Risk factors for postoperative recurrence of cardiac myxoma and the clinical managements: a report of 5 cases in one center and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence or metastasis of myxomas is not rare and can lead to malignancy. We aimed to analyze the risk factors for postoperative cardiac myxoma recurrence and to summarize its clinical characteristics, treatments and classification. METHODS: The clinical data of 5 patients with recurrent cardiac myxoma were retrospectively analyzed and our clinical experience was summarized. Moreover, the relevant literatures were reviewed. RESULTS: All the five cases of primary myxomas were derived from atypical positions. One patient had early distant metastasis, one had family history, and two suffered malignant recurrence. The recurrence interval was (2.30 ± 2.16) years and the recurrent tumors were all found in different chambers from those of the corresponding primary tumors. Re-operation was performed after recurrence. One patient died of heart failure after malignant recurrence, and the other 4 cases had satisfactory therapeutic outcomes after re-operations. Our experience advocated a clinical classification of "typical" and "atypical" cardiac myxoma, the typical myxomas referred to the tumors locating at the left atria, with single pedicle, rooted at or around the fossa ovalis, involving no genetic causes, and the atypical myxomas included the familial tumors, tumors stemming from multiple chambers, rooted in abnormal positions of the left atrium, with evident genetic mutation, or with malignant tendency. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative follow-up is of vital importance for patients with myxomas characterized by multi-chamber distribution, early distant metastasis, atypical origin, and family history. Once recurs, re-operation is necessary and should be performed immediately.

TLR4 mediates lung injury and inflammation in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Splanchnic ischemia is common in critically ill patients, and it can result in injury not only of the intestine but also in distant organs, particularly in the lung. Local inflammatory changes play a pivotal role in the development of acute lung injury after intestinal ischemia, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. We sought to examine the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the mouse model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced lung injury and inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male TLR4 mutant (C3H/HeJ) mice and TLR4 wild-type (WT) (C3H/HeOuJ) mice were subjected to 40 min of intestinal ischemia by clamping the superior mesenteric artery followed by 6 h of reperfusion. Lung histology was assessed and parameters of pulmonary microvascular permeability, inflammatory cytokine expression, and neutrophil infiltration were measured. Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the transcription factors nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in the lungs were also detected. RESULTS: After intestinal I/R, lungs from TLR4 mutant mice demonstrated a significantly lower histological injury, a marked reduction of epithelial apoptosis associated with the decreased level of cleaved caspase-3 and the increased ratio of Bcl-xL to Bax proteins, and a large reduction in pulmonary vascular permeability and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in comparison with WT mice. TLR4 mutant mice also displayed marked decreases in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) expression. Following intestinal I/R, phosporylation of p38 MAPK and activation of NF-κB and AP-1 were significantly inhibited in lung tissue from TLR4 mutant mice compared with WT controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that TLR4 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of intestinal I/R-induced acute lung injury and inflammation and that p38 kinase and NF-κB may be involved in TLR4 signaling-mediated lung inflammatory processes during intestinal I/R.

[Reoperative valve replacement in patients undergoing cardiac reoperation: a report of 104 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To review the experience of reoperative valve replacement for 104 patients. METHODS: From January 2002 to December 2009, 104 patients underwent heart valve replacement in reoperations, accounting for 2.92% of the total patient population (3557 cases) who had valve replacement during this period. In this group, 53 male and 51 female patients were included with a median age of 46 years (ranged from 13 to 72 years). The reasons of reoperation included 28 cases suffered from another valve lesion after valve replacement, 10 cases suffered from valve lesion after mitral valvuloplasty, 19 cases suffered from perivalvular leakage after valve replacement, 18 cases suffered from valve lesion after previous correction of congenital heart defect, 7 cases suffered from bioprosthetic valve decline, 10 cases suffered from prosthetic valve endocarditis, 9 cases suffered from dysfunction of machine valve, and 3 cases suffered from other causes. The re-operations were mitral and aortic valve replacement in 2 cases, mitral valve replacement in 59 cases, aortic valve replacement in 24 cases, tricuspid valve replacement in 16 cases, and Bentall's operation in 3 cases. The interval from first operation to next operation was 1 month-19 years. RESULTS: There were 8 early deaths from heart failure, renal failure and multiple organ failure (early mortality 7.69%). Major complications were intraoperative hemorrhage in 2 cases, re-exploration for mediastinal bleeding in 2 cases and sternotomy surgical site infection in 1 case. Complete follow-up (3 months-7 years and 2 months) was available for all patients. Two patients died, one patient died of intracranial hemorrhage, and another cause was unknown. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory short-term and long-term results can be obtained in reoperative valve replacement with appropriate timing of operation control, satisfactory myocardial protection, accurate surgical procedure and suitable perioperative treatment.