Two-Year Cumulative and Functional Patency after Creation of Endovascular Arteriovenous Hemodialysis Fistulae.

PURPOSE: To assess 2-year cumulative and functional patency of endovascular arteriovenous fistulae (endoAVF) created with the WavelinQ device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who had fistulae created at a single center from December 2019 to December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Forty-three patients underwent endoAVF creation (22 females, 21 males). Data collected included patient demographics, location of fistula creation, interventions performed, and brachial artery flow before and after creation. Two-year cumulative and functional patency rates were assessed with Kaplan-Meier method, and variables that affected patency and maturation were examined using Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Technical success was 95% (41/43), and in 4 patients, the fistula did not mature for dialysis use (9.7%). For the remaining 37 patients with endoAVF maturation, 25 had ulnar-ulnar fistulae, 10 had radial-radial fistulae, and 2 had interosseous artery-vein fistulae. Mean maturity time was 73 days, and brachial artery flow of >886 mL/min was predictive of maturation. Mean tunneled dialysis catheter removal time was 133 days. Number of interventions per patient-year was 0.38, where 8 were maturation procedures (5 vein elevations/transpositions and 3 coil embolizations) and 21 were maintenance angioplasties. Two-year cumulative/secondary and functional patency rates were 89.4% and 92.1%, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 665.7 days. Examined variables did not impact cumulative or functional patency. One adverse event was migration of coil to the heart, which was successfully retrieved at time of procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Two-year patency of 89.4% and functional patency of 92.1% were observed after endoAVF creation with WavelinQ device.

Percutaneous Creation of Gastrointestinal Anastomosis-An Emerging Frontier.

This article discusses the percutaneous delivery and deployment of lumen-apposing metallic stents for the creation of percutaneous cholecysto-enteric anastomoses for internal drainage of the gallbladder.

Association Between Ionized Calcium Level and Neurological Outcome in Endovascularly Treated Patients with Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SSAH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Pathophysiological processes following initial bleeding are complex and not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to determine whether a low level of ionized calcium (Ca++), an essential cofactor in the coagulation cascade and other cellular processes, is associated with adverse neurological outcome, development of early hydrocephalus, and symptomatic vasospasm among patients with SSAH. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center cohort study of all patients admitted for SSAH between January 1, 2009, and April 31, 2020. The primary outcome was an unfavorable neurological status at discharge, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score greater than or equal to 3. Secondary outcomes were the development of early hydrocephalus and symptomatic vasospasm. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine whether Ca++ was an independent predictor of these outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 255 patients were included in the final analysis. Hypocalcemia, older age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and admission Hunt-Hess classification scale (H&H) grades IV and V were independently associated with unfavorable neurological outcome, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-3.4; p = 0.02) for each 0.1 mmol L-1 decrease in the Ca++ level, 1.04 (95% CI 1.01-1.08; p = 0.02) for each year increase, 0.82 (95% CI 0.68-0.99; p = 0.04), and 6.29 (95% CI 1.14-34.6; p = 0.03), respectively. Risk factors for the development of hydrocephalus were hypocalcemia and GCS score, with ORs of 1.85 (95% CI 1.26-2.71; p = 0.002) for each 0.1 mmol L-1 decrease in the Ca++ level and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73-0.94; p = 0.005), respectively. Ca++ was not associated with symptomatic vasospasm (OR 1.04 [95% CI 0.76-1.41]; p = 0.81). Among patients with admission H&H grade I-III bleeding, hypocalcemia was independently associated with unfavorable neurological outcome at discharge, with an adjusted OR of 1.99 (95% CI 1.03-3.84; p = 0.04) for each 0.1 mmol L-1 decrease in the Ca++ level. Hypocalcemia was also an independent risk factor for the development of early hydrocephalus, with an adjusted OR of 2.95 (95% CI 1.49-5.84; p = 0.002) for each 0.1 mmol L-1 decrease in the Ca++ level. Ca++ was not associated with symptomatic vasospasm. No association was found between Ca++ and predefined outcomes among patients with admission H&H grade IV and V bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that hypocalcemia is associated with worse neurological outcome at discharge and development of early hydrocephalus in endovascularly treated patients with SSAH. Potential mechanisms include calcium-induced coagulopathy and higher blood pressure. Trials are needed to assess whether correction of hypocalcemia will lead to improved outcomes.

Multicentric Castleman disease presenting as a chylous pleural effusion.

Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder presenting frequently with constitutional symptoms. Although pleural effusion is common, there is only one case report of an adult patient with chylous pleural effusion. We present the first case report of a hypervascular variant of Castleman disease presenting as a chylous pleural effusion and successfully treated with a combination of anti-interleukin-6 agent and steroids.

Pocket-size point-of-care ultrasound in rural Uganda - A unique opportunity "to see", where no imaging facilities are available.

BACKGROUND: In the developing world, only a small minority of patients have access to radiological services. Over the past decade, technological developments of ultrasound equipment have led to the emergence of point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS), which is widely used by healthcare professionals of nearly all specialties. We hypothesized that physicians with only basic POCUS training, but with telemedicine support, can use POCUS successfully in rural hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa. METHOD: During a 14-day voluntary clinical work session in a rural hospital in central Uganda, bedside ultrasound scans were performed by use of a pocket-size portable machine by a physician who underwent a five-day training period. All the POCUS studies were reviewed by radiologists and cardiologists abroad with the use of telemedicine. RESULTS: During the study period, 30% of patients received a POCUS-augmented physical examination. 16 out of 23 patients (70%) had positive findings; in 20 of them (87%), the management was changed. The technique was successfully used on trauma casualties, patients suffering from shock, patients with cardiorespiratory symptoms, and patients undergoing invasive procedures. CONCLUSIONS: In a very resource-limited environment, POCUS conducted by basically trained primary care physicians with telemedicine support is a powerful diagnostic tool in a variety of medical conditions.