Retrospective Review of Management and Overall Survival Rate of Patients With Vascular Pythiosis of the Lower Extremity: 20 Years Experience.

Pythiosis is an infectious disease in humans and animals caused by an aquatic fungus-like micro-organism, Pythium insidiosum. Vascular pythiosis is a difficult condition to treat and can lead to loss of limb in addition to being a potentially life-threatening infection. The condition is furthermore unfamiliar among healthcare workers, which often results in delayed treatment or even misdiagnosis. In this study, we report our findings, which have been gathered over a 20-year period in caring for vascular pythiosis in Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. We made a retrospective medical review of 32 patients presented with arterial occlusion who have serum anti-Pythium insidiosum antibodies. All patients underwent computed tomography angiography to confirm the level of arterial occlusion and decided on a treatment plan. Twelve out of 22 patients with infrainguinal disease, femoropopliteal or below-knee vascular occlusion, survived. The mean survival time is 6.58 years. Eight in 10 patients presented with suprainguinal disease died during the follow-up with a mean survival time of 31.6 months. The suprainguinal extension of the disease influenced the outcome, resulting in a higher mortality rate. However, patients presented with chronic limb ischemia had a much greater rate of survival compared to other clinical presentations. Extensive surgical resection combined with antifungal treatment and immunotherapy have proven to be effective in patients with vascular pythiosis in our findings.

Posterior Nutcracker Syndrome Caused by Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Case Report.

Posterior-type nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is a rare disease characterized by the compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the vertebral body. The optimal management strategy for NCS remains a subject of debate, with surgical intervention being considered for selected patients. Here we report the case of a 68-year-old male who presented with a one-month history of abdominal and flank pain as well as hematuria. Abdominal computed tomography angiography revealed the compression of left renal vein between an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and the vertebral body. The patient was suspected to have a posterior-type NCS, which significantly improved following open surgical repair of the AAA. In cases of posterior-type NCS, surgical intervention should be performed selectively in symptomatic patients, and open surgery is the preferred treatment modality for this condition. For posterior-type NCS associated with AAA, open surgical repair may represent the optimal choice for decompression of the NCS.

A COVID-19 Silver Lining-Decline in Antibiotic Resistance in Ischemic Leg Ulcers during the Pandemic: A 6-Year Retrospective Study from a Regional Tertiary Hospital (2017-2022).

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017-10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020-31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Aorto-enteric Fistula After Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair for Behcet's Disease Patient: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: A 42 year old male with Behcet's disease (BD) had endovascular treatment of a symptomatic infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Thirteen months later he developed haematemesis and melaena. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) and angiography showed an aorto-enteric fistula with migration and kinking of the stent graft. Explantation of the infected graft and axillobifemoral bypass, aneurysm sac debridement, and jejunal repair with omental interposition was performed on this severely contaminated patient. DISCUSSION: There are no reports of an aorto-enteric fistula secondary to endovascular repair in the literature and this case describes the potential consequences of endovascular repair of AAA in BD. The aorto-enteric fistula was associated with persistent inflammatory aortitis, stent graft kinking, and infection. Five cases of secondary aorto-enteric fistulas following open AAA repair in BD patients have been reported including this case resulting from endovascular repair.

Management of the infected aortic endograft.

Although the incidence of abdominal and thoracic aortic endograft infection is infrequent, ranging between 0.2% and 5%, stent-graft infection carries significant morbidity and mortality and exemplifies a formidable therapeutic challenge. The treatment goal is to eradicate the infectious process by endograft explantation, regional tissue debridement, and arterial reconstruction by either an extra-anatomic or in situ grafting procedure using autologous vein, cryopreserved allograft, or antibiotic-soaked prosthetic grafts. Successful treatment should maintain normal arterial perfusion to the visceral arteries and lower extremities. Important treatment adjuncts included antibiotic therapy based on cultures, specific bacterial isolates, and coverage of the repair or aortic stump using an omental wrap. Nonoperative treatment in patients with severe comorbidities that preclude endograft explantation may be appropriate in the setting of low-grade biofilm infection. Percutaneous drainage of the perigraft abscess followed by continuous antibacterial irrigation of the cavity can be utilized, but is associated with a high clinical failure rate.

Predictive Factors for Post-Ischemic Compartment Syndrome in Non-Traumatic Acute Limb Ischemia in a Lower Extremity.

Objective: Compartment syndrome (CS) is serious complication following revascularization of acute limb ischemia (ALI). However, predictive factors associated with CS remain unclear. This study aimed to identify these predictive factors. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients who presented with non-traumatic ALI between November 2013 and October 2015 were enrolled and monitored for CS in this prospective cohort study. Predictive factors were compared between the CS and non-CS groups. Results: There were 5 patients in the CS group and 17 patients in the non-CS group. Four predictive factors were associated with CS: (1) inadequate backflow (80% and 12% in the CS and non-CS groups, respectively; P=.001); (2) serum creatine kinase (CK) level (20,683 U/L and 911 U/L in the CS and non-CS groups, respectively; P<.001); (3) positive fluid balance after admission (4,324 mL and 1,223 mL in the CS and non-CS groups, respectively; P<.001); and (4) Rutherford category IIB (100% and 18% in the CS and non-CS groups, respectively; P=.0002). Conclusion: Inadequate backflow, high serum CK level, positive fluid balance, and advanced-stage ALI were associated with CS. This information may be useful in identification of high-risk patients for CS prevention and in early detection of CS following the revascularization procedure.

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in HIV Patients with Ruptured Abdominal Aneurysm and Low CD4.

We report two HIV infected patients with ruptured abdominal aneurysm by using endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) technique. A 59-year-old Thai man had a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and a 57-year-old man had a ruptured iliac artery aneurysm. Both patients had a CD4 level below 200 µ/L indicating a low immune status at admission. They were treated by EVAR. Neither patient had any complications in 3 months postoperatively. EVAR may have a role in HIV patients with ruptured abdominal aneurysm together with very low immunity.

Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis in Venous Aneurysm following Closure of the Chronic Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistulae of the Lower Extremities.

Chronic traumatic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) commonly results from an unrecognized vascular injury. In this report, there were two cases of chronic traumatic AVF of the legs with a long history of stab (case 1) and shotgun wounds (case 2). Both cases presented with varicose veins together with hyperpigmentation around the ankle of the affected leg. Angiograms showed a single large AVF in case 1, whereas, in case 2, there was a single large AVF together with multiple small AVFs. In both cases large venous aneurysm was found next to a large AVF. An open surgical AVF closure for the large AVF was performed in case 1 successfully, but patient developed acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in a large venous aneurysm. In the second case, in order to prevent DVT, only closure of the large AVF was performed, which preserved arterial flow into the venous aneurysm. Case 2 did not have acute DVT. This report raised the concern about acute DVTs in venous aneurysms following the closure of chronic traumatic AVF in terms of prevention. Also chronic traumatic AVF is commonly due to misdiagnosis in the initial treatment, so complete and serial physical examinations in penetrating vascular injury patients are of paramount importance.

Unusual Cases of Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) is a rare occupational disease. The risk group of HHS is patient whose dominate hand used as a hammer. Our study report unusually cases in Chiang Mai University Hospital. RESULT: 19 year-old basketball player had right ulnar artery aneurysm for two months. After operation, his symptom was relieved and returned to play basketball again. 65 year-old housekeeper had non-dominated hand ulnar artery aneurysm for two years. After operation she still had hand claudication due to poor run-off vessel. CONCLUSION: HHS is previously state in risk group. But from our report there was a risk in different occupation.

Case Series of HIV Infection-Associated Arteriopathy: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcome Over a 5-Year period at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai University.

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can present with 4 pathology types: drug-induced vasospasm (ergotism), arterial limb ischemia, critical limb ischemia, and aneurysm. Although these problems are common vascular problems, they result in increased morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients, especially aneurysm. Patients with these problems tend to be diagnosed with difficulty because of atypical symptoms and signs. Because of lack of data in treatment outcome literature, our report explores and provides information on HIV infection-related arteriopathy. There were 17 patients in our 5-year review. There was no death in patients except the aneurysm type. The survival of aneurysm patients was significantly lower than from other pathologies (P = .003). Our case series showed good short-term outcome, and patients were not at risk for less beneficial surgical procedures.

Vascular Pythiosis of the Lower Extremity in Northern Thailand: Ten Years' Experience.

Pythiosis is a disease caused by Pythium insidiosum, a fungus-like organism. P. insidiosum is pathogenic in mammals, particularly in horses, dogs, and humans. Human pythiosis can be classified into 4 types: (1) cutaneous/subcutaneous, (2) ocular, (3) vascular, and (4) disseminated pythiosis. Vascular pythiosis is a rare disease but a serious limb- and life-threatening infection. We reviewed 22 cases over a 10-year period in Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai/Chiang Mai University Hospital. The survival rate was around 63.6% during our follow-up period. The only effective treatment was complete excision of the infected tissue, which was done mainly by major amputation, such as above-knee amputation. This report raises awareness of this disease, which needs preemptive diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Surgical venous thrombectomy for phlegmasia cerulea dolens and venous gangrene of the lower extremities.

OBJECTIVE: Phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) and venous gangrene are limb and life-threatening conditions of iliofemoral acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors retrospectively evaluated surgical management of 15 patients from 125 patients with acute iliofemoral DVT (6 PCD and 9 venous gangrene) between January 1991 and August 2002 with long-term follow-up. RESULTS: All of our 15 patients underwent surgery within 10 days of the onset of symptoms. Six patient with impending gangrene and failure for initial management with bed rest, extremity elevation, fluid resuscitation, and systemic anticoagulation for six to 12 hours underwent iliofemoral venous thrombectomy and distal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) can preserve limbs. In nine patients with venous gangrene that underwent iliofemoral thrombectomy below knee had transmetatarsal amputation done after decreasing leg edema. All patients underwent caval filter insertion before venous thrombectomy. There was no pulmonary embolism (PE) or immediate mortality. Anticoagulation treatment was given for at least six months. The distal arteriovenous fistula was closed as a secondary operation six weeks after initial operation. On the follow-up, 10-year period, seven patients died from the advanced carcinomas 7, 9, 9, 12, 14, 18, and 20 months after an operation. The remaining eight patients have regularly followed-up over 120 months. Three patients (37.5%) had recurrence of DVT; the rate of recanalization in common iliac veins on duplex scan was 100%. Three patients (37.5%) developed reflux in at least one deep venous segment without signs and symptoms of postphlebitic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Surgical venous thrombectomy with distal AVF are safe method and should be reserved to treat PCD and venous gangrene patients with contraindications to thrombolysis or in condition that thrombolytic therapy is not available. There is no postphlebitic syndrome on the long-term follow-up (> 120 months) of all surviving patients.