Coil Embolization of Post-Traumatic Pseudoaneurysm of the Ascending Aorta.

BACKGROUND Traumatic rupture of the ascending aorta is a life-threatening injury, with a survival rate of around 15% to 20%. Treatment with open surgical repair is the criterion standard. However, open surgical repair is associated with high mortality and morbidity in patients with multiple traumas. There are no systematic data on traumatic thoracic rupture and aorta rupture in a cohort of patients who had undergone partial or total replacement of the thoracic aorta. We can only speculate about the mechanisms and consequences of such an injury. Therefore, even unorthodox endovascular techniques are a welcome advancement in this field and should be considered, providing they do not compromise patient safety. CASE REPORT A 61-year-old man presented with polytrauma after a fall from height. Since the patient had a history of a Bentall procedure, hypertension, coronary disease, and nicotinism, we quickly excluded open surgery as a treatment option. However, the patient's condition, additional injuries, and anatomical features prompted us to perform coil pseudoaneurysm, reducing his operative trauma and allowing for his faster recovery and early rehabilitation. The patient has remained under careful clinical supervision. The result of the patient's 1-year follow-up was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS In this case, the endovascular approach was an effective, if temporary, option to open or hybrid surgery. This demonstrates that minimally invasive surgery can be helpful in some patients and can also be helpful as a bridge therapy. A good rapport between the surgeon and the patient is crucial to understanding the advantages and disadvantages of such treatment.

Lymphatic complications after vascular interventions.

INTRODUCTION: Lymphorrhea due to classical and mini-invasive surgical interventions on femoral and popliteal arteries is a serious hindrance to patient treatment. Depending on the experience of a particular center, the incidence and frequency of this type of complication may constitute a serious clinical problem. While the level of lymphorrhea intensity and its duration result in certain foreseeable consequences, their treatment can be a time-consuming and multistep procedure. AIM: To compare different types of vascular interventions with lymphorrhea occurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of lymphatic complications based on the material collected between 2005 and 2012 at the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of the Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw and in the Department of Interventional Cardiology and Angiology of the Institute of Cardiology in Anin, Warsaw, in 2009-2012. RESULTS: Maintaining due thoroughness when dissecting tissues and treating the cutting line in this area with ligatures and tissue puncture are the most reliable methods of minimizing the risk of lymphatic leakage after surgical procedures performed in a classical way. The lymphatic complication under analysis is far less likely to occur when procedures are performed as planned and an endovascular technique is used - statistical significance p < 0.05. Minimally invasive and fully percutaneous procedures performed via needle puncture, including the use of the fascial closure technique to close the femoral artery, eliminate the likelihood of the occurrence of this vascular complication - statistical significance was found with p value less than 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that in every case by minimizing the vascular approach we protected the patient against lymphatic complications.