Outpatient angioplasty and stenting facilitated by percutaneous arterial suture closure devices.

AIM: To review our practice of outpatient percutaneous vascular interventions facilitated by an arterial suture device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients attending this tertiary centre for iliac or femoral intervention was undertaken between February 2001 and December 2004. All patients who underwent angioplasty or stenting had their puncture sites closed using a Perclose suture. Patients were kept flat for 15min and allowed to fully mobilize at 60min. Puncture sites were scored for visible bruising, haematoma and pain at discharge and on outpatient follow-up. Patient preference for future outpatient treatment was assessed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven outpatients underwent 81 punctures. Forty-eight (84%) patients underwent iliac angioplasty; of those 42% underwent stent placement. Six patients (10%) required inpatient admission, five secondary to failed suture deployment. One patient had a non-closer-related puncture site intimal flap occlusion successfully repaired at surgery. Fifty-one (90%) patients discharged with a mean time of 157min (60-280min). Forty-six (92%) patients had no visible bruising or palpable haematoma on discharge. No patient had a haematoma greater than 2.5cm. No discharged patient required readmission. Thirty percent reported a moderate to severe groin pain score (2-5/5) at discharge, increasing to 40% at follow-up. Forty-seven (98%) of the 48 patients, who expressed a preference, would be happy to undergo outpatient treatment again. CONCLUSION: Outpatient treatment is feasible, well tolerated and preferable to patients, but 10% will require inpatient admission. A planned post-procedure analgesia regimen or advice should be considered.

Incidence and effect of bare suprarenal stent struts crossing renal ostia following EVAR.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence and effect of bare stent struts crossing the renal ostia following endovascular aortic aneurysm repair with the Talent stent-graft is not known. The study aims to establish the incidence in which bare stent struts cross the renal ostia and to assess any associated effects on renal function. METHODS: Fifty-five patients (51 men, mean age 73 years, range 57-90) who had endovascular repair of their abdominal aortic aneurysms with a Talent suprarenal stent-graft were included in the study. Patients were scanned at a variety of follow-up periods (median 24 months, range 3-102). The relationship between the bare stent struts and the renal ostia, together with renal function were retrospectively recorded. The presence and location of the bare stent struts was assessed using CT virtual intravascular endoscopy (CT VIE). Struts were defined as being absent, peripherally located or in the central channel of the renal ostia. Renal function was assessed from glomerular filtration rates (GFR) derived from serum creatinine levels and the Cockcroft and Gault formula. RESULTS: A total of 109 renal ostia were evaluated by CT VIE with one patient having a previous nephrectomy. Bare stent struts crossed 1 renal ostium in 22 (40%) patients and bilateral ostia in 5 (9%) patients. Of the 109 ostia assessed, 15 (14%) ostia were crossed centrally and 17 (16%) had struts crossing the ostium peripherally. There were no statistically significant differences in the change between pre-operative GFR and latest GFR in the group without any strut involvement (6 mLs/min +/- 7 mLs/min) and the group with struts crossing one or both renal ostia (2 mLs/min +/- 9 mLs/min; p > .05). CONCLUSION: Peripheral or central coverage of renal ostia by bare stent struts occurs in a third of all renal arteries following EVAR. Crossing of renal ostia by bare stent struts does not affect follow-up GFR.

Endovascular management of the carotid blowout syndrome.

Bleeding from the carotid artery or its branches ('carotid blowout') is a well recognized complication following treatment or recurrence of head and neck cancer. The traditional surgical treatment for carotid blowout is often technically difficult and is associated with an unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. The majority of such patients are currently treated conservatively with end of life supportive measures. We report the case of a young patient with recurrent supraglottic carcinoma complicated by carotid blowout on two separate occasions over a five month period, which was successfully treated endovascularly under local anaesthetic, without neurological sequelae. With the continuing development of interventional radiology, endovascular techniques are now emerging as a viable, low morbidity treatment option in selected patients.

Patterns, incidence and predictive factors for pain after interventional radiology.

AIM: To evaluate prospectively the pattern, severity and predictive factors of pain after interventional radiological procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients undergoing non-arterial radiological interventional procedures were assessed using a visual-analogue scale (VAS) for pain before and at regular intervals for 24 h after their procedure. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty patients (87 men, mean age 62 years, range 18-92 years) were entered into the study. Significant increases in VAS score occurred 8 h after percutaneous biliary procedures (+47.7 mm, SD 14.9 mm; p=0.001), 6 h after central venous access and gastrostomy insertion (+23.7 mm, SD 19.5 mm; p=0.001 and +28.4 mm, SD 9.7 mm; p=0.007, respectively) and 4h after oesophageal stenting (+27.8 mm, SD 20.2 mm, p=0.001). Non-significant increases in VAS pain score were observed after duodenal and colonic stenting (duodenal: +5.13 mm, SD 7.47 mm; p=0.055, colonic: +23.3 mm, SD 13.10 mm, p=0.250) at a mean of 5h (range 4-6h). Patients reported a significant reduction in pain score for nephrostomy insertion (-28.4mm, SD 7.11 mm, p=0.001). Post-procedural analgesia was required in 99 patients (69.2%), 40 (28.0%) requiring opiates. Maximum post-procedural VAS pain score was significantly higher in patients who had no pre-procedural analgesia (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Post-procedural pain is common and the pattern and severity of pain between procedures is variable. Pain control after interventional procedures is often inadequate, and improvements in pain management are required.

A cross-site vascular radiology on-call service: the Manchester experience.

AIM: A cross-site vascular radiology on-call service was established 5 years ago to cover two vascular centres in Manchester. We aimed to review the service. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective audit of out-of hours referrals and procedures over a three month period (March-May 2003) was undertaken. RESULTS: There were 52 incidents in 49 patients (mean 4 calls per week). Nine involved telephone advice only, the remainder (82%) required a procedure. Angiography was performed on 88% of patients and therapeutic radiological intervention on 50%. 71% of calls occurred at a weekend. 50% of the calls were from vascular surgery and 50% from other sources. The consultant vascular radiologist was present for 93% of procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The workload suggests that a vascular radiology on call service is justified in Manchester. There have been no major problems with its implementation and operation. This is a consultant led service, with very few cases being devolved to a specialist registrar (SpR).

Early mobilization following angioplasty.

AIM: To assess the incidence of puncture site complications in in-patients undergoing early mobilization following angioplasty with a view to performing day case angioplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients undergoing peripheral and renal angioplasty using a sheath size of up to 6 French were recruited prospectively. The mobilization protocol consisted of supine bed rest for 2 h, followed by gradual mobilization, so that the patient was ambulant 4 h after the procedure. Mobilization was delayed if clinically appropriate. Puncture sites were scored for discomfort, paraesthesia, visible bruising and palpable haematoma after groin compression and the following morning. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-four puncture sites were studied. There were 44 haematomas in total, of which 37 (26%) were less than 2.5 cm and seven (4.9%) were between 2.5 cm and 7.5 cm. Four patients (2.8%) had visible bruising greater than 7.5 cm. No patient assessed discomfort higher than moderate at any stage. Mobilization was delayed in 15 patients. In 11 this was due to puncture site oozing, haematoma in one, two were hypertensive and one required surgery for limb ischaemia. All complications occurred within 4 h of angioplasty. No patient required surgery or transfusion for haemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSION: Mobilization at 4 h was successful in 90% of cases but 10% require more prolonged bed rest. No delayed complications occurred. These results suggest that day case angioplasty is feasible in most cases.Butterfield, J. S. (2000). Clinical Radiology55, 874-877

A comparison of bolus chasing and static digital subtraction arteriography in peripheral vascular disease.

The purpose of this study was to compare the techniques of bolus chasing angiography (BCA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). 75 patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease were randomly assigned to have their lower limbs examined by BCA or DSA. Dose-area product (DAP), time of examination and dose of contrast medium were measured. Staff doses were measured with personal electronic dosemeters. Image quality was assessed from the laser printed images. DSA produced better images of vessels below the inguinal ligament, particularly the crural vessels (1/76 vs 17/74 non-diagnostic examinations, p < 0.00001) but at a higher DAP (median 53.8 Gy cm2 vs 18.9 Gy cm2, p < 0.01). Contrast medium dose was higher with BCA (29.8 gI2 vs 25.3 gI2, p < 0.01). Staff doses per unit patient dose were 2.3-3.3 times higher with BCA than DSA. Because of the poor long-term prognosis of patients with peripheral vascular disease, the improved image quality obtained by DSA justifies the increased radiation dose.

Result of angioplasty of brescia-cimino haemodialysis fistulae: medium-term follow-up.

AIM: To determine the results of transluminal angioplasty in patients with Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistulae. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients underwent transluminal angioplasty of 36 stenotic lesions related to Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistulae over a 5-year period. The lesions treated were characterized by review of pre-angioplasty fistulograms. Medical and radiological records were reviewed to assess medium-term patency of each patient's fistula. RESULTS: Angioplasty was performed successfully in 28 out of 31 patients initially (90% technical success rate). Duration of follow-up for the 31 patients ranged from 4 to 65 months (median = 34 months). At 6 months, seven patients required further surgical or endovascular intervention (18 patients remained event-free) and at 1 year, 10 patients required further endovascular or surgical intervention (14 patients remained event-free). Life-table analysis revealed primary patency rates of 77%, 64% and 39% at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years, respectively. At 6 months and 1 year, four and five patients, respectively, required surgical revision or closure of fistula. Secondary patency rates were 85%, 81% and 65% at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years, respectively. All patients with a primary patency at 2 years remained event-free during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Transluminal angioplasty is an effective treatment for stenoses developed in relation to Brescia-Cimino haemodialysis fistulae. Further endovascular procedures may be required, especially in the first 24 months, to preserve patency. These techniques extend the lifetime of fistulae, thereby preserving proximal venous access sites for future use. Our result is in broad agreement with results from other series.

Technical note: inspiration or expiration? Reducing motion artefact in digital subtraction arch angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries.

100 consecutive patients underwent digital subtraction aortic arch angiography for suspected carotid bifurcation disease. Patients were prospectively randomized to suspend respiration in inspiration or expiration during image acquisition. Images were assessed qualitatively as "excellent", "adequate" or "poor". 92 studies were available for review. Adequate and poor groups were combined into a non-excellent group due to the small numbers that were scored poor. There were 27 (53%) excellent, 24 (47%) non-excellent in the expiration group and 12 (29%) excellent, 29 (71%) non-excellent in the inspiration group. Analysis of angiogram scores gave chi 2(1) = 4.3; p = 0.038, indicating that the higher angiogram scores of the expiration group were statistically significant. Pixel shifting was used in 61 cases (66.3%). The proportion was 34.4% lower in the expiration group (95% CI; 17-52%) with chi 2(1) = 10.5; p = 0.0012 indicating that the reduction in the use of pixel shifting for the expiration group was statistically significant. The superiority of arch angiograms obtained with the patient suspending respiration in expiration rather than inspiration has been demonstrated. This was achieved with significantly reduced use of pixel shifting, encouraging greater confidence in the validity of the angiographic findings. The technique is free of cost or time implications.

False aortic aneurysm presenting as sciatic nerve root pain.

Neurological symptoms and signs are rarely the only presenting feature of abdominal aortic aneurysm. We present a patient presenting with sciatic nerve root pain due to a large false aneurysm in iliopsoas.

Fibromuscular hyperplasia of the internal carotid artery. A further cause of the 'moyamoya' collateral circulation.

Fibromuscular hyperplasia is a rare cause of internal carotid artery occlusion. We present a case where long stenoses of both internal carotid arteries were associated with terminal carotid occlusions and a ruptured basilar aneurysm.

Case report: unilateral hydronephrosis following obstruction of the inferior vena cava by tumour thrombus.

Venous compression of the ureter is a rare cause of hydronephrosis. We report a case where invasion of the inferior vena cava by a renal carcinoma led to dilation of the ovarian vein and ureteric obstruction.