The Effect of Ipsilateral Carotid Revascularization on Contralateral Carotid Duplex Parameters in Patients with Bilateral Carotid Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Duplex-derived velocity measurements are often used to determine the need for carotid revascularization. There is evidence that severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis can cause artificially elevated velocities in the contralateral carotid artery, which may decrease following ipsilateral revascularization. The objective of this study was to determine if contralateral carotid artery duplex velocities decrease following ipsilateral carotid endarterectomy or stenting procedures. METHODS: This is a single institutional retrospective study of prospectively collected data on all patients who underwent carotid revascularization from 2013 to 2021. Patients with immediate preoperative and first postoperative Duplex scan within 4 months of carotid revascularization at our vascular laboratory were included for analysis. Patients with contralateral occlusion were excluded. Duplex criteria used to define moderate (50-69%) and severe (>70%) stenosis were systolic velocity ≥125 cm/sec and ≥230 cm/sec, respectively. RESULTS: Between 2013 and 2021, 129 patients with bilateral carotid stenosis underwent either carotid endarterectomy (98) or a stenting procedure (31). The majority of patients (90%) underwent intervention for severe stenosis. Preoperatively, the contralateral artery was categorized as severe in 30.4% patients. After ipsilateral carotid revascularization, 86 patients (67.2%) saw a decrease in the contralateral artery peak systolic velocity (PSV), while the remaining remained stable or increased. Fifty-four patients had a change in designated stenosis severity in the contralateral artery. Between the carotid endarterectomy and stenting cohorts, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients whose contralateral velocity decreased (69.4% vs. 61.3%, P = 0.402). Patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes were significantly less likely to experience a decrease in the contralateral artery PSV after ipsilateral intervention (P = 0.018 and P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with bilateral carotid disease, ipsilateral revascularization can change the contralateral artery velocity and perceived disease severity. Most patients were noted to have a decrease in the contralateral artery PSV, although almost one-third either stayed stable or increased. On multivariable analysis, patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes were less likely to see a decrease in the contralateral artery PSV after intervention. Patients who are at risk for artificial elevation of the contralateral artery may warrant a re-evaluation of the contralateral artery after ipsilateral intervention. These patients are potentially better assessed with axial imaging, although further research is needed.

Periprocedural P2Y12 inhibitors improve perioperative outcomes after carotid stenting by primarily decreasing strokes.

OBJECTIVE: The continuation of antiplatelet agents in the periprocedural period around carotid stenting (CAS) procedures is felt to be mandatory to minimize the risk of periprocedural stroke. However, the optimal antiplatelet regimen is unclear, with some advocating dual antiplatelet therapy, and others supporting the use of P2Y12 inhibitors alone. The objective of this study was to evaluate the periprocedural effect of P2Y12 inhibitors for CAS. METHODS: The Vascular Quality Initiative was used from years 2007 to 2020. All transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS) procedures were included. Patients were stratified based on perioperative use of P2Y12 inhibitors as well as symptomatic status. Primary end points were perioperative neurological events (strokes and transient ischemic attacks). Secondary end points were mortality and myocardial infarction. RESULTS: A total of 31,036 CAS procedures were included for analysis, with 49.8% TCAR and 50.2% TF-CAS cases; 63.8% of patients were male and 82.3% of patients were on a P2Y12 inhibitor. P2Y12 inhibitor use was more common in males, asymptomatic patients, those older than 70 years, and concurrent statin use. P2Y12 inhibitors were more likely to be used in TCAR cases than in TF-CAS cases (87.3% vs 76.8%; P < .001). The rate of periprocedural neurological events in the whole cohort was 2.6%. Patients on P2Y12 inhibitors were significantly less likely to experience a periprocedural neurological event (2.3% vs 3.9%; P < .001) and mortality (0.6% vs 2.1%; P < .001) than those who were not on a P2Y12 inhibitor. There was no effect on the rates of myocardial infarction. On multivariate analysis, both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients on P2Y12 inhibitors were significantly less likely to develop perioperative neurological events. Additionally, the use of P2Y12 inhibitors demonstrated an independent significant effect in reducing of the rate of perioperative stroke (odds ratio, 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.33). Finally, additional analysis of the types of P2Y12 inhibitors used revealed that all seemed to be equally effective in decreasing the periprocedural neurological event rate. CONCLUSIONS: The use of perioperative P2Y12 inhibitors seems to markedly decrease the perioperative neurological event rate with TCAR and TF-CAS in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and should be strongly considered. Patients with contraindications to P2Y12 inhibitors may not be appropriate candidates for any CAS procedure. Additionally, alternative types of P2Y12 inhibitors seem to be equally effective as clopidogrel. Finally, an analysis of the Vascular Quality Initiative demonstrates that, even for TCAR cases, only 87.3% of patients seem to be on P2Y12 inhibitors in the periprocedural period, leaving room for significant improvement.

Low-frequency avoidable errors during transcarotid artery revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) seems to be a safe and effective alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS). The TCAR system represents a paradigm shift in the management of carotid artery stenosis with potential for a significant decrease in periprocedural morbidity. However, as with CEA or TF-CAS, TCAR is associated with infrequent complications related to user technical error, most of which are preventable. Our goal is to describe these low-frequency events, and to provide guidelines for avoiding them. METHODS: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all medical device manufacturers create a system for receiving, reviewing, and evaluating complaints (Code 21 of Federal Regulations 820.198). Silk Road Medical, Inc (Sunnyvale, Calif), has established a process by which all feedback, including complaints that may not meet FDA criteria, is captured and stored in a database for detailed analysis. More than 13,300 cases have been performed; submitted complaints were reviewed for incidents of serious injury and periprocedural complications, above and beyond the device-related events that must be reported to the FDA. RESULTS: A total of 13,334 patients have undergone TCAR worldwide between early 2011 and December 2019 using the SilkRoad device. Reported complications included 173 dissections (1.4% overall rate) of the common carotid artery at the access point, of which 22.5% were managed without intervention or with medical therapy alone and 24.3% were converted to CEA (considered failing safely). Errors in the location of stent deployment occurred in 16 cases (0.13%), with the most common site being the external carotid artery (75%). One wrong side carotid artery stent was placed in a patient with a high midline pattern of the bovine arch. Cranial nerve injury was reported in 11 cases (0.08%), only one of which persisted beyond 3 months. There have been three reported pneumothoraces and one reported chylothorax. Many of these errors can be recognized and prevented with careful attention to detail. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk patients requiring treatment for carotid artery stenosis, TCAR has been proven as an alternative to TF-CAS with an excellent safety profile. As with CEA or TF-CAS, this procedure has the potential for infrequent complications, often as a result of user technical error. Although significant, these events can be avoided through a review of the collective experience to date and recognition of potential pitfalls, as we have described.

Endovascular solutions to arterial injury due to posterior spine surgery.

Iatrogenic arterial injury is an uncommon but recognized complication of posterior spinal surgery. The spectrum of injuries includes vessel perforation leading to hemorrhage, delayed pseudoaneurysm formation, and threatened perforation by screw impingement on arterial vessels. Repair of these injuries traditionally involved open direct vessel repair or graft placement, which can be associated with significant morbidity. We identified five patients with iatrogenic arterial injury during or after posterior spinal surgery between July 2004 and August 2009 and describe their endovascular treatment. Intraoperative arterial bleeding was encountered in two patients during posterior spinal surgery. The posterior wounds were packed, temporarily closed, and the patient was placed supine. In both patients, angiography demonstrated arterial injury necessitating repair. Covered stent grafts were deployed through femoral cutdowns to exclude the areas of injury. In three additional patients, postoperative computed tomography imaging demonstrated pedicle screws abutting/penetrating the thoracic or abdominal aorta. Angiography or intravascular ultrasound imaging, or both, confirmed indention/perforation of the aorta by the screw. Aortic stent graft cuffs were deployed through femoral cutdowns to cover the area of aortic contact before hardware removal. All five patients did well and were discharged home in good condition. Endovascular repair of arterial injuries occurring during posterior spinal procedures is feasible and can offer a safe and less invasive alternative to open repair.

Intermediate-term EVAR outcomes in octogenarians.

OBJECTIVE: The utilization of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) in suitable patients has resulted in decreased perioperative morbidity and mortality. Octogenarians as a subgroup have been more readily offered EVAR, as it is less invasive, and therefore presumably better tolerated than conventional open aortic repair. The purpose of this study is to investigate periprocedural and late EVAR outcomes in octogenarians compared with patients less than 80 years of age. METHODS: From January 2003 to May 2008, 322 patients underwent EVAR. A total of 117 octogenarians were compared with 205 patients less than 80 years of age. A retrospective review of the demographic data, aneurysm details, perioperative morbidity, mortality, and late outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Octogenarians were significantly more likely to have a history of diabetes mellitus (51% vs 23%; P < .001), coronary artery disease (45% vs 32%; P = .0165), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (44% vs 30%; P = .0113), and renal insufficiency (57% vs 31%; P < .0001). There were no significant differences in the rates of perioperative myocardial infarction, stroke, death, intestinal, or arterial ischemic complications between the two groups. Octogenarians had a significant higher rate of pulmonary complications (5.1% vs 1%; P < .03) and access-site hematomas (12% vs 2.4%; P = .001) than younger patients. When all significant perioperative morbidity was combined, octogenarians were twice as likely to develop complications following EVAR than younger patients (27.4% vs 11.7%; P = .001). At 5-year follow-up, younger patients were twice as likely to develop type II endoleaks. CONCLUSIONS: EVAR can be performed safely and effectively in octogenarians, and the incidence of major complications including myocardial infarction, stroke, and death is unchanged compared with younger patients. However, there is a significantly increased rate of access-site hematomas, pulmonary, and perioperative complications in octogenarians as a whole. Our findings suggest EVAR remains a suitable form of therapy in the elderly group provided there is an appropriate preoperative evaluation and perioperative monitoring following repair.

Endovascular treatment of spontaneous dissections of the superior mesenteric artery.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is exceedingly rare. Treatment options range from observation to anticoagulation to open surgery or endovascular repair. We present our experience to date in the management of isolated SMA dissections. METHODS: A retrospective review of the vascular surgery and radiology databases from 1998 to 2008 was performed. In general, incidental radiologic findings of a dissection were managed expectantly. The decision to intervene was based on anatomic suitability, patient comorbidities and symptoms, and physician preference. Endovascular stents were placed using a brachial approach, with the choice of stent determined by physician preference. Patients who underwent endovascular stent placement (ESP) were maintained on antiplatelet therapy for 6 months postoperatively. Follow-up consisted of yearly office visits and adjunctive computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) when clinically indicated. RESULTS: CT or MRI imaging identified nine patients (7 men, 2 women) with an isolated SMA dissection. One patient also had a concomitant celiac artery dissection. Median age was 70 years (range, 46-73 years). Median follow-up time was 32 months (range, 13.8-62.5 months). Presentations included an incidental radiologic finding in three patients and acute onset abdominal pain in six. Treatment included expectant management in four patients, anticoagulation in two, and ESP in three. ESP was performed primarily in two patients and in a third patient after initial management with anticoagulation failed. The reduction in the diameter of the true lumen was significantly greater in patients treated with ESP vs patients who were successfully managed expectantly or with anticoagulation (F = 15.59, P < .005). No procedural complications were associated with ESP. CONCLUSIONS: An isolated SMA dissection is a rare entity that may be managed successfully in a variety of ways based on clinical presentation. Endovascular stenting can be performed with good results and may be the preferred treatment in patients with symptomatic isolated SMA dissections.

Outcome of carotid endarterectomy for acute neurological deficit.

We reviewed our experience with urgent carotid intervention in the setting of acute neurological deficits. Between June 1992 and August 2008, a total of 3145 carotid endarterectomies (CEA) were performed. Twenty-seven patients (<1.0%) were categorized as urgent. The mean age was 74.1 years (range 56-93 years) with 16 (60%) men, and 11 (40%) women, Symptoms included extremity weakness or paralysis (n=13), amaurosis fugax (n=6), speech difficulty (n=2), and syncope, (n=3). Three patients exhibited a combination of these symptoms. Three open thrombectomy were performed. Regional anesthesia was used in 13 patients (52%). Seventeen patients (67%), required shunt placement. At 30-days, 2 patient (7%) suffered a stroke, and 1 (4%) died. Urgent CEA can be performed safely. A stroke rate of 7% is acceptable in those who may otherwise suffer a dismal outcome without intervention.

Early results for below-knee bypasses using Distaflo.

In patients who require lower extremity revascularization, prosthetic graft is a reasonable alternative in the absence of a suitable autologous vein conduit. However, prosthetic bypass grafts have limited patency, especially for infrageniculate reconstruction. Polytetrafluoroethylene grafts were geometrically modified at the distal end to increase their patency. The authors reviewed their experience with the Distaflo graft in patients who required lower extremity below-knee popliteal and tibial bypasses when no suitable autologous vein conduit was available. Chart review was conducted of the 57 patients who underwent 60 lower extremity bypasses over a 3-year period between June 2003 and April 2006. Twenty-four revascularizations were constructed to the tibial outflow sites, whereas the remaining grafts were placed to the below-knee (28) and above-knee (8) popliteal artery, respectively. Study endpoints were primary, assisted primary, secondary patency, and limb salvage at the time of follow-up. Distaflo bypass was performed at the infrageniculate level in 86.7% of cases (28 below-knee popliteal, 24 tibial). Mean follow-up time was 12 months (range, 0.5-37.5 months). At 1 year, primary, assisted primary, and secondary patencies and limb salvage rates for below-knee popliteal bypasses were 83.5%, 89.5%, 94.7%, and 94.4%, respectively. Primary, assisted primary, and secondary patencies and limb salvage rates for tibial bypasses were 44.4%, 44.4%, 63.2%, and 74.9%, respectively. Distaflo precuffed graft is a good alternative conduit for below-knee popliteal and tibial lower extremity reconstructions in the absence of an autologous vein and appears to have promising early patency and limb salvage rates even when used for tibial bypasses.

Hemodynamic changes associated with carotid artery interventions.

Carotid artery interventions can be associated with adverse hemodynamic changes, including bradycardia and hypotension. These hemodynamic changes are believed to be caused by direct stimulation of the carotid sinus baroreceptors, mimicking normal physiological response to rises in blood pressure. During open carotid surgery, these hemodynamic changes can be controlled by direct injection of medications that block fast voltage gated sodium channels in the neuron cell membrane, thus preventing depolarization of the presynaptic neuron in the carotid sinus. This form of control is difficult or impossible during percutaneous carotid interventions because direct access to the carotid artery and carotid sinus is not available. This discussion focuses on the cause, effects, and possible treatments for the hemodynamic changes associated with carotid artery stenting procedures.

Successful management of carotid stenosis in a high-risk population at an inner-city hospital.

This is a retrospective review of all carotid endarterectomies (CEA) (n=91) done from 1993 to 2002 at an inner-city hospital (Group I). This group was compared to a randomly selected group of patients (n=445) treated at a private hospital (Group II). The same high-volume surgeons performed CEAs at both hospitals. The majority of Group I patients (71.4%) were members of racial minority groups. They were also more likely to be younger (p<0.001), hypertensive (p<0.03), diabetic (p<0.001), and current smokers (p<0.001); have contralateral carotid artery occlusion (p=0.04); and present with stroke (p<0.001) than Group II patients. Despite this, the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction (2.2% vs 0.2%, p=0.08), stroke (1.1% vs 1.6%, NS), and death (1.1% vs 0%, NS) was comparable between the 2 groups. Aggressive preoperative workup for occult cardiac disease in Group I revealed an incidence of 25.9% (n=15). Of these, 5 (33.3%) were found to have coronary artery disease severe enough to warrant intervention before CEA. In an inner-city population with increased medical comorbidities, more severe cerebrovascular disease, and relatively low volume of carotid surgery, the results of CEA were comparable to those in patients treated at a high-volume private hospital. The presence of high-volume surgeons, operating at the low-volume municipal hospital, may contribute to the low complication rate. Finally, aggressive preoperative cardiac workup in this underserved population revealed a meaningful incidence of occult coronary artery disease requiring intervention before CEA.

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery: is there a consensus in management?

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is a well described disease entity that commonly affects the popliteal artery, presenting as a rare cause of non-atherosclerotic claudication. The traditional surgical approaches are cyst resection and bypass, or cyst evacuation or aspiration. We report the case of a 58-year-old female with CAD of the popliteal artery treated successfully with cyst resection and bypass using an autologous graft. We reviewed the literature over the last 25 years on management and outcomes of CAD of the popliteal artery. We identified a total of 123 cases; most cases were treated using a traditional repair, while 3 cases used an endovascular approach. The overall success rate using bypass was 93.3%, compared to 85% in the evacuation/aspiration cohort. All cases treated endovascularly resulted in failure. While no consensus exists regarding the preferred modality to treat CAD, we believe that resection of the cyst and bypass affords the best outcomes.

Update on endovenous laser ablation: 2011.

In 2001, the use of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) was introduced to the United States to treat superficial venous insufficiency. EVLA has subsequently undergone a rapid rise in popularity and usage with a concomitant decrease in traditional operative saphenectomy. Since its inception, the use of EVLA to treat superficial venous insufficiency has advanced significantly. The efficacy of treatment has been validated using both hemoglobin-specific laser wavelength and water-specific laser wavelength lasers. Currently, laser optimization is focusing on reducing postprocedural sequelae. The clinical parameters that correlate best with improved postoperative recovery use lower power/energy settings, water-specific laser wavelength lasers, and jacket or radial-emitting tips. Future study is still required to assess the durability of treatment at lower power and energy settings coupled with jacket or radial-emitting tip fibers. Long-term follow-up using duplex imaging is recommended to ensure persistent treatment success.

Different endovascular referral patterns are being learned in medical and surgical residency training programs.

Physicians in residency training will be the referring physicians of tomorrow. We sought to determine the current surgical and medical trainees' perception of vascular surgery's endovascular qualifications and capabilities. An anonymous survey was sent to all general surgery and internal medicine residents at a single academic institution. Respondents answered the question "Which specialty is the most qualified to perform (1) inferior vena cava (IVC) filter insertion; (2) angiograms, angioplasty, and stenting of the carotid arteries; (3) renal arteries; (4) aorta; and (5) lower extremity arteries?" For each question, respondents chose one response, either vascular surgery, interventional radiology, interventional cardiology, or do not know. One hundred respondents completed the survey (general surgery, n=50; internal medicine, n=50). There was a significant difference in the attitudes of surgery and medicine residents when choosing the most qualified endovascular specialist (p<0.05). Surgery residents chose vascular surgery as the most qualified specialty for each listed procedure: carotid (80%, n=40), IVC (56%, n=28), aorta (100%, n=50), extremity (86%, n=43), renal (78%, n=39). Medicine residents chose vascular surgery as the most qualified specialty less frequently: carotid (66%, n=33), IVC (6%, n=3), aorta (88%, n=44), extremity (72%, n=36), renal (16%, n=8). There was no significant difference in specialty selection based on postgraduate year. There is a large discrepancy between surgical and medical trainees' perception of vascular surgery's endovascular abilities, particularly regarding IVC placement and renal artery interventions. If our own institution mirrors the nation, each passing year a significant portion of the 21,722 graduating internal medicine residents go into practice viewing vascular surgeons as second-tier endovascular providers. A concerted campaign should be undertaken to educate medical residents regarding the skills and capabilities of vascular surgeons.

Interval gangrene complicating superficial femoral artery stent placement.

Interval gangrene-necrosis of tissue proximal to a successful distal revascularization procedure-is an exceeding rare complication. To date, only nine cases have been reported in the literature, and all were secondary to traditional open bypass procedures. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of interval gangrene after endovascular stent placement in the superficial femoral artery. We believe that with the increasing utilization of endovascular techniques to treat limb ischemia, the serious complication of interval gangrene must be revisited. Assessment of collateral circulation, precise stent placement, and the appropriate choice of stents and stent grafts will become increasing important as more and more of these lesions are treated with endovascular techniques.

Subclavian steal syndrome: diagnosis with perfusion metrics from contrast-enhanced MR angiographic bolus-timing examination--initial experience.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine whether differential temporal changes in signal intensity of the vertebral arteries, measured at a bolus-timing examination with a test dose of a gadolinium-based contrast agent, are present in patients with subclavian steal syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board exemption was obtained, and informed consent was not required for this retrospective study. The study complied with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Twenty-five patients with known or clinically suspected atherosclerotic disease of the aortic arch and branch vessels underwent breath-hold contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography with circulation time derived from a timing examination by using a test bolus of a gadolinium-based contrast agent. Eight patients (three men and five women aged 54-80 years; mean, 70 years) had subclavian stenosis or occlusion with retrograde vertebral artery flow confirmed with time-of-flight MR angiography, nine patients (eight men and one woman aged 31-91 years; mean, 70 years) had mild to severe ostial stenosis of a single vertebral artery, and eight patients (including four men and four women aged 53-86 years; mean, 73 years) had normal vertebral arteries. The difference in time to peak signal intensity between the right and left vertebral arteries was compared among the three groups by using Fisher exact and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests. RESULTS: The delay in peak enhancement in the ipsilateral vertebral artery ranged from 2 to 4 seconds (mean, 2.5 seconds) in all eight patients with subclavian steal syndrome. In eight of nine patients with ostial vertebral artery stenosis and eight controls, both vertebral arteries filled simultaneously. The presence of unilateral delayed vertebral artery enhancement was significantly associated with retrograde flow in patients with subclavian steal syndrome, compared with patients with normal flow (P < .01) and those with ostial vertebral artery stenosis (P < .01). CONCLUSION: A bolus-timing examination performed with a test bolus of the gadolinium-based contrast agent via the neck vessels that demonstrates at least a 2-second delay in peak contrast enhancement in the right or left vertebral arteries may, in the appropriate clinical setting, indicate subclavian steal syndrome.

The safety of carotid endarterectomy in diabetic patients: clinical predictors of adverse outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with diabetes mellitus have been shown to have an increased incidence of complications after elective major vascular surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate a large series of diabetic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) to determine if outcome differed from nondiabetic patients and to examine predisposing factors of poor outcome among diabetic patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively compiled database was performed. From 1992 through 2000, 2151 CEAs were performed at our institution. Of these, 507 were in diabetic patients (23.6%), and the remaining 1644 procedures were in nondiabetic patients (76.4%). RESULTS: Diabetic patients were significantly more likely than nondiabetic patients to have hypertension (70.8% vs 64.5%, P = .01) and cardiac disease (54.6% vs 49.1%, P = .03). They were more likely than nondiabetic patients to be symptomatic before surgery (52.5% vs 47.1%, P = .04) and to have sustained a preoperative stroke (21.3% vs 17.7%, P = .07). No differences were noted in other recorded demographic factors or in intraoperative factors between diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Despite these differences, diabetic patients had similar perioperative outcomes compared with nondiabetic patients, including perioperative myocardial infarction (0.6% vs 0.4%, P = NS), perioperative death (0.8% vs 0.5%, P = NS), and perioperative neurologic events such as transient ischemic attack and stroke (3.2% vs 2.4%, P = NS). Among diabetic patients alone, cigarette smoking, general anesthesia, the use of a shunt, and the lack of clamp tolerance while under regional anesthesia predicted adverse perioperative neurologic outcome, and contralateral occlusion was associated with increased perioperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an increased prevalence of cardiac disease and preoperative neurologic symptoms among diabetic patients undergoing CEA, the rates of perioperative cardiac morbidity, mortality, and stroke were equal to nondiabetic patients. In contrast to nondiabetic patients, current cigarette smoking appeared to predict increased adverse neurologic outcomes among diabetic patients, and the presence of contralateral occlusion among diabetic patients appeared to predispose them towards increased perioperative mortality. The use of a general anesthetic appeared to increased perioperative neurologic risk among diabetic patients; however, this may be related to surgeon bias in the selection of anesthetic technique. Although diabetic patients may have an increase in complications after other major vascular surgical procedures, the presence of diabetes mellitus does not appear to significantly increase risk.

Is endovascular therapy the preferred treatment for all visceral artery aneurysms?

Endovascular intervention can provide an alternative method of treatment for visceral artery aneurysms. We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with visceral artery aneurysms at a single university medical center from 1990 to 2003, focusing on the outcome of endovascular therapy. Sixty-five patients with visceral artery aneurysms were identified: 39 splenic (SAA), 13 renal, seven celiac, three superior mesenteric (SMA), and three hepatic. Eleven patients (16.9%) had symptoms attributable to their aneurysms, which included a total of four ruptures (6.2%): three splenic and one hepatic. Management consisted of 18 (27.7%) endovascular interventions, nine (13.9%) open surgical repairs, and 38 (58.5%) observations. Mean aneurysm diameter for patients treated expectantly was significantly less than for those who underwent intervention (p = 0.001). Endovascular interventions included 15 (83.3%) embolizations (11 SAA, three renal, one hepatic) and three (16.7%) stent grafts (two SMA, one renal). The initial technical success rate of the endovascular procedures was 94.4% (17/18). However, there were four patients (22.2%) with major endovascular procedure-related complications: one late recurrence requiring open surgical repair, two large symptomatic splenic infarcts, and one episode of severe pancreatitis. These four patients had distal splenic artery aneurysms at or adjacent to the splenic hilum. There were no endovascular procedure-related deaths. Reasons for performing open surgical repair included three SAA ruptures diagnosed at laparotomy and complex anatomy not amenable to endovascular intervention (six patients). One surgical patient had a postoperative small bowel obstruction treated nonoperatively; and there was one perioperative death in a patient operated on emergently for rupture. Endovascular management of visceral artery aneurysms is a reasonable alternative to open surgical repair in carefully selected patients. Individual anatomic considerations play an important role in determining the best treatment strategy if intervention is warranted. However, four of 11 (36.4%) patients with distal splenic artery aneurysms treated with endovascular embolization developed major complications. Based on our experience, traditional surgical treatment of SAA with repair or ligation and concomitant splenectomy when necessary may be preferred in these cases.

Gluteal compartment syndrome following elective unilateral internal iliac artery embolization before endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

During endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aneurysmal involvement of the common or internal iliac arteries occasionally necessitates elective occlusion of one or both internal iliac arteries. Although elective internal iliac artery occlusion is often well tolerated, it can result in complications such as buttock claudication or rest pain, impotence, and colon ischemia. We report a case of gluteal compartment syndrome following elective unilateral internal iliac artery embolization prior to endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. On the first postoperative day, the patient developed sciatic nerve palsy, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure, which promptly resolved after emergent operative exploration of his left buttock and debridement of all grossly necrotic muscle. This case emphasizes the point that, although elective internal iliac artery interruption is usually benign, it can have serious and unexpected complications that necessitate expeditious treatment for complete recovery.

A model for predicting occult carotid artery stenosis: screening is justified in a selected population.

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis and treatment of carotid artery disease is an integral part of stroke prevention. However, a population of patients who would benefit from screening for carotid artery stenosis has not been well defined. As part of an institutional stroke-screening program, a modified, rapid duplex scan was developed to evaluate patients for occult carotid stenosis. The goal of this study was to evaluate risk factors predictive of carotid stenosis in a selected population, and to identify patients who would benefit from carotid screening. METHODS: Patients were eligible for the study if they were >60 years of age and had a history of hypertension, heart disease, current smoking, or family history of stroke. A modified carotid duplex scan that had been previously validated against formal duplex scanning was utilized; this involved visualization of the carotid bulb and proximal internal carotid artery where Doppler flow velocities were obtained and recorded. RESULTS: Screening was performed on 394 patients. Thirty-eight patients (9.6%) had either unilateral or bilateral carotid stenosis of > or =50%. Risk factors evaluated included smoking, hypertension, cardiac disease, or hypercholesterolemia. If none of these risk factors was present, the incidence of carotid stenosis was 1.8%. This increased to 5.8% with one risk factor, 13.5% with two risk factors, and 16.7% with three risk factors. Two of three patients with all four risk factors had carotid stenosis (66.7%). Logistic regression and prespecified contrast statements for multiple comparisons were used to assess the relationship between the presence of risk factors and occult carotid artery stenosis. The presence of any one of these risk factors was associated with a statistically significant increase in the presence of occult carotid stenosis (P <.01). This was also statistically significant for the presence of any two risk factors (P <.01) or three risk factors (P <.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of carotid stenosis significantly increases with the presence of one or more identifiable demographic risk factors in a selected population. Assuming the diagnosis and treatment of carotid stenosis are fundamental to stroke prevention, screening for carotid artery disease is justified in this group of patients.