Congenital extrahepatic portosystemic deviation of gastric vein with azygos in a bitch

Background: Portosystemic shunt (PSS), an alteration commonly found in toy dogs, is caused by an anastomosis between the systemic and portal circulation, interfering with the metabolism of several toxins. It can be of congenital or acquired origin and is classified as intra- or extrahepatic. Clinical signs include the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, and urinary system according to the fraction of the shunt. It is diagnosed by several imaging tests and exploratory laparotomy. Therapy involves drug therapy and/or surgical correction of the anomalous vessels. Thus, the aim is to present an unusual case of extrahepatic cPSS originating from the left gastric vein and insertion into the azygos vein. Case: A 2-year-old female toy poodle, spayed, weighing 2.7 kg was treated with a history of recurrent cystitis and neurological signs such as focal seizures, ataxia, tremors, blindness, lethargy, head pressing, and compulsive gait. Complementary tests revealed normochromic microcytic anemia, neutrophilia-induced leukocytosis, monocytosis, and lymphopenia. Biochemical analysis revealed hypoproteinemia due to hypoglobulinemia, an increase in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase, and a decrease in urea. In the urinalysis, ammonium biurate crystals were detected, and Doppler ultrasound revealed microhepathy and the presence of an anomalous gastrosplenic vein inserted into the azygos vein, a finding compatible with the congenital extrahepatic PSS. Abdominal tomography confirmed vascular deviation with a sinuous path originating from the left gastric and splenic veins, inserting into the azygos vein, measuring approximately 5.95 cm in length. Cranial tomography revealed changes consistent with hepatic encephalopathy. Drug therapy was performed with hydration, liver chow, lactulose, probiotics, metronidazole, S-adenosyl-L-methionine, and ursodeoxycholic acid, and after 15 days, surgery was performed to place a 3.5 mm ameroid constrictor ring for gradual occlusion of the anomalous vessel. The animal recovered well, and a control abdominal ultrasound was repeated 30 days after the procedure, noting that the constrictor had not yet fully occluded the deviation. Doppler imaging revealed a favorable evolution with an increase in the diameter of the portal vein in the hepatopetal direction. The patient was followed-up for a year and had a normal and healthy life. Discussion: Extrahepatic PSS is frequently diagnosed in purebred and toy dogs, commonly occurring between the portal vein and one of its tributaries, with a lower frequency of anomalous vessels between the azygos veins, as in the present report. The patient's age and clinical signs were compatible with the disease, in addition to ammonia biurate crystals and hematological and biochemical alterations. The neurological clinical signs observed were compatible with hepatic encephalopathy secondary to congenital PSS. The imaging examinations facilitated the identification of the extrahepatic vascular anomaly, with the tomography being more accurate and helping in proper surgical planning. Clinical treatment should be performed for presurgical stabilization, and occlusion can be performed by placing cellophane bands or an ameroid constrictor, which is the technique of choice for congenital PSS, as it allows for slow constriction to avoid acute portal hypertension, as in this case, emphasizing that anesthesia in animals with portosystemic shunts must be performed with care.

The Kawashima Operation With Simultaneous Preparation for Transcatheter Fontan-Kreutzer Completion.

Patients with functionally single ventricle and interrupted inferior vena cava may develop progressive cyanosis soon after the Kawashima operation. Therefore, early redirection of the hepatic venous return to the pulmonary circulation is recommended. To avoid performing an early redo sternotomy, we propose to prepare these patients for the interventional Fontan-Kreutzer at the time of the Kawashima operation using a technical modification of the approach reported by Prabhu and coworkers in 2017. The technique described here uses an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene conduit interposed between the hepatic veins and the right pulmonary artery. This graft is everted and divided into two portions with a pericardial patch. The lower one is widely opened and anastomosed side-to-side to the atrium. A few months after the operation, percutaneous Fontan-Kreutzer completion can easily be performed using covered stents to open the patch and at the same time close the opening between the conduit and the atrium.

Thoracoscopic transpleural azygos vein cannulation as vascular access for hemodialysis: experimental study in a porcine model.

Temporary hemodialysis is conventionally performed by accessing either the jugular, the femoral, or the subclavian veins. Repetitive or chronic use of these venous sites may lead to complications such as thrombosis of the superior vena cava. Alternative venous accesses have been described. The purpose of this acute experiment is to evaluate in 8 female pigs the feasibility and immediate complications associated with the transpleural cannulation of the azygos vein performed under thoracoscopy. All animals survived the experiment. There were 5 successful cannulations. There was one termination of the procedure and 2 conversions to thoracotomy because of bleeding which, even if minor, hindered the view of the operation field. There was one lung injury caused by a retractor. In conclusion, the thoracoscopic technique was found to be feasible and could become an alternative access in patients with unsuitable conventional central venous access. Further investigation could validate our findings.

Azygous vein laceration secondary to blunt thoraco-abdominal trauma.

Less than 25 cases of azygous vein lacerations secondary to blunt trauma have been published in the medical literature, most of these injuries were resulting from motor vehicle accidents, but have been described due to falls or assaults. These lesions should be considered as thoracic great vessels injuries and if not recognized promptly carry a high morbidity and mortality. We report a case of a young male involved in a high-speed car collision, admitted to the emergency room in an unstable condition secondary to hypovolemic shock due to azygous vein injury. The patient underwent emergent right antero-lateral thoracotomy followed by sternotomy for surgical control of the vascular injury and resuscitation. Laparotomy and splenectomy were also required, the abdomen was closed. The thoracic cavity was left packed and closure was delayed for 48 h. The patient survived and was transferred to another hospital seven days later.

Intraoperative removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter during lung transplantation.

We describe the case of a 52-year-old man with end-stage emphysema who underwent a right-sided lung transplantation. During preoperative monitoring an apparently non-functioning Swan-Ganz catheter could not be removed through the insertion site - right internal jugular vein. Another Swan-Ganz catheter was successfully installed through the left internal jugular vein, pulmonary artery pressures could be recorded and the transplant was performed uneventfully. Then, the first catheter was inspected and superior vena cava palpation surprisingly revealed a knot at approximately 25 cm. The catheter was pushed to the azygous vein, proximal and distal controls were obtained and a venotomy was performed. The knotted side was sectioned and removed, while the remaining catheter was removed through the insertion site. Despite being rare, knotted intravascular devices have been increasingly reported. Removal with interventional radiology techniques can be accomplished in most instances, nevertheless, complex knots or knots fixed into cardiac structures require open removal. Since in our case the knot was detected intraoperatively, it was readily removed through the azygous vein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe such a route of removal.

[Portal congestion and thrombosis after esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy]. / Indice de congestão portal e a ocorrência de trombose portal pós-dape.

BACKGROUND: The study compared the preoperative portal vein congestion index estimated by Doppler ultrasound and the postoperative portal vein thrombosis of patients submitted to esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy (EDS). METHODS: 65 patients with portal hypertension due to schistosomiasis and previous gastrointestinal bleeding submitted to EDS were divided into two groups: GROUP A (28 patients without postoperative portal vein thrombosis) and GROUP B (37 patients with postoperative portal vein thrombosis). The following parameters of preoperative Doppler ultrasound of the portal vein were analyzed: diameter, area, mean blood flow velocity and blood flow, whereupon the congestion index was calculated. RESULTS: The diameter, area and blood flow of the portal vein were greater in group B (mean of 1.52 cm; 1.77 cm(2) and 2533.12 ml / min) than in group A (mean of 1.33 cm; 1.44 cm(2) and 1609.03 ml / min) with p = 0.03; 0.03 and 0.04 respectively. Difference of the congestion index was not statistically significant between the two groups (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The portal vein congestion index at the preoperative of EDS estimated by Doppler ultrasound was not predictive of portal vein thrombosis in the postoperative of patients with portal hypertension due to schistosomiasis.

Systemic hemodynamic changes in mansonic schistosomiasis with portal hypertension treated by azygoportal disconnection and splenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess systemic hemodynamic changes in patients with Manson's schistosomiasis and portal hypertension during azygoportal disconnection and splenectomy. METHODS: Sixteen patients with portal hypertension secondary to hepatosplenic schistosomiasis with indication for surgery were studied prospectively. All underwent invasive hemodynamic monitoring with pulmonary artery catheter. The first systemic hemodynamic assessment was performed preoperatively. In the intraoperative period new hemodynamic data were collected as follows: a) after laparotomy; b) 15-30 min after splenic artery ligature; c) 15-30 min after splenectomy; and d) after ligation of the collateral circulation. RESULTS: The results indicated preoperatively that the patients presented with an increased cardiac index (4.40 +/- 0.94 L/min/m2) together with a reduction in the systemic vascular resistance index (1692.25 +/- 434.91 dyne.s/cm5.m2). The stroke index (53.74 +/- 10.40 ml/beat/m2) and both left (5.71 +/- 1.50 kg.m/m2) and right heart work indexes (1.12 +/- 0.74 kg.m/m2) were also elevated. The mean pulmonary artery pressure was increased (17.81 +/- 9.00 mm Hg) and the pulmonary vascular resistance index decreased (164.31 +/- 138.69 dyne.s/cm5.m2). From the moment that the splenic artery was ligated until the end of the procedure, the cardiac index (3.45 +/- 0.90 L/min/m2) was reduced and the systemic vascular resistance index (2059.50 +/- 590.05 dyne.s/cm5.m5) increased. The systolic index (44.25 +/- 11.01 ml/beat/m2) and the left ventricle work index (4.33 +/- 1.29 kg.m/m2) also reduced. The mean pulmonary artery pressure (19.18 +/- 9.21 mm Hg) and the right ventricle work index (0.94 +/- 0.62 mm Hg) remained elevated after the surgical procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The data allowed us to conclude that hepatosplenic schistosomiasis induces a hyperdynamic circulatory state that was corrected after splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection, remaining a mild pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, these changes are correlated with the portosystemic collateral circulation, especially as a consequence of splanchnic hyperflow.

Trombose mesentérica após a desconexão ázigo-portal com esplenectomia para o tratamento das varizes esofageanas sangrantes na esquistossomose mansônica, relato de três casos / Mesenteric venous thrombosis after azygos-portal disconnection with splenectomy for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in mansonian schistosomiasis. Three cases reports

The consequence of an acute mesenteric venous thrombosis following porta-azygos disconnection for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices due to mansonian schistosomiasis has not been well defined in the literature. The clinical manifestations reported were fever, spasmodic abdominal pain associated with food intake. We treated three patients with thrombosis of the portal-mesenteric trunk following porta-azygos disconnection and adopted a conservative clinical approach in two patients while one had to have a surgical small bowel ressection.

[Mesenteric venous thrombosis after azygos-portal disconnection with splenectomy for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in mansonian schistosomiasis. Three cases reports]. / Trombose mesentérica após a desconexão ázigo-portal com esplenectomia para o tratamento das varizes esofageanas sangrantes na esquistossomose mansônica, relato de três casos.

The consequence of an acute mesenteric venous thrombosis following porta-azygos disconnection for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices due to mansonian schistosomiasis has not been well defined in the literature. The clinical manifestations reported were fever, spasmodic abdominal pain associated with food intake. We treated three patients with thrombosis of the portal-mesenteric trunk following porta-azygos disconnection and adopted a conservative clinical approach in two patients while one had to have a surgical small bowel ressection.

[Portal hypertension and splenic circulation]. / Hipertensión portal y la circulación del bazo.

The severe complications of portal hypertension have not been solved yet, except the majority of cirrhotic livers suffering of hemorrhagic varices which are expected to be managed by a liver transplant. When we started to study post operatively our patients operated on with the porta azygous disconnection in whom we ligate the splenic artery and the short vessels with the technique we described in 1981, we found that the patients subject to this procedure have no alterations in their splenic circulation. An anatomic research study determined that the spleen is also irrigated by the left gastroepiploic artery which it has not been described before. This finding simplifies our surgical disconnection procedure because now it is not necessary the ligation of the splenic artery.

Alteraçöes da pressäo porta de doentes esquistossomóticos submetidos à operaçäo de esplenectomia e desconexäo ázigo-portal / Portal pressure alteration in schistosomiasis patients submitted to splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection

Os autores estudaram as variaçöes da pressäo porta em pacientes com hipertensäo porta submetidos à esplenectomia e desconexäo ázigo-portal. Observaram reduçäo da pressäo após esplenectomia, porém houve retorno a níveis semelhantes aos iniciais após a desconexäo ázigo-portal

Desconexión porta-acigos en varices esofagogástricas / Portal-azigos disconnection in esophageal-gastric varices

Se presentan los primeros seis casos de un tipo de desconexión porta-ácigos efectuada para el tratamiento de la hemorragia de várices esofagogástricas debidas a hipertensión portal. El seguimiento postoperatorio fue de un año. La técnica consiste en la confección de una sutura hemostática gástrica, esplenectomía, ligadura de los vasos coronarios y biopsia hepática. En el pre y postoperatorio se efectuaron endoscopia, tomografía y ecografía, observándose buenos resultados. Las complicaciones fueron menores y no hubo resangrado ni mortalidad en el período estudiado

Desconexión porta-acigos en varices esofagogástricas / Portal-azigos disconnection in esophageal-gastric varices

Se presentan los primeros seis casos de un tipo de desconexión porta-ácigos efectuada para el tratamiento de la hemorragia de várices esofagogástricas debidas a hipertensión portal. El seguimiento postoperatorio fue de un año. La técnica consiste en la confección de una sutura hemostática gástrica, esplenectomía, ligadura de los vasos coronarios y biopsia hepática. En el pre y postoperatorio se efectuaron endoscopia, tomografía y ecografía, observándose buenos resultados. Las complicaciones fueron menores y no hubo resangrado ni mortalidad en el período estudiado

Reemplazo de vena cava superior con autoinjerto de vena safena espiralada / Replacement superior caval vein from internal saphene vein and spiral line

Se presentan 2 casos de reemplazo de vena cava superior afectadas por tumores malignos. En ambos pacientes el abordaje mediastinal se realizó por esternotomía mediana longitudinal, empleándose la técnica de espiralización de la vena safena interna como elemento protésico. Se destacan las indicaciones de resección cava así como se discuten los diversos procedimientos técnicos, material de reemplazo y experiencias descriptas en la bibliografía nacional y extranjera. Por su fácil confección, resistencia a las infecciones, viabilidad natural, bajo costo, riesgos relativos y buenos resultados obtenidos, los autores consideran a este procedimiento como método de elección para reemplazos de vena cava superior.

Reemplazo de vena cava superior con autoinjerto de vena safena espiralada / Replacement superior caval vein from internal saphene vein and spiral line

Se presentan 2 casos de reemplazo de vena cava superior afectadas por tumores malignos. En ambos pacientes el abordaje mediastinal se realizó por esternotomía mediana longitudinal, empleándose la técnica de espiralización de la vena safena interna como elemento protésico. Se destacan las indicaciones de resección cava así como se discuten los diversos procedimientos técnicos, material de reemplazo y experiencias descriptas en la bibliografía nacional y extranjera. Por su fácil confección, resistencia a las infecciones, viabilidad natural, bajo costo, riesgos relativos y buenos resultados obtenidos, los autores consideran a este procedimiento como método de elección para reemplazos de vena cava superior. (AU)

Hipertensión portal extrahepática: desconexión ácigos-portal / Extrahepatic portal hypertension

La obstrucción parcial o completa de la vena porta y, o, de sus ramas es la causa más frecuente de hipertensión portal en los niños. Se presenta un paciente portador de una hipertensión portal extrahepática de evolución progresiva, con gran desarrollo de várices esofagogástricas y numerosos episodios de hemorragia digestiva. A la edad de 9 años es sometido a una desconexión ácigosportal por vía abdominal, con transección esofágica manual protegida por una fundoplicatura de Nissen. El control endoscópico postoperatorio demostró una reducción significativa del tamaño de las várices esofágicas y desaparición de las várices gástricas. A Los 11 meses de la operación se encuentra asintomático y un nuevo control endoscópico no demuestra recurrencia de las várices

Trombose portal: complicaçäo precose da desconexäo azigo-portal no tratamento das varizes esofagianas sangrantes / Portal thrombosis: early complication of azygo-portal disconnection in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices

Os autores estudaram 30 pacientes portadores de varizes esofagianas com sangramento recente, por hipertensäo portal de diversas etiologias, submetidas à desconexäo ázigo-portal com esplenectomia (D.A.P.E.). As principais complicaçöes pós-operatórias precoces, foram: trombose portal - 4 (13,3%); absecesso subfrénico - 2 (6,6%); embolia pulmonar - 1 (3,3%) e perfuraçäo esofagiana 1 (3,3%). O quadro clínico da trombose portal manifestou-se com febre diária, sem leucocitose e com ascite que, em um caso, foi refratária ao tratamento clínico, havendo necessidade de colocaçäo de válvula peritónio jugular para seu controle. Em virtude das limitaçöes impostas ao doente pela trombose portal no pós-operatório, os autores propöem o estudo quantitativo do fluxo sangüíneo portal pré-operatório para melhor análise das indicaçöes cirúrgicas da D.A.P.E., na hipertensäo portal

[Extrahepatic portal hypertension. Azygos-portal disconnection]. / Hipertensión portal extrahepática. Desconexión ácigos-portal.

The partial or complete obstruction of portal vein and or one of its branches is the most frequent cause of portal hypertension in children. A patient with extrahepatic portal hypertension and progressive course is presented, with great development of esophagogastric varices and multiple episodes of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. At the age of 9 years he was submitted to an azygos-portal disconnection by abdominal route, with manual transection of the esophagus, covered and protected by a gastric fundoplication. Postoperative endoscopic control demonstrated significant reduction in the size of esophageal varices and disappearance of gastric varices. Eleven months after surgery the patient was asymptomatic and a new endoscopic control showed no recurrence of varices.