Splenorenal bypass for right renal artery revascularization.

Splenic artery to right renal artery bypass was used successfully for surgical correction of renovascular hypertension in an elderly patient. The technique used is described.

Chronic pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal artery after blunt trauma.

Blunt trauma to the popliteal artery usually results in acute arterial damage that requires urgent repair. Most blunt trauma to the popliteal artery is associated with skeletal injuries. We report a patient who had a chronic pseudoaneurysm of the popliteal artery 10 years after minor blunt trauma to the popliteal fossa. The cause of the pseudoaneurysm and suggestions for the early recognition of these arterial injuries are discussed.

Risk factors affecting the natural history of intermittent claudication.

To determine the prognostic significance of the level of arterial disease in claudicators, risk factors affecting the progression of intermittent claudication, including hemodynamic variables obtained from noninvasive vascular laboratory examinations, were assessed. We identified 378 patients with intermittent claudication by characteristic history and the presence of abnormal treadmill exercise examination results. Results of serial examinations were available for 195 of these patients, who had 310 claudicating limbs. Life-table analysis revealed that after eight years, 41% of these patients had progressed to critical ischemia, defined as rest pain or tissue loss, and 50% had died. Cox proportional hazards general linear regression analysis found that at a patient's first examination in the vascular laboratory, the ankle-brachial index and the decrease in ankle-brachial index after exercise were significantly associated with the subsequent development of critical ischemia. The level of disease at the initial examination in the vascular laboratory was not a significant risk factor for progression to critical ischemia and therefore should not be used as an indicator for or against operation in patients with intermittent claudication.

Early experimental experience with a surgically created, totally autogenous venous valve: a preliminary report.

A surgically created, totally autogenous venous valve has been devised that holds potential for the treatment of venous insufficiency. Valves were constructed from 2.7 cm long segments of canine external jugular veins. Through the use of intimal separation, folding, and suturing techniques, thin, pliable valves with an intimal lining were constructed and interposed in the canine superficial femoral vein. Fifteen valves were implanted in three groups of dogs. In group I (six dogs) the valves were immediately removed after implantation and subjected to various levels of hydrostatic pressure. In group 2 (six dogs) valves were removed after 1 week and examined for patency and competency. Group 3 animals (three dogs) were anticoagulated with subcutaneously administered heparin from implantation to removal at 7, 9, and 13 days. In group 1 valves were found to open at less than 3 cm of water and remain competent at 55 cm of water. Two of these valves subjected to 300 mm Hg pressure also remained competent. In the six group 2 dogs, two valves remained patent and competent, whereas four valves were patent but incompetent as a result of thrombus that prevented valve closure. In group 3 all valves were patent and competent at 7, 9, and 13 days after implantation. An autogenous venous valve that opens at physiologic pressures and remains competent at high pressures can be surgically created. The ability to remain competent at high pressures may give this valve an advantage over the repaired, transposed, or transplanted native venous valve in the treatment of chronic venous valvular insufficiency.

Long-term results of infragenicular bypasses with autogenous vein originating from the distal superficial femoral and popliteal arteries.

Forty-nine bypasses originating from the distal superficial femoral artery or popliteal artery in 46 patients were reviewed to examine late patency, limb salvage, and factors leading to graft failure. Operations were performed because of tissue loss in 86%, rest pain in 12%, and limiting claudication in 2% of limbs. Proximal anastomosis was from the distal superficial femoral artery in 12% and the popliteal artery in 88%. Distal anastomosis was to the below-knee popliteal artery or proximal tibial vessels in 20% and the distal tibial vessels in 80%. Life-table analysis showed a primary patency rate of 83%, 62%, and 41%, at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The rate of limb salvage at 6 years for all grafts was 69%. Cox proportional hazards analysis determined that stenosis of 20% or greater in the proximal superficial femoral artery before bypass was a significant risk factor for graft failure (p = 0.02) despite the presence of normal intra-arterial pressure at the site of the proximal anastomosis at the time of bypass. Long-term survival in these patients was low, with a 6-year survival rate of only 24%. Infragenicular bypasses originating from the distal superficial femoral artery or the popliteal artery can be performed with patency and limb salvage rates comparable to bypasses originating from the common femoral artery. These bypasses are more likely to fail when performed in the presence of a stenosis 20% or greater in the superficial femoral or popliteal artery proximal to the graft origin.

Congenital pyloric atresia and epidermolysis bullosa letalis in premature siblings.

Epidermolysis bullosa letalis has been associated with congenital pyloric atresia in an autosomal recessive syndrome. This report documents the second occurrence in premature siblings. Our review indicates that it is a lethal condition with death due to the septic complications of epidermolysis bullosa letalis. Surgical management of pyloric atresia should be withheld until the severity of the epidermolysis is known. Skin biopsy to document the type of epidermolysis bullosa is imperative as only the letalis form is documented to be lethal. The risk for subsequent siblings is 25% and parents should undergo genetic counseling. Prenatal diagnosis of epidermolysis bullosa letalis can be made by fetoscopic skin biopsy. We suggest nonoperative management of pyloric atresia unless the skin disease is responsive to treatment.

Ninety-five percent duodenectomy. An experimental study.

Subtotal excision of the duodenum with preservation of the pancreas and bile and pancreatic ducts was achieved in five dogs without complications. Reconstruction was performed by direct anastomosis of the jejunum to the duodenal strip remaining attached to the head of the pancreas. Radiologic, metabolic, and histologic parameters 4 months postoperatively documented the success of this procedure. We suggest that this technique may be used to further investigate the role of the duodenum in digestive physiologic functions and may have clinical applications for benign diseases of the duodenum.