Rupture of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Patients with and without Antecedent Endovascular Repair.

BACKGROUND: Reported results of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) in patients with antecedent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) to those presenting with de novo rupture show a similar or slightly improved outcome. The aim of this study was to compare differences in the presentation and outcomes of rAAA with and without prior EVAR. METHODS: A retrospective review of 121 patients with rAAA, ruptured identified 2 groups. Group A included 17 patients (rAAA n = 17) with antecedent EVAR and group B consisted of 104 patients (rAAA n = 104) with de novo ruptures, from January 2001 to March 2015 in 3 teaching hospitals. Patient characteristics and perioperative variables were compared; Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables. For continuous variables, Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used. RESULTS: Both groups were similar in age, gender, the incidence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and nicotine abuse. Mean time of presentation from EVAR to rupture in group A was 42 ± 22 months. Mean preoperative transverse or anteroposterior diameter of AAA was 6.6 cm in group A and 7.1 cm in group B. Three patients of 17 (17.6%) in group A were hemodynamically unstable as compared to 47 of 104 patients (45.1%) in group B (P = 0.03). Mean red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, and platelet transfusion were similar in both groups. Thirty-day mortality was 8 of 17 (44.7%) in group A and 44 of 104 (42.3%) in group B (P = 1.0). Postoperative complications were also similar in both groups except the incidence of postoperative respiratory failure was higher in group B (38%) as compared with 11.1% in group A (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with rAAA with antecedent EVAR are hemodynamically more stable as compared with patients with de novo rupture of AAA. Postoperative respiratory failure is more common in patients with de novo rupture. rAAA carry high mortality with and without prior EVAR.

Selective shunting for carotid endarterectomy in patients with recent stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Many surgeons favor routine shunting during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with recent stroke who otherwise prefer selective shunt placement for other indications of CEA. We analyzed the results of CEA in this group of patients with the strategy of selective shunting. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 59 patients (group A) undergoing CEA ≤8 weeks of a stroke (2000-2014) from two midsized teaching hospitals with stroke certification; of these, 38 patients had CEA ≤2 weeks and 21 other had CEA >2 weeks but <8 weeks. All patients sustained a middle cerebral artery stroke with ≥70% ipsilateral internal carotid artery stenosis. Cervical block anesthesia was used in 43 patients and general anesthesia in 16. During the same period, 1036 CEAs were performed for other indications (group B). All patients in group A were evaluated by stroke neurologist with a National Institutes of Health stroke scale score of 1 to 4 in 22 patients (minor stroke) and 5 to 15 in 37 patients (moderate stroke). A shunt was placed if neurologic changes (contralateral motor weakness, aphasia, loss of consciousness) occurred with the carotid cross-clamping or ischemic electroencephalogram changes under general anesthesia were observed. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 59 patients (36 males and 23 females) in group A with mean age of 70.5 ± 10.7 years. Carotid duplex imaging revealed contralateral internal carotid artery stenosis of <50% in 36 patients, 50% to 70% in 13, 71% to 99% in 9, and occlusion in 1. Ten patients (16.9%) required shunt placement, which was similar to the shunt in group B (11.8% for remote stroke, 10.2% for focal transient ischemic attack/monocular blindness, and 10.9% for asymptomatic carotid stenosis). Two patients in group A had perioperative stroke and died (3.4% stroke/mortality). There were no incidences of permanent cranial nerve palsy, myocardial infarction (MI), or hematoma requiring re-exploration in patients undergoing CEA in group A. Postoperative complications in group B included new neurologic deficits (postoperative stroke) in 16 (1.6%), MI in 2 (0.2%), permanent cranial nerve palsy in 3 (0.3%), and re-exploration for neck hematoma in 7 (0.7%). Six patients died after CEA in group B, for a combined stroke/death rate of 2.0%. Seizures after CEA for a recent stroke occurred in three patients (5.1%) in group A and in none in group B (P < .002). Postoperative complications (new neurologic deficits, MI, cranial nerve palsy, and re-exploration for neck hematoma) were similar in both groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Shunt requirement during CEA for acute stroke is similar to other indications of CEA. Patients undergoing CEA for recent stroke had similar incidence of postoperative new neurologic deficit/mortality, MI, and cranial nerve palsy compared with other indications of CEA but had a higher incidence of perioperative seizures.

Timing of carotid endarterectomy after recent minor to moderate stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Early carotid endartectomy is generally favored by vascular surgeons in patients after a minor to moderate stroke. Herein, we compared the results of early versus delayed carotid endartectomy in patients presenting with similar National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale findings after a recent minor to moderate stroke. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 101 patients undergoing carotid endartectomy after a recent stroke in the distribution of the branches of the middle cerebral artery with >70% internal carotid artery stenosis from 2000 to February 2018 was performed. RESULTS: Sixty patients had carotid endartectomy within 2 weeks (group A) and 41 had carotid endartectomy within 2-8 weeks of stroke (group B). Associated factors, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, nicotine abuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and renal failure, were similar in both groups. However, there was preponderance of male patients in group B (0.01). In group A, 35 patients presented with minor stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 1-4) and 25 had a moderate stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 5-15). In group B, 21 had a minor stroke and 20 had a moderate stroke (P = .54). Perioperative stroke occurred in 4 patients in group A and none in group B (P = .14), with perioperative stroke and death rate of 4.0%. Postoperative seizures occurred in 1 patient in group A and three in group B (P = .30). CONCLUSION: Early as well as delayed carotid endartectomy in patients with minor to moderate stroke results in a satisfactory outcome. To prevent recurrent stroke in the waiting period, early carotid endartectomy should be preferred.

Cortical Trajectory Pedicle Screws for the Fixation of Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures.

Objective Cortical bone trajectory pedicle screws (CBT) have a different trajectory compared to traditional pedicle screws (PS) and they may confer biomechanical advantages in some patient populations. We hypothesize that the placement of CBT in traumatic thoracolumbar fractures could be an alternative technique to the traditional utilization of PS. Methods Single surgeon, retrospective study was performed at a Level 1 Trauma Center from 2013 to 2017. All patients aged between 18 and 90 years with operative AO classification A, B, and C traumatic thoracolumbar fractures were included. Patients with pathological fractures, active spinal infections, or history of vertebral augmentation were excluded. Age, injury severity score (ISS), AO classification, operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay (LOS), and presence of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) or construct failure were compared between CBT and PS groups. The PS group was further separated into open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) and minimally invasive spine (MIS) groups. All CBT and ORIF cases were completed via open incisions allowing arthrodesis of the involved lamina and facet joints whereas no arthrodesis was completed in the MIS patients. Choice of technique was at the attending surgeon's discretion. Results The study included 71 patients, out of which 12 received CBT and 59 received PS. Of the 59 PS patients, 39 were ORIF and 20 were MIS. The average operative time was 22.9 minutes less in CBT compared to ORIF (p = 0.24). EBL was 337.50 mL for CBT, 184.33 mL for MIS, and 503.33 mL for ORIF (p = 0.01) demonstrating that MIS technique results in a significantly reduced blood loss. However, EBL was comparable for CBT versus MIS (p > 0.05). ISS was not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.89). LOS was 4.06 days fewer for CBT patients compared to ORIF patients (p = 0.36). There was one case of construct failure as well as one case of incisional site infection in the PS group, but none were found in the CBT group. Instances of PJK complications were determined by the change in the Cobb angle over time and they were not statistically different between the three groups (p = 0.68). Conclusions CBT is noninferior to PS in the fixation of unstable adult traumatic thoracolumbar fractures. With the exception of EBL, CBT was not statistically different compared to MIS and ORIF. This study establishes a precedent to expand the application of this new technique and investigate with larger sample sizes.