Acute blunt traumatic injury to the descending thoracic aorta.

INTRODUCTION: Blunt injury to the descending thoracic aorta is a potentially life-threatening condition necessitating rapid assessment and possible surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to review outcomes of patients who sustained blunt thoracic aortic injury at a single institution. METHODS: Our institutional Trauma Registry Database was searched for patients who sustained acute blunt descending thoracic aortic injury between July 1990 and July 2010. Individual injuries, anatomic and physiological measures of injury severity, and operative and hospital mortality were compared between patients undergoing open surgical and thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Additionally, aortic injury grade, management, and outcomes were reviewed for patients who did not undergo an aortic intervention. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients identified over the 20-year study period, 60 (60%) underwent conventional open repair, 26 (26%) underwent endovascular repair, and 14 (14%) did not undergo an aortic intervention. The overall hospital mortality rate for the entire patient cohort was 34%. Of the 14 patients who did not undergo an aortic intervention, five (36%) were successfully medically managed and four (80%) of these had grade I aortic injuries. One of the successfully medically managed patients required endovascular repair 9 months after injury. Four medically managed patients expired as a result of aortic rupture within 1 to 2.5 hours of presentation. Two expired immediately after diagnosis, and the other two could have potentially been treated with improvements in transfer and diagnosis times. Age, individual injuries, and measures of injury severity were similar between patients undergoing open surgical or endovascular repair. Patients who underwent endovascular repair experienced a significantly lower intraoperative (0% vs 18%; P < .05) and overall hospital mortality (12% vs 37%; P < .05). Additionally, endovascular repair was associated with reductions in operative time, estimated blood loss, and intraoperative blood transfusions. Five endovascular patients required secondary interventions to treat endograft-related complications, including malapposition to the aortic arch (n = 3), midendograft stenosis (n = 1), and left upper extremity ischemia (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Blunt thoracic aortic injury to the descending thoracic aorta is associated with a high overall hospital mortality. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is associated with significantly lower operative times, procedural blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, as well as intraoperative and overall hospital mortality compared with conventional open surgical repair. Consideration of this form of therapy as the initial form of treatment is warranted in anatomically acceptable candidates.

Endovascular management of aortic arch vessel occlusion: successful revascularization of innominate and left subclavian arteries.

A 56-year-old female presented with pain in her bilateral upper extremities. Angiogram demonstrated occlusion of her left subclavian and innominate arteries (IAs). The patient's left subclavian occlusion was successfully treated with percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy, angioplasty, and stenting. One month later, endovascular revascularization of the IA was performed. Initially the lesion could not be directly transversed from neither an antegrade nor a retrograde approach. Wires were passed from the brachial and femoral arteries into the right common carotid artery where the femoral wire was snared and brought out through the right brachial access. Over this through-and-through wire access, angioplasty and stenting of the IA was performed with an excellent angiographic result. In follow-up, the patient remained free of upper extremity symptoms. Occlusive lesions of the aortic arch vessels can be successfully managed with antegrade and retrograde endovascular techniques.

Preservation of hypogastric artery blood flow during endovascular aneurysm repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with bilateral common and internal iliac artery involvement: utilization of off-the-shelf stent-graft components.

A 72-year-old male presented with a 7.4-cm abdominal aortic aneurysm with bilateral common and internal iliac involvement. To maintain pelvic perfusion, preservation of the patient's left hypogastric artery (HA) was pursued. Two weeks after right HA embolization, endovascular repair of the patient's aneurysms was performed using a branched endograft approach. A 22-mm main body bifurcated endograft was unsheathed and the proximal covered stent was removed. The contralateral gate was preloaded with a wire and catheter. The device was resheathed and placed in the left common iliac artery. The preloaded wire in the contralateral gate was snared from the right side, establishing through-and-through femoral access. A contralateral femoral sheath was advanced up and over the aortic bifurcation from the right side into the contralateral gate of the bifurcated endograft. The repair was bridged to the left HA using a balloon-expandable stent-graft, followed by standard endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Completion angiography demonstrated exclusion of patient's aneurysms, without evidence of endoleak, and maintenance of pelvic blood flow through the left HA. The patient recovered without complication and was discharged home on postoperative day 4. This technique illustrates the technical feasibility of using a preloaded commercially available endograft to preserve HA blood flow and maintain pelvic perfusion during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Noninterruption of warfarin therapy is safe and does not compromise outcome in patients undergoing endovenous laser therapy (EVLT).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the need for cessation of oral anticoagulation with warfarin for patients undergoing endovenous laser therapy (EVLT). METHODS: Between September 2004 and July 2010, 518 patients underwent 770 EVLT procedures on the lower extremity, at our institution. Of these patients, 5 underwent a total of 12 separate lower extremity EVLT procedures for the treatment of symptomatic reflux without interruption of warfarin therapy. RESULTS: No bleeding complications were observed during the procedure or in early follow-up. None of the patients developed a deep venous thrombosis. Complete ablation of the target vessel was observed in all patients on follow-up Duplex ultrasounds at 1 and 8 weeks postintervention. CONCLUSION: Endovenous laser therapy can be safely performed and does not compromise target vessel ablation in patients receiving oral anticoagulation warfarin therapy. Warfarin therapy should not be routinely interrupted in patients undergoing this procedure.

Endovascular management of a ruptured thoracoabdominal aneurysm-damage control with superior mesenteric artery snorkel and thoracic stent-graft exclusion.

We report a case of a large ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm, which was stabilized with endovascular aortic exclusion and snorkel bypass of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). An 80-year-old African American woman with multiple medical comorbidities and previous open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair presented with a ruptured 10.7 × 7.3 cm thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm involving the origins of the renal and mesenteric vessels. The patient underwent emergent endovascular aortic repair with placement of a covered stent into the SMA coursing parallel to the aortic endograft. This technique was initially successful in clinically stabilizing the patient; however; 3 weeks after the initial procedure, she presented with recurrent rupture necessitating proximal extension of her snorkeled SMA bypass and aortic endograft into the mid-descending thoracic aorta. The patient stabilized and was successfully discharged home.

Simultaneous arterial and venous ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis for phlegmasia cerulea dolens.

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens is a rare condition in which an extensive deep venous thrombus can partially or completely occlude venous outflow from the affected extremity. Clinical presentation is typically characterized by extremity edema, cyanosis, and pain. This condition is associated with a high rate of extremity amputation and mortality. Although numerous therapies have been described, there is no generalized treatment consensus and less invasive forms of therapy continue to evolve. We report a case of phlegmasia cerulea dolens in a patient who presented with concomitant arterial and venous thrombosis of the affected extremity. The patient's condition was successfully treated using combined ultrasound-assisted intra-arterial and intravenous catheter-directed thrombolysis.

Management of a thoracic endograft infection through an ascending to descending extra-anatomic aortic bypass and endograft explantation.

A 52-year-old man presented 33 months after thoracic aortic endovascular repair with hemoptysis and was found to have an aortobronchial fistula secondary to a mycotic aneurysm. The endograft infection was managed in a two-stage fashion. During the initial stage, the patient underwent an ascending-to-descending thoracic aortic bypass. Neither cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermic circulatory arrest, nor aortic cross-clamping were used. During the same hospitalization, the patient underwent successful endograft explantation through a left thoracotomy. Imaging at 6 months demonstrated no anastomotic concerns and resolution of residual pulmonary inflammation. Thoracic aortic endograft infections necessitating endograft removal can potentially be successfully and safely managed without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermic circulatory arrest, or interruption of aortic blood flow.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas is an emerging treatment modality for this highly lethal condition. The feasibility and long-term durability of this form of intervention are largely unknown. METHODS: The records of five patients who received endografts to treat aortobronchial fistulas at our institution were reviewed. A literature review was also conducted using MEDLINE to identify reports detailing outcomes of patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair for this condition. Primary outcome end points included intraoperative mortality, 30-day mortality, and aortobronchial fistula recurrence. RESULTS: For the five patients treated at our institution, technical success was 100%. In follow-up, aortobronchial fistulas recurred in two patients, resulting in one patient death and one endograft explantation. We identified 32 reports that met inclusion for our final review. Inclusive of the five patients treated at out institution, 67 patients with reported outcomes comprised the overall analysis. Most patients (55%) had previously undergone thoracic aortic surgery. Commercially manufactured thoracic endografts were used in 75% of patients. No intraoperative mortality was reported, and the 30-day mortality was 1.5%. Aortobronchial fistula recurred after endovascular repair in six patients (9%) through a mean follow-up of 21.5 months. Three cases of recurrent aortobronchial fistula resulted in patient death. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas appears to a viable alternative to conventional open repair with excellent short-term results. Recurrence of the aortobronchial fistula after endovascular repair is a potential complication necessitating long-term surveillance. Individual risk assessment is needed to determine if endovascular repair should be used as bridge therapy or as a definitive repair.

Endovascular repair of a Kommerell's diverticulum in a patient with a left-sided aortic arch and right-sided descending thoracic aorta.

Thoracic aortic anomalies are rare and may be associated with pathologic vascular conditions necessitating intervention. We present a case of a patient with a left aortic arch, right descending thoracic aorta, and a Kommerell's diverticulum giving rise to an aberrant right subclavian artery. The Kommerell's diverticulum was successfully managed with a right carotid to subclavian artery bypass and thoracic endograft exclusion.

North Carolina all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety legislation: an assessment of the short-term impact on ATV-related morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE: All-terrain vehicle (ATV)-related morbidity and mortality has increased in the US, and states have attempted to combat this trend with ATV-specific safety legislation. The objective of this study was to examine the short-term changes in ATV-related injuries and deaths following the enactment of legislation regulating the operation and sale of ATVs in North Carolina. STUDY DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION: The study is a retrospective analysis comparing ATV collisions during the six month pre and post period of the effective date of legislation. Demographics, medical outcomes, passenger seat position, helmet use, and alcohol use were analyzed. DATA: Subjects were identified through the North Carolina Trauma Registry and data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. FINDINGS: A total of 102 (51 in both pre- and post-legislation) subjects required medical treatment or were declared dead secondary to ATV collisions in North Carolina. Children under the age of eight years, who were forbidden from using ATVs under the new legislation, had significantly fewer total medical evaluations and deaths in the post-legislative time period. There was no association between legislative time period and ATV-related passenger, helmet, or alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: In the six months following the enactment of North Carolina's ATV bill, children under the age of eight years were seriously injured or died less often due to ATV-related crashes. No other significant changes in ATV riding patterns were seen between the two time periods, and the morbidity and mortality of all ATV riders did not change. LIMITATIONS: The examined data sets do not include data from all North Carolina hospitals.

Red blood cell transfusion within the first 24 hours of admission is associated with increased mortality in the pediatric trauma population: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic red blood cell transfusion is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in adult trauma patients. Although studies have suggested that the adoption of a more restrictive transfusion strategy may be safely applied to critically ill adult and all-cause critically ill pediatric patients, recent developments in our understanding of the negative consequences of red blood cell transfusion have focused almost entirely on adult populations, while the applicability of these findings to the pediatric population remains poorly defined. The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of red blood cell transfusion within the first 24 hours following admission on mortality in pediatric trauma patients treated at our institution. RESULTS: Age, race, and mechanism of injury did not differ between transfused and non-transfused groups, although there were significantly more female patients in the transfusion group (51 vs. 37%; p < 0.01). Shock index (pulse/systolic blood pressure), injury severity score, and new injury severity score were all significantly higher in the transfused group (1.21 vs. 0.96, 26 vs. 10, and 33 vs. 13 respectively; all p

Nonfocused enhanced CT evaluation of acute appendicitis increases length of stay in the emergency department but does not increase perforation rate.

Nonfocused enhanced CT (NFECT) using intravenous and oral contrast is highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis but requires additional time for transit of oral contrast and imaging interpretation. The aim of this study was to review our use of NFECT for the evaluation of acute appendicitis. Over a 2-year period, 295 adult patients presented to our emergency department and were diagnosed with acute appendicitis. Of these patients, 240 (81%) had undergone some form of cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen, and the majority (n = 193 [65%]) had NFECT scans performed during their evaluation. Fifty-five (19%) patients did not undergo cross-sectional radiographic evaluation (nonimaging group). Compared with the nonimaging group, patients who underwent NFECT were older (37 vs 32 years; P = 0.015) and more likely to be female (49% vs 20%; P < 0.001). Length of stay in the emergency department was significantly greater for patients who underwent NFECT (606 vs 321 minutes; P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the rate of acute appendiceal perforation (15% vs 9%; P = 0.297). In conclusion, use of NFECT for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis nearly doubles the patient's time in the emergency department with no significant increase in the acute perforation rate.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury alters purinergic receptor expression in clinically relevant extraintestinal organs.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IIR) injury is known to initiate the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which often progresses to multiple organ failure. We investigated changes in purinoceptor expression in clinically relevant extra-intestinal organs following IIR injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anesthetized adult male BalbC mice were randomized to sham laparotomy (control, n = 5), or 15 min of superior mesenteric artery occlusion. Experimental ischemia was followed by a period of reperfusion [1 min (n = 6) or 1 h (n = 6)]. Mice were then sacrificed and lung, kidney, and intestinal tissues were harvested. Following RNA extraction, purinoceptor mRNA expression for P2Y2, A3, P2X7, A2b, P2Y4, and P2Y6 was analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: Significant differences in purinoceptor expression were observed in the lungs and kidneys of mice exposed to IIR injury when compared to controls. Pulmonary P2Y2 receptor expression was increased in the 1 h IIR group when compared to control, while pulmonary A3 receptor expression was incrementally elevated following IIR injury. In the kidney, P2Y2 receptor expression was increased in the 1 h IIR group compared to both 1 min IIR and control, and A3 receptor expression was decreased in the 1 h IIR group compared to the 1 min IIR group. No significant changes were observed in the intestinal purinoceptor profiles. CONCLUSION: Purinoceptor expression is altered in the murine lung and kidney, but not intestine following experimental IIR injury. These findings may implicate extracellular nucleotides and purinoceptors as possible mediators of the extra-intestinal organ dysfunction associated with IIR injury.

Outcomes of surgical and endovascular treatment of acute traumatic thoracic aortic injury.

BACKGROUND: Acute thoracic aortic injury resulting from blunt trauma is a life-threatening condition. Endovascular therapy is a less invasive treatment modality that may potentially improve patient outcomes. We reviewed our experience with patients who sustained blunt thoracic aortic injuries distal to the left subclavian artery and presented for open surgical or endovascular repair. METHODS: Between August 1993 and August 2006, 62 patients sustained blunt thoracic aortic injuries distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery and proceeded to undergo open surgical (n = 48, 77%), or endovascular repair (n = 14, 23%). Revised trauma score (RTS), injury severity score (ISS), new injury severity score (NISS), individual associated traumatic injuries, as well as operative and postoperative outcomes were compared between open surgical and endovascular groups. RESULTS: Age, gender, race, and mechanism of injury did not differ between open surgical and endovascular groups. Additionally, RTS, ISS, and NISS values were not significantly different. The proportion of patients with sternal fractures (14% vs 0%), or unstable spinal fractures (36% vs 10%) was significantly greater in the endovascular group. Of the patients who received endografts, 93% (n = 13) were evaluated by a cardiothoracic surgeon and assessed to be prohibitive to operative intervention. Endografts utilized included commercially manufactured thoracic endografts (n = 6; 43%) and abdominal aortic endograft components (n = 8; 57%). Forty-one interposition grafts were placed in the open surgical group. Renal complications (32% vs 7%), and urinary tract infections (35% vs 7%) approached significance between surgical and endovascular groups (P = .082 and P = .077, respectively). Intraoperative mortality for the surgical and endovascular groups was 23% and 0%, respectively (P = .056). Endovascular repair was associated with significant reductions in operative time (118 vs 209 minutes), estimated blood loss (77 vs 3180 ml), and intraoperative blood transfusions (0.9 vs 6.1 units). No endoleaks were detected during a mean follow-up of 9.4 months in the endovascular group. CONCLUSION: Endovascular repair of blunt descending thoracic aortic injuries utilizing thoracic or abdominal endographs is a technically feasible modality that is at least equivalent to open therapy in the short term and associated with a lower intraoperative mortality (P = .056). Endovascular therapy has advantages in operative time, operative blood loss, and intraoperative blood transfusions.

Aortoesophageal fistula after thoracic endovascular aortic repair and transthoracic embolization.

Endografts are more commonly being used to treat thoracic aortic aneurysms and other vascular lesions. Endoleaks are a potential complication of this treatment modality and can be associated with aneurysmal sac expansion and rupture. This case report presents a patient who developed a type IA endoleak after endograft repair of a descending thoracic aneurysm. The endoleak was successfully treated through computed tomographic-guided transthoracic embolization, although the patient experienced lower extremity paraparesis postprocedurally. The patient's endovascular repair was complicated by the development of an aortoesophageal fistula and endograft infection necessitating operative débridement and endograft explantation.

Endovascular repair of a thoracic aortic injury in a burn patient.

Mortality in burn patients who sustain concomitant mechanical traumatic injuries at the time of thermal injury is greater than in patients who sustain isolated injuries. Invasive interventions to treat these mechanical traumatic injuries may be a source of added mortality and contribute to an injury-induced state of immunosuppression. Less-invasive interventions may minimize morbidity and mortality and allow for improved recovery from thermal injury. A case is presented of a patient who sustained 20% TBSA electrical burns and an acute thoracic aortic injury near the diaphragmatic hiatus. Abdominal aortic stent-graft components were used to successfully exclude the patient's thoracic aortic injury. The patient made a successful recovery from his burns and sustained no infectious complications. This case report highlights the potential advantages of endovascular therapy for the treatment of aortic trauma in patients who sustain concomitant burn injuries.

Endovascular exclusion of an external carotid artery pseudoaneurysm using a covered stent.

Aneurysmal lesions of the external carotid artery are extremely rare. A case is presented of a 3.8 cm right external carotid artery pseudoaneurysm treated by transluminal exclusion using an endovascular stent-graft. Following stent-graft placement, complete occlusion of the aneurysmal sac and main vessel lumen patency was successfully demonstrated. This report demonstrates the technical feasibility of utilizing stent-grafts to treat aneurysmal lesions involving the external carotid artery.

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis in a burn patient.

Hyperglycemia commonly is observed as part of the hypermetabolic response to severe burn injury. In routine burn care, physicians use interventions to address and reduce the complications of this stress-induced hyperglycemia. Metformin (1,1-dimethylbiguanide), an orally administered hyperglycemic medication, has been used previously to modulate the stress-induced hyperglycemic response in nondiabetic burn patients. The use of this medication in nonburn diabetic patients has been associated with the development of lactic acidosis. We present an acute burn patient who developed lactic acidosis while receiving metformin for management of his diabetes.

Coverage of the left subclavian artery during thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic aortic stent grafts require proximal and distal landing zones of adequate length to effectively exclude thoracic aortic lesions. The origins of the left subclavian artery and other aortic arch branch vessels often impose limitations on the proximal landing zone, thereby disallowing endovascular repair of more proximal thoracic lesions. METHODS: Between October 2000 and November 2005, 112 patients received stent grafts to treat lesions involving the thoracic aorta. The proximal aspect of the stent graft partially or totally occluded the origin of at least one great vessel in 28 patients (25%). The proximal attachment site was in zone 0 in one patient (3.6%), zone 1 in three patients (10.7%), and zone 2 in 24 patients (85.7%). Patients with proximal implantation in zones 0 or 1 underwent debranching procedures of the supra-aortic vessels before stent graft repair. In one patient who underwent zone 1 deployment, the left subclavian artery was revascularized before stent graft deployment. Among patients who underwent zone 2 deployment with partial or complete occlusion of the left subclavian artery, none underwent prior revascularization. Patients were assessed postoperatively and at follow-up for development of neurologic symptoms as well as symptoms of left upper extremity claudication or ischemia. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 7.3 months. Among the 24 patients with zone 2 implantation, 10 (42%) had partial left subclavian artery coverage at the time of their primary procedure. A total of 19 patients experienced complete cessation of antegrade flow through the origin of the left subclavian artery without revascularization at the time of the initial endograft repair as a result of a secondary procedure or as a consequence of left subclavian artery thrombosis. Left upper extremity symptoms developed in three (15.8%) patients that did not warrant intervention, and rest pain developed in one (5.3%), which was treated with the deployment of a left subclavian artery stent. Two primary (type IA and type III) endoleaks (7.1%) and one secondary endoleak (type IA) (3.6%) were observed in patients who underwent zone 2 deployment. Three cerebrovascular accidents were observed. Thoracic aortic lesions were successfully excluded in all patients who underwent supra-aortic debranching procedures. CONCLUSION: Intentional coverage of the origin of the left subclavian artery to obtain an adequate proximal landing zone during endovascular repair of thoracic aortic lesions is well tolerated and may be managed expectantly, with some exceptions.