Comparison of sharp dissection, electrocautery, and ultrasonic activated scalpel with regard to endothelial damage, preparation time, and postoperative bleeding during radial artery harvesting

Abstract Objective: To examine the effects of classical technique, electrocautery, and ultrasonic dissection on endothelial integrity, function, and preparation time for harvesting the radial artery (RA) during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Forty-five patients who underwent isolated CABG and whose RA was suitable for use were studied and divided into three groups: Group 1, classical method (using sharp dissection); Group 2, electrocautery; and Group 3, ultrasonic cautery. Levels of prostacyclin and nitric oxide derivatives were examined biochemically; vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS) values were assessed using immunohistochemical staining. RA preparation time, RA length/harvesting time ratio, and drainage amounts at the site of RA removal were compared. Results: Differences in RA preparation time (Group 1: 25±6 min, Group 2: 18±3 min, Group 3: 16±3 min, P<0.001) and length/harvesting time ratio (Group 1: 0.76±0.19 cm/min, Group 2: 0.98±0.16 cm/min, Group 3: 1.13±0.09 cm/min, P<0.001) were statistically significant among the groups. Levels of prostacyclin and nitric oxide derivatives were not statistically significant different, VCAM-1 and eNOS expressions were observed to be similar among the groups, and endothelial damage was detected in only one patient per group. Conclusion: Use of ultrasonic cautery during RA preparation considerably reduces the preparation time and postoperative drainage amount. However, the superiority of one method over the others could not be demonstrated when the presence of endothelial damage with both biochemical and histopathological evaluations was considered.

Doença cística adventicial da artéria radial / Adventitial cystic disease of the radial artery

A doença cística adventicial (DCA) da artéria radial é uma condição rara, com poucos casos descritos na literatura. Relatamos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino, 62 anos, branco, diabético, hipertenso, com insuficiência renal crônica e indicação para terapia substitutiva renal, em quem foi encontrada uma lesão cística da artéria radial durante operação para confecção de fistula arteriovenosa para hemodiálise. Após a dissecção da artéria radial, ficou evidenciado um importante envolvimento do vaso por uma formação cística. A técnica cirúrgica adotada foi a ressecção do segmento cístico comprometido e preservação da artéria radial. A confecção da fistula arteriovenosa foi realizada com sucesso. O diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento adequado da DCA mostram se eficientes e podem prevenir complicações e recidivas

Adventitial cystic disease (ACD) of the radial artery is a rare condition, with few cases described in the literature. We report the case of a 62-year-old white male with a history of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease with indications for renal replacement therapy who was found to have a cystic lesion of the radial artery while undergoing surgical creation of an arteriovenous fistula. The surgical technique adopted was resection of the cystic segment and preservation of the radial artery. Fistula creation was completed successfully. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ACD are effective, and can prevent complications and recurrence.

Graft pathology at the time of harvest: impact on long-term survival / Patologia do enxerto no momento da coleta: impacto na sobrevida a longo prazo

Objective: This study aims to present the graft pathology at the time of harvest and its impact on long-term survival. Methods: The remnants of the bypass grafts from 66 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease receiving a coronary artery bypass grafting were investigated pathologically, and pertinent predictive risk factors and survival were analyzed. Results: Medial degenerative changes with or without intimal proliferation were present in 36.8%, 37.8% and 35.6% of left internal mammary artery (IMA), radial artery and saphenous vein grafts. There were 2 (3.0%) hospital deaths and 9 (14.1%) late deaths. Multinomial logistic regression revealed left IMA pathological changes, dyslipidemia, history of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty/stent deployment and Y-graft were significant predictive risk factors negatively influencing the patients’ long-term survival. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the long-term survival of patients with left IMA pathological changes were significantly reduced compared with those without (74.1% vs. 91.4%, P=0.002); whereas no differences were noted in long-term survivals between patients with and without pathological changes of the radial arterial or saphenous vein grafts. Conclusion: Pathological changes may be seen in the bypass graft at the time of harvest. The subtle ultrastructural modifications and the expressions of vascular tone regulators might be responsible for late graft patency. The pathological changes of the left IMA at the time of harvest rather than those of the radial artery or saphenous vein graft affect significantly longterm survival. Non-traumatic maneuver of left IMA harvest, well-controlled dyslipidemia and avoidance of using composite grafts can be helpful in maintaining the architecture of the grafts. .

Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar a patologia do enxerto no momento da coleta e do impacto na sobrevida a longo prazo. Métodos: Os remanescentes de pontes de safena de 66 pacientes consecutivos com doença arterial coronária que receberam uma cirurgia de revascularização coronariana foram investigados patologicamente, e os fatores de risco preditivos e a sobrevivência foram analisados. Resultados: Alterações degenerativas da artéria medial, com ou sem proliferação da íntima estavam presentes em 36,8%, 37,8% e 35,6% de pontes da artéria torácica interna esquerda (ATIE), artéria radial e veia safena. Houve dois (3,0%) óbitos hospitalares e nove (14,1%) óbitos tardios. A regressão logística multinomial revelou que alterações patológicas na ATIE, dislipidemia, história de angioplastia/stent implantação coronariana transluminal percutânea e Y-enxerto foram significativos fatores de risco preditivos que influenciam negativamente a sobrevivência a longo prazo dos pacientes. Análise de sobrevida de Kaplan- Meier revelou que a sobrevivência a longo prazo de pacientes com alterações patológicas da ATIE foi significativamente reduzida em comparação com aqueles sem (74,1% vs. 91,4%, P=0,002), considerando que não foram observadas diferenças na sobrevivência de longo prazo entre pacientes com e sem alterações patológicas dos enxertos da artéria radial ou de veia safena. Conclusão: As alterações patológicas podem se desenvolver na revascularização no momento da coleta. As modificações ultraestruturais sutis e as expressões de reguladores do tônus vascular podem ser responsáveis pela patência tardia do enxerto. As alterações patológicas da ATIE no momento da coleta, em vez do enxerto da artéria radial ou da veia safena, podem afetar significativamente a sobrevida de longo prazo. Manobra não traumática da ATIE na coleta, bom controle da dislipidemia e para evitar uso de enxertos compostos pode ser útil na manutenção da arquitetura dos enxertos. .

Fatores associados ao aumento no índice de incremento de pressão radial em indivíduos hipertensos / Factors associated with increased radial augmentation index in hypertensive individuals

FUNDAMENTO: A rigidez arterial é uma variável preditora de morbimortalidade e um possível marcador de lesão vascular. Sua avaliação não invasiva por tonometria radial e análise do índice de incremento (r-AI) permite identificar os pacientes expostos a um maior risco cardiovascular. OBJETIVO: Analisar a influência do r-AI em variáveis clínico-bioquímicas e sua influência na prevalência de dano em órgão-alvo em pacientes hipertensos. MÉTODOS: Cento e quarenta pacientes hipertensos consecutivos, em seguimento clínico ambulatorial, foram submetidos à análise transversal. Os níveis de pressão arterial (PA) e o r-AI foram obtidos por tonometria de aplanação da artéria radial (HEM-9000AI, Onrom). Os pacientes foram alocados em tercis r-AI (r-AI < 85 por cento; 85 < r-AI < 97 por cento; r-AI > 97 por cento). RESULTADOS: A amostra era predominantemente composta por mulheres (56,4 por cento), com idade média de 61,7 ± 11,7 anos e índice de massa corporal de 29,6 ± 6,1 Kg/m². O maior tercil apresentou uma proporção maior de mulheres (p = 0,001), maior PA sistólica (p = 0,001) e pressão de pulso (p = 0,014), e menor peso (p = 0,044), altura (p < 0,001) e frequência cardíaca (p < 0,001). A análise multivariada demonstrou que o peso (β = -0,001, p = 0,017), frequência cardíaca (β = -0,001, p = 0,007) e pressão central (β = 0,015, p < 0,001) se correlacionam com o r-AI de maneira independente. Em análises de regressão logística, o 3º tercil r-AI foi associado a uma diminuição do diabete (DM) (OR = 0,41; 95 por cento CI 0,17-0,97; p = 0,042). CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo demonstrou que peso, frequência cardíaca e PA central se relacionam com o r-AI de maneira independente.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness is a variable predictor of morbidity and mortality and a possible marker of vascular injury. Its non-invasive assessment by radial tonometry and analysis of the augmentation index (r-AI) allows identifying patients exposed to higher cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of r-AI on clinical-biochemical variables and its influence on the prevalence of target-organ damage in hypertensive patients. METHODS: 140 consecutive hypertensive patients, followed-up in an outpatient clinic, were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Blood pressure (BP) levels and r-AI were obtained by applanation tonometry of the radial artery (HEM-9000AI, Onrom). The patients were allocated into r-AI tertiles (r-AI < 85 percent; 85< r-AI < 97 percent; r-AI > 97 percent). RESULTS: The sample was predominantly composed of women (56.4 percent), mean age of 61.7 ± 11.7 years and body mass index 29.6 ± 6.1 Kg/m². The highest tertile showed higher proportion of women (p = 0.001), higher systolic BP (p = 0.001) and pulse pressure (p = 0.014), and lower weight (p = 0.044), height (p < 0.001) and heart rate (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that weight (β = -0.001, p = 0.017), heart rate (β = -0.001, p = 0.007) and central pressure (β = 0.015, p < 0.001) correlated independently with r-AI. In logistic regression analyses, the 3rd r-AI tertile was associated to lower levels of diabetes (DM) (OR = 0.41; 95 percent CI 0.17-0.97; p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that weight, heart rate and central BP were independently related to r-AI.

Transforming growth factor-β in graft vessels: histology and immunohistochemistry

OBJECTIVES: The biological functions of transforming growth factor-β signaling that involves Smad proteins have not been previously investigated with respect to coronary artery bypass grafts. The aim of the present study was to observe the immunostaining of proteins that are related to this signaling pathway. METHODS: Fifteen remnants of coronary artery bypass grafts, including nine saphenous veins, three radial arteries and three mammary arteries, were collected from 12 patients who were undergoing coronary artery bypass. Hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, and immunohistochemical staining of transforming growth factor-β1, type I receptor of transforming growth factor-β, Smad2/3, Smad4, and Smad7 were performed. RESULTS: The saphenous veins showed more severe intimal degeneration, more severe smooth muscle cell proliferation and more collagen deposition than the arterial grafts, as evidenced by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome stainings. Immunohistochemical assays demonstrated that the majority of the transforming growth factor-β1 signaling cytokines were primarily localized in the cytoplasm in the medial layers of all three types of grafts, whereas ectopic transforming growth factor-β1, type I receptor of transforming growth factor-β, and Smad7 overexpressions in the interstices were observed particularly in the saphenous vein and radial arterial grafts. CONCLUSION: Enhanced transforming growth factor-β1 signal transduction with medial smooth muscle cell proliferation and ectopic transforming growth factor-β1, the presence of the type I receptor of transforming growth factor-β, and Smad7 overexpressions in the extracellular matrix may provide primary evidence for early or late graft failure.

Radial artery occlusion, a rare presentation of Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multi-system inflammatory disorder which presents with recurrent orogenital ulceration, uveitis, and erythema nodosum. Medium vessel vasculitis of upper limb is extremely rare and it is only reported in patients with Behçet's disease on long follow up. Mean duration from diagnosis of disease to development of vasculitis is 5.8 years. We present a patient who presented with gangrene of fingers with absent radial pulse and during course of his illness he developed features of Behçet's disease. Diagnosis was established by clinical features and histopathology and patient was treated with steroids and colchicine.

Influência da curva de aprendizado no sucesso e na ocorrência de complicações associadas aos procedimentos pela via radial / Influence of the learning curve on the success and occurrence of complications associated with transradial procedures

Fundamentos: A via de acesso transradial é uma técnica empregada mais recentemente na realização de procedimentos percutâneos coronários (diagnósticos e terapêuticos), sendo que apresenta várias vantagens em relação ao acesso femoral. Apesar disto, o acesso radial tem sido empregado de rotina apenas em uma minoria dos laboratórios de hemodinâmica de nosso país. Objetivo: Determinar a influência da curva de aprendizado sobre o índice de sucesso e a incidência de complicações associadas à realização tanto de procedimentos diagnósticos quanto terapêuticos pela via radial. Método: Foram analisados 3.500 pacientes consecutivos submetidos a procedimentos pela via radial, no período de abril de 2000 a junho de 2003. Foram excluídos desta análise pacientes com teste de Allen anormal e em programa de hemodiálise. O efeito da curva de aprendizado sobre os índices de sucesso e ocorrência de complicações foi avaliado comparando-se os resultados obtidos nos primeiros 500 pacientes (Grupo I) com os observados nos restantes 3000 pacientes (Grupo II). Resultados: Não houve diferença entre os grupos no que diz respeito ao sexo, à idade e ao tipo de procedimento realizado (diagnóstico ou terapêutico). A taxa de sucesso foi significativamente superior (98,1% contra 95,2%, p<0,01) e a ocorrência de complicações associadas ao sítio de acesso vascular significativamente menor no Grupo II (2,4% contra 6,1%, p<0,01). Adicionalmente, foi observado aumento progressivo dos índices de sucesso do procedimento com o incremento da experiência. Desta forma, o sucesso na realização do procedimento pela via radial nos primeiros 50, 100, 500 e 1.000 casos foi de, respectivamente, 88%, 94%, 97 e 98%. Conclusão: A técnica radial está associada a uma curva de aprendizado longa, que excede os primeiros quinhentos pacientes, sendo que a incidência de sucesso aumenta e a ocorrência de complicações diminui, de maneira significativa, com o aumento do número de casos.

Background: The transradial approach is a more recent technique employed to perform diagnostic and therapeutic coronary procedures, which offers many advantages when compared to the femoral approach. Nevertheless, the radial access is routinely utilized in only a few catheterization laboratories in our country. Objective: To determine the influence of the learning curve on the success rate and incidence of complications associated with performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using the radial approach. Methods: We analyzed 3,500 consecutive patients submitted to transradial procedures from April, 2000 through June, 2003. Patients with an abnormal Allen test, absent radial pulse, and those undergoing hemodialysis were excluded from this analysis. The effect of the learning curve on the success rate and on the occurrence of complications was evaluated by comparing the results obtained in the first 500 patients (Group I) to the results achieved in the remaining3,000 patients (Group II). Results: There were no differences identified between the groups in regard to gender, age and type of procedure performed (diagnostic catheterization or percutaneous intervention). The success rate was significantly higher (98.1% versus 95.2%, p<0.01) and the incidence of complications related to the vascular access site significantly smaller (2.4% versus 6.1%, p<0.01) in Group II. Additionally, a progressive increase in the success rate was observed with the greater experience using the technique. Therefore, the success rates in performing the procedure through the radial approach in the first 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 cases were, respectively, 88%, 94%, 97% and 98%. Conclusions: The transradial approach is associated with a long learning curve that exceeds the first 500 cases. The incidence of success increases and the occurrence of complications decreases significantly with the increase of the caseload.

The Impact of Intima-media Thickness of Radial Artery on Early Failure of Radiocephalic Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis Patients

This study was performed to investigate the impact of intima-media thickness (IMT) of radial artery on early failure of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Ninety uremic patients undergoing radiocephalic AVF operation were included in this study. During the operation, 10-mm long partial arterial walls were removed with elliptical form for microscopic analysis. Specimens were stained with trichrome and examined by a pathologist blinded to the clinical data. And then AVF patency was followed up for 1 yr after the operation. Of the total 90 patients, 31 patients (34%) had AVF failure within 1 yr after the operation. Mean IMT was thicker in failed group (n=31) than in patent group (n=59) (486+/-130 micrometer vs. 398+/-130 micrometer, p=0.004). The AVF patency rate within 1 yr after the operation was lower in patients with IMT > or = 500 micrometer (n=26) than in patients with IMT <500 micrometer (n=64) (p=0.017). Age was an independent risk factor of IMT. Diabetes mellitus tended to be independent risk factor but not statistically significant. Our data suggest that increased radial artery IMT is closely associated with early failure of radiocephalic AVF in HD patients.