Bleeding pancreatic pseudoaneurysms: management by angioembolization combined with therapeutic endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding pancreatic pseudocysts (PPCs) are a rare but lethal complication of pancreatitis. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is the first-line treatment of acute hemorrhage, but consensus on the definitive management of bleeding PPCs is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination of TAE and therapeutic endoscopy in the treatment of bleeding PPCs. METHODS: Patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis treated for bleeding PPCs in Helsinki University Hospital during 2004-2014 comprised the study group. Inpatients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis were excluded. Patients underwent TAE as the primary treatment to control the bleeding. Therapeutic endoscopy performed on an outpatient visit after TAE allowed the definitive treatment of PPCs. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients underwent TAE. Re-bleeding rate (<30 days) was 15.5 %, necessitating re-embolization on seven and surgical intervention on two patients. Overall, TAE success rate was 96.6 %. Mortality rate (<30 days) was 3.4 %. Of the 58, 47 patients were followed up for their PPCs in our unit. PPCs resolved spontaneously in 13 (27.1 %). The remaining 34 had an endoscopic treatment attempt with endoscopic draining performed on 32 and unsuccessful cannulation on two (5.9 %). Of the 32 patients with initially successful endoscopy, 7 (21.9 %) needed an additional drainage procedure (six non-surgical and one surgical). Overall success rate of non-surgical management was 91.5 %. Post-endoscopy mortality rate (<30 days) was 2.9 %. Our follow-up continued for 15 (1-75) months. By the time of data retrieval, 35 of 58 patients had died with alcohol liver disease being the most common cause of death. Five-year survival estimate was 63 %. CONCLUSIONS: Bleeding pancreatic pseudoaneurysms require non-surgical management. We need more data on the optimal timing of therapeutic endoscopy and on the role of empirical embolizations.

Dual-energy computed tomography of cruciate ligament injuries in acute knee trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To examine dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in evaluating cruciate ligament injuries. More specifically, the purpose was to assess the optimal keV level in DECT gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) images and to examine the usefulness of collagen-specific color mapping and dual-energy bone removal in the evaluation of cruciate ligaments and the popliteus tendon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At a level 1 trauma center, a 29-month period of emergency department DECT examinations for acute knee trauma was reviewed by two radiologists for presence of cruciate ligament injuries, visualization of the popliteus tendon and the optimal keV level in GSI images. Three different evaluating protocols (GSI, bone removal and collagen-specific color mapping) were rated. Subsequent MRI served as a reference standard for intraarticular injuries. RESULTS: A total of 18 patients who had an acute knee trauma, DECT and MRI were found. On MRI, six patients had an ACL rupture. DECT's sensitivity and specificity to detect ACL rupture were 79% and 100%, respectively. The DECT vs. MRI intra- and interobserver proportions of agreement for ACL rupture were excellent or good (kappa values 0.72-0.87). Only one patient had a PCL rupture. In GSI images, the optimal keV level was 63 keV. GSI of 40-140 keV was considered to be the best evaluation protocol in the majority of cases. CONCLUSION: DECT is a usable method to evaluate ACL in acute knee trauma patients with rather good sensitivity and high specificity. GSI is generally a better evaluation protocol than bone removal or collagen-specific color mapping in the evaluation of cruciate ligaments and popliteus tendon.

The reverse Segond fracture: not associated with knee dislocation and rarely with posterior cruciate ligament tear.

The aims of this study were to assess the incidence of reverse Segond fracture, to examine the associated ligamentous injuries, and to examine how often reverse Segond fracture coexists with a knee dislocation. At a level 1 trauma center, an 11-year period of emergency department multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) examinations for knee trauma was evaluated for reverse Segond and Segond fractures. Surgical findings served as the reference standard for intra-articular injuries. The hospital discharge register was searched for the diagnosis of knee dislocation from August 2000 through the end of August 2011. A total of 1,553 knee MDCT examinations were evaluated. Ten patients with a reverse Segond fracture were found, comprising 0.64 % of emergency room acute knee trauma MDCT examinations. Seven patients who had a reverse Segond fracture were operated: Three had an avulsion fracture of the anterior cruciate ligament, one had an avulsion fracture of posterior cruciate ligament, two had a lateral meniscal tear, and two had a medial collateral ligament tear. The ratio of reverse Segond fractures to Segond fractures was 1:4. None of the 71 knee dislocation patients had a reverse Segond fracture. Reverse Segond fracture is a rare finding even in a level 1 trauma center. Cruciate ligament injuries appear to be associated with avulsion fracture, but every patient does not have PCL injury, as previously reported. Our results do not support the association of knee dislocation with reverse Segond fracture.

Segond fracture combined with tibial plateau fracture.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to examine the coexistence of Segond fracture in tibial plateau fractures and to assess the prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and meniscal tear when those fractures coexist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a level 1 trauma center. A total of 1203 emergency department knee trauma MDCT examinations were evaluated. Surgical findings served as the reference standard for intraarticular injuries. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients with a Segond fracture were found. Of these patients, 10 had isolated Segond fractures (surgery, n = 7) and 23 patients (surgery, n = 20) had a Segond fracture associated with a tibial plateau fracture. Patients with both fractures had significantly fewer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures (20% vs 71%, p = 0.023) and more avulsion fractures of the ACL (50% vs 0%, p = 0.026) than patients with isolated Segond fractures. For meniscal injuries, the corresponding numbers were 25% and 57% (p = 0.175), respectively. In approximately one of every 32 tibial plateau fractures, a Segond fracture also coexists. CONCLUSION: Patients with a Segond fracture combined with a tibial plateau fracture have a high risk of avulsion fracture of the ACL.

Multidetector computed tomography evaluation of bony fragments and donor sites in acute patellar dislocation.

BACKGROUND: Patellar dislocation is frequently associated with bony fragments that are difficult to see on radiographs. MRI or MDCT are often used to rule out or characterize these bony fragments. PURPOSE: To assess the use of MDCT for locating bony fragments and donor sites in patients with acute patellar dislocation, and to test whether sizes and quantity of bony fragments differ between first-time dislocations and recurrent dislocations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective data from two hospitals during a 96-month period were collected, and a total of 46 patients (mean age 27 years, range 9-69 years) that had sustained an acute patellar dislocation (22 first-time, 24 recurrent) were identified. Size, location and donor site of bony fragments were evaluated on MDCT images. Surgical correlation was available for 22 of 46 patients. RESULTS: On MDCT images, the likely donor site could be identified in 62 of 71 (87%) bony fragments. Of the bony fragments that were seen on MDCT images, 40 of 68 (59%) were not seen on AP and lateral views of the conventional radiographs. There was no significant difference in size of bony fragments between first-time or recurrent dislocators (p=0.77). The average number of bony fragments were 2.1 and 1.0 in first-time and recurrent dislocators, respectively. The location and donor site of bony fragments was similar between two patients groups. CONCLUSION: MDCT is a suitable imaging method to locate bony fragments and donor sites. The number of bony fragments seems to be higher in first-time dislocators than recurrent dislocators, otherwise findings between the two patient groups were similar.

Knee dislocation in overweight patients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, cause, injury patterns, and MRI findings in knee dislocation in patients with normal and increased body mass index and to determine whether obesity interferes with knee MRI examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the period from 2000 to 2007 (90 months) was performed at a level 1 trauma center, finding a total of 24 patients who had sustained a knee dislocation. RESULTS: Twenty-two of the 24 patients underwent surgery and 19 patients had an MRI examination of diagnostic quality before surgery. Of the 24 patients, 11 had a body mass index greater than 25 and had knee dislocation due to low-energy trauma (nine due to a simple fall, two to a noncontact sport). Two of these 11 patients were morbidly obese (body mass index>40). These patients had no injuries to the popliteal tendon and they had no irreversible peroneal nerve injuries. Otherwise, the patients' injuries were in agreement with previous knee dislocation studies. Obesity did not interfere with knee MRI examinations. On the basis of the population served by our trauma center, the annual incidence of knee dislocation due to low-energy trauma in overweight patients is about 1.0 per million. CONCLUSION: The annual incidence in obese patients of knee dislocation due to low-energy trauma is not insignificant at a level 1 trauma center. As the prevalence of obesity increases, the injury patterns seen in emergency departments may change. The radiologist should be aware that even after a simple fall, overweight patients may have a knee dislocation.