Bilateral visual disturbances caused by a glomus vagale: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: A glomus vagale tumor is an infrequent paraganglioma primarily characterized by auditory symptoms, cranial nerve involvement, or autonomic symptoms. However, visual involvement is not commonly observed, and to date, no cases have been reported in the literature. OBSERVATIONS: The case involves a 62-year-old female patient with a history of right carotid body tumor resection. She presented to the emergency department with a sudden decrease in visual acuity and bitemporal hemianopsia, accompanied by a left parietal headache. Initial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a pituitary macroadenoma, which was completely resected. However, postoperatively, the patient developed left amaurosis. Subsequent brain MRI showed the presence of hemostatic material mixed with blood in the sellar region, causing displacement of the optic chiasm. A repeat intervention was performed, identifying bleeding from both cavernous sinuses. Head and neck angiography demonstrated a right glomus vagale tumor with abundant blood drainage into the right cavernous sinus. Embolization of the glomus vagale tumor was performed, resulting in no further bleeding and improvement of symptoms. LESSONS: The aim of this case report is to describe a rare occurrence of bilateral visual disturbances caused by bleeding in both cavernous sinuses due to venous hypertension caused by a right glomus vagale tumor.

Dialysis access graft occlusion with contrast and ultrasound guided thrombin injection for intractable arm edema and pseudoaneurysm.

We present the case of a patient with a brachio-basilic graft forearm loop with intractable edema and thrombosed central veins. She showed up with an important edema after some effort and a previously thrombosed pseudoaneurysm with significant growth. She refused angioplasty treatment for central veins, the graft had not been used for dialysis during the last year, so that arteriovenous graft (AVG) ligation was considered. Due to local conditions thrombin percutaneous embolization was performed to avoid possible complications of a conventional surgery approach. AVG occlusion was done in 10 min by fluoroscopy and ultrasound guidance. In 24 h the patient was significantly better and after 1 week she had no edema at all. There were no complications and no recanalization was observed after 3 months. Percutaneous thrombin embolization is a safe and effective technique for AVG occlusion in case of intractable arm edema with central vein thrombosis, and most likely to be considered in other situations where arteriovenous graft or fistula ligature is needed.

Effects of different routes of administration and doses of Sulodexide on leukocyte-endothelium interaction and tissue perfusion on an animal model of low flow and high pressure in veins.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of different doses and routes of Sulodexide on leukocyte-endothelium interaction and tissue perfusion in a model of venous hypertension and low blood flow. METHODS: Six weeks after venous hypertension induction, through external iliac vein ligature male hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) received Sulodexide at 1, 2, or 4 mg/kg/day or saline (placebo) by subcutaneous or intramuscular routes during 2 or 4 weeks. After treatments, leukocyte rolling and adhesion, functional capillary density (FCD), and venular diameter were evaluated on the affected hindlimb. RESULTS: Subcutaneous and intramuscular treatments with Sulodexide after 2 and 4 weeks, significantly reduced leukocyte rolling and adhesion and increased FCD. Sulodexide did not affect venular diameter and intramuscular treatment was more effective in reducing leukocyte adhesion than the subcutaneous one. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study demonstrated that Sulodexide significantly decreased leukocyte-endothelium interaction and improved tissue perfusion in hamsters subjected to venous hypertension and low blood flow.

One-Year First-in-Human Success for VenoValve in Treating Patients With Severe Deep Venous Insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical outcomes of this first-in-human (FIH) study provide safety and performance results 1 year after implantation of the VenoValve. BACKGROUND: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is most often caused by valve failure in the venous system, which circulates blood from the lower limbs back to the heart and lungs. Severe diseases significantly influence quality of life, and current treatment options are limited. This study provides 1-year patient outcomes from 11 patients implanted with the VenoValve for treatment of severe deep venous CVI in C5 and C6 patients. Earlier results from 6-month follow-ups were previously published. METHODS: This prospective FIH study assessed the safety and performance of the VenoValve surgically implanted in 11 patients with C5 and C6 disease. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Assessments for adverse events, reflux time, disease severity, pain scores, and quality of life were reported. RESULTS: Implantation of VenoValve into the deep femoral vein was successful in all patients. Adverse events included 1 hematoma, 3 superficial wound infections, and 1 bleeding complication due to over-anticoagulation. One VenoValve became occluded due to patient non-compliance with anticoagulation medication. One-year clinical outcomes included significant decreases in mean reflux times (54%), and significant improvements in mean disease severity revised venous clinical severity score (56%), mean visual analog scale pain scores (76%), and Venous Insufficiency Epidemiologic and Economic Study QOL/sym scores. CONCLUSIONS: The promising results from this FIH study demonstrate sustained safety and effectiveness of the VenoValve at 1 year post-implantation, and support further study for its use as a novel treatment for severe, deep venous CVI caused by valvular incompetence. A pivotal, prospective, non-blinded, single-arm, multi-center study in the United States with seventy-five (75) patients is in progress to assess the safety and effectiveness of VenoValve in these patients through 30 days and 6 months. The clinical trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier: NCT04943172 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04943172?term=hancock+jaffe&draw=2&rank=1).

Do the Different Types of Pulmonary Hypertension Cause the Same Effect on Right Heart and Serum Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine Levels in Female Patients?

ABSTRACT Objective: Right-heart function is a major determinant of clinical outcome in patients with elevated pulmonary artery pressure due to pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. This study aimed to evaluate if different types of pulmonary hypertension (PH) would cause the same effect on right-heart functions and serum ADMA levels in female patients. Methods: This study included patients with PAH as group I, patients with PVH due to mitral stenosis (mitral valve area ≤ 1.5 cm2, without any additional valve or left-heart disease and systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 50 mmHg in transthoracic echocardiography) as group II, and healthy control subjects as group III. Transthorasic echocardiographic evaluations for right-heart functions were performed according to the guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography. Venous blood samples were collected, and the serum ADMA concentrations were obtained with the ELISA kit (DRG® International Inc., Springfield, NJ, USA). Results: Patients in groups I and II had higher ADMA levels than healthy control subjects. Right-atrium area and dimensions, right-ventricular (RV) volumes, grade of tricuspid regurgitation, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, RV wall thickness, and RV outflow tract diameters were significantly higher in group I patients than in group II patients. Right-ventricular myocardial performance index was lower, and RV fractional area change and tricuspid valve systolic tissue Doppler velocity were higher in group II patients than in group I patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that both PAH and PVH caused increase in right-heart dimensions and impairment in right-heart functions.

Tratamiento exitoso de lipodermatoesclerosis aguda con doxiciclina: reporte de diez casos / Successful treatment of acute lipodermatosclerosis with doxycycline: report of ten cases

Resumen La doxiciclina, una tetraciclina semisintética de segunda generación, ampliamente usada para el tratamiento de patologías dermatológicas por sus propiedades antimicrobianas, ha demostrado en varios estudios experimentales sus acciones como un potente fármaco antiinflamatorio, aprobado por estas características por la FDA como una terapia complementaria en la periodontitis del adulto, así como en el tratamiento de la forma papulopustulosa de la rosácea. Se describen además en la literatura otras indicaciones para procesos inflamatorios, tales como, calcinosis cutis, vasculitis livedoide, patologías ampollares, entre otras. Se presenta una serie de 10 pacientes con lipodermatoesclerosis que presentaron una respuesta eficaz a su patología al recibir tratamiento con doxiciclina durante 3 meses, destacando de esta forma su eficacia terapéutica, accesibilidad y baja asociación a efectos adversos.

Abstract Doxycycline, a second generation semi-synthetic tetracycline, widely used for the treatment of dermatological diseases for its antimicrobial effects, has shown in many clinical studies its actions as a powerful anti-inflammatory drug. Approved by the FDA as a complementary therapy in adult periodontitis, and of the papulopustular form of rosacea. In addition, other indications for inflammatory processes are described in the literature, such as calcinosis cutis, livedoid vasculitis, blistering pathologies, among others. We present a series of 10 patients with lipodermatosclerosis who presented an effective response to their pathology when receiving treatment with doxycycline for 3 months. Its therapeutic efficacy, accessibility and low association with adverse effects are highlighted.

Dural sinus malformation with giant pouch (DSMGP): symptoms and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the clinical manifestations and treatment options of patients having dural sinus malformation with giant pouch (DSMGP) in a tertiary pediatric center. INTRODUCTION: Dural sinus malformation with giant pouch (DSMGP) is a rare vascular malformation affecting fetuses, newborns, and infants. It is characterized by a dilated dural sinus frequently thrombosed with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in its wall. There is a few information about symptoms, best treatment, and prognosis of the disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical charts of cases of DSMGP were retrospectively analyzed from January 2010 to January 2019. Our hospital is a pediatric tertiary center. An adult patient managed by the authors in another institution was added to the series. RESULTS: Eight pediatric patients from 0 to 9 months were managed, four were males. The adult patient was a 40-year-old male. Symptoms were mass effect in 4 pediatric cases. Exophthalmos was present in the pediatric case and adult case. Both cases had venolymphatic malformation of the orbit. Congestive heart failure (CHF), epistaxis and facial vein engorgement, and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were the symptoms in other 3 cases. A child has spontaneous resolution of the disease. DISCUSSION: Transverse sinus and superior sagittal sinus are affected more commonly. Patients with totally thrombosed pouch had mass effect symptoms. These cases were managed by surgical excision. When AVFs are present, clinical manifestations were secondary to cerebral venous hypertension or cardiac overload. If cavernous sinus drained the shunt (capture), epistaxis and facial veins engorgement could be present. AVFs are amenable to embolization, achieving the control of venous hypertension in most cases. Cavernous malformation could be present and must be controlled because its enlargement could be a sign of uncontrolled venous hypertension. On the other hand, DSMGP can be accompanied by venolymphatic malformation conforming a cerebral venous metameric syndrome.

Micronized Purified Flavonoid Fraction (MPFF) for Patients Suffering from Chronic Venous Disease: A Review of New Evidence.

Chronic venous disease (CVD) is both prevalent and unavoidable in many people as a result of persistent or unalterable risk factors, the most important of which are advanced age, excess body weight, and family history. Given this inevitability, medical treatment is required to alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression. Venoactive drug therapy is emerging as a valuable treatment option for many CVD patients and micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) is the most widely prescribed and well-studied venoactive drug available. Recent evidence from animal models of venous hypertension and from clinical trials, as well as from systematic reviews, shows that MPFF is effective at alleviating many of the most common symptoms of CVD including leg pain, leg heaviness, sensations of swelling, cramps, and functional discomfort. In addition, MPFF improves the clinical signs of redness, skin changes, and edema, and improves quality of life. Collectively, these findings support the strong recommendation for MPFF treatment found in the 2018 international guidelines for the management of CVD.Funding: Servier.

A new combined operative technique using crossed inguinal lymphatic rescue for pediatric patients with mixed lymphatic and venous malformations.

Truncular venous malformations and acquired functional or anatomical venous occlusions (or sub-occlusions) can be the cause of secondary lymphedema and even the cause of primary lymphedema when they are associated with lymphatic malformations (lymphangiodysplasia - LAD I, lymphadenodysplasia - LAD II, or a combination of both) in pediatric patients. This understanding recognizes the shared and successive embryogenesis of both systems. These conditions can exhibit hypertension in the venous pedicles intended for lymph-venous anastomosis, and this finding would be a formal contraindication to the procedure. However, this hypertension is a rarely considered condition and is not commonly identified. As a technique to solve this problem, we have combined Nielubowicz, Olszewski, Campisi, and Palma's proposals and created a lymph-venous anastomosis from the side with lymphedema and venous hypertension (lymphatic donor and venous recipient) with an internal suprapubic saphenous venous bridge (from the normal side to the lymphedematous side with venous hypertension) to enable a crossed inguinal lymphatic/venous rescue. We believe this newly synthesized approach will allow better clinical care of pediatric patients with complex and combined lymphatic-venous malformations and is worthy of further investigation.

Endovascular treatment of occlusive central venous disease: one center's experience / Tratamento endovascular da doença venosa oclusiva central: experiência de um centro

INTRODUCTION: The majority of cases of stenosis or occlusion of central veins are the result of central catheters, arteriovenous fistulas, neoplasms or traumas and these conditions can cause severe cases of venous hypertension or reduce the flow through fistulas. The objective of this study is to analyze the results of central venous angioplasties conducted at our hospital. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study to analyze the results of central venous angioplasties conducted from 2010 to 2012 at a university hospital run by the Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil. We calculated primary and secondary success rates and analyzed whether or not stents were used and complications occurred during a 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 25 central venous angioplasties were conducted. Twenty-four (96%) of these were because of catheter-related intimal hyperplasia and one was to treat the effects of compression by a tumor. Fifteen (60%) angioplasties were to correct stenosis and ten (40%) were because of occlusions, with a one-hundred percent success rate for all stenosis-related procedures. However, none of the cases of occlusion could be treated endovascularly. Patency during the 6-months follow-up period was 80% after reinterventions. CONCLUSIONS: Despite good results observed after primary interventions for stenoses, it must be accepted that all current treatment options for chronic occlusive venous disease will, sooner or later, lead to restenosis or occlusion. Venous occlusions constitute a challenge demanding the development of new techniques and new materials. Prevention is paramount, through avoidance of central catheterization and early creation of arteriovenous fistulas...

INTRODUÇÃO: A estenose ou a oclusão de veias centrais ocorre, na maioria das vezes, em consequência de catéteres centrais, fístulas arteriovenosas, neoplasias e traumas, podendo levar a quadros severos de hipertensão venosa e de redução do débito dessas fístulas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar os resultados obtidos nas angioplastias venosas centrais em nosso hospital. METODOLOGIA: Realizamos um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, analisando os resultados obtidos nas angioplastias venosas centrais realizadas no Hospital Universitário da Universidade Estadual de Londrina durante os anos de 2010 a 2012. Verificamos as taxas de sucesso primário e secundário, a utilização ou não de stents e as complicações, analisadas durante um período de acompanhamento de seis meses. RESULTADOS: Foram realizadas 25 angioplastias venosas centrais, sendo 24 (96%) por hiperplasia intimal relacionada ao uso de catéteres e uma por compressão tumoral. Destas, 15 (60%) eram estenoses e dez (40%) eram oclusões, obtendo-se sucesso primário técnico em todos os procedimentos relacionados à estenose. Contudo, nenhum caso de oclusão pode ser tratado por via endovascular. No acompanhamento de seis meses, após reintervenções, observamos perviedade de 80%. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar dos bons resultados observados nas intervenções primárias sobre as estenoses, indiscutivelmente todas as opções atuais para o tratamento da doença venosa oclusiva crônica irão levar, precoce ou tardiamente, à reestenose ou à oclusão. As oclusões venosas constituem uma incitação para o desenvolvimento de novas técnicas e novos materiais. A prevenção assume papel preponderante, com redução da implantação de catéteres...