Carotid artery stenting has similar outcomes in men and women.

BACKGROUND: The aim of carotid interventions is to prevent cerebrovascular events. Endovascular treatment (carotid-artery-stenting/CAS) has become established as an alternative to open surgery in some cases. Historically, female sex has been considered as a perioperative risk factor, however, there are few studies regarding this hypothesis when it comes to CAS. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the CAS results in our center adjusted by sex. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was designed, including patients with carotid atheromatosis operated at a single center from January 2016 to June 2019. Our objective was to compare cardiovascular risk, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality, by sex. Follow-up rates of stent patency, restenosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, and death were reported. RESULTS: 71 interventions were performed in 50 men (70.42%) and 21 women (29.57%). Mean age was 70.50 ± 10.72 years for men and 73.62 ± 11.78 years for women. Cardiovascular risk factors did not differ significantly between sexes. Mean follow-up was 11.28 ± 11.28 months. There were no significant differences in neurological events during follow-up. No adverse cardiological events were detected at any time. Regarding the mortality rate, during medium-term follow up there were 2 neurological related deaths with no significant differences between sexes (p=0.8432). Neither sex had higher rated of restenosis during long term follow-up (5.63% vs. 1.41%, p = 0.9693) or reoperation (1.41% vs. 1.41%, p = 0.4971). All procedures remained patent (<50% restenosis). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of our study, CAS is a therapeutic option that is as effective and safe in women as in men. No sex differences were observed.

CONTEXTO: As intervenções carotídeas visam prevenir eventos cerebrovasculares. O tratamento endovascular (implante de stent na artéria carótida) se estabeleceu como uma alternativa à cirurgia aberta em alguns casos. Historicamente, o sexo feminino é considerado um fator de risco perioperatório, mas há poucos estudos abordando essa hipótese em casos de stent de carótida. OBJETIVOS: Analisar os resultados do CAS em nosso centro ajustados por sexo. MÉTODOS: Este estudo de coorte retrospectivo incluiu pacientes com ateromatose carotídea operados em um centro de janeiro de 2016 a junho de 2019. Nosso objetivo foi comparar o risco cardiovascular, incluindo infarto do miocárdio, acidente vascular cerebral e mortalidade, de acordo com o sexo. No seguimento, foram descritos patência do stent, reestenose, acidente vascular cerebral, infarto do miocárdio e morte. RESULTADOS: Setenta e uma intervenções foram realizadas: 50 homens (70,42%) e 21 mulheres (29,57%). A média de idade foi de 70,50 ± 10,72 anos nos homens e 73,62 ± 11,78 anos nas mulheres. Os fatores de risco cardiovascular não diferiram significativamente entre os sexos. A média de seguimento foi de 11,28 ± 11,28 meses. Durante o seguimento, não houve diferenças significativas nos eventos neurológicos. Nenhum evento cardiológico adverso foi detectado. Quanto à taxa de mortalidade, durante o seguimento de médio prazo ocorreram 2 óbitos neurológicos sem diferenças significativas entre os sexos (p = 0,8432). Não foi observada maior taxa de reestenose no seguimento de longo prazo (5,63% vs. 1,41%, p = 0,9693) ou de reoperação (1,41% vs. 1,41%, p = 0,4971) ao comparar os dois sexos. Todos os procedimentos permaneceram pérvios (< 50% de reestenose). CONCLUSÕES: Apesar das limitações deste estudo, o stent de carótida em mulheres é uma opção terapêutica tão eficaz e segura quanto em homens. Nenhuma diferença foi observada entre os sexos.

Mortality of COVID-19 patients with vascular thrombotic complications.

PURPOSE: To analyze the survival of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and who presented some vascular thrombotic complication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All consecutive patients with COVID-19 who were treated during the months of March and April 2020 at our institution were included. All patients were symptomatic and the thrombotic event objectively confirmed. Patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), ischemic stroke, and peripheral arterial thrombosis (PAT) were included. Survival curves for all groups were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier with Log Rank test, and Cox regression. RESULTS: During the pandemic period from March-1 to April-30, 2943 patients were treated with confirmed COVID-19 in our center. 106 patients showed some symptomatic vascular thrombosis: 13 patients had PAT, 15 ischemic stroke, 20 DVT and 58 PE. 11 patients presented multiple vascular thrombosis. Although the mean age was 65 years, there were differences between groups being older those patients with arterial thrombosis. A 67.92% were men. In total, 25 patients died during their hospital admission (23.58%), with differences between groups, being more common in patients with PAT (9 patients out of 13) and ischemic stroke (8 patients out of 15), than in those with DVT (1 patient out of 20) or PE (7 patients out of 58). CONCLUSIONS: The venous thromboembolic risk in these patients is greater than the arterial, but arterial thrombosis when it occurs was associated with high mortality rates. Survival was better in patients with DVT and PE than in patients with ischemic stroke or PAT.

OBJETIVO: Presentar nuestra experiencia y analizar la supervivencia de los pacientes hospitalizados con COVID-19 y que presentaron algún proceso trombótico vascular. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron todos los pacientes consecutivos COVID-19 que fueron atendidos durante los meses de marzo-abril 2020 en nuestra institución. Se incluyeron pacientes sintomáticos con trombosis venosa profunda (TVP), tromboembolia pulmonar (TEP), ictus isquémico y trombosis arterial periférica (TAP) confirmados objetivamente. Se analizaron las curvas de supervivencia de todos los grupos mediante Kaplan-Meier, test de Log Rank, y regresión de Cox. RESULTADOS: Durante el periodo pandémico del 1-marzo al 30-abril, se atendieron 2943 pacientes COVID-19 en nuestro centro. 106 pacientes presentaron algún proceso trombótico vascular sintomático: 13 pacientes tuvieron TAP, 15 ictus, 20 TVP y 58 TEP. 11 pacientes mostraron trombosis vasculares múltiples. Aunque la edad media fue de 65 años, fueron de edad más avanzada los que mostraron trombosis arteriales que procesos tromboembólicos venosos. El 67.92% fueron hombres. En total, 25 pacientes murieron durante su ingreso hospitalario (23.58%), existiendo diferencias entre grupos siendo más común en pacientes con TAP (9 pacientes de 13), e ictus isquémico (8 pacientes de 15), que en los de TVP (1 paciente de 20) o TEP (7 pacientes de 58). CONCLUSIONES: El riesgo tromboembólico venoso en estos pacientes es mayor que el arterial, pero la trombosis arterial cuando acontece estuvo asociada a altas tasas de mortalidad. La supervivencia fue mejor en los pacientes con TVP y TEP que en los pacientes con ictus isquémico o trombosis arterial periférica.

[Mortality of covid-19 patients with vascular thrombotic complications]. / Mortalidad de los pacientes covid-19 con complicaciones trombóticas.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the survival of patients hospitalized with covid-19 and who presented some vascular thrombotic complication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All consecutive patients with covid-19 who were treated during the months of March and April 2020 at our institution were included. All patients were symptomatic and the thrombotic event objectively confirmed. Patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), ischemic stroke, and peripheral arterial thrombosis (PAT) were included. Survival curves for all groups were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier with log rank test, and Cox regression. RESULTS: During the pandemic period from March-1 to April-30, 2943 patients were treated with confirmed covid-19 in our center. Of them, 106 patients showed some symptomatic vascular thrombosis: 13 patients had PAT, 15 ischemic stroke, 20 DVT and 58 PE. Another 11 patients presented multiple vascular thrombosis. Although the mean age was 65 years, there were differences between groups being older those patients with arterial thrombosis. A 67.92% were men. In total, 25 patients died during their hospital admission (23.58%), with differences between groups, being more common in patients with PAT (9 patients out of 13) and ischemic stroke (8 patients out of 15), than in those with DVT (1 patient out of 20) or PE (7 patients out of 58). CONCLUSIONS: The venous thromboembolic risk in these patients is greater than the arterial, but arterial thrombosis when it occurs was associated with high mortality rates. Survival was better in patients with DVT and PE than in patients with ischemic stroke or PAT.

Carotid artery stenting has similar outcomes in men and women / Implante de stent na artéria carótida tem desfechos semelhantes em homens e mulheres

Abstract Background The aim of carotid interventions is to prevent cerebrovascular events. Endovascular treatment (carotid-artery-stenting/CAS) has become established as an alternative to open surgery in some cases. Historically, female sex has been considered as a perioperative risk factor, however, there are few studies regarding this hypothesis when it comes to CAS. Objectives To analyze the CAS results in our center adjusted by sex. Methods A retrospective cohort study was designed, including patients with carotid atheromatosis operated at a single center from January 2016 to June 2019. Our objective was to compare cardiovascular risk, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality, by sex. Follow-up rates of stent patency, restenosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, and death were reported. Results 71 interventions were performed in 50 men (70.42%) and 21 women (29.57%). Mean age was 70.50 ± 10.72 years for men and 73.62 ± 11.78 years for women. Cardiovascular risk factors did not differ significantly between sexes. Mean follow-up was 11.28 ± 11.28 months. There were no significant differences in neurological events during follow-up. No adverse cardiological events were detected at any time. Regarding the mortality rate, during medium-term follow up there were 2 neurological related deaths with no significant differences between sexes (p=0.8432). Neither sex had higher rated of restenosis during long term follow-up (5.63% vs. 1.41%, p = 0.9693) or reoperation (1.41% vs. 1.41%, p = 0.4971). All procedures remained patent (<50% restenosis). Conclusions Despite the limitations of our study, CAS is a therapeutic option that is as effective and safe in women as in men. No sex differences were observed.

Resumo Contexto As intervenções carotídeas visam prevenir eventos cerebrovasculares. O tratamento endovascular (implante de stent na artéria carótida) se estabeleceu como uma alternativa à cirurgia aberta em alguns casos. Historicamente, o sexo feminino é considerado um fator de risco perioperatório, mas há poucos estudos abordando essa hipótese em casos de stent de carótida. Objetivos Analisar os resultados do CAS em nosso centro ajustados por sexo. Métodos Este estudo de coorte retrospectivo incluiu pacientes com ateromatose carotídea operados em um centro de janeiro de 2016 a junho de 2019. Nosso objetivo foi comparar o risco cardiovascular, incluindo infarto do miocárdio, acidente vascular cerebral e mortalidade, de acordo com o sexo. No seguimento, foram descritos patência do stent, reestenose, acidente vascular cerebral, infarto do miocárdio e morte. Resultados Setenta e uma intervenções foram realizadas: 50 homens (70,42%) e 21 mulheres (29,57%). A média de idade foi de 70,50 ± 10,72 anos nos homens e 73,62 ± 11,78 anos nas mulheres. Os fatores de risco cardiovascular não diferiram significativamente entre os sexos. A média de seguimento foi de 11,28 ± 11,28 meses. Durante o seguimento, não houve diferenças significativas nos eventos neurológicos. Nenhum evento cardiológico adverso foi detectado. Quanto à taxa de mortalidade, durante o seguimento de médio prazo ocorreram 2 óbitos neurológicos sem diferenças significativas entre os sexos (p = 0,8432). Não foi observada maior taxa de reestenose no seguimento de longo prazo (5,63% vs. 1,41%, p = 0,9693) ou de reoperação (1,41% vs. 1,41%, p = 0,4971) ao comparar os dois sexos. Todos os procedimentos permaneceram pérvios (< 50% de reestenose). Conclusões Apesar das limitações deste estudo, o stent de carótida em mulheres é uma opção terapêutica tão eficaz e segura quanto em homens. Nenhuma diferença foi observada entre os sexos.

National Diagnostic Reference Levels for Endovascular Aneurysm Repair and Optimisation Strategies.

OBJECTIVE: The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has highlighted the large number of medical specialties using fluoroscopy outside imaging departments without programmes of radiation protection (RP) for patients and staff. Vascular surgery is one of these specialties and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is one of the most challenging procedures requiring RP guidance and optimisation actions. The recent European Directive on Basic Safety Standards requires the use and regular update of diagnostic reference levels (DRL) for interventional procedures. The objective of the study was to know the doses of patients undergoing EVAR with mobile Xray systems and with hybrid rooms (fixed Xray systems), to obtain national DRLs and suggest optimisation actions. METHODS: The Spanish Chapter of Endovascular Surgery launched a national survey that involved hospitals for 10 autonomous communities representing the 77% of the Spanish population (46.7 million inhabitants). Patient dose values from mobile Xray systems were available from nine hospitals (sample of 165 EVAR procedures) and data from hybrid rooms, from seven hospitals, with dosimetric data from 123 procedures. The initial national DRLs have been obtained, as the third quartile of the median values from the different centres involved in the survey. RESULTS: The proposed national DRLs are 278 Gy cm2 for hybrid rooms and 87 Gy cm2 for mobile Xray systems, and for cumulative air kerma (cumulative AK) at the patient entrance reference point, 1403 mGy for hybrid rooms, and 292 mGy for mobile systems. CONCLUSION: An audit of patient doses for EVAR procedures to identify optimised imaging protocol strategies is needed. It is also appropriate to evaluate the diagnostic information required for EVAR procedures. The increase by a factor of 3.2 (for kerma area product) and 4.8 (for cumulative AK) in the DRLs needs to be justified when the procedures are performed in the hybrid rooms rather than with mobile Xray systems.

Atrial Fibrillation and Surgical Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice and its prevalence rate significantly increases with age. The prognostic implication of AF in surgical patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has not been analyzed. The aims of this study were to analyze the prevalence of AF among patients operated on with symptomatic PAD, and to determine whether these patients are at a higher risk of death or amputation. METHODS: We designed a retrospective cohort study, from January 2013 to December 2017, in which we analyzed the medical records of all consecutive patients with symptomatic PAD admitted to our hospital and underwent a vascular procedure. We compared the outcomes of patients with and without AF. All statistically significant demographic variables that underwent a univariate analysis were inserted in the stepwise multivariate model along with AF. A survival analysis was performed to evaluate the factors associated with mortality through a Cox regression model. P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Four hundred three patients were admitted in-hospital with symptomatic PAD and they underwent a vascular intervention. The mean follow-up was 2 years. Seventy-six patients (18.8%) had AF. These patients were older (78 ± 9.1 years) than the 327 patients without AF (68 ± 12.37 years) (P < 0.0001), and more likely to undergo emergency surgery (18.42% vs. 7.34%, P = 0.0029). Age and emergency admission were dependent associates of AF. The patients with AF were frequently men (69.7%) with previous hypertension (96% %). The presence of AF was associated with higher rate of all-cause mortality (55.26%, P < 0.0001, hazard ratio 2.24, confidence interval 1.55-3.25), but the multivariate analysis adjusted for risk factors showed that the mortality was only associated with age because these patients were older and with many comorbidities. The majority of this population with AF showed some tissue lesion when they were admitted in-hospital (Rutherford V-VI, AF 80.2%, P = 0.0004), and this fact justified that a 22.36% underwent a major amputation affecting the ischemic lower limb in admission (P = 0.018). During the follow-up the free amputation rate was similar between groups (60.5% AF vs. 78.3% non-AF). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the high prevalence of AF in patients with symptomatic PAD that required surgical admission in-hospital. The presence of AF was related with a greater and serious risk of mortality, but this was independently associated to age, because patients with AF were older and frailer. Clearly, this group of patients had a high risk of amputation when they arrived to the hospital and they needed emergency surgery.

Cost-effectiveness of Carotid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determinate the cost-effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus transfemoral stenting (TFS) and transcervical stenting (TCS) in a short- and long-term basis in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. METHODS: From January 2003 to December 2014, patients from the vascular department, with symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis, who were clinically and anatomically suitable for TFS, TCS, or CEA, were included. Prospective cost data for each individual procedure and complication during follow-up were obtained from the diagnosis-related group. The quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated. Analysis of data was by treatment received. All statistical tests were two-sided. The significance level was 5%. RESULTS: A total of 349 patients were enrolled: 61 for CEA (17.5%), 159 for TFS (45.5%), and 129 for TCS (37%). A total of 220 (63%) patients were symptomatic and 129 (37%) were asymptomatic. The median procedural cost and overall cost were lower on CEA (5499€ and 5595€, respectively). However, QALYs, for symptomatic patients, were better on TCS (7.3), whereas for asymptomatic patients, QALYs were better on CEA (9.6). Cost-effectiveness for symptomatic patients was better with TCS (803€/QALY), and for asymptomatic patients, it was with CEA (654€/QALY). CONCLUSIONS: TFS and TCS were associated with clinical outcomes equivalent to CEA on both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Cost-effectiveness ratios for symptomatic patients were better on TCS, whereas the CEA showed the best results in asymptomatic patients.

Prognostic significance of an elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in the amputation-free survival of patients with chronic critical limb ischemia.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of admission neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the amputation-free survival (AFS) of patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) who underwent an elective infrainguinal therapeutic intervention. METHODS: All patients with CLI undergoing elective infrainguinal vascular surgery (open or endovascular) at a single university teaching hospital between January 2005 and December 2009 were retrospectively identified from a prospectively maintained database. The primary end point was AFS. The cut-off of NLR >5 was used to categorize patients into low- and high-NLR groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis and long-rank test were used to compare survival between both groups. Cox regression analysis was conducted to determine independent factors affecting the AFS. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 31 months, 561 patients with chronic CLI underwent infrainguinal revascularization. Five-year mortality was lower in the NLR <5 group (33%) than in the NLR >5 group (49%) (P ≤ 0.001), and the AFS was significantly higher in the NLR <5 group (50%) than in the NLR >5 group (26%) (P ≤ 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, preoperative NLR >5 was independently associated with 5-year AFS (hazard ratio 2.325, 95% CI 1.732-3.121). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated NLR predicts a worse AFS in patients undergoing infrainguinal vascular revascularization with chronic CLI, suggesting that the NLR conveys powerful prognostic information that is independent of other conventional clinical risk factors.

Endovascular management of radiotherapy-induced injury to brachiocephalic artery using covered stents.

Actinic vascular lesions tend to be stenotic-occlusive lesions. In this article, we present 2 exceptional cases of pseudoaneurysms caused by radionecrosis of the supra-aortic trunks. Both patients were treated by a retrograde carotid approach and deployment of a self-expanding covered stent. Proper exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm was attained in both cases; the first patient remained asymptomatic 12 months later; the second patient died of mediastinitis. Compared with conventional surgery, endovascular management is a viable, less invasive alternative in select patients, especially in life-threatening cases.

Shotgun wound and pellet embolism to the intracranial carotid artery.

Missile embolism into the cerebral circulation is a very unusual complication of shotgun wounds to the chest or neck. We report a case of an 11-year-old boy who sustained an air gunshot wound and pellet embolism to the intracranial carotid artery. The cerebral artery pellet embolus resulted in contralateral hemiplegia. The patient was successfully treated by emergency flow reversal and embolectomy. Because this injury is extremely rare, the literature is reviewed, and several principles are suggested to improve the management.

Open surgical repair and endovascular treatment in adult coarctation of the aorta.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of endovascular therapy (covered stenting) with surgical technique to repair aortic coarctation in adults. METHODS: A prospective study of 11 patients who were treated during the past 10 years was carried out. Of these, five patients underwent endoprosthesis (group A) and six an open surgical repair (group B). Follow-up comprised monitoring of the blood pressure, echocardiography, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiographic studies. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46 years (range: 17-67 years) and the mean follow-up was 52.6 months (range: 1-117 months; 32.3 for group A vs. 69.7 for group B; p = 0.01). Two cases in group A were recoarctations after child angioplasty. The rate of postoperative complications was 27.7% (one hemothorax for group A vs. one pneumothorax and one hemothorax for group B); however, mortality did not occur. The success rate of the endovascular technique was 80%. The stay in the intensive care unit was 2.3 days with significant differences (one group A vs. three group B; p = 0.01), whereas length of hospital stay was 11 days (7.8 group A vs. 11.83 group B; p = 0.17). The pressure gradient across the stenosis decreased by 21.9 ± 3.7 mm Hg (24.5 ± 4.3 group A vs. 33 ± 3.2 group B). Six patients (54.5%) showed persistent hypertension (80% group A vs. 33% group B), with a mean residual pressure gradient of 23.4 ± 4.3 mm Hg (22.5 ± 5.4 group A vs. 22 ± 2.1 group B; p = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Short- and medium-term results of the endovascular therapy are similar, with shorter stay in the intensive care unit and higher necessity of antihypertensive treatment. Echocardiography and Doppler aortic coarctation gradients slightly higher than 20 mm Hg are usual during follow-up.

[Posterior nutcracker syndrome: retroaortic renal vein associated with arteriovenous fistula and renal cancinoma. Report of a case and review of literature]. / Síndrome del cascanueces posterior: vena renal retroaórtica asociada a fístula arteriovenosa y carcinoma renal. A propósito de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

Vascular retroperitoneal alterations are little frequent and nevertheless, more diagnosed. We presented a case of association very little frequents in which a vascular congenital malformation is related to the presence of a renal arteriovenous fistula and a left renal carcinoma in a patient who only presented hematuria. These vascular variations must be considered at the moment for planning a surgery with the purpose of making it safer and to avoid complications. The case is discussed and literature is reviewed.

Effect of the anticoagulant therapy in the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome and recurrent thromboembolism: Comparative study of enoxaparin versus coumarin.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of long-term anticoagulant treatment (enoxaparin vs coumarin) in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) as to incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and recurrent venous thromboembolism. We also analyzed the impact of thrombus regression after the anticoagulant treatment for these two outcomes. METHODS: A prospective study was designed in which 165 patients with symptomatic, unilateral, first-episode DVT were randomized to a long-term anticoagulant treatment with coumarin or enoxaparin during at least 3 months. The rate of thrombus regression was defined as the difference in Marder score after 3 months of treatment by venography. Follow-up was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months, and yearly thereafter for 5 years. Venous disease was related to pathologic severity of PTS according to the validated scale of Villalta as rated by a physician blinded to treatment. Recurrence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism was documented objectively. RESULTS: The 5-year follow-up period was completed for 100 patients (enoxaparin, 56; coumarin, 44). A lesser incidence of PTS was observed in the enoxaparin group (39.3% absent, 19.6% severe) than in the coumarin group (29.5% absent, 29.5% severe), although this difference was not statistically significant. The accumulated recurrence rate was 19.3% with enoxaparin compared with 36.6% with coumarin (P = .02). Although the mean Marder score was significantly improved in both groups (49.1% for enoxaparin vs 24.0% for coumarin; P = .016), a lower reduction in thrombus size was associated with higher clinical events of recurrence (hazard ratio = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.06-3.66; P = .032). A significant inverse correlation was also found between the degree of thrombus regression at 3 months and the incidence at 5 years of PTS (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Residual venous thrombosis is an important risk factor for recurrent thromboembolism and PTS. A greater reduction in thrombus size was associated with lesser clinical events of recurrence and consequently a lesser rate of PTS. However, despite a greater recanalization with enoxaparin, the incidence of PTS was similar between both treatment groups, probably because of the small sample size. Further investigations are needed to clarify the implication of the anticoagulant treatment in the severity of PTS.

Nonatherosclerotic pathology of the neck vessels: prevalence and flow patterns.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and flow characteristics of nonatherosclerotic pathologies of the cervical vessels. DESIGN: From 1997 to 2003, 11 480 ultrasound tests were performed for neck vessel evaluation on patients with cerebrovascular symptoms and trauma, and on asymptomatic patients with a bruit, cervical mass, or prior to aortocoronary bypass. When necessary, these findings were confirmed by other imaging modalities. RESULTS: A total of 3010 repeated tests were excluded, leaving 8470 patients. The prevalence of nonatherosclerotic pathologies (n = 55) was 0.65%. The most common was thromboembolism (n = 19, 0.22%), followed by dissection (n = 16, 0.19%), carotid body tumors (n = 5, 0.06%), aneurysms (n = 4, 0.05%), fibromuscular dysplasia (n = 4, 0.05%), Takayasu's arteritis (n = 1, 0.01%), pseudoaneurysms (n = 5, 0.06%), and arteriovenous fistulae (n = 1, 0.01%). Cerebrovascular symptoms were present in 27 patients (49%). CONCLUSION: Nonatherosclerotic pathology accounts for 0.65% of patients referred for neck vessel evaluation. About half of them are symptomatic. Diagnosis of these pathologies and knowledge of their flow characteristics is important for patient management.

[Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection postoperatory complications and prognosis of patients with lower extremity amputations]. / Influencia de la presencia de Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina en las complicaciones postoperatorias y en el pronóstico de los pacientes con amputación de extremidad inferior.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with an increasing morbimortality when compared with other microorganisms. The aim of this study was to examine the complications and prognosis of the presence of MRSA in vascular patients with amputation of lower limbs. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We included patients who had lower extremity amputation in our department in 2004 and displayed positive surgical wounds cultures. We compared patients with MRSA positive cultures with other microrganisms. We evaluated general characteristics, operative indications, surgical wounds microbiology, reamputations, morbimortality and mean time of stay in hospital. RESULTS: 117 patients (median age 73, 68% male) underwent lower extremity amputation. 82 of them had positive cultures and MRSA were isolated in 30% cases. Two two groups were comparable and no statistical differences were found in relation to reamputation rate, morbimortality and mean time of stay in hospital. CONCLUSION: Presence of MRSA does not represent an additional risk of reamputation or an increase of postoperative complications. Careful wound surveillance, through wound debridement and optimal administration of antibiotics must be applied to all patients, regardless of the bacterial flora.

Study of the venous reflux progression.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic venous disease (CVD) often ask whether elective vein surgery could be delayed without consequences. Because the natural history of CVD is not well known, this study was designed to determine its progression in such patients. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen limbs in 90 patients who had at least 2 exams with duplex ultrasound (DU) scanning prior to vein surgery at a university medical center were studied. These were patients who were offered an operation but for various reasons were treated at a later stage. Patients were classified by the CEAP system. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49 years (range, 23 to 81 years). A second DU scan was performed 1 to 43 months after the initial exam (median, 19 months). Eighty-five limbs (73.3%) were unchanged. Thirteen limbs (11.2%) had progression of clinical stage, and seven had progression on DU scanning as well. Seven limbs progressed from C2 to C3, four limbs from C3 to C4, and two limbs from C4 to C6. Thirty-four limbs had a documented change on repeat DU scanning. In 3 of these limbs, reflux was missed on the initial exam; therefore, 31 limbs had progression of disease. The great saphenous vein and tributaries were the most often anatomic sites affected by a change, followed by perforators. Seventeen limbs (14.7%) had extension of pre-existing reflux, and 14 (12.1%) had reflux in a new segment. In 11 of these limbs, a change in the initial plan for treatment was required. Symptomatic or DU changes were noted 6 months or later in 95% of limbs and 74.2% of limbs with disease progression were diagnosed at 12 months or later. All but one of the 13 symptomatic limbs developed symptoms at least a year later. CONCLUSION: Nearly one third of patients with venous reflux had progression. Anatomic extension is frequent with disease progression but not a pre-requisite. Progression was found in most limbs 6 months after the initial study. Patients undergoing treatment for their veins may need another DU exam if this time interval is exceeded.

Endovascular repair in the presence of aortic infection.

The purpose of this study is to describe our experience in the endovascular management of two cases of aortoenteric and aortoesophageal fistula that were unsuccessfully treated with an aortic stent graft because of recurrent infection. Although endovascular repair appears to be a promising therapeutic modality, in the presence of infection this technique should be considered on an individual basis. Failure of treatment should be expected in a significant number of cases during follow-up, particularly in patients with signs of sepsis. A review of the literature with positive and negative results has been included for a better understanding of this condition.

Utility of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during endovascular stent-graft repair of acute thoracic aortic dissection.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility and efficacy of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the endovascular management of patients with acute type B aortic dissection. Twelve consecutive patients with acute type B aortic dissection underwent elective endoluminal stent-graft repair in the operating room under angiographic and TEE guidance. The follow-up protocol included spiral CT scanning before discharge from the hospital to assess thrombosis exclusion of the aortic false lumen, perfusion of branch vessels, and the absence of perigraft leak. No complications related to the use of TEE were encountered. TEE clearly demonstrated the presence and extent of the dissection flap in all patients. After the procedure a persistent perigraft leak or residual flow into the false lumen was diagnosed by TEE in 6 patients, whereas intraoperative angiography visualized only 3 cases. Postoperative CT scan confirmed these findings. One patient died 2 months later by aortic rupture secondary to a persistent perigraft leak not treated (8.3% mortality). No postoperative paraplegia or visceral ischaemia were registered, although an asymptomatic occlusion of left subclavian artery was observed. TEE monitoring detects perigraft leakage, identifies the entry tear, and accurately demonstrates sealing of the false lumen. TEE is essential in our practice as an adjuvant to fluoroscopy to achieve optimal results during endovascular stent-graft repair of acute thoracic aortic dissection.