Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery. Report of 1 case and review of the literature.

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) of the popliteal artery is a rare but well-known cause of intermittent claudication, especially in young patients. The etiology of the disease is still controversial and the literature reports various hypotheses for its origin. Diagnosis starts with thorough history taking and physical examination; non invasive diagnostic studies comprise color duplex scanner (ECD), computed tomography (CT), better if elicoidal (3D CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can aid in establishing correct recognition of the disease in most cases. A 48-year-old man presented with intermittent right calf claudication that had begun 4 months earlier; the symptom-free interval was about 100 m. MRI and MR angiography of right popliteal fossa revealed the presence of an oval cystic (maximum diameter 45 mm). The caudal aspect of the cyst showed pedicles protruding between the popliteal vein and the popliteal artery that compressed the artery, causing complete occlusion of its lumen. Surgery was performed through the posterior approach using an S-shaped incision; the affected segment of the popliteal artery was successfully excised and replaced with an autogenous external saphenous vein graft. A follow-up is underway, both clinical and with; no cyst recurrence has so far been detected either clinically or by duplex scanner during the 15-month postoperative follow-up period; the graft is patent and the patient is completely symptom free. Severe claudication in young patients, possibly without significant vascular risk factors, should prompt the clinical suspicion of adventitial cystic disease of the popliteal artery. Medical history, clinical examination and non invasive instrumental investigations, such as duplex scanner, elicoidal CT and/or MRI, may aid in establishing the correct diagnosis.

Mininvasive abdominal aortic surgery. Early recovery and reduced hospitalization after multidisciplinary approach.

AIM: Clinical experience in gastrointestinal surgery demonstrated that a multimodal approach can improve the outcome and reduce the length of hospital stay. In this paper we investigate the impact of a multimodal clinical program, based on mininvasive surgery, epidural anesthesia and early feeding and mobilization, on postoperative morbidity and hospitalization after abdominal aortic surgery. METHODS: A 2-armed study was designed. All patients undergoing abdominal aortic surgery between May 2000 and April 2001 were enrolled in a multidisciplinary clinical program including thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia, left sub-costal minilaparotomy without evisceration, encouragement to feed and mobilize soon after surgery (Multidisciplinary group: n=82). For comparison purposes, a retrospective analysis was conducted using the data of all patients operated on between January and December 1997, receiving standard anesthesia care and a standard surgical and nursing program (Standard group: n=64). RESULTS: In the Multidisciplinary group we observed significantly better pain relief (p<0.01), earlier restoration of ambulation (p<0.01), earlier feeding (p<0.01) and passage of stools (p<0.01). The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the Multidisciplinary group: pulmonary (0% vs 14.1%), cardiac (2.4% vs 9.4% ) and gastrointestinal (0% vs 10.9%). None of the patients in the Multidisciplinary group required admission to Intensive Care. Median postoperative hospitalization was 3 days in the Multidisciplinary group compared to 9 days in the Standard group (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a multidisciplinary intervention with review of the traditional surgical care program would enhance recovery, decrease morbidity and hospitalization after abdominal aortic surgery.

Left-sided inferior vena cava in patients submitted to aorto iliac surgery. Our experience and review of the literature.

We present two cases of left sided inferior vena cava, one unexpectedly observed during an operation of aorto bifemoral bypass in a patient with severe Leriche syndrome and almost complete obstruction of the infrarenal aorta, the second in a patient with an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, in whom the anomaly was recognized before the operation. This very rare congenital malformation (0.2-0.5%) was not recognized in the first patient by the duplex scanner performed preoperatively, probably because of the low level of suspicion carried on by an experienced operator. Computer tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography, which would have surely shown us the anomaly, were not done in the first patient because, in the lack of an aneurysmal disease or other abdominal pathological situations, these investigations were not required before operation. The possible hazards of such an unrecognized malformation are great, mostly in terms of uncontrollable intraoperative hemorrhages, but the final outcome of this case was positive.

[Anomalies of the inferior vena cava in patients treated with surgical vascular procedures in the aorto iliac area. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature]. / Anomalie della vena cava inferiore in pazienti sottoposti a chirurgia del distretto aorto iliaco. A proposito di due casi operati e revisione della letteratura.

Two cases of left-sided inferior vena cava observed in a patient affected by Leriche syndrome and the other affected by aortic abdominal aneurysm (AAA) are presented. This very rare congenital malformation (0.2-0.5) was not recognized by the duplex scanner performed preoperatively probably because of the low level of suspicion carried on by an experienced operator. Angio-CT e angio-MR which would have surely showed the anomaly, were not done because in the absence of an aneurysmal disease or other abdominal situations, these investigations were not required before operation. An angio-CT was performed routinely to the patient affected by AAA and so the left-sided vena cava was observed before operation; and then an abdominal arteriography and an ilio-caval venography were required which documented the vena cava anomaly. Surgical interventions didn t have complications. In the case of Leriche syndrome an aorto-bifemoral bypass was performed, and in the case of abdominal AAA an aortic left-iliac right-femoral bypass. Preoperative unrecognizing of this venous malformation is very hazardous mostly in terms of uncontrollable intraoperative hemorrhages. Ultrasonographic diagnosis with duplex scanner has to be very accurate in order to observe not only arterial diseases but also the possible venous anomalies of the abdominal district.

Acute lower limb thrombosis caused by a congenital fibrous ring of the superficial femoral artery.

Segmentary isolated stenosis or obstructions of the superficial femoral artery in young people are rarely reported. In patients, most of them women, affected by chronic symptomatology of the lower limbs, the aetiology has been referred to fibromuscular dysplasia with unusual localization. We report a case of acute lower limb thrombosis in a young woman caused by a congenital fibrous ring of the superficial femoral artery and the treatment we performed in this situation including the complication that happened after the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty that we carried out in order to reduce the stenosis of the femoral superficial artery. Histological examination of the lesion demonstrated the nature of the fibrous ring caused by an embryological anomaly, followed by a secondary thrombosis in a woman not using oral contraceptives and without any alteration of the coagulation chain. Fibromuscular dysplasia of the femoral artery is commonly caused by previous thigh injuries, thromboembolic events with recanalization of the artery or arteritis, but in some cases appears to be the consequence of primitive intimal dysplasia. When a fibromuscular dysplasia is suspected, all authors agree on the necessity for a screening of the two preferential localizations of the disease: common carotid artery and renal artery, in the case reported the result was negative.

Surgical repair of abdominal aortic or iliac aneurysms associated with treatment of urological neoplasias.

Safe surgical repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in conjunction both with nephrectomy (for monolateral or bilateral kidney carcinoma) or with radical cystectomy and orthotopic urinary diversion (for bladder carcinoma) can be performed. These combined surgical procedures can be performed without morbidity due to excessive blood loss, increased operative time or vascular graft infection. A nephrectomy associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm repair can be performed both by a median single surgical approach or by a double one during the same intervention. The authors describe and discuss 4 case reports and the techniques required for these combined procedures.

True aneurysm of the inferior thyroid artery. Case report and review of the literature.

In a patient already operated for abdominal aortic aneurysm fifteen months previously, because of the onset of aspecific vertigo, instrumental investigations of the supra aortic vessels showed us the presence of a non palpable mass, in the left side of the neck. Duplex Scanner, angio-CT and Angiography let us suspect the presence of an aneurysm located somewhere in the course of the thyrocervical trunk. At the operation the aneurysm, which we originally suspected to be a false and a possibly iatrogenic one, in the reality was a true aneurysm and was located at the termination of the thyrocervical trunk, just in the first segment of the inferior thyroid artery. The case is reported because of its rarity and the difficulties in the preoperative diagnosis.