Plantar fat pad atrophy after corticosteroid injection for an interdigital neuroma: a case report.

A case of bilateral interdigital (Morton's) neuroma treated with steroid injection therapy developed plantar fat pad atrophy, shown on magnetic resonance imaging. Some pathologic changes at the site of injection (such as subcutaneous fat atrophy, depigmentation of the skin, and telangiectasias) are well known disadvantages of local steroid injection for the treatment of the Morton's neuroma. Scientific literature reports these problems (mainly as an aesthetic problem) in the dorsal aspect of the foot. In this work, the authors describe a case in which the steroid injection therapy has caused some changes in the plantar aspect of the feet, with serious functional problems. Fat pad atrophy is a serious problem in the foot and can cause a painful metatarsal syndrome with some important effects on the gait.

Idiopathic left ventricular aneurysm: an unusual substrate of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.

Idiopathic left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is a very rare clinical condition. This article describes a patient with idiopathic LVA associated with episodes of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Clinical and instrumental examinations did not reveal the pathogenesis of the aneurysm. The malignant clinical course suggests that an aggressive antiarrhythmic treatment, including ICD implantation, may be warranted.

Percutaneous treatment of iliac aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms with Cragg Endopro System 1 stent-grafts.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and short-term follow-up results of treating iliac aneurysms by the Cragg Endopro System 1 stent-graft. METHODS: Nine lesions (two pseudoaneurysms and seven atherosclerotic aneurysms) were treated in eight patients by percutaneous implantation of a total of 10 stent-grafts. The procedure was followed by anticoagulation with heparin for 6 days, then antiplatelet therapy. Follow-up was by color Doppler ultrasound scan at 2 days and 3 months after the procedure for all patients, and by venous digital subtraction angiography and/or angio-CT up to 12 months later for four patients. RESULTS: Initial clinical success rate was 100% and there were two minor complications. In one case the delivery system was faulty resulting in failure to deploy the stent-graft. An additional device had to be used. At 3-12 months all prostheses were patent but one patient (12.5%) had a minimal pergraft leak. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous stent-grafting with this device is a safe and efficacious treatment of iliac artery aneurysms.

[Percutaneous occlusion of small patent ductus arteriosus with detachable Gianturco spring coils. Preliminary results]. / Occlusione percutanea del dotto di botallo con spirali di Gianturco con Rilascio controllato. Risultati preliminari.

INTRODUCTION: Botallo's duct occlusion with Gianturco coils is effective in the fistulas with max. diameter of 3.3 mm. The insertion technique does not permit to control coil positioning inside the fistula and the coil itself may migrate to the pulmonary artery. We report our experience with a new system of temporary hookup of the coil proximal end to a metal thread (Cook device) which permits to change the position of the coil or to replace it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated 6 patients with persistence of Botallo's duct (O: 2-3.5 mm, mean: 2.9 mm). The duct was occluded in 5/6 patients. The coil migrated to the pulmonary artery in a case where the hookup system permitted to retrieve and then replace it with a bigger coil which was also retrieved because it was too big for the small aorta. No complications were observed. RESULTS: Follow-up chest films at 24 hours showed coil stability and color Doppler US confirmed the occlusion. The patients were discharged after 24 hours. The follow-up at 6 months confirmed the procedure success. CONCLUSIONS: The hookup system was effective to control coil positioning and to extract and replace the coils. The effectiveness of this occlusion technique would be improved if a wider range of coil sizes and types were available.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with right ventricular outflow tract premature contractions.

AIMS: To assess prospectively the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with apparently idiopathic premature contractions arising from the right ventricular outflow tract. METHODS: We compared magnetic resonance imaging scans in 19 patients (13 males and six females, mean age 44 years) with frequent (> 100 per hour), monomorphic (left bundle branch block and inferior axis morphology) extrasystoles, and in 10 volunteers (four males and six females, mean age 36.7 years) without structural heart disease. Magnetic resonance imaging studies (1 or 1.5 Tesla) included spin-echo and gradient-echo sequences in the standard planes. The presence of structural and dynamic abnormalities of the right and left ventricles, such as reduced wall thickness, systolic bulging, and decreased systolic thickening, were evaluated. In addition, end-diastolic diameters of the right ventricular outflow tract were measured in the transverse plane. RESULTS: The dimensions of the right ventricular outflow tract were wider in patients with extrasystoles compared to the control group. Mean anteroposterior and transverse diameters were 39.6 +/- 4.6 mm vs 29.9 +/- 4.8 mm (P < 0.01) and 27.5 +/- 3.8 mm vs 20.5 +/- 2.5 mm (P < 0.01), respectively. Wall motion and morphological abnormalities were present in 16/19 (84%) patients, and were confined to the anterolateral wall in 15/16 cases. All normal subjects had normal magnetic resonance imaging findings (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed that in patients with idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract premature contractions there was a higher rate of morphological and functional abnormalities of the right ventricular outflow tract than in the normal subjects. Large studies and long follow-up are needed to confirm whether these findings could help identify a localized form of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, and its clinical significance.

Anatomy of the iliolumbar ligament: a review of its anatomy and a magnetic resonance study.

Data of the postmortem studies of the iliolumbar ligament are controversial because of the number, complexity, and variability of the structures present in the lumbosacral region. The objective of this work was to study the anatomy of the iliolumbar ligament to resolve some clinical problems: (1) do anatomic bases exist that can explain the lumbar painful syndrome termed "iliolumbar syndrome?" (2) do iliolumbar ligament varieties exist that can influence lumbosacral joint stability? Magnetic resonance was used to analyze the anatomic structure of the iliolumbar ligament of live human beings. Thirty iliolumbar ligaments of 15 volunteers were analyzed with magnetic resonance. The images were acquired along the transversal and coronal planes (respectively, superoinferior and anteroposterior). The portion of the iliolumbar ligament originating from the L-5 transverse process is made up of two bands (anterior and posterior). The anterior band is broad and flat and has two different anatomic varieties. Type 1 originates from the anterior aspect of the inferolateral portion of the L-5 transverse process and fans out widely before inserting on the anterior portion of the iliac tuberosity. Type 2 originates anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly from inferolateral aspect of the L-5 transverse process and fans out before inserting on the anterior portion of the iliac tuberosity. The posterior band of the iliolumbar ligament originates from the apex of the L-5 transverse process and is fusiform. Just before inserting on the anterior margin and apex of the iliac crest it widens, assuming the aspect of a small cone. On the transaxial plane, the anterior band of the iliolumbar ligament was placed along the horizontal line passing through the transverse processes, whereas the posterior band formed an angle of approximately 45 to 55 degrees opened posterolaterally with this line. On the coronal plane, the spatial disposition of the iliolumbar ligament varies greatly with the size of the L-5 vertebra and its position in the pelvis: (1) when L-5 is situated low in the pelvis, the bands of the iliolumbar ligament are longer and oblique; (2) when L-5 is situated high in the pelvis, the bands of the iliolumbar ligament are shorter and horizontal. The insertion manner of iliolumbar ligament posterior band in the iliac crest allows us to confirm the possibility of existence of the lumbar painful syndrome termed iliolumbar syndrome and confirms the possibility of examining its insertional site manually. Being accessible manually, various drugs can be injected directly into it or deep friction can be applied. This posterior band is thinner than the anterior, with a smaller insertional base on the iliac crest, which explains its lesser resistance to torsional overloading and also explains the frequency of this painful syndrome. It is probable that the spatial disposition of the iliolumbar ligament influences its antitorsional role. Further anatomic and biomechanic studies are needed.

Iliolumbar ligament insertions. In vivo anatomic study.

STUDY DESIGN: Using magnetic resonance imaging, this study analyzed the anatomic characteristics of the iliolumbar ligament insertion on humans. OBJECTIVES: To resolve certain anatomic questions about the manner of insertion of the iliolumbar ligament. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The data of the postmortem studies of the iliolumbar ligament are controversial because of the number, complexity, and variability of the structures present in the lumbosacral region. METHODS: Twenty-eight iliolumbar ligaments of 14 adult volunteers were analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging. The images were acquired along the transversal planes (from inferior to superior) and coronal planes (from the ventral to the dorsal) of the lumbosacral region. RESULTS: The anterior band of the iliolumbar ligament (broad and flat) originates from the anterior-inferior-lateral part of the L5 transverse process and expands as a wide fan before inserting on the anterior part of the iliac tuberosity below the posterior band. The posterior band of the iliolumbar ligament originates from the apex of the L5 transverse process and is thinner than the anterior with a round section, and it inserts on the iliac crest (from the anterior margin to the apex). CONCLUSIONS: The minor width of the area of insertion on the iliac crest of the posterior band (and therefore its lower resistance with the mechanical overloads) could explain the frequency of the painful syndromes related, by some authors, to an enthesopathy of this ligament.

[Splenic abscesses. Their percutaneous treatment and the role of the interventional radiologist]. / Ascessi splenici. Trattamento percutaneo e ruolo del radiologo interventista.

Percutaneous abscess drainage is not as common in the spleen as in other anatomical sites, probably because of an uncontrollable fear of bleeding. Five cases of intrasplenic abscess drainage are presented. A double-way 12/14-F vanSonnenberg catheter was percutaneously inserted under CT guidance in four patients and under US guidance in one patient. Orthogonal scout CT views were useful to check the correct positioning of the drainage. In three patients the maneuver was successful, with no recurrence at follow-up at 12, 16 and 24 months, respectively. In one patient with a splenic abscess due to iatrogenic ischemic necrosis, the drainage allowed delayed surgery after relief of symptoms. Another patient died of sepsis five days after multiple well-functioning drainages. No early or late complications occurred. Bleeding was never observed in our series and there are no recent literature reports on this complication. Whenever it occurs, bleeding can be treated with selective embolization. In our experience, the percutaneous drainage of splenic abscesses, performed by the radiologist, should be considered the treatment of choice in these cases.

[Role of percutaneous angioplasty in keeping vascular access for hemodialysis]. / Ruolo dell'angioplastica percutanea nel mantenimento degli accessi vascolari per emodialisi.

The stenoses of anastomosed vessels or of implantation grafts are among the most frequent causes of insufficiency of vascular hemodialysis accesses. Percutaneous angioplasty allows the interventional radiologist too to participate in the salvage of shunts. From 1985 to 1991, 46 patients underwent the procedure. Angioplasty could be performed in 43 of them, and had to be repeated in some cases because of either relapse or malfunctioning new vascular access. On the whole, 59 maneuvers were performed, and 96 stenoses treated, 71 in Brescia-Cimino fistulas and 25 in Gore-Tex prostheses. The optimized standard technique employs access through the efferent vein and a diagnostic evaluation after blocking the flow with an inflatable cuff; 2-3 distensions lasting 2-3 minutes are performed with a 3.5-4 mm x 20 mm balloon catheter for the anastomosis. One or more 15-20-minute distensions follow, with a 6-8 mm x 20-40 mm Zijlstra balloon catheter (Schneider) for the lesions in the efferent vein. Our initial success rate was 88.7% (55 of 62 procedures). Follow-up results at 3, 6, 12, 24 months proved that for this type of lesion, which is usually supported by fibrosis and endarterial hyperplasia, estimated relapse rates exceed 50% in the first year and are lower than 10% a year in the following years. Complications are quite rare and can be partly prevented if the correct indications are followed, overdistension is avoided and the proper material is used. On account of the good results it yields, of its relative simplicity and of the very low incidence of complications, angioplasty should be considered as the treatment of choice for stenoses and their relapses in vascular hemodialysis accesses. As for treatment protocol, angioplasty is not a procedure to occasionally replace surgery, but a therapeutic approach which can be repeated at regular time intervals and can prolong the life of hemodialysis fistulas, thus delaying surgical reconstruction.