Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt by direct transcaval approach in patients with acute and hyperacute Budd-Chiari syndrome.

When Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is due to occlusion of all three hepatic veins, the standard transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) technique can be extremely laborious. A feasible alternative is to use the direct transcaval approach, by which a shunt can be created directly between the intrahepatic inferior vena cava and the portal vein. We describe two patients (one with acute BCS and one with hyperacute BCS) who were successfully managed with this modified technique. Both patients recovered; one of them underwent elective liver transplantation 15 months after the procedure, whereas the other still had good hepatic function and a patent stent 24 months after the procedure. We conclude that, in selected patients with acute and hyperacute BCS, placement of a TIPS by the direct transcaval approach is a rapid and effective emergency procedure, which can either be curative or function as a bridge for elective liver transplantation.

Stent-grafting of the thoracic aorta: feasibility and early results in acute and chronic lesions.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Conventional surgery of the thoracic aorta is frequently associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Here we present treatment of surgical pathologies of the thoracic aorta using a less invasive endovascular approach. METHODS: From January 2000 to May 2004, 51 patients (mean age 62.7 +/- 12.8 years, 36 men) underwent endovascular repair of thoracic aortic lesions in our institution. All patients underwent computed tomography scan at discharge, 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter. Clinical follow-up was carried out by outpatient clinic visit or by telephone contact with the patients or their referring physicians. Mean follow-up was 15.8 months. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality rate was 3.8%, one death in the group of chronic (1.9%) and one in the group of acute lesion (1.9%). The survival rate in the follow-up period was 92.4% at 6 months. Computed tomography angiography confirmed exclusion of the lesion in 25 out of 27 chronic patients, whereas type I and II endoleaks were detected in two patients treated with a secondary procedure. In addition, two patients with an acute type B aortic dissection presented with early endoleaks. The overall rate of complications was 10%. No other endoleaks or deaths were observed at later follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The early and mid-term results of endovascular stent-grafting for the treatment of chronic and acute thoracic aortic diseases showed a good outcome and low rate of complications. Stent-grafting of the thoracic aorta is still an investigational procedure that needs further validation.

Combined treatment, TACE and RF ablation, in HCC: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a combination of percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation (RF), stop-flow and transcatheter arterial chemo-embolisation (TACE) in the treatment of hepatic neoplasms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From December 1997 to September 2000, 34 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent radiofrequency thermoablation treatment. The choice of method was based on the type of lesion (HCC vs metastasis) and the following dimensional criteria: 1. RF without stop-flow associated with the injection of diagnostic Lipiodol in the case of a single nodule with a maximum diameter smaller than 3 cm; 2. RF with stop-flow of the hepatic artery associated with TACE in the case of a single nodule with a diameter greater than 3 cm; 3. RF with stop-flow of the hepatic artery associated with TACE in the case of 2-3 nodules, a subdivision was made into 2 groups according to the volume: smaller or greater than 80 ml. RESULTS: 10 out of 34 patients affected by HCC with a diameter smaller than 3cm, treated only with RF, demonstrated 100% necrosis in the follow-up period, which varied between 6 and 24 months (average 10 months). The remaining 24 patients affected by HCC and treated with RF associated with stop-flow and TACE showed responses related to the volume of the tumour: 1. patients with a single nodule with a diameter of 3-5 cm showed 100% necrosis; 2. patients affected by multifocal HCC with a maximum of 3 nodules and/or total tumour mass smaller than 80 ml, for a total of 9 lesions, showed 95% necrosis; 3. patients affected by multifocal HCC with more than 3 nodules (total mass less than 40% of liver volume) or tumour mass greater than 80ml, for a total of 13 lesions, showed 90% necrosis. In the group of patients affected by multiple nodules with volumes smaller than 80ml, the technique did not show complete effectiveness, thus these patients cannot be considered cured. Such aspects are even clearer in the more advanced stages. CONCLUSIONS: In our case study, radiofrequency proved effective with lesions up to 3cm in diameter. By reducing thermal dispersion, the association of the stop-flow technique with radiofrequency ablation, determines a greater volume of necrosis, which allows effective treatment of single nodules with a diameter of up to 5cm and/or multiple nodules. The association with TACE: 1. provided a way to highlight and treat lesions not recognizable through other imaging techniques; 2. increased the accumulation of lipid contrast in the tissue surrounding the lesion and in the vessels not occluded by thermal ablation in the lesions with diameters greater than 3 cm; 3. enabled further treatment of tumour residue possibly left untouched by thermal ablation in large tumours; 4. increased the amount of Lipiodol accumulated in normal tissue surrounding the lesion, made evident through the comparison of the dimensions of the nodule's blush between angiography and Lipiodol CT.

Doppler evaluation of arterial complications of adult orthotopic liver transplantation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of the resistance index (RI), systolic acceleration time (SAT), and spectral waveform's morphologic characteristics in the sonographic evaluation of the hepatic artery for early detection of stenosis or thrombosis after orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS: Arterial Doppler sonograms of 174 transplanted livers in 150 patients were analyzed for presence or absence of blood flow, RI, SAT, and peak systolic velocity. A qualitative evaluation of the spectral waveform morphologic characteristics was also made. In patients who had had abnormal findings on sonography, we compared those results with results obtained on multislice helical CT or angiography. RESULTS: At least 1 of the Doppler criteria for hepatic artery stenosis or thrombosis was identified in 25 of the transplants. The findings on multislice helical CT, angiography, or both confirmed the diagnosis of stenosis or thrombosis in 20 of the 25 cases: in 9 of 10 cases of absent hepatic arterial blood flow, 5 of 9 with an RI lower than 0.5, 6 of 7 cases with an SAT longer than 0.08 second, 10 of 11 cases of changes to a tardus-parvus-like spectral waveform, and in the 1 case of a peak systolic velocity greater than 2 m/second. CONCLUSIONS: The most accurate indicator of hepatic arterial stenosis or thrombosis was a change in the spectral waveform to a tardus-parvus pattern, with 91% sensitivity and 99.1% specificity. Among the other parameters, an increase of the SAT value (> 0.08 second), when associated with the morphologic modification of the systolic peak, is a more reliable parameter than the RI for early detection of artery stenosis, especially when the type of anastomosis is unknown.

Renal cysts: can percutaneous ethanol injections be considered an alternative to surgery?

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a new sclerotization technique with pure ethanol in the treatment of symptomatic renal cysts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients having renal cysts with a meant diameter of 10 (range 5-15) cm were treated. Our technique includes: ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture with an 18-gauge needle, positioning of a 5-Fr catheter, complete cyst fluid aspiration, injection of pure alcohol equal to 15% of the initial cyst volume, and alcohol aspiration after 90 min. The procedure was repeated eight times within 5 days. The patients were followed up by ultrasound and/or CT scan for 1 year. RESULTS: All patients became symptom free. Follow-up showed a progressive reduction of the cyst diameter in all cases. Three cysts only (in 2 patients; cyst diameter <2 cm) persisted after 12 months. No significant complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, injections of pure ethanol in renal cysts, repeated after some days, were effective in eliminating recurrences and related symptoms. The procedure was not associated with significant complications. Our findings suggest that it be considered the first-choice procedure in the treatment of renal cysts, due to the good results and the low cost of ethanol.

Multislice CT angiography in the assessment of peripheral aneurysms.

PURPOSE: Peripheral aneurysms are usually located in the femoro-popliteal district; these lesions may present some complications such as distal embolisation and thrombosis; rupture is quite rare, but may be life-threatening. The aim of this study is to test the accuracy of CT multislice angiography in the assessment of this pathology and to compare it with DSA, until now considered the gold standard in vascular imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2001 to May 2002 we studied 10 patients (8 males and 2 females) aged between 48 and 74 years with 14 lesions. All patients were affected by femoro-popliteal aneurysms. Eight patients underwent US as a first examination, 2 patients directly underwent DSA because of acute ischaemic symptoms; then, a CT angiography was performed. The first eight patients underwent CT and DSA after US. Hence, all patients underwent both DSA and CT. All CT examinations were performed with a multislice spiral CT scanner using the following parameters: 2 mm slice thickness, pitch 6, 2mm slice thickness, 1mm reconstruction interval, 120 mAs, 120 kVp. A nonionic contrast medium was infused intravenously at a biphasic rate. Angiography was performed by humeral artery catheterisation with a 4F device, the distal tip of the catheter was placed in the infra-renal abdominal aorta. RESULTS: In 7/10 patients the diagnosis was correctly formulated after DSA; in two patients, only the obstruction of the popliteal artery was detected, but not the dilatation and the thrombus. In one patient the parietal annular thrombus simulated a normal artery. CT was diagnostic in all cases and all the complications were detected as well. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Multislice spiral CT angiography allows depiction of aneurysms, and of the precise site, dimensions, quantity and quality of parietal thrombus; multislice CT is to be considered, in our opinion, essential in the assessment of diagnosis and in the planning of therapy. Moreover, CT provides exact measurements of the vessels before and after the aneurysm, which is essential to plan stent-graft implantation. A very interesting feature comes from the execution of a complete 3D angiography of the entire lower extremity circulation with high spatial resolution. DSA cannot provide direct information about the wall of the vessel and about the thrombus; therefore, in some cases it is unable to provide the correct diagnosis. Today DSA remains the best examination to evaluate the quality of run-off in lower extremity, especially under the knee.