Fresh and cryopreserved arterial homografts in the treatment of prosthetic graft infections: experience of the Italian Collaborative Vascular Homograft Group.

Following the experience of cardiac surgeons with homografts in the treatment of infective aortic valve endocarditis, cardiovascular surgeons have investigated in situ revascularization by means of homografts in the management of vascular prosthetic graft infections. Preliminary results are encouraging, but their late fate in long-term follow-up and the influence of preservation techniques are still under investigation. This article reports the experience of the Italian Collaborative Vascular Homograft Group, with the use of fresh and cryopreserved arterial homografts for the treatment of prosthetic graft infections. Between March 1994 and December 1996, 44 patients with prosthetic graft infection were treated with homografts (13 preserved at 4 degrees C, 31 cryopreserved). The mean age of the patients was 65 years. Emergency surgical procedures were performed in eight patients (18%). Sepsis was diagnosed in 11 patients, aortoenteric fistula in 13, and false aneurysms in 10. Staphylococcus was the main cause of infection. The types of vascular reconstruction with homograft were: 32 aortobifemoral, 3 aortoaortic, 2 iliofemoral, 4 peripheral, and 3 axillobifemoral. Human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) and antibody (ABO) blood group system compatibility between donors and recipients was not respected. The mean duration of follow-up was 15 months (range 1-33). Clinical and duplex scanning evaluations were routinely performed. Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scanning or arteriography were performed on the basis of duplex scanning results. There were six deaths during the early postoperative period (30 days) with a mortality rate of 13.6%. During the follow-up there were five late deaths with a mortality rate of 11.4%. Eight patients had graft occlusion. Three cases were successfully treated with thrombectomy. Two cases were successfully treated with femoropopliteal bypass with autologous vein. In three cases leg amputation was necessary. The results of fresh and cryopreserved homograft were compared. No significative differences of early postoperative mortality, late mortality, homograft related mortality, and graft occlusion were observed. We have evaluated the actuarial survival of the patients and the actuarial patency of the homografts on the aortoiliac reconstructions. Twelve months after the surgery the actuarial survival of the patients was 73% and the actuarial patency of the homografts was 56%. In our preliminary experience, we have not observed any significant difference in terms of clinical outcome by using fresh rather than cryopreserved homografts. In the near future it will be our policy to employ only cryopreserved homografts. Moreover, we will extend vessel harvesting to nonheart-beating donors, thus maximizing retrieval. The aforementioned solutions will supply the best graft availability to obtain dimensional and ABO compatibility between donors and recipients.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a "benign" tumor with hepatic metastasis after 11 years.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) constitue the largest category of primary non-epithelial neoplasms of the stomach and small bowel. They are characterized by a remarkable cellular variability and their malignant potential is sometimes difficult to predict. Very recent studies, using mitotic count and tumor size as the best determinants of biological behavior, divide GISTs into three groups: benign, borderline and malignant tumors. We report on a male patient who underwent a right hepatectomy for a large metastasis 11 years after the surgical treatment of an antral-pyloric gastric neoplasm, histologically defined as leiomyoblastoma and with clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical features of benignity (low mitotic count, tumor size < 5 cm, low cellular proliferation index). Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of the hepatic metastasis showed the cellular proliferation index (Ki-67) to be positive in 25% of neoplastic cells, as opposed to the primary gastric tumor in which Ki-67 was positive in only 5% of neoplastic cells. In conclusion, although modern immunohistochemical techniques are now available to obtain useful prognostic information, the malignant potential of GISTs is sometimes difficult to predict: neoplasms clinically and histologically defined as benign could metastasize a long time after oncologically correct surgical treatment. Therefore, benign GISTs also require consistent, long-term follow-up.

Surgical and radiologic treatment of primary Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is an uncommon form of portal hypertension caused by obstruction of the hepatic venous outflow. From 1969 to 1997 we treated 19 patients (7 men, 12 women; mean age 37.6 years) affected by primary BCS. In most of the cases no etiologic factors were identified; in the remaining cases the etiology was associated with polycythemia vera, use of oral contraceptives, presence of endoluminal membranes, and repeated episodes of sepsis. Three patients with membranous occlusion of the major hepatic veins were treated by percutaneous placement of a self-expanding metallic stent inserted via a transjugular or transhepatic approach. The remaining 16 patients underwent a side-to-side portacaval shunt, which required interposition of a graft in five cases. In two patients with a significant caval obstruction, a metallic vascular stent was placed in the narrowed tract of the inferior vena cava, before shunting, by means of a transfemoral venous approach. One patient died within the first 30 postoperative days. The 18 survivors were followed for a mean of 66.7 months. The 5-year survival was 83%. Primary BCS requires different therapies depending on the stage of the disease. The fulminant or chronic forms with irreversible hepatic damage require definitive treatment, such as orthotopic liver transplantation. For the acute or subacute forms, characterized by reversible hepatic injury, a portasystemic shunt represents the most effective treatment. The patients at poor hepatic risk can be treated by interventional radiology. In both cases preliminary caval stenting is necessary if the syndrome is complicated by significant obstruction of the inferior vena cava.

Scintigraphic recording of blood volume shifts.

UNLABELLED: A scintigraphic device consisting of small scintillation probes tightly fixed to the skin was developed to record intravascular blood volume shifts continuously and simultaneously at several sites. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the reliability of the measurements obtained, show the blood shifts induced by common daily activities in healthy subjects and clarify the mechanisms responsible for hemodynamic changes. METHODS: Measurements were made in three fields of the right lung, the liver, thighs and calves of 16 men during Valsalva maneuver, hyperventilation, various posture changes and treadmill walking. Some tests were repeated. RESULTS: The measured blood volume shifts were always in the expected direction and in accordance with those reported in the literature; they also were reproducible. Therefore, the measurements were reliable. A pattern of blood volume changes peculiar to some common daily activities was recorded in subjects moving freely. Insights were obtained on the mechanisms responsible for the blood volume shifts. CONCLUSION: Our noninvasive technique provides reliable continuous measurements of blood volume changes at several sites during common daily activities and could be applied not only in healthy subjects but also in patients.

[Gallbladder calculi: what therapy of choice?]. / Calcolosi della colecisti: quale terapia in elezione?

The Authors have analyzed all different methods for the treatment of gallbladder stones which are performed today: the non invasive treatment of the gallstones (oral dissolution therapy and the extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy), the minimally invasive procedures (contact dissolution therapy and the cholecystolithotomy) and at the end the new surgical techniques (the "minicholecystectomy" and the laparoscopic cholecystectomy). From this study and their experience, based upon 1346 standard cholecystectomy, the Authors have reached the following conclusions: 1) the cholecystectomy remains the only definitive therapy for the gallbladder stones and it is the gold standard to which must be compared the other alternative therapies; 2) the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, even though introduced recently, would become the only method used for cholecystectomy.

[The prognostic elements in the surgical treatment of ruptured aneurysms of the subrenal aorta]. / Gli elementi prognostici nel trattamento chirurgico degli aneurismi dell'aorta sottorenale in rottura.

Personal experience and conclusions are reported after a review of the literature on rupturing aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. After considering some clinical data, which are features of this pathology, particularly prolonged hypotension, anuria and infarction of mesentery as negative prognostic elements, the diagnoses calling for hospitalisation, the causes of death, the interval between onset of symptomatology, admittance and surgery are examined and pointers sought with a view to improving results.

[Reconstructive surgery in high-risk arteriopathic patients]. / Chirurgia ricostruttiva nei pazienti arteriopatici ad alto rischio.

The authors refer on 24 patients over 65 years of age suffering from obliterating arteriopathy of the lower limbs undergoing reconstructive surgery no matter the high surgical risk. These patients represent 12.3% of all vascular patients treated in five years of activity. The following risk factors are considered: 1) Heart disease; 2) Altered lipid metabolism; 3) Diabetes; 4) Arterial hypertension; 5) Hyperuricaemia; 6) Obesity; 7) Renal or hepatic insufficiency. Immediate results were excellent in 23 cases; one patient suffering from aortic barrage died of acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis. Follow-up results also remained good; only one patient had to be re-operated two years later (disobliteration of branch of prosthesis) with a happy outcome. Two other patients died because of non vascular causes. The authors do not consider age amongst risk factors and prefer the extraperitoneal approach in disobliterating operations and refer using the transperitoneal route without problems in aortobifemoral bypasses. The authors state that risk factors did not alter neither the short nor the long-term follow-up results possibly because of medical correction of associated pathological states.

[Chronic duodenal stasis after gastric resection. Clinical contribution (author's transl)]. / La stasi duodenale cronica dopo gastroresezione. Contributo clinico.

On the basis of two cases of chronic duodenal stasis following Billroth I and Billroth II the Authors analyse this syndrome not very frequently described in literature. They disagree with those who state that chronic duodenal stasis after gastric-resection is to be considered solely as a complication of gastric surgery, but rather tend to think that is misunderstanding may be a cause of considerable therapeutic failures.

[Significance of serum alkaline phosphatase in secondary hepatic localizations (author's transl)]. / Significato della fosfatasi alcalina serica nelle localizzazioni epatiche secondarie.

The Authors analysed 292 patients with tumours particularly liable to hepatic metastatization, excluding from a wider set of cases all those which on grounds of age, bone localisations and other kinds of hepatic disease might have falsified the serum A. Ph. values. Analysis of their results led to exclusion of any direct relationship between hyperphosphatemia and degree of hepatic metastatization. It is also concluded that pathological observation of this enzyme, in the absence of semeiological data indicating secondary hepatic pathology, must be considered as grounds for fuller diagnostic investigation.

[Surgical approach to the deferents for vasectomy during suprapubic prostatectomy (author's transl)]. / Proposta di una via di accesso ai deferenti per la vasectomia nella prostatectomia per via sovrapubica.

PIP: The article describes in detail, and with the help of accurate illustrations, a new technique for performing vasectomy during suprapubic prostatectomy. The technique proved to be simple, quick, and without postoperative complications.^ieng

[Treatment of hepatic artery aneurysms]. / Considerazioni sul trattamento degli aneurismi della arteria epatica.

A case of aneurysm of the hepatic artery associated with aneurysm of the abdominal artery in fissuration is discussed. The indications, possibilities and limits of exclusion or removal of the aneurysm without reconstructing the main artery axis in the treatment of cases involving the hepatic artery are examined in the hight of the reported case and modern views concerning the physiopathology of the hepatic circulation.

[Results of lumbar gangliectomy interventions. Report of cases and current indications]. / Risultati degli interventi di gangliectomia lombare Casistica e indicazioni attuali

The role of lumbar gangliectomy is examined by analysing cases of vascular interventions on the aorto-ilaco-femoral sector at the Department of Surgical Clinical Medicine II and at the Department of Surgical Anatomy and Surgery Studies of the University of Milan during the period 1966-1973. The steady, marked decrease in the incidence of operations on the Vegetative Nervous System, parallely with a notable rise in reconstructive operations is noted. The extension of indications to reconstructive operations alters the attitude to be assumed with regard to lumbar gangliectomy. Analysis of long-term results of indirect operations, however, confirms the validity of the method as a function of the restrictive attitude of present-day indications.