Acute Arterial Thrombosis in Leg Associated with Hyperhomocysteinemia

Herein, two cases of acute arterial thrombosis associated with hyperhomocysteinemia are reported. A 34-year old male patient without heart disease, was brought to hospital with an acute ischemic limb due to thromboses of both superficial femoral arteries, where no atherosclerotic lesions were found. Subsequent investigation revealed that the patient had hyperhomocysteinemia, with a low folic acid level. Catheter directed thrombolysis was attempted, but failed, so bypass surgery was performed. After revascularization, anticoagulation therapy and folate supplementation were initiated. His plasma homocysteine level returned to normal, and there has been no recurrence during the 48 month follow up periods. The other case was a 51-year man with an acute left ilio-femoro-popliteal artery occlusion, who had also shown hyperhomocysteinemia, with a low folic acid level. There was nothing abnormal from his medical records, and showed normal findings in his transesophageal echocardiogram. In a serologic hypercoagulability test, everything was normal, with the exception of an increased homocysteine level. After a successful thrombectomy with a Fogarty catheter, folate supplementation was administered until his homocysteine level returned to normal. In both patients, the heterozygous mutation of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), C677T (alanine to valine substitution), was detected.

Clinical Results of Lower Extremity Trauma Accompanied with Popliteal Artery Injury

PURPOSE: Although popliteal artery injuries are uncommon, the consequent lack of management protocols may contribute to the high level of outcome morbidity. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the records of popliteal artery trauma treated at our institution in the past 5 years. RESULT: In 15 patients [male 13, female 2, median age 45.9 (15-73)] there were 13 cases of blunt trauma, mainly motorcycle accident. Most patients presented with severe signs of ischemia when they arrived at the emergency unit. Most commonly skeletal injury was accompanied (fracture 13, nerve injury 7). Some delays occurred between injury and treatment in every cases. Bypass using the contralateral long saphenous vein was the predominant procedure for arterial injury. Our limb salvage rate was 66.7% (10/15), but all patients needed more than two additive operations, and finally had persistent neurologic disability. CONCLUSION: Popliteal artery injury, especially in Korean urban society, was mainly caused by blunt trauma from traffic accidents and the results remain challenging.

Pulmonary Embolism Related with Catheter Directed Thrombolysis in Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis

PURPOSE: Catheter directed thrombolytic dissolution (CDT) of deep vein thrombus (DVT) is in widespread use, yet the complications especially pulmonary embolism (PE), associated with the procedure remains ill defined. To assess the incidence of PE we reviewed the clinical course of acute DVT patients treated by CDT. METHOD: From January 2000 to September 2003, 25 patients were treated by CDT. To define the new development of PE, patients had a technetium 99m lung scan before and just after CDT-, and clinical symptoms were recorded. All patients underwent ascending venogram and CT scan initially to define DVT extension. CDT with urokinase was done by a the same intervention radiologist. RESULT: Proximal thrombus extension level was the femoral vein in 8 patients, iliac vein in 12-, and inferior vena cava (IVC) in 5. Complete thrombolysis was achieved in 16 patients, partial lysis in 2 and no lysis in 7. PE was detected in 7 patients with initial lung scan whose thrombus proximal level was IVC 2, iliac vein 4, femoral vein 1 in each, and no changes in lung scan after CDT. In 17 patients with normal findings at intial lung scan, there were also no changes after CDT. One patient with normal lung scan showed high probable scan defects in lung scan after CDT. Because he also complained of sudden onset dyspnea with cough, we diagnosed him as newly developed, PE-related CDT. CONCLUSION: Only one (4%) case of PE was developed in our study. No prediction factor of PE such as CDT results, or thrombus proximal extent could be defined. These findings suggest that routine usage of temporary IVC filter is unnecessary during CDT.

Multi Detector Row Computed Tomography Angiogram as the Sole Preoperative Imaging for Infrainguinal Arterial Surgery

PURPOSE: To assess the suitability of multidetector row CT angiogram (MDCTA) as the sole preoperative imaging for infrainguinal arterial surgery. METHOD: From March 2002 to September 2003, 75 patients (24 claudicants, 41 limb-threatening ischemia) were studied with MDCTA preoperatively. We compared the surgical inflow and outflow site changes between preoperative planning based on MDCTA and the results of final operation. MDCTA was interpreted by the same vascular surgeon, and arterial segments from the renal artery to foot were reviewed. Surgery plans were formulated based on arterial anatomic and hemodynamic characteristics. Additional diagnostic value and test related complications were also studied. RESULT: Twenty- one patients had conventional angiogram after MDCTA scan - 9 for interventional treatment at inflow site and 12 patients for complement of MDCTA, although the operation plan was not changed. The agreement between preoperative plan based on MDCTA and final operation was 100% even in critical limb ischemia. In 11 patients tortuous calcified iliac artery was ambiguous in routine image but it could be solved using the other specific functional option of MDCTA. There were no serious complications related to the test. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that MDCTA is an adequate preoperative imaging study of infrainguinal arterial surgery and that it may be substituted for conventional angiogram without any serious complication. The particular functional options of MDCTA help resolve its defect.

Acute Occlusion of the Abdominal Aorta by Various Causes

We report various causes of acute abdominal aortic occlusion, a condition which is infrequent but usually ends catastrophically. The three cases are embolic occlusion by myxoma, thrombotic occlusion of aortic aneurysm, and thrombosis of an atherosclerotic aorta; the first two causes are very rare clinical presentations. All patients showed leg paralysis, pain, and severe ischemic symptoms. Diagnosis was done by emergent-CT (computed tomography) scan and surgery was performed urgently. Nevertheless, all patients died in the early postoperative period. As acute aortic occlusion is infrequent, its diagnosis may be delayed. The mortality rates remains high even with urgent surgical care.