Indocyanine Green Angiography to Prognosticate Healing of Foot Ulcer in Critical Limb Ischemia: A Novel Technique.

BACKGROUND: To predict wound healing in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) is an ongoing issue. Current methods such as ankle-brachial index (ABI), color Doppler and transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TCPO2), and computed tomography angiography are lacking in demonstrating regional perfusion. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) has the potential to provide regional perfusion information lacking in other methods. This study was conducted to demonstrate successes of revascularization procedure in CLI patients based on ICGA data. METHODS: A total of 47 patients with grade 2 or grade 3 University of Texas Wound Classification System ischemic foot ulcer undergoing lower limb revascularization procedure were included in this study, from July 2014 to May 2016. ICGA with intravenous 0.1 mg/kg of 0.1% indocyanine green dye was performed before and after revascularization procedure. ICGA data maximum unit, blush time, and blush rate were compared between prerevascularization and postrevascularization data, along with ABI and TCPO2. RESULTS: Out of 47 patients (45 males and 2 females), 43 underwent endovascular revascularization and 4 underwent open procedure. Of all, 76.6% of patients were diabetic and 46.8% were hypertensive. Also, 31.9% had coronary artery disease, 21.2% had history of cerebrovascular disease, 23% had chronic kidney disease, and 74.4% were chronic smokers. A total of 37 patients' ulcer healed completely on follow-up with significant improvement (P < 0.05) in preoperative and postoperative ABI, TCPO2, and ICGA data. Ten patients' ulcer did not heal in the follow-up period. In those 10 patients, preoperative and postoperative ABI and TCPO2 improved, but ICGA data were not improved postoperatively (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ICGA is an evolving tool to quantify regional perfusion in CLI. ICGA parameters provide qualitative real-time visual images of perfusion in area of interest as well as quantitative information of perfusion.

A Rare Entity: Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injury in a Patient with Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant right subclavian artery is an uncommon entity incidence ranging from 0.5 to 2.5%. Management of thoracic aortic injury in the presence of such anomalies can be a challenge. We present here a case of traumatic aortic injury, which was incidentally found to have an asymptomatic aberrant right subclavian artery. The patient was managed by an endovascular repair of thoracic aortic injury with an endograft and a right carotid to subclavian artery bypass as a hybrid procedure. METHODS: A 40-year male patient was brought to the emergency in shock with an alleged history of road traffic accident an hour back. After initial resuscitation as per advance trauma life support protocol, imaging revealed thoracic aortic injury with aberrant right subclavian artery with multiple rib and bilateral humerus fracture. After primary stabilization of arm fractures, the patient was shifted to a hybrid operation room. As the aortic injury was within 10 mm of the origin of both subclavian arteries, it was decided to cover the origin of both subclavian arteries and land the endograft distal to the left carotid artery origin. Since there was a right dominant vertebral artery on imaging, right carotid to right subclavian artery bypass was done with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft to prevent posterior circulatory stroke along with thoracic endovascular aortic repair to seal the thoracic aortic injury. RESULTS: After endovascular repair of thoracic aortic injury, left subclavian artery perfusion was maintained through left vertebral artery; and hence, revascularization of left subclavian artery was deferred. After management of all fractures, the patient was discharged 3 weeks after the date of admission without any complications. At 6 months follow-up, patient was stable and images showed patent bypass graft and sealed aortic injury. CONCLUSIONS: In a trauma setting with multiple injuries, hybrid procedure with a thoracic endograft is associated with low mortality and morbidity; hence, it is the treatment of choice for thoracic aortic injury over open surgical repair. A hybrid suite can be life and time saving in situations which mandate simultaneous endovascular repair along with surgical revascularization when indicated, especially in cases with aberrant aortic arch anatomy.

Double Barrel In Situ Recanalization of Thrombosed Nonretrievable IVC filter.

We report a case of endovascular recanalization of complete thrombotic occlusion of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and bilateral iliac veins using the architectural knowledge of the in situ permanent IVC filter in a 23-year-old male. The infrarenal permanent IVC filter was TRAPEASE permanent vena cava filter (Cordis) placed at an outstation hospital for pulmonary embolism. Being permanent variant of filter, percutaneous removal was not possible. The patient had severe venous claudication and an attempt to recanalize the blocked filter was considered, in view of the age no justifiable indication for a long-term filter. After pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis, there was residual focal flow-limiting thrombus within the filter. The design of the Trapease Cordis filter was instrumental in our decision to attempt to recanalize the filter in situ using 2 parallel stents with the filter struts as anchoring pillars in a double-barrel alignment. In similar cases of persistent Trapease filter-related thrombotic occlusion of the IVC, this double barrel in situ recanalization shall be a viable alternative to the well-described technique of crushing the filter and recanalizing it with a single stent.

Profile of colorectal cancer in Eastern India.

Although colorectal cancer is a major cause of concern in the western population, recent studies are showing the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer to be rapidly rising in Asia. The present study is an insight into the epidemiological profile of colorectal cancer of a representative Eastern Indian population. Over a period of three years, all histologically proved patients with colorectal cancer were assessed for age, sex, body mass index, dietary habits, socioeconomic status and stage of disease. Of a total of 168 patients male to female ratio was 1.7:1.The mean age of presentation was 47.01 years. Although colorectal cancer has been known as a disease of sedentary obese men, 41.66% of the patients were from a low socioeconomic rural set-up and 40.47% were involved in heavy physical labour with only 15% of being obese; 62% patients were harbouring a locally advanced disease at the time of presentation. The epidemiological pattern of colorectal cancer in India is different from that of the west as regards to earlier age of presentation, prevalence in low socio economic class with low fat diet and scanty meat intake.