[Preventive surgery after vascular reconstruction for chronic lower limb ischemia]. / Preventivnye khirurgicheskie vmeshatel'stva posle sosudistykh rekonstruktsii po povodu khronicheskoi ishemii nizhnikh konechnostei.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of redo reconstructions of lower limb arteries in patients with obliterating atherosclerosis, immediate and long-term results in patients who underwent reconstructive interventions with occlusion of previous reconstruction and preventive interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 43 patients. The main group (group 1) consisted of 18 patients who underwent preventive vascular reconstructions. The control group enrolled 25 patients who underwent redo interventions for occlusion of previous reconstructions. The control group was divided into 2 parts; 15 patients had chronic limb ischemia (group 2), 10 patients had acute limb ischemia (group 3). Mean age of patients was 56.8±8.2 years; there were 37 (86%) men and 6 (14%) women. Multifocal vascular atherosclerosis was noted in 41 (95.3%) patients, carotid artery lesion - 29 (70.7%), coronary artery disease - 34 (79%). Patients with type II diabetes mellitus were excluded. RESULTS: We chose each surgical intervention considering preoperative diagnostic data. Open, endovascular and hybrid interventions were performed. There were no deaths and limb amputations in the 1st group. Two (13.3%) amputations were registered in the 2nd group, 3 (30%) amputations and 1 (10%) death were registered in the 3rd group. The follow-up period was 24 months. An 18-month freedom from amputations was 71.5%, 78% and 38%, respectively (p<0.05 compared to the 1st and 2nd groups). CONCLUSION: Preventive surgical interventions prevent ischemia and amputation, as well as improves the results of redo surgery.

[Methods of decreasing the risk of repeat interventions in patients after arterial revascularization]. / Sposoby snizheniia riska povtornogo vmeshatel'stva u patsientov posle arterial'noi revaskuliarizatsii.

Discussed in the article are the main problems related to surgical treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease, particularly taking into consideration that in the world there are from 160 to 202 million people suffering from this disease, with two thirds of such patients having signs of lesions of coronary or cerebral arteries. Vascular reconstructive interventions cannot completely eliminate the problem, since in the postoperative period there may develop cardiovascular complications related to both the limb involved as either acute or progressing chronic ischaemia and arteries of other localization (coronary, cerebral). The risk of serious cardiovascular complications in patients with a history of endured adverse ischaemic events on the part of limbs is severalfold higher. To solve these problems and decrease complications, salicylic acid is used as basic therapy. Attempts at replacing it by another drug or combined therapy with an alternative antiaggregant showed no advantages in increased risk of massive haemorrhage. On the other hand, a combination of salicylic acid with an anticoagulant at a low dose, i. e., rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily as compared with acetylsalicylic acid monotherapy made it possible to significantly decrease the incidence of various cardiovascular complications in the form of myocardial infarction, stroke, adverse ischaemic events on the part of the extremity, limb amputation.

In Vivo Studies of a Liquid Embolic Compound.

A composition in the form of liquid polymer substance intended for embolization procedures was studied in in vivo experiment. The preparation was injected to rabbits into the femoral artery and abdominal aorta. The polymer composition exhibited properties previously demonstrated in vitro: strong adhesion to the vascular wall, high plasticity sufficient for embolization of the blood vessels, distal distribution, and the absence of toxic effects. The contrast substance remained in the embolus, which simplified its further localization. The agent underwent nether resorption nor organization. Injection of the agent in a volume of 0.1 ml was sufficient for embolization of an artery with a diameter of 0.1 cm. The polymer composition completely obstructed the vessel without inducing perforation of its wall. During the first day of the experiment, a slight infiltration of surrounding tissues with lymphoid cells was observed. By day 7, total dry necrosis of pelvic limb distal to the injection site was diagnosed. Inflammation of the surrounding tissues was shown histologically and was considered as the body response to impaired circulation and necrosis.

[Current concepts of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy in patients with vascular pathology]. / Osnovnye pozitsii po antikoaguliantnoi i antiagregantnoi terapii u patsientov s patologiei sosudov na sovremennom étape.

The routine practice of a vascular surgeon is invariably associated with decreasing the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in patients presenting with either arterial or venous pathology. Antithrombotic therapy is one of the key approaches used to achieve this purpose. However, a wide variety of modern drugs inhibiting platelet aggregation and agents blocking the coagulation cascade, as well as their combinations makes the selection of the most appropriate treatment for a particular patient quite a difficult task. The choice should carefully be made taking into consideration the nosology, aetiology, accompanying diseases and therapy thereof, as well as the balance of the risk of ischaemic and haemorrhagic complications. Therefore, availability of modern antithrombotic drugs favourably contributing to a more personified approach to treatment is of utmost importance. Thus, for example, rivaroxaban, an anticoagulant belonging to the class of direct-acting oral factor Xa inhibitors, provides a possibility to select an optimal dosage and regimen for a particular patient with arterial or vascular pathology in practice of a cardiovascular surgeon.

[Additional possibilities in conservative treatment of patients with post-thrombotic disease of lower limbs]. / Dopolnitel'nye vozmozhnosti v konservativnom lechenii patsientov s posttromboticheskoi bolezn'iu nizhnikh konechnostei.

AIM: This study was undertaken to evaluate efficacy of Actovegin in the composition of comprehensive therapy in patients presenting with post-thrombotic disease of lower extremities free from trophic disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included a total of 60 patients (28 men and 32 women) diagnosed as having post-thrombotic disease of lower limbs without trophic disorders (C1-C3 according to the CEAP classification), induced by previously endured iliofemoral phlebothrombosis. The duration of the disease varied from 1 year to 10 years. All patients for 10 days received Actovegin intravenously in drips at a dose of 1200 mg (30 ml of the drug reconstituted in 400 ml of normal saline) followed by continuing taking the drug orally in a daily dose of 1200 mg for 30 days. During the whole follow up period the patients wore class 2 compression stockings (RAL standard). The results of the carried out treatment in relation to the subjective complaints (pain, feeling of heaviness, convulsions, pruritus and paresthesias) were assessed by the visual analogue scale and based on the CIVIQ-20 questionnaire, with additionally measuring the malleolar circumference. RESULTS: On the background of the carried out therapy the patients demonstrated a significant decrease in the oedematous syndrome in the area of the ankles. This parameter decreased form 26.88±0.39 cm to 25.02±0.35 cm (p<0.05). The patients' complaints of tingling decreased form 5.73±0.79 to 2.32±0.68 points (p<0.05), the incidence and intensity of convulsions fell from 6.51±1.39 to 3.2±0.98 points (p<0.05). The intensity of the oedematous syndrome (swelling) decreased significantly from 8.11±1.75 to 4.33±1.20 points (p<0.05), the pain syndrome fell from 7.92±1.88 to 3.12±1.45 points (p<0.05), the feeling of heaviness in the lower limbs decreased from 8.52±1.73 to 3.91±1.48 points (p<0.05). Also, improvement of the general quality of life of patients was observed (the integral parameter decreased from 63.27±1.8 to 44.33±1.19 points, p<0.05).

[A microcirculatory change induced by comprehensive anti-edematous therapy in patients with lower limb lymphedema]. / Izmenenie mikrotsirkuliatsii u patsientov s limfedemoi nizhnikh konechnostei pod deistviem kompleksnoi protivootechnoi terapii.

AIM: To study the impact of comprehensive anti-edematous therapy (CAET) on the microcirculatory indicators of patients with lower limb lymphedema. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigation enrolled 60 patients with stages I-III lower limb lymphedema (according to its classification (T.V. Savchenko and A.V. Pokrovsky, 2004). All the patients were randomly divided into two groups: 1) 30 patients received CAET; 2) 30 patients had basic therapy with a conventional lymphovenous tonic and elastic compression. The time course of microcirculatory changes were evaluated in all the patients, by using laser Doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: Analysis of the findings revealed that all the patients had spastic and stagnant microcirculation prior to treatment. After a treatment cycle, group 1 showed positive changes in the clinical manifestations of the disease and in the microcirculation, while group 2 displayed slight reductions in sensation of heaviness, leg swelling, as well as positive changes at the level of the venules of the microcirculatory bed. CONCLUSION: This investigation of microcirculatory indicators in patients with lower limb lymphedema revealed a considerable improvement at the level of all microcirculatory components (arterioles, precapillaries, and venules) after CAET.

[Antithrombotic therapy in patients with peripheral artery diseases]. / Antitromboticheskaia terapiia u bol'nykh s zabolevaniiami perifericheskikh arterii.

Complications of cardiovascular diseases whose substrate is atherothrombosis continue to occupy leading positions in the structure of mortality worldwide. Peripheral artery diseases (PAD), in particular, are characterized by an especially unfavourable life prognosis for patients with cardiovascular diseases. In order to decrease the risks of ischaemic complications in patients with PAD, various approaches to antithrombotic therapy have over the last two decades been studied, with the resulting standard of therapy continuing to be acetylsalicylic acid. Even more difficult today is the task of selecting antithrombotic therapy in patients having endured revascularization.

[Anticoagulant therapy of venous thromboembolic complications: balancing between risks]. / Antikoaguliantnaia terapiia venoznykh tromboémbolicheskikh oslozhnenii: balansiruia mezhdu riskami.

This article is a review of the literature, related to the problem of recurrence of venous thromboembolic complications and the possibilities of their secondary prevention. The problems of determining the rational duration of anticoagulant therapy on the basis of an individual assessment of its benefit and risk are considered. The information on modern prognostic models allowing quantitative assessment of the probability of hemorrhagic and thrombotic events occurrence is presented (Vienna prediction model, DASH, HAS-BLED, stratification according to ACCP 2016). Particular attention is paid to the effectiveness and safety of new oral anticoagulants and acetylsalicylic acid in the context of secondary prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. A review and a critical analysis of the EINSTEIN CHOICE study were carried out. The results demonstrated the high efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban 10 and 20 mg in the frame of prolonged therapy of venous thromboembolic complications in patients, who completed the standard 6-12-month course of treatment and who do not need further use therapeutic doses of anticoagulants. The study demonstrated that the use of rivaroxaban in both doses for 12 months is characterized by greater efficacy and a similar frequency of occurrence of large and clinically significant bleeding compared with the intake of 100 mg of acetylsalicylic acid. The authors attempted to determine rational indications for the application of 10 mg of rivaroxaban in the frame of prolonged anticoagulant therapy, which will be possible after making appropriate changes to the official instruction for the drug.

[Chronic venous diseases: valvular function and leukocyte-endothelial interaction, possibilities of pharmacotherapy]. / Khronicheskie zabolevaniia ven: funktsiia klapanov i leikotsitarno-éndotelial'noe vzaimodeistvie, vozmozhnosti farmakoterapii.

This article provides a review of the literature focusing on the data elucidating the pathogenesis of chronic venous diseases from the positions of macrohaemodynamic (venous valvular function) and microcirculatory impairments. Presented herein are confirmations of the interaction between two important mechanisms, as well as the literature data concerning the role of the venous microvalvular structures and possible haemodynamic impairments in functional venous insufficiency. Also presented are substantiations in confirmation of the theory of leukocyte-endothelial interaction, forming the basis for contemporary understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic venous diseases. This is followed by elucidating the role of venoactive drugs in conservative treatment of patients with chronic venous diseases, and, finally, touching upon current problems and promising approaches to solve them.

[Conservative treatment of patients with peripheral artery diseases: possibilities and existing problems]. / Konservativnoe lechenie bol'nykh s zabolevaniyami perifericheskikh arterii: vozmozhnosti i sushchestvuyushchie problemy.

With due regard to the requirements of evidence-based medicine, the article contains a review of present-day positions concerning conservative therapy in patients with peripheral artery diseases and chronic arterial ischaemia, represented in the latest Russian and foreign consensus documents, showing importance of bringing the basic provisions of the consensus documents to the notice of practical health-care providers with the aim of working out more effective therapeutic regimens. Some sections of the guidelines regarding the duration of treatment, among the number, require definite specification with the wording of more clear-cut practical conclusions.

[Recanalization of lower-limb deep veins as an index of efficacy of treatment for acute venous thrombosis]. / Rekanalizatsiia glubokikh ven nizhnikh konechnostei kak pokazatel' éffektivnosti lecheniia ostrogo venoznogo tromboza.

The authors analysed the results of examination and treatment of a total of 102 patients presenting with iliofemoral venous thrombosis. During treatment, ultrasonographic duplex scanning was used to determine the localization of the proximal margin of thrombotic masses, the time of appearing of the first signs of recanalization, its degree at various levels of the deep venous system, as well as alteration in velocity of the venous blood flow in the deep veins of the lower limbs. The dynamics of clinical symptoms was assessed by the visual analogue scale. Clinical and instrumental examination was performed on day 10, and then 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the beginning of treatment. The patients were subdivided into three groups. Group One comprised 38 patients receiving therapy with low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaprin) followed by switching to indirect anticoagulants (warfarin) combined with venotonics (original highly-purified diosmin 600 mg once daily). Group Two was composed of 33 patients receiving rivaroxaban at a dose of 15 mg twice daily for 3 weeks, followed by 20 mg once daily. Group Tree patients (n=31) were also given rivaroxaban according to the above-described standard regimen but in combination with venotonics (original highly-purified diosmin 600 mg once daily). The obtained findings showed that prescribing rivaroxaban to patients from the first day of the disease made it possible to considerably improve and accelerate the processes of restoration of patency of deep veins of lower extremities as compared with the patients taking vitamin K antagonists (warfarin). In patients receiving rivaroxaban, there were no cases of residual thrombotic occlusions of the major veins, and recanalization in three fourths of patients was assessed as good and in the remaining third as moderate. In the warfarin group, occlusion in the iliac veins was noted to persist persisted in 13% of patients, with good recanalization observed only in half of the patients. Addition of venotonics (original highly-purified diosmin) to anticoagulants from the first day demonstrated safety of this therapeutic regimen (with no cases of clinically significant haemorrhagic complications revealed) and its high efficacy as compared with monotherapy with rivaroxaban. A combination of diosmin with rivaroxaban turned out more efficient than a combination of diosmin with warfarin.

[Prolonged prevention of venous thromboembolic complications (VTECS): who is it indicated for and how should it be carried out?].

The publication contains a review of present-day positions on prolonged prevention of venous thromboembolic complications. This is followed by considering the role of risk factors, probabilistic value of prognostic scales, as well as reflecting the provisions of the recent Russian and international consensus documents concerned. Careful consideration is given to the major possible parameters a physician could be guided by in real clinical practice while choosing and deciding upon appropriate terms of prevention. Also shown are possibilities of using novel oral anticoagulants in practical implementation of such regimens.

Use of polymethylmethacrylate in treatment of arteriovenous angiodysplasia with bone lesions.

Arteriovenous dysplasia is rather uncommon disease, quite often leading to severe complications even in young age. Involvement of the osseous apparatus into the pathological process is frequently associated with the problem of amputation of the affected limb. Therefore, salvage of the extremity while removing arteriovenous shunt and trophic impairments is an extremely important clinical task. In the presented herein clinical case report, a female patient with arteriovenous angiodysplasia of the lower limb with the tibial bone involved into the pathological process underwent repeated stagewise embolisations, failing however to achieve complete liquidation of the arteriovenous reflux. In this connection, after removal of angiomatous tissues, requiring also excochleation of the damaged portions of the bone, in order to reinforce the axis of the tibial bone the intramedullary canal of the latter was filled with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Expansion of the spectrum of auxiliary methods, besides the most frequently performed in such patients embolisations of afferent arteries and removal of angiomatous tissues would make it possible to increase radical nature of interventions with salvage of the supporting function of limbs.

[Conservative treatment of patients with intermittent claudication].

The article deals with the analysis of the results of randomized placebo-controlled studies of various therapeutic agents currently available in Russia, as well as the results of meta-analyses and Cochrane reviews of medicamentous treatment of patients with intermittent claudication. The results of these studies gave grounds to recommend the most efficient agents in the new edition of the "National Guidelines on management of patients with lower-limb arterial disease" (2013).

[Angiodysplasias of the head and neck: present-day principles of treatment using elements of plastic surgery].

The authors assessed the outcomes of treatment of fifty-one patients presenting with angiodysplasias of the head and neck. Of these, 24 patients suffered from the venous form and 27 had the arteriovenous form. The 51 patients accounted for 23.5% of the total number of patients with congenital vascular malformations over a five-year period. The topicity and angioarchitectonics of the lesion were specified by means of the standard diagnostic complex (i. e., duplex scanning of the vessels, ultrasonographic study of the soft tissues and osseous structures, computed and magnetic resonance tomography, echocardiography, and angiography). Radical excision of the angiomatous tissues was performed in 15 patients and palliative one - in 36 cases. Eight patients were subjected to stagewise resection interventions, ten patients underwent stagewise sessions of laser coagulation, and seven patients endured stagewise roentgenoendovascular embolisations of the afferent arteries. Two patients with the venous form were postoperatively subjected to sessions of sclerotherapy of the residual venous caverns. Two patients in the remote period (7-10 days) underwent autodermoplasty with a free perforated cutaneous flap. This technique was used while closing the wound surface after removing the angiomatous tissues of the parotid region and hairy portion of the head. In five patients the wound surface was closed with a mobilized cervical fat-cutaneous flap. Taking into consideration the importance of the cosmetic outcome after excising the angiomatous tissues on the face and neck, it is necessary to seek for wide application of plastic methods of closing the wound. These methods simultaneously allow of making operative interventions for angiodysplasias more radical.

[Comparative characteristics of laser-mediated and radiofrequency-powered thermal obliteration in varicose disease].

The article deals with a comparative analysis of the two most commonly used methods techniques of thermal ablation used for elimination of truncal varicosis in varicose disease, i. e., endovasal laser-mediated and radiofrequency-powered obliteration, underlining differences in the mechanisms of physical impact of the two competitive methods, clinical peculiarities of their application, as well as economic aspects of these interventions under the conditions of the present-day Russia.

[Microfoam truncal scleroobliteration in varicose disease].

Analysed herein are present-day views on using the technique of scleroobliteration of major veins (particularly, microfoam scleroobliteration) in treatment for varicose disease. Based on the analysis of literature data, attempts are made to systematize the indications for such interventions, underlying advantages and disadvantages of the technique, and analysing possible complications. A conclusion is drawn that the remote results of microfoam scleroobliteration are inferior to those of the currently popular thermal obliterating techniques. However, this method oftreatment may under certain conditions be used to remove the truncal reflux.

[Current trends in diagnosis and treatment of arteriovenous angiodysplasia].

A total of 240 patients with arteriovenous angiodysplasia (AVD) were examined and treated in A.V. Vishnevsky Institute of Surgery during 1997-2009. Embolization was performed in 196 (81.7%) patients. Staged embolization was the principal treatment modality in 84 (35%) patients presenting with inoperable lesions. The mean number of sessions was 3.6. Intraoperative embolization using hydrogel embols, Gianturco coils, and 96% alcohol was done in 17 (7.1%) patients. Radical surgery with the removal of angiomatous tissues was given to 33 (13.8%) patients. Palliative resections were made in patients with extensive lesions and impossibility of total removal of angiomatous tissues. Minor and major amputations were needed in 15 patients. It is concluded that intervention for microfistulous and confined macrofistulous lesions should be performed only in case of absolute indications for surgery. That in asymptomatic or subclinical cases is justified only for minor surface lesions fit for radical resection. Minor amputation is indicated in certain patients with arteriovenous fistulas on distal limb segments. Extensive delayed resections should be planned with the use of plastic surgical techniques (autodermoplasty using free flaps, mobilized flaps, and flaps with microvascular anastomosis).