Great saphenous vein ablation with steam injection: results of a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficiency of steam vein sclerosis (SVS) of the great saphenous vein (GSV) in a multicentre open prospective cohort study. DESIGN: 75 consecutive adult patients with GSV reflux, CEAP C2-C5 and vein diameter 4-13 mm. METHODS: Patients treated using an SVS™ generator delivering homogenous pulses of superheated steam were followed up at 8 days and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months (clinical, duplex ultrasound, quality of life [QoL] with SF12). RESULTS: 88 veins were treated in 75 patients. At 6 months, 72/75 (96%) veins were obliterated (95% CI: 89-99) and Kaplan-Meier analysis found an obliteration rate of 96.1% at 12 months. QoL increased at 6 months for both the physical and mental components (p = 0.049 and p < 0.001 respectively). SVS was well tolerated: no major complications were reported. Adverse events occurred mainly at day 8 and incidents amounted to ecchymosis (n = 60) and pain (n = 7). CONCLUSIONS: SVS achieved an obliteration rate similar to that of other thermal ablation techniques. It was well tolerated with minimal post-operative pain.

[Vascular graft prosthesis]. / Substituts vasculaires.

Performed since the 1950s, vascular grafting has opened modern era of vascular surgery. Autologous venous grafts are of first choice for revascularisation of small arteries. Synthetic grafts are mainly modelled using microporous polytetrafluoroethylene or terephtalate polyethylene. These prosthesis are mainly used for revascularization of medium and large size arteries.

[Carotid surgery under loco-regional anesthesia. Early results of 100 recent cases]. / Chirurgie carotidienne sous anesthésie loco-régionale. Résultats précoces de 100 cas récents.

A prospective single-centre study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of carotid revascularisation under local anesthesia. Between November 1, 1996 and March 30, 1998, 92 patients underwent surgery for 100 carotid artery stenoses under local cervical block anesthesia. Fifty-eight stenoses were asymptomatic and 42 were symptomatic. Duplex ultrasound scanning showed a tight (n = 17) or very tight carotid artery stenosis (n = 83); angiography showed 19 contralateral carotid artery stenosis and 30 hemodynamically significant stenosis of vertebral and/or subclavian arteries. Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (N = 87) with circle of Willis Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA) (n = 83) detected 29 ischemic defects (33%). Fifteen ischemic defects were found in 58 asymptomatic patients (26%). Circle of Willis was incomplete in 41%. Anesthesia was performed using superficial cervical block (n = 100). Endarterectomy was the most commonly used revascularisation technique in 86 cases with 5 eversion endarterectomies; carotid vein or prosthetic graft was used in 14%. In this study, there was no mortality, and no cardiac or neurologic complications, during the first postoperative month. Twelve patients experienced neurologic intolerance to carotid clamping. This clamping-related ischemia required 4 shunts. All patients with clamping intolerance had a good clinical outcome after revascularisation with no objective or MRI sequelae. Incomplete circle of Willis on MRA was a significant predictive test of clamping intolerance (p < 0.0001). Carotid artery surgery under local anesthesia reduces the cumulative mortality and morbidity rate (TCMM) to a very low level: 0% in this study. These recent results are the modern reference for current carotid artery surgery evaluation.

[Amyloidosis of a coral reef infrarenal aorta]. / Amylose d'une aorte sous-rénale en pierre de corail.

This case concerns a 37-year-old woman with a cruro-gluteal claudication, from which she had been suffering since the age of 33, and which prevented her from walking more than 50 metres. The arteriographic examination revealed preocclusive coralliform proliferations of the infrarenal aorta, with a 30% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery. After 18 months, a straight aorto-aortic tube yielded excellent results. The results of the pathological examination led to the conclusion that this was a secondary aortic amyloidosis with no specific lesions of the aortic wall. This coral reef aorta is distinguished by its infrarenal location (fourth case worldwide), as well as by the major amylotic infiltrations of the endoaortic proliferations and of the aortic wall. In the absence of generalized amyloidosis, we suspect massive localized amyloidosis subsequent to an old inflammatory aortic process compatible with a juvenile atheroma opened in the aortic lumen or more probably a sequel of Takayasu's disease.

[Carotid-jugular fistula after an attempt at placement of a vena cava filter]. / Fistule carotido-jugulaire après tentative de placement d'un filtre cave.

A carotid-jugular fistula complicated the placement of a Green-field filter via the right internal jugular percutaneous passage: the local signs of an arterio-venous fistula were associated with right parietal infarction neurological symptoms. A crossography showed a carotid-jugular fistula and a limited dissection of the original carotid artery. An elective echo-guided compression failed. The surgical treatment eliminated the fistula, fixed the carotid dissection and placed a vena cava filter with an excellent result 34 months later. Percutaneous placement of vena cava filters can lead to rare vascular complications such as carotid-jugular fistulas which can, in certain cases, be treated with an elective external compression or endovascular procedures. Surgery offers a reliable technical solution that is complete and stable in time, particularly with recent fistulas and associated neurological symptoms.

Endothelial seeding of vascular prostheses: a technique of in situ enzymatic retrieval of endothelial cells without vein sacrifice.

The success of endothelial seeding of vascular prosthetic grafts is largely dependent on endothelial cell retrieval. An in situ cell harvesting technique using enzymatic dissolution in a temporarily excluded segment of the internal jugular vein is described. With this technique the cellular yield is adequate and the internal jugular vein remains patent. This technique allows for high-density seeding in a single stage. In two-stage seeding the excellent yield of cells reduces the duration of in vitro endothelial cell culture and allows for secondary massive and early seeding.

[Chylothorax and chylous ascites following surgery of an inflammatory aortic aneurysm. Case report with review of the literature]. / Chylothorax et chyloperitoine après chirurgie d'un anévrysme aortique inflammatoire. Un cas avec revue de la littérature.

Chylous ascites complicating surgery on the abdominal aorta is infrequent: we report one case associated with right chylothorax, secondary to the surgical cure of an inflammatory aortic aneurysm. Surgery for aneurysms causes 81% of all chylous ascites caused by injuries to the intestinal lymphatics or to their recipients, the left latero-aortic lymph nodes or the cisterna chyli. Upper or extensive dissections of the retroperitoneal space and difficult dissection of ruptured or inflammatory aneurysms are the cisterna chyli. Upper or extensive dissections of the retroperitoneal space and difficult dissection of ruptured or inflammatory aneurysms are the major etiological factors. Stasis and fibrosis, then the rupture of the lymphatics into the aneurysmal wall were described during inflammatory aneurysm: this lymphatic etiology might explain the inflammatory character of these aneurysms and entail a risk of lymphoperitoneal fistula when laying the aneurysmal wall flat. An early diagnosis must be established with paracentesis before any compressive, metabolic, immunological or septic complications occur. Continuous parenteral feeding and selective paracenteses dry out 80% of the postoperative chylous ascites. If the ascites persists after 4 to 6 week's conservative treatment, a peritoneojugular derivation or a direct lymphostasis may be contemplated, according to the patient's condition.

Free-floating thrombus of the extracranial internal carotid artery.

Free-floating clots of the extracranial internal carotid artery are generally considered as surgical emergencies. This retrospective study analyzes six free-floating clots diagnosed by arteriography. Three of these patients had a fixed stroke while the other three had an evolving stroke. Three patients had antecedent ocular or hemispheric transient ischemic attacks. The causes of free-floating clots in the internal carotid artery were atheromatous stenosis in two cases, ulcerated plaque in three cases, and carotid artery dissection in one. All six patients were seen late, approximately 15 hours after their neurologic accident. They were treated with intravenous heparin over a two to five week period. Repeat arteriograms demonstrated complete clot lysis in four instances, while partial lysis was seen in one case. Moderate extension of thrombus occurred in one case only. No further neurologic complications were noted during the treatment by heparin. As indicated by follow-up arteriographic findings, secondary surgery was performed for major carotid lesions and residual clots in five cases. The free-floating thrombus syndrome of the carotid artery should not be considered as a surgical emergency when discovered late in the wake of an acute neurologic accident.

[Intraluminal thrombosis of the cervical internal carotid artery]. / Les thrombus intraluminaux de l'artère carotide interne cervicale.

Intraluminal clot of the internal cervical carotid artery is commonly thought to require emergency surgery: 7 intraluminal clots specially threatening (6 of whom had a long defect--15 mm and more) are demonstrated by intraarterial digital angiography--4 patients experienced mild stroke, 3 major stroke. 3 of whom had previous recurrent T.I.A. (3 transient blindness, 1 hemispheric TIA). Carotid angiography identified 3 severe atherosclerotic stenosis, 3 ulcerated plaques and 1 dissection. One patient with coma carus died quickly. Anticoagulation therapy (6 cases) was made, 4 weeks along, without neurologic complications. Follow-up angiograms showed total resolution (4 cases), partial lysis (1 case) and mild extension (1 case). Delayed endarterectomy was made only for severe carotid atherosclerosis (5 cases). In our experience, intraluminal clot of the carotid artery may not be a surgical emergency but require anticoagulant therapy and delayed surgery if major underlying lesions.

Iliocaval venous compression due to aneurysm of the abdominal aorta: report of ten cases.

Ten patients with symptomatic venous compression secondary to aneurysm of the infrarenal abdominal aorta are reported. Compression was responsible for edema of the lower extremities in seven cases, and, in three instances, for venous thromboembolic disease. The incidence of venous complications secondary to aneurysm (8.8% in our series) is close to that of urologic complications (10%), but their respective pathogeneses are different. Mechanical compression (nine patients) was the predominant mechanism and was due to retroperitoneal hematoma (two patients) and left-sided (three patients) or right-sided (four patients) development of the aneurysm. Noninvasive imaging, including computed tomographic scan and sonography, have replaced the more conventional invasive methods of diagnosis. The large diameter of the aneurysms generally found in these cases mandates rapid surgical treatment in order to avoid rupture and aortocaval fistula. Because of venous collateral circulation, caution must be exercised when working on the left side of the aorta above the aneurysm and at the level of the iliac vessels. Treatment consists of the inclusion prosthetic replacement. The insertion of a Greenfield filter is needed only when pulmonary embolism occurs or in the case of recent or life-threatening caval thrombosis.

[Anatomo-pathological factors in the prognosis of rectal cancers. A mono- and multifactorial study]. / Facteurs anatomo-pathologiques de pronostic des cancers du rectum. Etude mono- et multifactorielle.

Pathological prognostic factors of rectal adenocarcinoma were studied retrospectively in 173 patients who underwent curative resection between 1970 and 1980. Analysis was mono- and multifactorial. Minimal and median follow-up were 24 and 66 months respectively. Three factors had a favorable influence on the local failure (LF) and distant metastasis (DM) risks: length of the tumor less than 2 cm; polypoid aspect; Astler-Coller's stage A. Four factors increased the LF risks: perineural invasion (LF = 57 p. 100); poorly differentiated or colloid tumors (LF = 50 p. 100); lymph node metastasis (LF: 43 p. 100); lymphatic invasion (LF = 36 p. 100). Two factors increased the DM risks: perineural invasion (DM = 43 p. 100); lymph node metastasis (DM = 37 p. 100). The multifactorial analysis showed that the risk factors were the same for LF as for DM. Perineural invasion (p less than 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p less than 0.002), level of extension of the tumor in the rectal wall (p = 0.005) were the most important factors for local recurrences. Lymph node metastasis (p less than 0.001), perineural invasion (p = 0.03) and level of extension in the wall (p = 0.05) were the most important factors for DM. These data suggest that a failure risks scale may be established and can be of help in stratifying patients in adjuvant treatment studies.

Interim analysis of a phase III study on preoperative radiation therapy in resectable rectal carcinoma. Trial of the Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Cooperative Group of the European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).

To improve surgical results of potentially operable rectal cancer (T2, T3, T4, Mo), the European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) conducted a two-arm randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effect of administering radiotherapy before radical surgery. Four hundred ten patients were allocated to be treated either by surgery alone or by 34.5 Gy of radiotherapy (in 19 days overall) followed by surgery. The tolerance of the adjuvant radiation therapy was fairly good. The 5-year survival rate was 65% overall and showed no difference between both therapeutic regimens. Similarly, the metastases-free rate was the same in both groups. In contrast, the preoperative radiation therapy showed a marked effect on local control of the disease, the comparison of the time to local recurrence being highly significant between the two treatment groups (P = 0.001). The proportion of patients free of local recurrence at 5 years was 85% in the combined treatment versus 65% in the group of patients treated by surgery alone.

[Medullary carcinomas of the thyroid. General review apropos of 3 further cases]. / Les cancers médullaires de la thyroïde. Revue générale à propos de trois nouvelles observations.

The authors report of three cases of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and, from a review of the literature, study the definition, frequency, embryological and etiological characteristics of this disease. The physiology of thyrocalcitonin, the concept of the APUD system the secretion of active substances by the tumour cells are considered. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and its mode of spread are described. The two main clinical forms, the sporadic form and the familial form are described together with the other endocrine involvements. Among the factors in positive diagnosis, accent is placed on per-operative histological examination and on biological tests of familial detection. Among the forms of treatment the essential place of surgery explains partly the relatively favourable course and prognosis of the malignant disease.