Repeat surgery without preoperative angiography in limbs with patent infrainguinal bypass grafts.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and results of repeat surgery without preoperative angiography in limbs with patent infrainguinal bypass grafts. Between January 1995 and December 1999, 73 surgical interventions were performed for correction of inflow, graft, or runoff-related lesions in limbs with patent infrainguinal bypass grafts. Fifty-six of the 73 cases were operated on based on the findings obtained from duplex scanning alone. There were 53 vein and 3 prosthetic grafts in the series. The indications for intervention without angiography were stenotic or occlusive lesions in 35, graft aneurysm in 7, and arteriovenous fistulae in 14. There were no deviations from the preoperatively planned surgical strategy in patients undergoing surgery without preoperative angiography. Cumulative life table primary, (stenosis free) and primary-assisted patency rates, at 12 months following graft revisions (excluding arteriovenous fistulae ligatures) without preoperative angiography, were 64% and 85%, respectively. The corresponding figures for revisions performed with preoperative angiography were 58% and 84%, respectively. There were no significant differences between patients undergoing surgery with or without preoperative diagnostic angiography with regard to patency rates. Surgical interventions for correction of infrainguinal graft-related stenotic or aneurysmal lesions can be safely performed based on findings obtained from duplex scanning.

Incidence of deep venous thrombosis in patients undergoing obesity surgery.

The aim of this study was to investigate prospectively the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after surgery for morbid obesity. The series comprised 116 consecutive patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The median age and body mass index were 35 years (range 19-59 years) and 42 kg/m2 (range 32-68 kg/m2), respectively. The patients were examined with duplex ultrasonography pre- and postoperatively. No patient had any symptoms or signs of DVT postoperatively, and ultrasonography showed no signs of thrombosis in iliac, femoral, and popliteal veins in any of the patients. Two patients (1.7%) had a thrombus in the peroneal vein of one leg. Repeated ultrasonographic investigation after 1 week showed complete resolution of both. One patient with a previously unknown activated protein C resistance had an angiographically confirmed minor pulmonary embolus. The incidence of venous thromboembolism after obesity surgery seems to be low, and obesity as a risk factor for thromboembolic disease might have been overestimated in the past.

Arterial stiffness is not improved in long-term use of estrogen.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare arterial stiffness in long-term users of estrogen who were postmenopausal, age-matched women who did not use estrogen, and women of fertile age. STUDY DESIGN: In this clinical cross-sectional study, carotid, femoral, and aortic stiffness (estimated as elastic modulus and stiffness beta index) were assessed by ultrasonic phase-locked echo-tracking in 17 women who were postmenopausal and who were treated with 17 beta-estradiol implants (mean age, 68.8 years; mean duration of treatment, 20 years), 17 age-matched (+/-1 year) untreated women, and 20 women in the fertile age period. RESULTS: Compared with women of fertile age, both postmenopausal groups had significantly higher stiffness elastic modulus and stiffness beta index (carotid, P <.001; femoral, P <.05; aorta, P <.001). However, for all 3 arteries, both stiffness indices were similar in estrogen users and nonusers and did not differ significantly. These results remained after an adjustment for systolic blood pressure, body mass index, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the arterial stiffening that is related to aging/menopause is not substantially affected by long-term estrogen therapy.

Carotid artery endarterectomy solely based on duplex scan findings.

The purpose of this study was to review experience with carotid artery surgery based on findings obtained solely from duplex scanning with special regard to unexpected findings during surgery and the early outcome. From January 1993 through December 1999, 271 consecutive patients underwent 287 carotid endarterectomies (CEAs), 229 (80%) of which were performed solely based on duplex scan findings. During the study period 5,932 carotid artery duplex scans were performed in 4,466 patients. Of 589 patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis 70%, 246 underwent CEA compared to 25 of 156 with 50-69% ICA stenosis. The indications for CEA were transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 88 (30.7%), amaurosis fugax in 60 (20.9%), previous stroke in 91 (31.7%) and asymptomatic disease in 48 (16.7%) cases. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups operated on with and without preoperative angiography with respect to the indications for surgery, associated risk factors, or the degree of stenosis on the contralateral side. In patients undergoing surgery without angiography, there were no unexpected findings that influenced the performance of surgery, in all except 1. There were no significant differences in perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgery with and without conventional angiography. The combined mortality and major stroke rates were 3.4% and 2.2%, respectively. It is concluded that CEA can safely be performed without preoperative angiography in cases with conclusive duplex scan findings.