Diagnostic criteria for Buerger's disease: International Consensus of VAS - European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine.

Buerger's disease (BD) remains a debilitating condition and early diagnosis is paramount for its effective management. Despite many published diagnostic criteria for BD, selective criteria have been utilized in different vascular centers to manage patients with BD worldwide. A recent international Delphi Consensus Study on the diagnostic criteria of BD showed that none of these published diagnostic criteria have been universally accepted as a gold standard. Apart from the presence of smoking, these published diagnostic criteria have distinct differences between them, rendering the direct comparison of patient outcomes difficult. Hence, the expert committees from the Working Group of the VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine critically reviewed the findings from the Delphi study and provided practical recommendations on the diagnostic criteria for BD, facilitating its universal use. We recommend that the 'definitive' diagnosis of BD must require the presence of three features (history of smoking, typical angiographic features and typical histopathological features) and the use of a combination of major and minor criteria for the 'suspected' diagnosis of BD. The major criterion is the history of active tobacco smoking. The five minor criteria are disease onset at age less than 45 years, ischemic involvement of the lower limbs, ischemic involvement of one or both of the upper limbs, thrombophlebitis migrans and red-blue shade of purple discoloration on edematous toes or fingers. We recommend that a 'suspected' diagnosis of BD is confirmed in the presence of a major criterion plus four or more minor criteria. In the absence of the major criterion or in cases of fewer than four minor criteria, imaging and laboratory data could facilitate the diagnosis. Validation studies on the use of these major and minor criteria are underway.

The Efficacy of Femoral Block and Unilateral Spinal Anaesthesia on Analgesia, Haemodynamics and Mobilization in Patients undergoing Endovenous Ablation in the Lower Extremity.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of femoral block and unilateral spinal anaesthesia on analgesia, haemodynamics and mobilization during endovenous ablation in patients with lower extremity venous insufficiency. METHODS: Forty patients of ASA physical status I and II, with ages ranging between 30 and 45 years, and who were scheduled for endovenous laser ablation for varicose veins were prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized into a unilateral spinal anaesthesia group (group HS, n=20) or a femoral block group (group F, n=20). Group HS received 7.5-10 mg of heavy bupivacaine for unilateral spinal anaesthesia, while group F received 100 mg prilocaine for femoral block with ultrasound guidance. The level of motor blockage (Bromage score), visual pain score, mean heart rate and mean arterial pressures were recorded at postoperative 0, 1, 2, 3d and 6 h, respectively. RESULTS: Perioperative visual pain score values in both groups were <4. None of the groups required an additional analgesic agent. Bromage scores were significantly lower in group F than in group HS during the postoperative period (p<0.01). Motor function returned to normal in all patients at 3 h in group F and at 6 h in group HS. Postoperative mean heart rate and arterial pressure did not differ between the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients with lower extremity venous insufficiency who were undergoing endovenous laser ablation, an ultrasound-guided femoral block provided similar analgesia with that of unilateral spinal anaesthesia. In group F, the duration of anaesthesia and mobilization time was shorter.

[Comparison of thoracic epidural and paravertebral analgesia for postoperative pain control after thoracotomy]. / Torakotomi sonrasi postoperatif agri kontrolünde torakal epidural ve paravertebral blogun karsilastirilmasi.

OBJECTIVES: In the present randomized, controlled, and blinded study, the effects of thoracic paravertebral analgesia were compared to those of epidural analgesia on postoperative pain, hemodynamics, and respiration rate following thoracotomy. METHODS: Patients scheduled for elective open-lung surgery were included. One hour prior to surgery, thoracic epidural catheters were used in 18 patients (ED group), and ultrasound-guided paravertebral catheters were used in 17 patients (PV group). Standard general anesthesia was administered to all. Following anesthesia, postoperative analgesia of levobupivacaine 0.1% and morphine 0.1 mg mL-1 was administered via catheter. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) regime with tramadol was initiated, and amounts of local anesthetics and tramadol demanded and delivered within the first 24 hours were recorded. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, sedation score, side effects, and vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate) were assessed by an observer blinded to patient data at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours. RESULTS: Differences in PCA bolus demands and deliveries were not statistically significant between the PV group (26.8±1.3 and 33.1±4.5) and the ED group (25.1±3.5 and 32.5±4.3). Neither were differences in VAS scores statistically significant (p=0.3). Rates of sedation among the PV group were lower than those of the ED group at 1 hour (p=0.001). Five patients in the ED (%28) group experienced hypotension (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Paravertebral block with levobupivacaine 0.1% and morphine 0.1 mg mL-1 may be an alternative form of pain relief following thoracotomy.

Thromboelastogram reduces blood use by inspecting coagulation in heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Blood transfusion after coronary artery bypass surgery is carried out according to general coagulation tests and blood counts. Our aim was to determine the effects of rotational thromboelastography results on the amount of blood products used in the intraoperative and postoperative periods in coronary artery bypass patients. METHODS: Our study included 164 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass. A control group was formed from 82 patients picked from hospital records, who had elective coronary artery bypass before the introduction of rotational thromboelastography in our clinic. Blood transfusion was performed in this group according to conventional laboratory data. The study group comprised 82 patients who had elective coronary artery bypass after the introduction of rotational thromboelastography. Blood transfusion was performed in the study group according to rotational thromboelastogram results. The amounts of blood products used in the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: There were statistically significant decreases in the intraoperative and postoperative amounts of packed red blood cells (p = 0.012 and p = 0.006) and postoperative whole blood (p = 0.013) used in the study group compared to the control group. Postoperative bleeding was also significantly reduced (p = 0.001) in the study group. CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion is an important issue after coronary artery bypass, and because of the decreased amount of blood products used, a rotational thromboelastography-based blood transfusion algorithm should be applied in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass.

Bentall Operation in a Patient With Severe Hemophilia A and Marfan Syndrome by Use of a Biologic Composite Graft.

We describe a patient with severe hemophilia A and Marfan syndrome who underwent an elective Bentall operation. Because of the severe hemophilia, anticoagulation could not be given postoperatively; thus, a biologic Valsalva conduit graft was used. During the procedure, factor VIII was given as a bolus dose just before incision, then by continous infusion intraoperatively to maintain the factor VIII activity level between 200% and 300%. Minimal postoperative bleeding occurred. The infusion was continued postoperatively at a lower dose until all chest tubes, pacing wires, and invasive catheters were removed. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7 without adverse events.

Is "Attenuation of Oxidative Stress" Helpful to Understand the Mechanism of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning in Cardiac Surgery?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on markers of cardiac ischemia and response to oxidative stress in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, and blinded study. SETTING: A single-center university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: This study included patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass who were selected carefully to prevent confounding with factors known to affect markers of ischemia-reperfusion and response to oxidative stress. INTERVENTIONS: The authors randomly assigned patients to RIPC to the left lower extremity using a blood pressure cuff (study group) or a cuff that was applied but not inflated or deflated (control group). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: At 6 hours after CABG surgery, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group. Levels of superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant enzyme, were significantly greater 15 minutes after release of the cross-clamp in the study group, whereas malondialdehyde levels were lower (not significantly) at 1 and 15 minutes after release of the cross-clamp. Hemodynamic parameters were not significantly different at any time point during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' method of RIPC before CABG surgery resulted in less myocardial ischemia, as indicated by lower troponin levels. Changes in levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes supported the hypothesis that this protection from ischemia-reperfusion injury was related to scavenging of free oxygen radicals. Future studies might include a more heterogeneous population and medications that lower the body's response to oxidative stress.

The Turkish validity and reliability of the venous insufficiency epidemiological and economic study-quality of life/symptoms scales.

The aim of the study was to test Turkish validity and reliability of Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study-Quality of Life/Symptoms (VEINES-QoL/Sym) in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). A total of 118 patients with CVI hospitalized in 3 different hospitals were enrolled in this study. VEINES-QoL/Sym, translated to Turkish with a standard methodology, was applied to the patients and was evaluated for acceptability, reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Cronbach α (including if item deleted) values were used for the reliability analysis. Construct and criterion validity approaches were used for validity analysis. Cronbach α values are .86 for the VEINES-QOL and .81 for the VEINES-Sym. No problematic items were observed for the scale. The VEINES-QoL/Sym was significantly sensitive to clinical, etiology, anatomy, and pathophysiology (CEAP) classification, indicating good criterion validity. Significant correlation was found between scores of SF-36 and VEINESQoL (r = .43-.66). Turkish version of the VEINES-QOL/Sym was found reliable and valid for Turkish patients with CVI.