Fibrinolytic treatment of acute arterial occlusion distal to the wrist in two cases.

Distal arterial occlusion in the hand threatens the viability of the digits and is difficult to treat. This study reports two cases in which fibrinolytic agents were used successfully to restore circulation in the digital arteries.

Reinnervation of the neurogenic bladder in the late period of the spinal cord trauma.

STUDY DESIGN: Intercostal nerve to spinal nerve root anastomosis in chronic spine-injured patients. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effectiveness of neurogenic bladder reinnervation in spinal cord-injured patients through artificial creation of sprouting (intercostal nerve to spinal nerve root anastomosis). SETTING: Center of Neurosurgery, Moscow, Russia. Operations were performed by Professor A Livshits. (At present, Professor A Livshits is working at the Spinal Care Unit, Meir General Hospital, Kfar Saba, Israel.) METHODS: A total of 11 patients with spinal cord injury of the L1 level were operated on in the late (chronic) stage. The neurological status and urodynamics were investigated before and 12 months after operation. A laminectomy from T11 to L3 was performed. Next, a neurolysis of the 11th and 12th intercostal nerves was carried out, at a distance of 20-21 cm, and transferred to the vertebral canal. The S2-S3 roots were then cut in their proximal portion and anastomosed end-to-end to the intercostal nerves. The results of urodynamic studies were calculated by the Wilcoxon signed rank test for comparison before and 12 months after operation. RESULTS OF URODYNAMIC STUDIES: Bladder capacity (ml) before operation - 489+/-79, after operation - 350+/-39, urine volume (ml) before - 18.2+/-17, after - 306.4+/-39.8, residual urine (ml) before - 459+/-99.4, after - 50+/-11.8. Detrusor tone (rel. units) before - 0.6+/-1.5, after 1.2+/-0.2; voiding pressure (cmH(2)O) before - 4.4+/-5.2, after - 30.5+/-4.9. Force of detrusor contraction before - 5+/-5.8, after - 32.8+/-5.5. Sphincter resistance (cmH(2)O) before - 6.5+/-3.8, after - 21.1+/-4.2. Significant improvements in bladder function were observed during the 10th to 12th postoperative months. Restoration of reflex voiding occurred in all patients; in eight of the 11 paresthesic in the groin and scrotum and reappearance of the bulbocavernous, anal and cremasteric reflexes were noted. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a restitutive process occurs in the bladder under novel conditions of its nerve supply provided by the intercostal nerve and by new connections established between it and the bladder nerves. Spinal cord lesions that might benefit from nerve crossover surgery would be located at the conus, so functional intercostal nerves could be connected to sacral roots to bypass the injury in an attempt to restore central connections to the bladder.

Quimioterapia intra-tumoral com carboplatina em carcinoma de células escamosas no plano nasal de gatos: relato de dois casos

O artigo não apresenta resumo.

Prognóstico de cães com tumor de mastócitos tratados cirurgicamente: análise de 18 casos

O artigo não apresenta resumo.

Intraoperative intra-arterial urokinase therapy after failed embolectomy in acute lower limb ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study is to evaluate the use of intraoperative intra-arterial urokinase infusion (IIUI) in overcoming residual thrombi after thromboembolectomy in acute lower limb ischemia. DESIGN: retrospective study over a 3-year period. SETTING: University affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: 21 patients with acute lower limb ischemia who underwent IIUI after embolectomy (18 transfemoral, 3 transpopliteal) had failed to achieve adequate distal perfusion. Postoperatively, all patients were maintained on full dose heparinization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: complete or partial clot lysis on post-IIUI angiography; restoration of pedal pulses and a viable leg at discharge. RESULTS: Angiographically, complete and partial lysis was demonstrated in 14 and 3 patients, respectively. Two patients with prolonged ischemia required fasciotomy. One of these eventually had an amputation. Altogether, limb amputations (1 above knee, 2 below knee) were necessary in 3 patients. The angiographic appearance of lysis correlated well with the restoration of pedal pulses and/or limb viability. One patient died of myocardial infarction 3 days after the procedure. Postoperatively, there were 5 (24%) wound hematomas of which 1 required surgical exploration. Over a mean follow-up period of 8 months (range 1-16), limb salvage was sustained in the 17 patients with successful angiographic lysis. CONCLUSIONS: IIUI is an effective therapeutic adjunct to failed embolectomy in acute lower limb ischemia. Use of this procedure is recommended as part of the routine management in such cases.

Acute thrombosis of an aortic aneurysm.

The natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysms is to enlarge gradually. Associated complications are rupture, peripheral embolization and infection.1-5 Complete occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm by thrombus is extremely rare and constitutes a surgical emergency, with an estimated mortality of 50%.1-5 We report a case of a patient with this very uncommon complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm and review the literature discussing its optimal identification and management.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) femoral head and neck excision.

A 30-yr-old untamed European female brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) with a craniodorsal luxation of the right femoral head and bilateral degenerative joint disease of the coxofemoral joint had a femoral head and neck excision following unsatisfactory conservative medical therapy. The bear was injected with zolazepam-tiletamine, and anesthesia was induced with i.v. thiopental and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen via endotracheal tube. A lumbosacral epidural injection of medetomidine-bupivacaine provided additional analgesia. Slight initial cardiorespiratory depression was counteracted with fluid and inotropic drug administration and ventilatory assistance. The bear's gluteal muscle anatomy differs from that of the dog. Recovery was uneventful. The bear was confined indoors for 6 wk and was able to ambulate normally within 6 mo.

Acute brachial artery thrombosis as the initial manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Thrombosis of upper extremity arteries is most commonly due to atherosclerosis of the proximal subclavian artery, trauma, or catheter-related injury. In the absence of an identifiable cause, a search for a hypercoagulable state is indicated. Hematologic manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and AIDS are frequent occurrences (Coyle TE. Med Clin N Am 1997;81:449-476). The most important of these are cytopenias (anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia). The incidence and severity of cytopenia are generally correlated to the stage of the HIV infection. In addition, various coagulation abnormalities have been reported in HIV-infected patients. Apart from thrombocytopenia, these have included a prolonged APTT due to the presence of lupus anticoagulant, an increased prevalence of protein S and heparin cofactor II deficiency, and hypoalbuminemia-related fibrin polymerization defects (Toulon P. Ann Bio Clin (Paris) 1998;56:153-160). HIV infection has also been associated with endothelial dysfunction. Although for the most part asymptomatic, elevated D-dimer levels have been found in HIV-infected patients, suggesting the existence of a prethrombotic state. In fact, clinical thrombosis eventuates in 2% of these patients (Toulon, 1988). Documented thromboses have involved both veins and arteries. We hereby present a patient who developed an acute thrombosis of his brachial artery as the initial manifestation of HIV infection.

Risk factors and management of patients with upper limb deep vein thrombosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of endogenous and exogenous risk factors for venous thrombosis in patients with upper limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and to evaluate the risk of clinically detectable pulmonary embolus, recurrent DVT, and postphlebitic symptoms in these patients. DESIGN: A combined prospective and retrospective descriptive analysis of a cohort of patients with upper limb DVT compared with age- and sex-matched patients with lower limb DVT. SETTING: Internal medicine departments, and hematology and vascular surgery outpatient clinics at a tertiary-care university hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with "spontaneous" upper limb DVT diagnosed between 1989 and 1997 were studied. Twenty age- and sex-matched patients with lower limb DVT admitted to the hospital via the emergency department served as control patients. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with upper limb DVT were studied. An endogenous risk factor (thrombophilia) was present in 11 of 18 patients vs 8 of 20 control patients (p = not significant). In the upper limb group, nine patients had activated protein C resistance, four patients had anticardiolipin antibodies, and two patients had both forms of thrombophilia. Furthermore, 14 of the upper limb DVT patients were found to have an exogenous risk factor for thrombosis compared with 7 of the patients with lower limb DVT (p = 0.01), and 66.6% of patients with upper limb DVT had both an exogenous and an endogenous risk factor for thrombosis vs 15% of patients with lower limb DVT (p < 0.002). No clinically detectable pulmonary emboli occurred among the upper limb DVT patients. Three patients have minor postphlebitic symptoms. Two patients experienced recurrent DVT. CONCLUSION: In the majority of patients with upper limb DVT that we studied in this relatively small study, exogenous (environmental) or endogenous risk factors for venous thrombosis, or a combination of both, were found. Furthermore, in our patients, these thromboses had a low propensity to cause clinically significant pulmonary embolus and did not cause significant postphlebitic symptoms. Finally, we suggest that anticoagulant therapy for these thromboses may be adequate and that thrombolytic agents and surgical intervention are not routinely indicated.

Traumatic scapulothoracic dissociation.

Scapulothoracic dissociation is an infrequent injury with a potentially devastating outcome. The diagnosis is based on clinical and radiographic findings of forequarter disruption. These include massive soft tissue swelling of the shoulder, displacement of the scapula and neurovascular injuries (brachial plexus, subclavian artery and osseous-ligamentous injuries). The mechanism of injury appears to be the delivery of severe rotational force sheering the shoulder girdle from its chest wall attachments around the scapula, shoulder joint and at the clavicle. Early recognition of the entity and aggressive treatment are crucial. Outcome is not dependent on management of the arterial injury, but rather on the severity of the neurological deficit.

Isolated femoral profundoplasty using endarterectomised superficial femoral artery for limb salvage in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: The deep femoral artery provides the primary blood supply to the thigh, and in addition serves as the major collateral channel for bypassing the obstructed superficial femoral artery. The purpose of isolated profundoplasty is to relieve a significant stenosis and improve perfusion of the ischaemic leg. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with critical limb ischaemia underwent isolated profundoplasty in the Vascular Unit of Meir General Hospital, using endarterectomised superficial femoral artery (ESFA) as an arterial patch. Nineteen patients were men. The average age was 72 (65-79). The presenting symptoms: rest pain: 18 (67%), ischaemic foot ulcer: 7 (28%), pedal gangrene: 2 (7%). Selection criteria for isolated profundoplasty: 1) > 50%: stenosis of arteria profunda femoris lumen. 2) Adequate profunda: popliteal collateral system. 3) Adequate arterial inflow: common femoral artery. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality or immediate operative failure. All 27 limbs were improved: relief of rest pain, healing of ischaemic ulcers and good healing after minor amputations (transphalangeal, transmetatarsal). Follow-up period ranged from 12 to 45 months (mean 30 months) and was based on clinical investigation + ankle/brachial Doppler measurements. All patients remained asymptomatic with improvement of limb function--either to the present or until their death. CONCLUSIONS: In view of our favourable experience, we feel that isolated profundoplasty still has a place in vascular surgery practice--when limb revascularization in elderly patients considered at high risk is dangerous and when there is impossible below knee vascular reconstruction. We recommend the use of ESFA as a patch for long segment profundoplasty--with all advantages of an autogenous material.

Vascular surgical society of great britain and ireland: isolated femoral profundoplasty with endarterectomized superficial femoral artery for limb salvage in the elderly

BACKGROUND: This longitudinal observational study was designed to show that isolated profundoplasty to relieve a significant stenosis is a valid procedure for limb salvage in the elderly. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with critical limb ischaemia underwent isolated profundoplasty using endarterectomized superficial femoral artery as an arterial patch. Nineteen patients were men. The mean age was 72 (range 65-79) years. All patients had rest pain with or without an ischaemic foot ulcer or pedal gangrene. RESULTS: There was no operative death or immediate operative failure. All 27 limbs were improved, with relief of rest pain, healing of ulcers and healing after minor foot amputations. The 27 patients underwent a mean of 30 (range 12-45) months of periodic observation in an outpatient clinic, either to the present time or until death. Two patients required late amputations and one a femorodistal bypass. CONCLUSION: Isolated profundoplasty has a place in leg revascularization in the high-risk elderly patient. Endarterectomized superficial femoral artery as a patch has the advantages of almost universal availability and anatomical convenience.

Subclavian artery aneurysms. A report of 2 cases and a review of the literature.

True aneurysm of the subclavian artery is extremely rare and atherosclerosis is the most common cause. Syphilis, tuberculosis, and cystic medial necrosis are less often the cause. Their exact prevalence in the general population is unknown. These aneurysms can rupture, thrombose, embolize or cause symptoms by local compression. In reviewing the literature the great latency of the disease, high complication rate at presentation and the significant incidence, concomitant aneurysms elsewhere are emphasized. Duplex scanning followed by angiography should be performed in order to establish the diagnosis and to plan the operation. Elective surgical treatment is associated with little risk to the patient and avoids the need for emergency operations. Two cases of surgically treated true subclavian aneurysms are presented with review of the English language literature on the subject.