In recent years，West China Hospital of Sichuan University actively participated in medical assistance and rescue in Wenchuan，Yushu and Lushan earthquakes. However，professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical assistance and rescue in earthquakes remain unclear because of the particularity of cardiovascular surgery, which often affects the assembly of medical assistance and rescue teams. Thus，we need to explore the necessity for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake. In this article，medical rescue work of cardiovascular surgeons within 72 hours after 2008 “5•12” Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 “4•20” Lushan earthquake is analyzed and compared to identify professional roles of cardiovascular surgeons in medical rescue within 72 hours after earthquake. It is necessary for cardiovascular surgeons to join medical rescue teams within 72 hours after earthquake.
Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect (ASD) mainly includes occlusion or repair under cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation includes transcatheter radiofrequency ablation or Maze surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There are many treatments for ASD patients combined with atrial fibrillation, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. We reported an ASD patient combined with atrial fibrillation treated by totally endoscopic "one-stop" radiofrequency ablation and simultaneous transthoracic ASD occlusion of atrial fibrillation, with good postoperative results.
Baoxing airborne medical team of West China Hospital participated in the medical rescue in 2013 “4?20”Lushan earthquake. The medical team excellently fulfilled their rescue task for 1 week in the earthquake-struck areas where there was power and communication failure and lack of water and food supply. We found some experiences and problems in airbornemedical team assembly and member selection, which may provide quotable experiences for future disaster assistance and rescue teams.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and breast cancer are common diseases with high incidence, which can be promoted and maintained by a wide range of regulatory factors (changes of hormone secretion, chronic inflammation, dysfunctions in autonomic nervous system, coagulation system and endothelia). There may be a consistent pathophysiological link between the increased incidence of breast cancer and AF, which is currently seldomly reported. The development process of these two diseases are complex, and the occurrence of breast cancer may increase the incidence of AF. In this paper, we reviewed the relationship between breast cancer and AF based on the latest reports.
ObjectiveTo observe the changes of left atrial geometry before and after mitral valve replacement in patients with different types of mitral valve disease and different heart rhythm, and to identify factors determining left atrial remodeling after mitral valve replacement. MethodsA total of 215 consecutive patients of mitral valve replacement in Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of West China Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2003 to March 2008 were selected and followed up for this study. There were 52 male and 163 female patients with their age of 40.58±10.54 years (ranged, 18-67 years). St. Jude Medical mechanical valves were used. According to the type of mitral valve diseases (mitral stenosis (MS) or mitral regurgitation (MR)) and heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation (AF) or sinus rhythm (SR)), patients were divided into 4 groups. There were 54 patients with MS and SR (including 13 male and 41 female patients with their age of 39.31±9.46 years), 56 patients with MS and AF (including 14 male and 42 female patients with their age of 41.12±10.72 years), 52 patients with MR and SR (including 12 male and 40 female patients with their age of 39.71±10.09 years), 53 patients with MR and AF (including 13 male and 40 female patients with their age of 40.19±11.87 years). All patients had routine examinations and echocardiogram preoperatively and two years after surgery. Left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAD), left atrial area (LAA), left atrial volume (LAV) and left atrial volume index (LAVi) were used to analyze the changes of left atrial geometry. ResultsThere was no in-hospital death. Major postoperative complications included low cardiac output syndrome in 5 patients, pneumonia in 6 patients. LAVi were lower in mitral stenosis patients than that in mitral regurgitation patients (P<0.05), LAVi were lower in patients with sinus rhythm than that in patients with atrial fibrillation (P<0.05). Two years after mitral valve replacement, the extent of left atrial reverse remodeling were significantly greater in mitral regurgitation patients than in mitral stenosis patients (P<0.05), and the extent of left atrial reverse remodeling were significantly greater in patients with sinus rhythm than that in patients with atrial fibrillation (P<0.05). ConclusionsAge, atrial fibrillation, preoperative left atrial volume, mitral regurgitation, left ventricle end-diastolic diameter are important influencing factors of left atrial reverse remodeling after mitral valve replacement.