Validation of the Diagnostic Criteria for IgG4-Related Periaortitis/Periarteritis and Retroperitoneal Fibrosis (IgG4PA/RPF) 2018, and Proposal of a Revised 2023 Version for IgG4-Related Cardiovascular/Retroperitoneal Disease.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, diagnostic criteria were introduced for IgG4-related periaortitis/periarteritis and retroperitoneal fibrosis (PA/RPF). This study assessed the existing criteria and formulated an improved version. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between August 2022 and January 2023, we retrospectively analyzed 110 Japanese patients diagnosed with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) involving cardiovascular and/or retroperitoneal manifestations, along with 73 non-IgG4-RD patients ("mimickers") identified by experts. Patients were stratified into derivation (n=88) and validation (n=95) groups. Classification as IgG4-RD or non-IgG4-RD was based on the 2018 diagnostic criteria and various revised versions. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using experts' diagnosis as the gold standard for the diagnosis of true IgG4-RD and mimickers. In the derivation group, the 2018 criteria showed 58.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The revised version, incorporating "radiologic findings of pericarditis", "eosinophilic infiltration or lymphoid follicles", and "probable diagnosis of extra-PA/-RPF lesions", improved sensitivity to 69.8% while maintaining 100% specificity. In the validation group, the original and revised criteria had sensitivities of 68.4% and 77.2%, respectively, and specificities of 97.4% and 94.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Proposed 2023 revised IgG4-related cardiovascular/retroperitoneal disease criteria show significantly enhanced sensitivity while preserving high specificity, achieved through the inclusion of new items in radiologic, pathological, and extra-cardiovascular/retroperitoneal organ categories.

Poor Limb Prognosis of Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia on Hemodialysis: A Retrospective Observational Study Based on the Global Limb Anatomic Staging System.

BACKGROUND: The Global Limb Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) has been widely used to evaluate patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). As end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a well-known CLTI risk factor, we aimed to determine whether patients on hemodialysis (HD) have a worse limb prognosis than those without ESKD, considering the same GLASS background. METHODS: The data of 445 patients who underwent surgical and/or endovascular revascularization procedures for lower extremity ischemia were retrospectively collected in our division between 2005 and 2018. The major amputation rate and amputation-free survival (AFS) were compared between HD and non-HD patients. RESULTS: Among the 215 (48%) patients receiving HD, 58 limbs required major amputation (27% limb loss rate). Among the non-HD group, the limb loss rate was 13% (P < 0.0001). The overall AFS was significantly worse in patients receiving HD than those not (P < 0.0001). The AFS was significantly worse in HD patients when comparing GLASS-standardized subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CLTI who were receiving HD had a worse limb prognosis than those not receiving, even when considering the same GLASS classification. Furthermore, there is a need for an ideal guideline focused on ESKD-directed peripheral artery disease.

Motion capture device reveals a quick learning curve in vascular anastomosis training.

PURPOSE: Surgical procedures are often evaluated subjectively, and an objective evaluation has been considered difficult to make and rarely reported, especially in open surgery, where the range of motion is wide. This study evaluated the effectiveness of surgical suturing training as an educational tool using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC), which can capture hand movements and reproduce them as data comprising parametric elements. METHODS: We developed an off-the-job training system (Off-JT) in our department, mainly using prosthetic grafts and various anastomotic methodologies with graded difficulty levels. We recruited 50 medical students (novice group) and 6 vascular surgeons (expert group) for the study. We evaluated four parameters for intraoperative skills: suturing time, slope of the roll, smoothness, and rate of excess motion. RESULTS: All 4 parameters distinguished the skill of the novice group at 1 and 10 h off-JT. After 10 h of off-JT, all 4 parameters of the novices were comparable to those of the expert group. CONCLUSION: Our education system using the LMC is relatively inexpensive and easy to set up, with a free application for analyses, serving as an effective and ubiquitous educational tool for young surgeons.

Midterm outcomes of AFX2 endografts used in combination with aortic cuffs.

OBJECTIVE: Type III endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with the Endologix unibody endograft remain a major concern, despite fabric, system, and instructional updates. The purpose of this study was to examine real-world outcomes of repairing AAAs using the current version of the AFX2 main body in combination with an aortic cuff, specifically focusing on type III endoleaks and morphological changes of the endograft. METHODS: We recruited facilities in Japan that used AFX2 combined with an aortic cuff for at least five cases between April 2017 and March 2018. A total of 175 cases in 24 facilities were analyzed. Patients' background information, including anatomic factors, operative findings, device component variations, and midterm outcomes at 3 years after the EVAR were collected. The data on computed tomography scans from cases registered as types I and III endoleaks and migration from each institute were sent to our department for verification. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 74.6 ± 8.1 years, and 48 cases (27%) were saccular aneurysms. The mean fusiform and saccular AAA diameters were 50.5 ± 5.8 mm and 43.5 ± 8.9 mm, respectively. No in-hospital deaths occurred. Data at 3 years, including computed tomography images, of 128 cases were analyzed. Overall survival, freedom from aneurysm-related mortality, and freedom from reintervention rates at 3 years were 85.8%, 99.3%, and 87.3%, respectively. There were three, one, and three cases of types I, IIIa, and IIIb endoleaks without sac dilatations, respectively. Among five migration cases, one case of aortic cuff migration presented as a type Ia endoleak, and four cases demonstrated sideways displacement, one of which presented as a type IIIa endoleak. The sac regression and enlargement rates at 3 years were 41.4% and 20.5% in the fusiform group and 44.2% and 16.7% in the saccular group, respectively. The proximal neck diameter slightly increased from 20.8 ± 2.7 mm before the EVAR to 22.2 ± 4.6 mm after the repair. CONCLUSIONS: Midterm outcomes of the AFX2 used in combination with an aortic cuff were acceptable, considering the rates of types I and III endoleaks. However, there were cases of sideways displacement that could cause future type IIIa endoleaks. When the AFX2 is used in combination with an aortic cuff, close surveillance for endograft deformations and subsequent adverse events, including type III endoleaks, is needed.

The CR9 element is a novel mechanical load-responsive enhancer that regulates natriuretic peptide genes expression.

Enhancers regulate gene expressions in a tissue- and pathology-specific manner by altering its activities. Plasma levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides, encoded by the Nppa and Nppb, respectively, and synthesized predominantly in cardiomyocytes, vary depending on the severity of heart failure. We previously identified the noncoding conserved region 9 (CR9) element as a putative Nppb enhancer at 22-kb upstream from the Nppb gene. However, its regulatory mechanism remains unknown. Here, we therefore investigated the mechanism of CR9 activation in cardiomyocytes using different kinds of drugs that induce either cardiac hypertrophy or cardiac failure accompanied by natriuretic peptides upregulation. Chronic treatment of mice with either catecholamines or doxorubicin increased CR9 activity during the progression of cardiac hypertrophy to failure, which is accompanied by proportional increases in Nppb expression. Conversely, for cultured cardiomyocytes, doxorubicin decreased CR9 activity and Nppb expression, while catecholamines increased both. However, exposing cultured cardiomyocytes to mechanical loads, such as mechanical stretch or hydrostatic pressure, upregulate CR9 activity and Nppb expression even in the presence of doxorubicin. Furthermore, the enhancement of CR9 activity and Nppa and Nppb expressions by either catecholamines or mechanical loads can be blunted by suppressing mechanosensing and mechanotransduction pathways, such as muscle LIM protein (MLP) or myosin tension. Finally, the CR9 element showed a more robust and cell-specific response to mechanical loads than the -520-bp BNP promoter. We concluded that the CR9 element is a novel enhancer that responds to mechanical loads by upregulating natriuretic peptides expression in cardiomyocytes.

Ten-Hour Simulation Training Improved the Suturing Performance of Medical Students.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effectiveness of an original simulation training system in improving the suturing performance of medical students using a previously developed web application for scoring suturing performance. METHODS: Medical students were recruited for this study and trained on vascular graft anastomosis. Prosthetic grafts were anastomosed and evaluated after orientation, and after 1 hr and 10 hr after training. Vascular surgeons were recruited as controls. Using a previously developed web application, suturing performance was evaluated on the basis of procedural time, coefficient of variation of bite (length of a stitch across the graft), coefficient of variation of pitch (interval between stitches), and skewness (symmetry of the angles between stitches). RESULTS: Forty-eight medical students and 10 vascular surgeons were recruited. After 1 hr of training, only the students' procedural time improved. After 10 hr of training, all scores improved compared with those in the first trial, and all students' scores except procedural time were statistically similar to those of the vascular surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Ten-hour training improved all factors, including bite, pitch, skewness, and time. Our simple and inexpensive training system and web application for calculating anastomosis scores can be a useful open educational resource.

Tapered, Twisted Bundled-Tube Locomotive Devices for Stepped Pipe Inspection.

The twisted bundled-tube locomotive device is an elongated soft robot that moves inside a pipe in a helical bending motion. This motion mimics the behavior of microorganisms called spirochetes. This device is inexpensive and easy to miniaturize because of its simple structure, which consists of three inflatable tubes twisted together. It can move in pipes of various diameters without a change in design. Therefore, it has a high capacity for water pipe inspection. However, it has not yet been shown to pass through step parts wherein the diameter of the pipes decreases. In this study, we developed a device that was deformed into a tapered shape by changing the pitch of the spirals at each location. The prototype device was able to move from a pipe with an inside diameter of 52.9 mm to a pipe with an inside diameter of 21.6 mm for horizontally fixed pipes, and from a pipe with an inside diameter of 41.6 mm to a pipe with an inside diameter of 21.6 mm for vertically fixed pipes.

Scaffold-free tissue-engineered arterial grafts derived from human skeletal myoblasts.

Tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) are in urgent demand for both adult and pediatric patients. Although several approaches have utilized vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells as cell sources for TEVGs, these cell sources have a limited proliferative capacity that results in an inability to reconstitute neotissues. Skeletal myoblasts are attractive cell sources as they possess high proliferative capacity, and they are already being tested in clinical trials for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Our previous study demonstrated that periodic hydrostatic pressurization (PHP) promoted fibronectin fibrillogenesis in vascular SMCs, and that PHP-induced extracellular matrix (ECM) arrangements enabled the fabrication of implantable arterial grafts derived from SMCs without using a scaffold material. We assessed the molecular response of human skeletal myoblasts to PHP exposure, and aimed to fabricate arterial grafts from the myoblasts by exposure to PHP. To examine the PHP-response genes, human skeletal myoblasts were subjected to bulk RNA-sequencing after PHP exposure. Gene-set enrichment analysis revealed significant positive correlations between PHP exposure and vascular development-related genes. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) demonstrated that PHP significantly upregulated collagen and elastic fiber formation-related gene expression, such as fibronectin, lysyl oxidase, collagen type I α1, collagen type IV α1, and tropoelastin. Based on these findings showing the potential role of PHP in vessel formation, we fabricated arterial grafts by repeated cell seeding and exposure to PHP every 24 hours. The resultant 15-layered myoblast grafts had high collagen content, which provided a tensile rupture strength of 899 ± 104 mm Hg. Human skeletal myoblast grafts were implanted as patch grafts in the aorta of immunosuppressed rats and found to be endothelialized and completely patent until the endpoint of 60 postoperative days. Implanted human myoblasts were gradually replaced by host-derived cells, which successfully formed vascular neotissues with layered elastic fibers. These findings suggest that human skeletal myoblasts have the potential to be a feasible cell source for scaffold-free implantable arterial grafts under PHP culture conditions.

Egg-shell like Calcification as a Protective Factor for Splenic Artery Aneurysm Dilatation.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with asymptomatic splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) dilatation. METHODS: Among patients with SAA admitted to our department from 2001 to 2018, 70 lesions in 59 patients were selected and analyzed retrospectively. There were no cases of rupture or pregnancy in the follow-up period. We defined egg-shell appearance as SAA with >75% calcification of the outer shell. We measured the dilatation rate (mm/year) and evaluated the comorbidity and anatomical factors using univariate and multiple linear regression models. Post-hoc multiple linear regression models were fitted to evaluate the possible interactions. RESULTS: The mean age was 61.4 years (range 35-85 years), and the initial aneurysm diameter was 15.1 mm (range 3-47 mm). The mean dilatation rate was 0.26 mm/year (range 0-3.2 mm/year) during the follow-up period (average 4.6 years). Univariate analysis revealed that, portal hypertension (PHT) (P = 0.0003), egg-shell appearance (P = 0.007), and aneurysm diameter > 20 mm (P = 0.05) were significantly associated with the dilatation rate. Multivariate analysis revealed that egg-shell appearance was found to be an independent inverse risk factor of dilatation rate (P = 0.006). The multivariate analysis, including interaction terms, revealed a stronger effect of PHT and diameter >20 mm in cases with no egg-shell appearance (P = 0.08 and P = 0.05 for interactions, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The egg-shell appearance of SAA was an independent inverse risk factor affecting the SAA dilatation rate. The dilatation rates in the case of PHT and diameter >20 mm were restricted in the presence of the egg-shell appearance.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair migration and aortic elongation differentiated using dual reference point analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated images of patients undergoing a thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedure using two reference points as a means for differentiating stent graft migration from aortic elongation. Conventional standards define migration of a stent graft as an absolute change in the distance from the distal graft ring to a distal landmark ≥10 mm compared with a baseline measurement. Aortic elongation occurs over time in both healthy individuals and patients with aortic disease. Aortic elongation in patients with stent grafts may result in increased distal thoracic aortic lengths over time. False-positive stent graft migration would be defined when these patients meet the standard definition for migration, even if the stent has not moved in relation to the elongating aorta. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated the aortic length of 23 patients treated with the conformable GORE TAG thoracic endoprosthesis (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) in three clinical trials (dissection, traumatic injury, and aneurysm). Patients who met the standard definition for migration were selected. A standardized protocol was used to measure aortic centerline lengths, including the innominate artery (IA) to the most distal device ring, the IA to the celiac artery (CA), and the distal ring to the CA. Baseline lengths obtained from the first postoperative image were compared with length measurements obtained from the first interval at which they met the standard definition for migration. The conventional standards for migration using a single reference point were compared with the use of dual reference points. RESULTS: Of the 23 patients with endograft changes, 20 were deemed to have aortic elongation rather than true migration. The remaining three patients were deemed to have migration on the basis of the IA to distal ring position compared with the IA to CA length change. The IA to CA interval length change was markedly greater in those with elongation compared with migration (23.8 ± 8.4 mm vs -3.5 ± 5.4 mm, respectively; P < .05). The distal ring to CA interval length change was greater in patients showing elongation rather than migration (18.5 ± 6.6 mm vs -9.8 ± 5.4 mm, respectively; P < .05). The distance between the IA and distal ring was similar for elongation and migration. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the dynamic changes that can occur in the aorta as a natural consequence of age. Employing two landmarks can account for these changes and proves to be an important factor, among others, in the differentiation of aortic elongation from true stent graft migration.

The relationship between medical expenses and the severity of peripheral arterial disease in Japan.

The main objective is to examine whether the severity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects the expenses and hospital stay of the patients who undergo bypass surgery below the inguinal ligament for PAD. Eighty consecutive patients who underwent infrainguinal bypass surgery for PAD between January 2012 and December 2014 were included in the study. Patients were divided into groups according to their critical limb ischemia (CLI) symptoms and the Wound, Ischemia, and Foot Infection (WIfI) classification. As endpoints, we assessed the duration of postoperative hospital stay and expenses during hospitalization. CLI was a significant factor for longer hospital stay and increased medical expenses (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001). In the patients with CLI, significant factors for longer hospital stay and increased medical expenses were (1) history of distal bypass (p = 0.33 and p = 0.003, respectively) and stage 4 local lower limb status in WIfI classification (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.053). PAD severity was associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay and increased medical expenses. The presence or absence of CLI and its severity according to the WIfI classification correlated with medical expenses and hospital stay duration between the milder and severe groups.

LED-CT Scan for pH Distribution on a Cross-Section of Cell Culture Medium.

In cell culture, the pH of the culture medium is one of the most important conditions. However, the culture medium may have non-uniform pH distribution due to activities of cells and changes in the environment. Although it is possible to measure the pH distribution with an existing pH meter using distributed electrodes, the method involves direct contact with the medium and would greatly increase the risk of contamination. Here in this paper, we propose a computed tomography (CT) scan for measuring pH distribution using the color change of phenol red with a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. Using the principle of CT scan, we can measure pH distribution without contacting culture medium, and thus, decrease the risk of contamination. We have developed the device with a LED, an array of photo receivers and a rotation mechanism. The system is firstly calibrated with different shapes of wooden objects that do not pass light, we succeeded in obtaining their 3D topographies. The system was also used for measuring a culture medium with two different pH values, it was possible to obtain a pH distribution that clearly shows the boundary.

Local CXCR4 Upregulation in the Injured Arterial Wall Contributes to Intimal Hyperplasia.

CXCR4 is a stem/progenitor cell surface receptor specific for the cytokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1α). There is evidence that bone marrow-derived CXCR4-expressing cells contribute to intimal hyperplasia (IH) by homing to the arterial subintima which is enriched with SDF-1α. We have previously found that transforming growth factor-ß (TGFß) and its signaling protein Smad3 are both upregulated following arterial injury and that TGFß/Smad3 enhances the expression of CXCR4 in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). It remains unknown, however, whether locally induced CXCR4 expression in SM22 expressing vascular SMCs plays a role in neointima formation. Here, we investigated whether elevated TGFß/Smad3 signaling leads to the induction of CXCR4 expression locally in the injured arterial wall, thereby contributing to IH. We found prominent CXCR4 upregulation (mRNA, 60-fold; protein, 4-fold) in TGFß-treated, Smad3-expressing SMCs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed a specific association of the transcription factor Smad3 with the CXCR4 promoter. TGFß/Smad3 treatment also markedly enhanced SDF-1α-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation as well as SMC migration in a CXCR4-dependent manner. Adenoviral expression of Smad3 in balloon-injured rat carotid arteries increased local CXCR4 levels and enhanced IH, whereas SMC-specific depletion of CXCR4 in the wire-injured mouse femoral arterial wall produced a 60% reduction in IH. Our results provide the first evidence that upregulation of TGFß/Smad3 in injured arteries induces local SMC CXCR4 expression and cell migration, and consequently IH. The Smad3/CXCR4 pathway may provide a potential target for therapeutic interventions to prevent restenosis. Stem Cells 2016;34:2744-2757.

Esophagojejunostomy Using the Purse-String Suturing Device After Laparoscopic Total or Proximal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Performing a safe esophagojejunostomy is important for the standardization of laparoscopic total gastrectomy. We have performed intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy by a circular stapler using the purse-string suturing device that we co-developed. The advantage of this device is that it makes use of the same surgical procedure as open surgery, but it does not depend on the surgeon's technical skills since this device does not require the laparoscopic hand-sewn technique. Furthermore, we have also adapted this device for double-tract reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy. In this study, we present the surgical procedures and postoperative short-term outcomes that were obtained using this novel technique. METHODS: We enrolled 94 patients that underwent intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy by circular stapler using our device after laparoscopic total or proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer between November 2009 and October 2016. RESULTS: Postoperative complications related to esophagojejunostomy were due to anastomotic stenosis in two cases (2.1%) and leakage of the jejunum stump in one case (1.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy by circular stapler using the purse-string suturing device is safe and feasible. This method can be one of the standard procedures for performing intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy.

Effect of 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate-Impregnated Cloth on Surgical Site Infections in Vascular Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant burden to patients and health care systems. This retrospective study evaluates the observed rates of SSI after our institution implemented chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated (CHG) cloth as a preoperative antiseptic preparation in elective vascular surgery. METHODS: Between March 2011 and January 2012, we reviewed 250 patients who underwent elective vascular surgery who used the CHG cloth preoperatively. Their rate of SSIs was compared with 252 control patients who received the CHG shower preoperatively during the preintervention period. Urgent and emergent cases were excluded. The primary outcome measured was SSI within 30 days of index operation. RESULTS: There was no baseline difference in mean age, gender distribution, smoking status, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the number of patients with body mass index >40 between the cohorts. There was no difference in the overall rate (5.6% vs. 5.6%, P = 1.00) and type of SSIs between the 2 groups, but the control group trended toward deeper infections (4 deep incisional and 2 organ space vs. none and 1, respectively). The control group also had more dirty or infected wound categories (10 vs. 21.4%, P < 0.01) and more perioperative antibiotic errors and hypothermia (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: There was no observed difference in SSI rates before and after implementation of the CHG as the preoperative method of skin decontamination in our retrospective case-control cohorts.

Independent Concentration Manipulation Using Sidewall-Driven Micromixer.

Lab-on-a-chip technology has been developed to streamline biochemical experiments by providing experimental environments in microscopic areas. Due to the difficulty of mixing chemicals in such small channels, various micromixers have been created. Our proposed sidewall-driven micromixer offers easy fabrication and precise control over mixing concentrations. In our previous study, we successfully generated concentration gradients by simultaneously mixing multiple chambers using a single actuator. However, it is not possible to mix different chemicals in each chamber. In this study, we developed a sidewall-driven micromixer that enables independent mixing in each chamber by installing one actuator per chamber. Experimental results showed that different conditions were achieved in each chamber using both microbead-mixture water and colored water. Thus, this mixer can be used to manipulate concentrations regardless of whether the mixing targets are particles or fluids.

Subacute Limb Ischemia Suspected from COVID-19-Related Arterial Thrombosis Presenting with Local Occlusion Site Tenderness.

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with severe popliteal fossa pain and mild left calf claudication. He had had an episode of pyrexia and dyspnea approximately 3 weeks prior. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed acute occlusion of the left popliteal artery and multiple infiltration shadows with bilateral multifocal parenchymal consolidation of the lungs, suggesting post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. As he had no comorbid risk of cardiogenic embolism or atherosclerosis, we diagnosed him with COVID-19-related arterial thrombosis. COVID-19-related arterial thrombosis should be considered a possible cause of acute limb ischemia, even when ischemic symptoms occur several weeks post infection.

A case of endovascular treatment for iatrogenic left vertebral artery injury due to central line catheter placement.

We describe a case of endovascular treatment for an iatrogenic left vertebral artery injury after central line catheter placement in a 68-year-old male patient. The patient had a massive pulmonary embolism, and a Swan-Ganz catheter was required to monitor the patient's circulatory condition. However, the catheter was inserted into the left vertebral artery and passed through the left internal jugular vein. Endovascular treatment was indicated due to the patient's poor general health. Complete hemostasis was achieved, and the postoperative course was uneventful without neurologic deficits.

Giant Coeliac Artery Aneurysm Treated with a Hybrid Approach: A Case Report.

Introduction: Coeliac artery aneurysms are rare and have a high mortality rate when ruptured. Although they are often asymptomatic, treatment is recommended for patients with true coeliac aneurysms >2.5 cm, noted enlargement, or associated symptoms. Less invasive endovascular treatment is predominantly performed for coeliac artery aneurysms, while open surgery is preferred for patients with compression symptoms. Here, a case of symptomatic giant coeliac artery aneurysm that was successfully treated with hybrid surgery is reported. Report: A 73 year old man was referred with continuous epigastric discomfort and loss of appetite for two weeks. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a 12 cm aneurysm of the coeliac artery. The splenic and common hepatic arteries were severely distorted and compressed by the aneurysm, making their origins unclear. Considering the risk of rupture, semi-urgent surgery was performed with interruption of the inflow and outflow arteries using open and endovascular techniques together with aneurysmorrhaphy. Vascular reconstruction was omitted because abundant collateral flow to the liver and spleen was confirmed on angiography. Discussion: With the hybrid approach, aneurysmorrhaphy was performed safely with minimal incision and dissection. Short term outcomes were satisfactory, with complete resolution of compression symptoms and remarkable sac shrinkage at 12 months. Owing to the possibility of the pancreaticoduodenal arcade developing as a collateral pathway, periodic surveillance for de novo aneurysms is warranted.

Outcomes and morphologic changes after endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms with a severely angulated neck- a device-specific analysis.

BACKGROUND: With respect to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), the development of advanced techniques and devices, namely, Cook Zenith and Gore Excluder, has helped overcome device-related problems, including device migration. Deformities of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) can influence the long-term outcome of EVAR. The post-implantation behavior of stent grafts in AAAs with a severely angulated neck (SAN) was examined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 190 AAA patients who underwent EVAR, 46 had SAN of more than 60 degrees. The post-implantation angle and adverse events were evaluated. Forty-one patients (89%) showed straightening of the neck angle immediately after the operation (early), with 2 types of subsequent (late) configuration changes - recoil and additional straightening. Among 34 Excluder patients, 29 showed immediate straightening, without additional straightening and 8 exhibited recoil. All 12 Zenith patients showed immediate straightening; 7 subsequently exhibited additional straightening, and none of them showed recoil. A difference (P=0.04) was noted between the 2 devices in the late angle changes. In all cases, no migration was observed at the proximal sites. CONCLUSIONS: The post-implantation configuration changes in stent placement in AAA patients with SAN were different for Excluder and Zenith. Appropriate device selection and proper planning of the procedure is necessary for EVAR.