Intractable chylous leak after radical esophagectomy treated with radiotherapy.

Postoperative chylous leak after esophagectomy is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that results in hypovolemia, electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and immunologic deficiency. However, the management of postoperative chylous leak remains controversial. Following a diagnosis of esophageal cancer, a 64-year-old man was treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy, laparoscopic gastric tube formation, prophylactically thoracic duct ligation, and reconstruction with esophagogastrostomy at the neck level. Massive postoperative drainage from the thorax and abdomen did not initially meet the diagnostic criteria for chylothorax, which was ultimately diagnosed 3 weeks after the operation. Despite various treatments including total parenteral nutrition, octreotide and midodrine, reoperation (thoracic duct ligation and mechanical pleurodesis), and thoracic duct embolization, the chylous leak persisted. Finally, low-dose radiation therapy was administered with a daily dose of 2 Gy and completed at a total dose of 14 Gy. After this, the amount of pleural effusion gradually decreased over 2 weeks, and the last drainage tube was removed. The patient was alive and well at 60 months postoperatively. Herein, we describe a patient with intractable chylous leak after esophagectomy, which persisted despite conservative treatment, thoracic duct ligation, and embolization, but was finally successfully treated with radiotherapy.

Large mesenchymal cystic and chondroid pulmonary hamartoma mimicking lung cancer: Case report.

Pulmonary hamartoma is the most commonly resected benign neoplasm of lung. The mesenchymal cystic subtype is a rare and often bilaterally occurring variant composed of multiple cysts and nodules. Herein, we present an asymptomatic 70-year-old woman with a large and mostly cystic growth of right hilar region. Computed tomography of the chest and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging traced its origins to right middle lobe. Overall features suggested primary lung cancer or perhaps other cystic lung disease.Because transbronchial lung biopsy failed to establish a histologic diagnosis, right middle lobectomy was undertaken by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The gross surgical specimen harbored a single and sizeable (8.0 × 4.0 cm) cystic lesion containing multiple yellow-white nodules. A diagnosis of mesenchymal cystic and chondroid hamartoma was ultimately rendered. This particular case is noteworthy, given the initial clinical resemblance to primary lung cancer.

Left anterior descending artery dissection with retrograde aortic dissection during percutaneous coronary intervention: a case report.

Retrograde catheter-induced coronary artery dissection during percutaneous coronary intervention is an exceedingly rare occurrence, and the likelihood of it extending into the aorta is even more uncommon. Typically, surgical treatment involves aortic root replacement combined with coronary artery bypass grafting. However, in this particular case, a meticulous approach was employed. By carefully guiding wires into the true lumens and placing stents in the proximal left main and left anterior descending arteries, the immediate complications were averted by obstructing the retrograde flow in the false lumen. Subsequently, an off-pump coronary artery bypass was performed using the left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery, without the need to manipulate the aorta. This approach resulted in a short operation time and the absence of any other complications.

Can concomitant above-knee femoropopliteal bypass with artificial graft affect the outcome of femorofemoral bypass with artificial graft?

OBJECTIVES: Few have studied the effect of concomitant femoropopliteal (FEM-POP) bypass surgery on the outcome of femorofemoral (FEM-FEM) bypass in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study was aimed to analyze the risk relationship of concomitant FEM-POP bypass on the patency of FEM-FEM bypass. METHODS: From March 2009 to April 2020, a total of 27 patients who underwent FEM-FEM bypass surgery using polytetrafluoroethylene grafts were retrospectively analyzed according to concomitant FEM-POP bypass surgery. The mean follow-up duration was 38.20 ± 34.56 months. RESULTS: The overall primary patency of the FEM-FEM bypass grafts in all 27 patients was 83.7, 78.5, and 72.0 at one, two, and 3 years, respectively. The overall limb salvage rate was 100, 94.1, and 86.9 at one, two, 3 years, respectively. Among them, ten patients underwent FEM-FEM bypass only (group 1). The other 17 patients needed a concomitant FEM-POP bypass and these patients were classified into three groups (group 2, ipsilateral FEM-POP, n = 5; group 3, crossover FEM-POP, n = 6; and group 4, bilateral FEM-POP, n = 6) The comparison of the primary patency of group 1 with the concomitant FEM-POP groups (sum of groups 2, 3, and 4, that is, group 5, n = 17) revealed a statistically significant improved patency for FEM-FEM bypasses not requiring concomitant infra-inguinal bypass (p = .036). Among the concomitant FEM-POP groups, group 2 had the lowest primary patency of the FEM-FEM bypass significantly (p = 0.07). The limb salvage rate of group 4 was significantly low. CONCLUSIONS: A concomitant FEM-POP bypass influenced the outcome of FEM-FEM bypass surgery. In conclusion, compromised infra-inguinal runoff at either extremity requiring concomitant FEM-POP bypass significantly worsens long-term FEM-FEM bypass patency. In addition, a concomitant bilateral FEM-POP bypass is a risk factor affecting the limb salvage rate in FEM-FEM bypass.

Effects of lower thoracic sympathicotomy on plantar hyperhidrosis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether performing lower thoracic sympathicotomy (LTS) from T10 to T12 affects plantar hyperhidrosis in patients with palmo-plantar (PP) or palmo-axillary-plantar (PAP) hyperhidrosis. METHODS: Between January 2015 and January 2020, all consecutive patients with primary hyperhidrosis who underwent bilateral thoracoscopic sympathicotomy and met the inclusion criteria were included. Sympathicotomy was performed using one of the following two methods: the conventional upper thoracic vs. expanded thoracic sympathicotomy. In the expanded thoracic sympathicotomy, we expanded the level of sympathicotomy ranging from R5 to R12 in addition to the conventional upper thoracic sympathicotomy (R3 or R4). In cases of the expanded thoracic sympathicotomy, we defined the LTS as a sympathicotomy of the levels ranging from R10 to R12, which are related to plantar hyperhidrosis. RESULTS: A total of 103 subjects with PP (71 cases) or PAP (32 cases) hyperhidrosis were included. Palmar or axillary hyperhidrosis in all patients were alleviated after sympathicotomy. There was no difference in sweating decrease or CH according to the hyperhidrosis types or sympathicotomy techniques. In addition, no-LTS was performed in 77 cases and LTS was performed in 26 cases. In the no-LTS group, there were 65 and 12 cases of low and high degrees of CH, respectively. In the LTS group, there were 22 and four cases of low and high degrees of CH, respectively. There was no significant difference in CH between the no-LTS and LTS groups (P=0.981). Improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis in the no-LTS group was observed in 29 of 77 cases, while improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis in the LTS group was observed in 16 of 26 cases. The addition of LTS lead to significant improvement in plantar hyperhidrosis (P=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Performing LTS is a safe and feasible procedure that improved plantar sweating more so than it did in cases that did not undergo LTS. Therefore, we cautiously suggest that adding LTS helps in the treatment of plantar hyperhidrosis combined with palmar hyperhidrosis. Further studies on LTS are needed to validate these findings and will be helpful in establishing management guidelines.

Heart rate variability as a potential diagnostic tool to predict compensatory hyperhidrosis after sympathectomy in patients with primary focal hyperhidrosis.

BACKGROUND: Primary focal hyperhidrosis (PFH) is associated with autonomic nervous activity, and studies investigating this association in patients with PFH are very important. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a simple and noninvasive electrocardiographic test showing activity and balance in the autonomic nervous system, which consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic components. The aims of this study are to investigate associations between autonomic nervous activity and hyperhidrosis characteristics using HRV and to investigate the association between HRV findings and compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) after sympathectomy. METHODS: From March 2017 to March 2020, 105 subjects with PFH who underwent preoperative HRV tests and sympathectomy were analyzed. All subjects underwent bilateral thoracoscopic sympathectomy. T2 sympathectomy was conducted for craniofacial hyperhidrosis, and T3 sympathectomy was conducted for palmar hyperhidrosis. The following HRV parameters chosen to investigate the association between hyperhidrosis and autonomic nervous activity were measured by time and frequency domain spectral analysis: (I) time domain: standard deviation of normal-to-normal interval (SDNN) and square root of mean squared differences of successive normal-to-normal intervals (RMSSD), (II) frequency domain: total power (TP) of power spectral density, very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF). HRV parameters were analyzed according to hyperhidrosis type (craniofacial vs. palmar type), sweat reduction, and CH after sympathectomy. In addition, the independent HRV parameters influencing CH after sympathectomy were investigated with multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Craniofacial hyperhidrosis was significantly more prevalent in the old age group (P<0.001). Sweat reduction after sympathectomy was significantly more prominent in palmar hyperhidrosis (P=0.037), and CH after sympathectomy was more prominent in craniofacial hyperhidrosis (P<0.001). Palmar type patients exhibited significantly larger SDNN, RMSSD, TP, LF, and HF than craniofacial type patients (all P<0.001). There were no significant differences in any HRV parameters according to sweat reduction after sympathectomy. Low-degree CH was associated with significantly larger SDNN, RMSSD, TP, LF, and HF than high-degree CH (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.002, P=0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that HF and age group were associated with CH after sympathectomy (P=0.007 and P=0.010, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that HRV can provide useful insight into the pathophysiology of PFH and enhance preoperative risk stratification of CH. Large-scale, prospective studies are required to determine the predictive value of HRV in patients at risk for subsequent CH after sympathectomy.

Conservative treatment for recurrent secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with a long recurrence-free interval.

BACKGROUND: Although recurrence is included in surgical indications, there is no definitive guideline for managing recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) according to characteristics of recurrence, such as the type [primary SP (PSP) or secondary SP (SSP)] and recurrence-free interval (RFI). Actually, some patients with early cessation of air leak after closed thoracostomy tubes, a long RFI, or medical comorbidities are often managed conservatively without surgery. However, the validity of this management is unclear. The aims of the present study are to analyze treatment outcomes for recurrent SP according to the type of SP and RFI, and to check the validity of conservative treatment for patients according to type of SP and RFI. METHODS: We included 1,250 consecutive cases (624 right sided and 626 left side cases for the first episode) who were hospitalized and treated from January 2012 to June 2018. To investigate recurrence according to treatment modality (surgical or conservative treatment), we estimated RFI in each group during the observation period. RFI was measured from the completion of treatment to recurrence or last follow-up. We divided patients into two groups [the early (EG) and the late (LG) recurrence group] according to 1-year. Recurrence was defined as a subsequent episode of an ipsilateral SP, while a contralateral SP was regarded as an independent case in the present study. RFI between subgroups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test. A P value less than 0.05 (two-sided) was regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS: Recurrence occurred in 47 cases after surgical intervention for the first episode (585 cases). Recurrence occurred in 265 cases after conservative treatment for the first episode of SP (665 cases). For the first episode, the surgical group (SG) had a significantly longer RFI than the conservative group (CG), regardless of the type (both, P<0.001). Conservative treatment and surgical intervention for the second episode after conservative treatment for the first episode were performed in 98 and 167 cases, respectively. For the second episode after conservative treatment for the first episode, SG also had a significantly longer RFI than CG, regardless of the types (PSP P<0.001, SSP P=0.031). To check the validity of conservative treatment for patients with a long RFI, we analyzed recurrence by dividing patients into two groups according to one-year RFI. For PSP, the early recurrence group (EG, RFI ≤1 year) had 99 cases and the late recurrent group (LG, RFI >1 year) had 67 cases. SG had a significantly longer RFI than CG in both EG and LG (EG, P<0.001 and LG, P=0.001). In addition, for SSP, there were 67 cases of EG and 32 cases of LG, SG had significantly longer RFIs than CG in EG (P=0.007). However, there was no significant difference in RFI between SG and CG in LG (P=0.748). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed diversity of management outcomes according to characteristics of recurrence and provides some evidences of the validity of conservative treatment in recurrent SSP with a long RFI. Further large-scale prospective randomized trials are required to validate these findings.

New sympathicotomy for prevention of severe compensatory hyperhidrosis in patients with primary hyperhidrosis.

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperhidrosis (PH) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable secretion in the eccrine sweat glands of the craniofacial region, armpits, hands, and feet. Sympathicotomy is the most effective treatment for severe PH; however, compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) remains the most devastating postoperative complication. The purpose of the present study was to suggest a new sympathicotomy method for PH to prevent severe CH. METHODS: From March 2014 to December 2018, a total of 212 patients were included in the study. R2 (53 cases) sympathicotomy for craniofacial hyperhidrosis and R3 (79 cases) or R4 (80 cases) sympathicotomy for palmar hyperhidrosis using the thoracoscopic technique were performed, respectively. Sympathicotomy was performed using two different methods (conventional 145 cases and new 67 cases). Expanded sympathicotomy was performed as the new method (67 cases), which was divided into two groups (partial- and full-expanded sympathicotomy). Operative effectiveness was evaluated by a reduction in percentage of post-operative sweating compared with pre-operative sweating and groups were divided into complete and incomplete sweat reduction characteristics. Complete sweat reduction was defined as sweat reduction ≥80% compared with preoperative sweating. The degrees of CH were classified as negligible, mild bothering (tolerable), and severe bothering (intolerable). Data on preoperative subject characteristics, disease status, operative technique, and postoperative outcomes were gathered using medical records and telephone surveys. RESULTS: According to sympathicotomy techniques, the conventional procedure (non-expanded sympathicotomy) was performed in 145 cases and the new expanded sympathicotomy procedure was performed in 67 cases (partial-expanded sympathicotomy 28 cases; full-expanded sympathicotomy 39 cases). Craniofacial hyperhidrosis was significantly more prevalent in the older group and in female patients (P<0.001 and P=0.007, respectively). Sympathicotomy was significantly more effective in palmar hyperhidrosis than craniofacial hyperhidrosis (P<0.001). CH was significantly more severe in craniofacial hyperhidrosis than palmar hyperhidrosis after sympathicotomy (P<0.001). In craniofacial hyperhidrosis, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction and CH between conventional and the expanded sympathicotomy techniques (P=0.177 and P=0.474, respectively). In palmar hyperhidrosis, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction between the conventional and the expanded sympathicotomy (P=0.178), however, degree of CH in the conventional technique was significantly more severe than in the expanded technique (P=0.001). Regarding comparison between partial- and full-expanded sympathicotomy, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction between partial-, and full-expanded sympathicotomy; however, CH was significantly more severe in partial-expanded sympathicotomy (craniofacial hyperhidrosis P=0.006; palmar hyperhidrosis P<0.001). Irrespective of hyperhidrosis types, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction between full-expanded and the others (non-expanded and partial-expanded sympathicotomy), however, full-expanded sympathicotomy showed a significantly less degree of CH than non-expanded and partial-expanded sympathicotomy (craniofacial, P=0.002; palmar, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Full-expanded sympathicotomy is a safe and feasible treatment that shows a significant decrease in the degree of CH with the same effect in sweat reduction in both craniofacial and palmar hyperhidrosis. Importantly, no severe CH developed after a full-expanded sympathicotomy without any major postoperative complications.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase activity and its isoenzyme patterns in patients with pectus excavatum.

BACKGROUND: In previous study, we found elevated serum total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before correction of pectus excavatum and a decrease in total LDH after the deformity correction. In the present study, we analyzed total LDH activity and its isoenzyme patterns to investigate the causes of these laboratory findings in patients with pectus excavatum. METHODS: Between March 2014 to December 2018, 85 patients with pectus excavatum who had undergone the Nuss procedure (NP) and bar removal (BR) were included into this study. We analyzed (I) total LDH and its isoenzyme patterns before the correction, (II) relationships of total LDH and its isoenzymes with age at time of NP, sex, severity of pectus excavatum, and pectus morphology types, and (III) post-corrective changes. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 13.6 (±6.5) years at the age of NP and the mean interval between NP and BR was 2.2 (±0.42) years. Seventy-one males and 14 females were included. The pectus types included 54 symmetric and 31 asymmetric cases. The mean Haller index before NP and BR were 3.8±1.45 and 2.7±0.4, respectively. The mean of total LDH before NP (pre-correction) and BR (post-correction) were 404.2±80.8 and 369.2±79.3 IU/L, respectively. Before correction, total LDH was significantly higher than normal values, irrespective of age [the young group (<10 years old), P=0.006, and the old group (≥10 years old), P<0.001]. The proportion of LDH5 was significantly higher than that of LDH4 (P<0.001). Total serum LDH was significantly associated with age at time of NP and Haller index (P<0.001 and P=0.030). There was no significant correlation between severity and total LDH. However, the value of only LDH5 among all isoenzymes had a significant positive correlation with severity (P=0.006) and the proportion of only LDH5 in the severe group was significantly higher (P=0.003). After correction, proportions of each isoenzyme were all within the reference range, however, there were significant decreases in values of LDH1-LDH4, except LDH5 (P=0.020, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that pectus excavatum is a muscular disease entity and that laboratory findings are associated with compression of internal organs, which was explained by post-corrective changes in LDH activity and its isoenzyme patterns. This study will provide a deeper and wider comprehension of pectus excavatum.

Successful surgical treatment of massive spontaneous hemothorax due to intrathoracic secondary degeneration of a neurofibroma from mediastinal involvement of type 1 neurofibromatosis.

Massive hemothorax caused by a mediastinal mass is extremely rare. Herein, we present a case of successful surgery for a massive hemothorax caused by intrathoracic cystic hemorrhagic degeneration of a neurofibroma in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). A 44-year-old man with NF1 was admitted to our emergency department for chest pain and dyspnea. Image studies revealed a massive hemothorax caused by a posterior mediastinal mass adjacent to the descending aorta and the spinal canal. The tumor, located at the fourth to the sixth thoracic vertebra, had diffusely and extensively infiltrated around proliferative vessels. It was successfully excised via thoracostomy after aortic cross-clamping preparation. Final pathology revealed that the tumor was cystic hemorrhagic degeneration of a neurofibroma from mediastinal involvement of NF1. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged on the 10th postoperative day. There was no recurrence of tumor or hemothorax six months after surgery.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of pharmaco-mechanical thrombectomy in iliac vein thrombosis with and without May-Thurner syndrome.

BACKGROUND: May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) has a different etiology from that of general deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, few clinical comparisons of MTS-induced and non-MTS-induced DVT have been reported. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical results of pharmaco-mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) in DVT with and without MTS. METHODS: Forty-seven iliac vein thrombosis patients treated with PMT between January 2008 and December 2013 were enrolled. 25 patients had DVT with MTS and 22 patients had iliac vein DVT without MTS. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and analyzed mid-term patencies and post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) occurrence by Villalta Score. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 48.4 (36~92) months. A venous stent was inserted in the iliac vein in all MTS patients. One-/two-/three-year primary patencies in the non-MTS group were 77.3% (N.=17) for all three years in the non-MTS group and were 96.0% (N.=24), 83.1% (N.=22), and 83.1% (N.=22) in the MTS group for years 1/2/3, respectively. One-/two-/three-year secondary patencies were 90.9% (N.=20) for all three years in the non-MTS group and were 96.0% (N.=24), 91.4% (N.=23), and 91.4% (N.=23) in the MTS group, respectively. One-, two-, and three-year Villalta Scores were 4.3, 3.9, and 3.4, respectively, in the non-MTS group, and 3.8, 3.7, and 4.0, respectively, in the MTS group. Primary and secondary patency and Villalta Score were not significantly different between the MTS and non-MTS groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although MTS and DVT have different etiologies, clinical results for both diseases using PMT were not significantly different. Therefore, PMT can be offered as an acceptable initial therapy in DVT patients with and without MTS.

Hemangioma originating from the main pulmonary artery.

In this study, we report the case of a 42-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with hemangioma in the pericardium connected to the main pulmonary artery. Chest CT revealed a hypodense, well-marginated, mass-like lesion, probably connected to the main pulmonary artery, and multiple heterogeneous attenuations were seen with contrast enhancement. The tumor was resected using conventional extracorporeal circulation for complete resection involving the main pulmonary artery wall. Pathologic examination revealed hemangioma. Because main pulmonary originated hemangioma is extremely rare, examination of these cases provides much needed data to further our understanding of this disease. We herein report such a case.

Successful repair of thoracic outlet syndrome in a growing young patient due to posterior sternoclavicular joint dislocation.

Posterior sternoclavicular dislocation is an extremely rare injury, usually related to heavy trauma, such as a traffic accident. The anatomical proximity of vital mediastinal structures often discourages a closed reduction during emergency situations. In this case report, we present a 17-year-old male patient who was admitted to our emergency department after having fallen down a flight of stairs five days previously. He was eventually found to have thoracic outlet syndrome. Chest computed tomography (CT) and shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a posterior dislocation of the right clavicular head with all sternoclavicular joint ligaments ruptured; a hematoma around the clavicular shaft; compression of the right brachiocephalic, subclavian, and internal jugular veins; compression of the brachial plexus; and the right hemopneumothorax. Emergent open reduction with sutures and simultaneous plate stabilization was conducted for the posterior sternoclavicular dislocation, and thoracic outlet syndrome was completely resolved by the seventh postoperative day. The plate was removed six months after the open reduction. Complete range of motion in the shoulder and no pain were achieved without any complications. Unlike other techniques, this technique, using both sutures reduction and simultaneous plate stabilization, will offer excellent results, especially in a growing, young patient.

Complete thoracoscopic excision of an infected bronchogenic cyst due to mediastinitis.

Because bronchogenic cysts can result in infection, further complications due to compression of adjacent organs or malignant transformation, symptomatic and complicated bronchogenic cysts are usually surgically removed. However, surgical excision can be hazardous or incomplete because of dense adhesion to surrounding vital organs as a consequence of severe inflammation. Herein, we report a rare case of infected bronchogenic cyst caused by mediastinitis and we describe how a surgical approach using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) should be considered for treatment, even among patients with complicated bronchogenic cysts.

Effects of a Proteasome Inhibitor on Cardiomyocytes in a Pressure-Overload Hypertrophy Rat Model: An Animal Study.

BACKGROUND: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an important pathway of proteolysis in pathologic hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. We hypothesize that MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, might prevent hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (CMP) by blocking the UPS. Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and androgen receptor (AR) have been reported to be mediators of CMP and heart failure. This study drew upon pathophysiologic studies and the analysis of NF-κB and AR to assess the cardioprotective effects of MG132 in a left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) rat model. METHODS: We constructed a transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced LVH rat model with 3 groups: sham (TAC-sham, n=10), control (TAC-cont, n=10), and MG132 administration (TAC-MG132, n=10). MG-132 (0.1 mg/kg) was injected for 4 weeks in the TAC-MG132 group. Pathophysiologic evaluations were performed and the expression of AR and NF-κB was measured in the left ventricle. RESULTS: Fibrosis was prevalent in the pathologic examination of the TAC-cont model, and it was reduced in the TAC-MG132 group, although not significantly. Less expression of AR, but not NF-κB, was found in the TAC-MG132 group than in the TAC-cont group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: MG-132 was found to suppress AR in the TAC-CMP model by blocking the UPS, which reduced fibrosis. However, NF-κB expression levels were not related to UPS function.

The Role of Pharmacomechanical Endovascular Intervention for Iliofemoral Vein Thrombosis Compared to Conventional Anticoagulation Therapy.

Although anticoagulation therapy is the primary treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), it has not been associated with the rapid recanalization of the venous occlusion. Moreover, it is associated with long-term disability due to post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). In contrast, pharmacomechanical endovascular intervention (PMI) results in more rapid clinical improvement in DVT patients, but there are few reports on its long-term outcomes. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of PMI compared to conventional anticoagulation therapy (ACA) for acute and subacute iliofemoral DVT. We reviewed the medical records of 102 patients with iliofemoral DVT. A total of 46 patients for ACA and 56 patients for PMI were enrolled. We analyzed the clinical differences between the PMI and ACA groups by comparing the clinical signs, residual DVT free-rate, and PTS-free rate. There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic characteristics and risk factors except age between the groups (age: ACA, 52.0 ± 18.0 years; PMI, 59.0 ± 17.0 years; P = 0.035). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year residual DVT-free rate (ACA = 84.7%, 71.6%, and 46.0%; PMI = 82.1%, 76.8%, and 76.8%, respectively; P = 0.235) was not significantly different. However, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year PTS-free rate was significantly different (ACA = 93.5%, 74.0%, and 55.7%; PMI = 92.9%, 90.0%, and 90.0%, respectively; P = 0.019). There was no significant difference in the rate of other complications. PMI showed a lower incidence of PTS during the follow-up period. Therefore, PMI should be considered as an effective therapeutic modality for patients with iliofemoral DVT.

Surgical outcomes of the modified single-patch technique in complete atrioventricular septal defect.

We examined the usefulness of the modified single-patch technique for the surgical management of complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD). Sixty-one patients undergoing total correction for complete AVSD from January 1997 to December 2006 were classified to the modified single-patch technique group (18 patients) and the classical one-/two-patch technique group (43 patients). The surgical outcomes of the modified single-patch technique were compared with those of the classical-patch technique. Aortic cross-clamp time was shorter in the modified single-patch technique group (110.8+/-27.5 min vs. 134.4+/-42.5 min, P=0.03). During the follow-up period, two patients required reoperation for atrioventricular valve dysfunction in the modified single-patch technique group vs. three patients in the classical-patch technique group (P=0.63). One late death occurred in the modified single-patch technique and two late deaths in the classical-patch technique group (P=0.90). There was no significant difference in surgical outcomes between the two groups. And the modified single-patch technique has the advantage of relative simplicity and shorter ischemic time, and thus it is thought to be a feasible surgical option for the repair of complete AVSD.