Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage using the Neurospeed Semi-compliant Balloon.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral vasospasm (CV) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) may lead to morbidity and mortality. Endovascular mechanical angioplasty may be performed if symptomatic CV is refractory to noninvasive medical management. Off-label compliant remodelling balloons tend to conform to the course of the vessel, contrary to noncompliant or semi-compliant balloons. Our objective is to describe our initial experience with the semi-compliant Neurospeed balloon (approved for intracranial stenosis) in cerebral vasospasm treatment following aSAH. METHODS: All patients included in the prospective observational SAVEBRAIN PWI (NCT05276934 on clinicaltrial.gov) study who underwent cerebral angioplasty using the Neurospeed balloon for the treatment of medically refractory and symptomatic CV after aSAH were identified. Patient demographic information, procedural details and outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Between February 2022 and June 2023, 8 consecutive patients underwent CV treatment with the Neurospeed balloon. Angioplasty of 48 arterial segments (supraclinoid internal carotid artery, A1 and A2 segments of the anterior cerebral artery, M1 and M2 segments of the middle cerebral artery) was attempted and 44/48 (92%) were performed. The vessel diameter significantly improved following angioplasty (+81%), while brain hypoperfusion decreased (-81% of the mean TMax). There was no long-term clinical complication, 4% periprocedural complications occurred. CONCLUSION: The semi-compliant Neurospeed balloon is effective in the treatment of cerebral vasospasm following aSAH, bringing a new device into the armamentarium of the neurointerventionalist to perform intracranial angioplasty.

High diagnostic yield of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy performed under cone beam CT guidance: results of a randomized Belgian monocentric study.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing use of low dose CT scans, numerous pulmonary nodules are detected. As majority of them are benign, development of efficient non-surgical diagnostic intervention is mandatory. Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) has been developed to reach difficult to access lesions. The aim of the present study was to compare the diagnostic yield of ENB procedures performed in a classical endoscopy suite or in a hybrid room equipped by a cone beam CT (CBCT). METHODS: A monocentric randomized study was performed in the Erasme Hospital between January 2020 and December 2021. Lung nodules of maximum 30 mm of diameter were eligible. In both arms (endoscopy or CBCT suites), ENB, fluoroscopic guidance and a radial endobronchial ultrasound were used to reach the lesion. Then six trans-bronchial biopsies (TBB) and one trans-bronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) were performed. Primary outcomes were the diagnostic yield and diagnostic accuracy of the procedure. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were randomized (24 in the endoscopy and 25 in the CBCT arms). The lesion size was 15,9 ± 4,6 mm and 16,6 ± 6,0 mm respectively (mean ± SD, p = NS). The diagnostic yield of ENB performed under CBCT guidance was 80% compared to 42% when performed in the endoscopy suite under standard fluoroscopic guidance (p < 0,05). Similarly, the diagnostic accuracy in the CBCT group was 87% compared to 54% for the endoscopy group (p < 0,05). Duration of the procedure in the CBCT and endoscopy arms was 80 ± 23 and 61 ± 13 min respectively (mean ± SD, p < 0,01). Performing TBLC in addition to TBB increased the diagnostic yield by 14% (17 and 12,5% in CBCT and endoscopy suites respectively, p = NS). CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the additional value to perform ENB procedure under CBCT guidance for small size (less than 2 cm of diameter) pulmonary nodules. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration number: NCT05257382.

Ruptured Renal Angiomyolipoma.

Teaching Point: This case highlights the importance of extending the medical analysis to other areas with lumbar computed tomography, especially to the kidneys and the retroperitoneum.

Renal hematuric angiomyolipomas embolization: three cases and literature review.

We report three cases of hemorrhagic renal angiomyolipoma successfully treated using embolization. Endovascular management of this complication is highlighted.

Duodenal Hemorrhage Due to an Invasive Hepatocellular Carcinoma Controlled by Transarterial Embolization.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to duodenal invasion is a very unusual presentation revealing the initial diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in patients without cirrhosis. No clear recommendations are available in this setting. A 68-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with melena. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed an oozing hemorrhagic ulcer of the duodenal bulb (Forrest I b) secondary to an invasive, undetermined bulky liver mass that was biopsied. The histopathological examination confirmed an HCC. The patient was started on chemotherapy (Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin) with good initial response. Nevertheless, after eight months of treatment, there was a recurrence of the ulcer bleeding and a disease progression was identified. Selective transarterial embolization (TAE) was used to control the duodenal bleeding, permitting the patient to receive immunotherapy with a long-lasting control of the disease. Our case report suggests that selective TAE is a therapeutic option that can be used to stop GI bleeding due to invasive HCC in order to allow oncological treatment.

Osteoid Osteoma of the Scapular Neck: A Cause of Long-lasting Unexplained Pain.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a common tumor of the diaphysis of long bone, where the reported incidence is up 10% of all benign bone tumors. Its presence in flat bone is seldom mentioned in literature and can be misleading when the bone involved is in proximity to a zone of wide variety of possible pathology. We report a case of a young patient with OO in a very rare location of the body -the scapular neck - that was misdiagnosed for a long period of time before receiving adequate therapy. CASE REPORT: A 20-year-old female patient presented to the clinic with chronic left shoulder pain. During the past 2 years, she received medical and physical therapy, to deal with different diagnosis such as cervical spine pathology, muscular spasm, and rotator cuff disease. However, she did not improve. At time of presentation to our clinic, radiographs of the shoulder were done and turned to be inconclusively normal. After negative magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine, a computed tomography scan of the shoulder was done and showed a round well-defined lesion localized in the scapular neck with a focal lucent nidus within surrounding sclerotic reactive bone measuring 8.5 mm in largest diameter, compatible with OO. Bone scan showed increased uptake. The patient was given aspirin in an intention to test and treat. The patient had dramatic pain relieve at first, which confirmed the diagnosis of OO. But then, pain became unremitting, so a decision was made for radiofrequency ablation of the lesion which gave excellent results. CONCLUSION: OO is a common benign neoplasm with high variable clinical picture and anatomic localization. Despite being more common in long bone, flat bone OO localization should be always kept in mind. Careful history and physical examination should be done for each patient presenting with unexplained pain; night pain should always raise suspicion of this condition. Radiographs are not always conclusive, and the patient with high suspicion of this condition should undergo more investigation to make the diagnosis.

Catamenial hemoptysis: A case report of pulmonary endometriosis.

We report a case of a patient diagnosed with pulmonary endometriosis and successfully treated with a GnRH agonist. This 34-year-old mother presented cyclic hemoptysis since 4-month. A non-enhanced computed tomography made at the end of the luteal phase revealed a solitary lung nodule with no other abnormalities. A contrast enhanced computed tomography conducted during menses revealed a ground glass opacity extending from the nodule towards hilum. The diagnosis of pulmonary endometriosis was established taking into account the clinical presentation and the imaging findings. Medical treatment by Triptorelin pamoate (Decapeptyl LP® 3 mg Ipsen Pharma, France), a GnRH agonist, was proposed for a period of 6 months. A CT scan performed 3 months after the end of the treatment shows a complete disappearance of the endometriosis nodular lesion.

Renal artery pseudoaneurysm successfully treated with the outer coating of the tip of the J wire.

Kidney injury and renal pseudoaneurysm after blunt abdominal trauma can lead to renal loss and potentially life-threatening bleed. Recent advances in endovascular interventions (embolization) can prevent potentially challenging surgical situations. We are presenting herein a case of life-threatening renal injury with renal artery pseudoaneurysm and bleeding treated with makeshift embolization using the outer coating of a J tip guide wire.

[A case of wandering spleen: a rare cause of acute abdomen]. / Histoire d'une rate errante: un cas rare d'abdomen aigu.

We present the case of a 17-year-old patient known to have an asymptomatic ectopic spleen, who presented with an acute abdomen. Clinical symptoms and ultrasound led to suspect an acute appendicitis, confirmed later on by pathology. Twenty-four hours after the appendectomy, the patient complained of an abdominal pain of acute onset. Torsion of the pedicle of the ectopic spleen was suspected. Imaging studies supported this diagnosis, and an urgent splenectomy was performed. Did the torsion happen by simple coincidence 24 hours after appendectomy, knowing that the spleen has been asymptomatic for 17 years, or was it precipitated by the surgical intervention? Should we have removed the ectopic spleen during the appendectomy? This is the first report of a case of torsion of a wandering spleen after a laparotomy; a review of the literature is done in order to explain the physiopathology of the disease, and to propose its management.

Efficacy and safety of antegrade common femoral artery access closure using the Angio-Seal device: experience with 1889 interventions for critical limb ischemia in diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: To report a retrospective evaluation of the 6-F Angio-Seal closure device in antegrade and retrograde common femoral artery (CFA) punctures during endovascular procedures in diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). METHODS: From January 2005 to March 2009, 2374 diabetic CLI patients underwent interventional procedures in the lower limbs at a single center under systemic anticoagulation (heparin 70 U/kg). In this population, 2016 patients (1184 men; mean age 69.6+/-9.1 years) had 2372 CFA punctures treated with either manual compression [205 punctures in 161 (8.0%) patients] or Angio-Seal deployment (2167 punctures in 1855 patients) and were eligible for this analysis. In the study cohort, there were 1889 antegrade CFA punctures closed with the device in 1626 (87.6%) patients compared to 278 retrograde punctures sealed in 229 (12.4%) patients. The complications from the antegrade CFA punctures were compared to those from retrograde closure and manual compression. RESULTS: The success rate for achieving hemostasis after antegrade and retrograde Angio-Seal placement was 97.9% and 97.8%, respectively. Major complications following antegrade Angio-Seal deployment, retrograde Angio-Seal deployment, and manual compression occurred in 20/1889 (1.1%), 5/278 (1.8%), and 4/205 (2.0%) cases, respectively. All complications developed within 24 hours of the procedure. No further complications were recorded in the 18-month follow-up (range 1-36). The overall complication rates after antegrade puncture closure, retrograde puncture closure, and manual compression at 30 days was 2.5%, 4.0%, and 4.9%, respectively (p = NS). CONCLUSION: This retrospective study shows that the 6-F Angio-Seal is a valuable and safe vascular closure device for percutaneous transfemoral antegrade access in diabetic patients undergoing interventional procedures for CLI.

[Ultrasonography and fluoroscopy-guided insertion of subcutaneous intravenous infusion port. Prospective study over 120 patients]. / Insertion des chambres à catheter implantables sous guidage echographique et scopique. Etude prospective portant sur 120 cas.

GOAL: We compare our results of a prospective study, on 120 totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAP) inserted at angiographic unit, under ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance, with those of the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 120 AP data, placed under ultrasound and fluoroscopic control for chemotherapy treatment, were prospectively analyzed. The detailed technique of insertion is noted. Data related to the technical success rate and to complications were classified into major, minor, early or late, according to the recommendations of the interventional radiology society. RESULTS: The technical success rate is 100% with no major complication noted. Eight (6.6%) TIVAP were withdrawn because of infection in 4 cases (33%), and end of treatment in the other four. The withdrawals took place in chemotherapy clinics. Three (25%) are classified as early infections, within two months of the procedure, two of which were associated to wound non-healing. Four patients (33%) presented early minor complications (hematoma surrounding TIVAP insertion site). CONCLUSION: Our results correspond to previously published data. The insertion of AP at the angiographic unit under ultrasound and fluoroscopic control has lower risk of complications and a success rate higher than that being inserted following anatomical location. Collaboration with a specialized care nurses team is of paramount importance.

Original report. Late myocardial enhancement in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Contrast-enhanced MR imaging has great clinical value as a means of characterizing myocardial tissue in patients with ischemic heart disease. The purpose of our study was to evaluate use of this technique in the assessment of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: On late-enhancement MR imaging, the various types or patterns of enhancement found in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are related to differences in morphology and regional function. Enhancement in hypertrophied areas likely reflects the presence of abundant connective tissue, foci of myocardial necrosis, or a combination of both.