Stent-Graft Treatment of a Giant Asymptomatic Extracranial Vertebral Artery Aneurysm: Case Report and Literature Review.

With the widespread appliance of endovascular techniques, a plethora of options is available in the treatment of extracranial vertebral artery aneurysms. If the vertebral artery can be sacrificed, embolization with coiling, liquid injection, or parent artery exclusion can be done. We hereby present a case of a 74-year-old male patient presenting with an asymptomatic atherosclerotic giant extracranial vertebral artery aneurysm in the V1 segment of the vertebral artery, successfully treated with balloon expandable stent-graft deployment. No neurologic symptoms occurred, and the stent-graft was patent with no signs of endoleak at 24 months follow-up with computed tomography angiography.

Finding the optimal access for proximal upper limb artery (PULA) interventions: Lessons learned from the PULA multicenter registry.

OBJECTIVE: The multicenter proximal upper limb artery (PULA) Registry was created to study the optimal puncture sites for the interventions involving the subclavian, axillary, and innominate arteries. BACKGROUND: Little is known about the optimal vascular access for PULA interventions, despite the well-known technical complexity of these procedures. METHODS: We performed the retrospective analysis of consecutive patients treated for symptomatic steno-occlusive disease of the proximal upper limb arteries between January 2015 and December 2019 in three high-volume centers. Acute thrombotic occlusions were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-two patients were treated for significant stenosis and 108 for total occlusion. The baseline patient's characteristics were similar, except for the higher median age of the stenotic patients: 68.5 years (31.1; 90.0) versus 64 years (38.0; 86.0) p = 0.0015. Successful revascularization rate was higher in the stenotic group 93.75% (255/272) versus 86.11% (93/108) p = 0.0230, while the procedure length 27 min (8; 133) versus 46 min (7; 140) p = 0.0001 and fluoroscopy times 439 s (92; 2993) versus 864 s (86; 4176) p = 0.0001 were higher in the occlusion group. The main adverse event rate was similarly low. Dual access was used more often to treat occlusions (60.19% (65/108) vs. 11.40% (31/272) p = 0.0001) without significantly increasing the complication rate. The safest access was ultrasound-guided distal radial artery puncture, significantly better than conventional radial access with 0% (0/31) versus 13.6% (18/131) p = 0.0253 complication. CONCLUSIONS: The percutaneous revascularization of proximal upper limb arteries is a safe and effective. Dual access can be applied to increase treatment efficacy, without significantly compromising safety.

Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta: case report of a donor-derived Pseudomonas infection in a heart transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Mycotic aortic pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication after heart transplantation (HTX) with remarkable mortality. Intrathoracic infection is a well-documented predisposing factor for this disease. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Candida species are commonly isolated from resected specimens of the pseudoaneurysms. We demonstrate a unique case of mycotic pseudoaneurysm caused by presumably donor-derived Pseudomonas infection in a heart transplant recipient. CASE PRESENTATION: Our 67-year-old male patient treated with diabetes mellitus underwent HTX. The donor suffered from epiglottic abscess and pneumonia with known microorganisms including Pseudomonas, therefore both the donor and recipient received targeted antimicrobial therapy and prophylaxis. Five months after the uneventful HTX, lab test of the asymptomatic patient showed moderate, increasing C-reactive protein level without obviuos source of infection. Chest computed tomography showed a large (90 mm) saccular dilatation of the tubular portion of ascending aorta. Urgent surgical intervention identified a pseudoaneurysm, histological examinations and cultures of the resected aorta verified Pseudomonas aeruginosa aortitis, while all blood cultures remained negative. Retrospective interrogation of other transplanted organs of the donor supported donor-derived infection as the transport fluid of the right kidney grew Pseudomonas. The patient received 3 weeks of ceftazidime followed by 7 months of oral ciprofloxacin therapy. One year after the operation the patient was asymptomatic with normal inflammatory markers. CONCLUSIONS: Donor-derived infection is a rare but potential cause of aortitis. Early diagnosis, surgical intervention and adjuvant antibiotic therapy seem to be the keys to successful management of mycotic pseudoaneurysms after HTX.

[The role of cone-beam CT during transarterial chemoembolization for liver cancer]. / A cone-beam CT szerepe a máj rosszindulatú daganatainak transarterialis chemoembolisatiós kezelésében.

PURPOSE: The role of interventional radiology in the treatment of hepatic malignancies is steeply raising. Our purpose is to present the importance of cone-beam CT (CBCT) during TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) procedures for liver tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1st of June 2013 and 31st of July 2016, we performed 130 TACE procedures in 64 patients in the Borsod University Teaching Hospital at Miskolc. During some of the treatments of 44 patients CBCT was also performed. RESULTS: All procedures were successful and carried out safely. CBCT gave new information in 22,7%, that influenced further treatment. It helped to precisely localize tumours, corrected the number or the size of hepatic malignancies. With CBCT it was easier to identify the feeding arteries of the tumour, plan the actual treatment and also to assess the efficacy of the previous treatment. DISCUSSION: The gold standard therapy of intermediate-stage HCC (according to Barcelona's criteria) is TACE. Beside, it can be safely and efficiently performed also in early stage or advanced stage in cases of contraindications for alternative therapies. Cone-beam CT is a dynamic examination which gives you an intraoperative, 3D CT-like imaging in the angio suit, without moving the table or the catheterised patient. Literature has already cited preliminary datas about prolonged survival for those patients treated with the help of CBCT intraoperatively. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative CBCT in patients with TACE treatment for hepatic malignancies can provide information that can improve the therapeutic results. Therefore we suggest the routine use of this imaging option during all TACE procedures if patients are eligible.

Radiation Exposure Reduction by Digital Variance Angiography in Lower Limb Angiography: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: digital variance angiography (DVA) provides higher image quality than digital subtraction angiography (DSA). This study investigates whether the quality reserve of DVA allows for radiation dose reduction during lower limb angiography (LLA), and compares the performance of two DVA algorithms. METHODS: this prospective block-randomized controlled study enrolled 114 peripheral arterial disease patients undergoing LLA into normal dose (ND, 1.2 µGy/frame, n = 57) or low-dose (LD, 0.36 µGy/frame, n = 57) groups. DSA images were generated in both groups, DVA1 and DVA2 images were generated in the LD group. Total and DSA-related radiation dose area product (DAP) were analyzed. Image quality was assessed on a 5-grade Likert scale by six readers. RESULTS: the total and DSA-related DAP were reduced by 38% and 61% in the LD group. The overall visual evaluation scores (median (IQR)) of LD-DSA (3.50 (1.17)) were significantly lower than the ND-DSA scores (3.83 (1.00), p < 0.001). There was no difference between ND-DSA and LD-DVA1 (3.83 (1.17)), but the LD-DVA2 scores were significantly higher (4.00 (0.83), p < 0.01). The difference between LD-DVA2 and LD-DVA1 was also significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: DVA significantly reduced the total and DSA-related radiation dose in LLA, without affecting the image quality. LD-DVA2 images outperformed LD-DVA1, therefore DVA2 might be especially beneficial in lower limb interventions.

Catheter-directed thrombolysis in acute critical limb ischemia / Akut, kritikus alsó végtagi ischaemia kezelése katéteres thrombolysissel.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Az akut alsó végtagi ischaemia nagy klinikai jelentoségét gyakori elofordulása és súlyos szövodményei (amputáció, halálozás) okozzák. A mutéti megoldás mellett a katéterrel végzett thrombolysis jelent terápiás lehetoséget, használata azonban nem terjedt el széles körben hazánkban. Célkituzés: A katéterrel végzett thrombolysis hatékonyságának és biztonságosságának megállapítása akut alsó végtagi ischaemia esetén. Módszer: A Semmelweis Egyetem Városmajori Szív- és Érgyógyászati Klinikáján 2012. 03. 01. és 2019. 12. 31. között akut alsó végtagi ischaemia miatt katéteres thrombolysisen átesett 40 beteg (átlagéletkor: 64 év, SD: ±11,79; 25 férfi, 62,5%) adatait elemeztük retrospektív vizsgálat során. Eredmények: 40 páciens esetében 42 katéteres lysist hajtottunk végre. A medián alteplázbolus 5 mg (IQR: 5), a medián folyamatos dózis 2 mg/h (IQR: 0,8) volt. A lysisek közül 23 (54,76%) volt sikeres, ebbol 16 (69,57%) esetben végeztünk kiegészíto percutan beavatkozást. Vérzés miatt 5 (11,9%), elzáródás miatt 3 (7,14%) betegen végeztünk sürgos beavatkozást. A leggyakoribb posztoperatív szövodmény az amputáció (17,5%), a haematoma (11,9%) és a distalis embolisatio (7,14%) volt. 16 (40%) esetben végeztünk a lizált érszakaszon késobb beavatkozást. 11 (27,5%) betegnél történt major amputáció. A posztoperatív 30 napon belüli mortalitás 2,5% volt. Az átlagos beavatkozásmentes idoszak 1626 nap (SD: ±1710), az átlagos amputációmentes túlélés 2038 nap (SD: ±1665) volt. A lysis alatt adott intravénás heparin nem befolyásolta a nyitva maradást és az amputációt. Következtetés: A katéterrel végzett thrombolysis terápiás lehetoség akut alsó végtagi ischaemia esetén. Sikeres lysis esetén is gyakran kell endovascularis intervenciót végezni. Katéteres thrombolysis alkalmazásakor számolni kell a gyakori korai szövodmény és a késoi reintervenció veszélyével. A pontos terápiás protokoll kialakításához további vizsgálatokra van szükség. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(11): 424-430. INTRODUCTION: Acute limb ischemia has great clinical significance due to its common occurrence and serious complications. Besides open surgical intervention, catheter-directed thrombolysis is a proven treatment alternative, however, it is not widely used in Hungary. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of catheter-directed thrombolysis in acute limb ischemia. METHODS: In a retrospective single-center study, we analyzed the data of 40 patients (mean age: 64, SD: ±11.79; 25 men, 69.57%) who underwent catheter-directed thrombolysis due to acute limb ischemia at Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Centre between 01. 03. 2012 and 31. 12. 2019. RESULTS: 42 thrombolysis were performed on 40 patients. The median alteplase dose was 5 mg (IQR: 5), the median continuous dose was 2 mg/h (IQR: 0.8). 23 (54.76%) procedures were successful and 16 (69.57%) cases required further percutaneous interventions. Hemorrhage led to 5 and occlusion to 3 emergency interventions. The most common postoperative complications were amputation (17.5%), hematoma (11.9%) and distal embolisation (7.14%). 16 (40%) cases required late reintervention at the surgical site. 11 (27.5%) cases needed major amputation. 30 day postoperative mortality was 2.5%. Average intervention-free survival was 1626 days (SD: ±1710), while average amputation-free survival was 2038 days (SD: ±1665). Additional intravenous heparin given during thrombolysis did not affect reocclusion rate and amputation-free survival. CONCLUSION: Catheter-directed thrombolysis is a therapeutic option in acute limb ischemia. Successful thrombolysis often requires endovascular intervention at the same time. Frequent early complications and late reinterventions have to be considered. Further studies are needed for developing specific therapeutic protocol. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(11): 424-430.

Branched endovascular aortic repair of a contained rupture in chronic aortic dissection / Krónikus aortadissectio talaján kialakult tartott ruptura endovascularis mutéte elágazó grafttal

A late complication of aortic dissection is the dilatation of the weakened aortic wall. The only urgent endovascular alternative to high-risk open surgery in the treatment of postdissection aneurysms is branched endovascular aortic repair (BEVAR), which is extremely difficult due to the intimal membrane in the aorta lumen and the compressed true lumen. In this case report, we present the first application of BEVAR for aortic dissection in Hungary. Our 76-year-old male patient underwent type B aortic dissection 13 years before, for which supraaortic debranching was followed by thoracic stent graft implantation. The patient was admitted with acute chest pain associated with a con-tained rupture of a ten centimetre dilatation of the thoracoabdominal aorta. Our aortic team recommended endo-vascular surgery due to the extremely high risk of open surgery, which the patient accepted. Following selective embolization of the proximal segment of the left subclavian artery, a complex aortic intervention was performed. A new thoracic stent graft was started from the in situ thoracic graft, followed by a branched thoracoabdominal graft, the four branches of which were connected to the celiac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery and the two renal arter-ies. We also implanted a bifurcation graft under the branched graft and a left iliac bifurcation graft due to the complex dissection of the left iliac artery system. After an uneventful procedure, the patient was discharged home on the fourth postoperative day.

Quiescent-Interval Single-Shot Magnetic Resonance Angiography May Outperform Carbon-Dioxide Digital Subtraction Angiography in Chronic Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Nephroprotective imaging in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is often crucial. We compared the diagnostic performance of non-contrast Quiescent-interval single-shot magnetic resonance angiography (QISS MRA) and carbon-dioxide digital subtraction angiography (CO2 DSA) in chronic lower extremity PAD patients. A 19-segment lower extremity arterial model was used to assess the degree of stenosis (none, <50%, 50−70%, >70%) and the image quality (5-point Likert scale: 1-non-diagnostic, 5-excellent image quality). Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for inter-rater reliability. Diagnostic accuracy and interpretability were evaluated using CO2 DSA as a reference standard. 523 segments were evaluated in 28 patients (11 male, mean age: 71 ± 9 years). Median and interquartile range of subjective image quality parameters for QISS MRA were significantly better compared to CO2 DSA for all regions: (aortoiliac: 4 [4−5] vs. 3 [3−4]; femoropopliteal: 4 [4−5] vs. 4 [3−4]; tibioperoneal: 4 [3−5] vs. 3 [2−3]; all regions: 4 [4−5] vs. 3 [3−4], all p < 0.001). QISS MRA out-performed CO2 DSA regarding interpretability (98.3% vs. 86.0%, p < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracy parameters of QISS MRA for the detection of obstructive luminal stenosis (70%<) as compared to CO2 DSA were as follows: sensitivity 82.6%, specificity 96.9%, positive predictive value 89.1%, negative predictive value 94.8%. Regarding the degree of stenosis, interobserver variability for all regions was 0.97 for QISS MRA and 0.82 for CO2 DSA. QISS MRA proved to be superior to CO2 DSA regarding subjective image quality and interpretability for the imaging of chronic lower extremity PAD.

Diagnostic performance of non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography in patients with lower extremity arterial disease / A kontrasztanyag nélküli mágnesesrezonancia-angiográfia diagnosztikus teljesítménye alsó végtagi veroérbetegekben

Hungary. Knowing the consequences of burnout syndrome, it is important to prevent and recognize symptoms as early as possible.

Digital variance angiography allows about 70% decrease of DSA-related radiation exposure in lower limb X-ray angiography.

Our aim was to investigate whether the previously observed higher contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and better image quality of Digital Variance Angiography (DVA) - compared to Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) - can be used to reduce radiation exposure in lower limb X-ray angiography. This prospective study enrolled 30 peripheral artery disease patients (mean ± SD age 70 ± 8 years) undergoing diagnostic angiography. In all patients, both normal (1.2 µGy/frame; 100%) and low-dose (0.36 µGy/frame; 30%) protocols were used for the acquisition of images in three anatomical regions (abdominal, femoral, crural). The CNR of DSA and DVA images were calculated, and the visual quality was evaluated by seven specialists using a 5-grade Likert scale. For investigating non-inferiority, the difference of low-dose DVA and normal dose DSA scores (DVA30-DSA100) was analyzed. DVA produced two- to three-fold CNR and significantly higher visual score than DSA. DVA30 proved to be superior to DSA100 in the crural region (difference 0.25 ± 0.07, p < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the femoral (- 0.08 ± 0.06, p = 0.435) and abdominal (- 0.10 ± 0.09, p = 0.350) regions. Our data show that DVA allows about 70% reduction of DSA-related radiation exposure in lower limb X-ray angiography, providing a potential new radiation protection tool for the patients and the medical staff.