Transgastric Feeding Tube Insertion into the Jejunum after Esophagectomy: Direct Puncture of the Gastric Conduit.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided direct puncture of a reconstructed gastric conduit after esophagectomy for performing a percutaneous radiologic gastrojejunostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2014 and 2020, 26 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer (mean age, 70 years ± 8.3) with a total of 27 attempts of percutaneous radiologic gastrojejunostomy for postsurgical enteral feeding at the National Cancer Center Hospital were included in this study. One patient required a repeat procedure because of persistent anorexia after the removal of the first tube. All patients except 1 had a gastric conduit reconstructed via a retrosternal route. All procedures were performed under local anesthesia with moderate sedation and analgesia. A gastric conduit was directly punctured with an 18-gauge needle under ultrasonographic guidance, followed by feeding tube insertion into the proximal jejunum. Technical details of the procedures, technical success (defined as adequate tube placement), procedure-related complications, and clinical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean procedure time was 25 minutes ± 15, and technical success was obtained in every attempt. Minor complications included mild local pain (n = 7), unintentional tube removal (n = 2), local abdominal wall hematoma (n = 1), and superficial cellulitis (n = 1); no major complications were observed. During a mean follow-up period of 118.3 days ± 85.8, 13 patients resumed oral intake, and the feeding tube could be removed in 4 patients. No procedure-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The US-guided direct puncture technique is feasible for percutaneous gastrojejunal tube insertion in postsurgical patients with esophageal cancer with gastric conduit reconstruction.

Transhepatic Placement of Metallic Biliary Stent for Internal Drainage of Persistent Liver Abscesses.

Transhepatic placement of a metallic biliary stent for internal drainage of persistent liver abscesses was performed in 9 patients (males; median age, 65 years; range, 57-82 years) with refractory liver abscess. The median follow-up period was 2.8 months (range, 0.4-50.3 months). Technical success was achieved in all cases without any major complications. Clinical success, defined as the removal of the drainage tube without recurrent symptoms of infection, was achieved in 8 cases. Median duration until removal of the drainage tube from stent placement was 7 days (range, 0-36).

Ciliated Muconodular Papillary Tumor of the Lung: Thin-Section CT Findings of 16 Cases.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article was to assess thin-section CT features of ciliated muconodular papillary tumors (CMPTs) of the lung and correlations between radiologic and pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Thin-section CT findings of 16 patients (10 men and six women; mean age, 70.7 years) with surgically resected CMPTs were retrospectively analyzed. Size, location, and internal characteristics of the tumors were evaluated. The amount of mucin in the tumors was assessed histopathologically and compared with CT findings. Tumor growth speed was calculated on the basis of size changes on thin-section CT. RESULTS. In all 16 patients, tumors were detected as a solitary pulmonary nodule. Thirteen tumors (81.3%) were located in the lower lobes, and 10 (62.5%) were adjacent to the pleura. Mean maximal diameter of the tumors was 9.1 mm (range, 6-14 mm). One tumor (6.3%) presented as a pure ground-glass nodule (GGN), seven (43.8%) as dense GGNs, and eight (50.0%) as solid nodules. Pathologically, the pure GGN and five of seven dense GGNs had a large amount of mucin, whereas seven of eight solid nodules had an intermediate or small amount of mucin. The mean annual tumor growth rate (in diameter) was 0.49 mm/y. CONCLUSION. CMPTs appear as solitary, small, and peripheral pulmonary nodules with very slow growth rates. CMPTs appearing as pure GGNs and dense GGNs tend to contain more mucin than CMPTs appearing as solid nodules.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the lung: CT findings and clinical course of 35 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate computed tomography findings and assess the clinical course of patients with pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma at our institution between 2000 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with pleural involvement were excluded. Computed tomography findings of the lung at diagnosis were classified into three patterns: multiple small nodules pattern (˂15 mm), multiple nodules with large lesions pattern (≥15 mm) and single lesion pattern. Additionally, the clinical course of patients was evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (15 men and 20 women; median age, 44 years) with pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma were identified. The multiple small nodules pattern, multiple nodules with large lesions pattern and single lesion pattern were observed in 25 (71.4%), 8 (22.9%) and 2 (5.7%) patients, respectively. In 22 (62.9%) patients, extra-pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma lesions were found. Most patients were followed without initial treatment, while two patients with single lesion pattern underwent surgical resection. The median follow-up period was 63 months. Five-year overall survival rate of all patients was 96.3%. Latest clinical information revealed that 20 (20/25, 80%) patients with multiple small nodules pattern were alive without symptoms. In patients with multiple nodules with large lesion pattern, four (4/8, 50%) patients were alive without symptoms, three (3/8, 37.5%) patients were alive with symptoms and one (1/8, 12.5%) died. No recurrence was observed in patients with single lesion pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple small nodules pattern was the most common findings of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Patients with pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma have good prognosis.

Evaluation and Optimization of a New PET Reconstruction Algorithm, Bayesian Penalized Likelihood Reconstruction, for Lung Cancer Assessment According to Lesion Size.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to characterize the Bayesian penalized likelihood (BPL) reconstruction algorithm in comparison with an ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction algorithm and to determine its optimal penalization factor (expressed as a beta value) for clinical use. MATERIALS AND METHODS. FDG PET/CT scans of 46 patients with lung cancer were reconstructed using OSEM and BPL with beta values of 200, 300, 400, 500, and 1000. The liver signal-to-noise ratio, mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) of the liver, and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and SUVmean of the cancers were measured. Tumors were categorized into three size groups, and the percentage difference in the tumor SUVmax between OSEM and BPL with a beta value of 200 as well as the percentage difference in the SUVmax between BPL with a beta value of 200 and BPL with a beta value of 1000 were calculated. Image quality was assessed by visual scoring. RESULTS. BPL showed a significantly higher liver signal-to-noise ratio than OSEM, except for BPL with a beta value of 200. The liver SUVmean showed no statistical difference among all algorithms. The SUVmax and SUVmean of tumors decreased as the beta value increased. BPL with a beta value of 200 produced a significantly higher tumor SUVmax than did OSEM (p < 0.01), and BPL with a beta value of 400, 500, or 1000 produced a significantly lower tumor SUVmax than did OSEM (p < 0.01). Visual analysis showed the highest and lowest scores for BPL with beta values of 500 and 200, respectively. In the small size group, the percentage difference in the SUVmax between OSEM and BPL with a beta value of 200 and the percentage difference in the SUVmax between BPL with a beta value of 200 and BPL with a beta value of 1000 were significantly larger than that in the other size groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION. The BPL algorithm improves image quality without compromising image quantification. A beta value of 500 appeared to be optimal in this study. Smaller tumors were more influenced by BPL.

Large uterine arteriovenous malformation successfully treated with combined endovascular treatment and supracervical hysterectomy: A case report.

Uterine arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare conditions that cause life-threatening bleeding. Endovascular treatment or total hysterectomy is performed to safely treat most AVMs. This case report describes a 54-year-old female patient with a large uterine AVM, uterine bleeding, and cardiac overload that was difficult to manage but successfully treated. Total hysterectomy poses a high risk of hemorrhage due to significant uterine and internal iliac vein dilation; thus, embolization of feeding arteries was performed with N-butyl cyanoacrylate. However, a postembolization computed tomography scan detected paradoxical embolization of the liver, kidneys, and spleen. Therefore, supracervical hysterectomy was performed with preoperative coil embolization and intraoperative balloon occlusion of the feeding arteries. In this case, supracervical, not total, hysterectomy needed to be performed as the shunts were determined to be in the uterine corpus.

Transarterial Embolization of Type 2 Endoleak Post Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) Using a Triaxial System With a 1.3-F Microcatheter: A Case Report.

Although transarterial embolization is recognized as a treatment for type 2 endoleaks, it can occasionally be challenging. We report the case of an 86-year-old man who presented with an enlarging thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm following thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Using a triaxial system with a 1.3-F microcatheter, transarterial embolization of a type 2 endoleak was successfully performed through a long and tortuous arterial route comprising the thoracodorsal and ninth intercostal arteries. The postoperative clinical course was uneventful, and computed tomography obtained six days later showed no endoleak in the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. This case suggests the usefulness of a triaxial system with a 1.3-F microcatheter for transarterial embolization of type 2 endoleaks.

Enhancing precision in vascular embolization: evaluating the effectiveness of the intentional early detachment technique with detachable coils in complex cases.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and versatility of an intentional early detachment technique with detachable coils in addressing challenging vascular embolization scenarios. This novel approach aims to provide an alternative method for achieving precise coil placement when standard methods of detachable coil placement are ineffective owing to vascular anatomy or limited available equipment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 11 patients (nine males and two females; median age, 77 years) who underwent embolization procedures between October 2021 and December 2023 using the intentional early detachment technique through 1.6-Fr or 1.3-Fr microcatheters. In this technique, detachable coils were intentionally detached within the microcatheter and placed through saline flushing. The technique's technical success, complications, and clinical success were evaluated. RESULTS: The technique was applied in three distinct scenarios: tortuous vascular anatomy (four cases), inadequate system backup (three cases), and 1.3-Fr microcatheter use (four cases). The technical and clinical success rates were 100%. No complications were observed, and no cases of coil migration or malpositioning. CONCLUSION: The intentional early detachment technique is valuable for interventional radiologists and offers a solution for challenging vascular embolization scenarios. Its application is limited to specific circumstances; however, it can significantly enhance coil placement in complex cases, thereby contributing to improved patient care.

Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Bleeding Caused by Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration: A Case Series.

Introduction Bleeding is the most frequent complication of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). In a few cases of massive bleeding caused by EUS-FNA, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) has been used to obtain hemostasis. We present a case series of patients who underwent TAE for bleeding due to EUS-FNA. Methods This case series included six patients (five men and one woman) who underwent TAE for bleeding caused by EUS-FNA between January 2018 and December 2022 at the four institutions involved in this study. The median age at TAE was 72.5 years (range, 67-83 years). The target sites for EUS-FNA were the pancreatic tail (n = 3), pancreatic head (n = 2), and hepatic hilar lymph nodes (n = 1). The angiographic findings, embolization procedures, technical and clinical success rates, and TAE complications were retrospectively assessed. Results Angiography revealed contrast-media extravasation or pseudoaneurysms in five patients. In all patients, TAE using a microcatheter was performed via the transfemoral approach. N-butyl cyanoacrylate, coils, and gelatin sponges were used for embolization. The technical and clinical success rates of TAE were 100%. One complication, a duodenal ulcer, developed in one patient and was managed conservatively. Conclusion TAE is an effective and safe treatment for EUS-FNA-induced bleeding.

Association Between Pancreatic Cysts and Diabetes Mellitus in Von Hippel-Lindau Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic cysts are frequently observed in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL), and they are considered clinically not important. This study aimed to evaluate the association between pancreatic cysts and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with VHL. METHODS: Among patients who were on a patient list at the VHL Center at Kyoto University Hospital as of December 2022, those who had undergone an upper abdominal magnetic resonance imaging study after 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. The presence or absence of DM and high glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (>6.0%) were assessed. Patients were divided into two groups: those with DM or high HbA1c levels, and those without DM or high HbA1c levels. The area of the whole pancreas, including the pancreatic cysts and tumors, the area of the pancreatic cysts, and the percentage of pancreatic cysts, calculated by dividing the area of pancreatic cysts by the area of the whole pancreas, were measured on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with VHL, comprising 22 men and 14 women, with a mean age of 36.4 years (range, 11-79 years), were identified. Seven patients had DM, and two additional patients had high HbA1c levels. The area of the pancreatic cysts (p = 0.0013) was significantly larger and the percentage of the pancreatic cysts (p = 0.0016) was significantly higher in patients with DM or high HbA1c levels (n = 9) than in patients without DM or high HbA1c levels (n = 27); however, the difference in the area of the whole pancreas was not significant (p = 0.068). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that patients with VHL who have a large area covered by pancreatic cysts are more likely to have DM than those without.

Pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery after sagittal split ramus osteotomy: A case report.

Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) is a widely performed orthognathic surgery; however, among the various reported complications of SSRO, pseudoaneurysms are rarely reported. Pseudoaneurysms are rare vascular lesions formed by damage to the arterial wall that can occur after trauma or postoperatively, causing uncontrolled bleeding. The present report describes a case of a pseudoaneurysm that occurred after SSRO in a 22-year-old female patient. Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral SSRO were performed under general anesthesia to improve the gummy smile and mandibular asymmetry of the patient. While osteotomizing the medial side of the left SSRO, major bleeding occurred from the soft tissue of the posterior margin of the mandibular branch. Direct compression with gauze and a local hemostatic agent stopped the bleeding. Immediately after returning to the ward, bleeding was observed from the left wound site and marked swelling of the left buccal area occurred. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the left superficial temporal artery (STA). Subsequently, arterial embolization for the pseudoaneurysm was performed. Overall, the present report describes a rare case of pseudoaneurysm of the STA as a postoperative complication of SSRO.

Percutaneous Image-Guided Transesophageal Long Intestinal Tube Placement for Palliative Decompression in Advanced Cancer Patients with Unresectable Malignant Small Bowel Obstruction.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of long intestinal tube placement following percutaneous image-guided esophagostomy for palliative decompression of incurable malignant small bowel obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2013 and June 2022, a single-institution retrospective study was conducted to examine patients undergoing percutaneous transesophageal intestinal intubation for an occluded intestinal segment. Patients' baseline characteristics, procedural details, and clinical courses were reviewed. Severe complications were defined as those with ≥ 4 grade according to the CIRSE classification. RESULTS: This study included 73 patients (mean age, 57.7 years) who underwent 75 procedures. All bowel obstructions were caused by peritoneal carcinomatosis or similar disease, which precluded transgastric access in almost 50% of the patients due to massive cancerous ascites (n = 28), diffuse gastric involvement (n = 5), or omental dissemination in front of the stomach (n = 3). Technical success (appropriate tube positioning) was achieved in 98.7% (74/75) of procedures. The cumulative 1-month overall survival and sustained clinical success (adequate bowel decompression) rates were estimated at 86.8% and 88%, respectively, using Kaplan-Meier analysis. At the median survival of 70 days, the disease progression required other gastrointestinal interventions, including additional tube insertion, repositioning, or venting enterostomy in 16 patients (21.9%). The severe complication rate was 4% (3/75); one patient aspirated to death due to tube clogging and two encountered fatal perforation of isolated intestinal loops developing far beyond the tip of the indwelling tube. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous image-guided transesophageal intestinal intubation achieves feasible bowel decompression as palliative care in advanced cancer patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4, Case Series.

Dual Lumen Microcatheter in Percutaneous Biliary Drainage for Postoperative Bile Leakage: A Case Report.

Percutaneous biliary intervention is widely accepted as an effective and safe treatment for various types of bile duct diseases. We present the case of a 44-year-old woman who developed bile leakage after a living-donor liver transplantation for locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma. A percutaneous drainage tube was placed in the segment 8 bile duct via the blind end of the jejunum. However, the bile leakage was unchanged. Bile leakage from the right posterior hepatic duct was suspected. Using a dual lumen microcatheter, a percutaneous drainage tube was placed in the segment 7 bile duct via the blind end of the jejunum, which reduced the bile leakage. These results suggest that a dual lumen microcatheter is a valuable tool for navigating the biliary tree during difficult percutaneous biliary interventions.

Transcatheter arterial embolization of the subclavian and axillary artery branches for hemorrhage control.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of the branches of the subclavian and axillary arteries for hemorrhage control. METHODS: Between January 2015 and June 2022, 35 TAE procedures were performed for hemorrhage from the branches of the subclavian and axillary arteries in 34 patients (22 men, 12 women; 1 male underwent TAE twice; mean age = 76 years). Pre-TAE CT showed hematomas in the chest (n = 25) and abdominal walls (n = 3), shoulder (n = 2), and lower neck (n = 2). CT showed hemothorax in eight cases. Angiographic findings, embolization technique, and technical and clinical success of TAE were retrospectively assessed in all cases. RESULTS: TAE was performed by transfemoral (n = 16), transradial (n = 12), and transbrachial (n = 7) approaches. Angiography revealed contrast media extravasation or pseudoaneurysms in 32 cases (91.4%). The most commonly embolized arteries were the internal thoracic (n = 12), lateral thoracic (n = 6), and thoracoacromial (n = 6) arteries. Technical and clinical success rates were 100 and 85.7%, respectively. A complication (skin necrosis after injection of the liquid embolic agent) developed in only one patient (2.9%) and was conservatively managed. CONCLUSION: TAE is an effective and safe treatment for hemorrhage from the branches of the subclavian and axillary arteries. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Transfemoral approach has been used for TAE of the branches of the subclavian and axillary artery. Transradial and transbrachial approaches can also be considered.

Transcatheter arterial embolization of a type 2 endoleak through the dorsal pancreatic artery after the hybrid repair of a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm: A case report.

An 83-year-old woman with a history of hybrid repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm presented with enlargement of the aneurysm due to a type 2 endoleak from the celiac artery. The endoleak cavity was accessed via the dorsal pancreatic artery, and embolization using N-butyl cyanoacrylate and coils was successfully performed. When celiac artery branches are embolized during hybrid repair of a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm, attention should be paid to the dorsal pancreatic artery to appropriately determine which branches are to be embolized, because a nonembolized dorsal pancreatic artery may lead to type 2 endoleaks.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for subcapsular hematoma of the liver.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the technical and clinical success rates of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for subcapsular hematoma of the liver. METHODS: Between January 2010 and March 2022, 34 patients underwent TAE for subcapsular hematomas of the liver. The causes of subcapsular hematoma were liver tumor rupture (n = 12), trauma (n = 12), iatrogenic complications (n = 9), and spontaneous bleeding (n = 1). The technical and clinical success rates of TAE, blood test results after TAE and additional treatments were evaluated. The patients were divided into either with or without retrograde segmental or lobar portal venous flow on angiography. Technical and clinical success rates and blood test results after TAE were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Technical and clinical success rates were 94.1% and 73.5%, respectively. Six patients died within one month of TAE. A repeat TAE was performed in three patients. Surgical removal and hemostasis for subcapsular hematoma were done in four patients. One patient had liver failure. The retrograde portal venous flow was observed in 18 patients. The difference in technical and clinical success rates and blood test results after TAE between the two groups was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: TAE is an effective and safe treatment for subcapsular hematomas of the liver. The success rates of TAE and liver damage due to TAE did not differ between patients with and without retrograde portal venous flow.

Natural History of Hepatic Hemangiomas Larger Than 10 cm: Imaging Findings and Clinical Course of 22 Cases.

INTRODUCTION: The natural history of a large hepatic hemangioma is important in determining the treatment strategy. Although several studies have assessed the natural history of hepatic hemangiomas, no study has focused on hepatic hemangiomas measuring >10 cm. The aim of this study was to assess the natural history of hepatic hemangiomas measuring >10 cm by evaluating imaging findings and clinical course. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports at Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan, between January 2001 and March 2023 were retrospectively searched to find adult patients with hepatic hemangiomas >10 cm. Patients who were followed up without treatment for over six months were included. The maximum diameter of the hepatic hemangioma was compared between the baseline and the final CT or MRI. The clinical course of the patients was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (17 women, five men; median age, 51 years) were identified. The median diameter of hepatic hemangiomas in the baseline study was 114 mm. Two patients had abdominal distention at the time of the baseline imaging, whereas the others were asymptomatic. After follow-up without treatment (the median; 95.5 months), enlargement, no change, shrinkage of hepatic hemangioma was observed in six, 11, and five patients, respectively. The median growth rate of hepatic hemangiomas was 2.5 mm/year. Two patients underwent liver resection for hepatic hemangioma, while the others were followed up without treatment. In four patients, symptoms appeared or worsened. Two patients died: one patient died from prostate cancer progression; the cause of death for the other was not confirmed. CONCLUSION: Hepatic hemangiomas show a slow growth rate during follow-up, and shrinkage is occasionally observed. Some patients experience new symptoms or aggravation of symptoms; however, deaths associated with hepatic hemangiomas are uncommon.

Direct percutaneous access to an omental vein for embolization of Roux-en-Y limb varices in a child.

An 11-year-old boy with a history of hepatoblastoma treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and liver transplantation presented with bleeding from Roux-en-Y limb varices. The transhepatic approach for portal intervention posed a risk of liver graft injury. An omental vein that was dilated as a collateral vein due to portal hypertension was found and compressible under ultrasound. The omental vein was percutaneously punctured, and the varices were embolized through a jejunal vein. No complication occurred. Direct percutaneous access to the portal venous system is a useful technique for portal embolization.