The Role of Narrow Aortic Bifurcation in Affecting EVAR Treatment and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The narrow aortic bifurcation (NAB) is considered a risk factor for endograft thrombosis after aorto-biiliac endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for aortic or iliac aneurysm. Nowadays, no consensus on the threshold diameter for the definition of NAB is reached and other aortic bifurcation features are rarely considered. The aim of the study is to assess the EVAR outcomes using bifurcated endograft according to anatomical characteristics of aortic bifurcation. METHODS: The study included patients treated with primary EVAR from 2016 to 2022. A retrospective analysis of single-center prospectively collected database was performed. Patients were classified in standard aortic bifurcation (SAB) (aortic bifurcation diameter >20 mm), NAB (≤20 mm and >16 mm), and extremely NAB (eNAB) (≤16 mm). The 3 groups were compared in terms of patient demographics, risk factors, procedure setting (elective or urgent/emergent), and type of deployed endograft. In NAB and eNAB groups, severe calcification (SC) and length of stenotic aortic bifurcation >10 mm (long-NAB) were assessed from preoperative imaging. In SAB, NAB, and eNAB groups, following outcomes were evaluated: rate of intraoperative iliac endograft stenting (unilateral or kissing stenting), primary patency (PP), freedom from endograft-related reintervention, and overall survival during follow-up. RESULTS: The total number of deployed aorto-biiliac endografts was 365 (mean age: 76.6 ± 7.4 years; male 89.3%): SAB 298 (81.6%), NAB 57 (15.6%), and eNAB 10 (2.7%) cases. Female gender, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, and active smokers were more frequent in patients with smaller aortic bifurcation diameter (P = 0.002, 0.039, and 0.010, respectively). In NAB and eNAB groups, SC was reported in 18/67 cases (26.9%) and long-NAB in 15/67 cases (25.4%). Patients with eNAB have more frequent SC of aortic bifurcation (60% vs. NAB 21.1%, P = 0.018) and long-NAB (50% vs. NAB 17.5%, P = 0.023). In SAB, NAB, and eNAB, intraoperative iliac endograft stenting was performed in 34/298 (11.4%), 9/57 (15.8%), and 5/10 (50%), respectively (P = 0.001). Kissing stenting was performed more frequently in groups with smaller aortic bifurcation diameter (P = 0.010). Mean follow-up was 30.2 ± 21.5 months. At 1, 3, and 5 years, PP was 98.5%, 96.6%, and 95.6%, respectively. eNAB had lower rate of PP compared to NAB group (P = 0.030). Long-NAB had lower rate of PP (P = 0.035). At 1, 3, and 5 years, endograft-related reintervention was 96.8%, 86.7%, and 76.7%, respectively, with no differences between 3 groups (P = 0.423). At 1, 3, and 5 years, survival was 92.5%, 77.6%, and 58.1%, respectively, with no difference between SAB, NAB, and eNAB (P = 0.673). CONCLUSIONS: Female gender, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, and active smokers have more frequently smaller aortic bifurcation diameter. eNAB patients have more challenging anatomical characteristics compared with NAB group, requiring higher rate of intraoperative stenting, especially kissing stenting. Mid-term PP seems to be negatively influenced by aortic bifurcation ≤16 mm and long-NAB.

Carotid endarterectomy in asymptomatic octogenarians: Outcomes at 30 days and 5 years.

BACKGROUND: The following study investigated the 30-day and 5-year relative survival rate and freedom from neurological events in asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) octogenarians who had undergone elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: Between January 2008 and June 2014, a retrospective review was conducted on ACS patients who had undergone elective CEA. The patients' sample was divided into two groups: Group A (GA) included octogenarians and Group B (GB) included younger patients. The GA patients were subjected to a risk-scoring system and follow-up. The two groups were compared analysing the following primary endpoints: 30-day mortality, stroke, stroke/death and acute myocardial infarction (AMI); GA patients' survival rate and freedom from neurological events at 5 years. The 30-day secondary endpoints included carotid shunting, redo surgical, need for general anaesthesia with preserved consciousness (GAPC) conversion and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: We identified 620 patients with ACS, of them 144 (23.2%) belonged to the GA and 476 (76.8%) belonged to the GB. No statistical difference between the two groups was found regarding the primary and secondary endpoints. One hundred nineteen of 144 GA patients (82.6%) underwent the follow-up; the median follow-up was 78.3 months. The GA patients' 5-year survival rate was 62%, while freedom from cerebral events was 94.9%. Analysis regarding GA patients' 5-year survival rate revealed a significantly lower percentage among the patients with a severe risk score compared with those with a moderate risk score (respectively, 29.5% vs 67.7%; p = .005). The multivariate analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were independently associated with lower survival. CONCLUSIONS: The 30-day outcomes of CEA in octogenarians are comparable to those in younger patients. Comprehensive life expectancy and preoperative score, rather than age alone, should be taken into account before performing CEA on octogenarian patients, considering the short- and long-term efficacy in stroke prevention.

Outcomes of Surgical and Endovascular Treatment for Arterial Lesions in Intravenous Drug Abusers.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to report an 18-year single-center experience in the surgical and endovascular treatment of arterial complications due to self-injection in drug abuser patients. METHODS: This retrospective single-center study was conducted analyzing a prospectively collected database including all endovascular or surgical procedures performed from January 2007 to December 2019 for any arterial complication due to self-injection in drug abuser patient. Collected data were patient demographic and comorbidity, site and type of arterial lesion (pseudoaneurysm [PA], arteriovenous fistula [AVF]), signs of systemic or local infection, and procedural data (endovascular/surgical treatment). End points were rate of postoperative complications, reintervention rate, limb salvage, and patients' early and long-term survival. RESULTS: In 11 patients (median age 36 years, range 27-47; male 73%), 13 arterial lesions were treated: 10 (77%) PA, 2 (15%) PA associated with AVF, and 1 (8%) isolated AVF. Arterial lesion involved common femoral artery in 5 (38%), superficial femoral artery in 4 (31%), profunda femoral artery in 1 (8%), brachial artery in 2 (15%), and subclavian artery in 1 (8%). Signs of infections were present in 9 of the 13 cases (69%). The treatment was surgical in 11 (85%) cases: 7 interposition graft (6 great saphenous vein, 1 arterial cryopreserved homograft), 2 direct reconstruction, 1 patch plasty with pericardium bovine patch, and 1 arterial ligation. Endovascular treatment was performed in 2 cases: 1 noninfected PA of the superficial femoral artery, and 1 55-mm PA of the postvertebral segment of the right subclavian artery with clinical sign of hemodynamic instability. At 1 month, postoperative complication rate was 8% (one lower limb claudication after superficial femoral artery ligation). Reintervention rate was 8% (interposition graft rupture for repeated self-injections). Limb salvage and patient survival were both 100%. Median follow-up was 5 years (range 1 month to 11.3 years); surgical group: median 8.2 years (range 2 months to 11.3 years); endovascular group: median 3.5 months (range 1-6). During follow-up, neither complications nor reinterventions occurred, and limb salvage was 100% for both groups. At 2, 4, and 6 years, overall estimated patient survival was 91%, 81%, and 81%, respectively, with no procedure-related death. CONCLUSIONS: After surgical or endovascular management of arterial lesions due to self-injection in drug abuser patients, complications occur mainly in the postoperative period. During follow-up, the surgical procedures have low rate of complications, reinterventions, and procedure-related mortality, whereas for the endovascular treatment the mid-term outcomes remain unknown.

Hybrid Treatment of Acute Abdominal Aortic Thrombosis Presenting with Paraplegia.

Acute thrombotic or embolic occlusion of the abdominal aorta is a rare vascular emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Classically, the clinical presentation is a severe peripheral ischemia with bilateral leg pain as the predominant feature. Aortic occlusion presenting as an isolated acute onset of paraplegia due to spinal cord ischemia is very rare and requires improved awareness to prevent adverse outcomes associated with delayed diagnosis. We report the case of a 54-year-old man who presented with sudden paraplegia due to the thrombotic occlusion of the infrarenal aorta involving the first segment of the common iliac arteries on both sides; emergent transperitoneal aorto iliac thrombectomy combined with the endovascular iliac kissing-stent technique were performed achieving perioperative complete regression of the symptoms.

Endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm using bifurcated stent-graft in a patient with bilateral external iliac artery occlusion.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in association with external iliac artery (EIA) occlusion is a rare entity which may limit endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) feasibility. We describe the case of an 84-year-old man affected by a 64mm infrarenal inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm with complete bilateral occlusion of EIA and patency of both common and internal iliac arteries. The common femoral arteries (CFA) were patent, and the patient was asymptomatic for lower limb claudication. The treatment was performed by EVAR using a bifurcated stent-graft after the recanalization of the left EIA, achieving technical success.

One-year experience in carotid endarterectomy combining general anaesthesia with preserved consciousness and sequential carotid cross-clamping.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: We report 1-year single-centre experience in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) combining general anaesthesia with preserved consciousness (GAPC) and standardized carotid sequential cross-clamping, for our protocol effectiveness evaluation in reduction of perioperative stroke, death or cardiologic complications. METHODS: We considered all patients who underwent CEA in 2016. All patients underwent superficial cervical plexus block and GAPC with Remifentanil. The surgical technique consisted of common carotid artery (CCA) cross-clamping, carotid bifurcation isolation, external (ECA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) cross-clamping. After CCA cross-clamping, we performed a neurological tolerance test (NTT); this allowed selective shunting only for positive NTT. Primary end-points were: transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke, myocardial infarction, death in perioperative period. Secondary end-points were: carotid shunting, peripheral cranial nerves injuries (PCNI), GAPC intolerance, other complications, reintervention in perioperative period, length of hospital stay. RESULTS: 104 consecutive patients underwent CEA with this protocol in the considered period. Twenty-seven (25.9%) patients were symptomatic. Mean clamping time was 48±13.5 minutes. Five cases (4.8%) requested internal carotid artery shunting. No TIA/stroke, myocardial infarction or death were recorded in the perioperative period. PCNI were observed in 19 cases (18.2%) in the immediate post-operative period; 16 of them (84.2%) showed complete or partial resolution at discharge. Only one patient (0.9%) showed GAPC intolerance. No other complication occurred. Three patients (2.9%) underwent reintervention for neck haematoma drainage. Mean hospital stay were 3±0.9 days. CONCLUSIONS: GAPC associated with sequential carotid cross-clamping appeared to be safe and effective in prevention of major neurological and cardiologic complications during CEA.