Late results of a prospective study of direct intra-arterial urokinase infusion for peripheral arterial and bypass graft occlusions.

The outcome of 72 direct intra-arterial urokinase infusions was studied prospectively. Thirty four were performed for native arterial occlusion and 38 for bypass graft occlusion; the immediate success rates were 67.5 and 84% respectively. The overall incidence of complications was 26%. Median follow-up was 36 (range 1-60) months. Seventeen patients (27%) died during follow-up; nine (14%) required a major amputation. Among patients with native arterial occlusion, 29% had no adjunctive procedure after thrombolysis; of these patients, 85% remained patent at a median of 21 (range 3-42) months. Among bypass occluded patients, only two (6%) had no lesion revealed after successful lysis; both bypasses remain patent at 54 and 58 months respectively. For patients treated with balloon angioplasty immediately after successful thrombolysis, 62% with native arterial occlusion remained patent at a median of 39 (range 2-60) months, whereas only 27% of bypass occlusion patients were patent at a median of 11 (range 2-40) months. Of patients requiring a surgical procedure after thrombolysis, 23 new bypasses (15 vein, eight prosthetic) were placed (nine in native arterial occlusion patients, 14 in bypass occlusion patients). In addition, there were 15 other surgical procedures, including six thrombectomies, four vein patch angioplasties, four vein jump grafts and one endarterectomy. The primary and secondary patencies for the 15 new vein bypasses placed were 81 and 88% respectively at a median follow-up of 36 months. Good immediate results were experienced with urokinase thrombolysis for peripheral arterial and graft occlusions. However, multiple adjunctive procedures were required to maintain patency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The impact of color duplex surveillance on the outcome of lower limb bypass with segments of arm veins.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospectively 42 lower extremity arm vein bypasses with use of color duplex surveillance (CDS). METHODS: Twenty-seven bypasses (64%) were to tibial arteries, 12 (29%) were to popliteal arteries, and three (7%) were to superficial femoral arteries. Twelve bypasses were composed of a single arm vein segment, and 30 were composite vein bypasses. Bypasses were evaluated with CDS and ankle-brachial indexes before the patients were discharged from the hospital, at 1 month, and then every 3 months during the first year; every 6 months during the second year; and annually thereafter. The median follow-up period was 17 months, and the median number of scans performed per bypass was seven. Each examination consisted of a scan of the entire bypass with velocity measurements taken routinely at the proximal and distal anastomoses and at a proximal and distal bypass segment in addition to any high-velocity area identified on the CDS. Peak systolic velocity greater than three times that of an adjacent graft segment or peak systolic velocity less than 45 cm/sec throughout the vein conduit were indications for arteriography. RESULTS: Thirteen arteriograms were performed because of abnormal duplex findings on surveillance. Extension or interposition vein grafts (9), vein patch angioplasty (1), or inflow procedures (3) were used to maintain secondary patency. The 24-month primary and secondary patency rates were 46% and 85%, respectively. Three patients required amputation of a major extremity. CONCLUSIONS: Arm veins are satisfactory conduits for lower extremity revascularization. However, preocclusive lesions that require correction are commonly found on surveillance, especially when composite bypasses are required. Vein bypass surveillance with CDS allows identification and appropriate correction of preocclusive lesions.

Is the use of intraoperative post-reconstruction angiography following in situ saphenous vein bypass redundant?

The value of post-reconstruction intraoperative angiography after in situ saphenous vein bypass has not been clearly defined. A retrospective review of intraoperative completion angiography using a standard proximal bypass injection technique without inflow occlusion was performed on 298 in situ saphenous vein bypasses constructed over a 72-month interval to treat critically ischemic limbs. Abnormal operative angiograms were found on retrospective review in 55 cases (18%). Minor abnormalities such as distal arterial or vein conduit spasm (class I defects) were found in 26 bypasses (9%) and required no surgical intervention. An anastomotic buckle or extrinsic compression due to an adventitial band (class II defect) was seen in five bypasses (2%). Defects requiring a major surgical revision (class III) were seen in 24 instances (8%). These abnormalities included nine cases with intraluminal platelet thrombus and six with a significant anastomotic torsional abnormality. In addition, there were five bypasses anastomosed to unsuitable diseased segments of distal arteries. Three of 24 (12%) of the bypasses with class III angiographic abnormalities required further revision within the first month after surgery, after duplex scanning had identified hemodynamically significant abnormalities, compared with 14 of 274 (5%) early revisions of the remaining in situ bypasses. The 30-day primary patency rate for bypasses with class III angiographic abnormalities was 88%. This compares with a rate of 95% for the remaining bypasses. The difference was not statistically significant. The 30-day and 48-month secondary patency rates for bypasses undergoing an immediate intraoperative revision for a class III abnormality were 100% and 93%, respectively. These rates were equivalent to the secondary patency of the in situ bypasses without class III abnormalities. Although the incidence of significant (class II and class III) angiographic abnormalities was low (10%), these abnormal findings allowed immediate correction of a jeopardized bypass, with minimal sequelae.

Is there a conduit of preference for a bypass between the carotid and subclavian arteries?

The conduit of choice for a bypass between the carotid and subclavian arteries remains controversial. We retrospectively evaluated 32 patients who underwent bypass between the carotid and subclavian arteries. Perioperative mortality was limited to a single patient who sustained a myocardial infarction. Long-term follow-up (mean: 46 months) revealed an 87% stroke-free survival rate, a 74% neurologic symptom-free survival rate, and a 77% primary patency rate at 5 years. No overall difference was discerned between a prosthetic or autogenous vein conduit. However, in bypasses constructed from the subclavian artery to the level of the carotid bifurcation, 100% (nine of nine) of vein bypasses remained primarily patent compared with 40% (two of five) of prosthetic grafts (p < 0.05). No distinct patency difference was identified between a short vein or a prosthetic bypass constructed between the proximal common carotid artery and subclavian artery. A vein bypass results in superior patency compared with a prosthetic graft for longer bypasses constructed from the subclavian artery to the carotid artery bifurcation.

Technical aspects and results of the open in situ saphenous vein bypass technique.

We reviewed 284 consecutive in situ saphenous vein bypass procedures performed for limb salvage over a 66 month period. All procedures were performed using an open technique with a modified Mills retrograde valvulotome using an incision exposing the whole vein. Ninety-eight percent were to the infrageniculate level (18% below knee popliteal and 80% crural). All patients had preoperative B-mode saphenous vein mapping. Intraoperative arteriographic and continuous wave Doppler evaluations were done on each bypass. Routine color duplex imaging was performed on all bypassess postoperatively. Primary and secondary patency rates for all in situ bypassess at 48 months were 68% and 86%. The perioperative mortality was 2.5%. All deaths were secondary to cardiovascular causes. We believe that the open technique with a retrograde valvulotome provide satisfactory long-term patency, high operability and an excellent vein utilization rate.

Are there angiographic predictors of success for vein bypass to the peroneal artery?

In order to evaluate the effect of angiographic run-off upon peroneal artery autogenous vein bypass patency and subsequent limb salvage, 53 autogenous vein peroneal artery bypasses performed for ischemic tissue loss were reviewed. All preoperative angiograms were evaluated according to three separate angiographic scoring systems that previously had been designed to quantify the severity of runoff resistance. None of the three scoring systems predicted either early bypass occlusion and/or major amputation. The cumulative 18-month primary patency and 24-month secondary patency rates were 71% and 90%, respectively. The 24-month limb salvage rate was 81%. Initial and intermediate-term salvage of limbs with ischemic tissue loss can be achieved by peroneal artery bypass. Angiographic scoring systems were poor predictors of bypass failure or major amputation.

A prospective comparison of ankle/brachial indices and color duplex imaging in surveillance of the in situ saphenous vein bypass.

We performed routine postoperative surveillance of 124 consecutive in situ saphenous vein bypasses, using both ankle-brachial indices and color flow duplex imaging. Using a combination of low and high velocity criteria, color flow duplex identified 97% (37/38) of bypass and native artery inflow stenoses subsequently demonstrated by angiography, including 20 of 21 severe stenoses. A reduction in ankle-brachial index by greater than 0.15 identified 43% (16/38) of all stenoses, and only 10 of 21 severe stenoses. Revisional operations were performed in 30 bypasses for abnormalities detected by surveillance, resulting in a 3-year cumulative secondary patency of 87%. Color flow duplex is a superior technique for in situ bypass surveillance when compared to alterations in ankle-brachial indices. The identification of a bypass or inflow stenosis by routine surveillance and its subsequent operative treatment result in satisfactory long-term patency.

Surgical disorders of the pancreas in infancy and childhood.

Pancreatic disorders in infants and children encountered over a 20 year period are reviewed. A total of 79 children were treated. Forty-eight had pancreatitis or its complications, 17 had congenital malformations, 12 had hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism, and 2 had carcinoma. The mortality rate for the children with pancreatitis was 17 percent and was limited to patients treated nonoperatively. Idiopathic and drug-induced pancreatitis (the latter, particularly from corticosteroids) were the predominant types. Only rarely should such patients undergo operative treatment. Operations performed for various obstructive or traumatic lesions of the pancreas, as well as for complications of pancreatitis, obtained uniformly good results. The most common congenital malformation of the pancreas was an annular pancreas in association with duodenal atresia; all children with this abnormality were successfully treated with bypass procedures. Four patients with an ectopic pancreas underwent successful wedge resection. Nine infants with nesidioblastosis or islet cell hyperplasia and three children with islet cell adenomas underwent successful resection without any deaths, although neurologic sequelae due to prolonged preoperative hypoglycemia were common. Two patients underwent radical resection for pancreatic carcinoma, one of whom had survived 20 years postoperatively at last follow-up. Pancreatic disorders requiring operation in childhood are uncommon, but are likely to be complex and challenging when they do occur.

Surgical management of pancreatitis in childhood.

In a retrospective study of patients 18 years of age and younger over a 28-year period, 48 children had pancreatitis. Epigastric pain, nausea, and emesis were present in 90%. Hyperamylasemia was present in 34 children; elevated amylase/creatinine clearance ratio was helpful in diagnosing ten others. In four children, pancreatitis was diagnosed at laparotomy. Etiology of the pancreatitis was idiopathic in 16, drug-induced in 12, all of whom had received corticosteroids. Nine developed pancreatitis after blunt trauma; seven had obstruction of the pancreaticobiliary drainage system. Two children developed pancreatitis in association with sepsis, and two had recurrent hereditary pancreatitis. Thirty of the 48 patients were managed nonoperatively while operations were required in 18. Seven had drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts, four had a pancreatectomy, and four underwent laparotomy with debridement and drainage of necrotic pancreas. Bilioenteric bypass procedures were performed to prevent recurrent pancreatitis in three patients; while duodenojenjunostomy sphincteroplasty and cholecystectomy were performed in one child each. Cure was achieved in 38 of 48 children treated for pancreatitis and its complications; each subsequently grew and developed normally. Hemorrhagic pancreatitis occurred in seven children, six of whom died. Seven deaths occurred, all in the medically treated group. Fifteen of the 18 children treated operatively did well in long-term follow-up. Although rare, pancreatitis is a serious cause of abdominal pain in childhood; almost half of the children will benefit from operation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)