Technical and Clinical Outcomes Following Colonic Stenting: A Seven-Year Analysis of 268 Procedures.

AIMS: To assess the factors contributing to the technical and clinical success of colorectal stenting for large bowel obstruction. METHODOLOGY: 268 cases of colonic stenting for large bowel obstruction were performed in 249 patients of mean age of 72 years (28-98) between 2006 and 2013. The majority of strictures were due to malignant disease, 244/268 (91 %). Diverticular strictures accounted for 24/268 (9 %). RESULTS: Overall technical success rate was 81 % (217/268), with a clinical success rate of 65 % (174/268). Duration of symptoms ranged from 0 to 180 days (mean 8 days). Technical success rate was seen to decrease with increasing symptom duration. For symptom duration of less than 1 week, technical success was 85.4 % (181/212) versus 69.6 % (39/56) for those with symptoms of greater than a week (p < 0.05). Clinical success rates fell from 71.3 % (107/150) to 59.3 % (70/118) (p < 0.05) when attempting to stent lesions of greater than 5 cm. There was also a significant reduction in clinical success when stenting lesions on a bend rather than a straight segment of colon 75.7 % (109/144) versus 59.7 % (74/124) (p < 0.05). A total of 20 (7.46 %) perforations were identified during the study. Stent migration occurred in 6.6 % of cases. In-stent stenosis occurred in 3.3 %. The overall 30-day all cause mortality rate was 9 %. CONCLUSION: Lesion size, location and duration of obstructive symptoms are statistically significant determinants of patient outcome. These factors could be used to advise patient selection for colonic stenting or direct progression to surgical intervention.

Pharmacomechanical thrombectomy for salvage of TIPSS via successful -clearance of occlusive porto-splenic venous thrombosis.

Transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt (TIPSS) is increasingly used to treat chronic portal vein thrombosis. However shunt thrombosis is a recognised early complication, particularly in those with thrombophilia. We outline a case of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension secondary to chronic portal vein occlusion where TIPSS was successfully performed but rapidly complicated by shunt thrombosis with extension into the portal and splenic veins. Mechanical thrombectomy and low dose systemic pharmacological thrombolysis were of limited benefit. Combined pharmacomechanical thrombectomy with the Trellis system restored -patency of the TIPSS, portal and splenic veins, with resultant good flow into the TIPSS. The patient remains well three months post-procedure. We describe the first case where the Trellis system has been successfully used to clear occlusive porto-splenic thrombus and restore flow through a blocked TIPSS.

Antibiotics in interventional radiology.

The range and number of interventional procedures is rapidly increasing each year. A major complication associated with many procedures is infection, which can result in serious adverse outcomes for the patient. Consequently, antibiotics are amongst the most common pharmaceuticals used by the interventionist, particularly for non-vascular procedures, yet almost no randomized controlled trial data exist to inform our decision when formulating appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis regimens. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the utilization of antibiotics for common interventional radiology procedures, focusing on timing and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis.