Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX for locally advanced and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: An intention to treat analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical and pathologic efficacy of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX for locally advanced (LAPC) and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). METHODS: Patients receiving neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX for LAPC and BRPC treated between 2014 and 2017 were identified. Post-treatment patients achieving resectability were referred for surgery, whereas unresectable patients continued chemotherapy. Clinical and pathological data were retrospectively compared with control group consisting of 47 consecutive patients with BRPC undergoing pancreatic and portal vein resection between 2008 and 2017. RESULTS: Thirty LAPC and 23 BRPC patients were identified. Reasons for unresectability included disease progression (70%), locally unresectable disease (18%), and poor performance status (11%). Three patients (10%) with LAPC, and 20 (87%) with BRPC underwent curative surgery. Compared with control group, perioperative complication rate (4.3% versus 28.9%, p = 0.016), and pancreatic fistula rate (0 versus 14.8%, p = 0.08) were lower. Peripancreatic fat invasion (52.2% vs 97.8%, p = 0.001), lymph node involvement (22% vs 54.3%, p = 0.01), and surgical margin involvement (0 vs 17.4%, p = 0.04) were higher in the control group. Median survival was 34.3 months in BRPC patients operated after FOLFIRINOX and 26.1 months in the control group (p = 0.07). Three patients (13%) with complete pathological response are disease-free after mean follow-up of 19 months. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX rarely achieves resectability in patients with LAPC (10%), most BRPC undergo resection (87%). Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX leads to complete pathological response in 13% of cases, tumor downstaging, and a trend towards improved survival compared with patients undergoing up-front surgery.

Corona mortis anastomosis: a three-dimensional computerized tomographic angiographic study.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the corona mortis (CM) anatomy by means of three-dimensional computerized tomography angiographic (CTA). METHODS: Patient demographic, anastomosis incidence, artery diameter, artery distance from the symphysis pubis, and pelvic size (distance between both acetabular upper labrum) parameters were assessed. The 100 patients included 66 males and 34 females (average age of 67.8 years). RESULTS: There were 66 (33%) arterial anastomoses in the 200 evaluated arteries, 30 in the right side and 36 in the left side, 36 unilaterally and 15 bilaterally. No anastomoses were detected in 49 patients. The average diameter was 2.4 mm for the right-sided arteries and 2.24 in the left-sided ones. The distance was 55.2 mm from the right symphysis and 57.2 from the left symphysis (greater for females, 62.2 versus 55.85 mm [p = 0.037] only on the left side). The artery disappears in smaller-sized pelvises. There was a non-occluded arterial pattern in 47 (71%) and a partially occluded one in 19 (29%, all with peripheral vascular disease). CONCLUSION: One-third of the evaluated CTAs revealed competent CMs. CMs were more lateral in females than in males and were absent in small-sized pelvises. It is highly recommended that the radiologist and the surgeon should be familiar with CM existence for decision-making with regard to emergency radiology imaging and intervention as well as when operating in proximity of that anatomic site.

Visceral Fat Content Correlates with Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS) Local Recurrence and Survival.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to evaluate the association between visceral fat content with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) local recurrence and survival. METHODS: One hundred and one computed tomography imaging studies of primary STS patients who had complete macroscopic resection at our institution between 2002 and 2012 were reviewed, and retroperitoneal and circumferential fat contents were measured. Correlations between imaging findings and clinical data were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven STS tumors (56.4%) were retroperitoneal; of them, 65% were high grade, median size was 15 cm (range 3-49), and the most common histological subtype was high grade liposarcoma (31.6%). Median follow-up length for the entire cohort was 64 months (range 6-95). High visceral fat (VF) content≥15 versus <15 mm was identified as a risk factor for retroperitoneal STS local recurrence; 65.1 versus 26.7%, respectively (p=0.04); VF content did not correlate with distant metastasis. Median overall survival (OS) length of patients with VF≥15 versus <15 mm was 57 months (range 2-144) versus not reached, respectively (p=0.007). Multivariable analysis identified VF≥15 mm as an independent risk factor for decreased OS (HR: 4.2, 95% CI 1.07-16.67). In contrast, circumferential fat content did not correlate with retroperitoneal STS patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: High VF content is an independent adverse prognosticator associated with significantly higher rates of retroperitoneal STS local recurrence and decreased patients survival. Local tumor biology may be affected by the presence of adipose cells. Further clinical and molecular research is needed to establish this premise.

The fine line between Takayasu arteritis and giant cell arteritis.

The objective of this study is to describe a series of patients above the age of 50 years with large vessel arteritis and vascular involvement typical of TAK. A retrospective review of 18 patients (median age 64 years) with emphasis on clinical characteristics, laboratory values, and vascular involvement by CT, MRI, or planar angiography. Five patients fulfilled the ACR criteria for GCA, five for TAK, three both GCA and TAK, while five patients did not fulfill the criteria for either disease. The dominant presenting symptoms were constitutional, while only a few patients had cranial or peripheral symptoms. Sixty-one percent had physical signs of vascular compromise. Temporal artery biopsy showed giant cell arteritis in six out of nine biopsies. Arterial involvement: 78 % had either involvement of the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, descending or/and abdominal aorta, 9 carotid, 12 subclavian, 5 axillary, 3 renal, 7 iliac, and 2 femoral arteries; 7 mesenteric or celiac trunk. All the patients were treated with prednisone and 50 % with steroid-sparing drug. Nine out of 15 patients (60 %) achieved remission after 1 year of follow-up. No substantial differences in the distribution of vascular involvement, type of treatment, or outcome measures were observed between patients fulfilling criteria for GCA or TAK. Vascular involvement typical of TAK in patients above the age of 50 years with large vessel arteritis seems to be more frequent than previously assumed. Our findings support the assumption that TAK and GCA represent a spectrum of the same disease.

Retained fibrin sheaths: chest computed tomography findings and clinical associations.

PURPOSE: Fibrin sheaths may develop around long-term indwelling central venous catheters (CVCs) and remain in place after the catheters are removed. We evaluated the prevalence, computed tomographic (CT) appearance, and clinical associations of retained fibrin sheaths after CVC removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified 147 adults (77 men and 70 women; mean age 58 y) who underwent CT after CVC removal. The prevalence of fibrin sheath remnants was calculated. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess for associations between sheath remnants and underlying diagnoses leading to CVC placement; patients' age and sex; venous stenosis, occlusion, and collaterals; CVC infection; and pulmonary embolism. RESULTS: Retained fibrin sheaths were present in 13.6% (20/147) of cases, of which 45% (9/20) were calcified. Bivariate analysis revealed sheath remnants to be more common in women than in men [23% (16/70) vs. 5% (4/77), P=0.0018] and to be more commonly associated with venous occlusion and collaterals [30% (6/20) vs. 5% (6/127), P=0.0001 and 30% (6/20) vs. 6% (7/127), P=0.0003, respectively]. Other variables were not associated. Multivariate analysis confirmed the relationship between fibrin sheaths and both female sex (P=0.005) and venous occlusion (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Retained fibrin sheaths were seen on CT in a substantial minority of patients after CVC removal; nearly half of them were calcified. They were more common in women and associated with venous occlusion.

When the chimney is blocked: malignant renovascular hypertension after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: The Chimney graft (CG) procedure is one of the novel modification techniques of the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) surgery to treat suprarenal and juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Other indications for the use of CG placement include thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms with supraortic branches orifice involvement and cases of common iliac artery aneurysms with or without internal iliac artery involvement. The technique is used in patients who due to aortic-neck morphology and lack of adequate fixation and/or sealing zones are not eligible for standard EVAR. In this procedure, a parallel stent-graft is placed adjacent to the main body of the aortic endograft to maintain blood supply to renovisceral or supraortic branches, once the body of the aortic stent-graft is deployed. Symptomatic occlusions of the CG with novel renovascular hypertension were not described until now. CASE PRESENTATION: A-64-year-old male patient, presented with new-onset malignant hypertension, 13 months after an EVAR operation with CG placement to the left renal artery. The patient was on preventive clopidrogel therapy, which was withheld temporarily for several days, one month before presentation. Imaging studies revealed a novel form of iatrogenic renovascular hypertension, caused by occlusion of the CG. Any attempt to recanalize the covered stent or revascularize the left kidney was rejected and conservative treatment was chosen. Seven months after presentation, blood pressure was within normal ranges with little need for antihypertensive therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should be aware that the novel emerging techniques of EVAR to overcome the limitations of the aortic-neck anatomy may still adversely influence the renal outcome with potential development of new-onset hypertension.

H1N1 influenza: initial chest radiographic findings in helping predict patient outcome.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate whether findings on initial chest radiographs of influenza A (H1N1) patients can help predict clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained; informed consent was waived. All adult patients admitted to the emergency department (May to September 2009) with a confirmed diagnosis of H1N1 influenza who underwent frontal chest radiography within 24 hours were included. Radiologic findings were characterized by type and pattern of opacities and zonal distribution. Major adverse outcome measures were mechanical ventilation and death. RESULTS: Of 179 H1N1 influenza patients, 97 (54%) underwent chest radiography at admission; 39 (40%) of these had abnormal radiologic findings likely related to influenza infection and five (13%) of these 39 had adverse outcomes. Fifty-eight (60%) of 97 patients had normal radiographs; two (3%) of these had adverse outcomes (P = .113). Characteristic imaging findings included the following: ground-glass (69%), consolidation (59%), frequently patchy (41%), and nodular (28%) opacities. Bilateral opacities were common (62%), with involvement of multiple lung zones (72%). Findings in four or more zones and bilateral peripheral distribution occurred with significantly higher frequency in patients with adverse outcomes compared with patients with good outcomes (multizonal opacities: 60% vs 6%, P = .01; bilateral peripheral opacities: 60% vs 15%, P = .049). CONCLUSION: Extensive involvement of both lungs, evidenced by the presence of multizonal and bilateral peripheral opacities, is associated with adverse prognosis. Initial chest radiography may have significance in helping predict clinical outcome but normal initial radiographs cannot exclude adverse outcome.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: current indications, patient selection and results.

BACKGROUND: Inserting a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt by means of interventional radiology has become the procedure of choice for decompression of portal hypertension. The indications and criteria for patient selection have been expanded and refined accordingly. OBJECTIVES: To review our experience with TIPS and analyze the results with emphasis on patient selection and indication (conventional vs. atypical). METHODS: In this retrospective analysis in a single center all cases were managed by a multidisciplinary team (comprising liver surgery and transplantation, hepatology, imaging, interventional radiology and intensive care). RESULTS: Between August 2003 and December 2009, 34 patients (mean age 51, range 27-76 years) were treated with TIPS. The cause of portal hypertension was cirrhosis (23 cases), hypercoagulability complicated by Budd-Chiari syndrome (n=6), and acute portal vein thrombosis (n=5). Clinical indications for TIPS included treatment or secondary prevention of variceal bleeding (10 cases), refractory ascites (n=18), mesenteric ischemia due to acute portal vein thrombosis (n=5), and acute liver failure (n=1). TIPS was urgent in 18 cases (53%) and elective in 16. Three deaths occurred following urgent TIPS. The overall related complication rate was 32%: trasient encephalopathy (6 cases), ischemic hepatitis (n=2), acute renal failure (n=2) and bleeding (n=1). Long-term results of TIPS were defined as good in 25 cases (73%), fair in 4 (12%) and failure in 5 (15%). In three of five patients with mesenteric ischemia following acute portal vein thrombosis, surgery was obviated. Revision of TIPS due to stenosis or thrombosis was needed in 7 cases (20%). CONCLUSIONS: TIPS is safe and effective. While its benefit for patients with portal hypertension is clear, the role of TIPS in treatment of portal-mesenteric venous thrombosis needs further evaluation. Patient selection, establishing the indication and performing TIPS should be done by a multidisciplinary dedicated team.

Coronary ostium-straight tube or funnel-shaped? A computerized tomographic coronary angiography study.

BACKGROUND: The 3D configuration of the aortic-coronary junction is decisive in stenting ostial coronary lesions. We hypothesized that it varies between straight to funnel-shaped tubes and studied arterial orifices using computerized tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA). METHODS AND RESULTS: Axial and sagittal 2-D and volumetric 3-D reconstructions of the aorto-coronary junction were performed in 25 patients who underwent CTCA. The following measurements of the left main (LM) and right coronary (RCA) arteries ostia were obtained: the coronary orifice broad base diameter, the diameter of the coronary vessel most proximal segment, the distance between them, and the angles of the aortic-coronary junction. All patients exhibited a funnel-shaped aortic-coronary junction in at least one plane, and none had an entirely straight tube shape. The RCA take-off had symmetric angling in both the axial and sagittal planes in only one patient, while the LM did not have a symmetric origin in either plane in any patient. The mean coronary orificial funnel depth and ostial cross-sectional diameters were measured. CONCLUSION: The frequency of funnel-shaped and asymmetry of the aortic-coronary junction configuration needs to be considered in designing stents for aortic-ostial coronary lesions in order to achieve optimal results and reduce restenosis.

The Hunter pulmonary angiography catheter for a brachiocephalic vein approach.

The purpose of this work was to describe our experience in performing pulmonary angiography using the Hunter pulmonary catheter, manufactured by Cook, Inc., which is a modified 6F pigtail catheter with a "C-shaped" curve, designed for a brachiocephalic vein approach. One hundred twenty-three patients underwent pulmonary angiograms using the Hunter catheter between August 1997 and January 2002. Operator comments were gathered in 86 (70%) of the cases. The operator was, if possible, the most junior resident on the service. Thirty-nine operators participated in the survey. Efficacy, safety, and ease of use of the catheter were determined by operators' comments and ECG observations during the procedure. Corroborating clinical data were gathered from medical records. In 68 (79%) of the procedures that were commented upon, the operator described insertion into the pulmonary artery (PA) as easy; only 2 (2%) indicated difficulty in accessing the PA. In 41 (63%) of the bilateral angiograms that were commented upon, the operator described accessing the left PA from the right PA as easy; only 6 (9%) rated it as difficult and all were with an older technique in which the catheter was withdrawn to the pulmonary bifurcation without a wire or with only the soft tip of the wire in the pigtail and then rotated to the left main pulmonary artery. Thirty-one of the 41 patients who demonstrated premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) had a previous history of heart disease. Nineteen of the 39 patients who did not have PVCs had a history of heart disease (p = 0.018). The maneuverability and shape of the Hunter catheter make pulmonary angiography an easy procedure, even for operators with minimal experience and limited technical proficiency. PVCs demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with a positive patient history for cardiac disease, rather than being a universal risk.

Liver regeneration after adult living donor and deceased donor split-liver transplants.

As the number of living donor (LD) and deceased donor (DD) split-liver transplants (SLTs) have increased over the last 5 years, so too has the interest in liver regeneration after such partial-liver transplants. We looked at liver regeneration, as measured by computed tomography (CT) volumetrics, to see if there were significant differences among LDs, right-lobe LD recipients, and SLT recipients. We measured liver volume at 3 months postoperatively by using CT, and we compared the result to the patient's ideal liver volume (ILV), which was calculated using a standard equation. The study group consisted of 70 adult patients who either had donated their right lobe for LD transplants (n = 24) or had undergone a partial-liver transplant (right-lobe LD transplants, n = 24; right-lobe SLTs, n = 11; left-lobe SLTs, n = 11). DD (vs. LDs) were younger (P < 0.01), were heavier (P = 0.06), and had longer ischemic times (P < 0.01). At 3 months postoperatively, LDs had attained 78.6% of their ILV, less than the percentage for right-lobe LD recipients (103.9%; P = 0.0002), right-lobe SLT recipients (113.6%; P = 0.01), and left-lobe SLT recipients (119.7%; P = 0.0006). When liver size at the third postoperative month was compared with the liver size immediately postoperatively, LDs had a 1.85-fold increase. This was smaller than the increase seen in right-lobe LD recipients (2.08-fold), right-lobe SLT recipients (2.17-fold), and left-lobe SLT recipients (2.52-fold). In conclusion, liver regeneration, as measured by CT volume, seems to be greatest in SLT recipients. LD recipients seem to have greater liver growth than their donors. The reason for this remains unclear.