Early and Late Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Infected Abdominal Aortic and/or Iliac Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Infected abdominal aortic and/or iliac aneurysm (AAIA) is a rare condition with a high mortality rate when treated with open surgery. In the past decade, the condition has increasingly been treated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). However, early and late outcomes, including the continued need for antibiotic treatments and predictors of persistent infection, are poorly understood. METHODS: We evaluated the outcomes of patients who underwent EVAR for infected AAIA from January 2010 to October 2017. We collected data including patient age, gender, clinical presentation, aneurysm location, culture results, intraoperative details, postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, persistent infection, reintervention, and survival. RESULTS: Among 792 patients diagnosed with AAIA, 64 were diagnosed with primary infected aneurysm, underwent EVAR, and were included in this study (81.3% male; median age, 72 years; range, 18-94 years). The most commonly isolated organisms were Salmonella species (34%), followed by Streptococcus (21%), and Staphylococcus species (21%). Aneurysms were intact in 48 patients (75%) and were ruptured in 16 (25%). The perioperative mortality was 4.7% (3 patients) of whom one was diagnosed with ruptured infected AAIA. Six (9.4%) patients died during hospitalization, 5 of severe sepsis with multiorgan failure and one of myocardial infarction. Among the 58 surviving patients, 34 (58.6%) had persistent infection, of whom 13 (22.4%) required early and late reintervention, including 2 with endograft infection, 8 with primary and secondary aortoenteric fistula, 2 with recurrent new aortic infection, and one with graft limb occlusion. The remaining 24 patients were able to discontinue antibiotics and had no recurrence or need for reintervention. Overall survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years in the antibiotic-discontinuation group were 91.7%, 87.5%, and 68.0%, respectively, and 82.4%, 52.6%, and 32.9%, respectively, in the persistent-infection group (P = 0.009). In multivariable analysis, primary aortoenteric fistula (Adjusted OR [aOR], 20.469; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.265-331.320; P = 0.034) and preoperative serum albumin level <3 g/dL (aOR, 7.399; 95% CI, 1.176-46.558; P = 0.033) were preoperative parameter that predicted persistent infection. A C-reactive protein level more than 5 mg/L (aOR, 34.378; 95% CI, 4.888-241.788; P < 0.001) was observed in patients with persistent infection. CONCLUSIONS: EVAR is a feasible treatment with acceptable perioperative mortality for infected AAIA. Patients able to discontinue antibiotics have better survival and lower reintervention rates than those with persistent infection. A preoperative albumin level below 3 g/dL and primary aortoenteric fistula predicted persistent infection in this population.

Cyanoacrylate Granuloma After Cyanoacrylate Closure of Incompetent Saphenous Veins.

BACKGROUND: Cyanoacrylate closure (CAC) is a minimally invasive surgery to treat incompetent saphenous veins. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, the risk factors for, and the management of cyanoacrylate granuloma (CAG) after CAC of incompetent saphenous veins in patients with chronic venous disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data specific to incompetent saphenous veins, including great saphenous veins, anterior accessory saphenous veins, and small saphenous veins, that were treated with CAC were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 126 saphenous veins from 101 patients were included. Recapture of the delivery catheter before withdrawal was not performed in all patients. Cyanoacrylate granuloma occurred in 3 of 101 (2.9%) patients, and in 3 of 126 (2.3%) treated saphenous veins. All patients with CAG presented with granuloma and abscess at the puncture site 3 to 5 months after CAC. All patients were treated with incision, drainage, and removal of the glue foreign body. No recurrent granuloma was observed during the study period. No patient or procedural predictive factor for CAG was identified. CONCLUSION: Cyanoacrylate granuloma is not a rare complication after CAC when recapture of the delivery catheter is not performed. Patients should be advised of the possibility of CAG after CAC.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation to treat no-option critical limb ischaemia: effectiveness and safety.

OBJECTIVE: Local intramuscular transplantation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilised peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB-MNC) has been shown to be effective for treating patients with no-option critical limb ischaemia (CLI) who are not considered suitable to undergo surgical bypass or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of PB-MNCs as a treatment for no-option CLI patients. METHOD: This prospective cohort study was conducted between April 2013 and December 2017. Patients with no-option CLI were treated with G-CSF 5-10 µg/kg/day for 3 days. PB-MNCs (7.1±2.2×1010) with CD34+ cells (2.1±1.2×108) were collected by blood cell separator and then injected into the calf or thigh of ischaemic limbs. Ankle-brachial index, toe-brachial index and transcutaneous oxygen tension were recorded at 1 and 3 months after injection. The amputation rate and the wound healing rate were also recorded. RESULTS: Eight patients took part in the study. Two patients experienced rest pain relief 1 month after PB-MNC therapy. Five patients had healed ulcer at 6 months after PB-MNC therapy. Limb ischaemia did not improve after PB-MNC therapy in one patient. Below-knee amputation was performed in that patient due to extension of gangrene. Two patients required reinjection of PB-MNCs because of recurrence of ischaemic ulcer. The limb salvage rate after 1 year was 87.5%. CONCLUSION: Local intramuscular transplantation of G-CSF-mobilised PB-MNCs might be a safe and effective treatment for no-option CLI patients.

Early and late outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm compared between severe and non-severe infrarenal neck angulation.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm with severe infrarenal neck angle (>60°) has long been thought to be an obstacle to endovascular aneurysm repair. However, some previous studies reported endovascular aneurysm repair to be safe and efficacious for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with severe neck angulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the early and late outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm compared between patients with severe and non-severe infrarenal neck angulation. METHODS: Fifty-four severe and 144 non-severe neck angulation patients who were treated at Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) during January 2010-October 2013 were recruited. The primary endpoints were intraoperative neck complications (e.g., type 1A endoleak or proximal graft migration) and immediate adjunct aortic neck procedures. The secondary endpoints included perioperative mortality, overall survival, and the proportion of patients that were reintervention-free at five years compared between the severe and non-severe groups. RESULTS: Severe angulation patients were significantly older than non-severe angulation patients (77 ± 6.3 vs. 74 ± 7.9 years; p = 0.021). The median proximal angle was significantly greater in the severe group (82° vs. 13.5°; p < 0.001). Intraoperative proximal neck complications developed in 29.6% of patients in the severe angulation group compared with 9.0% in the non-severe group (p < 0.001). Significantly more patients in the severe group required intraoperative adjunct procedures (29.6% vs. 7.6%; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in perioperative mortality between groups. At the five-year follow-up, there was no significant difference between groups for overall survival or the proportion of patients that remained reintervention-free. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with severe proximal neck angulation is technically feasible and safe Although the severe angulation group had a higher rate of intraoperative neck complications and immediate adjunct neck procedures than the non-severe group, there was no significant difference between groups for 30-day mortality, overall survival or the proportion of patients who remained reintervention-free at five years.

Outcomes of Open Repair, Fenestrated Stent Grafting, and Chimney Grafting in Juxtarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Is It Time for a Randomized Trial?

BACKGROUND: The well-established, gold standard treatment for juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (JAAAs) is open repair (OR). However, endovascular treatment with fenestrated or chimney grafts has been increasingly performed in the past decade. This study compared the outcomes of OR with 2 endovascular methods in JAAA. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with JAAA who underwent OR (n = 32), repair with fenestrated stent grafts (fenestrated endovascular aortic aneurysm repair [FEVAR], n = 20), or chimney grafts (Ch-EVAR, n = 23) during the period from January 2011 to December 2016 at a single center. Our primary end point was perioperative mortality. Secondary end points included renal function impairment, new-onset dialysis, procedural details, and postoperative complications. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate freedom from late reintervention, primary patency of target vessel stent grafts, and overall survival. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups in baseline characteristics. Perioperative mortality was similar in all the 3 groups (3.1% (1/32) in the OR group, 0% in the FEVAR group, and 4.3% (1/23) in the Ch-EVAR group. Mean follow-up duration was 36.7 months (range 1-75 months). There were no significant differences between groups regarding any of the secondary end points, except for blood loss (which was significantly greatest in the OR group), and there was no significant difference in overall survival. Estimated target vessel stent patency at 1 and 4 years was 93.8% and 93.8% in the FEVAR group, and 89.5% and 89.5% in the Ch-EVAR group. There was no significant difference between groups in estimated freedom from late reintervention (96.4% in the OR group, 77.2% in the FEVAR group, and 82.3% in the Ch-EVAR group). CONCLUSIONS: Open surgery is an acceptable and effective treatment for JAAA. However, FEVAR and Ch-EVAR also showed high technical success rates and low perioperative mortality, with acceptable reintervention rates during follow-up.

Incidence, Risk Factors, Progression, and Treatment of Endovenous Heat-Induced Thrombosis Class 2 or Greater After Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation.

BACKGROUND: Endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) is a thrombus that extends from an ablated saphenous vein into the common femoral vein after endovenous radiofrequency ablation (RFA). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence, progression, treatment, and risk factors associated with EHIT-2 or greater after RFA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with symptomatic superficial venous incompetence that were treated by RFA of the great saphenous vein or anterior accessory saphenous vein during the July 2012 to December 2016 study period. Duplex ultrasound scanning was performed at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and every year after RFA to detect EHIT. RESULTS: A total of 317 legs from 274 patients were included. The incidence of EHIT-2 or greater was 7.0%, including 5.4% EHIT-2, 1.3% EHIT-3, and 0.3% EHIT-4. No symptomatic pulmonary embolism was found. The independent risk factors for EHIT-2 or greater were vein diameter (p = .027) and concomitant sclerotherapy (p = .037). CONCLUSION: The risk factors found to be independently associated with EHIT-2 or greater were large vein size and concomitant sclerotherapy. Screening for EHIT should be performed in patients with one or both of these risk factors within 1 week after RFA and in patients with postoperative symptoms suggestive of venous thromboembolism.

Use of customised pressure-guided elastic bandages to improve efficacy of compression bandaging for venous ulcers.

Compression bandaging is a major treatment of chronic venous ulcers. Its efficacy depends on the applied pressure, which is dependent on the skill of the individual applying the bandage. To improve the quality of bandaging by reducing the variability in compression bandage interface pressures, we changed elastic bandages into a customised version by marking them with circular ink stamps, applied when the stretch achieves an interface pressure between 35 and 45 mmHg. Repeated applications by 20 residents of the customised bandage and non-marked bandage to one smaller and one larger leg were evaluated by measuring the sub-bandage pressure. The results demonstrated that the target pressure range is more often attained with the customised bandage compared with the non-marked bandage. The customised bandage improved the efficacy of compression bandaging for venous ulcers, with optimal sub-bandage pressure.

Outcomes and factors influencing prognosis in patients with vascular pythiosis.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular pythiosis, caused by Pythium insidiosum, is associated with a high mortality rate. We reviewed the outcomes and established the factors predicting prognosis of patients treated in our institution with surgery, antifungal therapy, or immunotherapy. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective record review of patients with vascular pythiosis treated in Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, between January 2005 and January 2015. Patient characteristics, type of surgery, adjunctive antifungal treatment, adjunctive immunotherapy, and disease status of surgical arterial and surrounding soft tissue margins were recorded. We calculated the mortality rate and established factors predicting prognosis. RESULTS: The records of 11 patients were reviewed. All patients had thalassemia. Nine patients (81.8%) had a history of contact with contaminated water. The clinical presentations were chronic ulcers (45.5%), toe gangrene (27.3%), pulsatile mass (27.3%), and acute limb ischemia (27.3%). Above-knee amputation was required in 10 patients (90.9%). The mortality rate was 36.4%. Independent variables between survivors and nonsurvivors were lack of an arterial disease-free surgical margin (P = .003), lack of a surrounding soft tissue disease-free surgical margin (P < .05), a suprainguinal lesion (P < .05) and duration of symptoms (P < .05). Adjuvant itraconazole, terbinafine, and Pythium vaccine have a role to play in patients with a disease-free arterial surgical margin but in whom infected surrounding soft tissue could not be completely excised. CONCLUSIONS: Achieving adequate disease-free surgical margins-especially the arterial margin-at amputation or débridement is the most important prognostic factor in patients with vascular pythiosis. Early detection combined with a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, including surgery, antifungal agents, and immunotherapy, allows the best possible outcome to be obtained.

Carotid Endarterectomy in Symptomatic Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Result of the First 100 Consecutive Cases in a University Hospital.

Background: Extracranial carotid artery stenosis has been recognized in 9.2% of ischemic stroke patients by duplex ultrasonography in Thailand. The treatment program of this disease has not been established countrywide. Objective: Carotid endarterectomy in our institute was firstly evaluated for safety and long-term efficiency in order to assess the possibility of expanding this treatment throughout the country. Material and Method: An observational study with long-term follow-up was carried out in 100 consecutive symptomatic patients with severe stenosis (70-99% diameter stenosis) of extracranial internal carotid artery that underwent carotid endarterectomies. All carotid endarterectomies were performed under general anesthesia, with routine use of intravascular shunts during carotid cross clamps and saphenous vein patches for arteriotomy closures. Perioperative mortality and morbidity were evaluated for the safety of this procedure. The long-term stroke-free survival was assessed to announce the efficiency of this treatment. Results: One hundred consecutive patients (68% male and 32%female) with the mean age of 69.9 years were included in the present study. Mean duration of neurological symptoms prior to surgery was 2.5 months. Hemiplegia (64%) was the most common symptom leading to surgery. Hypertension (87%) was the most common comorbidity in the present series. Mean duration of surgical procedure was 210 minutes. Mean durations of total carotid shunting and carotid cross clamp during shunt removal were 75 minutes and 4.5 minutes respectively. Mean length of ICU stay was 1.4 days. The perioperative mortality rate was 1%. The perioperative major stroke rate was also 1%. Ten-year follow-up of the patients revealed no death related to neurovascular event and no evidence of recurrent ipsilateral stroke in the present series. The cumulative 5- and 10-year stroke-free survivals were 86.1% and 73.7% respectively. Duplex ultrasonography in all survivors demonstrated no recurrent stenosis in the affected carotid artery. Conclusion: Carotid endarterectomy with a consistent technique in the present series had a comparable outcome of safety and long-term efficiency with the standard surgical practice. The information may initiate the treatment guideline for the patient with extracranial carotid artery stenosis in Thailand.

The Influence of VKORC1 Polymorphisms on Warfarin Doses in Thai Patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 2C9 and vitamin K epoxide reductase complex, subunit 1 genes (CYP2C9 and VKORC1, respectively) were previously shown to affect the warfarin dose required in anticoagulant therapy of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, little is known about the role of these genetic variants in the Thai population. OBJECTIVE: To identify the effect of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genetic variants on warfarin dosage in the Thai population with DVT. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Genotyping of CYP2C9 (*2 and *3) and VKORC1 promoter (-1 639G>A) variants were carried out in 97 Thai DVT patients receiving constant warfarin therapy and with a stable international normalized ratio using real-time PCR assays. RESULTS: VKORC1 AA, GA, and GG genotype frequencies were found to be 49.5%, 46.4%, and 4.1%, respectively, while those of CYP2C9 genotypes were 88.7% for *1/*1 and 11.3%for *1/*3. The CYP2C9*2 variant was not present in the patients studied. The mean daily warfarin dose required to maintain a therapeutic INR differed significantly according to VKORC1 genotype, with 3.6 mg/day required for AA, 4.7 mg/day for GA, and 7.4 mg/day for GG (p-value < 0.001). The CYP2C9 genotype did not significantly affect the warfarin dosage requirement (p-value = 0.29). CONCLUSION: These findings underline the impact of VKORC1 genotypes on the wide variation in warfarin maintenance dosing in Thai patients with DVT.

Suprainguinal vascular pythiosis: effective long-term outcome of aggressive surgical eradication.

Vascular pythiosis, a vascular infectious disease in hemoglobinopathy patients, caused by Pythium insidiosum, has an endemic area in tropical and subtropical countries. According to literature review, suprainguinal vascular pythiosis leads to 100% of mortality. The authors report a 35-year-old thalassemic patient who presented with a right inflammatory pulsatile groin mass and right limb ischemia. The computerized tomography angiography indicated a false aneurysm at the right external iliac artery and thrombosed entire right leg arteries. The management comprised antifungal agent, immunotherapy, and surgical removal of all infected arteries (high up to the right common iliac artery and above-knee amputation). The patient was found in a good condition at 36 months after the follow-up period.

Balloon assisted valsalva maneuver in the diagnosis of saphenofemoral junction incompetence.

BACKGROUND: Conventional Valsalva maneuver (CV) is a standardprocedure to exhibit reverse venous flow atsaphenofemoral junction (SFJ) by duplex ultrasonography (DUS). However some patients could not undergo CV during examination. OBJECTIVE: Compare blowing party balloon assisted Valsalva (PBAV) with CV for exhibiting the reverse venous flow at SFJ incompetence. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Forty patients who had symptoms and signs of suspected saphenofemoral junction incompetence were examined for venous reflux by DUS with two techniques of Valsalva maneuver PBAV and CV The design was a 2x2 cross-over study. The patients were randomized to two sequences. The first sequence performed CV before PBAV The second sequence performed PBAV before CV The timing for the instruction, reflux time, and total timing of examination were compared between the two sequences. RESULTS: There was neither period effect nor treatment-period interaction. Both PBAV and CV could equally identify SFJ reflux, but teaching time and total examination time in PBAV was shorter than CV. CONCLUSION: PBAV is a new option to exhibit reverse venous flow at SFJ by DUS. PBAV is easier and spend less time than CV

Outcomes of abdominal aortic aneurysm with aortic neck thrombus after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has increasingly been performed for the last two decades. One of the anatomical exclusion criterion of EVAR is the presence of thrombus within the infrarenal neck of an aneurysm. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of proximal aortic neck thrombus morphology on clinical outcomes after EVAR. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The subjects were retrospectively recruited from all the patients whom undergone EVAR in our institution between January 2010 and December 2012. The patients with apparent thrombus of more than 40% at proximal aortic neck were included Primary endpoints consisted of technical success and perioperative mortality. Secondary endpoints included adjuvant procedures at neck, procedural details, perioperative adverse events, ICU, and hospital stay. The late outcomes of stent grafts related complications were the presence of endoleak, aneurysm expansion, stent graft migration, stent graft thrombosis, AAA rupture, secondary intervention rate, and conversion to open repair RESULTS: Twenty-one out of 145 patients having thrombus of more than 40% of circumferential aortic neck underwent EVAR. The mean follow-up was 15.4 months (range, 2-36 months). There was 100% technical success with no perioperative death. Adjuvant of aortic neck procedure was required in three patients. One patient developed graft limb occlusion. In addition, one patient developed renal infarction requiring long-term hemodialysis and two patients presented with blue toe syndrome and trash feet. During late follow-up, three, five, and two patients had a type II endoleak at one, six, and 12 months, respectively without AAA sac expansion. There was no stent graft migration, stent graft thrombosis, or ruptured AAA. Three patients expired during the late follow-up. In addition, there was neither conversion to opened repair nor secondary intervention. CONCLUSION: The presence of aortic neck thrombus may not be a contraindication for EVAR in selected patients. However, it seems to negatively influence the outcomes in the aspect of renal and peripheral embolization, which could be prevented during EVAR procedure. There was no adverse graft-related complication, secondary intervention, or aneurysm-related mortality during mid-term follow-up period.

Prevalence of perioperative asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis in Thai gynecologic cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Thromboprophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis in gynecologic cancer surgery in Thai patients is not routinely performed. OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of perioperative asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis of 100 patients with gynecologic cancer was identified. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Duplex ultrasonography of proximal vein of legs was performed in each patient, seven to 14 days, before and after surgery. RESULTS: The prevalence of perioperative asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis was 7%. The prevalence of preoperative asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis of legs was 5% and postoperative incidence of asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis of legs was 2.11%. Acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism was found in only one patient. All patients who developed deep vein thrombosis had adenocarcinoma of ovary or uterus, but not cervical cancer The other risk factors of venous thromboembolism were comparable between deep vein thrombosis and non-deep vein thrombosis group. CONCLUSION: The patients with adenocarcinoma of ovary and uterus seem to be the greatest risk of perioperative deep vein thrombosis. High prevalence of venous thromboembolism in gynecologic cancer surgery of Thai patients should be concerned.

Long-term clinical outcomes of arterial bypass, and the factors independently associated with the primary patency of arterial bypass in patients with suprainguinal arterial occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: Aortoiliac occlusive disease and iliofemoral occlusion are impact patient quality of life, cause limb loss and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes of arterial bypass, and the factors associated with the outcomes. METHOD: This retrospective chart/image review included all types of arterial bypass procedures performed for suprainguinal arterial occlusion during January 2004 to December 2017. The primary outcome was the primary patency. The secondary outcomes were the secondary patency, amputation-free survival, overall survival and the factors associated with the outcomes. RESULT: A total of 135 patients (107 males) were included. The median age was 65 years. The 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year primary patency rates were 74.3%, 65.7%, and 55.6%, respectively, with independent predictors of poor outcomes being underlying cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.003) and postoperative graft infection (p = 0.016). Secondary patency rates at 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year intervals were 90.1%, 87.1%, and 77.8%, respectively, with independent predictors of poor outcomes being underlying cardiovascular disease (p = 0.013) and postoperative acute kidney injury (p = 0.010). Amputation-free survival rates at 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year intervals were 77.1%, 71.6%, and 66.0%, respectively, with the independent predictor of poor outcome being preoperative foot infection (p = 0.013). Overall survival rates at 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year intervals were 84.4%, 58.6%, and 35.3%, respectively, with independent predictors of poor outcomes being chronic kidney disease (p = 0.030) and postoperative myocardial infarction (p = 0.018). However, antiplatelet therapy emerged as an independent predictor of favorable overall survival outcomes (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Our results showed the primary patency rates of arterial bypass to be relatively low at our center; however, most grafts could be saved with high secondary patency. Both disease-associated factors and patient condition-associated factors were found to influence the outcomes of this fragile patient population.

Catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute limb ischemia caused by native artery occlusion: an experience of a university hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency and complications of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) of acute limb ischemia (ALI) resulting from thromboembolic occlusion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study of CDT was carried out in patients with acute thromboembolic arterial occlusion and marginally threatened ischemia of the extremities between February 2006 and December 2011. After the tip of the angiographic catheter was placed within the blood clot, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was used for thrombolysis. The CDT procedure included an initial bolus injection of high dose rt-PA (5-15 mg) followed by a tapering of infusion rate (1-2 mg/hour) through the catheter Primary outcome was 1-year amputation free survival rate and mortality rate. Secondary outcome included technical and clinical success rates, time to lysis, and complication rate. The complete reestablishment of the occluded arteries without major amputation and death was considered successful treatment. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (30 males and 7 females) with the mean age of 55.6 years (range, 27-86 years) were enrolled in the present study. The number of acute arterial occlusion was 23 (62.2%) of acute arterial embolism and 14 (37.8%) of acute arterial thrombosis. Embolism involved two aortic bifurcations, two iliac arteries, five femoral arteries, 13 popliteal arteries, and one both popliteal arteries. The sites of thrombosis were one of aorto-iliac segment, three of iliac artery, five of femoral artery, three of popliteal artery, one of bilateral popliteal, and one of tibio-peroneal artery. The mean duration of completed infusions was 21.29 hours (range, 2-58 hours). Successful adjunctive percutaneous intervention or arterial bypass was performed in seven patients (18.9%) whose stenotic lesions were disclosed following CDT The 30-day perioperative mortality and 30-day amputation-free survival rates of the patients treated by CDT were 10.8% (4 of 37 patients) and 86.5% (32 of 37 patients) respectively. Both 6-month and 1-year amputation free survival rate were 78.4% (29/37). Technical success rate was 75.7% (28/37) whereas clinical success was 86.5% (32/37). Technical success rate was 80.0% (28/35) if ischemic symptom onset was no longer than six weeks. The 30-day major complications included two patients (5.4%) requiring more than four units of blood transfusion for access site hematoma, two (5.4%) large fatal intracerebral hemorrhages, one (2.7%) small intracerebral hemorrhage, one (2.7%) acute embolic stroke, and one (2.7%) death of multiple organ failure following conversion to surgical revascularization. Minor complications were distal thromboembolization in one patient (2.7%), small hematoma in seven patients (18.9%), and pseudoaneurysm in one patient (2.7%). CONCLUSION: CDT is an effective armamentarium to salvage the ischemic limb resulting from acute embolism and acute thrombosis of native artery. However bleeding complication is a major problem of this treatment. Although CDT is usually applied for ALI patients with ischemic symptom onset less than 14 days, it also provides technical success for those with the symptom onset between the second and the sixth weeks.

Transfemoral temporary aortic balloon occlusion assisting open repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

UNLABELLED: The mortality rate of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is still high despite an advance in surgical technology and critical care. The authors report three patients who had successful open repairs of rAAA assisted by transfemoral temporary aortic balloon occlusion. Before the operation, these patients had severe abdominal pain with hypotension. An aortic balloon occlusion catheter was introduced into the abdominal aorta under fluoroscopy at pararenal level, which was accessed from the right common femoral artery under local anesthesia. After balloon inflation, a rapid increase in arterial blood pressure was found and general anesthetic induction was started. Finally, open repair of rAAA was successfully carried out with rapid proximal neck control by aortic balloon palpation. All the patients made an uneventful recovery during the postoperative period and were discharged on day 16, day 8, and day 17 respectively. CONCLUSION: Transfemoral temporary aortic balloon occlusion is an effective strategy in rapid proximal aortic control before a conventional open repair of rAAA. It provides immediate hemostasis resulting in stabilized blood pressure before and during anesthetic induction, and facilitated aortic neck identification.

The quality and quantity media-cultured mononuclear cell transplantation is safe and effective in ischemic hindlimb mouse model.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate in vitro proangiogenic and anti-inflammatory phenotypes and functions and the in vivo efficacy and safety of quality and quantity (QQ) media-cultured mononuclear cells (MNCs) compared with standard cultured MNCs from the peripheral blood of patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) with atherosclerotic risk factors. Methods: Peripheral blood MNCs (PBMNCs) from patients with CLTI were cultured in QQ culture media or standard culture media. Phenotypic analysis of progenitor cells (CD34+CD133+), M2 macrophages (CD206+), and inactivated T regulatory cells (CD4+CD25+CD127+), colony-forming assay, and tube formation assay of QQ media-cultured MNCs (QQMNCs) and PBMNCs, were conducted. Intramuscular transplantation of QQMNCs or PBMNCs was performed in the ischemic hindlimb model. The clinical appearance of ischemic limbs was observed, and blood flow in ischemic limbs was measured using a laser Doppler perfusion imager. Outcomes were compared between the QQMNC and PBMNC groups. Results: Twenty patients with CLTI were included. The mean percentages of CD34+ cells, CD133+ cells, CD34+CD133+ progenitor cells, CD206+ cells, colony-forming cells, and tube formation were significantly higher in the QQMNCs. The mean percentage of CD4+CD25+CD127+ cells was significantly lower in QQMNC. The colony-forming unit count and Dil-acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake were significantly greater in QQMNCs. The clinical appearance of post-QQMNC-injected limbs was less severe than the appearance of post-PBMNC-injected limbs. Limb perfusion was significantly better in the QQMNCs. Conclusions: Proangiogenic and anti-inflammatory phenotypes of MNCs cultured in QQ culture media were reproducible. Intramuscular QQMNC transplantation was safe and resulted in better reperfusion of ischemic hindlimbs compared with PBMNCs.

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index predicts amputation after infrapopliteal angioplasty in critical limb ischemia patients.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Critical Limb Ischemia Frailty Index (CLIFI), and to identify independent predictors of 2-year amputation-free survival after infrapopliteal endovascular treatment for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in Thai patients. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted during the June 2014 to February 2017 study period. CLTI patients treated with infrapopliteal angioplasty were enrolled and analyzed. A patient was defined as CLIFI positive if two or more of the following criteria were present: Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) < 89.8, low skeletal muscle mass index (<6.87 kg/m2 in males, and <5.46 kg/m2 in females), and/or non-ambulatory status. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess 2-year amputation-free survival (AFS), and comparisons were performed using log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze for significant and independent association, respectively, between preoperative characteristics and AFS. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients and 286 limbs were included. Forty (15.0%) patients were CLIFI positive, and 226 (85.0%) patients were CLIFI negative. The 2-year amputation-free survival rate was 90.3% in the CLIFI positive group, and 86.6% in the CLIFI negative group (p = 0.59). Multivariate analysis revealed the GNRI to be an independent risk factor for amputation within two years after infrapopliteal revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio: 4.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-19.70; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The GNRI was found to independently predict 2-year amputation after infrapopliteal angioplasty in Thai CLTI patients; however, the CLIFI was not found to significantly predict 2-year amputation in this patient population.

Prevalence and predictors of combined >50% iliocaval venous obstruction and superficial venous reflux in chronic venous insufficiency patients with healed or active venous leg ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of combined >50% iliocaval venous obstruction (ICVO) and superficial venous reflux (SVR) in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) with a healed (C5) or an active (C6) venous leg ulcer (VLU). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from patients with CVI with CEAP (Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, Pathophysiology) class C5 (healed ulcer) or C6 (active ulcer) with SVR who had been treated at our institution from February 2017 to January 2018. The demographic, clinical, and surgical data and duplex ultrasound and computed tomography venography findings were collected. We used OsiriX MD, version 2.9, software (Pixmeo SARL, Bernex, Switzerland) to measure the vein diameter via multiplanar reconstruction. The prevalence of combined >50% ICVO and SVR was evaluated, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent predictors of >50% ICVO in patients with CVI and SVR. RESULTS: A total of 79 limbs from 67 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 59.82 ± 12.86 years, the mean body mass index was 28.68 ± 6.41 kg/m2, and 41.8% were men. The prevalence of >50% ICVO in the patients with SVR was 31.6%. Univariate analysis showed a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the affected leg (P = .001), a VLU in the left leg (P = .033), a history of a recurrent VLU (P = .038), and reversed flow in the superficial epigastric vein (P = .004) were significantly associated with >50% ICVO in patients with CVI and SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed a history of DVT in the affected leg (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.29-30.19; P = .001), a VLU in the left leg (aOR, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.18-13.19; P = .026), and a history of a recurrent VLU (aOR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.02-9.32; P = .047) to be independently associated with combined >50% ICVO and SVR in patients with CVI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of combined >50% ICVO and SVR in patients with CVI and CEAP C5 or C6 was 31.6%. The independent predictors of combined >50% ICVO and SVR in those with CVI were a history of DVT in the affected leg, a VLU in the left leg, and recurrent VLUs.