Diet and metabolism are back: The oldest known Islamic medical manuscript bridges the gap from ancient to modern gout management.

Gout is a chronic disease frequently associated with lifestyle; its prevalence is increasing in Western societies, as well as in the Middle East. Apart from its partial genetic features, diet accounts for 12% of the causality of the disease, while purine-rich foods contribute decisively to its development and evaluation. The influential Persian physician of the medieval ages, Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (or by his Latin name Rhazes; 860-925 AD), wrote a short book (20 chapters) entitled 'Treatise on gout'. Rhazes adopted the Hippocratic humoralism, and suggested that the disease results from metabolic excess in the peripheral blood, presenting sex dimorphism and age-dependence. His therapeutic guidelines include a diet prescribed by a physician, the use of laxatives and emetics, counter-balancing excess or deficiency of bile or phlegm and analgesics, bloodletting, foot and steam baths, as well as salves and poultices as preventive measures. He appends differential dietary restrictions/suggestions for phlegmatic or choleric patients: Small rations and intake of good quality foods low in purine by 20% for phlegmatic and 28% for choleric patients, as well as the restriction of foods high in purine by 27% for phlegmatic and 22% for the choleric patients. Finally, the acidic to alkaloid food intake ratio suggested is 2/5 for choleric and 3/7 for phlegmatic patients. His suggested foods and drugs are vitamin C and B-rich complexes, thereby inhibiting the accumulation of tophi.

Single-center review on safety of biodegradable airway stenting in pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) and airway stenosis are recognized etiologies of airway obstruction among children. Their management is often challenging, requiring multiple interventions and prolonged respiratory support with associated long-term morbidity. Metallic or silicone stents have been used with mixed success and high complication rates. More recently biodegradable Ella stents (BES) provided an attractive interventional option. OBJECTIVES: We report our experience in the treatment of TBM and vascular airway compression using BES. We deliberately downsized them to minimize intraluminal granulation tissue formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study over an 8-year period between November 2012 and December 2020 of pediatric patients with severe airway obstruction requiring airway stenting for extubation failure, malacic death spells, recurrent chest infections, or lung collapse. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (5 tracheal and 28 bronchial diseases) required 55 BES during the study period. The smallest patient weighed 1.8 kg. Median age of patient at first stent implantation was 13.1 months (IQR 4.9-58.3). The majority of the bronchial stents were in the left main bronchus (93%), of which 57% for vascular compression. Repeat stents were used in 19 patients (57.7%), with a range of two to four times. We did not experience erosion, infection, or obstructive granuloma needing removal by forceps or lasering. Three stent grid occluded with secretions needing bronchoscopic lavage. Stent migration occurred in three patients. CONCLUSIONS: BES holds promise as a treatment option with low rate of adverse effects for a specific subset of pediatric patients with airway malacia or vascular compression. Further studies are warranted.

Dialysis Access Maintenance: Plain Balloon Angioplasty.

Plain balloon angioplasty remains the first-line treatment for dialysis access stenosis. This chapter reviews the outcomes of plain balloon angioplasty from cohort studies and comparative studies. Angioplasty outcomes are more favourable in arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) compared to arteriovenous grafts (AVG) with primary patency at 6 months ranging from 42-63% compared to 27-61%, respectively, and improved for forearm fistulae compared with upper arm fistulae. Higher pressures are required to treat stenoses in AVFs compared to AVGs. Outcomes are worse in more severe stenoses, increased patient age, previous interventions and fistulae that develop early stenoses. Major complication rates following angioplasty in dialysis access are between 3 and 5%. Repeat treatments and the use of adjuncts such as drug-coated balloons and stents can prolong the patency of dialysis access. Level of Evidence No level of evidence (Review paper).

A vein bypass first versus a best endovascular treatment first revascularisation strategy for patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia who required an infra-popliteal, with or without an additional more proximal infra-inguinal revascularisation procedure to restore limb perfusion (BASIL-2): an open-label, randomised, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic limb-threatening ischaemia is the severest manifestation of peripheral arterial disease and presents with ischaemic pain at rest or tissue loss (ulceration, gangrene, or both), or both. We compared the effectiveness of a vein bypass first with a best endovascular treatment first revascularisation strategy in terms of preventing major amputation and death in patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia who required an infra-popliteal, with or without an additional more proximal infra-inguinal, revascularisation procedure to restore limb perfusion. METHODS: Bypass versus Angioplasty for Severe Ischaemia of the Leg (BASIL)-2 was an open-label, pragmatic, multicentre, phase 3, randomised trial done at 41 vascular surgery units in the UK (n=39), Sweden (n=1), and Denmark (n=1). Eligible patients were those who presented to hospital-based vascular surgery units with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia due to atherosclerotic disease and who required an infra-popliteal, with or without an additional more proximal infra-inguinal, revascularisation procedure to restore limb perfusion. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either vein bypass (vein bypass group) or best endovascular treatment (best endovascular treatment group) as their first revascularisation procedure through a secure online randomisation system. Participants were excluded if they had ischaemic pain or tissue loss considered not to be primarily due to atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease. Most vein bypasses used the great saphenous vein and originated from the common or superficial femoral arteries. Most endovascular interventions comprised plain balloon angioplasty with selective use of plain or drug eluting stents. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. Data were collected locally at participating centres. In England, Wales, and Sweden, centralised databases were used to collect information on amputations and deaths. Data were analysed centrally at the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit. The primary outcome was amputation-free survival defined as time to first major (above the ankle) amputation or death from any cause measured in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed by monitoring serious adverse events up to 30-days after first revascularisation. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN27728689. FINDINGS: Between July 22, 2014, and Nov 30, 2020, 345 participants (65 [19%] women and 280 [81%] men; median age 72·5 years [62·7-79·3]) with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia were enrolled in the trial and randomly assigned: 172 (50%) to the vein bypass group and 173 (50%) to the best endovascular treatment group. Major amputation or death occurred in 108 (63%) of 172 patients in the vein bypass group and 92 (53%) of 173 patients in the best endovascular treatment group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1·35 [95% CI 1·02-1·80]; p=0·037). 91 (53%) of 172 patients in the vein bypass group and 77 (45%) of 173 patients in the best endovascular treatment group died (adjusted HR 1·37 [95% CI 1·00-1·87]). In both groups the most common causes of morbidity and death, including that occurring within 30 days of their first revascularisation, were cardiovascular (61 deaths in the vein bypass group and 49 in the best endovascular treatment group) and respiratory events (25 deaths in the vein bypass group and 23 in the best endovascular treatment group; number of cardiovascular and respiratory deaths were not mutually exclusive). INTERPRETATION: In the BASIL-2 trial, a best endovascular treatment first revascularisation strategy was associated with a better amputation-free survival, which was largely driven by fewer deaths in the best endovascular treatment group. These data suggest that more patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia who required an infra-popliteal, with or without an additional more proximal infra-inguinal, revascularisation procedure to restore limb perfusion should be considered for a best endovascular treatment first revascularisation strategy. FUNDING: UK National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Programme.

Next-Generation Sequencing and Image-Guided Tissue Sampling: A Primer for Interventional Radiologists.

The discovery of increasing numbers of actionable molecular and gene targets for cancer treatment has driven the demand for tissue sampling for next-generation sequencing (NGS). Requirements for sequencing can be very specific, and inadequate sampling leads to delays in management and decision making. It is important that interventional radiologists are aware of NGS technologies and their common applications and be cognizant of the factors that contribute to successful sample sequencing. This review summarizes the fundamentals of cancer tissue collection and processing for NGS. It elaborates on sequencing technologies and their applications with the aim of providing readers with a working understanding that can enhance their clinical practice. It then describes imaging, tumor, biopsy, and sample collection factors that improve the chances of NGS success. Finally, it discusses future practice, highlighting the problem of undersampling in both clinical and research settings and the opportunities within interventional radiology to address this.

CIRSE Standards of Practice on Oesophageal and Gastroduodenal Stenting.

BACKGROUND: Image-guided insertion of stents in the upper gastrointestinal trunk is an effective, minimally invasive treatment option to provide immediate relief of symptoms caused by upper gastrointestinal tract obstruction related to advanced-stage malignant causes or benign causes that lead to lumen narrowing. PURPOSE: This document, as with all CIRSE Standards of Practice documents, is not intended to impose a standard of clinical patient care but will recommend a reasonable approach to best practices for performing stenting of the upper gastrointestinal tract, namely the oesophageal and gastroduodenal segments. Our purpose is to provide up-to-date recommendations for placement of upper gastrointestinal tract stents based on the previously published guidelines on this topic in 2005 and 2007. METHODS: The writing group was established by the CIRSE Standards of Practice Committee and consisted of a group of internationally recognised experts in performing upper gastrointestinal stenting. The writing group reviewed the existing literature using PubMed to search for relevant publications in the English language up to September 2021. The final recommendations were formulated through consensus. CONCLUSION: Insertion of stents in the oesophageal and gastroduodenal tracts has an established role in the successful management of malignant or benign obstructions. This Standards of Practice document provides up-to-date recommendations for the safe performance of upper gastrointestinal stent placement.

Target Balloon-Assisted Antegrade and Retrograde Use of Re-Entry Catheters in Complex Chronic Total Occlusions.

Purpose, Retrograde recanalizations have gained increasing recognition in complex arterial occlusive disease. Re-entry devices are a well described adjunct for antegrade recanalizations. We present our experience with target balloon-assisted antegrade and retrograde recanalizations using re-entry devices in challenging chronic total occlusions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report data from a retrospective multicenter registry. Eligibility criteria included either antegrade or retrograde use of the OutbackTM or GoBackTM re-entry catheter in combination with a balloon as a target to accomplish wire passage, when conventional antegrade and retrograde recanalization attempts had been unsuccessful. Procedural outcomes included technical success (defined as wire passage though the occlusion and delivery of adjunctive therapy with <30% residual stenosis at final angiogram), safety (periprocedural complications, e.g., bleeding, vessel injury, or occlusion of the artery at the re-entry site, and distal embolizations), and clinical outcome (amputation-free survival and freedom from target lesion revascularization after 12-months follow-up). RESULTS: Thirty-six consecutive patients underwent target balloon-assisted recanalization attempts. Fourteen (39 %) patients had a history of open vascular surgery in the index limb. Fifteen patients were claudications (Rutherford Class 2 or 3, 21 presented with chronic limb threatening limb ischemia (Rutherford Class 4 to 6). The locations of the occlusive lesions were as follows: iliac arteries in 3 cases, femoropopliteal artery in 39 cases, and in below-the-knee arteries in 12 cases. In 15 cases, recanalization was attempted in multilevel occlusions. Retrograde access was attempted in 1 case in the common femoral artery, in the femoropopliteal segment in 10 cases, in below-the-knee arteries in 23 cases, and finally in 2 patients via the brachial artery. In 10 cases, the re-entry devices were inserted via the retrograde access site. Technical success was achieved in 34 (94 %) patients. There were 3 periprocedural complications, none directly related to the target balloon-assisted re-entry maneuver. Amputation-free survival was 87.8 % and freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization was 86.6 % after 12-months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Target balloon-assisted use of re-entry devices in chronic total occlusions provides an effective and safe endovascular adjunct, when conventional antegrade and retrograde recanalization attempts have failed.

Endovascular salvage of thrombosed haemodialysis vascular access.

Background: Haemodialysis access thrombosis is associated with significant morbidity and access abandonment rates, for which endovascular salvage is a well described treatment option. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of endovascular salvage procedures of thrombosed vascular access circuits and identify factors influencing outcomes. Patients and methods: Retrospective review of 328 consecutive procedures performed over 10 years at our institution between January 2010 and December 2019. Patient demographics, access circuit characteristics, procedure details and outcome data were collected. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate patency rates and Cox multivariate regression analysis to identify factors affecting outcomes. Results: Technical and clinical success rates were 87.8% and 75.9% respectively. The primary, primary assisted and secondary patency rates at 6 months were 42.2%, 46.7% and 59.1%; and at 12 months were 23.4%, 28.3% and 41.8% respectively. Median access circuit survival was 9.2 months. Major complication rate was 5.2% including 3 procedure-related deaths. Native AVF, lower time from thrombosis to intervention and pharmacomechanical thrombectomy using AngioJetTM predicted positive outcomes. Previous thrombectomy within 3 months and residual thrombus at completion were associated with poorer outcomes. Age and hypertension predicted higher complication rates. Conclusions: This is one of the largest single center series of endovascular salvage of thrombosed haemodialysis access and demonstrates that endovascular treatment is effective and provides durable access circuit survival. Careful patient screening is essential to optimize outcomes.

Successful Treatment of a Left Gastric Artery Pseudoaneurysm by Image Guided Percutaneous Thrombin Injection.

Visceral artery pseudoaneurysms are common complications of pancreatitis that carry a high mortality rate. The splenic artery is the commonest artery involved. Gastric artery pseudoaneurysms are less common with less than 50 cases reported in the literature. A 58-year-old female was referred to the Interventional Radiology department with a left gastric artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to acute pancreatitis. Initial Digital Subtraction Angiography revealed the pseudoaneurysm arising from the left gastric artery. Several attempts to cannulate the pseudoaneurysm were unsuccessful due to arterial spasm. Consequently, the left gastric artery proximal to the pseudoaneurysm was embolised with 300 microns of polyvinyl alcohol and two coils. 24 hours post-procedure, a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed which revealed a blush of contrast enhancement within the pseudoaneurysm sac, consistent with unsuccessful embolisation. Using a combination of ultrasound and cone beam CT guidance, a 22-gauge Chiba needle was advanced percutaneously via a transhepatic approach to the patent segment of the pseudoaneurysm. 2.5 ml of human thrombin was then injected directly into the pseudoaneurysm. Image guided injection of thrombin has become a well-recognised treatment for a variety of peripheral and visceral pseudoaneurysms and is often performed following a failed attempt of routine endovascular embolisation. We report the case of a patient affected by a pseudoaneurysm of the left gastric artery, treated with a CT guided percutaneous thrombin injection directly into the pseudoaneurysm. This demonstrates that percutaneous coagulation can be an adjunct or an alternative to endovascular embolisation.

Safety and efficacy of the Mynx Control vascular closure device in peripheral arterial procedures: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This article aims to present a prospective study investigating the safety and efficacy of the Mynx Control extravascular closure device (Cordis Corporation, FL, USA), for femoral arterial closure in patients undergoing peripheral arterial procedures. METHODS: Between January 2020 and February 2021, 100 Mynx Control devices were deployed in 91 consecutive patients (mean age: 67.5 ± 16.9 years) who underwent peripheral arterial procedures. We used ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy during Mynx Control deployment and ultrasound post-procedure to detect complications. Femoral artery punctures included 62 (62%) antegrade and 38 (38%) retrograde punctures. The mean activated clotting time at time of device deployment was 221s. The primary endpoints were technical success, device failure, and complication rates up to 30 days. RESULTS: A 5F vascular sheath was used in 43 cases (43%) (36 (36%) 6F and 21 (21%) 7F). The majority of our cases had antegrade access (62%). Overall technical success rate was 97% in both antegrade and retrograde cases. In total, there were 4 minor complications: 3 (3%) cases of pseudoaneurysm and 1 (1%) case of haematoma. No major complications were recorded post-procedure or 30 days post index procedure. CONCLUSION: The Mynx Control vascular closure device is safe and effective in achieving haemostasis in patients undergoing antegrade and retrograde peripheral angioplasty procedures.

Atypical use of PICC as centrally inserted central catheter in infants and neonates: Report of a 10-year experience.

PURPOSE: The aim was to determine the success, safety and post procedure complications of peripherally inserted central catheters as centrally inserted central catheters (CICC). MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred and sixty-one consecutive infants and neonates, who underwent image guided tunnelled central venous catheter insertion were retrospectively evaluated between April 2008 and April 2018. Patient's demographics, site of access and procedure details were recorded. Outcomes included technical success and post procedure complications. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-two CICCs were inserted in 161 patients (49.7%, n = 80 male). Mean patient age was 100 days (range: 0-342) with a mean weight of 4.20 kg (range 1.80-9.40). The most common indication was for antibiotics administration (41%; n = 66). Technical success was 99% (181/182). Early complications (<7 days) were seen in 8.8% (n = 13). This included inadvertent line removal in 5.5%, catheter-related bloodstream infection in 1.1% and catheter occlusion in 2.2% (n = 4). Average line functional duration prior to removal was 26 days (range 0-180). 77.5% of the lines lasted for the intended duration of treatment. In the neonate subgroup, 84.1% (37/44 lines) of lines remained in situ for the intended duration of treatment. CONCLUSION: Tunnelled central venous catheters using non-cuffed peripherally inserted central catheters in infants is a safe technique with excellent success rate and minimal complications rates.

Novel and Founder Pathogenic Variants in X-Linked Alport Syndrome Families in Greece.

Alport syndrome (AS) is the most frequent monogenic inherited glomerulopathy and is also genetically and clinically heterogeneous. It is caused by semi-dominant pathogenic variants in the X-linked COL4A5 (NM_000495.5) gene or recessive variants in the COL4A3/COL4A4 (NM_000091.4/NM_000092.4) genes. The disease manifests in early childhood with persistent microhematuria and can progress to proteinuria and kidney failure in adolescence or early adulthood if left untreated. On biopsy, pathognomonic features include alternate thinning, thickening and lamellation of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), in the presence of podocyte foot process effacement. Although previous studies indicate a prevalence of AS of about 1/50,000, a recent publication reported a predicted rate of pathogenic COL4A5 variants of 1/2320. We herewith present 98 patients (40 M/58 F) from 26 Greek families. We are selectively presenting the families segregating the X-linked form of AS with pathogenic variants in the COL4A5 gene. We found 21 different pathogenic variants, 12 novel: eight glycine and one proline substitutions in the collagenous domain, one cysteine substitution in the NC1 domain, two premature termination of translation codons, three splicing variants, one 5-bp insertion/frameshift variant, one indel-frameshift variant and four gross deletions. Notably, patients in six families we describe here and three families we reported previously, carried the COL4A5-p.G624D substitution, a founder defect encountered all over Europe which is hypomorphic with mostly milder symptomatology. Importantly, on several occasions, the correct genetic diagnosis reclassified patients as patients with AS, leading to termination of previous immunosuppressive/cyclosporine A therapy and a switch to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). With the understanding that all 98 patients span a wide range of ages from infancy to late adulthood, 15 patients (11 M/4 F) reached kidney failure and 11 (10 M/1 F) received a transplant. The prospects of avoiding lengthy diagnostic investigations and erroneous medications, and the advantage of delaying kidney failure with very early administration of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, highlights the importance of timely documentation of AS by genetic diagnosis.

Long-Term Effects of Acute Kidney Injury Following Endovascular Femoropopliteal Intervention: Insights From a Multicenter Trial.

PURPOSE: To examine the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) severity and duration with cardiovascular mortality, following endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal disease, and whether it is AKI in itself that confers an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data obtained between 2014 and 2019 from 3 vascular centers. Renal function was followed up for a minimum of 90 days. Electronic records were queried to establish a cause of death, where applicable. Patients were excluded if unable to provide written informed consent or if presenting with acute limb ischemia. Primary outcomes were the hazard ratios for cardiovascular death (AKI patients vs no AKI; no AKI vs stage 1 AKI vs stage 3 AKI; and no AKI vs transient AKI vs established AKI). Propensity score-matched analysis was used to establish whether developing AKI, in patients with similar demographics and procedural characteristics, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death. RESULTS: Overall 239 patients developed AKI, and this was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (hazard risk [HR]: 4.3, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 2.1-6.8, pairwise comparison p value=0.006]. This was dependent on the severity of the AKI stage (HR 5.4, 95% CI: 2.4-7.3, pairwise comparison p value=0.01) and duration (HR 4.2, 95% CI: 2.3-6.2, pairwise comparison p value=0.04). The propensity score-matched analysis showed that even when patients are matched for comorbidity and procedural characteristics, AKI confers an increased risk of mortality (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Acute kidney injury is common after femoropopliteal endovascular therapy. It confers an increased risk of long-term cardiovascular mortality, which is still present when renal decline is transient, and highest for patients with established decline in renal function. CLINICAL IMPACT: This is the first study in the setting of peripheral arterial disease to show that acute kidney injury has an adverse effect on cardiovascular mortality, in the long-term, that is dependent on its severity, and present even when the AKI is transient. We have also shown that this difference in cardiovascular mortality becomes more pronounced from the medium-term, and thus closer follow-up of these patients is required.

Predictors of outcome in diabetic patients undergoing infrapopliteal endovascular revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of chronic limb-threatening ischemia in diabetic patients is increasing. The factors influencing outcome after infrapopliteal revascularization in these patients are largely unknown. Therefore, this study aims to identify the impact of perioperative glucose control on the long-term outcomes in this patient cohort, and furthermore to identify other factors independently associated with outcome. METHODS: Consecutive diabetic patients undergoing infrapopliteal endovascular revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia were identified. Patients' demographics, procedural details, daily capillary blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1C levels were collected and analyzed against the study end points using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 437 infrapopliteal target vessels were successfully crossed in 203 patients. Amputation-free survival by Kaplan-Meier (estimate (standard error)%) was 74 (3.3)% and 63 (3.7)%, primary patency was 61 (4.2)% and 50 (4.9)%, assisted primary patency was 69 (5.2)% and 55 (6.1)%, and secondary patency was 71 (3.8)% and 59 (4.1)% at 1 year and 2 years, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed high perioperative capillary blood glucose levels to be an independent predictor of binary restenosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-1.1.78; P = .015). Postprocedural dual-antiplatelet therapy was found to be an independent predictor of amputation-free survival (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.04-2.75; P = .033), and freedom from major adverse limb events (HR: 1.96; 95% CI, 1.16-3.27; P = .023) and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly associated with better amputation-free survival (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.31-0.87; P = .014). CONCLUSIONS: Poor perioperative glycemic control is associated with a higher incidence of restenosis after infrapopliteal revascularization in diabetic patients. Dual antiplatelet therapy is associated with better outcomes in this group.

Optimising access and provision of interventional radiology service to patients by utilising a new referral system.

OBJECTIVE: Implementing a streamlined interventional radiology (IR) service in the UK has been a challenge. This study aims to review a set of changes introduced in IR at a tertiary centre, including a new referral process and the designation of IR clinical nurse specialists. METHODS: A new process of referring patients to IR using a single generic referral pathway was implemented, replacing an order dropdown-based system. A qualitative survey was designed and distributed as a single-use web link in order to assess the satisfaction and impact of this new process. Responses were based on Likert scale and pertained to perceived qualities of the new referral process. Data analysis was performed to identify specialty and grade-specific trends and possible differences amongst groups. RESULTS: Findings from 98 respondents revealed a strong overall satisfaction with the new referral method and support for its continuation. Subgroup analysis by specialty, concluded medical specialties rated the new referral system more favourably than surgical specialties across all aspects: time efficiency, ease of use, periprocedural support and overall user experience. The new system also increased departmental productivity with an increase in the number of patients treated by 11.2%. CONCLUSION: Micropolicy changes within individual IR departments such as the replacement of a request-based referral system to one which puts IR in control of vetting and patient flow is one of many changes that reinforce the transformational phase of this specialty. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Micropolicy changes within IR departments are key in the progression and widespread recognition of the specialty.

Occupational radiation exposure in doctors: an analysis of exposure rates over 25 years.

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare professionals' occupational exposure to ionising radiation may be increasing due to increasing use of imaging and image-guided intervention. This study aims to assess the occupational exposure of doctors over a 25-year period at an NHS teaching hospital. METHODS: Dosemeter measurements were collected prospectively from 1995 to 2019. Two retrospective analyses were performed over time (first including all measurements, second excluding "zero-dose" measurements), and by speciality. Group comparisons were undertaken using multilevel linear regression; a p-value <0.05 was deemed significant. RESULTS: 8,892 measurements (3,983 body, 1,514 collar, 649 eye, 2,846 hand), of which 3,350 were non-zero measurements (1,541 body, 883 collar, 155 eye, 771 hand), were included. Whole dataset analysis found a significant decrease in exposure for radiologists and cardiologists, as measured by body, hand and collar dosemeters over the last 25 years (p < 0.01 for all). The non-zero readings reflect the whole cohort analysis except in the case of eye dosemeters, which showed a significant decrease in exposure for cardiologists (p < 0.01), but a significant increase for radiologists and surgeons/anaesthetists (p < 0.01 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Whilst ionising radiation remains an occupational risk for doctors, the overall decreasing trend in occupational exposure is reassuring. However, a significant rise in eye dose for radiologists, surgeons and anaesthetists is concerning, and close monitoring is required to prevent future issues. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This paper is one of few evaluating the occupational radiation exposure to doctors over a 25-year period, showing that although most dosemeter measurements reflect decreasing exposure, the increase in eye exposure warrants caution.

Utilisation of Image Guidance to Enhance Safety of Deployment of the Mynx Control Vascular Closure Device.

The Mynx Control device (Cardinal Healthcare, Dublin, Ohio, USA) was recently licensed and allows for entirely extravascular arteriotomy closure. It uses a polyethylene glycol sealant plug which is absorbed fully within 30 days, alleviating concerns around difficulties with regaining access in future. The Mynx device uses a balloon, inflated within the artery and retracted against the arteriotomy to achieve haemostasis, with the extravascular sealant plug then deployed outside the vessel wall. While the manufacturer's instructions for use do not include utilisation of imaging guidance, we routinely employ fluoroscopic and/or ultrasound to ensure safe use of the device. These techniques allow confirmation of balloon position against the arteriotomy, hence avoiding inadvertent deployment of the plug partially or fully intraluminally. Visualisation of the balloon within the lumen also eliminates risk of plaque disruption in diseased vessels on retraction of the device. Image guidance adds little time to device deployment, and the safety benefits are such that we recommend that practitioners elsewhere consider adopting our techniques. Here, we describe the process involved in both techniques.