[Laparoscopic management of median arcuate ligament syndrome]. / Traitement du syndrome du ligament arqué médian par voie coelioscopique.

Median arcuate ligament syndrome is a rare disorder resulting from luminal narrowing of the celiac trunk. The classic management of median arcuate ligament syndrome involves the surgical division of the median arcuate ligament fibers in order to decompress the celiac trunk. This has traditionally required an upper midline incision. A few authors have described a successful laparoscopic release of celiac artery compression syndrome. Laparoscopy provides a less invasive, but equally effective method for decompressing the celiac trunk.

Association of primary varicose veins with dysregulated vein wall apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Disordered programmed cell death may play a role in the development of superficial venous incompetence. We have determined the number of cells in apoptosis, and the mediators regulating the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in specimens of varicose vein. METHODS: Venous segments were obtained from 46 patients undergoing surgical treatment for primary varicose veins. Controls samples were obtained from 20 patients undergoing distal arterial bypass grafting surgery. Segments of the distal and proximal saphenous trunk as well as tributaries were studied. Cell apoptoses and mediators of the mitochondrial and trans membrane pathway were evaluated with peroxidase in situ apoptosis detection, Bax and Fas detection, caspase-9 and 8 detection in the medial layer. RESULTS: Disorganised histological architecture was observed in varicose veins. Primary varicose veins also contained fewer peroxidase in situ-positive cells than control veins (2.6% S.D. 0.2% versus 12% S.D. 0.93%, P=.0001, Mann-Whitney u test), fewer Bax positive cells (2.1.% S.D. 0.3% versus 13% S.D. 0.9%, P=.0001) and fewer Caspase 9 positive cells (3.2% S.D. 1% versus 12% S.D. 1.3%, P=.0001). Similar findings were observed in saphenous trunk, main tributaries and accessory veins. In patients with recurrent varicose veins in whom the saphenous trunk had been preserved showed similar findings to primary varicose veins. Residual varicose veins contained fewer peroxidase in situ-positive cells than healthy veins (3.2% S.D. 0.6% versus 11% S.D. 2%, P=.0001), fewer Bax positive cells (2.2% S.D. 0.3% versus 12% S.D. 0.7%, P=.0001) and fewer Caspase 9 positive cells (2.6% S.D. 0.6% versus 12% S.D. 1%, P=.0001). Immunohistochemical detection for Fas and caspase 8 remained equal was the same in the varicose vein and control groups. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis is down regulated in the medial layer of varicose veins. This dysregulation is attributable to a disorder of the intrinsic pathway and involves the great saphenous vein trunk, major tributaries and accessory veins. This process may be among the causes of primary varicose veins.

Vascular knowledge in medieval times was the turning point for the humanistic trend.

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge of the history of our surgical specialty may broaden our viewpoint for everyday practice. We illustrate the scientific progress made in medieval times relevant to the vascular system and blood circulation, progress made despite prevailing religious and philosophical dogma. METHODS: We located all articles concerning vascular knowledge and historical reviews in databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE and the database of abstracts of reviews (DARE). We also explored the database of the register from the French National Library, the French Medical Inter-University (BIUM), the Italian National Library and the French and Italian Libraries in the Vatican. All data were collected and analysed in chronological order. RESULTS: Medieval vascular knowledge was inherited from Greek via Byzantine and Arabic writings, the first controversies against the recognized vascular schema emanating from an Arabian physician in the 13th century. Dissection was forbidden and clerical rules instilled a fear of blood. Major contributions to scientific progress in the vascular field in medieval times came from Ibn-al-Nafis and Harvey. CONCLUSION: Vascular specialists today may feel proud to recall that once religious dogma declined in early medieval times, vascular anatomic and physiological discoveries led the way to scientific progress.

[Retrospective study of the one-year patency of a cuffed polytetrafluoroethylene Venaflo-type graft placed for venous hemodialysis access]. / Etude de la perméabilité à un an des anses de dialyse en polytétrafluoroéthylène avec chambre d'anastomose veineuse de type venaflo.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine retrospectively the one year patency of a new polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft with a cuff at the graft-vein anastomosis (Venaflo, Bard industries) placed for hemodialysis access. METHODS: From April first 1999 to December thirty first 2001, 37 consecutive patients (56.8 medium age) underwent 39 Venaflo graft for hemodialysis in Vascular Surgery Section from Bordeaux University Hospital. All medical files have been reviewed at the end of the first year following the operation, by consultation or phone call from the referent nephrologist. Six patients deceased with a functional graft before the end of the study. The patency outcomes were calculated with Kaplan Meier life table method. RESULTS: The one year primary patency is 60.03% with a 95% confident interval [43%; 77%] and secondary patency is 83.73% [70%; 96%]. CONCLUSION: The patency of cuffed ePTFE grafts for hemodialysis was satisfactory in comparison with the result of classic ePTFE grafts in the medical literacy. A large prospective multicentric medium term study would be necessary in order to confirm or not these results.

[Lower limb occlusive arteriopathy: retrospective analysis of 73 patients with onset before the age of 50 years]. / Les artériopathies des membres inférieurs débutant avant 50 ans.

OBJECTIVES: Juvenile peripheral obstructive arterial diseases (POAD) have been poorly investigated but account for 1 to 7% of POAD. We analyzed retrospectively a cohort of patients with onset before the age of 50 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients (60 males and 13 females) were divided into 4 groups (Buerger's disease: TAO, atheromatous PAOD, auto-immune POAD, arteriopathy of undetermined origin). RESULTS: The first symptoms occurred at 38 +/- 8 years of age. Fourteen patients (20%) had TAO, 51 (70%) atheromatous POAD, 4 (5%) POAD with systemic or autoimmune disease, and 4 (5%) undetermined POAD. Age of onset was earlier in TAO (35 +/- 8 vs 40 +/- 8 years, p=0.046), smoking greater in the atheroma group (33 +/- 16 vs 24 +/- 14 pack-years, p=0.033). Fifty-three POAD patients had dyslipidaemia and 26% hypertension. Regular cannabis intake was more frequent in the TAO group (21 vs 8%). At the time of medical care, Fontaine's stage was more frequently stage II in atheroma patients (57 vs 14%) and stage IV in TAO patients (86 vs 35%). TAO was diagnosed in 43% cannabis users and in 19% non users. CONCLUSION: The main etiology of juvenile POAD is atheroma, followed by TAO. Cannabis users account for at least 10% of these patients. They are characterized by lower tobacco intake, more distal lesions, more frequent involvement of the upper limbs. They present more frequently as TAO.

[Blunt trauma to the infrarenal abdominal aorta with neurologic lesions. Case report and review of the literature]. / Traumatisme fermé de l'aorte abdominale sous-rénale avec lésions neurologiques. Stratégie de prise en charge: à propos d'un cas et d'une revue de la littérature.

We report the case of a 31-year-old female involved in a severe motor vehicle accident. The diagnosis of blunt trauma to the abdominal aorta was not retained initially. The patient was referred to our institution when she developed a delayed paralysis of the lower limbs associated with the disappearance of both femoral pulses. Computed tomography evidenced dissection of the infrarenal aorta and NMR ruled out injury to the spinal cord. An aortoiliac endarteriectomy was then performed. Neurological recovery was partial at 3 months. We reviewed the frequency, the mechanisms and the management of blunt trauma to the abdominal aorta.

[Hemorrhagic complications of antivitamin K. Report of 75 hospitalized patients]. / Complications hémorragiques des antivitaminiques K. A propos de 75 patients hospitalisés.

Hemorrhagic complications are the most frequent complications of antivitamin K (AVK) treatments and can be life-threatening. We report 75 patients from a University Hospital. They were 40 males and 35 females (median age 74 years, 20-94), and were classified into 3 grades according to clinical picture: grade 1 (no surgery or transfusion, grade 2: surgery or blood transfusion needed, grade 3: death). 43 patients had grade 1 complications, 27 grade 2, and 5 grade 3 complications. The most frequent complications were muscular hematomas (36 patients), sub-cutaneous hematomas (14 patients), digestive bleeding (13 patients), hematuria (12 subjects). Eight patients had intracerebral bleeding, of whom 3 died. The treatment time was very variable (1 to 988 weeks). Only half patients had a prothrombin rate (PR) below 20% but two thirds had an INR above 5. This study showed that PR was a poor predictor of hemorrhagic complications. INR was a better parameter. For 15 patients, we considered that the indication was unadapted or questionable, among whom 2 died. This work suggests that the promotion of AVK prescription rules should go on.

[Secondary aortoduodenal fistulas: report of 7 cases]. / Fistules aortoduodénales secondaires: réflexions à propos de sept cas.

PURPOSE: Aortoduodenal fistulas are the most frequent aortoenteric fistulas. They may be primary (occurring after aneurysms of the native aorta) or secondary (occurring after aortic prosthesis). Aortoduodenal fistulas are a rare complication of aortic prostheses. They may be caused by prosthesis infection or due to inadequate prosthesis. METHODS: We report seven observations that emphasize issues pertaining to either diagnosis or therapy. RESULTS: The delay of occurrence is variable, with a mean of 3 years as reported in the literature. Clinical picture includes upper digestive tract hemorrhage, sometimes fever, abdominal pain or mass. Though difficult, diagnosis can be achieved through gastric endoscopy or CT-scan. Additional diagnostic procedures are often not useful and should not be numerous. Surgical procedures help guide the diagnosis and constitute the main part of the treatment with suture of the duodenum and vascular prosthesis. According to previous works, our observations including prolonged follow-up of the patients suggest that the best vascular treatment is extra-anatomic axillo-bifemoral bypass, while simple suture and prosthesis replacement lead to poor results. CONCLUSION: Mortality related to aortodigestive fistulas is high (five out of seven patients in the present study) and requires prevention, including more particularly delicate surgery and antibiotic therapy in case of any episode of infection. Aortoduodenal fistulas must be suspected whenever a patient with aortic prosthesis has digestive bleeding or unexplained fever.

[Inflammatory arteriopathy of the arms in the course of Horton disease. Report of six cases]. / Artériopathie inflammatoire des membres supérieurs au cours de la maladie de Horton. A propos de six cas.

We report 6 cases of upper limb involvement in giant cell arteritis; upper limb involvement revealed the disease in 4 cases and clinical symptoms were present in 5 (upper limb pain, Raynaud's phenomenon). Upper limb pulses were not palpable and blood pressure unmeasurable in all. Duplex ultrasonography found signs of inflammatory arteriopathy in 4 cases (hypoechogenous halo of the arterial wall and acceleration of flow velocity). Arteriography was performed in 5 cases and showed long and regular stenoses. In the last case, arteriography was not done because the duplex exploration gave an easier diagnosis. With this technique, the diagnosis of upper limb involvement, frequent in autopsy series of giant cell arteritis, might be made more often. Corticosteroid therapy is indicated and surgery should be discussed only in emergency situations.

[Aortic aneurysms due to Yersinia enterocolitica: three new cases and a review of the literature]. / Anévrismes aortiques a Yersinia enterocolitica: trois nouveaux cas et revue de la littérature.

We report three cases of mycotic aortic aneurysms due to Yersinia enterocolitica. In all cases, serogroups are O:9. The three patients more than 70 year-old men with immunodeficiency underlying conditions allowing bacterial graft (neoplasia, diabetes mellitus, dysimmunitary syndrome, hematologic diseases). The six cases of the literature were clinically, biologically and epidemiologically similar. The strains of Y enterocolitica responsible for septicemia are especially serogroups O:9. This is probably due to particular virulence factors in this serogroup (phagocytosis resistance gene: yopH, ypkA et yop E) (yop: Yersinia outer membrane proteins). The presence of a pYV plasmid (plasmid yersinia virulence), found in Yersinia pathogen strains, lead to bacterial proliferation in the tissues. The authors discuss pathophysiological mechanisms involved in arterial bacterial graft following an Y. enterocolitica infection.

[Paresthesia, pain, coldness of the arm and possible responsibility of the thoraco-brachial outlet syndrome]. / Paresthésies, douleurs, froideur du membre supérieur et responsabilité éventuelle du syndrome de la traversée thoraco-brachiale.

Paresthesia, pain and coldness of the upper limb strongly suggest ischemia. The questions raised concern the etiology and treatment. 1) Treatment is based on confirmation of the unilateral nature of the disorder requiring search for the a locoregional cause (examination of the subclavian outlet) and on elimination of a cardiac or general origin. Two noninvasive examinations are indicated. An X-ray examination of the upper chest bones is performed to search for an abnormal formation, usually a cervical rib. Presence of a cervical rib indicates a possible damage to the sub-clavian artery in the thoraco-brachial outlet and, inversely, absence of a cervical rib suggests either arterial damage or a fibromuscular cause. Ischemia of the upper limb results from repeated microtrauma to the sub-clavian artery due to a bone-ligament anomaly resulting in thickening and parietal ulceration, and sometimes post-stenosis embolism or in situ thrombosis. Duplex Doppler may be able to identify the nature of the cause without dynamic manoeuvres. An arteriography is essential to confirm the level of the obstacle, its nature, the status of the downstream bed and possible relationship between a bone anomaly and the sub-clavian artery. Several incidences may be required. 2) Therapeutic modalities must take into account the ischemia and its cause. Surgery is required to remove the obstacle and repair the arterial damage, and possibly to remove an embolus. It is relatively easy to remove a cervical rib or repair a bone muscle anomaly, allowing arterial repair with or without venous bypass. Embolectomy of an earlier embolus may require major reconstruction vascular surgery.

[Retroperitoneal Castelman disease. Apropos of a new case]. / La maladie de Castleman rétropéritonéale. A propos d'une nouvelle observation.

A retroperitoneal localization of Castleman's disease was characterized by angiolymphoid hyperplasia. This rare disease (58 cases of abdominal localization reported to date) raises a question of nosology. The clinical features are not specific. Localized forms in young patients involve deep lymph nodes and have a good prognosis after complete surgical exeresis. Inversely, the clinical picture is much more aggressive in multiple localizations involving preferentially superficial nodes with associated plasmocyte proliferation. The prognosis is mediocre in these forms. Although transition stages have been described due to the lack of any known aetiology, the question of nosology remains open: should the different forms be separated or identified simply as two pathological forms?