Renal Artery Repair with Kidney Autotransplantation for Renal Artery Aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Kidney autotransplantation (ATx) is a treatment option for distal renal artery aneurysm (RAA). This systematic review evaluated the indications, treatment strategy, and outcome of kidney ATx to verify the value of this procedure in treating RAA. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. REVIEW METHODS: All study types were included, except study protocols and animal studies, without time or language restrictions. Data sources were reviewed until April 2021 to identify relevant articles evaluating operating time, cold and warm ischaemia time, total complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality rate in patients with RAA receiving kidney ATx. RESULTS: The literature search retrieved 644 articles. Of these, 55 clinical studies (including 37 case reports and 18 case series) investigating 199 patients were eligible for inclusion. Endovascular treatment had failed in 17% of 70 patients with RAA. Heterotopic kidney ATx was performed in 81% of patients, and 19% received orthotopic kidney ATx. Unplanned nephrectomy was reported in only one patient (0.1%). Post-operative complications were reported in 6.9% of patients, including urinary tract infection (2.0%), wound infection (1.3%), acute renal insufficiency (0.6%), graft thrombosis (0.6%), kidney hypoperfusion (0.6%), haematoma (0.6%), lymphocoele (0.6%), pseudoaneurysm (0.6%), and arterial occlusion (0.6%). None of the patients died peri-operatively, and organ loss was reported in only one patient (0.05%). No further organ loss or death was reported during follow up (median follow up duration 12 months). CONCLUSION: In patients with distal perihilar RAA, surgical repair with kidney ATx appears to be a suitable alternative when endovascular approaches are not appropriate. In these cases, kidney ATx saves the kidney and provides good clinical outcomes. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution, considering the lack of data regarding the adverse events, potential for favourable publication bias among included studies, and the absence of consecutive series and prospective trials.

Multimodal Repair of Renal Artery Aneurysm - 10-year Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Renal artery aneurysm (RAA) is a rare disease with various treatment options in indicated patients. In the current survey, the 10-year experience in treatment of RAAs using different endovascular and surgical treatments depending on RAA characteristics is discussed. METHODS: All patients undergone RAA treatment via endovascular or surgical approaches at our center between January 2010 and December 2020 were enrolled. Patient demographics and peri-operative and late results were collected from a prospectively maintained database. RESULTS: Eleven patients with RAA underwent treatment as follows: 4 patients received endovascular approach, 4 patients underwent in-situ RAA repair, and kidney autotransplantations were carried out in 3 patients. In all three treatment groups, the first therapeutic attempt was successful and none of the patients underwent secondary intervention due to RAA. Kidney autotransplantation was associated with a higher blood loss and a longer time of procedure compared to that of endovascular approach and in-situ repair. In-hospital postoperative complications were reported in 5 patients, including renal pole perfusion defect, renal artery thrombosis, and urinary tract infection. No acute kidney organ loss was seen, but 1 patient suffered from chronic kidney loss due to renal artery occlusion. In 1 patient undergoing autotransplantation, ureter anastomosis was reported, which led to acute renal failure, and a surgical treatment with resection and reanastomosis of the ureter was necessary. Hypertension was not resolved after RAA repair in any of the patients with preoperative hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: RAA treatment selection depends on patient characteristics, anatomy, location, and arising branches of the aneurysm. In cases with complex anatomy, treatment strategy could not be just decided based on consensus guidelines, but a multidisciplinary team is required. Interventional therapies showed excellent results in non-complicated proximal aneurysms, especially regarding the length of hospital stay and postoperative morbidities. Open surgery is a complementary alternative in cases where minimally invasive therapy is not possible. Ex-situ repair with autotransplantation could be considered for anatomically complex distal aneurysms.

Impact of routine completion angiography on outcome after carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of completion digital subtraction angiography (cDSA) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) on technical and early clinical results. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive patients undergoing CEA from January 2011 to January 2015. Routine cDSA was performed in all patients. Study end points were the incidence of pathologic findings on completion angiography necessitating intraoperative revision, type of revision, periprocedural stroke rate, mortality, morbidity, and recurrent stenosis rate during follow-up (median, 5 months; range, 0-39 months). RESULTS: There were 827 procedures performed in 770 patients (male, 72.5%; median age, 70.6 years) with extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (asymptomatic, 57.3%); 426 patients underwent conventional endarterectomy (cCEA) with patch angioplasty (51.6%), 393 patients (47.5%) received an eversion technique (eCEA), and 8 patients (1%) underwent other revascularization. Immediate surgical revision based on angiographic findings after CEA was performed in 6.9% (57/827) of cases. Reasons for revision of the ICA were mural thrombus in 7.0% (4/57), dissections in 7.0% (4/57), residual stenosis in 8.7% (5/57), and intimal flaps of ICA in 1.8% (1/57). In six cases, combined pathologic changes of the ICA and external carotid artery led to revision. Thirty-five revisions (4.2%) were performed for isolated pathologic angiographic findings of the external carotid artery; in two cases, revision was performed for residual stenosis of the common carotid artery. There was no significant difference regarding the frequency of revision between surgical techniques (cCEA, 56.4%; eCEA, 63.6%; P = .76). However, mural thrombus as a reason for revision was more common in the cCEA group; plaque residues were more common in the eCEA group. Periprocedural (30-day) stroke rate was 0.5% (4/827); six additional patients suffered transient ischemic attack (0.7%). The mortality rate within 30 days was 0.1% (1/827); 30-day morbidity was 4.2% (35/827). The rate of recurrent stenosis (>50%) during follow-up was 0.8%. There was no significant correlation between pathologic findings on cDSA with consecutive revision and perioperative stroke rate, recurrent stenosis rate, mortality, or morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, cDSA after CEA detected findings leading to immediate intraoperative surgical revision in a relevant proportion of cases. Therefore, cDSA represents a reasonable quality control without being associated with significantly prolonged operating times. Whether cDSA reduces perioperative stroke rate, procedure-related mortality, morbidity, or incidence of early recurrent stenosis cannot be proven with the current study design.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of postcarotid endarterectomy hypertension after eversion versus conventional carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Blood pressure (BP) instability after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a risk factor for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications. The role of the operative technique in the development of post-CEA hemodynamic instability is unclear. The primary goal of this study was to systematically review the literature to determine whether hypertension in the early postoperative period is dependent on the surgical technique used. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science through June 2016 without restrictions to language or starting date. The interventions of interest were eversion CEA (E-CEA) compared with conventional CEA (C-CEA) with or without patch plasty. The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of postoperative need for vasodilator therapy because of hypertension in the early postoperative period, the duration of which was predefined in the individual studies. Secondary outcomes were the intergroup mean difference of the mean within-group changes of postoperative (24 hours) to baseline systolic BP, the incidence of hypotension requiring vasopressor therapy, and the rate of complications. The odds ratio (OR) of each binary outcome was pooled across studies with its 95% confidence interval (CI). For meta-analysis of continuous outcomes, the weighted mean differences with the corresponding 95% CIs were pooled. Strength of evidence of the outcomes was judged according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. RESULTS: We identified six studies, of which four were nonrandomized prospective and two retrospective with low to moderate risk of bias. In addition, results of a post hoc analyses of a randomized controlled trial were included, resulting in a total number of seven included studies. Duration of the postoperative study period ranged from 1 to 6 days. The meta-analysis of all studies regarding the primary outcome demonstrated increased rates of post-CEA hypertension after E-CEA (pooled OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.82-4.16; I2 = 49.9%). The pooled weighted intergroup mean difference between the E-CEA and C-CEA effects on postoperative systolic BP was +12.92 mm Hg (95% CI, 8.06-17.78; I2 = 93.6%; P < .0001). Hypotension was significantly higher in the C-CEA group (pooled OR, 11.37; 95% CI, 1.95-66.46; I2 = 0%). There was no difference in postoperative complications including myocardial infarction, stroke, neck hematoma, or death. Strength of evidence contributing to the primary outcome as well as the hypotension outcome was graded as moderate and that contributing to the other secondary outcomes was graded as very low. CONCLUSIONS: E-CEA increases the risk for post-CEA hypertension, whereas C-CEA is more often associated with hypotension, Careful BP monitoring at least in the early postoperative period after CEA is mandatory, especially when the eversion technique is used.

The role of unfractionated heparin for the antiaggregatory effect of aspirin in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy: Results of an observational clinical study.

The aims of the present study were to examine the influence of a low-dose unfractionated heparin regime on platelet aggregation and to additionally assess the prevalence of primary aspirin resistance in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Therefore, 50 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were enrolled. A bolus of 3000 IU unfractionated heparin was administered 2 min before carotid cross-clamping additionally to standard antiaggregatory therapy. Haemostaseological point of care testing was performed twice, prior to surgery and 10 min after unfractionated heparin administration by the use of aggregometric and viscoelastic point of care testing. Following unfractionated heparin administration, the activated partial thromboplastin time increased significantly and clotting time in viscoelastic INTEM test was shown to be significantly prolonged. In contrast, the antiaggregatory effect of aspirin was not diminished in aggregometric ASPI test. A low-dose unfractionated heparin regime during carotid endarterectomy was therefore considered to be safe, without diminishing the antiplatelet effect of aspirin. Moreover, aggregometric point of care testing was identified to be a suitable tool for the identification of patients with primary aspirin resistance ( n = 3).

Radiation exposure to eye lens and operator hands during endovascular procedures in hybrid operating rooms.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiation exposure of vascular surgeons' eye lens and fingers during complex endovascular procedures in modern hybrid operating rooms. METHODS: Prospective, nonrandomized multicenter study design. One hundred seventy-one consecutive patients (138 male; median age, 72.5 years [interquartile range, 65-77 years]) underwent an endovascular procedure in a hybrid operating room between March 2012 and July 2013 in two vascular centers. The dose-area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time, operating time, and amount of contrast dye were registered prospectively. For radiation dose recordings, single-use dosimeters were attached at eye level and to the ring finger of the hand next to the radiation field of the operator for each endovascular procedure. Dose recordings were evaluated by an independent institution. Before the study, precursory investigations were obtained to simulate the radiation dose to eye lens and fingers with an Alderson phantome (RSD, Long Beach, Calif). RESULTS: Interventions were classified into six treatment categories: endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal aneurysm (n = 65), thoracic endovascular aortic repair (n = 32), branched endovascular aortic repair for thoracoabdominal aneurysms (n = 17), fenestrated endovascular aortic repair for complex abdominal aortic aneurysm, (n = 25), iliac branched device (n = 8), and peripheral interventions (n = 24). There was a significant correlation in DAP between both lens (P < .01; r = 0.55) and finger (P < .01; r = 0.56) doses. The estimated fluoroscopy time to reach a radiation threshold of 20 mSv/y was 1404.10 minutes (90% confidence limit, 1160, 1650 minutes). According to correlation of the lens dose with the DAP an estimated cumulative DAP of 932,000 mGy/m(2) (90% confidence limit, 822,000, 1,039,000) would be critical for a threshold of 20 mSv/y for the eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation protection is a serious issue for vascular surgeons because most complex endovascular procedures are delivering measurable radiation to the eyes. With the correlation of the DAP obtained in standard endovascular procedures a critical threshold of 20 mSv/y to the eyes can be predicted and thus an estimate of a potential harmful exposure to the eyes can be obtained.

Effect of Superficial Cervical Plexus Block on Baroreceptor Sensitivity in Patients Undergoing Carotid Endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Regional anesthesia for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy is associated with improved intraoperative hemodynamic stability compared with general anesthesia. The authors hypothesized that the reported advantages might be related to attenuated ipsilateral baroreflex control of blood pressure, caused by chemical denervation of the carotid bulb baroreceptor nerve fibers. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Single-center university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 46 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy using superficial cervical block. INTERVENTIONS: A noninvasive computational periprocedural measurement of baroreceptor sensitivity was performed in all patients. Two groups were formed, depending on the patients' subjective response to surgical stimulation regarding the necessity of additional intraoperative local anesthesia (LA) administration on the carotid bulb. Group A (block alone) included 23 patients who required no additional anesthesia, and group B (block + LA) consisted of 23 patients who required additional anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Baroreceptor sensitivity showed no significant change after application of the block in both groups (group A: median [IQR], 5.19 [3.07-8.54] v 4.96 [3.1-9.07]; p = 0.20) (group B: median [IQR], 4.47 [3.36-8.09] v 4.53 [3.29-8.01]; p = 0.55). There was a significant decrease in baroreceptor sensitivity in group B after intraoperative LA administration (median [IQR], 4.53 [3.29-8.01] v 3.31 [2.26-7.31]; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Standard superficial cervical plexus block did not impair local baroreceptor function, and, therefore, it was not related to improved cerebral perfusion in awake patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. However, direct infiltration of the carotid bulb was associated with the expected attenuation of baroreflex sensitivity.

The role of atropine in carotid stenting of recurrent stenosis after eversion endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The value of prophylactic atropine use during carotid artery stenting (CAS) in primary carotid stenosis to prevent procedural hemodynamic depression is well accepted. However, its impact in case of recurrent stenosis after eversion carotid endarterectomy (E-CEA), which is known to be associated with decreased baroreflex function due to discontinuation of the carotid sinus nerve, has not been investigated so far. METHODS: The influence of angioplasty in the carotid bulb on intraprocedural and periprocedural hemodynamic changes (heart rate [HR], systolic blood pressure [SP], and diastolic blood pressure [DP]) of 38 CAS procedures (primary stenosis group, n = 16; post-E-CEA recurrent stenosis group, n = 22) was analyzed retrospectively. A single dose of 0.5 mg of atropine was administered in all cases immediately before angioplasty. Periprocedural vasoactive management was documented. Within-group differences were analyzed by the nonparametric Friedman test with pairwise comparisons following the method of Conover. RESULTS: Intraprocedural within-group comparison between the median of the 15-minute period before angioplasty and each of three single measure points with 5-minute intervals after angioplasty showed a significant decrease in almost all measures for the primary stenosis group (HR: P = .002, .0008, .08; SP: P = .005, .01, .01; DP: P = .04, .04, .01) and the opposite for the post-E-CEA stenosis group (HR: P < .0001, <.0001, <.0001; SP: P = .04, .03, .05; DP: P = .23, .06, .005). Whereas in comparison to baseline (day of admission), patients with primary stenosis showed a significant periprocedural decrease in HR (recovery room, P < .0001; 6-24 hours, P = .0012; 25-48 hours, P = .014) and SP (recovery room, P < .0001; 6-24 hours, P < .0001; 25-48 hours, P < .0001), patients with restenosis after E-CEA revealed no significant changes with the exception of increased HR between 6 and 24 hours and decreased DP in the recovery room. CONCLUSIONS: The application of atropine during CAS for recurrent carotid stenosis after prior E-CEA might not be necessary.

Perioperative blood pressure alterations after eversion and conventional carotid endarterectomy sustain in the midterm.

OBJECTIVE: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is associated with a profound effect on blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate 24 h ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) after eversion (E-CEA) and conventional (C-CEA) endarterectomy including a midterm follow-up. METHODS: Seventy-one patients were included in this prospective study [E-CEA (37)/C-CEA (34)]. Daytime (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and nighttime (10 p.m. to 8 a.m.) ABPMs were analyzed perioperatively and at midterm after a median follow-up period of 9.5 months (interquartile range (IQR) 6.4-17.8) in the E-CEA group and 11.5 months (IQR 8.3-13.6) in the C-CEA group RESULTS: Patient demographics and preoperative antihypertensive regimens were similar in the two groups. Compared with baseline, ABPM decreased on postoperative day 1 in the C-CEA group (P < 0.01) but normalized by day three. By contrast, ABPM values were unchanged on day 1 in the E-CEA group but increased above baseline on day 3 (P < 0.01). E-CEA was associated with higher ABPM on day 1 (P < 0.001 daytime, P < 0.01 nighttime) and again on day 3 (P < 0.001 daytime, P < 0.01 nighttime). The use of vasodilators was more frequent in the E-CEA group, both in the recovery room (P = 0.007) and on the ward (P = 0.004). Midterm results showed no difference of average blood pressure values, but an increased maximal blood pressure (P = 0.01 daytime) and heart rate (HR) (P = 0.006 daytime) were reached in the E-CEA group and decreased HR (P = 0.01 nighttime) in the C-CEA group. Compared with baseline [(E-CEA: median (IQR) 2 (1-3); C-CEA: median (IQR) 2 (1-3)], the number of antihypertensive medications at midterm was significantly higher in the E-CEA group [(median (IQR) 3 (2-3) vs. 2 (2-3), P = 0.002)]. In both groups, no adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events during follow-up could be observed. CONCLUSION: Although the initial hypertensive effect of E-CEA diminishes during midterm follow-up, patients undergoing eversion endarterectomy keep needing more antihypertensive medications and are prone to develop higher maximal blood pressure.

Multicenter experience on eversion versus conventional carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic carotid artery stenosis: observations from the Stent-Protected Angioplasty Versus Carotid Endarterectomy (SPACE-1) trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is beneficial in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. However, randomized trials have not provided evidence concerning the optimal CEA technique, conventional or eversion. METHODS: The outcome of 563 patients within the surgical randomization arm of the Stent-Protected Angioplasty versus Carotid Endarterectomy in Symptomatic Patients (SPACE-1) trial was analyzed by surgical technique subgroups: eversion endarterectomy versus conventional endarterectomy with patch angioplasty. The primary end point was ipsilateral stroke or death within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcome events included perioperative adverse events and the 2-year risk of restenosis, stroke, and death. RESULTS: Both groups were similar in terms of demographic and other baseline clinical variables. Shunt frequency was higher in the conventional CEA group (65% versus 17%; P<0.0001). The risk of ipsilateral stroke or death within 30 days after surgery was significantly greater with eversion CEA (9% versus 3%; P=0.005). There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of perioperative secondary outcome events with the exception of a significantly higher risk of intraoperative ipsilateral stroke rate in the eversion CEA group (4% versus 0.3%; P=0.0035). The 2-year risk of ipsilateral stroke occurring after 30 days was significantly higher in the conventional CEA group (2.9% versus 0%; P=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, conventional CEA appears to be associated with better periprocedural neurological outcome than eversion CEA. Eversion CEA, however, may be more effective for long-term prevention of ipsilateral stroke. These findings should be interpreted with caution noting the limitations of the post hoc, nonrandomized nature of the analysis.

Comparison of renin and catecholamine release in patients undergoing eversion or conventional carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The two techniques for carotid endarterectomy (CEA)--conventional (C-CEA) and eversion (E-CEA)--have different effects on blood pressure. This study compared sympathetic activity after C-CEA and E-CEA, as measured by renin and catecholamine levels. METHODS: E-CEA (n = 40) and C-CEA (n = 34) were performed in 74 patients with high-grade carotid stenosis. The choice of technique was made at the discretion of the operating surgeon. All patients received clonidine (150 µg) preoperatively. Regional anesthesia was used. The carotid sinus nerve was transected during E-CEA and preserved during C-CEA. Renin, metanephrine, and normetanephrine levels were measured preoperatively and at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, levels of renin, metanephrine, and normetanephrine decreased at 24 and 48 hours after C-CEA (P < .0001). After E-CEA, however, renin and normetanephrine levels were unchanged at 24 hours, and metanephrine levels were increased (P < .0001). At 48 hours, levels of renin (P = .04), metanephrine (P < .0001), and normetanephrine (P = .02) were increased. Compared with C-CEA, E-CEA was associated with significantly increased sympathetic activity at 24 and 48 hours (P < .0001). Although the use of vasodilators for postoperative hypertension did not differ in the postanesthesia care unit (E-CEA 35% vs C-CEA 18%, P = .12), vasodilator use on the ward was more frequent after E-CEA (60% vs 32%, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: E-CEA appears to be associated with greater postoperative sympathetic activity and vasodilator requirements than C-CEA, findings likely related to sacrifice of the carotid sinus nerve during E-CEA but not C-CEA.

Changes in baroreceptor sensitivity after eversion carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Posteversion carotid endarterectomy hypertension has been suggested to be associated with impaired baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS), which has been identified as a factor of prognostic relevance in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this prospective single-center nonrandomized study was to describe the changes of BRS in the early postoperative period after eversion carotid endarterectomy (E-CEA). METHODS: Spontaneous BRS and hemodynamic parameters such as blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were evaluated preoperatively as well as postoperatively after 1 and 3 days using a noninvasive sequential cross-correlation method. Additionally, any modification in vasoactive medication due to BP derangement in the postoperative period was noted. Due to non-normal distribution of BRS, HR, and TPR samples, all measured values were expressed as medians with interquartile range (IQR), and a nonparametric test (Friedman) was performed. After adjustment for multiple testing, differences were considered statistically significant when the two-tailed P value was less than .0036. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (mean age, 71 years) with symptomatic or asymptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis were included. The BRS significantly decreased to a lower level 24 hours after surgery (4.71 ms/mm Hg [3.02-6.1]) than preoperatively (5.95 ms/mm Hg [4.68-10.86]; P < .0001), resulting in a within-patient difference of -2.46 ms/mm Hg (95% confidence interval [CI], -8.38 - -1.52). This difference (95% CI, [- 1.58 (-8.24 - -0.80)]) persisted at the 72-hour measurements (5.63 ms/mm Hg [3.23-7.69]; P = .0005). The HR, reflecting the sympathetic activity, increased 24 hours after the operation (69 bpm [61.3-77.7]) compared with preoperative values (63 bpm [57.9-73.2]; P = .005) (within-patient difference [95% CI] 3.7 [1.5-8.5]), and this increase reached significance at 72 hours (69 bpm [65.4-77.5]; P = .001) (within-patient difference [95% CI] 5.5 [2.3-8.8]). Values of systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, CO, and TPR were not significantly different between pre- and postoperative measurements. Overall, 23 (66%) patients developed significant postoperative hypertension requiring aggressive management with additional medications. CONCLUSIONS: E-CEA might have a decreasing influence on BRS, leading to increased sympathetic activity. Investigations of the longer-term effects of impaired BRS are warranted. These findings should be interpreted with caution, noting the limitation of an absent control group.

Eversion carotid endarterectomy is associated with impaired postoperative hemodynamic stability compared with the conventional technique.

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy is associated with a profound effect on blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPMs) after eversion carotid endarterectomy (E-CEA) and conventional carotid endarterectomy (C-CEA). METHODS: Seventy-one patients were included in this prospective study (E-CEA [37]/C-CEA [34]). Daytime (8 AM-10 PM) and nighttime (10 PM-8 AM) ABPMs were analyzed preoperatively and on postoperative days 1 and 3. RESULTS: Patients' demographics and preoperative antihypertensive regimens were similar in the two groups. Compared with baseline, ABPM decreased on postoperative day 1 in the C-CEA group (P < 0.01) but normalized by day 3. By contrast, ABPM values were unchanged on day 1 in the E-CEA group but increased above baseline on day 3 (P < 0.01). E-CEA was associated with higher ABPM on day 1 (daytime: P < 0.001; nighttime: P < 0.01) and again on day 3 (daytime: P < 0.001; nighttime: P < 0.01). The use of vasodilators was more frequent in the E-CEA group, both in the recovery room (P = 0.007) and on the ward (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: E-CEA may be associated with higher postoperative blood pressure and the need for more additional antihypertensive therapy in the postoperative period compared with C-CEA.

The effect of eversion and conventional-patch technique in carotid surgery on postoperative hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Postcarotid endarterectomy hypertension (HTN) is associated with neurological and cardiac complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of eversion carotid endarterectomy (E-CEA) and conventional carotid endarterectomy (C-CEA) on postoperative blood pressure in the first 4 days after surgery. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-six consecutive CEAs that were performed between February 2008 and September 2009 were reviewed retrospectively with a computerized registry. After exclusion of patients with severe stroke (modified Rankin Scale of 3-5), prior contralateral and ipsilateral carotid surgery and more than 70% stenosis of the contralateral carotid artery, 201 cases remained (E-CEA group: n = 100 vs C-CEA group: n = 101) for analysis. Results in terms of systolic blood pressure, use of intravenous and oral vasodilators, alterations of the existing antihypertensive medications, and perioperative complications (neck hematoma, myocardial infarction, stroke, and death) were compared. RESULTS: Groups were similar with regard to age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors except for a higher incidence of nicotine use (59% vs 43%; P = .02) in the C-CEA group. Patients in the C-CEA group had a significantly higher percentage of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (54% vs 23%, respectively; P < .0001). Despite a lower preoperative (baseline) mean systolic blood pressure (130 mm Hg vs 135 mm Hg; P = .02) patients in the E-CEA group had a significantly higher mean systolic blood pressure in the postoperative course up to the day 4 after surgery (134 mm Hg vs 126 mm Hg; P < .0001) and required more frequent intravenous (28% vs 9.9%; P = .001) and oral vasodilators (54% vs 27.7%; P = .0002) compared to those in the C-CEA group. Two-thirds (14 of 21 = 66%) of patients in the E-CEA group with preoperative high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and diastolic pressure ≥90 mm Hg) required vasodilators and only one-third (11 of 33 = 33%) in the C-CEA group (P = .03). Atropine use due to bradycardia was necessary after 8 cases (8%) in the C-CEA group and only after 1 case (1%) in the E-CEA group (P = .03). Furthermore, the dosage of existing antihypertensive medications was increased and/or additional medications were prescribed twofold more in the E-CEA group (33% vs 17%; P = .009). No statistically significant difference was noted in the perioperative complication rate. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that E-CEA is associated with significantly higher postoperative blood pressure that persists for at least 4 days after surgery. Patients with inadequate preoperative high blood pressure control are particularly at risk after E-CEA.

Long-term results of distal-origin bypass after prior femoro-popliteal angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether prior staged percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the femoro-popliteal segment influences long-term results of distal bypass grafts. METHODS: Between October 1987 and January 2009, 261 distal origin grafts for critical limb ischemia were performed at a single institution. A total of 223 grafts had angiographic no inflow lesions (-PA-group). Additionally, 38 grafts were performed staged within 30 days after percutaneous femoro-popliteal angioplasty (+PA-group) because of 28 TASC A (73%) and 10 TASC B (27%) lesions. Postoperative graft surveillance was performed at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months, then annually thereafter. Treatment groups were compared with Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Follow-up ranged from 1 to 198 months (median, 34 months). The 5-year primary patency was 73% for the +PA-group and 62% for the -PA-group (p = 0.20). Assisted primary patency for the +PA-group at 5 years was 80% and for the -PA-group was 70% (p = 0.17). The corresponding secondary patency at 5 years was 84% for the +PA-group and 71% for the -PA-group (p = 0.12), respectively. Limb salvage and amputation free survival at 5 years were 84% and 46% for the +PA-group, and 81% and 37% for the -PA-group, respectively (p = 0.57, 0.92). Bypass-threatening stenosis of the inflow-vessel was detected for four (10.5%) cases in the +PA-group and for 21 (8%) in the -PA-group. CONCLUSION: Long-term results of distal origin grafts performed after femoro-popliteal angioplasty because of TASC A and B lesions are comparable with those observed in distal origin grafts without proximal stenosis. Distal origin bypass grafting is not compromised by prior endovascular treatment of the inflow-vessel.

Stab injury of the superior mesenteric artery with life threatening bleeding - endovascular treatment with an unusual technique.

Endovascular microcoil embolization of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) main trunk is not currently employed as a treatment for penetrating injury to the SMA in hemodynamically instable patients. Immediate laparotomy is the initial gold standard therapy. We report a case of successful SMA microcoil embolization with preservation of mesenteric perfusion by an unusual endovascular technique.

Hemodynamics analyses in treated and untreated carotid arteries of the same patient: A preliminary study based on three patient cases.

Carotid atherosclerotic disease is highly related to cerebrovascular events. Carotid endarterectomy is the common operation method to treat this disease. In this study, hemodynamics analyses are performed on the carotid arteries in three patients, whose right carotid artery had been treated by carotid endarterectomy and the left carotid artery remained untreated. Flow and loading conditions are compared between these treated and untreated carotid arteries and evaluation of the operative results is discussed. Patient-specific models are reconstructed from MDCT data. Intraoperative ultrasound flow measurements are performed on the treated carotid arteries and the obtained data are used as the boundary conditions of the models and the validations of the computational results. Finite volume method is employed to solve the transport equations and the flow and loading conditions of the models are reported. The results indicate that: (i) in two of the three patients, the internal-to-external flow rate ratio in the untreated carotid artery is larger than that in the treated one, and the average overall flow split ratio by summing up the data of both the left and right carotid arteries is about 2.15; (ii) in the carotid bulb, high wall shear stress occurs at the bifurcation near the external carotid artery in all of the cases without hard plaques; (iii) the operated arteries present low time-averaged wall shear stress at the carotid bulb, especially for the treated arteries with patch technique, indicating the possibility of the recurrence of stenosis; (iv) high temporal gradient of wall shear stress (>35 Pa/s) is shown in the narrowing regions along the vessels; and (v) in the carotid arteries without serious stenosis, the maximum velocity magnitude during mid-diastole is 32~37% of that at systolic peak, however, in the carotid artery with 50% stenosis by hard plaques, this value is nearly doubled (64%). The computational work quantifies flow and loading distributions in the treated and untreated carotid arteries of the same patient, contributing to evaluation of the operative results and indicating the recurrent sites of potential atheromatous plaques.

Assessment of skeletal muscle microcirculation in type 2 diabetes mellitus using dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To investigate muscular micro-perfusion by employing dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and performing transient arterial occlusion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM-2). METHODS: Twenty DM-2 patients (mean age, 58 ± 8.6 years; duration of diabetes, 15.4 ± 12.1 years) and 20 healthy volunteers (mean age, 54 ± 5.4 years) participated. CEUS was applied to the calf, while 4.8 mL of SonoVue(®) was injected intravenously. At the thigh level, arterial occlusion (60 s) was performed. CEUS parameters (tmax, max, AUCpost and m) were evaluated and Pearson-product-moment correlation coefficients were computed. RESULTS: A moderate negative correlation of HbA1c and max was established (-0.53). Max in patients with DM-2 >10 years was 79.89 ± 37.4. Max in patients with DM-2 duration <10 years was 137.62 ± 71.72 (p = 0.04). AUCpost in patients with DM-2 duration >10 years was 3924.01 ± 1630.52. AUCpost in patients with DM-2 duration <10 years was 6453.59 ± 3206.23 (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Patients with long history of DM-2 present with impaired muscular perfusion. CEUS and transient arterial occlusion may provide appropriate methods for semi-quantitative evaluation of muscular micro-perfusion in patients with DM-2.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound for assessment of skeletal muscle microcirculation in peripheral arterial disease.

OBJECTIVE: : This feasibility study was performed to assess whether dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and transient arterial occlusion are able to detect alterations in the microvascular perfusion and arterial perfusion reserve in patients suffering from peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in comparison with healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: : Twenty patients with PAD, Rutherford classification grade I, category III (mean age, 64 years; mean height, 173 cm; mean weight, 81.8 kg), and 20 volunteers (mean age, 50 years; mean height, 174 cm; mean weight, 77.8 kg) participated in the study. Low-mechanical index CEUS (7 MHz; MI, 0.28) was performed to the dominant lower leg after start of a continuous automatic intravenous injection of 4.8 mL suspension with microbubbles containing sulfur hexafluoride (SonoVue) within 5 minutes. Perfusion of the calf muscle was monitored by CEUS before, during, and after release of arterial occlusion at the thigh level lasting for 60 seconds. Several parameters, especially the time to maximum enhancement after release of occlusion (tmax), the maximum enhancement after release of occlusion (maxenh), the total vascular response after release of occlusion (AUCpost), and the resulting slope (m2) to maximum enhancement were calculated. RESULTS: : After release of the occlusion, a significantly delayed increase of the CEUS signal to maxenh was observed in the patients with PAD (32 ± 17 seconds) compared with volunteers (17 ± 8 seconds, P = 0.0009). maxenh was 66.5 ± 36.6 (∼mL) in PAD versus 135.6 ± 75.1 (∼mL) in volunteers (P = 0.0016). AUCpost was 3016.5 ± 1825.8 (∼mL·s) in PAD versus 5906.4 ± 3173.1 (∼mL·s) in volunteers (P = 0.0013), and m2 was significantly lower in PAD (3.8 ± 5.2 vs. 14.8 ± 9.7 [∼mL/s], P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: : Microvascular perfusion deficits and reduced arterial perfusion reserve in patients with PAD are clearly detectable with dynamic CEUS after transient arterial occlusion.