Simultaneous Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Combined with Saccular Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm.

With the recent increase in imaging tests, coexisting abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are being discovered accidentally. We report two cases of simultaneous endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for AAA and TAA. Both 74-year-old and 79-year-old male with infrarenal AAA and saccular TAA were treated simultaneously with EVAR and TEVAR. Saccular TAAs were identified in the upper thoracic aorta during the evaluation of AAA. During endograft placement, carotid-subclavian bypass and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage were performed. Both patients were successfully discharged without spinal cord ischemia. Simultaneous EVAR and TEVAR can be considered for patients with AAA and saccular TAA in the upper thoracic aorta. Moreover, CSF drainage may be necessary to protect the spinal cord.

En-bloc resection including SMV and duodenum in patient of locally advanced colon cancer.

Tumor could directly invade or is adherent to other organs, but superior mesentery vein (SMV) and duodenum invasion are very rare. A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with abdominal pain for several months. Multiple erythematous brownish skin patches and palpable mass were found at epigastric area. Computed tomography imaging showed focal wall thickening at the transverse colon that invaded to the rectus muscle and anterior abdominal wall. On exploration, we identified tumor invaded or was adherent to the duodenum and superior mesenteric vein and performed en-bloc resection. After surgery, the patient received chemotherapy and was followed up without any recurrence for 16 months. Adhesion and invasion of tumor to surrounding organs can be unexpectedly found during surgery. In our case, we found duodenum and SMV invasion and achieved R0 resection by SMV and duodenum resection, which could improve the patient's prognosis.

Conservative Treatment in Two Patients With Spontaneous Hepatic Artery Dissection.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous dissection of the hepatic artery is a rare finding for which there is no specific treatment algorithm. Even though endovascular treatment and surgery have been used to treat other visceral artery dissections, these approaches can be challenging in the case of hepatic artery dissection because it is difficult to access the hepatic artery. CASE SUMMARY: 2 patients with spontaneous dissection of the hepatic artery were admitted due to epigastric pain. Although the liver function test results were normal, and there were no complications such as bleeding, shock, or ischemia in other organs, a subsequent computed tomography scan directly revealed the spontaneous dissection of the hepatic artery in both patients. The patients were treated with anticoagulants without surgery. Because it is difficult to perform surgery or endovascular treatment on the hepatic artery, we focused on preventing the progression of hepatic artery dissection and the formation of a new thrombus in the dissection. CONCLUSION: Considering the risk of surgical treatment for the hepatic artery and the condition of the patients, medical treatment with anticoagulants may be considered as an initial treatment and provide more benefits than surgical treatment.

[CORRIGENDUM: Development of a Diabetic Foot Ulceration Prediction Model and Nomogram].

This corrects the article on p. 280 in vol. 51, PMID: 34215707.

Bowel perforation surgery due to fecal impaction immediately after hernia mesh surgery (TAPP).

Inguinal hernia repair using prosthetic mesh is used as a standard treatment in most countries and considered superior to primary suture repair. Although prosthetic mesh has greatly reduced the risk of recurrence, the risk of mesh infection remains. A 71-year-old man was diagnosed with symptomatic bilateral inguinal hernias. He underwent successful laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair and was discharged the same day. After 3 days, he was diagnosed with small bowel perforation, and underwent emergency surgery. We found perforation of the distal ileum caused by the fecal impaction and severe intra-abdominal contamination. We performed subtotal colectomy and ileosigmoid anastomosis, but did not remove the prosthetic mesh because the previous TAPP site was intact. The patient recovered well post-operatively. Therefore, contaminated or dirty surgery immediately after the hernia mesh surgery could be a feasible treatment.

Huge adrenal schwannoma: a rare type of adrenal tumor, misconceived as adrenocortical carcinoma.

Schwannoma is a benign and uncommon neoplasm arising from the neural crest cells. The most common tumor sites are the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the head and neck. Retroperitoneal schwannomas account for 1-3% of all schwannomas and are predominantly female. In particular, adrenal schwannoma is very rare, and due to its large size at the time of diagnosis, adrenal schwannoma is frequently misdiagnosed as adrenocortical carcinoma or pheochromocytoma. Adrenal schwannoma is difficult to distinguish it from other adrenal diseases based on imaging findings alone. In this report, we introduce the case of a huge left adrenal schwannoma.

Pilot study on the effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on inferior vene cava blood flow in patients with chronic venous insufficiency using 4D flow MRI.

BACKGROUND: Four-dimensional (4D) flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to objectively assess changes in blood flow velocity in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) who underwent stocking treatment alone and stocking combined with Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) treatment. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CVI were recruited from August 31, 2018 to December 31, 2020. A total of 23 participants were selected, with 10 and 13 patients in the stocking treatment and stocking + GSPE treatment groups, respectively. The blood flow velocity (Th-plane peak and average velocities) was calculated using 4D flow MRI. A paired t test was used to evaluate the differences in blood flow velocity before and after treatment. RESULTS: In the stocking treatment group, The Th-Plane peak velocity increased by 2.48 ±â€…5.05 cm/s after treatment (P = .16). In the stocking + GSPE treatment group, the Th-Plane peak velocity increased by 4.85 ±â€…5.57 cm/s after treatment (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The blood flow velocity on 4D flow MRI was significantly increased in participants who underwent GSPE, highlighting the potential of GSPE for CVI treatment.

Hospital mortality and prognostic factors in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury and cancer undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND: Whether continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) should be applied to critically ill patients with both acute kidney injury (AKI) and cancer remains controversial because of poor expected outcomes. The present study determined prognostic factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality in patients with AKI and cancer undergoing CRRT. METHODS: We included 471 patients with AKI and cancer who underwent CRRT at the intensive care unit of a Korean tertiary hospital from 2013 to 2020, and classified them by malignancy type. The primary outcomes were 28-day all-cause mortality rate and prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcome was renal replacement therapy (RRT) dependency at hospital discharge. RESULTS: The 28-day mortality rates were 58.8% and 82% in the solid and hematologic malignancy groups, respectively. Body mass index (BMI), presence of oliguria, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and albumin level were common predictors of 28-day mortality in the solid and hematologic malignancy groups. A high heart rate and the presence of severe acidosis were prognostic factors only in the solid malignancy group. Among the survivors, the proportion with RRT dependency was 25.0% and 33.3% in the solid and hematologic malignancy groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: The 28-day mortality rate of cancer patients with AKI undergoing CRRT was high in both the solid and hematologic malignancy groups. BMI, presence of oliguria, SOFA score, and albumin level were common predictors of 28-day mortality in the solid and hematologic malignancy groups, but a high heart rate and severe acidosis were prognostic factors only in the solid malignancy group.

Reducing Supply Cost by Standardization of Surgical Equipment in Laparoscopic Appendectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Compensation for increased medical services from reimbursement systems are sometimes insufficient. Generally, appendectomies are performed by individual surgeons with their preferred instrument. Surgical equipment standardization is known to reduce medical cost without compromising patient safety. Hence, we investigated the effectiveness of surgical equipment standardization to reduce the required operative cost for laparoscopic appendectomy at our tertiary hospital. METHODS: Nine surgeons at our tertiary hospital agreed to use standardized equipment for laparoscopic appendectomy. We compared outcomes among patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between December 2012 and June 2013 before standardization (control group) and between August 2015 and February 2016 after standardization. Participating provider and staff convenience was also surveyed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The implementation of standardized equipment for laparoscopic appendectomy decreased intraoperative supply cost from US $552.92 to $450.17. Operative times also decreased from 73.8 to 53.3 minutes. However, hospital days and complication rates remained unchanged. Participants responded that surgical equipment standardization improved efficiency in the operating room and reduced the cost. CONCLUSION: Surgical equipment standardization in laparoscopic appendectomy is effective in reducing intraoperative supply cost without compromising patient safety.

Multiple drug-coated balloons can be used effectively for peripheral arterial disease including long femoropopliteal lesions.

PURPOSE: Drug-coated balloons have shown successful results in treating peripheral arterial occlusive disease. However, using multiple balloons for long femoropopliteal lesions (>15 cm) remains challenging; their safety and efficacy need to be explored. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of multiple drug-coated balloons for long femoropopliteal lesions in terms of the primary patency, freedom from clinically-driven target lesion revascularization, and mortality. METHODS: Between April 2015 and September 2018, 96 patients (117 limbs) who underwent balloon angioplasty using at least 2 drug-coated balloons for femoropopliteal lesions were retrospectively reviewed. Lesions were classified as Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) classification C or D. The outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meyer analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of 96 enrolled patients was 70.8 ± 9.8 years, and 83 patients were males (86.5%). Critical limb-threatening ischemia was found in 29 cases (24.8%). The mean lesion and drug-coated balloon lengths per limb were 292.3 ± 77.8 mm and 325.0 ± 70.2 mm, respectively. The technical success rate was 99.2%. A total of 82.1% were followed-up for more than 6 months. The primary patency rates at 12 and 24 months were 71.4% and 41.7%, respectively; freedom from clinically-driven target lesion revascularization rates were 96.4% and 71.0% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the 2-year overall cumulative mortality rate was 20.8%. All identified mortalities appeared to be less associated with paclitaxel. CONCLUSION: Drug-coated balloons can be effectively used without drug-related mortality, even for long lesions, such as TASC classification C or D femoropopliteal lesions.

[Development of a Diabetic Foot Ulceration Prediction Model and Nomogram].

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) to develop and evaluate the performance of a DFU prediction model and nomogram among people with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: This unmatched case-control study was conducted with 379 adult patients (118 patients with DM and 261 controls) from four general hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, foot examination, and review of patients' electronic health records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to build the DFU prediction model and nomogram. Further, their performance was analyzed using the Lemeshow-Hosmer test, concordance statistic (C-statistic), and sensitivity/specificity analyses in training and test samples. RESULTS: The prediction model was based on risk factors including previous foot ulcer or amputation, peripheral vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, current smoking, and chronic kidney disease. The calibration of the DFU nomogram was appropriate (χ² = 5.85, p = .321). The C-statistic of the DFU nomogram was .95 (95% confidence interval .93~.97) for both the training and test samples. For clinical usefulness, the sensitivity and specificity obtained were 88.5% and 85.7%, respectively at 110 points in the training sample. The performance of the nomogram was better in male patients or those having DM for more than 10 years. CONCLUSION: The nomogram of the DFU prediction model shows good performance, and is thereby recommended for monitoring the risk of DFU and preventing the occurrence of DFU in people with DM.

Renal function-adjusted contrast medium volume is a major risk factor in the occurrence of acute kidney injury after endovascular aneurysm repair.

ABSTRACT: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complication that can occur during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), increasing postoperative mortality and disease-related death. We therefore evaluated the incidence of AKI after elective EVAR, as well as related factors affecting AKI occurrence, investigating the volume of contrast medium (CV)/estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ratio as a predictive factor.We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent EVAR for infrarenal abdominal aorta aneurysm at a single center between April 2011 and December 2018. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We evaluated the occurrence of AKI within the first 7 days postoperatively, comparing serum creatinine levels, eGFR, CV, CV/eGFR ratio, fluid input and output, and morbidity between the AKI and no-AKI groups.The data of 147 patients were analyzed, of which 131 (89.1%) were males (mean age: 72.10±7.40 years); the incidence of AKI was 4.1% (6/147 patients). The mean dose of contrast agents used was greater in the AKI group than in the no-AKI group (249.17 ±â€Š83.21 mL vs 179.43 ±â€Š84.32 mL, respectively; P = .05). The baseline eGFR was 42.69 ±â€Š22.08 mL/kg/1.73 m2 in the AKI group and 77.96 ±â€Š18.92 mL/kg/1.73 m2 in the no-AKI group (P = .001). The CV/eGFR ratio was significantly higher in the AKI group (8.21 ±â€Š6.13 vs 2.46 ±â€Š1.44; P = 0.003). Baseline eGFR (odds ratio [OR] = 0.922, P = .001) and the CV/eGFR ratio (OR = 2.049, P = .008) were observed to be factors related to the occurrence of AKI in the logistic regression analysis for patients' characteristics, operation-related factors, and renal outcomes. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve of the CV/eGFR ratio was 0.856, indicating the greatest influence. A CV/eGFR ratio cutoff value of 3.84 was considered the most appropriate, with an 83.3% sensitivity and 83.0% specificity.The CV/eGFR ratio, rather than the absolute amount of contrast agents, was associated with the development of AKI after EVAR. The CV/eGFR ratio could be used as a possible indicator to limit the amount of contrast media required for the procedure.

Safety and feasibility of 3-month interval access and flushing for maintenance of totally implantable central venous port system in colorectal cancer patients after completion of curative intended treatments.

ABSTRACT: Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with curative intent surgery undergo continuous fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion-based chemotherapy using totally implantable central venous port system (TICVPS) in cases with high risk of recurrence. Approximately 30% of patients relapse after therapy completion, especially within 2 years. Hence, many patients with high risk CRC keep the TICVPS for 6 to 24 months after treatment with regular intervals of TICVPS flushing. However, little is known about the proper interval duration of the port. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a 3 months extended interval is safe and if port maintenance is feasible.A retrospective cohort was compiled of patients with CRC who underwent curative intent surgery and perioperative chemotherapy using TICVPS between 2010 and 2017. The primary end point was TICVPS maintenance rate, including maintenance of TICVPS for at least 6 months, planned TICVPS removal after 6 months, and regaining the use of TICVPS at the time of recurrence.A total of 214 patients with CRC underwent curative intent treatments during the study period. Among them, 60 patients were excluded, including 6 patients for early recurrence within 3 months and 54 patients with violation of flushing interval. Finally, 154 patients were analyzed. Mean flushing interval was 98.4 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.2-100.6; range, 60-120). In December 2018, 35 patients kept the TICVPS, 92 patients had planned removal, 25 patients reused the TICVPS, and 2 patients had to unexpectedly remove the TICVPS due to site infection and pain. Thus, the functional TICVPS maintenance rate was 98.8% (152/154). Thirty-eight patients relapsed, and 30 patients were treated with intravenous chemotherapy. Among them, 25 patients (83.3%) reused the maintained TICVPS without a reinsertion procedures.Our study demonstrated that 3-month interval access and flushing is safe and feasible for maintaining TICVPS during surveillance of patients with CRC. An extended interval up to 3 months can be considered because it is compatible with CRC surveillance visit schedules.

Initial experience with laparoscopic posterior retroperitoneal adrenalectomy in single tertiary center.

Purpose: Laparoscopic posterior retroperitoneal adrenalectomy (LPRA) is a surgical method that accesses the adrenal gland through the back. The aim of this study was to report initial experience of LPRA and evaluate possibilities for surgical application. Methods: From March 2018 to December 2019, a total of 30 consecutive patients diagnosed with adrenal tumor underwent surgical treatment at Pusan National University Hospital were enrolled. Clinicopathologic features and various peri- and postoperative parameters were analyzed by retrospective medical record review. The mean age of the patients was 48.20±13.66 years. Results: The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.50±4.30 kg/m2. Primary hyperaldosteronism was the most frequently preoperative diagnosed disease (n=13, 43.4%), followed by adrenal incidentaloma (n=8, 26.6%), Cushing syndrome (n=5, 16.6%) and pheochromocytoma (n=4, 13.3%). The mean size of postoperative adrenal tumor was 2.72±1.76 cm. The mean operating time was 162±58.14 minutes. Among the 30 patients, 28 patients underwent total adrenalectomy (93.3%) and two patients underwent cortical sparing adrenalectomy (6.7%). When LPRA was performed for patients with BMI >23.16 kg/m2, the operating time was longer than the average (P=0.016). Conclusion: LPRA was suitable and safe for patients with benign adrenal tumors. BMI, retroperitoneal fat density and postoperative adrenal weight may be related to the operating time, so they should be considered when deciding on a surgical method for adrenalectomy.

Influence of Infrapopliteal Runoff Vessels on Primary Patency after Superficial Femoral Artery Angioplasty with Stenting in Patients with Claudication.

Purpose: The number of infrapopliteal runoff vessels seems to be one of the factors influencing arterial patency in patients who had undergone superficial femoral artery (SFA) angioplasty with stenting. However, the effectiveness of infrapopliteal runoff vessels in predicting patency during SFA angioplasty remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether the number and quality of infrapopliteal runoff vessels affect the primary patency after SFA angioplasty with stenting in patients with claudication. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed a retrospective database of patients with claudication who underwent SFA angioplasty with stenting between March 2011 and December 2016. The preoperative computed tomography findings of all patients were reviewed to assess infrapopliteal runoff vessels. The Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society (TASC) II classification and modified Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) runoff score were used for subsequent analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed, and Fisher's exact and chi-square tests were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 153 limbs of 122 patients (88.2% male, mean age: 69.1 years) underwent SFA angioplasty with stenting. The overall primary patency rates of TASC II A/B and C/D cases were 77.1% and 31.2%, respectively, at 36 months (P<0.001). The primary patency rates at 36 months using the modified SVS runoff scoring system were 64.6% and 49.8% for the good-to-compromised (≤9 points) and poor (≥10 points) runoff groups, respectively (P=0.011). Conclusion: The modified SVS runoff scoring system is effective in predicting primary patency after SFA angioplasty with stenting in patients treated for claudication.

Application of minimal invasive technique for thyroidectomy without remote access in locally advanced thyroid carcinoma with gross extra-thyroidal extension.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive thyroidectomy (MIT) is technically less damaging tissue and is better cosmetic results with small neck scar, decreasing postoperative pain and neck discomfort. We present the experience of MIT without remote access with case of grossly extra-thyroidal extension positive papillary thyroid carcinoma. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 44-year-old, female presented 1.6 cm irregular hypoechoic nodule at upper pole in Right thyroid gland and diagnosed to papillary thyroid carcinoma. The tumor was suspicious to have extra-thyroidal extension. We performed MIT without remote access for this patient with 2 cm cervical incision. Postoperative course was uneventful and patient was discharged on the 3th postoperative day. At present, she is taking 100mcg levothyroxine and is free of disease 3 years post-surgery. CONCLUSION: If experienced surgeons can get sufficient resection margin and control bleeding of superior thyroid artery, MIT without remote access can be feasible method for thyroid carcinoma with gross extra-thyroidal extension, especially, upper pole carcinoma.

Fournier's gangrene in a rectal cancer patient.

INTRODUCTION: Fournier's gangrene (FG) is caused by a variety of causes, but FG led by rectal cancer is rare. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 62-year-old man presented with perineal pain for several days. Multiple black spots on the scrotum and perineum surrounded by erythema were found on a physical exam. Computed tomography showed diffuse air density with subcutaneous edema in the perineum, scrotum, anus, and left lower abdominal wall and showed 4.1 cm-size mass in anus. He was diagnosed with FG caused by rectal cancer. He underwent extensive debridement of the perineum, scrotum, medial buttocks, and diverting loop colostomy of transverse colon. After repeated debridement of some residual necrotic tissue, abdominal perineal resection was performed after 24 days after initial surgery. The patient received reconstruction surgery of the soft tissue defect and discharged on postoperative day 84. He is being followed up without any recurrence for 10 months. CONCLUSION: Prompt clinical diagnosis and urgent surgical management are crucial for patient's favorable outcome. The patient in our case study could be recovered by a combined modality therapy we provided.

What predicts better prognosis in elderly breast cancer patients?

Purpose: As we enter an aging society, the number of elderly patients with breast cancer is increasing. We assessed the prognostic factors for breast cancer recurrence or metastasis in patients over the age of 65 years by analyzing tumor characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective study, the data of 286 breast cancer patients aged 65 years and older, who underwent treatment at the Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital from 2008 to 2014, were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: those with recurrence or metastasis and those without. Cox-regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for recurrence or metastasis. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rates by the log-rank test. Results: Among the 286 patients with invasive breast cancer, 43 patients (15.0%) had recurrence or distant metastasis during a median follow-up period of 61 months. Advanced stages of breast cancer and patients who are not adapted to endocrine therapy were associated with poor prognosis. Conclusion: In this study, advanced stages of breast cancer and endocrine therapy were the prognostic factors for breast cancer recurrences or metastases. Early detection of elderly breast cancer generally increases the possibility of diagnosis at an earlier stage, which can lead to a better prognosis. Moreover, endocrine therapy should be administered to elderly patients who manifest favorable intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer.

Comparison of results between kissing stent and aortic bifurcated bypass in aortoiliac occlusive disease.

OBJECTIVE: Kissing stent (KS) technique has been used as an alternative to aortic bifurcated bypass surgery (ABBS) for aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). We aimed to compare the results of ABBS and KS in AIOD. METHODS: Medical records of patients treated with ABBS and KS between March 2011 and December 2016 in a single center were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' characteristics and clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients who underwent ABBS had a more common history of smoking (P = 0.04) and lower body mass index (P = 0.02). A significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II classification (P < 0.01). A significant difference was observed between the two groups of improvement in postoperative mean ankle-brachial indexes (ABI) (ABBS: 0.57 ± 0.24 vs KS: 0.41 ± 0.18, P = 0.01). A significant difference was observed between the combined treatments of the two groups (P < 0.01). Primary patency rates of the ABBS and KS groups at 1, 2, and 3 years were 90.1% and 100%, 82.6% and 90.6%, and 82.6% and 90.6%, respectively (P = 0.637). Primary assisted patency rates of the ABBS and KS groups at 1, 2, and 3 years were 90.1% and 100%, 82.6% and 95.7%, and 82.6% and 95.7%, respectively (P = 0.110). Secondary patency rates of the ABBS and KS groups at 1, 2, and 3 years were 93.8% and 100%, 93.8% and 95.7%, and 93.8% and 95.7%, respectively (P = 0.512). CONCLUSION: ABBS in AIOD remains an important revascularization option whenever endovascular treatment is not feasible.