Splenic arteriovenous fistula--late complications of splenectomy.

This is a case report of a 30-year-old female patient with a splenic arteriovenous fistula of rare, atypical clinical course. The patient was admitted to the hospital due to strong abdominal pains and fever. 13 years earlier, the patient underwent splenectomy due to post-traumatic rupture of the spleen. On imaging examinations prior to surgery (ultrasonography, CT), a splenic arteriovenous fistula was diagnosed. The patient was operated on due to increasing abdominal pain. The fistula was closed by splenic artery and splenic vein banding during the course of laparotomy. This case report will be discussed based on literature review.

A series of 15 patients with extracranial carotid artery aneurysms: surgical and endovascular treatment.

OBJECTIVES: This is a retrospective review of 15 patients with primary and secondary aneurysms of extracranial carotid arteries treated surgically and endoluminally over 20 years in one centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen aneurysms of extracranial carotid arteries were noticed in the same number of patients: five atherosclerotic, two after previous carotid surgery, six post-traumatic, one inflammatory, one of unknown etiology. All of them were symptomatic. RESULTS: In the group treated surgically some complications occurred in the perioperative time: one haematoma, two transient neurological deficits, one fatal stroke. In the endovascular group of patients no complications occurred after the treatment. One fatal stroke occurred during operation-the patient died on the 43rd postoperative day due to respiratory insufficiency. Two other deaths occurred during the follow-up: one caused by myocardial infarction 10 years after the aneurysm resection, and the second due to a fatal stroke 3 years after aneurysmorraphy. One patient refused treatment and died 9 months after being diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Neurological deficits in patients after neck injuries should arouse the suspicion of the presence of a carotid artery aneurysm. Open repair remains the method of choice in treating carotid artery aneurysms but endovascular procedures create the possibility of treating extracranial aneurysms in selected cases when open surgery is not recommended.

Improvement in deep vein haemodynamics following surgery for varicose veins.

OBJECTIVE: o analyse the effect of superficial and perforating veins surgery on deep vein incompetence. METHODS: During a six-month period between 2000 and 2001 24 patients (32 limbs) with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) were treated. They were selected because they had varicose veins and proximal deep vein incompetence with photoplethysmography (PPG) venous refilling time (VRT) <15 s with a below knee tourniquet, and a femoral or popliteal vein reflux time (RT) >1.5 s on duplex ultrasound. The group was divided according to aetiology into 21 legs with primary (Ep) and 11 with secondary CVI (Es). All patients underwent removal of varices with stripping of the saphenous veins, if appropriate. In 21 cases subfascial endoscopic perforating vein surgery (SEPS) was performed to ligate incompetent perforating veins. RESULTS: The average VRT for the entire group increased from 9.8 s before to 15 s after operation (p<0.001, paired t test). In the Ep group the average VRT increased from 11 to 18 s (p<0.001, paired t test), in Es group from 7.5 to 10 s (p>0.001, paired t test). Duplex ultrasonography before surgery showed femoral vein incompetence in 28 and the popliteal incompetence in 26 cases. The average femoral vein RT was 1.9 s before and 1.4 s after surgery (p<0.001, paired t test). The femoral RT in the Ep group decreased from 1.9 to 1.3 s (p<0.001, paired t test) and in the Es group from 1.9 to 1.6 s (N.S.). In the popliteal vein, RT was 1.8 s before, and 1.3 s after surgery (p<0.001, paired t test). The RT in the Ep group shortened from 1.8 to 1.1 s (p<0.001 paired t test) and in the Es group from 1.9 to 1.5 s (N.S.). CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of varicose veins and of calf perforators results in reduced deep vein reflux. The improvement is most marked in cases of primary venous insufficiency.

[Damage to cranial and peripheral nerves following patency restoration of the internal carotid artery]. / Uszkodzenia nerwów czaszkowych i obwodowych po udroznieniu tetnicy szyjnej wewnetrznej.

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was an assessment of the incidence of injury to cranial and peripheral nerves as complication of patency restoration of the internal carotid artery, and analysis of the effect of peripheral nerve injury on the results of carotid patency restoration. From Oct 1987 to Sept 1999 543 procedures were carried out for restoration of patency of the internal carotid artery. After the operation hypoglossus nerve injury was found in 7 cases (1.4%), vagus injury in 9 (1.8%). Signs of exclusively recurrent laryngeal nerve damage were found in 6 cases (1.2%). Glossopharyngeus nerve was damaged in 2 cases (0.4%), transient phrenic nerve palsy as a result of conduction anaesthesia was noted in 2 cases (0.4%). Damage to the transverse cervical nerve was found in 96 cases (60%). In 2 patients (1.2%) lower position of mouth angle was due to section of the mandibular ramus of the facial nerve. In another 2 cases skin sensation disturbances were a consequence of lesion of the auricularis magnus nerve and always they coexisted with signs of transverse cervical nerve damage. IN CONCLUSION: damage to the cranial nerves during operation for carotid patency restoration are frequent but mostly they are not connected with any health risks and often they regress spontaneously.

Autogenous valve reconstruction technique for post-thrombotic reflux.

Post-thrombotic reflux in deep veins of the lower extremities cannot be treated by in situ valvuloplasty because of valve degeneration. The outcome of transplantation and transposition of segments with valves is controversial. From feasibility tests in animals and fresh human cadavers we have developed an autogenous valve reconstruction technique. The valve is fashioned from the proximal end of the greater saphenous vein that is left attached to the femoral vein, invaginated, and fixed to the venous wall. This technique provides a competent bicuspid valve. In a series of 19 patients operated on in 1995 we performed 20 valve reconstruction procedures at the level of the femorosaphenous junction by invagination of a fragment from the proximal end of the greater saphenous vein in the common femoral vein. Mean follow-up time was 10 months. No complications were observed. All femoral veins were patent and competent except one in which mild reflux was observed because of insufficient valve size. Further follow-up is needed to confirm the efficacy of this simple, new technique.

[Surgical tactics in treatment of duodenal injuries after endoscopic sphincterotomy]. / Taktyka chirurgiczna w leczeniu uszkodzen dwunastnicy po endoskopowej sfinkterotomii.

The procedure in case of injury of the duodenum as a complication of endoscopic sphincterotomy remains controversial. We have studied all the cases of duodenal injury after endoscopic sphincterotomy during last 5 years to indicate the best strategy of surgical treatment. We observed 10 cases of duodenal perforations following 464 endoscopic sphincterotomies. Other 4 patients came from different hospitals. Six patients were managed with nonoperative treatment (group I), four patients were operated on right after the diagnosis (group II), and other four patients were initially managed with nonoperative treatment and then were operated at least 3 days after the complications occurred (group III). All the patients treated nonsurgically recovered. All the patients from group III and one from group II died, as a result of duodenal fistula and sepsis. Spontaneous recovery was observed in those cases in which gradual improvement appeared during first 24 hours. Operation should be undertaken when the symptoms are quickly increasing and primary nonsurgical treatment is not satisfied. The operations delayed for more than 3 days give poor results.

[Results of intra-arterial administration of PGE1 prostaglandin]. / Wyniki dotetniczego podawania prostaglandyny PGE1.

On the basis of own clinical material the results are presented of intra-arterial administration of PGE1 prostaglandin (Prostavasin) to 18 patients with chronic lower limb ischaemia in II, III and IV stage of the disease according to Fontaine. In the group of 15 patients (four treated as outpatients) Prostavasin was administered in multiple infusions of 20 micrograms of the drug, according to the schema recommended by the producer. Three very good, six good and three poor results were observed. The best results were seen in young patients with persisting pulse over the popliteal artery. The presented method of treatment was assessed as safe, with the possibility of application, in selected cases, on outpatient basis.

Aprotinin could promote arterial thrombosis in pigs: a prospective randomized, blind study.

Haemostatic properties of aprotinin could be associated with an increased risk of thrombosis. A randomized, blinded study was conducted to consider the potential thrombogenicity of aprotinin, using the Folts' model on femoral arteries in 12 pigs. The flow variations were measured by a pulsed Doppler in anaesthetised animals. Ear immersion bleeding time was performed. During the first part of the study, a stenosis was performed successively on both femoral arteries, each for a period of 30 min, without prior injury, to assess the integrity of the vessel, and to check that the arteries did not develop cyclic flow reductions (CFR), permanent cessation of flow (PCF) or partial thrombosis, when a stenosis is applied. Then the clamp was released and a bolus of placebo (saline), or aprotinin (4 millions KIU, followed by a continuous infusion of 1 million KIU.h-1), was administered. At the end of the bolus, the second part of the study began. Stenosis was applied to the arteries. If CRF, PCF, or partial thrombosis were observed without prior injury then the infused drug (aprotinin or saline) was considered a prothrombotic drug, and the opposite artery was studied. For each animal, right and left femoral artery segments were fixed and studied (morphologic study). Eighteen arteries were studied. In the aprotinin group, 6 arteries out of 8 developed an unexpected thrombosis, as compared with only 2 out of 10 arteries in the control group (p = 0.02). The morphologic study confirmed the occurrence of thrombosis in 4 out of 7 arteries in the aprotinin group, as compared with only 1 out of 9 in the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)