Bladder-Induced Compression of the External Iliac Veins: Recognition and Implications for Treatment.

The effect of changes in bladder volume on the caliber of adjacent veins is underappreciated but essential to recognize to avoid complications such as unnecessary stenting or clot migration causing pulmonary embolism. Here the authors illustrate the importance of this finding in 3 cases using venographic and endovascular sonographic imaging: the first in which BPH-induced chronic bladder outlet obstruction resulted in DVT formation, the second in which the cause was unrecognized and unnecessary stenting performed, and the third in which inappropriate treatment was avoided by decompressing the bladder.

Complex pathologies in a patient referred for varicose veins.

Varicose veins are commonly due to saphenous vein reflux, but they can manifest more complex venous pathologies. A 45-year-old woman presented with painful leg varicosities and pelvic pain. Duplex examination showed bilateral superficial venous reflux, and, on further interrogation, cross-sectional imaging demonstrated enlarged ovarian veins and nonthrombotic iliac vein compression. Ovarian vein embolization followed by iliac vein stenting and bilateral lower extremity venous ablations and sclerotherapy was performed. After 5 years, she reports no pelvic symptoms and minimal leg symptoms. This case highlights the complex interplay of these venous pathologies and their successful treatment.

Safety and feasibility of single use cholecystoscopy for guiding laser or mechanical cholelithotripsy, and mechanical cholelithotomy.

PURPOSE Patients with acute calculus cholecystitis and contraindications to cholecystectomy receive cholecystostomy drainage catheters, many of which remain in place until end of life. This study aims to assess safety, feasibility, and early clinical outcomes of percutaneous cholecystoscopy using the LithoVue endoscope, laser/mechanical cholelithotripsy, and mechanical cholelithotomy for management of symptomatic cholelithiasis. METHODS This was a single-institute retrospective analysis of 17 patients with acute calculus cholecystitis who had contraindications to cholecystectomy, underwent cholecystostomy catheter placement between 2015 and 2017, and stone removal between 2017 and 2018. The LithoVue 7.7- 9.5 F endoscope was used in combination with laser/mechanical cholelithotripsy, mechanical retrograde, and balloon-assisted anterograde cholelithotomy to remove gallstones and common bile duct stones. Surgical contraindications ranged from cardiopulmonary disease to morbid obesity to neoplastic processes. Timing and number of interventions, as well as technical and clinical successes, were assessed. RESULTS The median time interval from cholecystostomy catheter placement to cholelithotripsy was 58 days, after an average of 2 tube exchange procedures. Technical and clinical success were achieved in all patients (stone-free gallbladder and cholecystostomy tube removal). On average, three sessions of cholecystoscopy and laser and mechanical cholelithotripsy were required for complete gallstone extraction. The mean interval time between the first cholelithotripsy session and removal of cholecystostomy was 71.8±60.8 days. There were neither major nor minor procedure-related complications. CONCLUSION Percutaneous cholecystoscopy using the LithoVue endoscope, in combination with laser/ mechanical cholelithotripsy and mechanical cholelithotomy, is feasible, safe, well-tolerated, and was able to remove the cholecystostomy tube in the patients with contraindication to cholecystectomy.

Venous outflow banding for maturation of a percutaneous arteriovenous fistula.

In the present report, we have described venous outflow banding as a technique to assist with maturation of a percutaneous arteriovenous fistula (pAVF) without sacrificing potential target veins for future access. A 47-year-old obese man had undergone pAVF creation between the right ulnar vessels with coil embolization of the brachial vein. Follow-up imaging demonstrated the median cubital vein briskly filling the cephalic and basilic veins. The basilic vein was banded with the patient under local anesthesia successfully. Banding of the superficial veins provides an alternative after creation of a pAVF to preserve veins that could be used as conduits for future access.

A rare presentation and management of thrombosis of an aberrant right subclavian artery related to thoracic outlet syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: We present a case in which a 44-year-old female smoker with a complex medical and surgical history presented with acute upper limb ischemia. METHODS: The patient was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome causing symptomatic thrombosis of an aberrant right subclavian artery associated with diverticulum of Kommerell. The patient had history of extensive surgeries and radiation in the right chest with fibrotic changes, so surgical dissection in the area was associated with significant risk of nerve injury. Therefore, revascularization of the arm was performed via carotid to brachial artery bypass with reversed saphenous vein and the thoracic outlet was decompressed with segmental clavicular resection. RESULTS: Patient has been symptom free for 3 years with patent bypass. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates a unique presentation of distal thrombosis of a symptomatic aberrant right subclavian artery related to thoracic outlet syndrome. The combined claviculectomy-vein bypass is a safe and efficacious surgical approach that provides durable relief.

Thermal ablation alone vs thermal ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization for patients with small (<3 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Thermal ablation (TA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may be used alone or in combination (TACE+TA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of our study was to compare the time to tumor progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) for patients who received TA alone or TACE+TA for HCC tumors under 3 cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This HIPAA-compliant IRB-approved retrospective analysis included 85 therapy-naïve patients from 2010 to 2018 (63 males, 22 females, mean age 62.4 ± 8.5 years) who underwent either TA alone (n = 64) or TA in combination with drug-eluting beads (DEB)-TACE (n = 18) or Lipiodol-TACE (n = 3) for locoregional therapy of early stage HCC with maximum tumor diameter under 3 cm. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed using the log-rank test to assess TTP and OS. RESULTS: All TA and TACE+TA treatments included were technically successful. TTP was 23.0 months in the TA group and 22.0 months in the TACE+TA group. There was no statistically significant difference in TTP (p = 0.64). Median OS was 69.7 months in the TA group and 64.6 months in the TACE+TA group. There was no statistically significant difference in OS (p = 0.14). The treatment cohorts had differences in AFP levels (p = 0.03) and BCLC stage (p = 0.047). Complication rates between patient groups were similar (p = 0.61). CONCLUSION: For patients with HCC under 3 cm, TA alone and TACE+TA have similar outcomes in terms of TTP and OS, suggesting that TACE+TA may not be needed for these tumors unless warranted by tumor location or other technical consideration.

Prospective study of Lipiodol distribution as an imaging marker for doxorubicin pharmacokinetics during conventional transarterial chemoembolization of liver malignancies.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prognostic potential of Lipiodol distribution for the pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of doxorubicin (DOX) and doxorubicinol (DOXOL) after conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE). METHODS: This prospective clinical trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02753881) included 30 consecutive participants with liver malignancies treated with cTACE (5/2016-10/2018) using 50 mg DOX/10 mg mitomycin C emulsified 1:2 with ethiodized oil (Lipiodol). Peripheral blood was sampled at 10 timepoints for standard non-compartmental analysis of peak concentrations (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC) with dose normalization (DN). Imaging markers included Lipiodol distribution on post-cTACE CT for patient stratification into 1 segment (n = 10), ≥ 2 segments (n = 10), and lobar cTACE (n = 10), and baseline enhancing tumor volume (ETV). Adverse events (AEs) and tumor response on MRI were recorded 3-4 weeks post-cTACE. Statistics included repeated measurement ANOVA (RM-ANOVA), Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher's exact test, and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: Hepatocellular (n = 26), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1), and neuroendocrine metastases (n = 3) were included. Stratified according to Lipiodol distribution, DOX-Cmax increased from 1 segment (DOX-Cmax, 83.94 ± 75.09 ng/mL; DN-DOX-Cmax, 2.67 ± 2.02 ng/mL/mg) to ≥ 2 segments (DOX-Cmax, 139.66 ± 117.73 ng/mL; DN-DOX-Cmax, 3.68 ± 4.20 ng/mL/mg) to lobar distribution (DOX-Cmax, 334.35 ± 215.18 ng/mL; DN-DOX-Cmax, 7.11 ± 4.24 ng/mL/mg; p = 0.036). While differences in DN-DOX-AUC remained insignificant, RM-ANOVA revealed significant separation of time concentration curves for DOX (p = 0.023) and DOXOL (p = 0.041) comparing 1, ≥ 2 segments, and lobar cTACE. Additional indicators of higher DN-DOX-Cmax were high ETV (p = 0.047) and Child-Pugh B (p = 0.009). High ETV and tumoral Lipiodol coverage also correlated with tumor response. AE occurred less frequently after segmental cTACE. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective clinical trial provides updated PK data revealing Lipiodol distribution as an imaging marker predictive of DOX-Cmax and tumor response after cTACE in liver cancer. KEY POINTS: • Prospective pharmacokinetic analysis after conventional TACE revealed Lipiodol distribution (1 vs. ≥ 2 segments vs. lobar) as an imaging marker predictive of doxorubicin peak concentrations (Cmax). • Child-Pugh B class and tumor hypervascularization, measurable as enhancing tumor volume (ETV) at baseline, were identified as additional predictors for higher dose-normalized doxorubicin Cmax after conventional TACE. • ETV at baseline and tumoral Lipiodol coverage can serve as predictors of volumetric tumor response after conventional TACE according to quantitative European Association for the Study of the Liver (qEASL) criteria.

Prostatic Artery Embolization in Nonindex Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Patients: Single-center Outcomes for Urinary Retention and Gross Prostatic Hematuria.

OBJECTIVE: To present outcomes for prostatic artery embolization (PAE) to treat urinary retention and gross prostatic hematuria in nonindex benign prostatic hyperplasia patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five patients undergoing PAE from December 2013 to August 2018 (age = 77.5 ± 8.6, age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index = 4.6 ± 2.0, prostate volume = 224 mL ± 135 mL) for retention (n = 46) and/or gross prostatic hematuria (n = 55) were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-six patients had both problems. Urinary retention patients (UR, n = 46, catheterization = 162.4 ± 148.1 days) underwent voiding trials 1-2 months post-PAE, with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life (QoL), and postvoid residual (PVR) recorded at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Pre- and post-PAE hematuria-related visits were compared for gross hematuria patients (GH, n = 39), as were transfusion rates for severe hematuria patients requiring bladder irrigation (SH, n = 16). Ninety-day adverse event tabulation used Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: Three months post-PAE, 33/38(87%) UR patients were catheter-free (IPSS = 8.9 ± 5.3, QoL = 1.6 ± 1.7, PVR = 158 mL ± 207 mL). Results were similar at 6 months (catheter-free = 26/28(93%), IPSS = 6.5 ± 4.4, QoL = 1.1 ± 0.9, PVR = 149 mL ± 139 mL), 12 months (catheter-free = 19/20(95%), IPSS = 4.7 ± 4.8, QoL = 0.6 ± 0.9, PVR = 125 mL ± 176 mL), 24 months (catheter-free = 11/12(92%), IPSS = 4.4 ± 3.0, QoL = 0.9 ± 0.8, PVR = 66 mL ± 68 mL), and 36 months (catheter-free = 5/6(83%), IPSS = 5.8 ± 3.8, QoL = 0.8 ± 1.0, PVR =99 mL ± 71 mL). Out of 37, 34(92%) GH patients remained hematuria-free at 483 ± 137 days, with 22 hematuria-related visits pre-PAE vs none post-PAE. Hematuria resolved <48 hours post-PAE in 14/16(87.5%) SH patients, with 36 blood units transfused pre-PAE, 4 units transfused <48 hours post-PAE, and none thereafter. Subsequently, 13/16(81%) remained hematuria-free at 500 ± 501 days; 2/16(13%) required fulguration; 1/16(6%) developed bladder tumor. There were 2 deaths <30 days post-PAE, and 8(11%) Grade-II urinary infections. CONCLUSION: PAE provided safe, effective, and durable treatment for retention and gross hematuria in nonindex benign prostatic hyperplasia patients.

Vertebroplasty-associated cement leak leading to iatrogenic venous compression and thrombosis.

A 91-year-old woman presented with left lower extremity swelling and pain diagnosed as phlegmasia cerulea dolens. Doppler ultrasound and venography revealed extensive left lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. Review of prior images revealed cement leakage causing compression of the left common iliac vein. She underwent successful mechanical thrombectomy using the ClotTriever device (Inari Medical, Irvine, Calif) and subsequent stent placement. Phlegmasia cerulea dolens resolved on the following day, and the stent remained patent at the 1-month follow-up appointment. Cement leakage from L5 vertebroplasty can cause extrinsic compression on the left common iliac vein, resulting in iatrogenic venous compression syndrome and the development of deep venous thrombosis in the affected lower extremity.

Selective Trans-Catheter Coil Embolization of Cystic Duct Stump in Post-Cholecystectomy Bile Leak.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous drainage is a first-line treatment for bilomas developed post-cholecystectomy in the setting of bile leak from the cystic duct stump. Percutaneous drainage is usually followed by surgical or endoscopic treatment to address the leak. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate outcome of selective coil embolization of the cystic duct stump via the percutaneously placed drainage catheters in patients with post-cholecystectomy bile leak. METHODS: Seven patients with persistent bile leak after laparoscopic cholecystectomy who underwent percutaneous catheter placement for biloma/abscess formation in the region of the gallbladder fossa were followed. These patients underwent selective trans-catheter cystic duct stump coil embolization from Feb 2013 to Feb 2019. Procedural management, complications, and success rates were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients underwent placement of a percutaneous catheter for drainage of biloma formation in the gallbladder fossa post-cholecystectomy. Selective coil embolization of the cystic duct was performed through the existing percutaneous tract on average 3.5 weeks after percutaneous catheter placement, resulting in resolution of the biloma. All bile leaks were immediately closed. None of the patients showed recurrent bile leak or further clinical symptoms. Coil migration to the common bile duct was diagnosed in a single case, after 2.5 years, with no bile leak reported. CONCLUSIONS: Selective trans-catheter coil embolization of the cystic stump is a feasible and safe procedure, which successfully seals leaking cystic duct stumps and can circumvent the need for repeat surgical or endoscopic intervention in selected patient populations.

Anomalous adrenal vein anatomy complicating the evaluation of primary hyperaldosteronism.

Adrenal vein development in utero occurs concurrently with the development of the inferior vena cava, the renal veins, and the gonadal veins. The embryologic formation of these veins involves communication of various venous systems. Although the left adrenal-renal vein complex is most commonly described as a shared emptying of the left adrenal vein and the left inferior phrenic vein into the left renal vein, there have been reports of numerous anatomic variations of this complex. In this report, we present a case of a rare variant of the left adrenal vein, in which the left adrenal vein empties into the left gonadal vein, which takes an atypical course superolateral to the left kidney.

Congenital complete absence of the pericardium mimicking myocardial infarction: a case report and literature review.

We present a case of a 56-year-old white male with a medical history of hypertension,who initially presented with chest pain, diaphoresis, and electrocardiogram (ECG) changes suggesting myocardial infarction. Initial frontal radiograph showed marked displacement of the cardiac silhouette into the left hemithorax. Cardiac catheterization was performed per hospital protocol showing no evidence of cardiac or coronary disease, but demonstrated marked rotation of the heart and abnormal displacement of the heart into the left hemithorax. As both of these findings could not explain the patient's symptoms, computerized tomography angiography (CTA) of the chest was performed demonstrating congenital absence of the pericardium, a rare entity estimated to occur in one in 10,000 to 14,000 people.