ABSTRACT
Vertebro-venous fistula (VVF) refers to an abnormal arteriovenous shunt connecting the extracranial vertebral artery and the paraspinal venous structures. Coil embolization is the mainstay treatment of choice for VVF, and accurate definition of the endovascular target is mandatory. Traditionally, catheter-based angiograms are used for treatment planning, but those images lack bony information to delineate the precise relationship of the drainage veins to the spinal structure. Herein, we presented two VVF cases and demonstrated how we used intra-arterial cone-beam computed tomography angiography (IA-CBCTA) to determine the safe embolization zone for dense coil packing. We propose that IA-CBCTA is a useful adjunct in the endovascular planning of VVF by offering an image consisting of bony and vascular information.
ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Aneurysm , Coronary Vessels , Fistula , Heart , Heart FailureABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess the cost-effectiveness of oral capecitabine compared with intravenous bolus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV) in the adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer in Taiwan from payer (Bureau of National Health Insurance [BNHI]) perspectives. METHODS: A health state-transition model was developed to estimate the incremental costs and effectiveness of capecitabine versus 5-FU/LV. The time horizons studied were: treatment duration (24 weeks) plus 36 months, 48 months, 60 months, 120 months, and lifetime. Costs were expressed in Taiwanese new dollars (NT$). Clinical outcomes, medical resource use, and utilities were extracted from published sources. Unit costs were estimated from BNHI fee schedules, published sources, and local expert opinion. Outcomes and future costs were discounted at 3%. Cost-effectiveness was expressed as cost per quality-adjusted life-month (QALM). The effects of uncertainty were explored through a one-way sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: For the 24-week time period, drug acquisition costs were higher for capecitabine than 5-FU/LV (NT$114,405 vs. NT$4,904 per patient); however, these were offset by the higher administration costs of 5-FU/LV (NT$2,573 vs. NT$204,201 per patient). Overall direct costs for the 24-week treatment period were less with capecitabine than 5-FU/LV (NT$129,327 vs. NT$233,873 per patient). Cost savings with capecitabine were also evident when longer time horizons were considered. Over a lifetime, the projected survival benefit for capecitabine was 7 QALMs. CONCLUSIONS: From the perspectives of the BNHI and society in Taiwan, capecitabine not only saves costs but also improves health outcomes compared with 5-FU/LV in the adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer.