Renal Artery Partial Occlusion After Aortic Dissection Is Associated With Impaired Renal Function in the Affected Kidney.

BACKGROUND: The renal artery is often involved in aortic dissection, leading to kidney ischaemia and renal dysfunction. However, some patients with aortic dissection with combined renal artery involvement do not show clinical renal dysfunction. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between renal artery involvement and renal function. METHODS: Data and images were collected from 79 patients (Group A), in Beijing Anzhen hospital between January 2015 and December 2017, who had type A aortic dissection, in order to analyse the relationship between renal artery involvement and serum creatinine. In order to further analyse the relationship between renal artery involvement and single kidney function, data from 27 patients (Group B) with aortic dissection from August 2018 to October 2018 were collected. Renal dynamic imaging was conducted, and clinical and image data were recorded. RESULTS: Results showed that patients with one partially occluded renal artery had higher variance of serum creatinine after surgery compared with patients with one false-lumen renal artery (5.8±22.7 µmol/L vs -18.7±22.7 µmol/L; p=0.003). The glomerular filtration rate of a single kidney that had a partially occluded renal artery was lower than that of a single kidney with a normal renal artery (37.77±9.57 vs 42.73±10.54; p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: A partially occluded renal artery in aortic dissection was associated with impaired renal function after surgery, even though patients did not present high serum creatinine. More attention should be paid to those experiencing aortic dissection.

Computed tomography perfusion source images assessment of infarct core and penumbra in acute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology on computed tomography (CT) perfusion source images for an acute ischemic stroke in predicting infarct core and penumbra. METHODS: Computed tomography examinations, including non-contrast enhanced CT, CT perfusion and CT angiography, were performed on 24 patients with symptoms of stroke in less than 9 hours. The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) was analysed on arterial and venous phase CT perfusion source images and then compared with the ASPECTS on follow-up imaging for an efficacy assessment. RESULTS: The ASPECTS on arterial phase CT perfusion source images was significantly different from venous phase CT perfusion source images (z=-2.812, p=0.005); linear regression analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between venous phase CT perfusion source images and the follow-up imaging (beta=0.715, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The limited data suggested that CT perfusion source images of both arterial and venous phases may have the potential of being used as an assessment for infarct core and penumbra in acute ischemic stroke.

Brain magnetic resonance elastography on healthy volunteers: a safety study.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a recently developed imaging technique that can directly visualize and quantitatively measure tissue elasticity. PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety of brain MRE on human subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 20 healthy volunteers. MRE sequence scan (drive signal not applied to external force actuator) and MRE study were separately performed on each volunteer at an interval of more than 24 hours. The heart rate and blood pressure of each volunteer were measured immediately before and after MRE sequence scan and MRE study. Electroencephalography (EEG) was also performed within 2 hours after each scan. The volunteers were asked about their experience of the two scans. Randomized-block analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data of blood pressure and heart rate. Paired t test was used to analyze the data of the two EEG examinations. The volunteers were followed up 1 week after the examination. RESULTS: All procedures were performed on each volunteer, and no one complained of obvious discomfort. No related adverse events were reported during follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in heart rate or blood pressure. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in EEG results in the right temporoparietal region. Increased power was found in the theta, delta, alpha, and beta2 bands. No brain injury was detected by the EEG examinations. CONCLUSION: Based on the study results, brain MRE examinations are safe to perform on human subjects.

Endovascular Repair for Thoracic Aortic False Aneurysms: Single-Center Experience in 102 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic aortic false aneurysm is unusual and experience with endovascular repair is limited. We evaluate the efficacy of endovascular repair in patients with thoracic aortic false aneurysms. METHODS: The early and midterm outcomes of endovascular repair in 102 patients with thoracic aortic false aneurysms were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 80 men and 22 women (age 54.9 ± 13.7 years). Emergent or urgent endovascular repair was done in 19 cases (18.6%) and elective in 83 (81.4%). Procedure was successful in 99.0%. Early death occurred in 4 patients (3.9%). No early death occurred in elective patients. Early complications occurred in 7 patients (6.9%). Follow-up was complete in 100% for 24.0 ± 18.5 months (range, 1.5 to 67.3). Fourteen late deaths occurred (13.7%). Late events occurred in 9 patients (8.8%). Survival at 6 month, 1 year and 3 years was 90.7%, 86.7% and 84.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory early and midterm outcomes have been achieved with endovascular repair in this series. Although emergent or urgent patients had higher rates of early mortality and morbidity, the majority of them achieved stable late survival as long as they survived at least 6 months. These results argue favorably for use of endovascular repair in the management of patients with thoracic aortic false aneurysms.

Treating patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm with endovascular repair and the crossover chimney technique in the internal iliac artery to protect the unilateral internal iliac artery.

This study aims to explore the treatment methods for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) that required occlusion of the openings of the bilateral internal iliac arteries (IIAs) in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments. Four patients with AAA were treated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and the crossover chimney technique in the bilateral internal iliac arteries (IIAs). We inserted and released the abdominal aortic stent as usual and implanted the bypass stent graft simultaneously. The intraoperative immediate angiography showed complete isolation of the AAA and patency of the bypass. One month after surgery, it showed contrast engorgement in the bypass stent in three patients. The IIA on the bypass side and its branches had good developing. Another case in which we utilized a COOK stent, occlusion started at the opening of the bypass stent, with no occurrence of other complications. For patients in whom AAAs involve bilateral iliac arteries and the openings of the bilateral IIAs need to be occluded, EVAR and a crossover chimney technique can protect the unilateral IIA.