The Efficacy and Safety of Lumbar Accessed Catheter-Assisted Epidural Blood Patch in Cervical and Thoracic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of lumbar accessed catheter-assisted epidural blood patch (LACA-EBP) technique in treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension secondary to cervicothoracic cerebrospinal fluid leakage. METHODS: Patients presenting with spontaneous intracranial hypotension where magnetic resonance imaging cisternography confirmed and localized the cerebrospinal fluid leakage at cervicothoracic levels were treated with LACA-EBP. Visual analog scale (VAS) score for headache at baseline, third day after treatment, and during long-term follow-up was used to assess the treatment response. Posttreatment VAS score ≤3 on the third day defined treatment success, and VAS score ≥4 indicated treatment failure. RESULTS: LACA-EBP was performed in 10 patients (7 females, 3 males) with a mean age of 38.4 ± 10.5 years. Orthostatic headache was the most common presenting symptom (10/10; 100%) followed by nausea (5/10; 50%). Pituitary gland enlargement was the most commonly observed finding on pretreatment cranial magnetic resonance imaging (9/10; 90%). On magnetic resonance imaging cisternography, 8 patients had cervical and/or thoracic fistulas, whereas 2 patients had multiple-level fistulas. LACA-EBP was successful in all patients with no complications. All patients showed a treatment response with a 72-hour VAS score ≤3. Follow-up VAS scores were available for 8 patients with a clinical follow-up duration of 1-74 months (median 7.5 months). During clinical follow-up, headache recurred in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, LACA-EBP was a safe and efficacious technique in treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage at cervical and thoracic levels.

Right- Versus Left-Sided Approach for Transhepatic Tunneled Catheter Placement: Is There a Difference?

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the technical difficulties, complications, long-term efficacy, and risks between right- and left-sided approach transhepatic tunneled catheterization. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated transhepatic tunneled catheter placement cases in our institution between May 2012 and November 2019. Demographic and procedural parameters were recorded. Statistical tests were used to compare the complication rates of right- and left-sided approach. Furthermore, Cox regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between functional catheter days and included parameters. RESULTS: A total of 83 procedures were performed in 46 patients, with a female to male ratio of 1.88 and a mean age of 55.5 ± 18.2 years. Indication for catheter placement was chronic renal insufficiency and loss of central venous access through traditional routes in all cases. Median functional catheter durations were 28 days (1-382) and 55.5 days (1-780) for right-sided and left-sided access, respectively. Complication rates were similar for both sides. There was no difference between primary and revision procedures in terms of safety and efficacy outcomes. In univariate Cox regression analysis, gender was the only variable which was found to be statistically significant (HR = 2.014 (1.004-4.038)) for functional catheter days. In multivariate Cox regression model, gender and access side were included which failed to reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, both right- and left-sided approaches provided similar safety and efficacy outcomes, suggesting that both techniques can be employed based on physician's preference.

Predictors of antegrade ureteral stenting failure: a single-center experience in patients with malignant and benign ureteral obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential predictors of antegrade ureteral stenting (AUS) failure in patients with malignant and benign ureteral obstruction. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated 116 AUS procedures performed in 80 patients for ureteral obstruction due to malignant and benign causes. Variables such as etiology for obstruction, ureter shape, previous treatment regimen, history of ileal loop diversion, and presence of percutaneous nephrostomy were recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used between these variables and stent failure. RESULTS: Antegrade ureteral stenting was performed as single stage in 24 procedures (n: 24/116, 21%) and performed as a two-step approach after percutaneous nephrostomy in 92 procedures (n: 92/116, 79%). Ureteral stent was successfully deployed in 112 AUS procedures (n: 112/116, 96.5%). In 35 of these successful procedures, the patients were referred to our department due to prior failed retrograde ureteral stenting (RUS). Subsequent stent failure occurred in 40 procedures after a median interval of 39 days. Pre-stenting percutaneous nephrostomy (PN) was a statistically significant risk factor for stent failure (p: 0.041), and age showed an inverse relationship with stent failure (p: 0.008). Complications in early (within the first 30 days after procedure) and late stage occurred in a total of 17 procedures. Early complications included urinary tract infection (n: 11), stent migration (n: 3), and malposition (n: 1). Late complications (after 30 days) were urinary tract infection (n: 1) and stent migration (n: 1). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that AUS can be performed effectively in both benign and malignant ureteral obstructions including cases with prior failed RUS. Two-step AUS after percutaneous nephrostomy was found to be a significant risk factor for subsequent stent failure in our study cohort.