A Female Patient With Recurrent Headache and Syncope.

This case report discusses a diagnosis of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in a female patient in her 30s who presented with a 5-year history of hypoxia, syncope, and headaches.

Case report: Percoronary device closure of tortuous coronary artery fistula into left atrium.

Surgical ligation and transcatheter occlusion are the mainstream for the treatment of coronary artery fistulas (CAFs). However, these techniques applied to tortuous and aneurysmal CAF, especially those draining into left-heart, have their known drawbacks. We report, a successful percoronary device closure of such CAF, originating from left main coronary artery and draining into left atrium, through a left subaxillary minithoracotomy. Through a puncture on the distal straight course, we occluded CAF exclusively under transesophageal echocardiography guidance. Complete occlusion was achieved. It's a simple, safe, and effective alternative for tortuous, large, and aneurysmal CAFs draining into the left heart.

A Giant Cardiac Hemangioma Encroaching on the Right Coronary Artery.

The cardiac hemangioma is a relatively rare cardiac tumor. It can occur in different locations in the heart. We describe a patient with a giant cardiac hemangioma encroaching on the right coronary artery who underwent a successful surgical resection. Complete resection of the tumor was achieved without damaging the function of the right coronary artery. Nonetheless, meticulous follow-up is required as recurrence is possible.

Echocardiographic characteristics of transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale with mallow biodegradable occluder: A single-center, phase III clinical study.

Background: Transcatheter occlusion of patent foramen ovale (PFO) has become a recognized treatment option for high-risk PFO-related diseases. However, traditional metal occluders have some disadvantages, such as permanent retention in the body, abrasion of tissues, and obstruction of access to the left side of the heart for interventional procedures. With biodegradable occluders that release non-toxic degradation products and are absorbable by the body, the risk of long-term complications could be greatly reduced. The experimental results of using a PFO-degradable occluder in beagle dogs in early stages, independently developed by Shanghai Mallow Medical Instrument Co., Ltd., showed that the occluding umbrella disc network was degraded 6 months after occlusion. The occluder also showed good memory, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties. Methods: As one of the multi-center research units, this prospective Phase III clinical trial study included 16 patients with PFO-related complications who were treated with a degradable occluder. The follow-up period lasted for 12 months to analyze the echocardiographic characteristics and procedural feasibility. Results: The immediate success rate of the procedure was 100% with no serious complications. Postoperative color Doppler transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) at 12 months showed that one patient with atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) had a residual shunt at the edge of the occluder, and contrast transcranial Doppler (cTCD) showed that all patients were grade I or 0 right-to-left shunts (RLS), indicating that the occlusion success rate was 100%. The occluder gradually degraded after the procedure, particularly when the umbrella disc structure became vague, and the size of the occluder decreased significantly 6 months after occlusion. Conclusions: PFO closure with a Mallow degradable occluder has a high plugging success rate, is safe and effective, and has no serious complications. However, for PFO closure with special anatomical features, further research with a larger sample size is required. TTE can dynamically, conveniently, and accurately observe the entire degradation process of the occluder. Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR1900024036.

Inter-Defect Septal Puncture Technique For Single Device Closure of Wide-Spaced Multi-Hole Atrial Septal Defect.

Closure of a wide-spaced multi-hole secundum atrial septal defect (MHASD) using a single occluder is difficult to accomplish. Multiple occluder implantation has risks such as incomplete endothelialisation, device embolisation, and residual shunt. Blade or balloon septotomy enables single device occlusion; however, the aforementioned may cause a short circumferential rim with subsequent device instability. This paper describes an inter-defect septal puncture technique for single device closure of different layouts of wide-spaced MHASDs via per-atrial or percutaneous approach under exclusive transoesophageal echocardiographic guidance. This technique combined with anti-tenting puncture equally befits a small caval atrial septal defect and MHASD with a floppy aneurysmal septum.

Optical substrates for drug-metabolizing enzymes: Recent advances and future perspectives

Drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), a diverse group of enzymes responsible for the metabolic elimination of drugs and other xenobiotics, have been recognized as the critical determinants to drug safety and efficacy. Deciphering and understanding the key roles of individual DMEs in drug metabolism and toxicity, as well as characterizing the interactions of central DMEs with xenobiotics require reliable, practical and highly specific tools for sensing the activities of these enzymes in biological systems. In the last few decades, the scientists have developed a variety of optical substrates for sensing human DMEs, parts of them have been successfully used for studying target enzyme(s) in tissue preparations and living systems. Herein, molecular design principals and recent advances in the development and applications of optical substrates for human DMEs have been reviewed systematically. Furthermore, the challenges and future perspectives in this field are also highlighted. The presented information offers a group of practical approaches and imaging tools for sensing DMEs activities in complex biological systems, which strongly facilitates high-throughput screening the modulators of target DMEs and studies on drug/herb‒drug interactions, as well as promotes the fundamental researches for exploring the relevance of DMEs to human diseases and drug treatment outcomes.

Peratrial Balloon Pulmonary Valvotomy in Infants: Right Ventricular Wall None-Touch Technique.

Peratrial balloon pulmonary valvotomy, an alternative technique for severe pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS) in infants, performed exclusively under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance, is hereby described. The technique is performed using a hollow probe through a right minithoracotomy in the fourth intercostal space. The hollow probe introduces a guidewire through the PVS without touching the right ventricular wall, therefore avoiding eliciting ventricular arrhythmias, spasm of the right ventricular outflow tract, and subsequent hemodynamic instability. Unlike conventional approaches, the peratrial technique permits quicker orientation and dilatation and allows quick conversion to open heart surgery when needed.

Percardiac closure of large apical ventricular septal defects in infants: Novel modifications and mid-term results.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Both open heart surgery and percutaneous approaches retain several limitations in closing large apical muscular ventricular septal defects (AmVSD) in infants. We present probe-assisted percardiac device closure (PDC), an exclusively transoesophageal-echocardiography guided technique, as an alternative with midterm results. METHODS: Thirty-six infants with large AmVSDs (single or multiple-holed) underwent PDC in our department. Mean AmVSD for single and multiple-holed measured 7.2 ± 2.4 mm and 6.3 ± 3.4 mm, respectively. Subjects presented with a spectrum of cardiopulmonary sequelae and growth retardation, either alone or combined. Some were ventilator dependent and re-do cases. In addition, AmVSDs were categorized: cylindrical, tunnel and cave-like shaped as per color Doppler interrogation. Pursuant to cardiac access and deployment technique, subjects were apportioned: group A; inferior median sternotomy (perventricular), B; right mini-thoracotomy (peratrial) and C; complete median sternotomy (perventricular). Under exclusive echocardiography, the Z- or J probe-assisted delivery system was utilized to access AmVSDs and implant device(s) via aforementioned techniques. RESULTS: Forty-two muscular ventricular septal devices (8.4 ± 2.6 mm) were implanted in 36 subjects uneventfully. Seventeen "complex," and 10 cylindrical or straight tunnel-shapedAmVSDs (including 2 re-do patients) suited perventricular and peratrial techniques respectively. Comparatively, group B exhibited shorter procedural indices than A (p < .01). Five of 15 multiple-holed AmVSDs (four Swiss cheese) required two or three devices for a satisfactory occlusion. Nevertheless, post occlusion insignificant residual shunts( ≤ 2 mm) seldom achieved spontaneous closure, and at 36-month follow-up complete closure was 67%. Residual shunt persisted amongst multiple-holed. All patients improved during follow up. CONCLUSION: PDC is feasible, safe and effective alternative technique for AmVSD in infants.

Changes of brain functional network in neonates with different degrees of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore the changes of brain network functional connection in neonates with different degrees of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE), and to understand its influence on brain function.Methods:Clinical data of full-term HIE children hospitalized in Neonatology Department of Changzhou Children's Hospital from January 2017 to May 2020 were collected by convenient sampling method. A total of 44 cases were scanned by conventional and functional magnetic resonance image.Twenty-four of them met the inclusion criteria, including 11 mild patients (PT1 group) and 13 moderate and severe patients (PT2 group). The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was used to compare the differences of ALFF values between PT1 group and PT2 group, and the differences of functional connectivity (FC) between PT1 group and PT2 group were compared by the method of brain network connectivity analysis.Results:In the edge analysis, compared with the PT1 group, the FC of the right supplementary motor area and the right precentral gyrus ( Z1=0.39, Z2 =-0.08), the right lingual gyrus and the right hippocampus ( Z1=0.61, Z2=0.20), the left calcarine cortex and the right amygdala ( Z1=0.30, Z2=-0.02), the right pallidus and the right posterior cingulate cortex ( Z1=0.33, Z2=0.05) were decreased in the PT2 group (all P<0.001, uncorrected). In ALFF analysis, there was no significant difference between PT1 group and PT2 group ( P>0.05, FDR adjusted). Conclusion:There are changes in functional connections in some brain regions in children with moderate and severe HIE.These functional connections are related to motor function, emotional processing, language development, cognitive function, learning and memory, etcetera.

Clinical manifestations and cutaneous sequelae of neonatal lupus erythematosus: 13 case reports / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate cutaneous sequelae of neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE), and to analyze possible related factors.Methods:A total of 13 NLE patients with long-term follow-up were collected from Department of Dermatology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from 2016 to 2020, and clinical manifestations and cutaneous sequelae of these patients, as well as clinical manifestations of their mothers, were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Skin lesions occurred in the 13 patients within 120 days after birth, with an average onset time of 15 days, and the follow-up duration ranged from 15 to 43 months. Skin lesions mainly manifested as annular erythema, maculopapules and scales, and subsided within 2 - 18 months (average, 7.4 months). Pigmentation abnormalities occurred in 6 cases after subsidence of skin lesions, including 3 with both hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation, 2 with hypopigmentation alone, and 1 with hyperpigmentation alone. One patient with hypopigmentation achieved repigmentation after 18 months of follow-up, and no telangiectasia, atrophy or scars were observed. No abnormalities were observed in the mothers of 8 patients before pregnancy, and the mothers of 4 patients were positive for antinuclear antibody, anti-SSA/Ro antibody and anti-SSB/La antibody.Conclusions:Cutaneous sequelae can occur after skin involvement of NLE, and mainly includes pigmentation abnormalities, most of which can not subside after a long time. Attention should be paid to potential immune system abnormalities in the mothers of patients with NLE.

Efficacy of percutaneous intervention for patent ductus arteriosus guided by transesophageal echocardiography in obese teenagers / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the safety and efficacy of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided percutaneous intervention for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in obese teenagers. Methods    From January 2018 to June 2019, 21 obese teenagers with PDA treated with femoral artery occlusion guided by TEE in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Dalian Children's Hospital of Dalian Medical University were included in this study, including 13 males and 8 females aged 12.8-17.3 (15.1±1.7) years, with an average weight of 51.0-89.0 (73.4±10.1) kg. The operative effect was evaluated. Results    All patients successfully received the surgery, and none was changed to radiation-guided or thoracotomy ligation. The average operating time was 23.9±6.8 min, the average postoperative hospitalization time was 3.8±0.6 d. No peripheral vascular injury, intracardiac infection or pericardial effusion occurred. The mean follow-up time was 19.5±4.9 months, and the results of all reexaminations were good. Conclusion    For some PDA children with obesity, emphysema or thoracic malformation, it is difficult to block PDA by transthoracic ultrasound-guided percutaneous intervention, and TEE can avoid the interference of chest wall and lung qi, or other factors. It is an effective supplementary guidance method worthy of promotion.

Device closure of diverse layout of multi-hole secundum atrial septal defect: different techniques and long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: There are no unanimous reports on different layouts and classifications of multi-hole secundum atrial septal defects (MHASD) and subsequent standardized occlusion techniques. The MHASD can be isolated or cribriform with variable inter-defects distance. In this retrospective study, experience-based classification and two approaches-based occlusion results are presented. METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analyzed data of 150 MHASD patients from 1320 patients who underwent atrial septal defect occlusion in our institute. The MHASD patients were categorized into 4 types; type A, B, C and D and occluded under exclusive transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. According to different types, 122 patients were occluded using peratrial approach and 28 patients via percutaneous approach. In type A, single device implantation is performed to occlude the large hole and squeeze the small one. For type B single or double-device deployment was performed depending on an inter-defects distance. In type C and D, a patent foramen-ovale (PF) device was selectively positioned to the central defect to occlude the central defect and cover the peripheral ones. In peratrial approach, 8 patients underwent inter-defects septal puncture technique to achieve single-device occlusion. The intracardiac manipulation time, procedural time, double device deployment, redeployment rate, residual shunt, and proportions were analyzed between (and within peratrial technique) two techniques. RESULTS: Successful occlusion was achieved in all 150 patients. Single device occlusion was applied in 78/84 type A and 22/37 type B patients (p < 0.05). Double device occlusion was more applicable to type B than A patients (p < 0.01). Sixteen of 21 type C and all type D patients used PF device for a satisfactory occlusion. Redeployment of the device occurred frequently in type B patients than A (p < 0.01). The intracardiac manipulation time and procedural time were shorter in type A than B (p < 0.05). The intracardiac manipulation time was also shortened in type A peratrial than type A percutaneous group (p < 0.05). Complete occlusion rate for all patients at discharge was 70% and rose to 82% at 1 year follow up. CONCLUSIONS: The diverse layouts and classification of MHASDs can help to choose different techniques and proper devices of different kinds to achieve better occlusion results.

Peratrial Device Closure of Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm Into Right Atrium.

An alternative peratrial device closure technique for ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm into the right atrium under exclusive transesophageal echocardiographic guidance is presented. The ruptured site was occluded with a hollow probe-assisted delivery system through a fourth intercostal mini-incision. The peratrial approach provided perfect alignment and positioning for device deployment to avoid device impingement on the aortic valve. This technique may help a certain number of patients, especially those patients with a prior history of radiocontrast media allergy.

Peratrial Device Closure of Different Locations of Mitral Paravalvular Leaks.

BACKGROUND: The current approaches of transcatheter closure of mitral paravalvular leak (MPVL) have different drawbacks. The challenges come from transseptal puncture, accessing the MPVL site, and the absence of dedicated delivery systems. This study introduces a novel peratrial approach for device closure of different locations of MPVLs using a probe-assisted delivery system under three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. METHODS: A 4.0-cm minithoracotomy incision was made in the fourth right interspaces. The right atrium and the interatrial septum were punctured and dilated, followed by a guidewire passing through the septum. A specially designed J-shaped bendable hollow probe was advanced into the left atrium. The steerable probe was adjusted to cross the MPVL and introduced a stiff guidewire into the left ventricle. A 7F short delivery sheath was advanced over the wire through the MPVL into the left ventricle. A proper-sized muscular septal occluder was then selected and deployed. RESULTS: Transesophageal echocardiography revealed complete occlusion in 7 of 8 patients after a follow-up of 6 months to 4 years. Mild residual paravalvular regurgitation occurred in an early patient. In 2 patients with a crescent-shaped MPVL, two guidewires were advanced into the left ventricle across the leak, and double devices were deployed sequentially. All patients' symptoms improved by at least one New York Heart Association functional class. CONCLUSIONS: The peratrial technique can access and close MPVLs at different locations through a right minithoracotomy approach. This technique has the advantages of easy transseptal puncture, easy access to the MPVL site, and no exposure to radiation.

Primary comparative study on the functional properties of cerebral resting state networks in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the functional properties of the brain's resting state networks in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.Methods Use the methods of functional MRI probabilistic tractography and graph theory to compare the global and local functional properties of the brain's resting state network between 12 cases of children with mild HIE and 14 cases of children with moderate/severe HIE.Results In terms of global topological properties,both the mild and moderate/severe group showed small-world properties.The γ and λ in the mild group were 2.450± 1.642 and 1.542±0.564 and in the moderate/severe group were 2.331± 1.554 and 1.353±0.672,respectively,which were in line with the characteristics of small-world properties (γ＞ 1 and λ ≈ 1).As far as local topological properties were concerned,the distribution of hub regions in the functional networks had smaller number of nodes in the moderate/severe group (8 nodes) than the mild group (14 nodes).The comparison of nodal efficiencies showed that the moderate/severe group had significantly reduced nodal efficiency in the left insula opercula,left supramarginal gyrus,left and right temporal pole and right middle temporal gyrus(the nodal efficiencies of the moderate/severe group:0.4089±0.0865,0.3377±0.1223,0.3842±0.0898,0.3508±0.1295,0.3564±0.0843;the nodal efficiencies of the mild group:0.4801±0.0762,0.4465±0.0898,0.4655 ±0.0812,0.4640±0.0690,0.4271±0.0636,all P＜0.05).Conclusion The topological structure of resting state functional network in children with moderate and severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is obviously backward than that in children with mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy,which may be related to abnormal language,movement and cognitive function in the late stage.

Cognitive development of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To investigate the characteristics of cognitive development of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) degree centrality (DC) from the view of neuro-imaging.Methods Forty-five ADHD children were diagnosed at specialist clinic of Changzhou Children's Hospital,Nantong University from June 2015 to December 2016,and they were divided into 3 groups according to their ages (children aged 7-8 years old,9-10 years old and 11-12 years old,15 children in each group) and received the resting-state fMRI scans.DC value was used to analyze fMRI data.Comparative analysis was done pairwise between the three groups.Results Compared with 7-8 years old group,9-10 years old group showed lower DC value in cerebellum posterior lobe (t =-4.36) and higher DC in inferior parietal lobe (t =-5.86),and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05,after correction).Compared with 7-8 years old group,11-12 years old group showed lower DC value in cerebellum posterior lobe (t =-4.99) and higher DC in left superior temporal gyrus (t =5.18) and superior frontal gyrus (t =4.58),and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05,after correction).Compared with 9-10 years old group,11-12 years old group showed lower DC value in inferior parietal lobe (t =-5.71) and higher DC value in left superior temporal gyrus (t =5.05) and superior frontal gyrus (t =4.36),and all the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05,after correction).Conclusion Children with ADHD at different ages had different characteristics of brain regions of fMRI.It can offer objective evidence for early cognitive intervention of children with ADHD at different ages.

Perventricular double-device closure of wide-spaced multi-hole perimembranous ventricular septal defect.

BACKGROUND: Device closure of a wide-spaced multi-hole PmVSD is difficult to succeed in percutaneous approach. This study is to evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of perventricular device closure of wide-spaced multi-hole PmVSD using a double-device implanting technique. METHODS: Sixteen patients with wide-spaced multi-hole PmVSD underwent perventricular closure with two devices through an inferior median sternotomy approach under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. The largest hole and its adjacent small holes were occluded with an optimal-sized device. The far-away residual hole was occluded with the other device using a probe-assisted delivery system. All patients were followed up for a period of 1 to 4 years to determine the residual shunt, atrioventricular block and the adjacent valvular function. RESULTS: The number of the holes of the PmVSD was 2 to 4. The maximum distance between the holes was 5.0 to 10.0 mm (median, 6.4 mm). The diameter of the largest hole was 2.5 to 7.0 mm (median, 3.6 mm). The success rate of double-device closure was 100%. Immediate residual shunts were found in 6 patients (38%), and incomplete right bundle branch block at discharge occurred in 3 cases (19%). Both complications decreased to 6% at 1-year follow-up. Neither of them had a severe device-related complication. CONCLUSIONS: Perventricular closure of a wide-spaced multi-hole PmVSD using a double-device implanting technique is feasible, safe, and efficacious. In multi-hole PmVSDs with the distance between the holes of more than 5 mm, double-device implantation may achieve a complete occlusion.