Ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous thrombin injection for stoma-site bleeding after PEG tube insertion: a case series and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Post-gastrostomy bleeding sequelae are acknowledged, with reported approaches focusing on conservative measures or surgical repair. Nonetheless, Percutaneous Thrombin Injections (PTI) role in PEG-site-related bleeding remains underexplored. PTI under ultrasound guidance is an advocated management strategy for stoma-site bleeding following gastrostomy in high-risk patients, particularly those on direct oral anticoagulants. CASE PRESENTATION: This study presents three cases with multiple comorbidities who underwent PTI. Resulting in immediate resolution of bleeding, no systemic\local effect, and no reported complications or rebleeding after a 3-6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the safety, direct complete resolution, and absence of sequelae associated with PTI, suggesting its potential as a promising technique in managing PEG stoma-related bleeding.

Sharp recanalization of peripheral arterial chronic total occlusions.

Peripheral arterial chronic total occlusions (CTOs) usually have calcified caps at either ends. When attempting endovascular recanalization, these calcified CTO caps may prevent the interventionist in crossing the lesion with conventional catheter and guidewire techniques. Using specialized CTO devices or re-entry devices can help crossing the CTO, but such devices are usually expensive, not always readily available and require specialist training prior to usage."Sharp recanalization" is an alternative method of crossing the CTOs. If it is not possible to cross the CTO with conventional catheter and guidewire technique, one can take out the floppy end of the guidewire and use the stiff or the "sharp" end of the guidewire to break the hard CTO cap. Once the CTO cap is broken, the stiff end is replaced by the floppy end of the guidewire again to proceed with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting.In order to safely use the sharp recanalization technique while minimizing the risk of perforation, sharp recanalization should only be attempted once conventional methods have failed. The interventionist should plan sharp recanalization with the vascular path in mind and decide in advance how far s/he will proceed. It can be helpful to set a time limit together with the intervention team, past which the sharp recanalization attempt will be abandoned. Using straight catheters can help directing the stiff guidewire tip to the center of the vascular lumen and reduce the risk of sub intimal dissection or arterial wall perforation.

Prognostic Significance of Aneurysm Sac Shrinkage After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.

Purpose: To investigate whether patients who develop aneurysm sac shrinkage following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) have better outcomes than patients with a stable or increased aneurysm sac. Materials and Methods: The Healthcare Databases Advanced Search interface developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence was used to interrogate MEDLINE and EMBASE. Thesaurus headings were adapted accordingly. Case-control studies were identified comparing outcomes in patients demonstrating aneurysm sac shrinkage after EVAR with those of patients with a stable or expanded aneurysm sac. Pooled estimates of dichotomous outcome data were calculated using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Meta-analysis of time-to-event data was conducted using the inverse-variance method; the results are reported as a summary hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI. Summary outcome estimates were calculated using random-effects models. Results: Eight studies were included in quantitative synthesis reporting a total of 17,096 patients (8518 patients with sac shrinkage and 8578 patients without sac shrinkage). The pooled incidence of sac shrinkage at 12 months was 48% (95% CI 40% to 56%). Patients with aneurysm sac shrinkage had a significantly lower hazard of death (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.87), secondary interventions (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.62), and late complications (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.56) than patients with a stable or increased aneurysm sac. Furthermore, their odds of rupture were significantly lower than those in patients without shrinkage (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.36). Conclusion: Sac regression is correlated to improved survival and a reduced rate of secondary interventions and EVAR-related complications. The prognostic significance of sac regression should be considered in surveillance strategies. Intensified surveillance should be applied in patients who fail to achieve sac regression following EVAR.

Prognostic significance of large diameter proximal aortic neck in endovascular aneurysm repair.

Background: Adverse morphological features of the proximal aortic neck have been identified as culprits for late failure after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Our objective was to investigate the prognostic role of wide proximal aortic neck in EVAR. Methods: We conducted a review of the literature in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify studies comparing outcomes of EVAR in patients with large versus small proximal aortic neck. A meta-analysis of time-to-event data was performed with the inverse-variance method and the results were reported as summary hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % CI. We applied random-effects models of meta-analysis. Results: We identified 9 observational studies reporting on a total of 7,682 patients (1,961 with large diameter and 5,721 with small diameter neck). The hazard of death (HR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.23-2.01; P = 0.0003), aneurysm-related reintervention (HR 2.06, 95 % CI 1.23-3.45; P = 0.006), type Ia endoleak (HR 6.69, 95 % CI 4.39-10.20; P < 0.001), sac expansion (HR 10.07, 95 % CI 1.80-56.53; P = 0.009), aneurysm rupture (HR 2.96, 95 % CI 2.00-4.38; P < 0.0001), and neck-related adverse events (HR 10.33, 95 % CI 4.95-21.56; P < 0.0001) was higher in patients with large diameter proximal aortic neck than in those with small neck. Conclusions: Patients with a large proximal aortic neck were found to have poorer outcomes than those with small neck. This finding has implications in decision making when selecting methods for aneurysm treatment and in EVAR surveillance for aneurysm-related complications in this cohort of patients.

Hybrid treatment of symptomatic carotid disease.

Hybrid treatment is a well reported technique for tandem carotid artery disease. Herein, we present a previously undescribed technique to facilitate safe passage of a guidewire via the inflow limb of the Pruitt-Inahara shunt in the proximal common carotid artery. This technique helps to obviate the risk of causing dissection or intimal damage during retrograde access and carotid stenting in hybrid carotid procedures.

Effect of Low Skeletal Muscle Mass on Post-operative Survival of Patients With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Prognostic Factor Review and Meta-Analysis of Time-to-Event Data.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Low psoas muscle mass is associated with increased mortality and morbidity after surgery. Recent evidence has linked low psoas muscle mass with survival after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic role of low skeletal muscle mass in survival of patients with AAA undergoing open or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). METHODS: A review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018107793). The prognostic factor of interest was degenerative loss of skeletal muscle. A time-to-event data meta-analysis was performed for all cause mortality using the inverse variance method and the results were reported as summary hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Pooled estimates of peri-operative outcome data were calculated using the odds ratio (OR) or risk difference (RD) and 95% CI. Random-effects models of meta-analysis were applied. RESULTS: Seven observational cohort studies reporting a total of 1,440 patients were eligible for quantitative synthesis. Patients with low skeletal muscle mass had a significantly higher hazard of mortality than those without low skeletal muscle mass (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.15-2.40; p = .007). Subgroup analysis including only patients who underwent EVAR showed a marginal survival benefit for patients without low skeletal muscle mass (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.00-3.43; p = .05). Meta-analysis of two studies found no significant difference in peri-operative mortality (RD 0.04, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.21) and morbidity (OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.90-2.76; p = .11) between patients with and without low skeletal muscle mass. CONCLUSION: There is a significant link between low skeletal muscle mass and mortality in patients undergoing AAA repair. Prospective studies validating the use of body composition for risk prediction after aortic surgery are required before this tool can be used to support decision making and patient selection.

Clinical Evaluation of the Cook Advance Enforcer 35 Focal-Force PTA Balloon Catheter for Treatment of Hemodialysis Fistula Stenoses: A Feasibility Study.

PURPOSE: A prospective, single-center, single-arm feasibility study evaluated procedural and short-term performance of the Advance Enforcer 35 focal-force percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon catheter in treating stenoses of mature native arteriovenous (AV) hemodialysis access circuits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients undergoing treatment for stenosis of a mature native AV hemodialysis access circuit were enrolled at a single institution. Angiographic assessments of the study lesion were required at baseline and after the procedure. Adjunctive procedures for significant residual stenosis were permitted, and patients had clinical and imaging follow-up for as long as 6 months. RESULTS: Treatment with the study balloon was effective in reducing the average percent diameter stenosis of the treated lesion from 66.3% (range, 43.8%-93.3%) before the procedure to 23.7% (range, -6.7% to 51.4%) after the procedure. The average inflation pressure required was 12.3 atm. Only 1 patient required an adjunctive procedure, and all patients could resume normal dialysis following the study procedure. At 3 months, 62.0% of study lesions remained patent, and the 6-month patency rate was 25.1%. Two adverse events associated with the study procedure were reported: access-site hematoma and forearm pain (3.6% each). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate safety of the study balloon in treating AV access stenosis. Nominal-diameter angioplasty was achieved at relatively low pressure in most study patients without the use of adjunctive procedures, and resumption of normal dialysis was achieved for all patients.

An interesting finding of multiple calcified pulmonary nodules in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Calcified pulmonary (lung parenchymal) densities can occur in a number of conditions. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis presented with new right lung base nodules and left long base soft-tissue densities on his chest X-ray. These findings did not exist on his chest X-ray performed 2 years earlier. A subsequent thoracic CT scan showed multiple pleural-based irregular nodules of soft-tissue density that were partially calcified. There was also mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. Following a discussion at the respiratory multidisciplinary team meeting, a CT-guided nodal biopsy was performed that showed necrotic lung tissue with palisaded histiocytes and fibrosis with chronic inflammation. No vasculitis or granulomata were seen and no there was evidence of malignancy. Appearances were consistent with a rheumatoid nodule. No mycobacteria or fungi were seen on Ziehl-Neelsen, Wade-Fite or periodic acid-Schiff stains. We concluded that this patient had unusual calcified rheumatoid lung nodules. Previously, calcified pulmonary nodules have been reported in the setting of Caplan's syndrome in miners.