Endovascular Repair of Iliac Artery Aneurysms: A Single Center Experience in 10-Years.

OBJECTIVES: Isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs) are rare, but nonetheless life-threatening when ruptured. The endovascular approach has taken over open repairs in time. The reported data is constituted of a retrospective series. We reviewed our 10-year-long experience with elective endovascular treatment of iliac aneurysms. METHODS: Data regarding 22 patients with 24 IAAs treated with endovascular stent grafting between 2005 and 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (aged 68.4 ± 9.6 years, range 50-82) with 24 unilateral or bilateral iliac aneurysms were treated. Twenty patients (91%) were male. Two patients with unilateral IAA had prior abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgical repair. The mean aneurysm diameter was 4.8 ± 2.1 (3.8 to 7.1) mm. Procedural success rate was 100%, only one patient with an iliovenous fistula had periprocedural type II endoleak. Internal iliac artery coil occlusion was applied in 16 of 24 procedures (66%). Thirty-day mortality included one patient (4%). CONCLUSION: Endovascular repair is the preferred approach for isolated IAAs. Because of the retrospective nature of data sets, larger cohorts are necessary for better definition of morbidity and mortality rates.

Midterm results with drug-coated balloons for SFA lesions in patients with CLI: comparison with conventional bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment of symptomatic peripheral artery disease has gained widespread acceptance. The efficacy and safety of drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty in the setting of critical limb ischemia in comparison to conventional surgery has not been demonstrated. We have compared our results with DCB angioplasty to conventional bypass surgery in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). METHODS: A total of 187 patients with CLI treated over a 6-year period between 2006 and 2012 by a single operative team constituted the study population. Between 2006 and 2009, all patients underwent conventional surgery. Between 2009 and 2012, the investigators adopted endovascular approach with the use of IN.PACT Admiral (Medtronic Inc., Santa Rosa, CA, USA). Data collection was achieved prospectively. RESULTS: A total 210 procedures (100 surgery, 110 endovascular) were performed over a 6-year period. A 72% of all bypasses were performed using saphenous vein grafts with above-the-knee bypass as the technique of choice in 80% of the cases. 6-mm DCB was used in 41% of the patients. Procedural success rates (98% vs. 99%, NS) as well as clinical success rates (99% vs. 99%, P=NS) and operative mortality (3.7% vs. 2%, NS) was similar in both groups. Primary patency for DCB vs. bypass groups 91.8% vs. 88.9%, respectively (P=0.31) at 12 months and 82.7% vs. 82.8% at 24 months, respectively (P=0.28). Freedom from clinically-driven target lesion revascularization at 12 months was similar in both groups (87.6% vs. 85%, P=0.33). Primary patency for DCB vs. bypass groups at 24 months was 82.7% vs. 82.8%, respectively (P=0.28). CONCLUSIONS: DCB angioplasty yields comparable results to surgery in the setting of critical ischemia. The efficacy and the safety of DCBs in more complex lesions is to be investigated with randomized trials.

Midterm Results Following Percutaneous Rotational Thrombectomy for Acute Thrombotic Occlusions of Prosthetic Arteriovenous Access Grafts.

Patent vascular access is critical for patients on regular hemodialysis. Prosthetic grafts are good alternatives when the superficial venous system is of poor quality. However, thrombosis is one of the main drawbacks of synthetic grafts, with reports of 59% to 90% patency rates for 1 year. In cases of thrombotic occlusion of prosthetic arteriovenous fistula grafts, percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy has recently gained clinical popularity as a potential alternative to surgical thrombectomy or pharmacologic thrombolysis. We reviewed our preliminary results from 30 percutaneous rotational thrombectomies performed in a total of 22 patients in the setting of acute dialysis-access prosthetic graft occlusion of the upper extremity. Among the 30 cases of acute occlusion of the arteriovenous graft, immediate success with angiographic flow restoration was observed in all patients except for 2 patients (both females; 6%), with de novo occlusion where reocclusion occurred within 12 hours despite apparent immediate angiographic patency. The mean duration between the initial presentation with acute arteriovenous graft occlusion and the thrombectomy procedure was 27.4 ± 12.4 hours. The mean duration of graft patency was 10.45 ± 0.6 months. A total of 75% of the arteriovenous grafts were patent at the end of 12 months of follow-up. Female gender, diabetes mellitus, and diagnosis to intervention interval were reviewed for midterm graft failure, and the presence of diabetes mellitus yielded significance (P < 0.05). Percutaneous techniques play important roles in the treatment of failed or failing arteriovenous fistulae and grafts. Ongoing analysis of outcomes of both percutaneous and surgical intervention is necessary to continue to identify optimum treatment algorithms.

Debranching solutions in endografting for complex thoracic aortic dissections.

BACKGROUND: Conventional surgical repair of thoracic aortic dissections is a challenge due to mortality and morbidity risks. OBJECTIVES: We analyzed our experience in hybrid aortic arch repair for complex dissections of the aortic arch. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2013, 18 patients (the mean age of 67 ± 8 years-old) underwent hybrid aortic arch repair. The procedural strategy was determined on the individual patient. RESULTS: Thirteen patients had type I repair using trifurcation and another patient with bifurcation graft. Two patients had type II repair with replacement of the ascending aorta. Two patients received extra-anatomic bypass grafting to left carotid artery allowing covering of zone 1. Stent graft deployment rate was 100%. No patients experienced stroke. One patient with total debranching of the aortic arch following an acute dissection of the proximal arch expired 3 months after TEVAR due to heart failure. There were no early to midterm endoleaks. The median follow-up was 20 ± 8 months with patency rate of 100%. CONCLUSION: Various debranching solutions for different complex scenarios of the aortic arch serve as less invasive procedures than conventional open surgery enabling safe and effective treatment of this highly selected subgroup of patients with complex aortic pathologies.

Debranching Solutions in Endografting for Complex Thoracic Aortic Dissections / Soluções de Desramificação em Endoprótese para Dissecções Complexas da Aorta Torácica

Background: Conventional surgical repair of thoracic aortic dissections is a challenge due to mortality and morbidity risks. Objectives: We analyzed our experience in hybrid aortic arch repair for complex dissections of the aortic arch. Methods: Between 2009 and 2013, 18 patients (the mean age of 67 ± 8 years-old) underwent hybrid aortic arch repair. The procedural strategy was determined on the individual patient. Results: Thirteen patients had type I repair using trifurcation and another patient with bifurcation graft. Two patients had type II repair with replacement of the ascending aorta. Two patients received extra-anatomic bypass grafting to left carotid artery allowing covering of zone 1. Stent graft deployment rate was 100%. No patients experienced stroke. One patient with total debranching of the aortic arch following an acute dissection of the proximal arch expired 3 months after TEVAR due to heart failure. There were no early to midterm endoleaks. The median follow-up was 20 ± 8 months with patency rate of 100%. Conclusion: Various debranching solutions for different complex scenarios of the aortic arch serve as less invasive procedures than conventional open surgery enabling safe and effective treatment of this highly selected subgroup of patients with complex aortic pathologies. .

Fundamentos: O reparo cirúrgico convencional de dissecção da aorta torácica é um desafio devido aos riscos de mortalidade e morbidade. Objetivos: Analisamos nossa experiência no reparo híbrido do arco aórtico em dissecções complexas do arco aórtico. Métodos: Entre os anos de 2009 e 2013, 18 pacientes (idade média de 67 ± 8 anos de idade) foram submetidos ao reparo híbrido do arco aórtico. A estratégia de procedimento foi determinada individualmente para cada paciente. Resultados: Treze pacientes fizeram o reparo tipo I utilizando enxerto trifurcado; outro paciente utilizou um enxerto bifurcado. Dois pacientes fizeram o reparo tipo II com substituição da aorta ascendente. Dois pacientes receberam desvios extra-anatômicos de enxertia pela artéria carótida esquerda, permitindo a cobertura da zona 1. A taxa de implantação do stent foi de 100%. Nenhum paciente apresentou acidente vascular cerebral. Um paciente com desramificação total do arco aórtico após dissecção aguda do arco proximal faleceu 3 meses depois de realizar o reparo endovascular da aorta torácica (TEVAR), por insuficiência cardíaca. Não houve endoleak precoce ou a médio prazo. A média de acompanhamento foi de 20 ± 8 meses, com taxa de patência de 100%. Conclusão: Diversas soluções de desramificação, utilizadas em diferentes cenários complexos do arco aórtico, são procedimentos menos invasivos que a cirurgia aberta convencional e permitem o tratamento seguro e eficaz deste subgrupo, altamente selecionado de pacientes com patologias complexas da aorta. .

Midterm results with endovascular approach to abdominal aortic pathologies in Behçet's disease.

BACKGROUND: Vascular involvement in Behcet's disease is rare, but may be at the forefront of the clinical picture with possible life-threatening scenarios. We reviewed our preliminary results with endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic pathologies in Behçet's disease. METHODS: Data regarding seven patients with abdominal aortic pathologies (aneurysm, pseudoaneurysm, and aortoenteric fistula) and Behçet's disease were treated with endovascular stent-grafting between 2002 and 2006. RESULTS: Seven patients (aged, 39.1 ± 9; range, 27-52 years) with a mean aortic diameter of 58.4 ± 6.3 mm received endovascular stent-grafts, two patients being in emergency settings. Two patients were in active disease state. Four tube-shaped, two aorto-bi-iliac, and one aorto-uni-iliac stents were implanted. One patient expired on day 28 with multiorgan failure after emergency stent-grafting owing to enlarging periprosthetic hematoma following open surgery for ruptured aneurysm. Another patient was declined for endovascular therapy owing to hypoplastic aortoiliac vasculature. CONCLUSION: Endovascular approach provides a reasonable alternative to open repair for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in select cases; however, in emergency settings, endovascular repair may well have an important, but limited, role in select patients with aortoenteric fistulae, it may yet require a surgical intervention.

Extracranial carotid artery aneurysm due to Behcet's disease.

Behçet's disease is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder associated with recurrent oral and genital ulcers and iritis. Vascular lesions are encountered in 7%-29% of patients, gravely affecting the course of the disease. Extracranial carotid aneurysms due to Behçet's disease are extremely rare. We describe a surgically treated case of Behçet's disease in a 28-year-old man who presented with a rapidly enlarging left common carotid artery aneurysm.

Results of treatment methods in cardiac arrest following coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Emergency re-revascularization and invasive/noninvasive interventions in intensive care unit (ICU) are two main treatment methods in cardiac arrest following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We evaluated the short- and long-term consequences of these two methods and discussed the indications for re-revascularization. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2004, a total of 148 CABG patients, who were complicated with cardiac arrest, were treated with emergency re-revascularization (n = 36, group R) and ICU procedures (n = 112, group ICU). Re-revascularizations are mostly blind operations depending on clinical/hemodynamic criteria. These are: no response to resuscitation, recurrent tachycardia/fibrillation, and severe hemodynamic instability after resuscitation. Re-angiography could only be performed in 3.3% of the patients. Event-free survival of the groups was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Events are: death, recurrent angina, myocardial infarction, functional capacity, and reintervention. RESULTS: Seventy percent of patients, who were complicated with cardiac arrest, had perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI). This rate was significantly higher in group R (p = 0.013). The major finding in group R was graft occlusion (91.6%). During in-hospital period, no difference was observed in mortality rates between the two groups. However, hemodynamic stabilization time (p = 0.012), duration of hospitalization (p = 0.00006), and mechanical support use (p = 0.003) significantly decreased by re-revascularization. During the mean 37.1 +/- 25.1 months of follow-up period, long-term mortality (p = 0.03) and event-free survival (p = 0.029) rates were significantly in favor of group R. CONCLUSION: Better short- and long-term results were observed in the re-revascularization group.

Circadian pattern of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported a circadian variation of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, there is no detailed information of the daily distribution of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the daily distribution of episodes of ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. MATERIAL/METHODS: We used data stored by last-generation implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) to retrospectively evaluate the circadian distribution of VT and VF in 70 patients with ICD. The distribution of tachyarrhythmias was categorized into four time zones: zone 1 (06:00-11:59), zone 2 (12:00-17:59), zone 3 (18:00-23:59), and zone 4 (00:00-05:59). RESULTS: During a follow-up of a mean of 3.1+/-1.3 years, a total of 791 ventricular arrhythmias were recorded from which 631 events were VT and 160 VF. A circadian variation of episodes of ventricular tachyarrhythmia was evident. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmia sharply increased in zone 1 (8.82+/-2.13, p<0.0001). Episodes of VT had peaks in zones 1 and 2 (7.44+/-2.03 and 2.70+/-0.65, p<0.001) and episodes of VF had peaks in zones 1 and 4 (1.38+/-0.39 and 1.30+/-0.51, p<0.011). No difference was observed between patients who used betablocker and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias have a circadian distribution. VT peaks occur in the morning and noon hours and VF peaks occurs at the night and morning hours. Betablocker and/or amiodarone usage do not alter this distribution.

Wide-necked renal artery aneurysm: endovascular treatment with stent-graft.

Aneurysms of the renal artery are rare and have an estimated incidence of 0.09% in the general population. They may be diagnosed incidentally or during the evaluation of related symptoms. They may be followed up or treated either surgically or endovascularly. We present a successful percutaneous treatment of a renal artery aneurysm with stenosis by a stent-graft in a 55-year-old woman, who was diagnosed during the evaluation of labile hypertension. Follow-up was for 6 months.

Postoperative effects of opioid analgesics administered via continuous perfusion and patient controlled analgesia after open heart surgery.

Critical care nurses and physicians are familiar with the principles of patient controlled analgesia and the opioid analgesics' regimens and observations necessary for pain control in the postoperative cardiac surgical patients. The objective of the study was to compare the effects of morphine, fentanyl, meperidine, remifentanil and tramadol which were administered by patient controlled analgesia and continuous intravenous infusion combination on the various parameters. This study was designed as prospective randomised trial. Fifty patients undergone open heart surgery with sternotomy were entered equally into five randomized groups. Visual analog scale was used by researcher nurse to assess the patient' pain status. Respiratory rate, heart rate and blood gases (pO2, pCO2, SaO2), radial arterial blood pressures were measured in the first 24 hrs postoperatively. Bolus requirements were determined by physicians and side effects of the analgesics were documented. Fentanyl group showed statistically higher levels of mean pO2 (p=0.002). Meperidine had the lowest number of bolus doses (p=0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups for pain management except higher visual analog scales on tramadol. Headache, stomach-ache and, palpitations were observed in our patients. Remifentanil, meperidine, fentanyl and morphine showed similar effect with each other for pain relief except tramadol.

Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms associated with horseshoe kidney.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery associated with a horseshoe kidney (HSK) is a serious technical challenge for the surgeon. We reviewed our experience with 127 patients electively operated on between 1990 and 2004 for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Pre- and perioperative medical, surgical, and radiologic data were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative diagnosis was achieved with computed tomography with or without angiography or with additional conventional aortography. Seven patients were recognized to have had a HSK, with a mean age of 67.29 +/- 2.43 years. Preoperative serum creatinine levels were similar in patients with or without HSK (1.0 +/- 0.08 vs 0.9 +/- 0.12 mg/dL; not significant). In five of the patients with HSK, reimplantation of the anomalous renal artery was necessary. In all 127 patients, hospital mortality consisted of 5 patients, none of whom had an HSK. Dealing with HSK seemed to increase aortic clamp times (30.43 +/- 3.55 vs 27.04 +/- 3.92 minutes; p < .05) slightly. Patients with or without HSK were given similar amounts of intravenous fluid replacement (2,214.2 +/- 441.3 vs 1,923.3 +/- 433.6 mL/patient; not significant) and allogeneic blood transfusion (0.71 +/- 0.49 vs 0.9 +/- 0.4 U/patient; not significant) and had a similar intensive care unit stay. Abdominal aortic aneurysms associated with HSK have been managed without division of the isthmic tissue. The left retroperitoneal approach provided adequate exposure for all patients with HSK.

Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori in atherosclerotic plaques of carotid artery by polymerase chain reaction.

OBJECTIVES: A possible role of some microorganisms has been proposed in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but it is still an unresolved issue. We investigated the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori DNA in carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques by using PCR. METHODS: One hundred and four patients with atherosclerotic diseases were included. The study group consisted of 52 atherosclerotic plaque specimens obtained from the carotid arteries of patients who had carotid endarterectomy and the control group consisted of 52 specimens obtained from the macroscopically healthy regions of ascending aorta in patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting. The presence of C. pneumoniae and H. pylori DNA in endarterectomy specimens were demonstrated by PCR. RESULTS: C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in 16 of 52 (30.8%) atherosclerotic plaques and 1 of 52 (1.9%) macroscopically healthy ascending aorta wall specimens (P < 0.001). H. pylori DNA was detected in 9 of 52 (17.3%) atherosclerotic plaques and none of the controls (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The higher incidence of C. pneumoniae and H. pylori DNA in atherosclerotic plaques suggests that these microorganisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherogenesis.

Midterm results with the use of polycarbonate urethane heterografts for dialysis access.

Dialysis access surgery is currently one of the most common vascular operations as the dialysis patient population increases. Although autogenous arteriovenous fistulae stand as the preferred method of access due to excellent patency and lower complication rates, grafts may provide alternative approaches when an autogenous fistula is impractical usually due to depleted veins. We aimed in this study to assess early and midterm outcome with the use of Expedial heterografts (LeMaitre Vascular Ltd., Wrexham, UK) for angioaccess between October 2000 and December 2004. Patients were prospectively followed for pre- and peri-operative course with 1st, 6th and 12th month outpatient controls for patency and complication rates. A total of 34 heterografts were implanted in 30 patients (22 males and 8 females; median age 60.6 years, range 32 - 70). The mean followup for 30 patients were 16.3 +/- 6.1 (range 4 - 30) months. 28 grafts (82.4%) were placed in forearm position. Primary and secondary patencies were found as 81% and 94%, respectively (p = 0.15), with the median censored primary and secondary patencies of 27 +/- 1.7 months (95% CI, 23.38 to 30.67) and 30.42 +/- 1.1 months (95% CI, 28.30 to 32.54), respectively. Only presence of diabetes was found as a significant risk factor in the regression model (p = 0.01). We suggest that the polycarbonate urethane heterografts with acceptable patency/complication rates and shorter maturation times for dialysis access serve an alternative for these patients.

Peripheral mycotic aneurysms in infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Today, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a severe illness, with high mortality and morbidity. Mycotic aneurysms (MAs) are rare complications of IE. For most patients, surgical intervention represents the only hope for radical cure of extracranial MAs, and survival. METHODS: A total of 238 patients with IE was treated at the authors' center between January 1990 and December 2003. Among these patients, 10 underwent surgical intervention due to peripheral MAs. RESULTS: Concomitant surgery for intracardiac and extracardiac pathology was applied in three patients with native valve endocarditis to excise infected material. Aneurysmectomy and revascularization were performed in four patients with native endocarditis, and in three with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). The intracardiac pathologies of these seven patients were treated with antimicrobial agents. Eight patients underwent surgery after completion of three weeks' antibiotic therapy. An autologous saphenous vein interposition was performed in eight patients, but in two cases, due to size discrepancy, a polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) graft was chosen as the initial conduit to achieve arterial continuity. Saphenous vein graft rupture occurred in one patient; a PTFE graft was used to achieve second revascularization. Limb salvage was achieved in nine patients. Below-knee amputation was necessary in one patient; this was due to prior embolism of the distal arterial tree. Two patients died, one due to cerebral embolism and another to rupture of undiagnosed visceral MA. All other patients remain alive, without complications. CONCLUSION: Complete revascularization should be essential to treat peripheral MA in IE. Adequate resection, appropriate parenteral administration of antimicrobial agents and size discrepancy are far more important factors than the type of graft material in preventing suture-line infection and vessel or graft rupture.

A modified combined approach to operative carotid and coronary artery disease: 82 cases in 8 years.

BACKGROUND: A significant number of patients undergoing coronary artery surgery have severe carotid artery disease. It is also true that up to half of the patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have severe treatable coronary lesions. This study aims to review data regarding 82 patients of combined approach in 8 years; the second half consists of 44 patients whose CEA was performed under local anesthesia. It compares results of the conventional and the modified approaches to simultaneous surgery. METHODS: All 82 patients who planned to have a concomitant procedure were recorded prospectively between 1995 and 2003. From 1998, the surgical technique has been modified to switch to local anesthesia for CEA, rather than perform under a single general anesthetic period. All pre-and perioperative data as well as in-hospital and outpatient control (mid- to long-term) data were recorded. A P-value of less than .05 was considered as significant. Analysis of survival was performed by using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. RESULTS: The 30-day follow-up was 100% complete for all patients. All patients were followed for 59.59 to 114 months) months postoperatively. Three patients (6.8%) in the modified and 2 (5.2%) in the standard group had intraluminal shunting (P > .05). In the standard group, 3 patients expired and 3 had perioperative stroke; only 1 patient had a stroke in the modified group and two expired (P > .05). Mean survival time according to Kaplan-Meier test was 109.97, SE 2.84, 95% CI (104.41-115.52) months for the former group, whereas it was 62.79, SE 1.20, 95% CI (60.4565.13) months for the latter. Actuarial estimates of survival during ten-year follow up were 94.44% SE 3.83 in ten-year follow-ups and 97.67% SE 2.30 in 5-year follow-ups for the modified group (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Avoidance from extended periods of general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass periods as well as immediate recognition of impaired cerebral flow during CEA and the time it provides to take preventive measures are the most important benefits of the modified technique without significantly changing hospital and long-term mortality and stroke. It may also reduce the cost and the waiting period for the suffering patient.