Sciatic Nerve Palsy due to a Superior Gluteal Artery Pseudoaneurysm PostBone Marrow Biopsy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Sciatic nerve radiculopathy can present as a result of intraspinal or extraspinal causes. Intraspinal disorders can be disk hernia, spinal trauma, tumors, or infection, whereas extraspinal cause representsa disorder outside the lumbar spine. A gluteal artery (GA)false aneurysm can potentially compress the sciatic nerve and causes radiculopathy, with subsequent motor and sensory deficits. This condition can result mainly from trauma or infection, but it can also be iatrogenic. CASE REPORT: We report a case of an 85-year-old male with a left sciatic nerve palsy as a result of a superior GA pseudoaneurysm post bone marrow biopsy (BMP). A short review of the literature regarding this topic is presented as well. Only a small number of similar cases are reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: This case report emphasizes on the high suspicion index that the clinician should have managing a patient who suffers from sciatic nerve palsy with a history of a previous procedure around the pelvis' area, such as BMP.

Spinal cord ischemia after endovascular embolization of a type II endoleak following endovascular aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: We report a rare case of severe spinal cord ischemia with neurological consequences in a patient who presented after endovascular treatment of a type II endoleak following endovascular aneurysm repair. METHODS AND RESULTS: An enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm post-endovascular aneurysm repair was detected owing to a persistent type II endoleak caused by a communication between the iliolumbar and L4 lumbar artery for which the patient underwent supraselective embolization with particles and coils. Immediately after the procedure, the patient experienced an acute onset of neurological symptoms in the right lower limb while limb arterial perfusion remained unaffected. Magnetic resonance imaging-magnetic resonance angiography revealed an acute ischemic process at the L2-L4 level. Further follow-up revealed persistence of the endoleak, and the patient was referred to our institution for open surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of severe spinal cord ischemia after transcatheter embolization of the feeding iliolumbar branches of a type II endoleak. Care must be taken during embolization of the feeding artery of type II endoleaks, which may also supply the spinal cord, to minimize the risk of possible spinal cord ischemia.

Endothelial cell function during atrial fibrillation and after restoration of sinus rhythm.

Beat-to-beat variation in blood flow dynamics during atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with evidence of endothelial dysfunction. The aim of the present work is to confirm endothelial dysfunction in patients with AF and test the hypothesis that endothelial dysfunction is reversible upon restoration of normal sinus rhythm. Endothelium-dependent (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) and endothelium-independent (nitroglycerin-mediated dilation [NMD]) vasodilator function of the brachial artery were measured using high-resolution ultrasound in 46 patients with persistent AF who were scheduled for internal electrical cardioversion and in 25 control subjects. In patients who remained in sinus rhythm after cardioversion, these measurements were repeated after 24 hours (n = 32) and 1 month (n = 19). Compared with control subjects, patients (n = 32) showed lower FMD during AF (8.1 +/- 3.6% vs 12.2 +/- 3.2%, respectively, p <0.001) and similar NMD (17.0 +/- 3.5% vs 15.9 +/- 3.1%, respectively, p = 0.21). In 19 patients who remained in sinus rhythm, FMD increased at both 24 hours (8.0 +/- 3.9% vs 10.6 +/- 4.6%, p = 0.015) and 1 month (8.0 +/- 3.9% vs 13.6 +/- 5.3%, p <0.001). In contrast, NMD was not significantly altered at 24 hours or 1 month after sinus rhythm restoration (17.1 +/- 3.9% vs 17.2 +/- 4.0% vs 16.9 +/- 4.1%). In conclusion, AF is associated with impairment in endothelial function that improves after sinus rhythm restoration.

Potential benefits from heating the high-dose rtPA boluses used in catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute/subacute lower limb ischemia.

PURPOSE: To explore the potential benefits from heating recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) before catheter-directed thrombolysis in patients with lower-limb ischemia of <30 days' duration. METHODS: Over a 2-year period, 34 patients (26 men; mean age 63.5 years, range 39-80) with 10 iliac and 24 infrainguinal arterial occlusions (5 embolic and 29 thrombotic) were treated with two 5-mg boluses of rtPA injected into the proximal clot, followed by 2 additional 5-mg boluses of rtPA. In the first 18 patients (group A), room temperature rtPA was administered, whereas in the last 16 patients (group B), the rtPA boluses were heated to 38 degrees C for 30 minutes before injection. Residual thrombus was treated with a continuous infusion of 2.5 mg/h of rtPA for 4 hours then at a reduced dose (1 mg/h). RESULTS: Successful thrombolysis was achieved in 28 (82%) arteries. Unmasked lesions were treated with balloon angioplasty/stenting in 17 cases and with surgery in 4. One fatal retroperitoneal hematoma occurred in group A. Heating the rtPA did not significantly alter the outcome of thrombolysis. However, a statistically significant reduction in the total rtPA dose was observed in group B (24.28 mg versus 27.9 mg in group A, p=0.05), as well as quicker lysis (2 hours, 42 minutes versus 6 hours, 12 minutes in group A, p=0.001). There was no statistical difference in the amputation-free survival at 30 days between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute or subacute lower limb ischemia treated with catheter-directed thrombolysis, heating the rtPA results in faster lysis with a considerable reduction in the total dose of the lytic agent.

Use of the Trellis Peripheral Infusion System for enhancement of rt-PA thrombolysis in acute lower limb ischemia.

The Trellis Peripheral Infusion System is an over-the-wire 0.035" guidewire compatible device, designed to isolate a region of the peripheral vasculature to allow for lytic drug infusion and dispersion. We used it successfully through a percutaneous approach in two cases of acute thrombosis of a native lower limb artery. The total amount of rt-PA used was 12 and 9 mg, respectively and was delivered through bolus injections obviating the need for a supplementary continuous infusion of the agent. The time for dissolution of thrombus was 45 and 35 minutes, respectively. No complications were observed.

Histologic comparison of vibrating guidewire with conventional guidewire technique in an experimental coronary in vivo model.

PURPOSE: To compare the damage caused by vibrating guidewire manipulation and conventional guidewire manipulation of soft coronary wires in normal sheep coronary arteries. METHODS: Using an intact sheep model the two methods of passing a coronary guidewire down a normal coronary artery under fluoroscopic screening control were studied. The resulting arterial damage caused by the two techniques was studied histologically. The severity of damage was scored from 1 (no damage) to 4 (severe damage) and expressed as: (a) percentage of damaged sections, (b) mean damage score per section and (c) percentage of sections suffering the most severe degree of damage (scores 3 and 4). RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-eight sections were studied. The percentage of damaged sections was lower in the vibrating guidewire group (p = 0.004). The mean damage score and the percentage of sections with a damage score of 3 or 4 were smaller in the vibrating guidewire group than in the conventional guidewire manipulation group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both methods of guidewire manipulation cause identifiable vascular damage. The extent and severity of damage appear greater when the guidewire is manipulated manually.

Transcatheter thrombolysis with high-dose bolus tissue plasminogen activator in iatrogenic arterial occlusion after femoral arterial catheterization.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of percutaneous local thrombolysis with high-dose bolus recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in patients with acute limb ischemia due to arterial thrombosis after cardiac catheterization. METHODS: We treated eight patients (7 men; mean age 56 years) with thrombotic occlusion of both the common femoral artery (CFA) and external iliac artery (EIA) in six patients and of the CFA only in two patients. Two 5 mg boluses of rt-PA were injected into the proximal clot through a 5 Fr end-hole catheter and subsequently two additional boluses of 5 mg rt-PA were given through a catheter with multiple side-holes. In case of a significant amount of residual thrombus, a continuous infusion of 2.5 mg/hr of rt-PA was started. RESULTS: Successful lysis was achieved in all patients. The mean duration of lysis was 2 hr 41 min. The mean total amount of rt-PA delivered was 23.16 mg. In four patients unmasked flow-limited dissections confined to the CFA were managed by prolonged balloon dilatation, while in the remaining four patients with extension of the dissection to the external iliac artery one or two Easy Wallstents were implanted. There was prompt relief of lower limb ischemic symptoms and signs in all patients. Two groin hematomas were conservatively treated. Clinical and color Doppler flow imaging follow-up with a mean duration of 15 months, showed no reappearance of ischemic symptoms or development of restenosis in any of the patients. One patient died 6 months after thrombolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter thrombolysis with high-dose bolus rt-PA is a safe and effective treatment in patients with iatrogenic arterial occlusion after femoral catheterization. Underlying dissections should be treated by prolonged balloon dilatation but stent implantation is often required.

Vibrational angioplasty in the treatment of chronic infrapopliteal arterial occlusions: preliminary experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vibrational angioplasty in chronic infrapopliteal arterial occlusions. METHODS: Twelve patients (9 men, aged 54 to 90 years) with 13 below-knee arterial chronic total occlusions were treated percutaneously using vibrational angioplasty. The occlusions were located in the anterior tibial artery (n=5), the tibioperoneal trunk (n=4), the peroneal artery (n=1), the posterior tibial artery (n=1), and in both the tibioperoneal trunk and peroneal artery (n=2). The length of the lesions ranged from 5 to 14 cm. RESULTS: Recanalization was successful in 12 (92.3%) lesions. In 1 case, the wire perforated the arterial wall; the procedure was abandoned without clinical sequelae. The time to cross the occlusions with the wire ranged from 6 to 19 minutes. No other complications were observed. Clinical follow-up ranged to 18 months. Ten patients with ulceration or gangrene demonstrated good wound healing, and pain was alleviated in all successfully treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Vibrational angioplasty appears feasible as a means of safely recanalizing chronic total occlusions of the infrapopliteal arteries. Further experience should be acquired to assess its short- and long-term effects on this vascular territory.