Transrenal Ureteral Occlusion for Palliation of Refractory Urine Leaks Using Vascular Plugs and Liquid Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol.

PURPOSE: To describe outcomes of transrenal embolization with vascular plugs and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) in a case series of patients with refractory urinary leak or fistula. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen ureteral occlusions performed over 53 months in 9 consecutive patients (56% female; mean age 61 y; range, 45-80 y) were reviewed retrospectively. The main indication was palliation for refractory fistula or leak in the setting of malignancy not responding to urine diversion by percutaneous nephrostomy tube or nephroureteral stent. Transrenal ureteral occlusion was performed using EVOH injected between vascular plugs placed distal and proximal to the leak or fistula. RESULTS: Technical success was 100%. Considerable reduction of urine leak or symptoms (clinical success) was achieved in 64% of ureters after mean follow-up of 105 days (range, 0-632 d). Complete ureteral occlusion on follow-up anterograde nephrostogram (imaging success) was achieved in 60% of ureters after mean follow-up of 139 days (range, 0-643 d). One patient with distal ureterovesical junction-perineal fistula had continued leak despite complete proximal occlusion of ureter owing to retrograde urine reflux from the bladder and was treated with endoscopic injection of intramural calcium hydroxyapatite to the ureteral segment distal to the fistula. Three ureters (33%) in 2 patients with vesicovaginal fistula had recanalization, requiring additional proximal embolization, yielding secondary success rates of 91% (clinical) and 90% (imaging) per ureter. One minor urinary tract infection and no major complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Transrenal anterograde ureteral occlusion using EVOH between vascular plugs could be considered a relatively safe and potentially valuable treatment option for refractory ureteral fistulae.

Videofluoroscopy and swallowing studies for neurologic disease: a primer.

Many patients with neurologic impairment due to stroke, multiple sclerosis, trauma, bulbar palsy, and other disorders have difficulty swallowing. Videofluoroscopy can provide important information on patterns of impairment of the swallowing mechanism, allowing important changes in patient treatment. The detailed videofluoroscopic evaluation required to provide this information is now seldom taught and is practiced by relatively few radiologists. The aim of this article is to (a) describe the indications for videofluoroscopic swallowing studies in the evaluation of patients with neurologic conditions affecting swallowing, (b) describe the techniques for evaluating the swallow mechanism with videofluoroscopy in a standardized manner, and (c) use cine videofluoroscopy to illustrate the range of abnormalities that can be demonstrated for some of these conditions and discuss the effect of patient treatment.

Aortic fenestration: a why, when, and how-to guide.

The management of aortic dissection can be challenging. Most cases of acute type A dissection are managed surgically. Most cases of acute type B dissection are managed medically, although open surgery or stent-graft placement is sometimes performed. Patients with type B or surgically treated type A dissection may develop vascular complications such as mesenteric or peripheral ischemia, which cannot be managed medically. Aortic fenestration is a method for decompressing the hypertensive false lumen by creating a hole in the distal part of the dissection flap. This procedure allows outflow from the false lumen, thereby reducing intraluminal pressure, relieving branch vessel obstruction, and reducing the risk of extension of the dissection. Urgent revascularization is required to correct mesenteric and renal ischemia and to reestablish distal perfusion if there is resting ischemia. Few operators will acquire extensive personal experience with percutaneous aortic fenestration. Nevertheless, with a good understanding of the pathologic condition, careful demonstration of the anatomy, good technical skills, and access to high-quality imaging (including intravascular ultrasonography) and the requisite equipment, most interventional radiologists skilled in arterial interventions should be capable of performing this procedure. However, because further interventions are frequently required, the radiologist needs to maintain contact with the patient to ensure timely treatment of any subsequent complications.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization of liver tumors: effects of embolization protocol on injectable volume of chemotherapy and subsequent arterial patency.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) protocol affects the total volume of chemotherapy injected into the liver as well as subsequent arterial patency. A total of 160 patients with primary or secondary liver cancer were treated with 3 different chemoembolization protocols at a single institution. Data were analyzed retrospectively. Group 1 (n = 36) consisted of slurry of chemotherapy, oil and polyvinyl alcohol particles (PVA), group 2 (n = 91), chemotherapy and oil followed by PVA, and group 3 (n = 33), chemotherapy and oil followed by Gelfoam pledgets. The total volume of chemotherapy injected into the liver was recorded. Arterial patency was determined during subsequent chemoembolizations. The mean percentage of total intended chemotherapy dose administered was 54.6% for group 1, 75.3% for group 2, and 80.6% for group 3. Arterial patency at follow-up angiography was 56% for group 1, 74% for group 2, and 81% for group 3. The slurry protocol (group 1) significantly reduced arterial patency and injectable volume of chemotherapy during TACE.

Coronary artery bypass graft flow: qualitative evaluation with cine single-detector row CT and comparison with findings at angiography.

A four-point ordinal-scale qualitative flow index was used for assessment of patency of 75 coronary artery bypass grafts in 26 patients examined with spiral computed tomography (CT). CT findings were compared with selective graft angiographic findings. Of 54 open grafts, 52 were patent at initial selective graft angiography and 50 were patent at spiral CT; accuracy rates were 97% (73 of 75) and 95% (71 of 75), respectively. Spiral CT flow index agreed with angiographically determined flow in 85% (95% CI: 0.77, 0.93) of grafts. The kappa statistic demonstrated very good to excellent intermodality (0.75) and interobserver (0.89) agreement. Spiral CT may be a feasible means of assessing quality of flow in bypass grafts.