[Limb amputations on the vascular patient]. / Majoramputationen beim Gefässpatienten.

For the rehabilitation after limb amputation is an as possible long stump necessary including good wound healing. For the vascular patient are the following amputation levels suitable: syme amputation, amputation of the lower leg, knee exarticulation, above knee amputation and very seldom hip exarticulation. Indication, surgical technics and following treatment are demonstrated.

Inguinal anastomotic aneurysm due to salmonellosis treated with orthotopic reconstruction.

Femoral anastomosis following either an aortofemoral or femoropopliteal bypass, is a common site for anastomotic aneurysms occurring with an incidence of 2% to 5%. Among the factors contributing to the pathogenesis of such aneurysms, graft infection should be considered as a major one. We report the case of a 74 years old woman with history of an aorto-femoral right and -iliac left bypass with a Dacron Y-prosthetic graft due to abdominal aneurysm. The patient presented with a painful, inflammatory, and pulsating mass in her right inguinal region. She was treated surgically with wide radical resection of infected tissues including the anastomotic aneurysm, and in situ bypass reconstruction using a Silver-Dacron graft. Cultures of inflamed wound tissue, graft, and stools were positive for Salmonella typhimurium. In the postoperative period the patient was submitted to subtotal colectomy due to colon cancer and later to an iliofemoral crossover-bypass from right to left due to acute ischaemia of the left limb. Her postoperative follow up has been insignificant. Infected femoral anastomotic aneurysms due to salmonellosis are a rarity. Although their treatment of choice consist in an extra-anatomic bypass, under specific conditions in situ reconstruction may be adopted as a feasible and effective surgical technique to treat these infected aneurysms.

Outcome of infrainguinal revascularization for critical limb ischemia in diabetics with end stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: End stage renal disease [ESRD] and diabetes have a negative effect on outcome of arterial reconstructions, because they are associated with a vulnerability to infection, an infrageniculate arterial occlusive disease and an increased perioperative risk. The combination of both in critically ischemic patients is traditionally considered a great threat to their limb or life. The risk/benefit ratio of revascularization in this clinical setting is marginal and therefore the decision making is controversial. This study was undertaken to determine the results of arterial reconstruction in patients with end-stage renal disease and diabetes mellitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The outcome of 97 patients undergoing 121 arterial reconstructions due to lower limb threatening ischemia were reviewed. Primary and secondary patency rates as well as survival and limb salvage were estimated. RESULTS: Thirty-day operative mortality rate was 10.3%. At one month, one year and 2 year follow-up, the survival rate was 89.7%, 77.6% and 44.2% respectively. Limb salvage at 6 months was 85.6%, at 12 months 75.3% and at 2 years 56.3%. The primary and secondary patency was 92.4% and 93.2% at 6 months and 71.7% and 72.7% at 12 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diabeticpatients with ESRD attained an acceptable graft patency and limb salvage but they sustained higher perioperative mortality and morbidity and reduced survival.

Femoral anastomotic aneurysms in the modern era: a reappraisal of a continuing challenge.

AIM: Despite improvement in the operative technique and graft and suture material, femoral anastomotic aneurysms (FAAs) represent a continuing problem for patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization. The present retrospective study investigates the clinical presentation, the infection as a cause of FAAs, the interval between the original operation and the development of FAAs. It also evaluates the mortality and amputation rate of patients with FAAs. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 124 patients (thrombendarterectomy in 9, femoro-femoral bypass in 3 and axillofemoral bypass in 1). RESULTS: There were 13 infected and 14 recurrent FAAs. The overall mean time elapsing between the initial operation and the development of FAAs was 56.9 months (range 1-219). This interval was 62 months for the noninfected FAAs, while it was only 8 months for the infected FAAs. The mean time interval in which a recurrence of FAAs occurred was 39 months. The most common type of repair was an interposition prosthetic graft from the proximal prosthesis to the profunda femoral artery (100 cases). In the postoperative period local complications occurred in 21 (15.4%) cases and systemic in 7 (5.1%). The postoperative mortality was 3.7%. The overall survival at 1 year was 91.3% (standard error: +/-2.5%) and at 2 years 85.4% (standard error: +/-3.3%). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a cumulative limb salvage of 94.2%, 93.3 % and 89.2% after 6 months, 1 and 2 years, respectively. A significant relationship was demonstrated between amputation and the following parameters: infected FAAs (Log rank test: 26.1, P-value <0.001), diabetes (Log-rank test: 12.9, P-value <0.01), peripheral arterial occlusive disease (Log-rank test: 3.1, P-value =0.08), and prior limb amputation (Log-rank test: 9.9, P-value <0.01). The mean time to amputation for the infected FAAs was 49.6 months (95% CI: 24.3-74.8), while for the noninfected it was 98.8 months (95% CI: 93.4-104.2). CONCLUSIONS: Complicated FAAs are still responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Elective treatment produce the maximum benefit.

Transluminal angioplasty of isolated crural arterial lesions in diabetics with critical limb ischemia.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the long-term clinical results of transluminal angioplasty of isolated infrapopliteal arteries in diabetic patients with severe ischaemic foot lesions and the influence of different parameters on primary success, the long-term outcome and the survival rate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and May 2004 we performed 50 transluminal angioplasties in 52 (10 female, 42 male, mean age 69.3 years) diabetics with isolated lesions of crural arteries (tibio-peroneal trunk 41, anterior tibial 13, posterior tibial 5, peroneal artery 14) and limb threatening ischaemia (rest pain 12, tissue loss 40). In two patients the dilatation could not be performed due to vessel perforation and impossibility to catheter localization. The morphological classification of infrapopliteal lesions was determined according to guidelines provided by TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) (17 type A, 16 type B, 13 type C, 4 type D). RESULTS: Initial technical success after angioplasty of crural arteries could be obtained in 96%. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a cumulative limb salvage of 92%, 85% and 68,9% after 6 months, one and two years, respectively. Patients falling in TASC group C had significantly higher risk of amputation. Overall survival at I year was calculated at 85% and at 2 years at 65%. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that depending on the extent of lesions transluminal angioplasty of infrapopliteal artery stenoses and occlusions is considered as an effective and save therapy modality to avoid limb loss in diabetics with critical ischemia.

Traumatic occlusion of both internal carotid arteries.

Two cases of bilateral occlusion of the extracranial internal carotid artery after blunt trauma to the head and neck are presented. Sixteen similar cases have been reported in the literature, and at least 150 case reports exist on unilateral blunt trauma of carotid arteries. The 25-day post-traumatic latent interval in one of our cases is the longest to date. The diagnosis of both of our cases was established by directional cw-Dopplersonography, whereas previously the only diagnostic method available in cases with negative CT scan and latent interval was angiography. In the differential diagnosis of craniocerebral or craniocervical trauma, particularly following delay between injury and onset of neurological symptoms, Dopplersonography is a necessary test additional.

Acetazolamide stimulation test in patients with unilateral internal carotid artery obstructions using transcranial Doppler and 99mTc-HM-PAO-Spect.

Fifteen patients with symptoms of cerebral ischaemia and angiographically confirmed unilateral stenoses or occlusions of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) and 20 controls were studied by a 2 MHz transcranial Doppler (TCD) at rest and after stimulation with 1 g acetazolamide i.v., a cerebral vasodilator. In addition, the patients underwent 99mTc-HM-PAO-Spect measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at rest and after stimulation with 1 g acetazolamide. In 10 patients with ICA stenoses greater than 80% or occlusions, time-mean velocity (Vmean) increase and pulsatility index (PI) decrease in the postobstructive middle cerebral artery (MCA) as well as the increase of the ipsilateral rCBF were reduced in comparison with the contralateral side. The remaining 5 patients showed a normal Vmean increase and PI decrease in TCD.

[Diagnostic significance of intravenous digital subtraction angiography of the supra-aortic extracranial vascular system. Comparative study of i.v. DSA and plain film angiography]. / Diagnostische Aussagekraft der intravenösen digitalen Subtraktionsangiographie des supraaortalen extrakraniellen Gefässsystems. Eine vergleichende Studie von i.v. DSA und Blattfilmangiographie.

Digital intravenous subtraction angiography (DSA) and conventional film angiography were used to evaluate the diagnostic reliability of DSA-examinations. In 90% of 650 DSA-angiogramms the image quality was diagnostic. For 124 carotid angiographies a comparison of both methods was possible and gave a sensitivity of 87%, a specificity of 96% and an accuracy of 90% for the DSA examinations. The authors believe that digital subtraction angiography is suitable as a screening method for supraaortal vascular occlusive diseases.

[Catheter-induced vascular lesions: a comparison of the diagnostic value of Doppler color sonography versus angiography]. / Katheterbedingte Gefässläsionen: ein Vergleich der diagnostischen Wertigkeit der Farb-Doppler-Sonographie gegenüber der Angiographie.

One hundred and thirty-two patients with suspected lesions of the femoral arteries following diagnostic and/or therapeutic cardiac catheterisation were studied by colour Doppler sonography (CDS) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and the results were compared. CDS was unable to demonstrate 5 out of 23 av fistulae. Intra-arterial DSA showed all av fistulae found at operation. CDS showed lower reliability (95%) than DSA (100%) for the demonstration of pseudoaneurysms. CDS can indicate hematoma and thrombi in pseudo-aneurysms and their exact extent is better shown by sonography. Arterial dissections (2 cases) and intra-luminal thromboses or occlusions of the femoral artery (4 cases) are shown equally well by the two procedures.

[Value of intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the assessment of surgical blood vessel reconstruction]. / Bedeutung der intravenösen digitalen Subtraktionsangiographie (DSA) für die Beurteilung chirurgischer Gefässrekonstruktionen.

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was obtained in 55 cases after reconstructive procedures of the carotid arteries, the pelvic and lower limb arteries. In 48 cases (87%) the studies were of technically satisfactory or good quality. On DSA 32 vascular reconstructions were normal and 16 had typical complications like occlusions, stenoses, aneurysms and insufficient run-off. -Experience indicates that the spatial resolution of DSA is adequate for clinical purposes such as determining graft patency or the presence of postoperative complications. Because DSA is less invasive than catheter angiography, postoperative evaluation of patients having undergone peripheral surgical revascularization should start with DSA.

[Multiple slab MR angiography of the A. carotis interna: a preoperative comparative study]. / Mehrvolumen-MR-Angiographie der A. carotis interna: Eine präoperative Vergleichsstudie.

PURPOSE: With the introduction of MR angiography (MRA) into clinical routine, arteriosclerotic lesions of the supraaortic vessels may be well demonstrated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The comparison between Multislab MRA (gradient echo, TOF) and X-ray angiography (XRA) as reference in 70 patients suspicious of stenotic lesions in the internal carotid artery proved the high reliability of these methods. RESULTS: In determining the degree of stenosis, according to the NASCET study (North American Symptomatic Endarterectomy Trial), a correlation between MRA and XRA of 92.3% could be calculated. The principal problem of MRA is the overestimation of high-grade stenoses; we observed 5 false-positive results in severe stenosis. Sensitivity and specificity were 95.6 and 92.6%, respectively, for detection of severe (> 60%) stenosis. CONCLUSION: Despite its limitations, MRA is a clinically important noninvasive technique for preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

Vascular graft infection: detection by 123I-labeled antigranulocyte antibody (anti-NCA95) scintigraphy.

A total of 40 scintigraphic examinations were performed after vascular reconstructive surgery in 27 patients in whom there was a clinical suspicion of vascular graft infection. Whole-body gamma camera images were obtained at 4 and 24 h after i.v. administration of 111 MBq 123I-labeled antigranulocyte antibody Anti-NCA95. Scan results were interpreted without clinical information and were subsequently correlated with computed tomography. Prosthetic vascular graft infection was confirmed in 9 patients and excluded in 18 by surgical findings, bacteriology and/or clinical course. Scintigraphy revealed true-positive results in 16 of 40 and false-negative results in 1 of 40 examinations. True-negative results were found in 19 and 16, false-positive results in 4 and 7 examinations at 4 and 24 h p.i., resp. The sensitivity was calculated to be 94% for both early (4 h) and late (24 h) images whereas the specificity was 83% and 70%, resp. In all cases the application of the murine antibody was safe and no side effects or complications were noted. Limitations of this diagnostic procedure are accumulations of granulocytes in hematomas which may be observed in the non-complicated early course following reconstructive surgery.

[Connective tissue of the human fallopian tube mucosa--polarization microscopic detection of collagen using Solaminrot 4B]. / Uber das Bindegewebe der menschlichen Eileiterschleimhaut--Polarisationsmikroskopischer Nachweis von Kollagen mit Solaminrot 4B.

The Picrosirius-polarization method was applied to the selective morphological collagen detection in the human uterine tube. Solaminrot 4B (VEB Chemiekombinat Bitterfeld) was used as dyestuff which enhances the normal birefringency of collagen fibrous material in tissue sections. The results show that the connective tissue of the lamina propria mucosae consists of collagen fibres, namely considerably. The mucosal folds of uterine tubes of younger individuals contain delicate, weaker birefringent fibres stained yellowish-red and red-orange. The folds of oviducts of ageing individuals composed of compact, strong birefringent collagen fibrous material stained intensely red, red-orange, and yellow. This is characteristic of organs in the pre- and postmenopausal periods and in the senium. The findings suggest that the fibrous structures detected selectively in the oviductal mucosa by combinative method of Picrosolamin-staining and polarization microscopy are distinct collagen fibres. The delicate, weaker birefringent fibres could correspond with collagen type III and the thicker, stronger birefringent ones could represent collagen type I.