Superficial ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm.

The ulnar artery is the larger terminal branch of the brachial artery. It originates in the cubital fossa and is covered by the flexor muscles of the forearm. We report an anatomic variant in which the ulnar artery was in a superficial position in the forearm. Since this variant was unknown, an attempted venous puncture injured the artery, causing formation of a pseudoaneurysm.

Pseudoaneurisma de artéria ulnar superficial / Superficial ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm

Resumo A artéria ulnar é o maior ramo terminal da artéria braquial, ela apresenta origem na fossa cubital e é coberta pelos músculos flexores do antebraço. Reportamos uma variação anatômica, na qual a artéria ulnar situava-se em posição superficial no antebraço. Por falta de conhecimento sobre essa variação, ocorreu a lesão após uma tentativa de punção venosa, a qual levou à formação de um pseudoaneurisma.

Abstract The ulnar artery is the larger terminal branch of the brachial artery. It originates in the cubital fossa and is covered by the flexor muscles of the forearm. We report an anatomic variant in which the ulnar artery was in a superficial position in the forearm. Since this variant was unknown, an attempted venous puncture injured the artery, causing formation of a pseudoaneurysm.

Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in high-surgical-risk patients using commercially available stent-grafts.

PURPOSE: To analyze the initial and long-term results of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in high-surgical-risk patients (i.e., age > or =80 years, serum creatinine level > or =3 mg/dL, severe pulmonary dysfunction, severe cardiac dysfunction). METHODS: From April 2002 to June 2009, 50 consecutive high-surgical-risk patients (42 men; mean age 74.0+/-8.7, range 54-91) with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA; mean diameter 64.8 mm) who were treated electively using a bifurcated aortic endograft (32 Excluder, 18 Zenith) were entered in a prospective registry. Thirty-five (70%) patients were classified ASA III and 15 (30%) were ASA IV. High-risk status was corroborated using the Customized Probability Index (CPI). Primary endpoints were operative mortality and long-term survival; secondary endpoints were the frequency of reintervention, evolution of the aneurysm sac, and rates of primary and secondary patency and rupture. RESULTS: The mean CPI score was 11.04+/-6.3. Operative mortality was 2% (1/50). There were 4 endoleaks, 1 case of endotension, and 1 endograft limb occlusion. Two patients required reintervention during the mean follow-up of 35.6 months. Survival at 3 years was 94%. Primary and secondary patency rates at 3 years were 98% and 100%, respectively. There were no ruptures. CONCLUSION: Initial and long-term results with endovascular treatment of AAA in high-surgical-risk patients were satisfactory and appear to justify this approach in this patient population.

Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in high-surgical-risk patients / Tratamento endovascular de aneurismas da aorta abdominal em pacientes de alto risco cirúrgico

Background: Following the publication of a prospective randomized trial (Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Trial 2 - EVAR2) that questioned the benefits of endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in high-surgical-risk patients, we decided to analyze our initial and long-term results with endovascular AAA repair in this patient population. Objective: To evaluate the operative mortality, long-term survival, frequency of secondary operations, outcome of the aneurysm sac, primary and secondary patency rates, and rupture rate after aortic stent-graft placement in high-surgical-risk patients. Methods: From April 2002 to February 2008, 40 high-surgical and anesthetic risk patients with an AAA managed by a bifurcated aortic endograft were entered in a prospective registry. Data concerning diagnosis, operative risk, treatment and follow-up were analyzed in all patients Results: Twenty-four Excluder® and 16 Zenith® stent-grafts were successfully implanted. Thirty patients (75 percent) were classed ASA III and 10 (25 percent) were ASA IV. Mean aneurysm diameter was 64 mm. Operative mortality was 2.5 percent. Two patients required reintervention during the mean follow-up of 28.5 months. Survival rate at 3 years was 95 percent. There were four endoleaks, one case of endotension, and one endograft limb occlusion. Primary and secondary patency rates at 3 years were 97.5 and 100 percent, respectively. There were no ruptures. Conclusions: Initial and long-term results with endovascular treatment of AAA in high-surgical-risk patients were satisfactory, and appear to justify such approach for this patient population.

Contexto: Após a publicação de um estudo prospectivo e randomizado (Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Trial 2 - EVAR2) que questionou o benefício do tratamento endovascular de aneurismas da aorta abdominal (AAA) em pacientes de alto risco cirúrgico, decidimos avaliar nossos resultados iniciais e tardios neste grupo de pacientes. Objetivo: Avaliar a mortalidade perioperatória, a sobrevivência tardia, a freqüência das reintervenções, o comportamento dos sacos aneurismáticos, as patências primária e secundária e a incidência de rotura após o tratamento endovascular de AAA em pacientes de alto risco cirúrgico. Métodos: Entre abril de 2002 e fevereiro de 2008, 40 pacientes de alto risco anestésico-cirúrgico portadores de AAA foram submetidos ao implante de endopróteses bifurcadas de aorta e incluídos num registro prospectivo. Os dados a respeito do diagnóstico, risco operatório, tratamento e seguimento foram analisados em todos os pacientes. Resultados: 24 endopróteses Excluder® e 16 Zenith® foram implantadas com sucesso. Trinta pacientes (75 por cento) foram classificados como ASA III e 10 (25 por cento) como ASA IV. O diâmetro médio dos AAA era de 64 mm. A mortalidade perioperatória foi de 2,5 por cento. Dois pacientes necessitaram de reintervenção durante o seguimento médio de 28,5 meses. A taxa de sobrevivência aos 3 anos foi de 95 por cento. Houve quatro endoleaks, um caso de endotensão, e uma oclusão de ramo em uma endoprótese. As patências primária e secundária aos 3 anos foram de 97,5 e 100 por cento, respectivamente. Não houve nenhuma rotura. Conclusões: Nossos resultados iniciais e tardios do tratamento endovascular de AAA em pacientes de alto risco são satisfatórios e parecem justificar a indicação deste tratamento neste grupo de pacientes.