[Telemedicine and social Media in the management of ECMOs in the era of COVID-19: The Tunisian experience]. / La télémédecine et les réseaux sociaux dans la gestion des ECMO à l'ère de COVID-19 : l'expérience Tunisienne.

INTRODUCTION: In Tunisia, as elsewhere in the world, severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to SARS-Covid19 have been observed. When the usual means of resuscitation were no longer sufficient, the implementation of the Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ECMO was needed. AIM: The whole problem of the management of these patients in this pandemic period has been to manage the operation of the ECMO machine, usually reserved for expert and specialized centers in the field. METHODS: The cardio-vascular surgery department of La Rabta teaching hospital of Tunis has tried the experience of management of ECMO implanted in the different reanimations of Tunis, remotely, using telemedicine and social networks. Thus, a Facebook-Messenger discussion group was created and enabled the management of patients under ECMO via video conferencing in real time involving all stakeholders. RESULTS: A call was made whenever the physician needed it. The video provided an opportunity to discuss with surgeons and perfusionists in real time the complications or problems of these patients. Their clinical status was continuously shared on the focus group. Following the instructions of the expert surgeons and the exchanges made on the group, the reanimator could then intervene on this or that parameter. CONCLUSION: Social media have invaded everyone's daily lives and health professionals are not exception to this trend. The Covid-19 pandemic has only strengthened this digital alternative with the goal of efficiency and patient interest. While their use in a professional setting offers many advantages, it must nevertheless be done in compliance with the rules of ethics and bring real added value.

Tuberculosis lymphadenopathy: A rare etiology of the superior vena cava syndrome.

Superior vena cava syndrome is the clinical expression of the obstruction of the superior vena cava reducing the blood flow. Malignant etiologies are the most common. Its management is multidisciplinary and despite the progress of endovascular procedures, conventional surgery retains its place in certain indications. Mediastinal fibrosis secondary to tuberculosis lymphadenopathy may be associated with superior vena cava syndrome. In the presence of symptomatic SVCS associated with extensive mediastinal fibrosis compressing the superior vena cava with sub occlusive thrombosis, conventional surgery remains a treatment option, with cavo-venous derivation by prosthetic bypass.

[Arterial trauma of the upper limbs: Particularities of the population in Tunisia and risk factors for amputation]. / Traumatismes artériels des membres supérieurs : particularités de la population en Tunisie et facteurs de risque d'amputation.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of our study was to review the population at risk of upper limb arterial injury, to determinate the rate of upper limb salvage and the predictive factors of limb loss. METHODS: This was a retrospective study, involving 128 patients with upper extremity arterial trauma operated between January first, 2006 and June 30, 2017. Exclusion criteria were arterial ligation, primary limb amputation and arterial iatrogenic injuries. End points were immediate technical success, primary patency and limb salvage rate. RESULTS: The average age was 27.7 years with a sex ratio M/F=41, causes of trauma were self-inflicted wounds (51%), assaults (23%), road traffic accidents (10%), work accidents (9%) and domestic accidents (7%). Injured arteries were brachial (66.5%) usually because of self-inflicted injuries; arteries of the forearm (31%) and axillery arteries (2.5%). The techniques of arterial repair were vein graft interposition in 52% of cases, end-to-end anastomosis in 23%, primary arterial repair in 21% and venous patch in 4%. Eight reconstructions occluded during the first week (6.25%). Four patients required secondary amputation and limb salvage rate was 96.8%. After a median follow-up time of 62 days, only 21% were followed at 3 months. Mechanism of injury, soft tissue loss and arterial reconstruction thromboses were selected as factors influencing the rate of limb salvage. One death occurred at day 14 secondary to multi-component poly-trauma. CONCLUSION: Prompt diagnosis, appropriate multidisciplinary management of the upper extremity arterial trauma and a readiness to revise the vascular repair early in the event of failure will maximize patient survival and upper extremity salvage. Associated soft tissue injury is a poor limb salvage factor.

Endovascular repair of traumatic aortic isthmic rupture: Early and mid-term results.

INTRODUCTION: Conventional open repair of a traumatic aortic isthmic rupture is associated with a significantly high mortality and morbidity rates. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is currently often performed because it is a less invasive treatment than surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate short and mid-term results of TEVAR in traumatic aortic isthmic rupture. METHODS: This is a retrospective study conducted between 2010 and 2018 including patients who underwent TEVAR for traumatic aortic isthmic rupture. RESULTS: Thirty-six consecutive patients were included. All patients had sustained a violent blunt chest trauma after a sudden deceleration with associated injuries. The injury severity score (ISS) was 40 (14-66). All patients were hemodynamically stable at admission. We deployed thoracic aorta stent grafts with a mean diameter of 26mm (18-36). The procedural success rate was 100%. We reported one intra-operative complication which was a distal migration of the graft, managed by an implantation of an aortic extension graft. On the first postoperative day, one patient presented an acute lower limb ischemia, probably due to the surgical femoral access, treated with an embolectomy with a Fogarty catheter with satisfactory results. The mean follow-up was 40.41 months (6.5-96). The mortality and paraplegia rates were 0% at one month and during the follow-up period. We reported a case of kinking of the graft that occurred at 6 months. No cases of endoleak neither re-intervention were reported. CONCLUSION: TEVAR is a safe and a reliable method for the treatment of sub-acute traumatic thoracic aortic injuries.

[Predictive factors of amputation after iliac angioplasty in patients with severe artery disease]. / Facteurs prédictifs d'amputation après angioplastie de l'artère iliaque chez les patients avec artériopathie sévère.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the success of angioplasty of the iliac artery, this technique remains associated with significant amputation rates. The purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors for lower limb amputation after iliac angioplasty in patients with critical ischemia. METHODS: We reported a retrospective study including patients who successfully underwent angioplasty of the iliac artery between 2014 and 2018. The primary endpoint was limb salvage at 1 month. The variables were studied in univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Our study included 86 patients. The median age was 57±10 and the sex ratio was 4.7. Cardiovascular risk factors were represented by smoking in 14 cases (16.3%), diabetes in 25 cases (29.1%), arterial hypertension in 2 cases (2.3%) and dyslipidemia in 2 cases (2.3%). Seventy patients (81.3%) were classified as stage 4 according to the Leriche and Fontaine classification and 16 patients (18.7%) were classified as stage 3. The lesions were stenosing in 48 cases (55.8%) and occlusive in 38 cases (44.2%). These lesions were classified according to the TASC classification "Trans-Atlantic-Society-Consensus" in TASC A-B in 61 cases (70.9%) and TASC C-D in 35 cases (29.1%). Distal arteritis was found in 8 cases (9.3%). Balloon angioplasty was performed in 36 cases (41.8%) and angioplasty stenting in 50 cases (58.2%). At 1 month, the amputation rate was 9.3%. Univariate analysis showed that diabetes and smoking were the most important factors associated with amputation (respectively P=0.007, OR=9.31, 95% CI=[1.73-50.07] and P=0.022; OR=6.8; 95% CI=[1.46 to 31.61]). Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes and distal arteritis were the predictive factors for amputation (respectively P=0.034, OR=21.06, 95% CI=[1.25 to 354.46] and P=0.008, OR=11,61, 95% CI=[1.88 to 71.69]). CONCLUSION: Diabetes and distal arteritis are the predictive factors for lower limb amputation after iliac angioplasty.

[Treatment de-intensification strategies for HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer: A short review]. / Désescalade thérapeutique dans les cancers de l'oropharynx induit par les HPV : mise au point.

The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer induced by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is steadily increasing in developed countries. These tumors are more chemoradiosensitive and have a better prognosis than HPV-negative one. In addition, they occur in younger and better-off patients with longer life expectancy. Current radiotherapy and chemotherapy protocols are currently being questioned as they may expose HPV-positive patients to excessive treatment and unnecessary toxic effects. Less intensive treatment regimens could possibly achieve similar efficacy with lower toxicity and improved quality of life. The aim of this work was to summarize the knowledge on these tumors and their implications for radiation oncologists. In this update, we will discuss ongoing de-escalation trials and highlight the issues raised by these studies. We will also comment on the results of recently published de-intensification studies. Three main strategies are analyzed in the present article: the de-escalation of the drug associated with radiotherapy, the de-escalation of the radiotherapy dose (in concomitant chemoradiotherapy, after induction chemotherapy, in a postoperative setting) and de-escalation of radiation target volumes. Our findings ultimately indicate that clinicians should not change the management of oropharyngeal cancer patients outside of clinical trials.

Crush stent technique: A bail out technique to manage occluded iliac stent.

Management of iliac stent thrombosis is challenging. Open surgical repair may be indicated when intraluminally stent catheterization is difficult to perform. The present review reports the crush stent recanalization technique illustrated with the management of a patient with critical limb ischemia associated to iliac stent thrombosis. Crush stent technique has been described in interventional cardiology but remains rarely performed. Few reported cases described this technique for peripheral arterial recanalization, that is stenting through the subintimal space around an occluded stent.

[Predictors of asthenia in breast and prostate cancer patients undergoing curative radiotherapy]. / Facteurs de risque d'asthénie en cours de la radiothérapie des cancers du sein et de la prostate.

PURPOSE: Patients frequently report asthenia during radiation. The present study aimed at identifying the correlation between numerous clinical and tumoral factors and asthenia in breast and prostate cancer patients treated by curative radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Lucien Neuwirth Cancer Institute (France). All breast and prostate cancer patients undergoing curative radiotherapy during 2015 were screened (n=806). Patient's self-evaluation of asthenia and radiotherapy tolerance was assessed through verbal analogic scale (0/10 to 10/10). Data about toxicities, travel distance and travel time, tumor's characteristics, radiotherapy treatment planning, previous cancer therapies, were collected from medical records. RESULTS: 500 patients were included (350 in the breast cancer group and 150 in the prostate cancer group). In all, 86% of patients in the breast cancer group reported asthenia, with a 5/10 median score. In all, 54% of patients in the prostate cancer group reported asthenia, with a 2/10 median score. Univariate analysis showed correlation between asthenia and radiotherapy tolerance as well as tumor staging, in the prostate cancer group. No other correlation was evidenced. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy-related fatigue is a common side effect. This study showed that most of the factors related to patients or disease that are commonly used to explain fatigue during curative treatments, seem finally to be not correlated with asthenia.

[Conservative aneurysmorrhaphy for hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula]. / Anévrysmorraphie conservatrice des fistules artérioveineuses pour hémodialyse.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of conservative surgical treatment of the aneurysmal complications of arteriovenous hemodialysis fistulae and to determine the factors predictive of long- and mid-term patency of treated fistulae. The surgical treatment was mainly based on caliber reduction and reconstruction. METHODS: This was a descriptive retrospective study with a five-year duration, going from January 2013 to December 2018. This study included 40 patients presenting aneurysmal complications of their hemodialysis vascular access who were treated with aneurysmorrhaphy. RESULTS: The mean age of the aneurysmal-complicated hemodialysis vascular access was 42 months. The indications for treatment were puncture-related difficulties in 42.5% of cases, rapid increase of the aneurysmal diameter in 27.5%, skin thinning in 25% and aneurysmal rupture in 5%. The mean aneurysmal course was 6.6 months with an average diameter of 3.25cm at the moment of management. The initial technical success rate was 100%. Twenty patients had complications in the postoperative period. Patency rates at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months were 89.5%, 81.6%, 71% and 63.1%, respectively. Factors predictive of thrombosis were diabetes (P=0.001), peripheral arterial disease (P=0.003), number of punctures per week (P=0.003) and context of emergency presentation (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Aneurysmorrhaphy seems to be the best conservative surgical treatment for aneurysmal complications of hemodialysis vascular access fistulae. This surgical approach allows us to conserve the native autologous vascular access and spare the patient's venous network.

[Endovascular treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia]. / Traitement endovasculaire des angors mésentériques.

INTRODUCTION: Atherosclerosis occurring in the digestive arteries is rare and often asymptomatic. When it becomes symptomatic, surgical care is indicated. Conventional procedures are giving way to improved endovascular techniques applied to the mesenteric arteries. The aim of this single-center study was to evaluate short- and mid-term outcome after endovascular revascularization of the mesenteric arteries. METHODS: We report a retrospective study about patients who underwent endovascular treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia between 2013 and 2018. RESULTS: Our population consisted of 10 patients. The average age was 60 years [range 45-78]. Clinical symptomatology associated abdominal pain and weight loss. All patients underwent computed tomographic angiography (CTA). Severe stenosis (>70%) involved the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in ten cases, the celiac trunk in four cases and the inferior mesenteric artery in three. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia in all cases. The superior mesenteric artery was revascularized in all cases and the celiac trunk in two. Transluminal angioplasty was followed by deployment of a stent in all cases. The postoperative course was satisfactory. Outcome was good with all patients being symptom-free at one month. Our average follow-up was three years [range 1-5]. All patients underwent a Duplex ultrasound every six months. Recurrence of symptomatology was reported in two patients at 18 months and 24 months. The first patient underwent CTA that showed superior mesenteric artery and celiac trunk stent stenosis. The patient underwent a second transluminal angioplasty with a drug eluting balloon. The second patient was admitted to the emergency room for acute mesenteric ischemia related to acute thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery stent. Laparotomy enabled extensive resection of the small bowel and aorto-mesenteric venous antegrade bypass, but the patient died the same day. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment has an important role to play in the management of chronic mesenteric ischemia. It is associated with a high rate of technical success. Patients should be carefully followed-up because of the mid-term risk of recurrent symptoms associated with intra-stent restenosis or thrombosis.

Bilateral absence of the superior vena cava. Case report and literature review.

Bilateral absence of the superior vena cava (SVC) is an uncommon congenital vascular anomaly, mainly asymptomatic, usually undetected, and often associated with other cardiac anomalies. Though usually harmless and totally innocent, this vascular anomaly might complicate cardiovascular surgery, the insertion of a central venous catheter and the transvenous placement of a pacemaker. This SVC anomaly is still not well known, underdiagnosed and its incidence is much higher than described. A better understanding of this anomaly and its detection could play a key role in avoiding its potential complications. We are sharing a case of a female adult, with no medical history, who presented herself to the department of visceral surgery with a collateral venous circulation of the upper thorax, that was at first, mistaken for a portal hypertension syndrome, findings were pushed to finally conclude a bilateral absence of the SVC.

[Short- and long-term outcomes of surgical treatment of popliteal aneurysms]. / Traitement chirurgical des anévrismes poplités : résultats à court et à long termes.

INTRODUCTION: The popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) is a rare vascular disease, but represents the most common site of peripheral aneurysms. We report in this paper our experience in the surgical management of PAA. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to clarify the indications and the results of the surgical management of PAA. METHODS: It was a retrospective study, extended over a period of 12years, going from 2007 to 2018, covering 26 patients operated on surgically for popliteal aneurysm. RESULTS: We have operated 26 patients for PAA. All patients were male. The average age was 59years [39-80years]. The aneurysm was symptomatic in 22 cases and asymptomatic in 4 cases. The mean aneurysm diameter was 37mm [26-70mm]. Twenty-two patients have received a planned surgery and we did emergency surgery for 4 patients because of a limb ischemia complication. The surgical treatment consisted in a surgical bypass after the aneurysm removing. The restoration of blood continuity was achieved by a vein graft in 23 cases and prosthetic in 3 cases. Three patients needed major amputation within 30days (11.53%) and no mortality was observed during this period. Mean follow-up was 24months [12-96months]. Two-years mortality, complication rate and limb salvage was respectively 7.69%, 15.38% and 84.62%. CONCLUSION: The PAA represents a serious disease that can affect the vitality of the lower limb. Surgical treatment is currently the gold standard because of its good results.

[Revascularization delay and complications in acute upper limb ischemia]. / Délai de revascularisation et complications dans l'ischémie aiguë du membre supérieur.

INTRODUCTION: Acute upper limb ischemia is a medical and surgical emergency. Studies that have reported revascularization results in acute upper limb ischemia are rare. For this reason, the revascularization delay has remained poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgery results of acute upper limb ischemia related to revascularization delay. METHODS: We report a retrospective study of patients operated for acute upper limb ischemia between 2008 and 2016. Patients with thrombotic, traumatic or iatrogenic ischemia were excluded from this study. Patients were divided into two groups (those operated before 12hours and those operated after 12hours). A statistical analysis was performed to compare surgery results between the two groups in terms of limb salvage rate and neurological sequelae rate. RESULTS: Our population consisted of 138 patients. The average age was 69 [31,92]. There were 90 women and 48 men. The mean revascularization delay was 20hours [2,240]. Seventy-six patients were operated on before 12hours and 62 patients after 12hours. At one month, the mortality was 1.4% and the morbidity was 5.7%. The overall limb salvage rate was 86.9% and the overall neurologic sequelae rate was 31.8%. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between patients operated before or after 12hours in terms of limb salvage (86.8% versus 87%, P=0.258). However, there was a statistically significant difference in terms of neurological sequelae in favor of patients operated after 12hours (15.7% versus 51.6%, P=0.012). CONCLUSION: Revascularization of acute embolic upper limb ischemia is often associated with good results even if performed late. Beyond 12hours of ischemia, amputation rate is not significantly higher, however, the rate of neurological sequelae can be high.

[A rare localization of angio-Behçet revealed by a false aneurism of a gluteal artery treated surgically]. / Une localisation rare de l'angio-Behçet révélée par un faux anévrisme d'une artère glutéale traité chirurgicalement.

Behçet's disease is a rare chronic systemic inflammatory disease. It is more common in Turkey, North Africa and Japan. The incidence of vascular involvement (angio-Behçet) is 7 to 38%. The gluteal localization of angio-Behçet is rarely reported and could be revealed late. Aside from aneurysmal rupture, nerve compression with pain and lower limb impotence could be the main clinical signs. Because of the deep location of the lesion, management of this disease can be difficult. The classic surgical treatment remains the gold-standard especially in case of extreme urgency, non-feasibility of endovascular treatment and especially in case of associated nerve compression. We report the case of a 45-year-old man with a history of pulmonary angio-Behcet, who underwent emergency surgery for a huge false aneurism of a collateral of the hypogastric artery treated via a double anterior and posterior approach with good outcome.

Outcomes and treatments of IB1 cervical cancers with high recurrence risk: A 13 years' experience.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to identify management strategies and outcomes of patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer with high recurrence risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical files of all consecutive patients treated between 2004 and 2017 with external beam radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy for IB1 cervical cancer, whatever the lymph node status, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-two patients were included, with a median age of 49.8 years old. Median tumour size, estimated with the initial pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, was 26mm (interquartile range [IQR]=19.5-35). Histological types were mainly squamous cell carcinoma (59.5%) and adenocarcinoma (33.3%). Lymphovascular invasion was reported for 38.1% of patients. Pelvic lymph nodes were involved for eight patients (19.0%). Surgery was performed for 39 patients (92.9%). A neoadjuvant treatment was delivered for 20 patients (47.6%), an adjuvant treatment for 19 patients (45.2%) and an exclusive radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy) followed by brachytherapy for three patients (7.1%). Pathologic complete response was achieved in 61.5% of patients. With a median follow-up of 5.8 years (IQR=2.6-9.4), five patients (11.9%) experienced a tumour relapse. The five-year disease-free survival was 79.5% (95% confident interval [CI]=66.9-94.4), the five-year overall survival was 87.8% (95% CI=77.2-99.8), and the five-year disease-specific survival was 94.2% (95% CI=86.7-100). CONCLUSION: In current clinical practice, tailored treatments are delivered, and seems to give correct therapeutic index. However, clinical trials are needed to standardise treatment according to patient characteristics and recurrence risk factors.