Consensus statement on the interhospital transfer of patients with acute aortic syndrome: TRAVERSING Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Standardisation of referral pathways and the transfer of patients with acute aortic syndromes (AAS) to regional centres are recommended by NHS England in the Acute Aortic Dissection Toolkit. The aim of the Transfer of Thoracic Aortic Vascular Emergencies to Regional Specialist INstitutes Group study was to establish an interdisciplinary consensus on the interhospital transfer of patients with AAS to specialist high-volume aortic centres. METHODS: Consensus on the key aspects of interhospital transfer of patients with AAS was established using the Delphi method, in line with Conducting and Reporting of Delphi Studies guidelines. A national patient charity for aortic dissection was involved in the design of the Delphi study. Vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons, emergency physicians, interventional radiologists, cardiologists, intensivists and anaesthetists in the United Kingdom were invited to participate via their respective professional societies. RESULTS: Three consecutive rounds of an electronic Delphi survey were completed by 212, 101 and 58 respondents, respectively. Using predefined consensus criteria, 60 out of 117 (51%) statements from the survey were included in the consensus statement. The study concluded that patients can be taken directly to a specialist aortic centre if they have typical symptoms of AAS on the background of known aortic disease or previous aortic intervention. Accepted patients should be transferred in a category 2 ambulance (response time <18 min), ideally accompanied by transfer-trained personnel or Adult Critical Care Transfer Services. A clear plan should be agreed in case of a cardiac arrest occurring during the transfer. Patients should reach the aortic centre within 4 hours of the initial referral from their local hospital. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus statement is the first set of national interdisciplinary recommendations on the interhospital transfer of patients with AAS. Its implementation is likely to contribute to safer and more standardised emergency referral pathways to regional high-volume specialist aortic units.

Amputation and advance care plans: An observational study exploring decision making and long-term outcomes in a vascular centre.

BACKGROUND: Half of those undergoing major lower limb amputation for peripheral arterial disease die within 1 year. Advance care planning reduces days in hospital and increases the chance of dying in a preferred place. AIM: To investigate the prevalence and content of advance care planning for people having a lower limb amputation due to acute or chronic limb-threatening ischaemia or diabetes. Secondary aims were to explore its association with mortality, and length of hospital stay. DESIGN: A retrospective observational cohort study. The intervention was advance care planning. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted to the South West England Major Arterial Centre between 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2021 who received unilateral or bilateral below, above, or through knee amputation due to acute or chronic limb-threatening ischaemia or diabetes. RESULTS: 116 patients were included in the study. 20.7% (n = 24) died within 1 year. 40.5% (n = 47) had an advance care planning discussion of which all included cardiopulmonary resuscitation decisions with few exploring other options. Patients who were more likely to have advance care planning discussions were ≥75 years (aOR = 5.58, 95%CI 1.56-20.0), female (aOR = 3.24, 95%CI 1.21-8.69), and had multimorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥5, aOR = 2.97, 95%CI 1.11-7.92). Discussions occurred more often in the emergency pathway and were predominantly initiated by physicians. Advance care planning was associated with increased mortality (aHR = 2.63, 95%CI 1.01, 5.02) and longer hospital stay (aHR = 0.52, 95%CI 0.32-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high risk of death for all patients in the months following amputation, advance care planning occurred in fewer than half of people and mostly focused on resuscitation.

Splenic artery aneurysm rupture in pregnancy: challenges in diagnosis and the importance of multidisciplinary management.

This case of acute rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm in a patient 35 weeks pregnant demonstrates the difficulties in diagnosis and importance of multidisciplinary team management for surgical emergencies in pregnancy. A women in her early 30s presented at 35 weeks pregnant with sudden onset of severe epigastric pain and shortness of breath and was found to be tachycardic with a raised lactate. Differentials included a possible vascular event or pulmonary embolism. A CT scan demonstrated free fluid and likely ruptured splenic artery aneurysm. A rapid, thorough preoperative meeting enabled us to integrate multidisciplinary care effectively. She underwent coiling of her splenic artery, which was essential to reduce further intraoperative blood loss, followed by a midline incision for caesarean section of her baby and splenectomy. She had a long stay in the intensive care unit (ITU) and complex postoperative course but was discharged after 2 months to be reunited with her baby who was in good condition.

Immediate Impact of Centralization on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Outcomes for a Vascular Network in the South West of England: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the short-term impact of centralization on the outcomes of patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a vascular network in the South West of England. BACKGROUND: The centralization of vascular services has been implemented nationally across the National Health Service to improve patient outcomes. The full impact of these major changes has not yet been fully analyzed. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study examining outcomes of patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, based on prospectively entered National Vascular Registry data, pre and post centralization in the South West of England. The primary outcome was mortality at 30 days. Secondary measures included 30-day morbidity, length of hospital stay, and length of intensive care unit stay. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was unchanged pre and post-centralization (11% vs 12%, P = 0.84). The 30-day morbidity rate was also unchanged (24% vs 25%, P = 0.83), as was length of intensive care unit stay (3 vs 3 days, P = 0.74). Overall length of stay was not significantly different (8 vs 6 days, P = 0.76). Subgroup analysis of patients with elective, ruptured, and symptomatic aneurysm repair demonstrated no differences in 30-day mortality. There was a significantly shorter stay post-centralization for patients with symptomatic aneurysms (6 vs 12 days pre-centralization, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: The process of centralization of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a vascular network was safe for patients and had no immediate impact on outcomes. Longer-term outcome measures and financial data will be required to further assess the benefit of centralization.

Cardiovascular Manifestations and Complications of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: CT and MR Imaging Findings.

Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a recently described genetic connective tissue disorder with a wide spectrum of multisystem involvement. LDS is characterized by rapidly progressive aortic and peripheral arterial aneurysmal disease. LDS and the other inherited aortopathies such as Marfan syndrome have overlapping phenotypic features. However, LDS is characterized by a more aggressive vascular course; patient morbidity and mortality occur at an early age, with complications developing at relatively smaller aortic dimensions. In addition, there is more diffuse arterial involvement in LDS, with a large proportion of patients developing aneurysms of the iliac, mesenteric, and intracranial arteries. Early diagnosis and careful follow-up are essential for ensuring timely intervention in patients with arterial disease. Cross-sectional angiography has an important role in the baseline assessment, follow-up, and evaluation of acute complications of LDS, the thresholds and considerations of which differ from those of other inherited aortopathies. In this article, LDS is compared with other genetic vascular connective tissue disorders. In addition, the genetic, histopathologic, and cardiovascular manifestations of this disease process are reviewed, with a focus on computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Online DICOM image stacks and supplemental material are available for this article. ©RSNA, 2018.

Raising the issue of DNAR orders in vascular surgery patients.

The Tracey Report has recently raised the status of Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) orders in the hospital setting.[1] Guidelines are in place both nationally and locally to provide advice to clinicians on when to discuss DNACPR, and the approach to be taken. There was concern that on a busy regional vascular surgery unit, discussion of resuscitation status was not regular practice. Consequently, some patients were at risk of being inappropriately resuscitated, particularly out of hours. The North Bristol Somerset and Gloucester DNAR decision tree[2] was the tool used to decide whether a patient should have a documented discussion and/or a DNACPR form completed. We correlated the outcome of the decision tree with the presence of a DNACPR form or documented resuscitation discussion. Baseline measurements from all vascular inpatients on the vascular surgery unit demonstrated that only 27% had a DNACPR form or documented discussion in concordance with the DNACPR Decision Tree outcome. The aim of this project was to increase the proportion of patients with concordance of the DNACPR decision tree outcome with documented discussion or DNACPR form. The following three simple interventions raised concordance from 27% to 64% of patients on the vascular surgery unit. 1. Including resuscitation status of each patient as a column in the doctors daily handover. 2. Posters in staff only areas to highlight the meaning of DNACPR and raise awareness of the DNACPR decision tree. 3. Educational meeting surrounding DNACPR with the vascular surgery consultants, led by a care of the elderly consultant . This project has highlighted how raising awareness around DNACPR increases discussion amongst the clinical team surrounding resuscitation status of a patient. Consequently, this enables discussion to be had with patient and their family.

MicroRNAs in vascular tissue engineering and post-ischemic neovascularization.

Increasing numbers of paediatric patients with congenital heart defects are surviving to adulthood, albeit with continuing clinical needs. Hence, there is still scope for revolutionary new strategies to correct vascular anatomical defects. Adult patients are also surviving longer with the adverse consequences of ischemic vascular disease, especially after acute coronary syndromes brought on by plaque erosion and rupture. Vascular tissue engineering and therapeutic angiogenesis provide new hope for these patients. Both approaches have shown promise in laboratory studies, but have not yet been able to deliver clear evidence of clinical success. More research into biomaterials, molecular medicine and cell and molecular therapies is necessary. This review article focuses on the new opportunities offered by targeting microRNAs for the improved production and greater empowerment of vascular cells for use in vascular tissue engineering or for increasing blood perfusion of ischemic tissues by amplifying the resident microvascular network.

Defining the role of endovascular therapy in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm: results of a prospective randomized trial.

Following publication of early registry data showing poor durability for first-generation endografts, EVAR was labeled by some as a failed experiment. The EVAR trial results prove such a pessimistic appraisal of EVAR wrong. In patients fit for open AAA repair EVAR w ith current devicesachieves a 3% benefit in operative and 4-year aneurysm-related mortality compared with open surgery. In patients unfit for open repair 30-day mortality is significantly greater and can no longer be described as safe. Nor does EVAR affect aneurysm-related or all-cause mortality in the 4-year follow-up. EVAR, at least for the first 4 years, is not safe or effective. Based on these results it seems appropriate in unfit patients to attend to concurrent medical problems before considering intervention for an asymptomatic aneurysm. Before the publication of this trial it was generally believed that EVAR would be of benefit in such patients; indeed, it was for the high-risk patient that EVAR was originally conceived. The focus changes from urgency to deploy EVAR to improvement of fitness, recognizing that such patients are very sick with multiple comorbidities. In both fit and unfit patients with large aneurysms most late deaths were cardiovascular related. The importance of risk factor management in both patient groups cannot be overstated. Despite the cost implications of EVAR and its failure to improve mid-term all-cause mortality over open AAA repair it is likely that the bias of both patients and surgeons toward this minimally invasive procedure means that it will continue to have a significant role. Experience and endograft developments have the potential to reduce postoperative complications; surveillance strategies could then be amended to reduce cost implications. Alternatively, over time the currently static rate of complications may increase as endografts reach the end of their working life. The long-term follow-up of patients in both the both EVAR Trials 1 and 2 has the potential for future surprises.