena cava. Three patients underwent traditional cardiac repair because of small ventricular septal defect and one patient was reoperated to undergo traditional cardiac repair because of left ventricular failure after received anatomically corrective repair. RESULTS: In the patients received anatomically corrective repair, there was one early operative death received a modified Senning atrial switch and an arterial switch. The cause of death was acute myocardial failure due to imperfect coronary transfer. The postoperative complications included severe low cardiac output syndrome (n=1), temporary atrioventricular block (n=1) and thorax cavity fluidify (n=1). The survivors were followed up for 6 months to 4 years. All were sinus cardiac rhythm and in NYHA class I or II. There was no death in the patients received traditional repair. Four patients were followed up for 1 year. Three patients were in NYHA I or II class and one patient in class II. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomically corrective repair of c-TGA can be performed with good operative survival and intermediate-term outcome. The patients with good right ventricular function and well developed tricuspid valve who were difficult to undergo anatomically corrective repair might be fit to receive traditional repair.

[Study of cardiopulmonary adaptation during exercise in patients after extracardiac conduit total cavopulmonary connection].

OBJECTIVE: To study cardiopulmonary physiology during exercise in patients after extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection (ECTCPC). METHODS: Twenty-six patients were studied after ECTCPC by exercise testing with bicycle treadmill protocol. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory frequency (RF) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) were measured continuously; twenty-six patients suffered from Fallot 4 underwent biventricular repair were also studied as control group. RESULTS: In ECTCPC group, HR, BP, SpO(2) and RF all increased with exercise below 3 grade; when exceed 4 grade, BP, SpO(2) decreased and RF kept increasing. Compared with control group, HR, RF were higher (t = 2.13, P < 0.05; t = 2.31, P < 0.05), SpO(2) was lower (t = 2.46, P < 0.05) under the quiescent condition; When exceed 3 grade, HR, BP, SpO(2) decreased more significantly, but RF increased continuously. In fenestration group after ECTCPC, HR reached the top at 5 grades, but in group without fenestration it reached the top at 3 grades; In the whole process of exercising, RF kept higher and SpO(2) kept lower in fenestration group. CONCLUSIONS: The ECTCPC patients showed obviously exercise limitation. Totally bypass of sinoatrial node in this operation may have some adverse effects on the integer regulation of HR.

[Surgical treatments and results of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the indication and operative program of ventricular septal defect with pulmonary atresia (VSD-PA). METHODS: From June 1984 to March 2005, there were 32 patients with VSD-PA, which underwent 33 operations. Among them, 15 were males and 17 were females. The ages ranged from 6 months to 9 years. There were 9 patients with aortopulmonary collateral arteries. The operations included central aorta-pulmonary shunts 3 cases, one stage complete repair 27 cases and one stage unifocalization with VSD open 2 cases. RESULTS: There were early 5 death including one death after aorta-pulmonary shunt and 4 deaths after one stage complete repair. The causes of death were severe low cardiac output (2 patients), respiratory function failure (1 patient), multiorgan function failure (1 patient) and severe infect (1 patient). Twenty-one patients were followed up from 3 months to 15.5 years. Heart function (NYHA) was class I or II in 19 cases and class III or IV in 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The operative indication and methods mainly depend on the developing of pulmonary arteries and aortopulmonary collateral arteries. Completely surgical repair of patients with VSD-PA can be achieved with acceptable mortality.

[The treatments and results of tetralogy of Fallot with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the indication and operative program of complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (TOF-MAPCA). METHODS: From January 2000 to May 2004, 9 patients with TOF-MAPCA including 5 patients with pulmonary atresia underwent complete surgical repair, 6 of them were male and 3 were female. The ages ranged from 3 to 9 years. All patients underwent corrected operations with moderate hypothermia and cardiopulmonary bypass. Transcatheter occlusion of MAPCA was performed in 5 patients just before corrected operation. Ligation of MAPCA was performed in 1 patient in the same time of cardiac corrected operation. Midline one-stage complete unifocalization and repair were performed in 3 patients with pulmonary atresia. RESULTS: There was one early death. The cause of death was spinal cord hemorrhage. There was no death then. Eight patients were followed up from 3 month to 4 years. Heart function (NYHA) was class I or II in 7 patients and III in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Completely surgical repair of patients with TOF-MAPCA should be performed as early as possible, which can achieve with satisfactory results by transcatheter occlusion of MAPCA or one-stage unifocalization.