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1.
Neurotox Res ; 41(6): 741-751, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37904065

ABSTRACT

Addiction is a serious public health problem, and the current pharmacotherapy is unable to prevent drug use reinstatement. Studies have focused on physical exercise as a promising coadjuvant treatment. Our research group recently showed beneficial neuroadaptations in the dopaminergic system related to amphetamine-relapse prevention involving physical exercise-induced endogenous opioid system activation (EXE-OS activation). In this context, additional mechanisms were explored to understand the exercise benefits on drug addiction. Male rats previously exposed to amphetamine (AMPH, 4.0 mg/kg) for 8 days were submitted to physical exercise for 5 weeks. EXE-OS activation was blocked by naloxone administration (0.3 mg/kg) 5 min before each physical exercise session. After the exercise protocol, the rats were re-exposed to AMPH for 3 days, and in sequence, euthanasia was performed and the VTA and NAc were dissected. In the VTA, our findings showed increased immunocontent of proBDNF, BDNF, and GDNF and decreased levels of AMPH-induced TrkB; therefore, EXE-OS activation increased all these markers and naloxone administration prevented this exercise-induced effect. In the NAc, the same molecular markers were also increased by AMPH and decreased by EXE-OS activation. In this study, we propose a close relation between EXE-OS activation beneficial influence and a consequent neuroadaptation on neurotrophins and dopaminergic system levels in the mesolimbic brain area, preventing the observed AMPH-relapse behavior. Our outcomes bring additional knowledge concerning addiction neurobiology understanding and show that EXE-OS activation may be a potential adjuvant tool in drug addiction therapy.


Subject(s)
Amphetamine-Related Disorders , Analgesics, Opioid , Rats , Male , Animals , Nerve Growth Factors/pharmacology , Amphetamine , Brain , Naloxone/pharmacology , Nucleus Accumbens
2.
Mol Neurobiol ; 59(9): 5564-5573, 2022 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35732868

ABSTRACT

Amphetamine (AMPH) is a psychostimulant drug frequently related to addiction, which is characterized by functional and molecular changes in the brain reward system, favoring relapse development, and pharmacotherapies have shown low effectiveness. Considering the beneficial influences of tactile stimulation (TS) in different diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS), here we evaluated if TS applied in adult rats could prevent or minimize the AMPH-relapse behavior also accessing molecular neuroadaptations in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Following AMPH conditioning in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, male rats were submitted to TS (15-min session, 3 times a day, for 8 days) during the drug abstinence period, which were re-exposed to the drug in the CPP paradigm for additional 3 days for relapse observation and molecular assessment. Our findings showed that besides AMPH relapse, TS prevented the dopamine transporter (DAT), dopamine 1 receptor (D1R), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), mu opioid receptor (MOR) increase, and AMPH-induced delta FosB (ΔFosB). Based on these outcomes, we propose TS as a useful tool to treat psychostimulant addiction, which is subsequent to clinical studies; it could be included in detoxification programs together with pharmacotherapies and psychological treatments already conventionally established.


Subject(s)
Amphetamine , Central Nervous System Stimulants , Amphetamine/pharmacology , Animals , Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacology , Dopamine , Male , Nucleus Accumbens , Rats , Recurrence
3.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav ; 197: 173000, 2020 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32702398

ABSTRACT

Psychostimulant drugs addiction is a chronic public health problem and individuals remain susceptible to relapses increasing public expenses even after withdrawal and treatment. Our research group has focused on finding new therapies to be employed in drug addiction treatment, suggesting the physical exercise as a promising tool. This way, it is necessary to know the mechanisms involved in the beneficial influences of physical exercise observing the pathway that could be explored in drug addiction treatment. Male Wistar rats were conditioned with amphetamine (AMPH) following the conditioned place preference (CPP) protocol and subsequently submitted to swimming for 5 weeks (1 h per day, 5 days per week). Half of the animals were injected with Naloxone (0.3 mg/mL/kg body weight, i.p.) 5 min prior each physical exercise day. After AMPH-CPP re-exposure, our outcomes showed that physical exercise, in addition to minimizing the relapse behavior in the CPP, it increased D1R, D2R and DAT in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), but not in the Nucleus accumbens (NAc). Interestingly, while naloxone inhibited the partial beneficial influence of the exercise on drug-relapse behavior, exercise-induced changes in the dopaminergic system were not observed in the group administered with naloxone as well. Based on these evidences, besides reinforcing the beneficial influence of the physical exercise on AMPH-induced drug addiction, we propose the involvement of endogenous opioid system activation, not as a single one, but as a possible mechanism of action resulting from the physical activity practice, thus characterizing an important therapeutic approach, which may contribute to drug withdrawal consequently preventing relapse.


Subject(s)
Amphetamine-Related Disorders/therapy , Amphetamine/pharmacology , Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacology , Physical Conditioning, Animal/methods , Animals , Conditioning, Classical/drug effects , Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Locomotion/drug effects , Male , Maze Learning/drug effects , Naloxone/pharmacology , Narcotic Antagonists/pharmacology , Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, Dopamine D1/metabolism , Receptors, Dopamine D2/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Swimming , Ventral Tegmental Area/metabolism
4.
Neurotox Res ; 38(2): 274-286, 2020 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32458406

ABSTRACT

Ketamine (KET) is a dissociative anesthetic for restrict medical use with high potential for abuse and neurotoxicity which does not prevent its recreational use. Gallic acid (GA) is a natural free radical "scavenger." We evaluated the GA protective role regarding binge or subchronic (SbChro) KET-induced toxicity in adolescent rats. In the binge protocol, animals were treated with GA (one dose of 13.5 mg/kg, p.o. every 2 h, totaling 3 doses) 12 h after KET exposure (one dose of 10 mg/kg, i.p., every 3 h, totaling 5 doses). In the SbChro, animals were treated with GA (one dose of 13.5 mg/kg/day, p.o., for 3 days) 48 h following KET exposure (one dose of 10 mg/kg/day, i.p) for 10 days. Our findings show that binge-KET impaired memory, increased pro-BDNF and TrkB levels in the hippocampus, and increased lipid peroxidation (LP) in the kidney and hippocampus, while SbChro-KET impaired memory, increased pro-BDNF, and decreased both BDNF and TrkB levels in the hippocampus, and increased LP in the kidney, liver, and hippocampus. GA treatment reversed the subchronically KET-induced harmful influences better. Interestingly, only memory impairment observed in the SbChro-KET protocol was reversed by GA. Memory impairments showed a positive correlation with hippocampal BDNF levels and negative with LP levels in the same brain area. This last hippocampal damage (LP) showed a negative correlation with BDNF levels in the hippocampus, indicating an interesting and close causal connection. Our outcomes show that the deleterious effects of SbChro-KET exposure can be attenuated or abolished with GA administration, a natural antioxidant that could be considered in KET abuse treatment.


Subject(s)
Anesthetics, Dissociative/administration & dosage , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Gallic Acid/pharmacology , Hippocampus/drug effects , Ketamine/administration & dosage , Memory, Short-Term/drug effects , Anesthetics, Dissociative/toxicity , Animals , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/drug effects , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism , Catalase/drug effects , Catalase/metabolism , Hippocampus/metabolism , Ketamine/toxicity , Kidney/drug effects , Kidney/metabolism , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Liver/drug effects , Liver/metabolism , Male , Memory/drug effects , Memory Disorders , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Rats , Receptor, trkB/drug effects , Receptor, trkB/metabolism , Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
5.
Mol Neurobiol ; 56(9): 6239-6250, 2019 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30741369

ABSTRACT

Depression is a common psychiatric disease which pharmacological treatment relieves symptoms, but still far from ideal. Tactile stimulation (TS) has shown beneficial influences in neuropsychiatric disorders, but the mechanism of action is not clear. Here, we evaluated the TS influence when applied on adult female rats previously exposed to a reserpine-induced depression-like animal model. Immediately after reserpine model (1 mg/kg/mL, 1×/day, for 3 days), female Wistar rats were submitted to TS (15 min, 3×/day, for 8 days) or not (unhandled). Imipramine (10 mg/kg/mL) was used as positive control. After behavioral assessments, animals were euthanized to collect plasma and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Behavioral observations in the forced swimming test, splash test, and sucrose preference confirmed the reserpine-induced depression-like behavior, which was reversed by TS. Our findings showed that reserpine increased plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone, decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B, and increased proBDNF immunoreactivity in the PFC, which were also reversed by TS. Moreover, TS reestablished glial fibrillary acidic protein and glucocorticoid receptor levels, decreased by reserpine in PFC, while glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor was increased by TS per se. Our outcomes are showing that TS applied in adulthood exerts a beneficial influence in depression-like behaviors, modulating the HPA axis and regulating neurotrophic factors more effectively than imipramine. Based on this, our proposal is that TS, in the long term, could be considered a new therapeutic strategy for neuropsychiatric disorders improvement in adult life, which may represent an interesting contribution to conventional pharmacological treatment.


Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Behavior, Animal , Depression/physiopathology , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology , Nerve Growth Factors/metabolism , Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiopathology , Signal Transduction , Touch , Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Corticosterone/blood , Depression/blood , Female , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/drug effects , Organ Size/drug effects , Pituitary-Adrenal System/drug effects , Rats, Wistar , Reserpine/pharmacology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sucrose , Swimming
6.
Physiotherapy ; 102(4): 377-383, 2016 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26725004

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the combined effects of cryotherapy and pulsed ultrasound therapy (PUT) on oxidative stress parameters, tissue damage markers and systemic inflammation after musculoskeletal injury. DESIGN: Experimental animal study. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control, lesion, cryotherapy, PUT, and cryotherapy+PUT. INTERVENTIONS: The gastrocnemius muscle was injured by mechanical crushing. Cryotherapy was applied immediately after injury (immersion in water at 10°C for 20minutes). PUT was commenced 24hours after injury (1MHz, 0.4W/cm2SPTA, 20% duty cycle, 5minutes). All animals were treated every 8hours for 3 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oxidative stress in muscle was evaluated by concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), anti-oxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP) and catalase. Plasma levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. RESULTS: When applied individually, cryotherapy and PUT reduced CK, LDH, CRP and LPO caused by muscle damage. Cryotherapy+PUT in combination maintained the previous results, caused a reduction in ROS [P=0.005, mean difference -0.9×10-8 relative area, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.2 to -1.9], and increased ACAP {P=0.007, mean difference 0.34 1/[relative area with/without 2,2-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine)dihydrochloride], 95% CI 0.07 to 0.61} and catalase (P=0.002, mean difference 0.41units/mg protein, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.73) compared with the lesion group. CONCLUSIONS: Cryotherapy+PUT in combination reduced oxidative stress in muscle, contributing to a reduction in adjacent damage and tissue repair.


Subject(s)
Contusions/physiopathology , Contusions/rehabilitation , Cryotherapy/methods , Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Ultrasonic Therapy/methods , Animals , Antioxidants/physiology , Biomarkers , Inflammation Mediators/metabolism , Lipid Peroxidation/physiology , Male , Rats , Rats, Wistar
7.
Horm Metab Res ; 47(13): 959-66, 2015 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26575304

ABSTRACT

Identification and management of patients with primary aldosteronism are of utmost importance because it is a frequent cause of endocrine hypertension, and affected patients display an increase of cardio- and cerebro-vascular events, compared to essential hypertensives. Distinction of primary aldosteronism subtypes is of particular relevance to allocate the patients to the appropriate treatment, represented by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists for bilateral forms and unilateral adrenalectomy for patients with unilateral aldosterone secretion. Subtype differentiation of confirmed hyperaldosteronism comprises adrenal CT scanning and adrenal venous sampling. In this review, we will discuss different clinical scenarios where execution, interpretation of adrenal vein sampling and subsequent patient management might be challenging, providing the clinician with useful information to help the interpretation of controversial procedures.


Subject(s)
Hyperaldosteronism/classification , Hyperaldosteronism/diagnosis , Adult , Female , Humans , Hyperaldosteronism/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Radiography , Young Adult
8.
Auton Neurosci ; 193: 31-7, 2015 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26032957

ABSTRACT

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat many diseases, including heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic stimulation in the ST36 acupuncture point on haemodynamic parameters and baroreflex function in rats with HF. Cardiovascular parameters assessed were heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and the reflex cardiovascular response of HR triggered by stimulation of baroreceptors in animals with HF subsequent to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Sham Control - animals without HF and without EA; HF Control group - animals with HF and without EA; and HF EA group - animals with HF that received the EA protocol. Six weeks after surgical induction of AMI, the EA protocol (8 weeks, 5 times a week) was performed. The protocol was applied with EA at the ST36 point, frequency of 2 Hz, pulse of 0.3 ms and intensity of 1-3 mA for 30 min. Haemodynamic parameters and baroreceptor function were assessed. There was no difference between groups in the variables HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), which were evaluated with awake animals (p>0.05). There was an increase in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the HF EA group compared to the HF Control group (p<0.05). The maximum gain of the baroreflex heart rate response (Gain) was higher in the HF EA group than the HF Control and Sham Control groups. Chronic EA in the ST36 point increased the MAP and baroreflex sensitivity in rats with HF.


Subject(s)
Baroreflex , Electroacupuncture/methods , Heart Failure/physiopathology , Heart Failure/therapy , Hemodynamics , Acupuncture Points , Animals , Baroreflex/physiology , Disease Models, Animal , Hemodynamics/physiology , Male , Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology , Myocardial Infarction/therapy , Rats, Wistar , Treatment Outcome
9.
Braz. j. med. biol. res ; 46(6): 513-520, 02/jul. 2013. graf
Article in English | LILACS | ID: lil-679201

ABSTRACT

Frogs have been used as an alternative model to study pain mechanisms. Since we did not find any reports on the effects of sciatic nerve transection (SNT) on the ultrastructure and pattern of metabolic substances in frog dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, in the present study, 18 adult male frogs (Rana catesbeiana) were divided into three experimental groups: naive (frogs not subjected to surgical manipulation), sham (frogs in which all surgical procedures to expose the sciatic nerve were used except transection of the nerve), and SNT (frogs in which the sciatic nerve was exposed and transected). After 3 days, the bilateral DRG of the sciatic nerve was collected and used for transmission electron microscopy. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect reactivity for glucose transporter (Glut) types 1 and 3, tyrosine hydroxylase, serotonin and c-Fos, as well as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-diaphorase). SNT induced more mitochondria with vacuolation in neurons, satellite glial cells (SGCs) with more cytoplasmic extensions emerging from cell bodies, as well as more ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, intermediate filaments and mitochondria. c-Fos immunoreactivity was found in neuronal nuclei. More neurons and SGCs surrounded by tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity were found. No change occurred in serotonin- and Glut1- and Glut3-like immunoreactivity. NADPH-diaphorase occurred in more neurons and SGCs. No sign of SGC proliferation was observed. Since the changes of frog DRG in response to nerve injury are similar to those of mammals, frogs should be a valid experimental model for the study of the effects of SNT, a condition that still has many unanswered questions.


Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism , Ganglia, Spinal/ultrastructure , Oxidoreductases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism , Sciatic Nerve/injuries , Serotonin/metabolism , Cellular Microenvironment , Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative/metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , NADPH Dehydrogenase/metabolism , Neuralgia/metabolism , Rana catesbeiana , /metabolism
10.
Braz J Med Biol Res ; 46(6): 513-20, 2013 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23739744

ABSTRACT

Frogs have been used as an alternative model to study pain mechanisms. Since we did not find any reports on the effects of sciatic nerve transection (SNT) on the ultrastructure and pattern of metabolic substances in frog dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, in the present study, 18 adult male frogs (Rana catesbeiana) were divided into three experimental groups: naive (frogs not subjected to surgical manipulation), sham (frogs in which all surgical procedures to expose the sciatic nerve were used except transection of the nerve), and SNT (frogs in which the sciatic nerve was exposed and transected). After 3 days, the bilateral DRG of the sciatic nerve was collected and used for transmission electron microscopy. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect reactivity for glucose transporter (Glut) types 1 and 3, tyrosine hydroxylase, serotonin and c-Fos, as well as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-diaphorase). SNT induced more mitochondria with vacuolation in neurons, satellite glial cells (SGCs) with more cytoplasmic extensions emerging from cell bodies, as well as more ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, intermediate filaments and mitochondria. c-Fos immunoreactivity was found in neuronal nuclei. More neurons and SGCs surrounded by tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity were found. No change occurred in serotonin- and Glut1- and Glut3-like immunoreactivity. NADPH-diaphorase occurred in more neurons and SGCs. No sign of SGC proliferation was observed. Since the changes of frog DRG in response to nerve injury are similar to those of mammals, frogs should be a valid experimental model for the study of the effects of SNT, a condition that still has many unanswered questions.


Subject(s)
Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism , Ganglia, Spinal/ultrastructure , Oxidoreductases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism , Sciatic Nerve/injuries , Serotonin/metabolism , Animals , Cellular Microenvironment , Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative/metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , NADPH Dehydrogenase/metabolism , Neuralgia/metabolism , Rana catesbeiana , Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/metabolism
11.
Radiol Med ; 117(1): 46-53, 2012 Feb.
Article in English, Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21509549

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We conducted a single-centre retrospective analysis of the results and predictors of early mortality in emergency transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 2009, 82 patients with refractory variceal bleeding underwent emergency TIPS at our Institution. The success and complications of the procedure were assessed for each patient. Child class, platelet count, prothrombin time, serum creatinine levels and venous pressure before and after TIPS were studied statistically as possible prognostic factors of early mortality. RESULTS: The technical, haemodynamic, and clinical success rates were 91.6%, 78% and 86.6%, respectively. Complications occurred in 21 cases (25.6%): eight were major (two stent migrations, one pulmonary embolism, one haemoperitoneum, one haemobilia, three intrahepatic haematomas) and 13 were minor (encephalopathy responsive to medical therapy). Twenty-one patients (25.6%) died due to the following causes: disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (n=2), haemorrhage (n=8), cardiopulmonary failure (n=2) and liver failure (n=9). The predictors of mortality were Child's class C, high serum creatinine and prolonged prothrombin time. CONCLUSIONS: The technical success of TIPS may not lead to haemodynamic and clinical success. Complications are often due to impaired coagulation and inadequacy of the stent-graft. Early mortality is only influenced by pre-existing clinical and laboratory factors.


Subject(s)
Esophageal and Gastric Varices/mortality , Esophageal and Gastric Varices/surgery , Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic/adverse effects , Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic/mortality , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Creatinine/blood , Emergency Treatment , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Platelet Count , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Prothrombin Time , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Venous Pressure
12.
J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) ; 52(5): 735-7, 2011 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18948865

ABSTRACT

A 62-year-old man was incidentally diagnosed with a completely asymptomatic aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) aneurysm with a maximum diameter of 4.5 cm. This condition presents a postrupture mortality rate of 50% and the morbidity-mortality rates reported in the literature with traditional open repair procedures are of 25%. In our patient we planned a hybrid procedure and excluded the aneurysm by performing, first, a right carotid-subclavian bypass with ligation of the subclavian artery upstream from the vertebral artery and the internal mammary artery and, the day after, by covering its origin from the aortic arch with the placement of a thoracic endoprosthesis. A third session was necessary, three days later, because of a leak; a complete resolution of the condition was achieved by embolizing the still perfused residual aneurysmal sac with Balt metallic coils.


Subject(s)
Aneurysm/therapy , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation , Endovascular Procedures , Subclavian Artery/surgery , Vascular Malformations/therapy , Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Aneurysm/surgery , Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/adverse effects , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/instrumentation , Combined Modality Therapy , Embolization, Therapeutic , Endoleak/diagnostic imaging , Endoleak/etiology , Endoleak/therapy , Endovascular Procedures/adverse effects , Endovascular Procedures/instrumentation , Humans , Incidental Findings , Ligation , Male , Prosthesis Design , Stents , Subclavian Artery/abnormalities , Subclavian Artery/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Spiral Computed , Treatment Outcome , Vascular Malformations/diagnostic imaging , Vascular Malformations/surgery
13.
Minerva Cardioangiol ; 49(1): 23-9, 2001 Feb.
Article in English, Italian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11279382

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study was to evaluate the results of endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in patients considered not suitable for traditional open surgical repair because of the high anesthesiological risk. METHODS: We have retrospectively evaluated the result of the endovascular treatment of 11 patients with AAA of more than 6 cm diameter and high surgical risk due to cardiac hypokinesia and/or respiratory insufficiency. Patients were selected by a team composed of vascular surgeons and vascular radiologists who decided to implant the graft according to anatomical features of the AAA and of the iliac arteries. The treatment was performed in loco-regional anesthesia. The main end-points were: implantation success, mortality, morbidity, the absence of endoleak during the follow up that lasted two years. RESULTS: All the grafts were successfully implanted. There were no complications caused by anesthesiological manouvres. We had a minor intra-operative vascular complication and we performed three adjunctive endovascular procedures. A patient died of acute myocardial infarction, in the post operative period. Mean stay was six days. Pre-discharge scan showed 3 endoleaks (type I), two of these healed spontaneously and one sealed by percutaneous endovascular treatment. During follow-up (3-24 months) no patient died. One endoleak (type II) still persists. CONCLUSIONS The use of loco-regional anaesthesia allows us to treat high risk patients. Following strictly the criteria of patient selection, the surgical high risk seems not to influence significantly the mid term results that are almost equal to the ones obtained in low-risk patients.


Subject(s)
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal/surgery , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anesthesia, Conduction , Anesthesia, Local , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome
15.
Radiology ; 209(3): 729-34, 1998 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9844666

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of stent-grafts for the percutaneous closure of arteriovenous fistulas that develop after cardiac catheterization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1994 to November 1997, 14 arteriovenous fistulas in 13 patients (eight men, five women; age range, 46-65 years; mean age, 53.5 years) were treated. Eleven fistulas were situated between the deep femoral artery and the common femoral vein, and three fistulas were between the superficial femoral artery and the common femoral vein. All fistulas were closed with stent-grafts positioned in the artery at the level of the fistula. RESULTS: The percutaneous treatment of arteriovenous fistulas was successful in all cases. The findings at angiography performed after the procedure demonstrated the closure of the fistulas and the correct positioning of the prostheses; veins were no longer visible. One complication occurred--a partial thrombosis of the common femoral vein at the puncture site after manual compression. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the preliminary data, the authors believe that the percutaneous closure of arteriovenous fistulas with stent-grafts is a safe and effective alternative to conventional surgery.


Subject(s)
Arteriovenous Fistula/etiology , Arteriovenous Fistula/surgery , Cardiac Catheterization/adverse effects , Femoral Artery , Stents , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged
16.
J Endovasc Surg ; 5(3): 206-15, 1998 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9761571

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of an Italian multicenter trial of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) exclusion using the Stentor device. METHODS: Between April 1995 and July 1996, 66 patients (63 men; average age 69 years, range 53 to 84) with infrarenal AAAs meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The average diameter of the aneurysm was 4.6 cm (range 4.2 to 7). Three (4.5%) of the 66 AAAs were anastomotic aneurysms. RESULTS: Sixteen (25%) tubular and 50 (76%) bifurcated endograft procedures were attempted; 4 (6.1%) were converted and 1 terminated owing to technical faults with the bifurcated graft's second limb. One tube graft was too short and failed to exclude an anastomotic aneurysm. Sixty (91%) endograft procedures were completed successfully. Six (9.1%) vascular complications occurred, three in one patient who subsequently died of pulmonary embolism 72 hours postoperatively (1.5% mortality). There were four (6.1%) proximal endoleaks; two sealed spontaneously in < 1 month, and a third was converted (7.6% conversion rate). The fourth is being observed. Clinical success (aneurysm exclusion with no death or endoleak) at 30 days was 86.3% (57/66). In the 23-month follow-up of 57 eligible patients, 2 patients died of unrelated causes and 1 graft limb thrombosed, requiring a crossover femoral bypass. One patient was converted to surgical repair at 5 months postoperatively when increasing aneurysm size signaled an undisclosed endoleak (1.8% late conversion rate). Five other secondary endoleaks were treated with endovascular techniques. CONCLUSIONS: The Stentor was technically feasible in 10% to 40% of AAA candidates in this study, although deployment of the second limb was problematic in the bifurcated device. Introduction of the second-generation Vanguard endograft brought this study to an end.


Subject(s)
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal/surgery , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/instrumentation , Stents , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Angiography , Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal/diagnostic imaging , Feasibility Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Incidence , Intraoperative Complications , Italy , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Survival Rate , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Treatment Outcome
17.
Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol ; 21(4): 339-42, 1998.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9688805

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the feasibility of percutaneous treatment of iliac aneurysms, a covered stent was inserted in nine men suffering from common iliac artery aneurysms (six cases), external iliac aneurysms (one case), or pseudoaneurysms (two cases). Placement of the stent was successful in all patients. In one patient, an endoprosthesis thrombosed after 15 days, but was successfully treated by thrombolysis and additional stent placement. At the follow-up examinations (mean period 22 months) all stent-grafts had remained patent. No late leakage or stenosis was observed.


Subject(s)
Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/methods , Iliac Aneurysm/surgery , Stents , Adult , Aged , Angiography , Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/instrumentation , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Vascular Patency
18.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg ; 115(6): 1316-20, 1998 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9628673

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the feasibility and results of intraoperative balloon angioplasty and additional stent placement of isolated stenosis of the brachiocephalic trunk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 1993 and October 1996, we treated eight patients with local stenosis of the innominate artery. Seven lesions were situated in the proximal and one in the middle third of the brachiocephalic trunk. Five patients were men and three were women, with ages ranging from 55 to 72 years (mean 59.5 years). All stenoses provoked severe blood flow reduction and caused clinical symptoms. Procedures were performed in an operating suite with fluoroscopic imaging capabilities. Through an anterolateral cervical approach the right common carotid artery was surgically exposed and then clamped to avoid atheroembolization during the subsequent procedure. Retrograde catheterization was performed to reach the stenosis of the brachiocephalic trunk. The lesion was dilated with a balloon catheter and successively stented. Follow-up examinations (color-coded duplex sonography, accompanied by clinical inspection and systolic blood pressure) were scheduled every 6 months. RESULTS: In all patients the dilation of the stenosis of the innominate artery and the stent placement were successful without any side effects. No embolic events or other complications occurred. The postintervention angiography showed successfully dilated stenoses and patent stents in all cases. The technical success rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our preliminary data, we believe that, in selected patients, intraoperative balloon angioplasty of stenosis of the innominate artery with stent placement from the right common carotid artery approach is a safe and effective alternative to conventional operations.


Subject(s)
Angioplasty, Balloon/methods , Arteriosclerosis/surgery , Brachiocephalic Trunk , Stents , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Arteriosclerosis/diagnostic imaging , Brachiocephalic Trunk/diagnostic imaging , Brachiocephalic Trunk/surgery , Catheterization , Constriction, Pathologic , Feasibility Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Monitoring, Intraoperative , Radiography , Retrospective Studies , Safety , Treatment Outcome
19.
J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) ; 38(3): 301-3, 1997 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9219482

ABSTRACT

The authors report a case of a patient with thromboembolic strokes caused by a high internal carotid artery aneurysm. Considering the position and the anatomic structure of this aneurysm the sac was excluded transluminally by placing an endovascular covered stent.


Subject(s)
Aneurysm/surgery , Angioplasty, Balloon/methods , Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Carotid Artery Diseases/surgery , Stents , Aneurysm/complications , Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Artery Diseases/complications , Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Artery, Internal , Humans , Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis/etiology , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
20.
J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) ; 38(2): 173-6, 1997 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9201131

ABSTRACT

The authors report a case of combined surgical and endovascular treatment of a traumatic pseudo-aneurysm of the innominate artery in which the left common carotid artery originated from the brachiocephalic trunk. After a conventional surgical intervention with the implantation of the left common artery on the left subclavian artery, to correct the anatomic anomaly, a safe and effective endovascular stent-graft placement excluded the aneurysm. This new technique proposes a good chance for polytraumatized patients to receive a better prognosis and a much faster rehabilitation.


Subject(s)
Aneurysm, False/therapy , Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Brachiocephalic Trunk/abnormalities , Brachiocephalic Trunk/injuries , Carotid Artery, Common/abnormalities , Catheterization , Stents , Adult , Aneurysm, False/complications , Aneurysm, False/etiology , Humans , Male , Polytetrafluoroethylene
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