Objective To investigate the vaccination rate of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in patients undergoing cardiac mechanical valve replacement and to evaluate its effect on international normalized ratio (INR) value. MethodsWe investigated 132 patients who had received cardiac mechanical valve replacement and followed up in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University from May to October 2021. There were 51 males and 81 females aged 26-72 (53.01±9.51) years. ResultsThe vaccination coverage rate was 53.8%. Among the 61 unvaccinated patients, concerns about heart side-effects were the main reason. The average INR of the first review after vaccination was higher than that of the last review before vaccination, with a difference of 0.40±0.72 (P<0.001). ConclusionThe vaccination rate of patients after cardiac mechanical valve replacement is low. At the same time, COVID-19 vaccine may increase INR value, and it is suggested that patients should increase the frequency of review and adjust warfarin dosage after vaccination.
The management of women with mechanical heart valves during pregnancy remains difficult and controversial. The selection of prosthetic heart valve, management during pregnancy and delivery period, guidelines and anticoagulation strategy used in patients with a mechanical heart valve in China are summarized in this review.
Abstract： Objective To summarize our operative experiences of cardiac reoperation after mechanical valve prosthesis replacement and investigate the causes of reoperation and the perioperative techniques and operation methods. Methods From January 2001 to December 2008, we performed reoperation on 105 patients (59 males and 46 females, aged 50.2±10.6 years old) who had undergone mechanical valve prosthesis replacement. Among the patients, there were 31 cases of mitral valvular replacement (+ tricuspid valvular plasticity), 38 cases of aortic valvular replacement (+ tricuspid valvular plasticity), 11 cases of Bentall procedure, 7 cases of mitral and aortic bivalvular replacement (+tricuspid valvular plasticity), 8 cases of tricuspid valvular replacement, 6 cases of repairing of prosthetic leakage, and 4 others cases. The time interval between two operations was 3 months to 18 years (46.3 ±31.9 months). Before reoperation, the cardiac function (NYHA) of the patients was class Ⅱ in 27 patients, class Ⅲ in 53 patients, and class Ⅳ in 25 patients. Results There were 6 hospital deaths with a mortality of 5.71%(6/105). All others recovered to NYHA class ⅠⅡ. The causes of mortality included 1 case of multiple organ failure, 1 case of low cardiac output after operation, 1 case of aortic pseudoaneurysm rupture, 1 case of severe infection due to brain complication and 2 cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). The causes for cardiac reoperation after mechanical valve prosthesis replacement were 67 cases of prosthetic leakage (63.80%), 16 cases of PVE (15.23%), 14 cases of prosthetic thrombosis (13.33%) and 8 cases of other valvular anomalies. Followup was done for 11 to 107 months, which showed two cases late deaths of cardiac arrest and cerebral hemorrhage. Conclusion Patients who have received mechanical valve prosthesis replacement may undergo cardiac reoperation due to paravalvular prosthetic leakage, paravalvular endocarditis, and prosthetic thrombosis. The keys to a successful cardiac reoperation include appropriate preoperative preparations, operational timing, and suitable choosing of cardiopulmonary bypass and operational skills.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the early and mid-term outcomes of GK bileaflet mechanical valve applied in mitral valve replacement. MethodsTwenty patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis underwent mitral valve replacement in our hospital from March 2008 to June 2011. Ten patients of them chose GK bileaflet mechanical valve for surgery (a GK group, 5 males and 5 females, aged 56.4±8.9 years), while the other 10 patients chose Medtronic Open Pivot mechanical valve (a Medtronic group, 4 males and 6 females, aged 50.2±8.0 years). The preoperative, perioperative and postoperative data were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Cardiac CT angiography (CTA) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were performed to evaluate leaflets opening angle, the morphological features of the mechanical valve and the hemodynamic features in the third year after surgery during the follow-up. ResultsNo mortality, defect, low cardiac output syndrome or bleeding after surgery occurred in either group. The result of 3-year follow-up showed that the function of the mechanical valve showed no difference between the two groups. Cardiac CTA and TEE showed good morphological features in all patients. ConclusionThe GK bileaflet mechanical valve has equivalent effect as Medtronic Open Pivot mechanical valve for mitral valve replacement during the 3-year follow-up.
Objective To analyze the causes of mechanical valve dysfunction and the reconstructive surgical procedure, and summarize the treatment experiences in perioperative period. Methods From October 1996 to October 2008, 12 276 patients underwent mechanical valve replacement in Fu Wai Hospital. Thirtytwo of them were reoperated because of mechanical valve dysfunction. There were 12 male and 20 female aged from 1661 years with an average age of 43.8 years. All the reoperations were performed under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, including 16 mitral valve replacement, 8 aortic valve replacement, 3 aortic and mitral valve replacement, 3 tricuspid valve replacement, 2 disc rotation and 1 excision of an excessive knot. There were 13 emergency operation and 19 elective operation. Results The time of ventilator assistant respiration was 5.1-144.0 hours.The median time was 15 hours and tracheostomy was needed in 2 cases. Six patients died after reoperations, the mortality rate was 18.8%(6/32). Three died of low cardiac output syndrome, 2 died of multiple organ failure and 1 died of malignant arrhythmia. Three cases had complications. There were 1 infective endocarditis, 1 intractable hiccup and 1 incisional infection, respectively. They were all cured and discharged. Conclusion Prosthetic valve dysfunction is one of the serious complications after mechanical valve replacement. Early detection, early diagnosis and early reoperation are needed.
ObjectiveTo explore optimal intensity of oral anticoagulation for patients with prosthetic heart valves in Northeast China. MethodsA total of 856 patients in Northeast China who underwent prosthetic heart valve replacement in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery,Second Hospital of Jilin University from January 2005 to June 2013 were enrolled in this study. There were 406 male and 450 female patients with their age of 45.2±13.3 years. All the patients received low-intensity oral anticoagulation [international normalized ratio (INR) 1.5-2.2,aortic valve replacement (AVR):1.5-1.8,mitral valve replacement (MVR):1.8-2.2]. Patients were followed up after discharge,and the incidence of anticoagulation-related complications was summarized. ResultsThese patients were followed up for 1-78 (18.3±12.2) months,and the follow-up rate was 75.4%. Twelve patients (1.86%) had thromboembolic complications and 10 patients (1.55%) had hemorrhagic complications. Average warfarin dosage was 3.4±0.8 mg/day,and average INR was 1.94±0.54 during follow-up. ConclusionFor patients with prosthetic heart valves in Northeast China,low-intensity anticoagulation can produce satisfactory clinical outcomes to reduce the incidence of anticoagulation-related thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications.
Abstract: Objective To summarize the clinical experience of 13 patients of tricuspid valve replacement and to investigate the indication and method. Methods From January 1994 to December 2005, the clinical datum of the thirteen patients suffering from tricuspid valve disease were reviewed, including rheumatic heart disease 6 cases, congenital heart disease 3 cases, infective endocarditis 3 cases and right ventricular tumor 1 case. All the cases underwent tricuspid valve replacement. Results Two reoperative rheumatic heart disease patients died early after operation and their cardiac function was New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅳ before operation. The followup interval was 3 months to 12 years in 11 cases. There were 2 late death, one died of recurrence of infective endocarditis, and another died of the recurrence of the tumor. One Ebstein anomaly case’s NYHA functional recovered to class Ⅲ, eight cases’s recovered to NYHA classⅠ-Ⅱ. Conclusion The tricuspid valve disease may be a secondary lesion from many causes. Indication of tricuspid valve replacement must be strictly commanded. The late results of tricuspid valve mechanical prostheses replacement is satisfactory.
Hemorrhage and thromboembolism are the most important long-term complications of anticoagulation therapy after mechanical heart valve replacement. The anticoagulation therapy intensity should be lowered in order to decrease the hemorrhagic complication. In recent years, the chief progresses of anticoagulation therapy are the using of International Normalized Ratio (INR) in anticoagulation therapy monitoring and the low intensity anticoagulation therapy. The proper anticoagulation intensities at home are INR 1.5-2.0 and prothrombin time ratio (PTR) 1.3-1.5. It is beneficial to adopt this low intensity anticoagulation therapy for decreasing the death rate from hemorrhage, protecting pregnant women and new borns from hemorrhage and malformation, and improving the life qualities of the patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of mechanical and biological valves on clinical benefits of elderly patients with valvular heart disease.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 280 elderly patients with valvular heart disease treated by valve replacement between 2008 and 2014 year. The patients were divided into two groups by tendency score matching including a group A with biological valves and a group B with mechanical valves. Finally, there were 96 patients in each group. There were 43 males and 53 females at age of 64.41±6.52 years in the group A, 44 males and 52 females at age of 64.07±6.20 years in the group B.ResultsThe bleeding rate of skin and mucosa of the group B was significantly higher than that of the group A (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in mortality within 30 days after operation, all-cause mortality, re-hospitalization rate, re-valve replacement rate, combined atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation ratio, drug use, incidence of cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, new peripheral vascular embolism and visceral hemorrhage, heart function (NYHA) classification, the cumulative survival rate of all the patients during follow-up (P=0.63), or the cumulative survival rate of the patients with no thrombus/hemorrhage (P=0.75) between the two groups (P>0.05).ConclusionMechanical valve replacement and bioprosthetic valve replacement in the treatment of valvular heart disease in the elderly can achieve similar clinical benefits and both have clinical application value.