Surgical resection of leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava: A case series and literature review.

OBJECTIVES: We review our institution's experience in treating leiomyosarcomas involving the inferior vena cava, and we offer guidance on the management. METHODS: A text-based search was performed to identify all patients who underwent surgical resection between January 2002 and October 2020. Clinicopathologic data, intraoperative variables, and outcomes were extracted from chart review. RESULTS: Twelve of 16 patients (75%) had localized disease; the remaining had limited metastatic disease. Seven of 16 patients (44%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation; three patients had partial responses, and four patients had stable disease using RECIST 1.1 criteria. IVC reconstruction was performed in 14 of 16 patients (88%); IVC was ligated for the remaining two patients. Half of all patients had R0 resection on final pathology; the remaining had R1 resections. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were not statistically different between patients with R0 and R1 resection. Median PFS was 1.8 years (95% CI 0.89 - not reached); median OS was 6.5 years (1.8 - not reached). Only one patient (6%) experienced local disease recurrence; 4 of 16 patients (25%) experienced disease recurrence distally without local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Resection of IVC leiomyosarcomas at a sarcoma referral center with experience in vascular reconstruction can lead to many years of recurrence-free survival. Surgical resection should be offered to patients with a low volume of metastatic disease to reduce local complications from the primary tumor, many of which exert significant mass effect on surrounding organs. For patients with metastatic disease or large, high-risk tumors, neoadjuvant chemotherapy can provide a biologic test of disease stability prior to resection.

Paclitaxel exposure and long-term mortality of patients treated with the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent.

OBJECTIVES: Paclitaxel-eluting stents have demonstrated improved patency over balloon angioplasty and bare metal stenting for endovascular interventions in the femoral-popliteal segment. Recently, concerns have arisen regarding the safety of paclitaxel use and its association with mortality. This study aims to examine real-world, long-term mortality, and patency of patients treated with the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent. METHODS: Patients treated with the PTX stent after FDA approval between 2013 and 2015 were identified from an institutional database. Demographic, procedural, and device information was collected and initial- and lifetime-exposure dose of paclitaxel was calculated. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and its association with paclitaxel exposure. Long-term patency was also evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-nine procedures involving PTX placement were performed on 64 individual patients during the study period, with 15 (23.4%) having bilateral procedures. Average age was 70 years, and 71.9% were male. Forty-five patients (70.3%) were claudicants, and 19 (29.7%) had chronic, limb-threatening ischemia. An average of 2.3 PTX stents, totaling 203 mm in length, were placed per procedure. Paclitaxel exposure was 1.87 mg/procedure initially (range 0.38-4.03 mg), and average lifetime exposure was 4.65 mg/patient (range 0.38-27.91 mg). Average follow-up was 59.6 months. Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was 96.9%, 81.2% and 71.7% at one , three, and five years. On multivariate analysis, no specific factors were associated with overall morality including initial paclitaxel dose (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00) and lifetime paclitaxel exposure (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.89-1.08). Kaplan-Meier primary patency was 76.2%, 60.1%, and 29.3% at one, two, and five years, respectively. Secondary patency was 92.2%, 85.4%, and 75.2% at the same intervals. CONCLUSIONS: At a mean follow-up of five years, exposure to higher doses of paclitaxel from Zilver PTX does not appear to be associated with increased mortality compared to lower doses in real-world patients. Long-term patency rates confirm the efficacy of Zilver PTX, and further investigation may be warranted before abandoning paclitaxel use altogether.

Evaluation of Outcomes Following Surgery for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Importance: Although outcome of surgical resection of liver metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) has been extensively studied, little is known about surgery for locally advanced PNETs; it was listed recently by the European neuroendocrine tumor society as a major unmet need. Objective: To evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent surgery for locally aggressive PNETs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective single-center case series reviewed consecutive patients who underwent resection of T3/T4 PNETs at a single academic institution. Data collection occurred from 2003 to 2018. Data analysis was performed in August 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Disease-free survival (primary outcome) and overall mortality (secondary outcome) were assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Recurrence risk (secondary outcome, defined as identification of tumor recurrence on imaging) was assessed with Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for covariates. Results: In this case series, 99 patients with locally advanced nondistant metastatic PNET (56 men [57%]) with a mean (SEM) age of 57.0 (1.4) years and a mean (SEM) follow-up of 5.3 (0.1) years underwent surgically aggressive resections. Of those, 4 patients (4%) underwent preoperative neoadjuvant treatment (including peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and chemotherapy); 18 patients (18%) underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 68 patients (69%) had distal or subtotal pancreatic resection, 10 patients (10%) had total resection, and 3 patients (3%) had other pancreatic procedures. Additional organ resection was required in 86 patients (87%): spleen (71 patients [71%]), major blood vessel (17 patients [17%]), bowel (2 patients [2%]), stomach (4 patients [4%]), and kidney (2 patients [2%]). Five-year disease-free survival was 61% (61 patients) and 5-year overall survival was 91% (91 patients). Of those living, 75 patients (76%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of less than or equal to 1 at last followup. Lymph node involvement (HR, 7.66; 95% CI, 2.78-21.12; P < .001), additional organ resected (HR, 6.15; 95% CI, 1.61-23.55; P = .008), and male sex (HR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.68-8.97; P = .003) were associated with increased risk of recurrence. Functional tumors had a lower risk of recurrence (HR, 0.23; CI, 0.06-0.89; P = .03). Required resection of blood vessels was not associated with a significant increase recurrence risk. Conclusions and Relevance: In this case series, positive lymph node involvement and resection of organs with tumor involvement were associated with an increased recurrence risk. These subgroups may require adjuvant systemic treatment. These findings suggest that patients with locally advanced PNETs who undergo surgical resection have excellent disease-free and overall survival.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Deep Vein Thrombosis after Radiofrequency and Laser Ablation of the Lower Extremity Veins.

BACKGROUND: The rates of thromboembolic complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after venous ablation procedures for symptomatic superficial venous insufficiency are controversial. We sought to describe the risk factors for and incidence of DVT after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and laser ablation (LA). METHODS: We queried the Truven Health Marketscan Database from 2007-16 for patients who underwent RFA or LA and had a follow-up duplex ultrasound within 30 days of the ablation procedure. The primary outcome was DVT at 7 and 30 days identified by International Classification of Diseases-9 and International Classification of Diseases-10 codes. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate the patient and procedural variables associated with a DVT at 30 days, expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Patients and procedures with a previous DVT diagnosis were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 256,999 patients underwent 433,286 ablation procedures: 192,195 (44.4%) RFA and 241,091 LA. Of these, 8,203 (1.9%) had a newly diagnosed DVT within 7 days and 13,347 (3.1%) within 30 days of the procedure. The incidence of DVT decreased over the study period. LA (2.8%) demonstrated a lower incidence of DVT at 30 days compared with RFA (3.4%), P < 0.001. On multivariable regression, LA (OR, 0.82; 95% CI 0.80-0.85) was again associated with a decreased risk for 30-day DVT, as was female gender (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.71-0.77), and sclerotherapy performed on the same day (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.98). A diagnosis of peripheral artery disease (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.16-1.31) and concomitant stab phlebectomy (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.37-1.49) was associated with an increased risk of DVT within 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of newly diagnosed DVT within 30 days of an ablation procedure was 3.2%. The risk for DVT decreased in recent years, and LA was associated with an 18% decreased risk compared with RFA.

Infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair with large device (34- to 36-mm) diameters is associated with higher risk of proximal fixation failure.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become the standard of care for infrarenal aneurysms. Endografts are commercially available in proximal diameters up to 36 mm, allowing proximal seal in necks up to 32 mm. We sought to further investigate clinical outcomes after standard EVAR in patients requiring large main body devices. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database for all patients undergoing elective EVAR for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms at a single institution from 2000 to 2016. Only endografts with the option of a 34- to 36-mm proximal diameter were included. Requisite patient demographics, anatomic and device-related variables, and relevant clinical outcomes and imaging were reviewed. The primary outcome in this study was proximal fixation failure, which was a composite of type IA endoleak and stent graft migration >10 mm after EVAR. Outcomes were stratified by device diameter for the large-diameter device cohort (34-36 mm) and the normal-diameter device cohort (<34 mm). RESULTS: There were 500 patients treated with EVAR who met the inclusion criteria. A total of 108 (21.6%) patients received large-diameter devices. There was no difference between the large-diameter cohort and the normal-diameter cohort in terms of 30-day (0.9% vs 0.95%; P = .960) or 1-year mortality (9.0% vs 6.2%; P = .920). Proximal fixation failure occurred in 24 of 392 (6.1%) patients in the normal-diameter cohort and 26 of 108 (24%) patients in the large-diameter cohort (P < .001). There were 13 (3.3%) type IA endoleaks in the normal-diameter cohort and 16 (14.8%) in the large-diameter cohort (P < .001). Stent graft migration (>10 mm) occurred in 15 (3.8%) in the normal-diameter cohort and 16 (14.8%) in the large-diameter cohort (P < .001). After multivariate analysis, only the use of Talent (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn) endografts (odds ratio [OR], 4.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-17.21) and neck diameter ≥29 mm (OR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.12-5.08) remained significant independent risk factors for development of proximal fixation failure (OR, 3.99; 95% CI, 1.75-9.11). CONCLUSIONS: Standard EVAR in patients with large infrarenal necks ≥29 mm requiring a 34- to 36-mm-diameter endograft is independently associated with an increased rate of proximal fixation failure. This group of patients should be considered for more proximal seal strategies with fenestrated or branched devices vs open repair. Also, this group likely needs more stringent radiographic follow-up.

Management and outcomes of symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms during the past 20 years.

OBJECTIVE: We compared the management of patients with symptomatic, unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) treated at a tertiary care center between two decades. This 20-year period encapsulated a shift in surgical approach to aortic aneurysms from primarily open to primarily endovascular, and we sought to determine the effect of this shift in the evaluation, treatment, and clinical outcomes of patients with symptomatic AAA. METHODS: We reviewed 1429 consecutive patients with unruptured AAAs treated at a tertiary care hospital by six staff surgeons between 1995 and 2004 (era 1) and between 2005 and 2014 (era 2). Of those patients, 160 (11%) were symptomatic from their aneurysm and were included in our study. Patient demographics, operative approach, and outcomes were analyzed and compared for each period. RESULTS: Era 1 included 75 patients (71% men; average age, 73.1 ± 10.0 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (91.9% infrarenal, 4.0% juxtarenal, and 4.0% pararenal); of these, 68% were treated with open repair and 32.0% were treated with an endovascular repair. Perioperative mortality during this period was 5.3% (7.8% for the open cohort and 0% for the endovascular cohort). Era 2 included 85 patients (72.9% men; average age 72.0 ± 9.5 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (90.1% infrarenal, 7.5% juxtarenal, and 2.4% pararenal); of these, 29% were treated open and 71% underwent endovascular repair. Perioperative mortality was 5.9% (8.0% for the open cohort and 5.0% for the endovascular cohort). Era 2 had a significantly higher rate of endovascular repair compared with era 1 (71% vs 32%; P < .0001) and a trend toward decreased long-term mortality. The length of stay for era 2 was significantly reduced compared with era 1 (4 days vs 6 days; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest single-institution cohort of symptomatic AAAs, which comprise 10% to 11% of overall aneurysms. As expected, we found a significant shift over time in the approach to these patients from a primarily open to a primarily endovascular technique. The modern era was also associated with decreased lengths of stay and fewer gastrointestinal and wound complications but no significant differences in overall perioperative mortality.

New predictors of complications in carotid body tumor resection.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between two new variables, tumor distance to base of skull (DTBOS) and tumor volume, with complications of carotid body tumor (CBT) resection, including bleeding and cranial nerve injury. METHODS: Patients who underwent CBT resection between 2004 and 2014 were studied using a standardized, multi-institutional database. Demographic, perioperative, and outcomes data were collected. CBT measurements were determined from computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound examination. RESULTS: There were 356 CBTs resected in 332 patients (mean age, 51 years; 72% female); 32% were classified as Shamblin I, 43% as Shamblin II, and 23% as Shamblin III. The mean DTBOS was 3.3 cm (standard deviation [SD], 2.1; range, 0-10), and the mean tumor volume was 209.7 cm3 (SD, 266.7; range, 1.1-1642.0 cm3). The mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 257 mL (SD, 426; range, 0-3500 mL). Twenty-four percent of patients had cranial nerve injuries. The most common cranial nerves injured were the hypoglossal (10%), vagus (11%), and superior laryngeal (5%) nerves. Both Shamblin grade and DTBOS were statistically significantly correlated with EBL of surgery and cranial nerve injuries, whereas tumor volume was statistically significantly correlated with EBL. The logistic model for predicting blood loss and cranial nerve injury with all three variables-Shamblin, DTBOS, and volume (R2 = 0.171, 0.221, respectively)-was superior to a model with Shamblin alone (R2 = 0.043, 0.091, respectively). After adjusting for Shamblin grade and volume, every 1-cm decrease in DTBOS was associated with 1.8 times increase in risk of >250 mL of blood loss (95% confidence interval, 1.25-2.55) and 1.5 times increased risk of cranial nerve injury (95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.92). CONCLUSIONS: This large study of CBTs demonstrates the value of preoperatively determining tumor dimensions and how far the tumor is located from the base of the skull. DTBOS and tumor volume, when used in combination with the Shamblin grade, better predict bleeding and cranial nerve injury risk. Furthermore, surgical resection before expansion toward the base of the skull reduces complications as every 1-cm decrease in the distance to the skull base results in 1.8 times increase in >250 mL of blood loss and 1.5 times increased risk of cranial nerve injury.

Predictive models for mortality after ruptured aortic aneurysm repair do not predict futility and are not useful for clinical decision making.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical decision-making utility of scoring algorithms for predicting mortality after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs) remains unknown. We sought to determine the clinical utility of the algorithms compared with our clinical decision making and outcomes for management of rAAA during a 10-year period. METHODS: Patients admitted with a diagnosis rAAA at a large university hospital were identified from 2005 to 2014. The Glasgow Aneurysm Score, Hardman Index, Vancouver Score, Edinburgh Ruptured Aneurysm Score, University of Washington Ruptured Aneurysm Score, Vascular Study Group of New England rAAA Risk Score, and the Artificial Neural Network Score were analyzed for accuracy in predicting mortality. Among patients quantified into the highest-risk group (predicted mortality >80%-85%), we compared the predicted with the actual outcome to determine how well these scores predicted futility. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 64 patients. Of those, 24 (38%) underwent open repair, 36 (56%) underwent endovascular repair, and 4 (6%) received only comfort care. Overall mortality was 30% (open repair, 26%; endovascular repair, 24%; no repair, 100%). As assessed by the scoring systems, 5% to 35% of patients were categorized as high-mortality risk. Intersystem agreement was poor, with κ values ranging from 0.06 to 0.79. Actual mortality was lower than the predicted mortality (50%-70% vs 78%-100%) for all scoring systems, with each scoring system overestimating mortality by 10% to 50%. Mortality rates for patients not designated into the high-risk cohort were dramatically lower, ranging from 7% to 29%. Futility, defined as 100% mortality, was predicted in five of 63 patients with the Hardman Index and in two of 63 of the University of Washington score. Of these, surgery was not offered to one of five and one of two patients, respectively. If one of these two models were used to withhold operative intervention, the mortality of these patients would have been 100%. The actual mortality for these patients was 60% and 50%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical algorithms for predicting mortality after rAAA were not useful for predicting futility. Most patients with rAAA were not classified in the highest-risk group by the clinical decision models. Among patients identified as highest risk, predicted mortality was overestimated compared with actual mortality. The data from this study support the limited value to surgeons of the currently published algorithms.

Sarcoma Resection With and Without Vascular Reconstruction: A Matched Case-control Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of major vascular resection on sarcoma resection outcomes. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: En bloc resection and reconstruction of involved vessels is being increasingly performed during sarcoma surgery; however, the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of this strategy are not well described. METHODS: Patients undergoing sarcoma resection with (VASC) and without (NO-VASC) vascular reconstruction were 1:2 matched on anatomic site, histology, grade, size, synchronous metastasis, and primary (vs. repeat) resection. R2 resections were excluded. Endpoints included perioperative morbidity, mortality, local recurrence, and survival. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2014, 50 sarcoma patients underwent VASC resection. These were matched with 100 NO-VASC patients having similar clinicopathologic characteristics. The rates of any complication (74% vs. 44%, P = 0.002), grade 3 or higher complication (38% vs. 18%, P = 0.024), and transfusion (66% vs. 33%, P < 0.001) were all more common in the VASC group. Thirty-day (2% vs. 0%, P = 0.30) or 90-day mortality (6% vs. 2%, P = 0.24) were not significantly higher. Local recurrence (5-year, 51% vs. 54%, P = 0.11) and overall survival after resection (5-year, 59% vs. 53%, P = 0.67) were similar between the 2 groups. Within the VASC group, overall survival was not affected by the type of vessel involved (artery vs. vein) or the presence of histology-proven vessel wall invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular resection and reconstruction during sarcoma resection significantly increases perioperative morbidity and requires meticulous preoperative multidisciplinary planning. However, the oncologic outcome appears equivalent to cases without major vascular involvement. The anticipated need for vascular resection and reconstruction should not be a contraindication to sarcoma resection.

Factors impacting follow-up care after placement of temporary inferior vena cava filters.

OBJECTIVE: Rates of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval have remained suboptimal, in part because of poor follow-up. The goal of our study was to determine demographic and clinical factors predictive of IVC filter follow-up care in a university hospital setting. METHODS: We reviewed 250 consecutive patients who received an IVC filter placement with the intention of subsequent retrieval between March 2009 and October 2010. Patient demographics, clinical factors, and physician specialty were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables predicting follow-up care. RESULTS: In our cohort, 60.7% of patients received follow-up care; of those, 93% had IVC filter retrieval. Major indications for IVC filter placement were prophylaxis for high risk surgery (53%) and venous thromboembolic event with contraindication and/or failure of anticoagulation (39%). Follow-up care was less likely for patients discharged to acute rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities (P < .0001), those with central nervous system pathology (eg, cerebral hemorrhage or spinal fracture; P < .0001), and for those who did not receive an IVC filter placement by a vascular surgeon (P < .0001). In a multivariate analysis, discharge home (odds ratio [OR], 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-8.2; P < .0001), central nervous system pathology (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.22-0.95; P = .04), and IVC filter placement by the vascular surgery service (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 2.3-9.6; P < .0001) remained independent predictors of follow-up care. Trauma status and distance of residence did not significantly impact likelihood of patient follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Service-dependent practice paradigms play a critical role in patient follow-up and IVC filter retrieval rates. Nevertheless, specific patient populations are more prone to having poorer rates of follow-up. Such trends should be factored into institutional quality control goals and patient-centered care.

Selective use of percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair in women leads to fewer groin complications.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in women is often technically limited by smaller access vessel anatomy, particularly at the femoral and iliac artery levels. Percutaneous femoral artery access and closure using the "Preclose" technique (PERC) is a less invasive alternative to open surgical femoral arterial exposure and has been reported to be technically feasible, particularly in male cohorts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and access-related outcomes of PERC in women undergoing EVAR. METHODS: We identified female patients in a prospectively maintained EVAR database from 2000 to 2009. An all-percutaneous approach was adopted in 2007 if technically feasible, based on preoperative computed tomography angiogram criteria including a femoral diameter >7 mm, <25% posterior plaque and lack of circumferential calcification/disease. All percutaneous EVAR procedures were performed using two Perclose Proglide devices in a standardized manner for sheath sizes ranging between 12F and 26F. RESULTS: In period 1 (2000-2006), most cases were performed with open femoral exposure. In period 2 (2007-2009), our group adopted a percutaneous-first approach. Of 736 EVARs performed during the study period, 120 (16.3%) were in women, leading to 178 femoral arteries requiring large sheath access. Period 1 included 90 women and period 2 included 30 women who were evaluated for percutaneous access. During period 2, of the 47 eligible femoral arteries for possible PERC, 24 (51%) met appropriate criteria, and the Preclose technique was employed. The remaining 23 femoral arteries during period 2 were accessed with surgical exposure (OPEN). Technical success rate of PERC in period 2 was 96%, with one device pulling through a thin anterior arterial wall requiring open femoral conversion. During period 2, the OPEN cohort had a higher rate of total wound complications compared with PERC (34.8% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.02), including hematomas (8.7% vs. 0%), wound breakdowns (8.7% vs. 0%), and pseudoaneurysms (4.3% vs. 0%). There were two cases of femoral artery thrombosis in the PERC group requiring repair in the immediate postoperative period; however, this was not significantly different compared with the OPEN group (8.7% vs. 8.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Selective percutaneous access of the femoral arteries for EVAR is safe and effective in the female population, with fewer wound complications than open exposure. Approximately one-half of femoral arteries in women are eligible for PERC access, and complications can be limited with careful selection based on preoperative imaging.

Cost impact of extension cuff utilization during endovascular aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Modular stent-graft systems for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) most often require two to three components, depending on the device. Differences in path lengths and availability of main body systems often require additional extensions for appropriate aneurysm exclusion. These additional devices usually result in added expenses and can affect the financial viability of an EVAR program within a hospital. The purpose of this study was to analyze the use of extensions during EVAR, focusing on incidence, clinical impact, and financial impact, as well as determining the associated cost differences between two- and three-component EVAR device systems. METHODS: We reviewed available clinical data, images, and follow-up of 218 patients (203 males and 15 females, mean age: 74 ± 9 years) who underwent elective EVAR at a single academic center from 2004 to 2007. Patients were divided into two groups: patients undergoing EVAR using the standard number of pieces, that is, no extensions used (group A, n = 98), and those needing proximal or distal extensions during the index procedure (group B, n = 120). RESULTS: Both groups were similar in terms of demographics; preoperative characteristics, including aneurysm morphology; as well as intraoperative, postoperative, and midterm outcomes. Overall, 30-day operative mortality was 1.4%, with a mean follow-up of 24 months. Group A patients underwent repair with two-piece modular devices 41% of the time and three-piece systems 59% of the time, whereas group B patients underwent repair with two-piece modular systems 82% of the time and three-piece modular systems 18% of the time. The number of additional extensions per patient ranged from one to four (median: one piece). There was a 30% cost increase in overall mean device-related cost when using extensions versus the standard number of pieces (group A: $13,220 vs. group B: $17,107, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical midterm aneurysm-related outcomes after EVAR in patients who required additional extensions was comparable with those treated with the standard number of pieces. An increased number of extensions led to increased costs and could have potentially been minimized with appropriate preoperative planning or device selection. Consideration should be made toward per-case pricing instead of per-piece pricing to further improve cost efficiency without compromising long-term patient outcomes.

Major blood vessel reconstruction during sarcoma surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of major vessel reconstruction as part of surgery to remove sarcomas. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients (10 female) with retroperitoneal or extremity sarcomas and major blood vessel involvement who underwent surgery to remove the tumor and had blood vessel reconstruction between 2003 and 2008. Each patient underwent computed tomography angiography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Early (<30 days) and late (>30 days) operative morbidity and mortality, freedom from disease, and graft patency. RESULTS: Seven patients had retroperitoneal sarcomas and 7, extremity sarcomas. Thirteen tumors were malignant (7 high grade and 6 low grade) and 1, benign (leiomyoma). Seven patients had replacement of artery and vein; 5, artery only; and 2, vein only. In all, 16 arteries were reconstructed (2 common femoral; 5 iliac; 2 superficial femoral; 1 brachial; 1 popliteal; and 2 aorta, one with implantation of both iliac arteries and the other with implantation of the left renal, superior mesenteric, and hepatic arteries). Eight patients (57%) had 9 veins reconstructed (3 external iliac, 3 superficial femoral, 2 vena cava, and 1 popliteal). Primary arterial patency was 58% and primary-assisted patency was 83%. Venous patency was 78%. Local recurrence occurred in 3 patients (21%). Five-year disease-free and overall survival were 52% and 68%, respectively. Limb salvage was achieved in 93%. CONCLUSION: Involvement of vascular structures is not a contraindication for resection of sarcomas, but appropriate planning is necessary to optimize outcome.

Anatomic suitability of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms for endovascular repair.

Mortality from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs) remains high despite improvements in anesthesia, postoperative intensive care, and surgical techniques. Recent small series and single-center experiences suggest that endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for rAAAs is feasible and may improve short-term survival. However, the applicability of EVAR to all cases of rAAA is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anatomical suitability of ruptured aneurysms for EVAR as determined by preoperative cross-sectional imaging. A contemporary consecutive series of rAAAs presenting to a tertiary academic center was retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative radiographic imaging was reviewed and assessed for endovascular compatibility based on currently available EVAR devices. Patients with aneurysm morphology demonstrating neck diameter >32 mm, neck length <10 mm, neck angulation >60 degrees, severe iliac tortuosity, or external iliac diameter <6 mm were deemed noncandidates for EVAR. Forty-seven rAAAs were treated over a 10-year period, with 47% of patients presenting with free rupture and 60% of patients transferred from outside hospitals. Five (11%) patients were treated with EVAR, all over the past 2 years, while the remaining 42 patients underwent open repair. Preoperative imaging was available for review in 43 (91%) patients, and morphological measurements indicated that 49% would have been candidates for EVAR with currently available devices. Criteria precluding EVAR in this cohort were inadequate neck length in 73%, unsuitable iliac access in 23%, large neck diameter in 18%, and severe neck angulation in 14%. Overall 30-day mortality was 34%, and 1-year mortality was 42%. Candidates for EVAR were more likely than non-EVAR candidates to be male (95% vs. 68%, p = 0.046) and to have smaller sac diameters (7.0 vs. 8.5 cm, p = 0.02) and longer neck lengths (24.1 vs. 8.6 mm, p < 0.0001); less likely to have a >60 degree angulated neck (10% vs. 45%, p = 0.0002), larger external iliac diameter (8.9 vs. 7.3 mm, p = 0.015), and less blood loss during surgical repair (2.4 vs. 6.0 L, p = 0.02); and more likely to be discharged home (71% vs. 25%, p = 0.05). There were no differences in 30-day, 1-year, or overall mortality between candidates for EVAR and noncandidates. Only 49% of patients with rAAAs in this consecutive series were found to be candidates for EVAR with conventional stent-graft devices. Differences in demographics, aneurysm morphology, and outcomes between candidates and noncandidates undergoing open repair suggest that differential risks apply to ruptured aneurysm patients. Protocols and future reports of EVAR for rAAAs should be tailored to these results. Device and technique modifications are necessary to increase the applicability of EVAR for rAAAs.

Simulation-based endovascular skills assessment: the future of credentialing?

OBJECTIVES: Simulator-based endovascular skills training measurably improves performance in catheter-based image-guided interventions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether structured global performance assessment during endovascular simulation correlated well with trainee-reported procedural skill and prior experience level. METHODS: Fourth-year and fifth-year general surgery residents interviewing for vascular fellowship training provided detailed information regarding prior open vascular and endovascular operative experience. The pretest questionnaire responses were used to separate subjects into low (<20 cases) and moderate (20 to 100) endovascular experience groups. Subjects were then asked to perform a renal angioplasty/stent procedure on the Procedicus Vascular Intervention System Trainer (VIST) endovascular simulator (Mentice Corporation, Gothenburg, Sweden). The subjects' performance was supervised and evaluated by a blinded expert interventionalist using a structured global assessment scale based on angiography setup, target vessel catheterization, and the interventional procedure. Objective measures determined by the simulator were also collected for each subject. A postsimulation questionnaire was administered to determine the subjects' self-assessment of their performance. RESULTS: Seventeen surgical residents from 15 training programs completed questionnaires before and after the exercise and performed a renal angioplasty/stent procedure on the endovascular simulator. The beginner group (n = 8) reported prior experience of a median of eight endovascular cases (interquartile range [IQR], 6.5-17.8; range, 4-20), and intermediate group (n = 9) had previously completed a median of 42 cases (IQR, 31-44; range, 25-89, P = .01). The two groups had similar prior open vascular experience (79 cases vs 75, P = .60). The mean score on the structured global assessment scale for the low experience group was 2.68 of 5.0 possible compared with 3.60 for the intermediate group (P = .03). Scores for subcategories of the global assessment score for target vessel catheterization (P = .02) and the interventional procedure (P = .05) contributed more to the differentiation between the two experience groups. Total procedure time, fluoroscopy time, average contrast used, percentage of lesion covered by the stent, placement accuracy, residual stenosis rates, and number of cine loops utilized were similar between the two groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Structured endovascular skills assessment correlates well with prior procedural experience within a high-fidelity simulation environment. In addition to improving endovascular training, simulators may prove useful in determining procedural competency and credentialing standards for endovascular surgeons.

Intraoperative colon mucosal oxygen saturation during aortic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Colonic ischemia after aortic reconstruction is a devastating complication with high mortality rates. This study evaluates whether Colon Mucosal Oxygen Saturation (CMOS) correlates with colon ischemia during aortic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aortic reconstruction was performed in 25 patients, using a spectrophotometer probe that was inserted in each patient's rectum before the surgical procedure. Continuous CMOS, buccal mucosal oxygen saturation, systemic mean arterial pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry, and pivotal intra-operative events were collected. RESULTS: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) was performed in 20 and open repair in 5 patients with a mean age of 75 +/- 10 (+/-SE) years. CMOS reliably decreased in EVAR from a baseline of 56% +/- 8% to 26 +/- 17% (P < 0.0001) during infrarenal aortic balloon occlusion and femoral arterial sheath placement. CMOS similarly decreased during open repair from 56% +/- 9% to 15 +/- 19% (P < 0.0001) when the infrarenal aorta and iliac arteries were clamped. When aortic circulation was restored in both EVAR and open surgery, CMOS returned to baseline values 56.5 +/- 10% (P = 0.81). Mean recovery time in CMOS after an aortic intervention was 6.4 +/- 3.3 min. Simultaneous buccal mucosal oxygen saturation was stable (82% +/- 6%) during aortic manipulation but would fall significantly during active bleeding. There were no device related CMOS measurement complications. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-operative CMOS is a sensitive measure of colon ischemia where intraoperative events correlated well with changes in mucosal oxygen saturation. Transient changes demonstrate no problem. However, persistently low CMOS suggests colon ischemia, thus providing an opportunity to revascularize the inferior mesenteric artery or hypogastric arteries to prevent colon infarction.

Long-term thrombotic recurrence after nonoperative management of Paget-Schroetter syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical predictors associated with long-term thrombotic recurrences necessitating surgical intervention after initial success with nonoperative management of patients with primary subclavian vein thrombosis. METHODS: Sixty-four patients treated for Paget-Schroetter syndrome from 1996 to 2005 at our institution were reviewed. The standardized protocol for treatment includes catheter-directed thrombolysis, a short period of anticoagulation, and selective surgical decompression for patients with persistent symptoms. First-rib resection was performed in 29 patients (45%) within the first 3 months, with a success rate of 93%. The remaining 35 patients (55%) were treated nonoperatively and constitute this study's population. RESULTS: Of the 35 patients with successful nonoperative management, 8 (23%) developed recurrent thrombotic events of the same extremity at a mean follow-up time of 13 months after thrombolysis (range, 6-33 months). These eight patients subsequently underwent first-rib resection with a 100% success rate without further sequelae at a mean follow-up time of 51 months (range, 2-103 months). The other 27 patients remained symptom free at a mean follow-up interval of 55 months (range, 10-110 months). Bivariate analyses determined that the use of a stent during the initial thrombolysis was associated with thrombotic recurrence (P = .05). The recurrence group was also significantly younger than the asymptomatic group (22 vs 36 years; P = .01). Sex, being a competitive athlete, a history of trauma, whether the dominant arm was affected, time of delay to lysis, initial clot burden, response to original lysis, use of adjunctive balloons or mechanical thrombectomy devices, residual stenosis on venography, length of time on warfarin, and patency of the vein on follow-up duplex examination were all characteristics not associated with long-term recurrence after nonoperative management. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative nonoperative management of primary subclavian vein thrombosis can be successfully used with acceptable long-term results. A younger age (<28 years old) and the use of a stent during initial thrombolysis are factors associated with long-term recurrent thrombosis. Younger patients should be offered early surgical decompression, and the use of stents without thoracic outlet decompression is not indicated.