Successful Endovascular Management of a Transplant Renal Artery Pseudoaneurysm Complicated With Arterioureteral Fistula.

We report a case of renal artery pseudoaneurysm at the anastomosis site complicated with arterioureteral fistula (AUF) in a 57-year-old kidney transplant recipient who presented with intermittent massive hematuria at one month post-transplant. We successfully treated the pseudoaneurysm and AUF with endovascular covered stent implantation. The diagnosis of AUF is rare and it is a condition that occurs in patients with previous pelvic or vascular surgery, chronic ureteral catheterization and radiotherapy. This diagnosis requires the expertise of the urologist, vascular surgeon and interventional radiologist. The fistula most often occur in the iliac arteries and are often associated with pseudoaneurysms or abscesses. Angiography and ureteral contrast studies (antegrade or retrograde pyelography) are the most valuable diagnostic tools. Treatment of AUF via endovascular approach using covered stents is effective and safe, and is becoming the reference treatment in AUFs.

Proposal of a new radiological classification system for spinal meningiomas as a descriptive tool and surgical guide.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To provide neurosurgeons and radiologists with a new quantitative and anatomical method to describe spinal meningiomas (SM) consistently. 2) To provide a guide to the surgical approach needed and amount of bony resection required based on the proposed classification. 3) To report the distribution of our 58 cases of SM over different Stages and Subtypes in correlation to the surgical treatment needed for each case. 4) To briefly review the literature on the rare non-conventional surgical corridors to resect SM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the literature to report on previously published cohorts and classifications used to describe the location of the tumor inside the spinal canal. We reviewed the cases that were published prior showing non-conventional surgical approaches to resect spinal meningiomas. We proposed our classification system composed of Staging based on maximal cross-sectional surface area of tumor inside canal, Typing based on number of quadrants occupied by tumor and Subtyping based on location of the tumor bulk to spinal cord. Extradural and extra-spinal growth were also covered by our classification. We then applied it retrospectively on our 58 cases. RESULTS: 12 articles were published illustrating overlapping terms to describe spinal meningiomas. Another 7 articles were published reporting on 23 cases of anteriorly located spinal meningiomas treated with approaches other than laminectomies/laminoplasties. 4 Types, 9 Subtypes and 4 Stages were described in our Classification System. In our series of 58 patients, no midline anterior type was represented. Therefore, all our cases were treated by laminectomies or laminoplasties (with/without facetectomies) except a case with a paraspinal component where a costotransversectomy was needed. CONCLUSION: Spinal meningiomas can be radiologically described in a precise fashion. Selection of surgical corridor depends mainly on location of tumor bulk inside canal.

Two-detector Computed Tomography Map of the Inferior Epigastric Vessels for Percutaneous Transabdominal Intervention Procedures.

BACKGROUND: It is crucial to know anatomic variations and the exact course of an inferior epigastric artery (IEA) to prevent any complications during percutaneous abdominal interventions. AIMS: The aim of this study was to map the inferior epigastric vessels using reconstructed two-detector computed tomography images and measure the distance from the inferior epigastric artery (IEA) to the midline to determine a safe route for percutaneous abdominal interventions. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study. METHODS: Coronal reconstructed two-detector computed tomography images of 200 patients were evaluated to measure the distances between the IEA and midline at three levels (origin, middle, and distal). Vein and artery arrangements were documented. RESULTS: The most frequently encountered arrangement (41.5%) was a single vein and artery on both sides. Mean distances on the right and left sides were 4.01 and 4.47 cm at the umbilical level, 3.81 and 4.26 cm at the midlevel, and 5.62 and 5.51 cm at the origin level. On both sides, measurement differences between the three levels were highly significant (p<0.05). In addition, a total of 56 IEA bifurcations were depicted in all 200 patients. Thirteen of the 56 bifurcations occurred only on the right side, 11 only on the left side, and 32 on both sides. CONCLUSION: It is important to be attentive to the IEA's course, at different midline levels, when attempting percutaneous interventions via an abdominal approach.

Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings of asymptomatic intra-abdominal gastrointestinal system lipomas.

Lipomas are common benign mesenchymal neoplasms documented in literature. This study aimed to describe the computed tomographic (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of gastrointestinal system lipomas, all of which are incidentally found in routine abdominal imaging studies. Lipomas were depicted as homogeneous, nonenhancing, well-marginated lesions consistent with adipose tissue on CT and MRI. The density measurements on CT images consistent with fat are virtually diagnostic. Lipomas can incidentally be found and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue gastrointestinal system-related masses. Computed tomographic or MRI examinations can correctly diagnose a lipoma nonoperatively, thereby allowing better treatment planning.