The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Dedicated Vascular Emergency Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Vascular Emergency Clinics (VEC) improve patient outcomes in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). They provide a "1 stop" open access policy, whereby "suspicion of CLTI" by a healthcare professional or patient leads to a direct review. We assessed the resilience of the outpatient VEC model to the first year of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of all patients assessed in our VEC for lower limb pathologies between March 2020 and April 2021 was performed. This was cross-referenced to national and loco-regional Governmental COVID-19 data. Individuals with CLTI were further analysed to determine Peripheral Arterial Disease-Quality Improvement Framework compliance. RESULTS: Seven hundred and ninety one patients attended for 1,084 assessments (Male n = 484, 61%; Age 72.5 ± standard deviation 12.2 years; White British n = 645, 81.7%). In total, 322 patients were diagnosed with CLTI (40.7%). A total of 188 individuals (58.6%) underwent a first revascularization strategy (Endovascular n = 128, 39.8%; Hybrid n = 41, 12.7%; Open surgery n = 19, 5.9%; Conservative n = 134, 41.6%). Major lower limb amputation rate was 10.9% (n = 35) and mortality rate was 25.8% (n = 83) at 12 months of follow-up. Median referral to assessment time was 3 days (interquartile range: 1-5). For the nonadmitted patient with CLTI, the median assessment to intervention was 8 days (interquartile range: 6-15) and median referral to intervention time of 11 days (11-18). CONCLUSIONS: The VEC model has demonstrated strong resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic with rapid treatment timelines maintained for patients with CLTI.

Multimodal Structural Analysis of the Human Aorta: From Valve to Bifurcation.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the present study were to assess the relative proportion of collagen and elastin in the arterial wall and to evaluate the collagen microstructure from the aortic root to the external iliac artery. METHODS: Arterial wall tissue samples sampled during post-mortem examination from 16 sites in 14 individuals without aneurysm disease were fixed and stained for collagen and elastin. Stained sections were imaged and analysed to calculate collagen and elastin content as a percentage of overall tissue area. Scanning electron microscopy was used to quantify the collagen microstructure at six specific arterial regions. RESULTS: From the aortic root to the level of the suprarenal aorta, the percentages (area fractions) of collagen (ascending, descending, and suprarenal aorta respectively with 95% confidence interval [CI] 37.5%, 31.7 - 43.2; 38.9%, 33.1 - 44.7; 44.8%, 37.4 - 52.1) and elastin (43.0%, 37.3 - 48.8; 40.3%, 34.8 - 46.1; 32.4%, 25.2 - 39.6) in the aortic wall were similar. From the suprarenal aorta to the internal iliac arteries, the percentage of collagen increased (abdominal aorta, common and internal iliac arteries and external iliac artery respectively with 95% CI 50.6%, 42.7 - 58.7; 51.2%, 45.5 - 56.9; 49.2%, 42.0 - 56.4) reaching a double percentage for elastin (23.6%, 15.7 - 31.6; 20.8%, 15.1 - 26.5; 22.2%, 14.9 - 29.5). Mean collagen fibre diameter (MFD) and average segment length (ASL) were significantly larger in the external iliac artery (MFD 6.03, 95% CI 5.95 - 6.11; ASL 22.21, 95% CI 20.80 - 23.61) than in the ascending aorta (MFD 5.81, 5.72 - 5.89; ASL 19.47, 18.07 - 20.88) and the abdominal aorta (MFD 5.92, 5.84 - 6.00; ASL 21.10, 19.69 - 22.50). CONCLUSION: In subjects lacking aneurysmal disease, the aorta and iliac arteries are not structurally uniform along their length. There is an increase in collagen percentage and decrease in elastin percentage progressing distally along the aorta. Mean collagen fibre diameter and average segment length are larger in the external iliac artery, compared with the ascending and the abdominal aorta.

Editor's Choice - Eligibility of Common Femoral Artery Atherosclerotic Disease for Endovascular Treatment - the CONFESS Study.

OBJECTIVE: Advances in endovascular technologies have allowed the treatment of common femoral artery (CFA) steno-occlusive disease by minimally invasive means; however, the proportion of lesions treated with common femoral artery endarterectomy (CFAE) which would be amenable to endovascular treatment is unknown. This observational study aimed to describe the morphology and composition of CFA lesions treated with CFAE and report the proportion that would be amenable to endovascular treatment with modern technologies. METHODS: Patients presenting with symptomatic peripheral artery disease who underwent CFAE from January 2014 to December 2018 in two tertiary NHS hospitals were included. Extensive data relating to patient demographics, risk factors, clinical outcomes, as well as anatomical and morphological characteristics of the CFA atherosclerotic lesions, were collected which included detailed plaque analysis using 3D reconstruction of pre-operative computed tomography angiograms. CFA lesions were considered suitable for endovascular treatment if presented with patent iliac inflow, at least one patent outflow vessel (superficial femoral artery [SFA] or profunda femoral artery [PFA]), and stenotic rather than occluded CFA. RESULTS: A total of 829 CFAs in 737 consecutive patients who underwent CFAE were included (mean age 71 ± 10 years; 526 males, 71%); 451 (62%) presented with chronic limb threatening ischaemia. Overall, 35% of CFAs had a localised lesion (no bifurcation disease) that could possibly be treated endovascularly. In total, 376 (45%) target vessels did not feature severe calcium load, with a patent CFA, PFA, and proximal SFA and therefore would have been amenable to endovascular treatment; while 271 CFAs (33%) featured a significant calcium load which would have potentially required stenting. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients with atherosclerotic CFA lesions who undergo surgery could potentially be candidates for endovascular treatment. A randomised trial comparing CFAE and new endovascular techniques in this clinical context is required.

Implementation of a perioperative protocol to enhance open aortic repair.

BACKGROUND: Although appreciated for its long-term benefits, open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is associated with a significant perioperative burden. Enhanced recovery and fast track protocols have improved surgical outcomes in many specialties, but remain scarcely applied in the vascular field. METHODS: Based on the applied perioperative protocol in a single-center experience, three consecutive study groups were identified among 394 consecutive patients undergoing elective AAA open repair in the last 12 years. Group A included 66 patients who underwent traditional surgery, group B comprised 225 patients treated according to a partially adopted perioperative protocol, and group C consisted of 103 patients, operated in line with a complete perioperative protocol. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the perioperative protocol on recovery time by measuring complication rates, analgesic and antiemetic control, and return of bowel function and ambulation, as well as the length of hospitalization. RESULTS: The study groups had similar baseline characteristics. A significant improvement was noted in the complication rates (P = .019) and hospitalization time (P < .001) following a complete implementation of the perioperative protocol, where the median hospitalization time was 3 days. No mortality and no readmissions within 30 postoperative days were recorded in this group. There was an improvement in pain levels, as well as postoperative nausea and vomiting control (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative protocol implementation in AAA open repair is feasible; the clinical outcomes may be improved when strictly adhering to the protocol. All the applied perioperative management interventions seem to have a synergic effect on shortening the recovery time.

"Awake" Spinal Cord Monitoring Under Local Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation in Fenestrated and Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair.

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms carries a risk of spinal cord ischemia, the causes of which remain uncertain. We hypothesized that local anesthesia (LA) with conscious sedation could abrogate the potential suppressive cardiovascular effects of general anesthesia (GA) and facilitate intraoperative monitoring of neurological function. Here, we examine the feasibility of this technique during fenestrated (FEVAR) or branched endovascular aortic repair (BEVAR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing FEVAR or BEVAR under LA and conscious sedation by a team at a single center were analyzed. Patients received conscious sedation using intravenous remifentanil and propofol infusions in conjunction with a local anesthetic agent. No patient had a prophylactic spinal drain inserted. Outcome measures included conversion to GA, need for vasopressors and/or spinal drainage, length of stay, complications, and patient survival. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients underwent FEVAR or BEVAR under LA and conscious sedation. The cohort included thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (n=41) and pararenal aneurysms treated with endografts covering the supraceliac segment (n=3). Four patients (9%) required conversion to GA at a median operative duration of 198 minutes (range 97-495 minutes). Vasopressors were required intraoperatively in 3 of the cases that were converted to GA. No patient developed spinal cord ischemia and none had insertion of a spinal drain. The median hospital length of stay was 4 days (range 2-41 days). Postoperative delirium and hospital-acquired pneumonia was seen in 7% of patients. All patients survived to 30 days, with 95% alive at a median follow-up of 15 months (range 3-26 months). CONCLUSION: LA and conscious sedation is a feasible anesthetic technique for the endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Emotional Intelligence Predicts Accurate Self-Assessment of Surgical Quality: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Self-assessment is fundamental in surgical training. Accuracy of self-assessment is superior with greater age, experience, and the use of video playback. Presently, there is scarce evidence in the literature regarding predictors for a surgical trainee's aptitude for self-assessment. The objective of this study was to investigate whether emotional intelligence or visual-spatial aptitude can predict effective self-assessment among novice surgeons performing laparoscopic appendectomy (LA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen novice trainees performed a simulated LA, and two aptitude measures were evaluated: (1) emotional intelligence questionnaire and (2) visual spatial ability test. Self-assessment of their performance was conducted using the Objective Assessment of Surgical and Technical Skills global rating scale and ranking five subtasks of the procedure in order of quality of performance after watching a playback of their LA. Two blinded experts (senior consultant surgeons, performed >100 LAs) assessed surgical quality using the same scoring system. Candidates were ranked into higher and lower aptitude groups for the two aptitude measures. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to identify if either of the two groups demonstrated greater agreement between self and expert assessment in relation to the two aptitude measures. RESULTS: Participants with a higher degree of emotional intelligence demonstrated significant agreement with expert assessment (r = 0.73, P = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Emotional intelligence can predict better self-assessment of surgical quality after performing a simulated LA. This may facilitate early identification of individuals who might require mentoring or guidance with self-assessment as well as contribute to selection criteria.

Management of common femoral artery occlusive disease: the current gap in the evidence and future perspectives.

The common femoral artery (CFA) is the most common site affected by peripheral artery disease. Due its various anatomical and morphological features, common femoral endarterectomy has long since been the preferred treatment option. However, there are complications associated with common femoral endarterectomy including, but not limited to, surgical site infections, hematoma formation, bleeding, and nerve injury. Unfortunately, this has been further complicated by the ageing population and increasing epidemic of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Within vascular surgery, there has been a rise in use of endovascular techniques for peripheral artery disease. Endovascular repair of the CFA is safe and feasible. One clear advantage is that they can be performed under local or regional anesthesia, thus reducing morbidity. This narrative review seeks to describe the current gap in the evidence and future perspectives in the management of common femoral artery occlusive disease.

Outcomes and use of healthcare resources after an intervention for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia.

BACKGROUND: The fate of patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia undergoing revascularization or a primary amputation is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the postoperative outcomes and post-procedural healthcare resource use/costs over 1 year after revascularization or a primary amputation for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia. METHODS: The UK Kent Integrated Dataset, which links primary, community, and secondary care for 1.6 million people, was interrogated. All patients with a new diagnosis of chronic limb-threatening ischaemia undergoing revascularization or a major amputation between January 2016 and January 2019 (3 years) were identified. Postoperative events across all healthcare settings and post-procedure healthcare resource use were analysed over 1 year (until the end of 2019). RESULTS: Overall, 4252 patients with a new diagnosis of chronic limb-threatening ischaemia were identified (65 per cent were male and the mean age was 73 years) between January 2016 and January 2019, of whom 579 (14 per cent) underwent an intervention (studied population); 296 (7 per cent) had an angioplasty, 75 (2 per cent) had bypass surgery, 141 (3 per cent) had a primary major lower limb amputation, 11 had a thrombo-embolectomy (0.3 per cent), and 56 had an endarterectomy (1.3 per cent). Readmissions (median of 2) were similar amongst different procedures within 1 year; bypass surgery was associated with more hospital appointments (median of 4 versus 2; P = 0.002). Patients undergoing a primary amputation had the highest number of cardiovascular events and 1-year mortality. In a linear regression model, index procedure type and Charlson co-morbidity index score were not predictors of appointments in primary/secondary care, community care visits, or readmissions after discharge. There were no statistically significant differences regarding post-procedural healthcare costs between procedures over 1 year. CONCLUSION: Revascularization is not associated with more hospital, primary/community care appointments or increased post-procedural healthcare costs over 1 year when compared with primary amputation, in people with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia.

Self-Assessment of Surgical Skills: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Self-assessment is fundamental in surgical training to enhance learning in the absence of trainer feedback. The primary objective of this review was to assess the factors that influence accuracy of self-assessment at technical skills across all surgical specialties. The secondary objective was to assess whether there are any innate factors or attributes to predict those that will carry out effective self-assessment. DESIGN: A systematic review was carried out in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A search strategy encompassing MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, WHO, and the Cochrane database was conducted to identify studies investigating self-assessment at any surgical task. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A summary table was created to describe specialty, participants, task, setting, assessment tool, and correlation coefficient between self and expert assessment. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO. RESULTS: Of 24,638 citations, 40 met inclusion criteria. In total 1753 participants performed 68 procedures. Twenty-six studies investigated skills in general surgery with the remaining 14 in various other surgical specialties. Accuracy of self-assessment is superior in those with greater experience and age, and with use of retrospective video playback. Accuracy tends to be reflected by overestimation of performance. Stressful environments reduce accuracy. There is limited evidence in the literature regarding predicting traits for those who will carry out accurate self-assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to perform accurate self-assessment is an important skill in surgical training, with accuracy being influenced by a multitude of factors. The use of self-assessment from retrospective video playback may be of benefit in surgical training curricula to enhance learning of technical skills. Further studies are required to define predictors of good self-assessment, which will strengthen recruitment and mentoring to assist trainee learning.

Validation of a virtual reality laparoscopic appendicectomy simulator: a novel process using cognitive task analysis.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) simulation is a vital component of surgical training with demonstrated improvements in surgical quality and clinical outcome. AIMS: To validate the LAP Mentor (Simbionix™) laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) VR simulator with inclusion of a novel tool, Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA). METHODS: Thirty-two novices and nine experienced surgeons performed two simulated LAs. An expert-consensus questionnaire guided face validity assessment. Content validity was assessed using CTA-derived questions encompassing eight operative steps and four decision points. Construct validity was evaluated using dexterity metrics, masked assessment of surgical quality using the OSATS global rating scale, and mental workload from two validated tools: the NASA-TLX and SMEQ. Ten novices performed eight further LAs for learning curve assessment. RESULTS: Face validity was demonstrated across all domains. Considering content validity, the essential technical and non-technical steps were evident. The experienced group performed the procedure quicker (median time 361 vs. 538 s, P = 0.0039) with fewer total movements (426 vs. 641, P < 0.0001) and shorter idle time (131 vs. 199 s, P = 0.0006). This correlated with higher OSATS scores (median 33.5 vs. 22.2, P < 0.0001) and lower mental demand (NASA-TLX: 9.0 vs. 13.75, P = 0.012; SMEQ: 60 vs. 80, P = 0.0025), indicating construct validity. Learning curve data showed statistically significant improvements after the 7th session for procedure time, total movements and idle time, which correlated with reduction in mental demand. CONCLUSIONS: The LAP Mentor demonstrates face, content and construct validity for LA; thus, it can be used as an effective tool in surgical training. Task repetition leads to achievement of expert benchmarks.

Clampless and Sutureless Hybrid Technique for Aortic Arch Debranching on a Porcelain Aorta.

An innovative hybrid approach to the supraaortic vessels in a porcelain aorta and severe fibrotic tissue reaction at the neck is described. The technique is demonstrated in an 80-year-old woman with previous several carotid operations but still experiencing recurrent transient ischemic attacks. Clinical success was achieved at midterm follow-up, demonstrating the efficacy of hybrid treatment for this high-risk patient. Novel prosthetic vascular grafts that can be applied without cross-clamping may also provide a solution to approaching a porcelain aorta and difficult anatomies.