Endovascular Treatment of a Carotid Pseudoaneurysm Using the New Double-Layer Micromesh Stent (Roadsaver®).

Pseudoaneurysm (PA) formation after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a very uncommon but dangerous complication, potentially responsible for cerebral embolism or rupture. Therefore, the PA treatment is imperative. Until few years ago, the treatment of choice was represented by open surgical repair, with a higher mortality and morbidity rate than primary operation. Actually, the advancements in endovascular procedures allow the surgeon the possibility to recur to a less invasive approach in the presence of an adequate anatomy, reducing the risk of cranial nerve injuries. We present a case of post-CEA PA successfully treated using the double-layer micromesh stent (Roadsaver®; Terumo, Tokyo, Japan), with almost immediate thrombosis of the aneurysmal sac.

Endovascular Aortic Repair Complications and the Power of Endovascular Solutions.

We report the case of a 75-year-old man submitted to traditional endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. He presented a late type II endoleak 6 months after operation, initially without sac enlargement. One year later, a computed tomography scan control demonstrated a sac expansion >10 mm, also responsible for a secondary proximal type I endoleak. The patient was submitted to transarterial embolization of lumbar arteries through left internal iliac artery, followed by type I endoleak correction with a proximal cuff deployment. Intraoperative angiography revealed no signs of endoleak. Six months later, a sudden enlargement of the sac was detected, with evidence of type III endoleak, probably consequence of the lumbar arteries embolization, promptly corrected through an aortoaortic endograft. In conclusion, even if a conservative approach for type II endoleak without sac enlargement is proposed, sometimes a sudden sac enlargement could be responsible for catastrophic events in the absence of strict follow-up. The sac embolization during EVAR could reduce the incidence of type II endoleak during follow-up, with reoperation and hospital cost reduction.

Traumatic Anterior Knee Dislocation with Popliteal Artery Injury: The Importance of a Prompt Diagnosis and Treatment to Obtain Lower Limb Salvage.

We report a case of traumatic anterior dislocation of the left knee in association with disruption of the soft tissues including knee ligaments, popliteal artery, and common peroneal nerve, resulting in lower limb acute ischemia. All components of this complex trauma were recognized and treated promptly. First, he was submitted to closed reduction of the dislocated knee under general anesthesia; right after he underwent superficial femoro-tibioperoneal trunk bypass using a reversed saphenous contralateral vein recurring to a posterior approach through a popliteal S-shaped incision; rehabilitation program was initiated early; a second and final reconstructive orthopedic operation was carried out in a different center. The present case is important in 2 aspects. First, it reports a very rare occurrence of simultaneous anterior dislocation of the knee associated with vascular insult and common peroneal nerve injury, which was rarely reported in the current literature; second, it highlights that with timely intervention and a team approach, excellent results could be achieved.

A Combination of Thoracic and Abdominal Stent-Grafts to Treat An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Hostile Proximal Neck.

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) actually represents the treatment of choice for most patients affected by abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, the feasibility of EVAR depends on anatomical characteristics of abdominal aorta and iliofemoral axis. We present the case of an 82-year-old man affected by severe left hydronephrosis, kidney tumor, and ureteral tumor requiring nephrectomy, who also presented a very voluminous AAA with a large diameter (96 mm), and a large proximal neck (39 mm) with severe angulation of the proximal neck (>60°). The patient was considered unfit for traditional EVAR and open surgery. Possible alternatives such as fenestrated endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and chimney technique were excluded; therefore he was treated combining Valiant Captivia endoprosthesis with the AFX unibody, with a good final result. However, this particular alternative adopted for hostile proximal neck needs long-term follow-up.

Carotid stenting versus endarterectomy in the same patient: A "direct" comparison.

The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes and feasibility of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy, both procedures performed in the same patient. Forty-five subjects (33 males, 70 ± 7 years) underwent carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting, the counter procedure on the contralateral carotid performed after a variable period. We evaluated the post-procedural percentage of carotid stenosis at 30, 180 days and one-year follow-up, and the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction, New York Heart Association class progression, stroke, death, cardiovascular death, angina, transient ischemic attack and renal failure. Carotid artery stenting treatment reduced the degree of re-stenosis after 180 days equally to carotid endarterectomy procedure (difference: 0.033%, P = 0.285). No statistically significant differences were observed according to the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and New York Heart Association class progression, revealing odds ratio (OR) equal to 0.182 ( P = 0.361) for acute myocardial infarction and 0.303 ( P = 0.434) for New York Heart Association class progression. Carotid endarterectomy confirms its efficacy in carotid revascularization, but carotid artery stenting constitutes a good alternative when the procedures are selected based on patient-specific risk factors.

How the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Patients' Hospital Admission and Care in the Vascular Surgery Divisions of the Southern Regions of the Italian Peninsula.

Background: To investigate the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the vasculopathic population. Methods: The Divisions of Vascular Surgery of the southern Italian peninsula joined this multicenter retrospective study. Each received a 13-point questionnaire investigating the hospitalization rate of vascular patients in the first 11 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the preceding 11 months. Results: 27 out of 29 Centers were enrolled. April-December 2020 (7092 patients) vs. 2019 (9161 patients): post-EVAR surveillance, hospitalization for Rutherford category 3 peripheral arterial disease, and asymptomatic carotid stenosis revascularization significantly decreased (1484 (16.2%) vs. 1014 (14.3%), p = 0.0009; 1401 (15.29%) vs. 959 (13.52%), p = 0.0006; and 1558 (17.01%) vs. 934 (13.17%), p < 0.0001, respectively), while admissions for revascularization or major amputations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia and urgent revascularization for symptomatic carotid stenosis significantly increased (1204 (16.98%) vs. 1245 (13.59%), p < 0.0001; 355 (5.01%) vs. 358 (3.91%), p = 0.0007; and 153 (2.16%) vs. 140 (1.53%), p = 0.0009, respectively). Conclusions: The suspension of elective procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant reduction in post-EVAR surveillance, and in the hospitalization of asymptomatic carotid stenosis revascularization and Rutherford 3 peripheral arterial disease. Consequentially, we observed a significant increase in admissions for urgent revascularization for symptomatic carotid stenosis, as well as for revascularization or major amputations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

Dexamethasone minimizes the risk of cranial nerve injury during CEA.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of cranial and cervical nerve injury during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) ranges from less than 7.6% to more than 50%. Lesions are mainly due to surgical maneuvers such as traction, compression, tissue electrocoagulation, clamping, and extensive dissections. The use of dexamethasone (DEX) and its beneficial effects in spinal cord injuries have already been described. We investigated whether DEX could also be beneficial to minimize the incidence of cranial and cervical nerve injury during CEA. PURPOSE: To evaluate whether dexamethasone is able to reduce the incidence of cranial nerve injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1999 through April 2006, 1126 patients undergoing CEA because of high-grade carotid stenosis were enrolled and randomized by predetermined randomization tables into two groups. The first group, "A", included 586 patients that all received an intravenous administration of dexamethasone following a therapeutic scheme. The second group, "B", included 540 control subjects that received the standard pre- and postoperative therapy. All patients were submitted to a deep cervical plexus block, eversion carotid endarterectomy, and selective shunting. Three days after the operation, an independent neurologist and otorhinolaryngologist evaluated the presence of cranial nerve deficits. All patients (group A and group B) showing nerve injuries continued the treatment (8 mg of dexamethasone once in the morning) for 7 days and were re-evaluated after 2 weeks, 30 days, and every 3 months for 1 year. Recovery time took from 2 weeks to 12 months, with a mean time of 3.6 months. The chi(2) test was used to compare the two groups and to check for statistical significance. RESULTS: The incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction was higher in group B and the statistical analysis showed a significant effect of dexamethasone in preventing the neurological damage (P = .0081). The incidence of temporary lesions was lower in group A and the chi(2) test yielded a P value of .006. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing the effect of dexamethasone in men and women. In addition, dexamethasone had no statistically significant effect on the incidence of permanent cranial nerve injuries. Finally, no adverse effect related to the administration of dexamethasone was observed. CONCLUSION: Perioperative administration of dexamethasone is effective in minimizing the incidence of temporary cranial nerve injuries during CEA.

Unstable atherosclerotic plaque in the common carotid artery: Diagnosis and treatment strategy.

The indication for carotid artery stenosis treatment is based primarily on the severity of internal carotid stenosis. There is increasing evidence that unstable plaques in the extracranial carotid artery can be responsible for ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attacks as the source of emboli, even if in the presence of a moderate stenosis. Physicians should be aware that morphological characteristics of the carotid plaques that indicate recent intra-plaque hemorrhage might require intervention in the absence of severe stenosis. This report details a patient with an unstable plaque in the common carotid artery who met clinical criteria for intervention because of the risk for future stroke.

Endovascular and open surgical treatment of complications after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: A single-center experience.

While endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has proven to be a safer alternative to open surgical repair for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) repair, the development of stent-graft complications mandates follow-up computed tomography imaging to minimize AAA-related mortality. In this single-institution report, adverse EVAR events identified in 150 consecutive patients are detailed. Early morbidity was low (<3%), with only 1 patient death on post-procedure day 2. After discharge (mean follow-up of 24 months), 2 patients died from cancer and one AAA-related mortality occurred after open conversion for stent-graft migration. Although computed tomography imaging detected no EVAR endoleak at 30 days, 19 patients developed an endoleak, including three Type I and four Type III leaks. Our institutional series review confirmed that EVAR of infrarenal AAA is a safe and valid alternative to open surgical repair, but sac embolization at the primary procedure in patients judged to be at high risk for Type II endoleak should be considered.

Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Pseudoaneurysm: Is It a Real Emergency?

Abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm is a rare but life-threatening condition that occurs due to penetrating or blunt trauma. Clinical manifestations are variable, and the time interval from the initial trauma to diagnosis is variable. A prompt diagnosis and an aggressive management approach are required to avoid catastrophic complications. Possible treatment options are open surgical repair, endovascular repair, pseudoanerysmal sac thrombosis induction through direct thrombin injection, and coil embolization. Here, we present the case of a 75-year-old man affected by an infrarenal abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm presenting with abdominal and lumbar pain for 3 days, who was successfully treated with an endograft.

Arterial embolization in the treatment of severe blunt hepatic trauma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Authors stress the role of arterial embolization in the treatment of severe blunt hepatic trauma, with stable hemodynamic conditions, but with continuous bleeding, demonstrated by computed tomography scan. METHODOLOGY: All patients with hepatic blunt trauma were evaluated with hemodynamic and radiological follow-up. When computed tomography scan showed continuous bleeding, arterial embolization was performed. RESULTS: Arterial embolization was performed on 9 patients, 8 cases successfully. Only one patient required surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that arterial embolization is useful and effective in the treatment of severe blunt hepatic trauma when, in spite of stable hemodynamic state, computed tomography scan shows persistent bleeding.

Endovascular repair of thoracic stent-graft bulging rupture in a patient with multiple thoracic aneurysms due to Takayasu disease.

Isolated aortic aneurysms in Takayasu arteritis (TA) are rare. Reported operative mortality and operative complication rates seem low, with an infrequent need for surgical revision, even though most reports concern occlusive disease. Treatment of aneurysms in TA requires therapeutic strategies that are different from the ones used for atherosclerotic vessel dilatations because the pathology and the extensive, progressive, relapsing nature of the disease are deeply different from the atherosclerotic process. We report a case of thoracic stent-graft bulging rupture, a device previously implanted to exclude a thoracic aneurysm, associated with two small aneurysms near the distal implantation site. Both were treated with three new-generation stent grafts implanted in a telescope fashion.

Blunt femoropopliteal trauma in a child: is stenting a good option?

Vascular injuries resulting from blunt trauma are uncommon in the pediatric age. In children, there are particular factors that should be taken into account when vascular traumatic lesions are treated: small vessel size or vessel spasm, a higher risk of infection, a tendency for restenosis, and rapid body growth. The endovascular procedure is a minimally invasive, quick technique that restores blood flow immediately. The stent's fate is the Achille's heel of this technique; this is the reason why a careful follow-up and further studies are required.