Patient satisfaction and chronic illness are predictors of postendovascular aneurysm repair surveillance compliance.

OBJECTIVE: Although lifelong surveillance is recommended by the Society for Vascular Surgery for patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) reported that compliance with long-term follow-up has been poor. We sought to identify factors that predict compliance with EVAR surveillance through analysis of patient variables and post-EVAR questionnaire results. METHODS: We analyzed 28 patient variables gathered from our computerized registry, patient charts, and phone questionnaires of patients who underwent EVAR between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014. These factors included patient demographics, education, postoperative complications, satisfaction with vascular surgery care, transportation mode, distance to our medical center, and living situation. Compliance was defined as a patient who underwent the most recent recommended follow-up surveillance study within the prescribed timeframe. Post-EVAR surveillance protocol consisted of office evaluation and duplex ultrasound examination performed in our accredited noninvasive vascular laboratory at 1 week, 6 months, then annually. Computed tomography angiography was obtained only if duplex ultrasound examination suggested endoleak, sac enlargement of more than 5 mm, or a failing limb. RESULTS: Of 144 patients who underwent EVAR during this time period, 89 patients (62%) were compliant with the most recent recommended follow-up study. One hundred two patients completed the questionnaire or their families did if patients died or were incapacitated. Of those, 80 were compliant with follow-up and 22 were not. Based on the questionnaires of these 102 patients, estimated compliance at 3 years after EVAR was 69.6 ± 6.0% based on Kaplan-Meier analysis. In the compliant vs noncompliant groups, the estimated 3-year survival rate was 93.2 ± 3.4% vs 52.4 ± 12.7%, respectively (P < .001), and the estimated 5-year survival rate was 83.1 ± 6.4% vs 34.4 ± 13.4%, respectively (P < .001), respectively. However, none of the mortalities observed in the noncompliant group were aneurysm related. Adverse neurologic events after EVAR demonstrated a trend predicting noncompliance after 5 years based on multivariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95-6.90; P = .062). Patient dissatisfaction with their vascular surgeon and hospital care predicted noncompliance with recommended postoperative surveillance (HR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.52-16.7; P = .008). College education or higher was associated with compliance (HR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.06-1.23; P = .092). No other variables, including postoperative complications or distance from the hospital, predicted follow-up noncompliance. CONCLUSIONS: Patient satisfaction with their vascular surgeon and hospital experience predicted compliance with post-EVAR surveillance regardless of postoperative complications. Noncompliant patients had decreased survival, but mortality and surveillance noncompliance were likely due to disabling chronic disease.

Clinoidectomía anterior extradural en el manejo de meningiomas paraselares: análisis de 13 años de experiencia y revisión de la literatura / Extradural anterior clinoidectomy in the management of parasellar meningiomas: Analysis of 13 years of experience and literature review

Antecedentes y objetivo: La clinoidectomía anterior extradural (CaE) es una técnica microquirúrgica clave que facilita la resección de tumores localizados en la región paraselar. Actualmente, no existe consenso de la ejecución vía extradural o intradural, o evidencia científica que apoye su uso de manera rutinaria. El propósito de este artículo es exponer nuestra experiencia en la realización de la CaE como parte del manejo de los meningiomas paraselares. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de las CaE empleadas en las resecciones de meningiomas paraselares realizadas en nuestro centro entre los años 2003 y 2015. Se registraron un total de 53 pacientes. Realizamos un análisis de nuestra serie de casos, enfocándonos en los resultados visuales, las tasas de resección y las complicaciones postoperatorias. A través de una revisión bibliográfica, se discuten las ventajas e inconvenientes de la CaE, consideraciones técnicas, comparación con la clinoidectomía anterior intradural e impacto visual. Resultados: El tipo de tumor más frecuente fueron los meningiomas de clinoides anterior (33,9%). Los síntomas iniciales más frecuentes fueron la disminución de la agudeza visual (45,3%) y la cefalea (22,6%). La resección tumoral total se consiguió en el 67,9% de los casos, siendo subtotal en el restante 32,1%. Con respecto a los déficits visuales, el 67,9% de los pacientes presentaron estabilidad clínica, el 22,6% mejoraron y el 9,4% experimentaron empeoramiento. El grado de resección tumoral no influyó de manera significativa en los resultados visuales posquirúrgicos, ni en la agudeza visual (p=0,71) ni en los déficits campimétricos (p=0,53). El 24,5% de los pacientes experimentaron paresia del iiipar transitoria y el 1,9%, permanente. La tasa de fístula de líquido cefalorraquídeo postoperatoria fue del 3,8%. La mortalidad fue del 0%. El periodo medio de seguimiento fue de 82,3 meses. Conclusiones: En nuestra experiencia, la CaE es una técnica segura que facilita la resección de los meningiomas localizados en la región paraselar, favorece la desvascularización temprana del tumor, reduce la necesidad de retracción del parénquima cerebral y podría ejercer un papel positivo en la preservación de la función visual y en la aparición de recidivas tumorales en la apófisis clinoides anterior (ACa)

Background and aim: The extradural anterior clinoidectomy (EAC) is a key microsurgical technique that facilitates the resection of tumors located in the parasellar region. There is currently no consensus regarding the execution of the procedure via extradural or intradural nor scientific evidence that supports its routine use. The purpose of this article is to expose our experience in performing EAC as part of the management of the parasellar meningiomas. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of the EAC for parasellar meningioma resection performed in our center between 2003 and 2015 was done. A total of 53 patients were recorded. We analized our series focusing on visual outcomes, resection rates and complications. Through an extensive bibliographic research, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the EAC, technical considerations, comparison with the intradural clinoidectomy and its visual impact. Results: The most frequent tumors were anterior clinoidal meningiomas (33.9%). The most common initial symptoms were decreased visual acuity (45.3%) and headache (22.6%). A gross total resection was achieved in 67.9%, being subtotal in the remaining 32.1%. Regarding the visual deficits 67.9% of the patients presented clinical stability, 22.6% improvement and 9.4% worsening. The degree of tumor resection did not significantly influence post-surgical visual outcomes, either visual acuity (P=.71) or campimetric alterations (P=.53). 24.5% of the patients experienced iiinerve transient paresis and 1.9% permanent. The postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak rate was 3.8%. Mortality rate was 0%. The mean follow-up was 82.3 months. Conclusions: In our experience, EAC is a safe technique that facilitates the resection of the meningiomas located in the parasellar area, helps to achieve early tumor devascularization, reduces the need for retraction of the cerebral parenchyma and could play a positive role in the preservation of visual function and the appearance of tumor recurrences in the anterior clinoid process (ACP)

¿Son realmente útiles los anti-TNFα en vasculitis sistémicas? Experiencia en panarteritis nodosa / Are anti-TNF-α agents really useful in systemic vasculitis? Experience in polyarteritis nodosa

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["My hand" sign associated with tactile extinction in two patients with callosal lesion].

Two patients with "my hand" sign in association with tactile extinction from callosal lesion, one due to left anterior cerebral artery occlusion, the other due to right anterior cerebral artery aneurysm rupture, were reported. The examination of "my hand" sign was performed with the methods proposed by Brion et al. Our patients correctly responded when they grasped their own or the examiner's thumb with their left hand. But they replied "my finger"when they grasped not only their own but also the examiner's thumb with their right hand. Left tactile extinction was observed after a routine extinction test in one patient, and it was observed in the other after the following method: both patient's index fingers were disposed in his midline position. In these methods of extinction test, they made errors in saying "right" when both fingers were touched simultaneously. However, they said "both" when their right index finger alone was touched (synchiria) during an extinction test using the following method: both index fingers of patients were approached by examiner to touch each other or for one of them to touch the examiner's finger. When they were asked whose finger they touched in this method (whose finger test), they made the same errors as seen in "my hand" sign test. These test results suggest that there is a common underlying mechanism in the "my hand" sign and extinction, because the sense of double stimulations felt when only one stimulation is given (synchiria), is a possible explanation for the "my hand" sign and the pathogenesis of synchiria appears to be related to extinction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)