Modified Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocol Versus Non-ERAS Protocol in Patients Undergoing Emergency Laparotomy for Acute Intestinal Obstruction: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal approach with promising results in improving patient outcome. Only recently, is evidence emerging highlighting how similar principles of care can be applied to patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted from November 2021 to April 2022 at PGIMER Chandigarh, which is a leading tertiary care hospital in northern India. 60 patients with acute intestinal obstruction requiring emergency laparotomy were randomized and assigned to ERAS or Non-ERAS group. ERAS protocol with some modifications was applied. Primary endpoints were post-operative hospital stay. Secondary end points were morbidity, 30-day readmission and mortality rate. Data analysis was done using SPSS 22.0. Independent t test or Mann-Whitney test and Chi-square or Fisher-exact test were used for analysis. RESULTS: A significant 3-day reduction in hospital stay was observed in ERAS compared to non-ERAS group (median (interquartile range) 5.50 (4.75-8.25) vs 8.0 (6.0-11.0) p = 0.003) with no difference in 30-day readmission rate, mortality rate and complication rate (according to Clavien-Dindo classification). ERAS group was associated with early recovery of gastrointestinal functions including time to first passage of flatus (p < 0.001), stools (p = 0.014), early ambulation (p < 0.001), time to first fluid diet (p < 0.001), solid diet (p = 0.001) and reduced nasogastric tube reinsertion rates (p = 0.01) despite its early removal. CONCLUSION: ERAS with some modifications can be applied in patients with intestinal obstruction. Thus, we can expedite post-operative recovery and early regain of gastrointestinal function with decreased hospital stay, comparable morbidity and mortality. Further studies are needed to assess ERAS role in emergency gastrointestinal surgeries. Trial registration Ctri.gov Identifier: CTRI/2022/04/042156.

Isolated external iliac artery aneurysm: a rare case presentation of IgG4-related disease.

Isolated external iliac artery aneurysm is a rare occurrence. These aneurysms have varied presentations depending on size and proximity. Both open surgical and endovascular modalities can be used for treatment depending upon presentation, aneurysmal anatomy, and patient condition. Preservation of at least one internal iliac artery is important to prevent post-repair hypogastric ischemia. There are no previous reports of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) as etiology of these aneurysms. A 32-year-old male patient presented with a left lower abdominal lump and was found to have a left external iliac artery aneurysm on computed tomography angiography. The patient underwent iliofemoral bypass with an 8 mm polyester graft. Histopathological examination of the aneurysm wall suggested IgG4-RD. The patient fulfilled the 2020 Revised Comprehensive Diagnostic Criteria for IgG4-RD. An 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography scan performed in the postoperative period showed no active disease, hence medical therapy was not instituted. The patient is doing well at 1 year.

O aneurisma isolado da artéria ilíaca externa é uma ocorrência rara. Esses aneurismas têm apresentações variadas, dependendo do tamanho e da proximidade. Ambas as modalidades cirúrgicas aberta e endovascular podem ser usadas para o tratamento, dependendo da apresentação, anatomia do aneurisma e condição do paciente. A preservação de pelo menos uma artéria ilíaca interna é importante para prevenir isquemia hipogástrica pós-reparação. A doença relacionada à imunoglobulina G4 (IgG4-RD) nunca havia sido encontrada como etiologia desse aneurisma. Um paciente do sexo masculino de 32 anos que apresentava um nódulo no abdome inferior esquerdo foi diagnosticado com aneurisma da artéria ilíaca externa esquerda na angiotomografia computadorizada. O paciente foi submetido a bypass iliofemoral com enxerto de poliéster de 8 mm. O exame histopatológico da parede do aneurisma era indicativo de IgG4-RD. O paciente cumpriu os Critérios Abrangentes Revisados ​​para IgG4-RD de 2020. A tomografia por emissão de pósitrons com 18-fluorodesoxiglicose no pós-operatório não evidenciou doença ativa, não sendo instituída terapia medicamentosa. Após seguimento de 1 ano, o paciente está bem.

Clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of arterial involvement in Behçet's disease: a single-centre experience.

Arterial involvement, although rare, accounts for significant mortality and morbidity in patients of Behçet's disease (BD). There is paucity of data on arterial BD. The objective of this 5-year retrospective cohort study was to examine the clinical presentation, pattern of arterial involvement, and treatment outcome in Indian arterial BD patients. Data on demography, clinical presentation, radiology, instituted therapy, vascular interventions and treatment outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Ten (16.9%) out of 59 patients with BD had arterial involvement in 13 vascular territories [mean age 30 (8) years, 9 (90%) males]. Pulmonary artery was most commonly involved (46%), followed by abdominal aorta (15%), femoral artery (15%), descending thoracic aorta (8%), common iliac (8%), and dorsalis pedis artery (8%). Two patients had multi-territory involvement. The median interval between disease onset and development of arterial aneurysms was 3 years (3 months-12 years). Concomitant deep vein thrombosis was seen in 60% cases. Prednisolone and cyclophosphamide were the most common immunosuppressive therapy used; one patient who relapsed on cyclophosphamide responded to infliximab. Five surgical or endovascular interventions were performed. Four patients (40%) died due to aneurysm rupture-all had a delayed diagnosis, and three had pulmonary artery involvement, with death due to massive hemoptysis. Based on the present study, we concluded that arterial involvement in BD is seen predominantly in males and has a high mortality. Early detection and aggressive treatment with immunosuppression and surgical or endovascular interventions are essential for good outcomes.

Coarctation of the aorta in a young female treated with left subclavian artery to descending thoracic aorta bypass: a case report.

Coarctation of the aorta is a rare congenital abnormality, with an incidence of 6-8% of all congenital heart problems. It is usually diagnosed in childhood during routine clinical examination and adults mostly present with hypertension. Various investigations like transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance angiography can help with diagnosis. Prognosis depends on age at presentation and the severity of coarctation. Treatment options available are open and endovascular repair. Extra-anatomical bypass is the preferred option in cases with unfavorable anatomy. Long term follow up is required post repair due to risk of restenosis and aneurysm formation. Here is a case in which a young female presented with hypertension, was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, and was treated a left subclavian artery to descending thoracic aorta bypass. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she had improvement in hypertension.

A coarctação da aorta é uma anomalia congênita rara, com incidência de 6-8% entre todos os problemas cardíacos congênitos. É geralmente diagnosticada na infância durante o exame clínico de rotina, e os adultos normalmente apresentam hipertensão. Diversas investigações, como ecocardiografia transtorácica, tomografia computadorizada e angiorressonância magnética, podem auxiliar no diagnóstico. O prognóstico depende da idade na apresentação e da gravidade da coarctação. As opções de tratamento disponíveis são o reparo aberto e o reparo endovascular. O bypass extra-anatômico é a opção preferida em caso de anatomia desfavorável. O acompanhamento de longo prazo é necessário após o reparo devido ao risco de reestenose e formação de aneurisma. Descrevemos o caso de uma jovem do sexo feminino que apresentou hipertensão, a qual foi diagnosticada como coarctação da aorta. Foi realizada derivação da artéria subclávia esquerda para a aorta torácica descendente. O pós-operatório transcorreu sem intercorrências, e a paciente apresentou melhora da hipertensão.

Interventional radiology management of extremity pseudoaneurysms: a pictorial essay.

Pseudoaneurysms are vascular abnormalities caused by a damaging force on an arterial wall, resulting in a persistent extravasation of blood into the surrounding tissue, which can be the result of infection, inflammation, trauma or any iatrogenic procedure. The incidence of extremity artery pseudoaneurysms is rising because of increased number of endovascular procedures. As a number of complications are associated with these false aneurysms, it is important to know the treatment modalities available. Ultrasound is the most common method of diagnosing extremity pseudoaneurysm because of their superficial location. Computed tomographic angiography is the next investigation of choice as it has three-dimensional capability and can help evaluate the vascular bed. Digital subtraction angiography is rarely used for diagnosis alone, and is used only when a therapeutic procedure is planned. Treatment of these pseudoaneurysms has shifted from open surgical procedures to minimally invasive treatment in recent years. The different techniques for tackling these lesions include ultrasound-guided compression, percutaneous thrombin or glue embolisation and endovascular coil or stent graft placement. In this pictorial essay, we review the different treatment modalities so that an interventional radiologist is aware of all the treatments he can offer when confronted with these lesions.

Retroperitoneal iliac conduits as an alternative access site for endovascular aortic repair: a tertiary care center experience.

Background: Retroperitoneal open iliac conduits (ROIC) are used in patients with hostile iliac anatomy undergoing endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). Objectives: We hereby report our experience of ROIC in patients subjected to EVAR. Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of 8 patients out of a total of 75 patients (11%) who underwent EVAR in the last 10 years. Pre-procedure computed tomography angiography was used to assess the dimensions of iliac and femoral arteries. Patients who had small arterial dimensions (i.e. smaller than the recommended access size for the aortic endograft device) were subjected to ROIC. Results: The mean age of the 3 males and 5 females studied was 45.7 ± 15.2 years. The indication for ROIC was the small caliber ilio-femoral access site in 7 patients and atherosclerotic disease in 1 patient. All external grafts were anastomosed to the right common iliac artery except one which was anastomosed to the aortic bifurcation site because of a small common iliac artery. The procedural success rate was 100%. Local access site complications included infection (n=1), retroperitoneal hematoma (n=1), and need for blood transfusion (n=3). The median post-intervention hospital stay was 10 days. All patients had favorable long-term outcomes at a median follow-up of 18 months. Conclusions: Female patients require ROIC during EVAR more frequently. Adjunctive use of iliac conduit for EVAR was associated with favorable perioperative and short-term outcomes.

Contexto: Os condutos ilíacos abertos retroperitoneais são utilizados em pacientes submetidos a reparo endovascular de aneurisma (REVA) com anatomia ilíaca hostil. Objetivos: Relatamos a nossa experiência com os condutos ilíacos em pacientes submetidos a REVA. Métodos: Trata-se de uma avaliação retrospectiva de oito pacientes, de um total de 75 (11%), os quais foram submetidos a REVA nos últimos 10 anos. Foi realizada angiotomografia computadorizada antes do procedimento para avaliar as dimensões das artérias ilíaca e femoral. Os pacientes com dimensões arteriais menores, abaixo do tamanho de acesso recomendado para o dispositivo de endoprótese aórtica, foram submetidos a condutos ilíacos. Resultados: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 45,7±15,2 anos, sendo três do sexo masculino e cinco do sexo feminino. As indicações para condutos ilíacos foram local de acesso ilíaco femoral de pequeno calibre, para sete pacientes, e doença aterosclerótica, para um paciente. Todas as próteses externas foram anastomosadas na artéria ilíaca comum direita, com exceção de uma, que foi anastomosada no local da bifurcação aórtica por apresentar artéria ilíaca comum menor. A taxa de sucesso do procedimento foi de 100%. As complicações no local de acesso incluíram infecção (n = 1), hematoma retroperitoneal (n = 1) e necessidade de transfusão de sangue (n = 3). O tempo mediano de internação hospitalar pós-intervenção foi de 10 dias. Todos os pacientes apresentaram desfechos de longo prazo favoráveis no seguimento mediano de 18 meses. Conclusões: As pacientes do sexo feminino necessitaram de condutos ilíacos durante REVA com maior frequência. O uso adjuvante de condutos ilíacos com REVA foi associado a desfechos perioperatórios e de curto prazo favoráveis.

Ex-vivo repair for multiple and intraparenchymal renal artery aneurysms.

A 45-year-old woman with known hypothyroidism and no other comorbidities was incidentally found to have multiple right renal artery aneurysms. The largest aneurysm measured 5 x 4.5 cm and arose from an inferior segmental branch while two smaller aneurysms arose from an upper segmental branch of the right renal artery. We performed an ex-vivo repair with reverse saphenous vein graft under cold preservation followed by orthotopic kidney auto-transplantation. Her postoperative course was unremarkable and at 1-year follow-up her right kidney is preserved. In this article, we report successful treatment of complex multiple right renal artery aneurysms and describe the surgical technique used for successful repair.

Uma mulher de 45 anos com hipotireoidismo conhecido e sem outras comorbidades teve achado incidental de múltiplos aneurismas da artéria renal direita. O maior aneurisma media 5 x 4,5 cm e tinha origem no ramo segmentar inferior, juntamente com dois pequenos aneurismas originários do ramo segmentar superior da artéria renal direita. Realizamos o reparo ex vivo com enxerto reverso de veia safena, sob preservação a frio, seguido de autotransplante renal ortotópico. O pós-operatório ocorreu sem intercorrências, e a paciente teve o rim direito preservado no seguimento de 1 ano. Neste artigo, relatamos o tratamento bem-sucedido de múltiplos aneurismas complexos da artéria renal direita e descrevemos a técnica cirúrgica utilizada para o reparo bem-sucedido.

Preclinical evaluation of hydrogel sealed fluropassivated indigenous vascular prosthesis.

Background & objectives: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) graft, designed and developed at our institute for vascular reconstruction, is porous to promote optimal incorporation and neointima formation, requiring pre-clotting or biomodification by sealing the pores before implantation. The objective of this study was to characterize, test and perform preclinical evaluation of hydrogel (alginate dialdehyde cross-linked gelatin) sealed fluoropassivated PET vascular prosthesis in pig model, so as to avoid pre-clotting, for its safety and efficacy before employing the indigenous and less expensive graft for clinical use. Methods: Hydrogel sealed, fluoropassivated PET vascular prosthesis were tested for haemocompatibility and toxicity followed by small animal toxicology tests and in vivo experiments in pigs receiving implantation at thoracic aorta. All 33 animals received test as well as control grafts with a plan for phased explantation at 2, 12 and 26 weeks. All animals underwent completion angiogram at the end of procedure as well as before graft explantation. Results: Haemocompatibility tests for haemolysis and toxicity tests showed no adverse events in tested mice and rabbits. Completion angiogram showed intact anastamosis and patent graft in each animal in post-operative period and at explantation. Gross and histopathological examination showed well-encapsulated grafts, clean glistening neointima and no evidence of thrombus in both test and control grafts. Interpretation & conclusions: Hydrogel sealed, fluoropassivated PET vascular prosthesis was found non-toxic, haemocompatible and remained patent in in vivo studies at planned intervals.

Vein segmentation and visualization of upper and lower extremities using convolution neural network.

OBJECTIVES: The study focused on developing a reliable real-time venous localization, identification, and visualization framework based upon deep learning (DL) self-parametrized Convolution Neural Network (CNN) algorithm for segmentation of the venous map for both lower and upper limb dataset acquired under unconstrained conditions using near-infrared (NIR) imaging setup, specifically to assist vascular surgeons during venipuncture, vascular surgeries, or Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) treatments. METHODS: A portable image acquisition setup has been designed to collect venous data (upper and lower extremities) from 72 subjects. A manually annotated image dataset was used to train and compare the performance of existing well-known CNN-based architectures such as ResNet and VGGNet with self-parameterized U-Net, improving automated vein segmentation and visualization. RESULTS: Experimental results indicated that self-parameterized U-Net performs better at segmenting the unconstrained dataset in comparison with conventional CNN feature-based learning models, with a Dice score of 0.58 and displaying 96.7 % accuracy for real-time vein visualization, making it appropriate to locate veins in real-time under unconstrained conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Self-parameterized U-Net for vein segmentation and visualization has the potential to reduce risks associated with traditional venipuncture or CVD treatments by outperforming conventional CNN architectures, providing vascular assistance, and improving patient care and treatment outcomes.

Surgical Management and Clinical Outcomes of Extracranial Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Extracranial carotid artery (CA) pseudoaneurysms are uncommon and can cause embolic stroke, compressive symptoms, or (rarely) can rupture. It is of paramount importance to treat this entity to avoid life-threatening complications. In this study, the authors described a cohort of patients that required open surgical repair. METHODS: This article reported the authors' experience with open surgical repair of extracranial CA pseudoaneurysms by presenting a retrospective review of data at their institution from 2016 to 2022. RESULTS: Of 8 patients that underwent open repair, 6 were male and 8 were female. The most common etiology was traumatic (penetrating trauma in 4 patients, iatrogenic injury in 2, and blunt trauma in 1) and 1 was infective. All patients presented with a neck mass, and 5 had compressive symptoms. Primary repair was performed in 4 patients, interposition graft using an autologous vein in 2, and patch repair in 2. None of the patients experienced perioperative mortality or stroke; nor did they develop any complications over a median follow-up period of 30 months. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrated that large-size extracranial pseudoaneurysms, whether traumatic or infective etiology, can be safely repaired using an open surgical approach.

Assessment of skin and associated soft tissue changes with ultrasonography in chronic venous disease.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic venous disease (CVD) is accompanied by a spectrum of skin changes. The aim of this study was to assess skin changes in CVD in different classes of the classifications such as the Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification using ultrasound (US). METHODS: This study was conducted from July 2020 to July 2021 after obtaining approval from Institutional Ethical Committee. Patients with chronic venous insufficiency were enrolled after taking informed consent. Assessment of cutaneous layer (CL), subcutaneous layer (SCL), dermo-hypodermal junction (D-HJ), and other significant US findings were noted. RESULTS: Ninety-eight limbs were evaluated. Most common skin finding was dermal edema in 59 (60.2%) legs. Other findings included infiltrates, CL thickening, hyper echogenicity and thickening of SCL, anechoic lacunae, disappearance of D-HJ, and epidermal loss or change in thickness of epidermis. Notably, US detected dermal edema in 15 and infiltrates in five C2 legs (normal on inspection). CONCLUSION: US evaluation of skin changes adds insight to clinical assessment and may reveal skin changes in legs affected with CVD that may appear normal on clinical examination.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of retroperitoneal myoepithelial carcinoma: A rare encounter with diagnostic dilemmas.

Myoepithelial carcinoma (MC) arises from the myoepithelial cells. It is a rare tumor with a predilection for salivary glands. MC in soft tissue is uncommon. Soft tissue MC exhibits dual epithelial and smooth muscle phenotype. The extremities and limb girdles are commonly affected. We present cytological findings of retroperitoneal MC with an accurate diagnosis being rendered with the aid of immunocytochemistry on the cell block and demonstration of EWSR1 rearrangements by fluorescence in situ hybridization on cytology smear. The smears were cellular, showing loose clusters and sheets of tumor cells embedded in dense eosinophilic to myxoid matrix material. The cells were oval to polygonal, with focal areas showing moderate nuclear pleomorphism, vesicular to coarse chromatin, and vacuolated cytoplasm with clearing. On immunocytochemistry, tumor cells were positive for epithelial membrane antigen, pan-cytokeratin, calponin, smooth muscle actin, and S-100. A literature review shows only a handful of cases of soft tissue MC. The current report emphasizes the need for cytomorphological awareness with the employment of ancillary testing for accurately diagnosing this rare tumor at an uncommon location. We also discuss the diagnostic challenges and troubleshooting.

The supraclavicular approach to decompression of the thoracic outlet.

Surgical decompression of the thoracic outlet, along with treatment of the involved nerve or vessel, is the accepted treatment modality when indicated. Although neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is often operated via the axillary approach and venous TOS via the paraclavicular approach, arterial TOS is almost always operated via the supraclavicular approach. The supraclavicular approach provides excellent access to the artery, brachial plexus, phrenic nerve, and the cervical and/or first ribs, along with any bony or fibrous or muscular abnormality that may be causing compression of the neurovascular structures. Even for neurogenic TOS, for which the axillary approach offers good cosmesis, the supraclavicular approach helps with adequate decompression while preserving the first rib. This approach may also be sufficient for thin patients with venous TOS. For arterial TOS, a supraclavicular incision usually suffices for excision of bony abnormality and repair of the subclavian artery.

A Young Adult Presenting With an Abdominal Aneurysm Due to Cystic Medial Necrosis of the Aorta.

Cystic medial necrosis is a disorder of large arteries, particularly the thoracic aorta, characterized by an accumulation of a basophilic ground substance in the media with cyst-like lesions. A male in his late 20s was brought to our trauma bay after he met with a road traffic accident with a complaint of abdominal pain. Clinical examination revealed tenderness in the left lumbar region. The contrast-enhanced computerized tomography revealed an aneurysm of size 11×9.6×9.2 cm in the left lateral aspect of the abdominal aorta at the origin of the left renal artery. Intraoperatively, an aneurysm of size 10×10 cm from the juxta renal abdominal aorta was identified, and aortic rent was repaired with a polyester graft. The tissue was sent for histopathology, which showed complicated atherosclerosis with cystic medial degeneration and aneurysmal rupture of the abdominal aorta containing thrombus. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and is doing well without any complaints at a two-year follow-up.

Serous cystadenoma of head pancreas masquerading as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor: Treated by Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Serous cystadenoma (SCA) is the most common cystic neoplasm of the pancreas. Serous cystadenoma is best diagnosed by imaging with computed tomography scan. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is required for definitive preoperative diagnosis. Serous cystadenoma may be sometime difficult to differentiate from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) in the preoperative stage. Differentiating the two entities are important for proper treatment strategy. Serous cystadenoma may be managed in expectant observation. However, all PNETs will need surgical treatment including pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Here, we present a rare presentation of serous cystadenoma head of pancreas masquerading as PNET with local compressive symptoms for which Whipple's PD was done successfully.

Mycotic aneurysm by Bacteroides fragilis presenting as fever of unknown origin.

A mycotic aneurysm is an infection of the vessel wall which can be bacterial, fungal, or viral in origin. It is invariably a fatal infectious disease if appropriate treatment is not done. We describe the case of a forty-six years male who presented with complaints of high-grade fever and lower back pain with worsening symptoms with the passage of the illness. An infrarenal lobulated abdominal aortic aneurysm was confirmed by CT angiography. He underwent aneurysmorrhaphy and metronidazole was started following the culture report (Bacteroides fragilis). He was discharged successfully from the hospital.

Effect of Endovenous Laser Ablation Along With Compression Therapy on Chronic Venous Ulcer Healing.

Introduction Chronic venous insufficiency is a major cause of morbidity, and there is a paucity of data regarding its epidemiology due to the lack of a central wound registry. In this study, we aimed to study the time for healing of the ulcer and compliance with compression therapy (CT) following endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) ± ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) along with CT in patients with chronic venous ulcers. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted from January 2020 to June 2021 after obtaining institutional ethical committee clearance. Patients with chronic venous ulcers (>six weeks to 4 cm in 10% of patients. A total of 38% of patients underwent only EVLA, and EVLA+UGFS were done in 62% of participants. The healing rate at six months follow-up was 92%, with the average time taken being 2.55±1.38 months. Those who remained with an unhealed ulcer at six months follow-up had an ulcer size of >5 cm and an age of >50 years. Ninety-six percent of the patients were compliant with CT after an endovenous intervention. The recurrence rate at two years post-ablation was 6%. VCSS was 19.66±3.23 at presentation and 5.5±2.82 at six months of follow-up. Conclusion Endovenous ablation of superficial venous reflux along with CT is associated with a shorter healing time of venous ulcerations and reduced chances of recurrence. There is an improvement in VCSS score over the period of six months follow-up.