Effect of Endovascular Interventions on General Surgery Trainee Operative Experience; a Comparison of Case Log Reports.

BACKGROUND: Vascular surgery fellowship training has evolved with the widespread adoption of endovascular interventions. The purpose of this study is to examine how general surgery trainee exposure to vascular surgery has changed over time. METHODS: Review of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education national case log reports for graduating Vascular Surgery Fellows (VF), and general surgery residents (GSR) from 2001 to 2012 was performed. RESULTS: The number of GSR increased from 1021 to 1098, and the number of VF increased from 96 to 121 from 2001 to 2012. The total number of vascular cases done by VF increased by 1161 since 2001 (298-762), whereas the total number of vascular cases done by GSR has decreased by 40% during this time period (186-116). Vascular fellows increase was due primarily to an increase in endovascular experience; a finding not noted in general surgery residents. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular fellow case log changes are due primarily to an increase in endovascular experience that has not been mirrored by general surgery trainees. Open surgery experience has decreased overall for general surgery residents in all major categories, a change not seen in vascular surgery fellows.

A prospective study of carbon dioxide digital subtraction versus standard contrast arteriography in the detection of endoleaks in endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to compare intraoperative endoleak detection by carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography (CO(2)-DSA) during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with standard iodinated contrast angiography (ICA). METHODS: Between 2006 and 2010, 76 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing EVAR were enrolled in a prospective study. After EVAR, both an ICA and CO(2)-DSA completion study were performed. Two blinded vascular surgeons who were not involved with the EVAR separately interpreted the ICA and CO(2)-DSA results for the presence or absence of an endoleak. Identified endoleaks were classified by types. A third, "tie-breaker" blinded observer was used to resolve differences in interpretations. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were calculated for the ability of CO(2)-DSA to detect endoleaks. Cohen's κ statistic was used to assess interobserver agreement between the 2 initial interpreting surgeons. RESULTS: Of the 76 patients undergoing EVAR, 66 were men with average age of 76 years, a mean aneurysm size of 5.8 cm (range, 4-10 cm), and creatinine of 1 (standard deviation, 0.33). ICA identified 35 type I and 15 type II endoleaks, respectively, while CO(2)-DSA identified 40 type I and 10 type II endoleaks. Overall, CO(2)-DSA had a sensitivity of 0.84, specificity of 0.72, positive predictive value of 0.86, and negative predictive value of 0.69 of intraoperative endoleak detection, with respect to ICA as the criterion standard. The interobserver κ between surgeons for ICA was 0.56, for detection of any endoleak or type I endoleak with CO(2)-DSA was 0.58, and for detection of type II endoleak with CO(2)-DSA was 0.29. CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver agreement for the detection of endoleaks is superior with ICA compared to CO(2)-DSA. However, the sensitivity for detecting any endoleak and both the sensitivity and specificity for detecting type I endoleaks using CO(2)-DSA are acceptable. For detecting type II endoleaks using CO(2)-DSA, the sensitivity and positive predictive value are poor. Compared to ICA, CO(2)-DSA provides adequate images for endoleak detection during EVAR and is an acceptable alternative to ICA in patients at risk for contrast-related nephrotoxicity.

Safety of carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography.

OBJECTIVE: Reports of fatality following carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography (CO2-DSA) have raised concerns regarding its safety. This study reviews the safety of CO2-DSA. DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital in Los Angeles, California. PATIENTS: A total of 951 patients who underwent 1007 CO2-DSA procedures during a 21-year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preprocedure and postprocedure creatinine values and periprocedural morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 632 arterial CO2-DSA were performed; 527 were aortograms with or without extremity runoff; 100, extremity alone; and 5, pulmonary. Venous CO2-DSA included 187 inferior vena cavagrams, 182 hepatic or visceral, 5 extremity venograms, and 1 superior vena cavagram. Associated endovascular procedures were performed in 499 cases; 162 were arterial interventions including 62 endovascular aneurysm repairs, 53 visceral or renal percutaneous angioplasty with/without stent, 41 extremity percutaneous angioplasty with or without a stent, and 4 cases of thrombolysis or embolization; 176 caval filters, 98 transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, 54 transjugular liver biopsies, and 9 other venous interventions. The mean preprocedure creatinine level was 2.1 mg/dL; postprocedure, 2.1 mg/dL (P = .56). There were a total of 61 (6.1%) procedural complications including 4 (0.4%) mortalities. Two were procedure-related complications: 1, suppurative pancreatitis following aortogram; and 2, hepatic bleed following failed transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Two were attributable to patient disease; 1, metastatic adenocarcinoma; and 2, refractory, end-stage cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: Carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography is a versatile technique that can be safely used for diagnostic and therapeutic endovascular procedures. Morbidity and mortality are acceptable with preservation of renal function. Thus, CO2-DSA is a safe alternative to iodinated contrast.

Thrombin use in surgery: an evidence-based review of its clinical use.

When surgical ligation of bleeding fails, or is not possible, surgeons rely on a number of hemostatic aids, including thrombin. This review discusses the history, pharmacology and clinical application of thrombin as a surgical hemostat. The initial thrombin was bovine in origin, but its use has been complicated by the formation of antibodies that cross-react with human coagulation factors. This has been associated with life-threatening bleeding and in some circumstances anaphylaxis and death. Human thrombin, isolated from pooled plasma of donors, was developed in an effort to minimize these risks, but its downsides are its limited availability and the potential for transmitting blood-borne pathogens. Recently a recombinant thrombin has been developed, and approved for use by the FDA. It has the advantage of being minimally antigenic and devoid of the risk of viral transmission. Thrombin is often used in conjunction with other hemostatic aids, including absorbable agents such as Gelfoam, and with fibrinogen in fibrin glues. The last part of this review will discuss these agents in detail, and review their clinical applications.

Use of standardized, quantitative digital photography in a multicenter Web-based study.

OBJECTIVE: We developed a Web-based, blinded, prospective, randomized, multicenter trial, using standardized digital photography to clinically evaluate hand burn depth and accurately determine wound area with digital planimetry. METHODS: Photos in each center were taken with identical digital cameras with standardized settings on a custom backdrop developed at Wake Forest University containing a gray, white, black, and centimeter scale. The images were downloaded, transferred via the Web, and stored on servers at the principal investigator's home institution. Color adjustments to each photo were made using Adobe Photoshop 6.0 (Adobe, San Jose, Calif). In an initial pilot study, model hands marked with circles of known areas were used to determine the accuracy of the planimetry technique. Two-dimensional digital planimetry using SigmaScan Pro 5.0 (SPSS Science, Chicago, Ill) was used to calculate wound area from the digital images. RESULTS: Digital photography is a simple and cost-effective method for quantifying wound size when used in conjunction with digital planimetry (SigmaScan) and photo enhancement (Adobe Photoshop) programs. The accuracy of the SigmaScan program in calculating predetermined areas was within 4.7% (95% CI, 3.4%-5.9%). Dorsal hand burns of the initial 20 patients in a national study involving several centers were evaluated with this technique. Images obtained by individuals denying experience in photography proved reliable and useful for clinical evaluation and quantification of wound area. CONCLUSION: Standardized digital photography may be used quantitatively in a Web-based, multicenter trial of burn care. This technique could be modified for other medical studies with visual endpoints.

Endovascular management of hoarseness due to a thoracic aneurysm: case report and review of the literature.

Although uncommon, hoarseness can be a presenting symptom of a thoracic aneurysm. We present a case of a 67-year-old man with hoarseness, subsequently found to have left vocal paralysis. On workup, a computed tomography scan demonstrated a saccular thoracic aneurysm compressing the recurrent laryngeal nerve at the aortopulmonary window. About 6 months after treatment with an endovascular stent graft, the aneurysm sac decreased in size and hoarseness resolved without further surgical intervention. Although uncommonly mentioned as an indication for surgery, hoarseness from a thoracic aneurysm can be successfully managed with endovascular stent grafting.

Endovascular management of mycotic aortic aneurysms and associated aortoaerodigestive fistulas.

We evaluated the short- and intermediate-term results of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for mycotic aneurysms. We reviewed all patients undergoing EVAR for mycotic aneurysms at our institution. To be consistent with the existing literature, patients with associated aortoaerodigestive fistulas were included. Aneurysm location, demographics, clinical findings, EVAR success, morbidity, and short- (<30 days) and long-term mortality were reviewed. From 2000 to 2007, 326 patients underwent EVAR. Nine of these (3%) had treatment of a mycotic aneurysm. The average age was 72 years (range 53-86), and seven patients were male. Four of the aneurysms were located in the thoracic aorta, two in the abdominal aorta, and three in the thoracoabdominal aorta. Four patients presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, two with hemoptysis, one with hemothorax, and two with fever. Etiologies included bacteremia from endocarditis and central catheter infection, erosion of anastomotic aneurysms from a previous aortic repair or endograft, erosion of a penetrating ulcer with pseudoaneurysm, infected aortic repair, left chest empyema, and unknown in one patient. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the only bacteria isolated in 56% of the patients. EVAR successfully excluded the aneurysm or fistula in all nine patients; however, five patients experienced at least one postoperative complication. Two patients expired within 30 days. After 30 days, four additional patients expired; three of these deaths were procedure/aneurysm-related. Of the three survivors, over a mean follow-up of 257 days (range 60-417), one has required excision of an infected endograft with extra-anatomic bypass grafting but is now alive and well. All three surviving patients and two out of four patients expiring after 30 days had received long-term postoperative antibiotics. Despite an in-hospital mortality of 22.2%, EVAR can be used to treat acute complications from mycotic aneurysms and associated aortoaerodigestive fistulas, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, hemoptysis, or hemodynamic instability. As a definitive treatment, EVAR remains suspect and therefore should be considered a bridge to open surgical repair.

Use of thrombolytics in vascular and endovascular surgery.

Until recently, acute arterial or venous thromboses were routinely managed with surgical intervention. With the development of effective thrombolytic pharmacologic agents and improved modes of delivery of these agents to the target site, surgery is no longer the only option. Greater understanding and knowledge about the finely orchestrated, counterbalanced processes of coagulation and fibrinolysis/thrombolysis have enabled development of agents and strategies for pharmacologic restoration of vascular patency while reducing or eliminating the need for surgery. An evidence-based rationale now exists for the use of thrombolysis in acute limb ischemia, deep venous thrombosis, stroke, and arteriovenous vascular access thromboses. Thrombolytic agents are valuable ancillary agents that allow a less invasive solution to a variety of thrombotic vascular conditions. Strategies that combine thrombolytic agents with endovascular techniques provide precise delivery of these drugs to the target thrombus. A more widespread adoption of this strategy has been limited primarily owing to problems with the currently available pharmacologic agents. The future of thrombolysis therapy is discussed in terms of data obtained from ongoing and recently completed clinical trials. Efforts to develop and study new thrombolytic agents that act directly on the thrombus without activation of intermediary biochemical steps will provide the next major step forward, as well as the rational basis for expansion of currently accepted indications for the treatment of acute arterial and venous thromboses.

Clinical use of topical thrombin as a surgical hemostat.

When surgical ligation of bleeding fails, or is not possible, surgeons rely on a number of hemostatic aids, including thrombin. This review discusses the history, pharmacology and clinical application of thrombin as a surgical hemostat. The initial thrombin was bovine in origin, but its use has been complicated by the formation of antibodies that cross react with human coagulation factors. This has been associated with life threatening bleeding and in some circumstances anaphylaxis and death. Human thrombin, isolated from pooled plasma of donors, has been developed in an effort to minimize these risks, but its downside is the potential of transmitting blood-borne pathogens and limited availability. Recently a recombinant thrombin has been developed and approved for use by the FDA. It has the advantage of being minimally antigenic and devoid of the risk if viral transmission. Thrombin is often used in conjunction with other hemostatic aids, including absorbable agents (like gelfoam, collagen, and cellulose), and with fibrinogen in fibrin glues. The last part of this review will discuss these agents in detail, and review their clinical applications.