Prognostic interaction between age and sex on outcomes following carotid endarterectomy.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic interaction between age and sex on peri-operative and follow-up outcomes following elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis. Patients and methods: A retrospective review of all patients admitted to a single vascular unit who underwent elective CEA between January, 2015 and December, 2019 was performed. The primary endpoints of the study were overall survival (from index operation) and cumulative stroke rate at thirty days. Results: A total of 383 consecutive patients were included in this study; of these 254 (66.4%) were males. At baseline, males were younger (mean age 73.4±11 vs. 76.3±10 years, p=.01) and with lower proportion of octogenarians (20.4% vs. 28.7%, p=.05). The rate of stroke in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (males vs. females) were as follows: a) whole cohort 1.9% vs. 2% (p=1.00) and 2.7% vs. 1.3% (p=.66), respectively; b) ≥80 years old 3.7% vs. 0% (p=1.00) and 4% vs. 5.9% (p=1.00), respectively; c) <80 years old 1.2% vs. 3.3% (p=.47) and 2.5% vs. 0% (p=.55), respectively. The 3-year survival estimates were significantly lower for males (84% vs. 92%, p=.03). After stratification by age groups, males maintained inferior survival rates in the strata aged <80 years (85% vs. 97%, p=.005), while no differences were seen in the strata aged ≥80 years (82% vs. 79%, p=.92). Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards, age (HR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.29-3.3, p=.002) and male gender (HR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.16-5.5, p=.02) were associated with increased hazards of all-cause mortality. Conclusions: In this study of elective CEA for asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis, similar peri-operative neurologic outcomes were found in both males and females irrespective of age. Despite being usually older, females have superior long-term survival rates.

Natural History, Diagnosis, and Management of Type II Endoleaks after Endovascular Aortic Repair: Review and Update.

Endoleaks (ELs), defined as continued perfusion of the aneurysm sac despite stent-graft deployment, are the most common adverse event after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and account for most of the reinterventions. Type 2 EL (T2EL), caused by backflow of collateral arteries into the aneurysm sac, are the most frequently encountered and may account for the need for secondary interventions after EVAR in up to 40% of the cases. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging may be better able to quantify and characterize low-flow T2EL as compared with computed tomography angiography. Support for conservative management of T2EL derives from the relatively high percentage of T2EL that will resolve spontaneously over a variable period (more than 30%) and the estimated low risk of post-EVAR rupture secondary to isolated T2EL (less than 1%). Current guidelines are that a conservative approach is appropriate for isolated T2EL without sac expansion while intervention is recommended when sac enlargement of ≥10 mm as compared with pre-EVAR is detected. Although generally safe, secondary interventions for T2EL are often unsatisfactory since persistence and recurrence are commonly encountered problems and long-term follow-up is mandatory. Further investigation is required to determine the factors associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm progression in the presence of isolated T2EL and the most cost-effective technique to manage this complication.

Hypogastric Artery Occlusion with Evoked Potentials Monitoring as Bailout Technique to Assess the Risk of Postoperative Spinal Cord Ischemia.

A 65-year-old man, with previous open surgical repair of an infrarenal abdominal aortic, presented with acute complicated (paraplegia) Type B aortic dissection. He successfully underwent endovascular repair of the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta. Following the procedure, the neurological manifestations resolved. As he had a concomitant aneurysm of the right hypogastric artery (HGA), we executed a 10-minute balloon occlusion of this artery with evoked potential measurements to assess the risk of spinal cord ischemia after exclusion of the right HGA. The examination was interpreted as negative, and we proceeded with coil embolization of the right HGA and subsequent placement of an endograft landing distally within the external iliac artery. The postoperative course was totally uneventful, and the patient was discharged home 4 days after the operation. Computed tomography angiography follow-up at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months showed patency of all endografts without any signs of endoleak and effective remodeling of the descending thoracic aorta with volume reduction of the false lumen.

Coverage of visible intercostal and lumbar segmental arteries can predict the volume of cerebrospinal fluid drainage in elective endovascular repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic disease: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to identify anatomical and physiological factors that could predict the amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage in patients undergoing elective endovascular repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic disease. METHODS: All consecutive elective endovascular procedures performed for descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease between January 2015 and December 2017 were included in the study. Routine use of CSF drainage was established in all patients. The goal of drainage was to reach a spinal fluid pressure of 10-12 mmHg by draining in 5-15-ml aliquots. The number of visible intercostal and lumbar segmental arteries (SAs) was evaluated before and after endovascular repair. The covering ratio of SAs was calculated as covered preoperative SAs/total preoperative SAs. RESULTS: Twenty-four consecutive patients were included in the final analysis. The indication for the intervention was a descending thoracic aneurysm in 13 cases, a thoracoabdominal aneurysm in 4 cases and a chronic type B dissection in 7 cases. The procedure performed was thoracic endovascular aortic repair in 20 cases and fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair in 4 cases. None of the patients developed spinal cord ischaemia. The mean volume of CSF drained was 46 ml. The mean length of aortic coverage was 231 mm. The mean number of total preoperative SAs and of covered preoperative SAs was, respectively, 22 and 9. The volume of CSF drained was significantly correlated with all these variables (length of aortic coverage, total visible SAs and covered SAs), but the most powerful correlation was individuated with the covering ratio of SAs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the percentage of intercostal and lumbar SAs covered by placement of a stent graft can predict the volume of CSF drained in patients undergoing elective endovascular repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic disease.

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Is Not Able to Identify Vulnerable Plaques in Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerotic Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been suggested as an imaging tool for detection of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease (ACAD) at high risk of cerebral embolisation. The objective of this study was to evaluate CEUS and immunohistochemical (IHC) patterns in ACAD (i.e., without any neurologic symptoms in the last 6 months) and their correlations with histology. METHODS: CEUS analysis was classified on a semiquantitative basis using a three-point classification scale. Plaque morphology was assessed using the American Heart Association (AHA) classification of atherosclerotic plaques, then accordingly assigned as non-vulnerable (AHA Type IV/V) or vulnerable (AHA Type VI). IHC analysis for intra-plaque neo-angiogenesis (IPN) was identified by CD34/VEGF immunostaining and classified on a semiquantitative basis using a four-point classification scale. Both CEUS and IHC analyses were performed and scored by single observers. RESULTS: Fifty-eight consecutive asymptomatic patients (mean age 73 years, 33 males) undergoing carotid endarterectomy were included in the final analysis. Nineteen had AHA Class IV/V plaques, and the remaining 39 had AHA Class VI plaques. There were two main findings of the study: (a) histologically proven vulnerable plaques compared with histologically proven non-vulnerable plaques had denser IPN (p = .004), but did not show more pronounced contrast enhancement; (b) the correlation between IHC analysis and CEUS analysis was significant for both vulnerable and non-vulnerable plaques (p = .04 and p = .01, respectively), but it was direct for AHA Type IV/V plaques and inverse for AHA Type VI plaques. CONCLUSIONS: The main findings of the study were that histologically proven vulnerable plaques (i.e., AHA Class VI) as compared with histologically proven non-vulnerable plaques (i.e., AHA Class IV/V) had denser neo-vascularisation, but not more pronounced contrast enhancement.