Diagnostic Yield of Rescreening Adults for Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations.

PURPOSE: To determine the yield of rescreening adult hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) patients with initial negative screening CT for pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with a definite diagnosis of HHT were identified in the University of Toronto, Université de Montréal, and Mayo Clinic HHT databases. Inclusion criteria were: (i) definite diagnosis of HHT; (ii) initial negative PAVM screening based on bubble echocardiography and/or chest CT; and (iii) minimum 2-year imaging follow-up. A positive rescreen was defined as a newly detected PAVM on follow-up CT. Frequency of new PAVMs was calculated at 3 ± 1 years, 5 ± 1 years, 7-9 years, and ≥10 years. The primary endpoint was the rate of new PAVMs at 5 ± 1 years. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-two patients (mean age, 49.6 ± 16.7 years; 59% female) were followed for a median of 7 years. Nine patients (5.2%) had newly detected PAVMs. At the 3-, 5-, 7-, and ≥10-year time points, the cumulative rate of newly detected PAVMs was 1.8% (3/166), 5.0% (7/140), 8.8% (8/91), and 13.8% (9/65), respectively. Median feeding artery diameter was 1.3 mm. One patient had a feeding artery larger than 3 mm discovered after 6 years and was treated with embolization. The overall rate of newly detected PAVMs was 0.7%/patient-year. CONCLUSIONS: There is a definite but low rate of newly detected PAVMs in HHT patients with initial negative screening studies. No new treatable PAVMs were identified at the 5-year mark, although 1 treatable case was identified after 6 years. These findings suggest that a longer screening interval may be warranted.

Embolization of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations with amplatzer vascular plugs: safety and midterm effectiveness.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Amplatzer vascular plugs (AVPs) for percutaneous closure of arteries feeding pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a 45-month period, 24 consecutive patients with at least one PAVM treated with an AVP were selected from a database on patients with a PAVM who received embolotherapy. Immediate technical success was defined as the complete absence of flow through the PAVM after embolization without the need for additional embolization material. Success on follow-up imaging was defined as a reduction in size of at least 70% of the aneurysm or draining vein on follow-up computed tomography or the absence of flow through the PAVM on a subsequent pulmonary angiogram. RESULTS: Thirty-seven AVPs were used to close 36 feeding arteries in 35 PAVMs in seven male and 17 female patients aged 11-86 years (mean age, 50 y). Technical success was achieved in 35 feeding arteries (97%). One feeding artery required two AVPs for closure. There were no immediate procedure-related complications. At a mean clinical follow-up of 322 days (range, 1-1,126 d), all patients were alive without new PAVM-related complications. Imaging follow-up was available for 29 embolized vessels (81%) with a mean follow-up of 418 days (range, 40-937 d), and recanalization occurred in two treated vessels (7%). CONCLUSIONS: AVPs are safe and effective for closure of PAVMs feeding vessels that can be reached with a guiding catheter, with an acceptable rate of recanalization.

Portopulmonary venous anastomosis as a rare cause of embolic stroke following endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection for gastric variceal hemorrhage: A case report and review of the literature.

We report the case of a non-cirrhotic 25-year-old female patient with cryptogenic portal hypertension who underwent cyanoacrylate injection for acute gastroesophageal variceal bleeding with a subsequent embolic stroke via a previously unrecognised portopulmonary venous anastomosis.

Multimodality imaging for resuscitated sudden cardiac death.

We present a case that elegantly illustrates the utility of two novel noninvasive imaging techniques, computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography and cardiac MRI, in the diagnosis and management of a 27-year-old man with exertion-induced cardiac arrest caused by an anomalous right coronary artery. CT coronary angiography with 3D reformatting delineated the interarterial course of an anomalous right coronary artery compressed between the aorta and pulmonary artery, whereas cardiac MRI showed a small myocardial infarction in the right coronary artery territory not detected on echocardiography. This case highlights the value of novel multimodality imaging techniques in the risk stratification and management of patients with resuscitated cardiac arrest.

Use of embolic protective devices in treating acute arterial occlusions: an interventional radiology and vascular surgery collaborative learning experience.

A 43-year-old man presented to the emergency department with left leg claudication. CT angiogram confirmed an acute left leg arterial occlusion from a left ventricular thrombus. During intra-arterial thrombolysis, he developed severe abdominal pain and a CT angiogram confirmed an acute occlusive thromboembolism to his left renal artery. Prior to left renal artery intra-arterial embolectomy, temporary intra-arterial occlusion balloons were inflated within his (1) right renal artery to protect this kidney from acute embolism and (2) left iliac artery to protect his left leg from further clot burden. Following the left renal embolectomy, an angiogram demonstrated patent renal arteries, acute occlusion of the right common iliac artery and persistent clot in his left iliac/lower limb. These occlusions were retrieved by surgical embolectomy. Final angiogram demonstrated patent bilateral iliac/lower limb arteries. The patient was discharged on lifelong anticoagulation and remains asymptomatic with bilateral palpable distal pulses and normal serum creatine.