Systematic literature review and expert meeting report on health-related quality of life in chronic venous disease.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic venous disease (CVD) can lead to considerable morbidity and impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this review was twofold: (i) to provide a deeper understanding of how CVD affects HRQoL (physical, psychological and social functioning), and (ii) to review the impact of evidence-based veno-active drugs (VADs) on HRQoL. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: For the effect of CVD on HRQoL, information was gathered during an Expert Consensus Meeting, during which data were presented from both the patient and physician perspective assessed with validated quality-of-life measures. For the impact of VADs on HRQoL, a systematic literature review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases were searched for real world evidence or randomized-controlled trials (RCT) vs. placebo, reporting data on the influence of VADs on HRQoL in patients with CVD. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: CVD can negatively affect daily life in a number of areas related to pain, physical function and social activities. The impact of CVD on HRQoL begins early in the disease and for patients the emotional burden of the disease is as high as the physical burden. In contrast, physicians tend to overestimate the physical impact. The database search yielded 184 unique records, of which 19 studies reporting on VADs and HRQoL in patients with CVD met the inclusion criteria (13 observational and 6 RCTs). Micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) was the most represented agent, associated with 12/19 studies (2 RCTs and 10 observational). Of the 6 RCTs, only MPFF, aminaphthone and low-dose diosmin provided statistically significant evidence for improvement on HRQoL compared with placebo; for the other VADs improvements in HRQoL were not statistically different from placebo. MPFF was also associated with improvements in HRQoL in the observational studies, across all CEAP clinical classes, as monotherapy or in combination with other conservative therapy, and for all aspects of HRQoL: physical, psychological, and social. Real-world data for the other VADs were scarce. Ruscus extract, sulodexide and a semi-synthetic diosmin were each represented by a single observational study and these limited data were associated with statistically significant improvements compared with baseline in overall and subdomain scores across the range of CEAP clinical classes. CONCLUSIONS: CVD can impair patients' HRQoL significantly at all stages of the disease. MPFF has the greatest evidence base of clinical use in both RCT and real-world observational studies for effectiveness on HRQoL and is recognized by international guidelines. The complete video presentation of the work is available online at www.minervamedica.it (Supplementary Digital Material 1: Supplementary Video 1, 5 min, 194 MB).

Layered Sheath-Assisted Dissection and Retrieval of Stuck Port Catheters: A Single-Center Experience.

Chemoports are often required for oncological patients requiring repeated blood draws and long-term drug therapy. However, complications such as dislodgement, fracture, thrombosis, and venous occlusion may occur if the ports remain unremoved when not in use. Nonetheless, existing techniques require multiple accesses or release of the stuck catheter tip to retrieve the catheter, making the procedure inconvenient. We present our experience with a technique using the Bard Denali inferior vena cava filter retrieval kit to remove a stuck or fractured chemoport catheter through a single vascular access. The technique was performed in two female patients with satisfactory results (complete retrieval of broken chemoports) and an event-free follow-up period. The entire procedure was completed within 15-30 minutes with fluoroscopic time under two minutes. The technique allows for better case management by simplifying the procedure, reducing radiation, and improving workflow efficiency in the operating room.

Fake-news-free evidence-based communication for proper vein-lymphatic disease management.

Published scientific evidence demonstrate the current spread of healthcare misinformation in the most popular social networks and unofficial communication channels. Up to 40% of the medical websites were identified reporting inappropriate information, moreover being shared more than 450,000 times in a 5-year-time frame. The phenomenon is particularly spread in infective diseases medicine, oncology and cardiovascular medicine. The present document is the result of a scientific and educational endeavor by a worldwide group of top experts who selected and analyzed the major issues and related evidence-based facts on vein and lymphatic management. A section of this work is entirely dedicated to the patients and therefore written in layman terms, with the aim of improving public vein-lymphatic awareness. The part dedicated to the medical professionals includes a revision of the current literature, summing up the statements that are fully evidence-based in venous and lymphatic disease management, and suggesting future lines of research to fulfill the still unmet needs. The document has been written following an intense digital interaction among dedicated working groups, leading to an institutional project presentation during the Universal Expo in Dubai, in the occasion of the v-WINter 2022 meeting.

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) After ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Immunization: An Investigative Case Report.

BACKGROUND Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), including vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), is an extremely rare adverse effect, mostly seen after initial vaccination with the viral vector-based AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine. It is characterized by mild to severe thrombocytopenia and venous or arterial thrombosis. CASE REPORT Herein, we present a case of an 18-year-old male patient who developed Level 1 TTS (probable VITT) eight days after immunization with the ChADOx1 nCOV-19 vaccine (Covishield; AZ-Oxford). Initial investigations revealed severe thrombocytopenia, hemiparesis, and intracranial hemorrhage, after which the patient was treated conservatively. However, a decompressive craniotomy was performed later due to patient deterioration. One week after surgery, the patient developed bilious vomiting, lower-gastrointestinal bleeding, and abdominal distension. An abdominal CT scan was performed that showed thrombosis of the portal vein with occlusion of the left iliac vein. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy followed by resection and anastomosis of the small bowel due to massive gut gangrene. Due to persistent thrombocytopenia after surgery, intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) was administered. The platelet count increased thereafter, and the patient stabilized. He was discharged on the 33rd day after admission and was followed up for a year. No post-hospitalization complications were observed in the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Although vaccines have been proven to be highly safe and effective to end the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused pandemic, there is still a small risk of developing rare complications, including TTS and VITT. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention are key for patient management.

Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Points for the Management of Venous Ulcers.

Venous ulcer is an extremely common aetiology of lower extremity ulceration, which affects approximately 1% population in most of the countries, and the incidence rate increases with age and female gender. Proper assessment and diagnosis of both the patient and ulcer are inevitable in order to differentiate venous ulcers from other lower extremity ulceration and to frame an adequate and individualised management plan. Venous ulcers generally persist for weeks to many years and are typically recurrent in nature. This consensus aims to present an evidence-based management approach for the patients with venous ulcers. Various management options for venous ulcers include compression therapy, minimally invasive procedures like sclerotherapy and ablation techniques, surgical procedures, debridement and medical management with micronised purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF). Compression therapy is the mainstay treatment for venous ulcer. However, in failure cases, surgery can be preferred. Medical management with MPFF as an adjuvant therapy to standard treatment has been reported to be effective and safe in patients with venous ulcer. In addition to standard therapy, diet and lifestyle modification including progressive resistance exercise, patient education, leg elevation, weight reduction, maintaining a healthy cardiac status and strong psychosocial support reduces the risk of recurrence and improves the quality of life in patients with venous ulcer.

Correction to: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Points for the Management of Venous Ulcers.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s12262-018-1726-3.].

Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism in Asian Populations: A Systematic Review.

Introduction Despite a marked recent increase in the number of publications describing the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Asia, and especially in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Singapore, there remains a lack of consensus on the true risks, and trends over time, to inform appropriate clinical practice. The purpose of this systematic review was therefore to examine evidence about the incidence of symptomatic VTE in Asia. Methods Databases were searched for studies from Asia, published between January 1995 and February 2016, on the incidence of symptomatic VTE, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism. Review of eligible studies was conducted independently by two reviewers. Data were extracted on incidence, predispositions and recurrence of VTE. Results One thousand nighty-five studies were identified, of which 73 were eligible for full text review and data extraction. Three population-wide estimates of VTE rates identified from Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong reported annual incidences of 13.8, 15.9 and 19.9 per 100,000, respectively. Nine studies of Asian hospital registries or databases reported VTE rates ranging from 11 to 88 cases per 10,000 admissions. Population-based estimates of post-surgical DVT rates ranged from 0.15 to 1.35%. Age was a significant risk factor for VTE in all population groups. Conclusion Population-wide incidence estimates in Asia were approximately 15 to 20% of the levels recorded in western countries but have increased over time. It is anticipated this synthesis of evidence on the incidence of VTE and its predisposing factors will increase awareness about VTE in Asian populations.

Peripheral gangrene in a breast fed neonate--is hypernatremic dehydration the cause?

Hypernatremic dehydration in breast fed neonates is a rare but increasingly recognized problem. If not identified early, it may lead to potentially life threatening complications. The authors describe a neonate who developed thrombosis and lower limb ischemia secondary to hypernatremic dehydration. Peripheral gangrene, as a result of hypernatremic dehydration is extremely uncommon and has rarely been reported before.

Endovascular stenting of peripheral infected aneurysms: a temporary measure or a definitive solution in high-risk patients.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the use of endovascular technology in the management of peripheral infected aneurysms in high-risk patients as a temporary measure or definitive solution. Five cases underwent successful endovascular stenting of infected aneurysms of the subclavian, femoral, and carotid arteries. All these patients were at high risk for open surgery. Covered stents were placed by percutaneous approach under local anesthesia in all patients. Postoperatively, antibiotics were continued for 3 months. A literature review using the Medline database was also undertaken, and all the relevant papers on endovascular management of peripheral infected aneurysms were taken into account. Stent deployment was successful in all patients. One patient died of mediastinal sepsis and another from type A aortic dissection 5 weeks later. Two patients required drainage of the infected hematoma. Three patients did well at a median follow-up of 1 year, with no evidence of sepsis. A review of the literature shows promising early and midterm results. Most early reports were of single cases, reflecting the low incidence of peripheral infected aneurysms. We conclude that further development of endoluminal techniques and long-term follow-up to establish the durability of stenting could potentially lead to a decrease in the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with infected aneurysmal disease in this high-risk group of patients.

Cystic adventitial disease of the iliofemoral artery: case reports and a short review.

Cystic adventitial disease is a rare disease affecting mainly young males. We describe two patients with this disease affecting the iliofemoral artery. These reports reemphasize the importance of keeping cystic adventitial disease as a differential diagnosis in young patients who present with leg ischemia.

Outcome after pancreatic necrosectomy: trends over 12 years at an Indian centre.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic necrosectomy for necrotizing pancreatitis is a formidable operation. There are limited data from the Indian subcontinent regarding outcome and recent trends in management. METHODS: Patients undergoing pancreatic necrosectomy over a 12-year period were identified from a prospective database. Data regarding the hospital course, complications and outcome were extracted by case file review. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data. An attempt was made to identify trends in management and outcome over the study period. RESULTS: One hundred and eighteen patients underwent necrosectomy. The median age was 39.5 years (interquartile range, 32-46). Median Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II score at admission was 8 (interquartile range, 6-10). Thirty-nine patients (33%) had organ failure at admission. Patients underwent surgery a median of 23 days (interquartile range, 14-34) after onset of illness. There was high incidence of loco-regional complications (68/118, 58%) and organ failure (88/118, 75%) in the postoperative period. The mortality rate was 38%. There was an increase in the median onset to surgery interval (17 vs 25.5 days; P = 0.001), increased use of percutaneous interventions (20 vs 36%; P = 0.05) and decreased mortality (47 vs 29%; P = 0.052) in the later half of the study period. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic necrosectomy continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality in India. A trend towards increased use of percutaneous interventions and delayed surgery is evident.

Splenic malformation in a patient with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: a case report.

A 22-year-old woman with a diagnosis of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome presented with pain in the left hypochondrium and vomiting. Investigations revealed a huge splenomegaly with multiple hypodense lesions and irregular, linearly enhanced areas. She underwent splenectomy and had good postoperative recovery. Histopathology showed hemangioma/lymphangioma of the spleen.

Postoperative pulmonary function in laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy: prospective, comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary complications remain a leading cause of morbidity after major abdominal operations. OBJECTIVE: To compare pulmonary function and the frequency of pulmonary complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and open cholecystectomy (OC). METHODS: Fifty-five patients with symptomatic gallstone disease undergoing elective cholecystectomy (LC 40, OC 15) under general anesthesia were evaluated using pulmonary function tests (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume at 1 second [FEV1], and forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% [FEF25% -75%], chest X-ray and pulse oximetry before and after surgery. RESULTS: FVC, FEV1 and FEF25% -75% decreased by 21.5%, 21.2% and 30.3%, respectively, on postoperative day 1 following LC, and by 44.3%, 46.2% and 58.3%, respectively, after OC. Chest X-ray showed atelectasis in 15% of patients undergoing LC and 45% of those with OC. CONCLUSION: Impairment in pulmonary function after LC was less marked than after OC.

Extremity vascular trauma in civilian population: a seven-year review from North India.

This is a retrospective study of the experience with extremity vascular trauma at a tertiary level referral centre in North India where the majority of the population lives in villages and the incidence of high-speed automobile accidents and civilian violence is low. The aim was to study the aetiology, pattern of injuries and the mortality and morbidity rates due to vascular trauma in our population. Data relating to 148 patients presenting with vascular trauma requiring surgical intervention other than amputation between January 1996 and December 2002 were collected retrospectively. There were 132 males and 16 females with a mean age of 39 years presenting to the casualty with a median delay of 9.3 h after injury. Blunt trauma accounted for 84% of the injuries with extremities involved in 88%. The brachial artery was the most common artery injured with the femoral next most common. Repair without graft interposition was done in 74% and autogenous vein grafts were used in 23% of cases. Comparison of our results with those that would have been obtained, had the recommendations of Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) been followed, showed that this scoring system had low sensitivity and specificity for prediction of salvageability of limbs. Eight percent patients died due to associated visceral organ injuries. Complications occurred in 32% patients and amputation was required in 6% of patients after an initial surgical repair mainly due to inadequate functional recovery. Eighty-eight percent of the survivors with salvaged limbs were able to achieve full functional recovery. Judicious selection and appropriate intervention can result in satisfactory limb salvage with good functional outcomes even with delayed presentations.

Closed lesser sac lavage in the management of pancreatic necrosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Surgery for pancreatic necrosis complicating acute severe pancreatitis carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the efficacy of necrosectomy and closed lesser sac lavage as a method of management of pancreatic necrosis. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with pancreatic necrosis who underwent pancreatic necrosectomy consecutively in a tertiary care referral center were retrospectively analyzed. The technique of necrosectomy and postoperative lavage is described in detail. Details regarding the patient profile, disease severity, surgical details, postoperative morbidity, repeat interventions and the mortality are presented. RESULTS: Of the 58 patients, irrigation was able to be started in 48. Lavage was able to be continued until disease resolution or death in all but 10 patients. Post-operative locoregional complications were residual abscesses in 10, bleeding in eight, enteric fistulae in 12 and pancreatic fistulae in nine. Six patients needed postoperative percutaneous procedures, while 16 patients needed repeat surgery. Seventeen patients died (29%), all of whom had multiple organ failure involving more than two organs, while 11 developed sepsis. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic necrosectomy and postoperative closed lesser sac lavage is an effective method of managing these patients, with acceptable morbidity, re-operation rates and mortality.

Vascular complications of drug abuse: an Indian experience.

BACKGROUND: Vascular complications resulting from i.v. drug abuse constitute a range of clinical problems from simple to serious. In addition, patients who present with these complications frequently have viral infections, which are a hazard to health care workers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study is a retrospective review of 46 male drug addicts with 52 vascular complications (45 arterial, seven venous). Pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery was the most common complication (n = 35). Fourteen of these patients underwent ligation of the common, superficial and deep femoral arteries above and below the pseudoaneurysm. Twenty-one underwent bipolar ligation of the common femoral artery after complete excision of the pseudoaneurysm. The decision to revascularize was based on the presence or absence of postligation Doppler signal. Arterial reconstruction was performed in five patients. All eight brachial artery pseudoaneurysms were ligated and excised, and deep vein thrombosis was managed with anticoagulation. RESULTS: There was no mortality but three patients had to undergo late amputations of the lower limb after successful salvage following the initial surgery. The median postoperative ankle-brachial indices, after bipolar and triple ligations were 0.51 and 0.46, respectively. Positive blood cultures were present in 30% of patients and tissue cultures were positive in 72%, the most common organism isolated was methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Six patients were positive for viral markers. The median hospital stay was 43 days. CONCLUSION: Ligation and excision of pseudoaneurysms without revascularization is safe for drug addicts provided it is based on the presence of a postligation Doppler signal.