Endovenous laser ablation and sclerotherapy for incompetent vein of Giacomini.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy for Giacomini vein insufficiency. This is the largest cohort of patients treated for Giacomini vein insufficiency with endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Over a three-year period, 23 females and nine males (age range, 19-67 years) treated for Giacomini vein insufficiency with or without saphenous vein insufficiency were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis of venous insufficiency was made by color Doppler ultrasonography. Symptomatic insufficiency of the Giacomini vein or the saphenous veins was treated with endovenous laser ablation. Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy was used for tortuous incompetent Giacomini veins. The venous disease was categorized according to the clinical, etiological, anatomical, and pathological classification, and clinical severity was graded with the venous clinical severity score. Follow-up included clinical examination and color Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: Thirty-nine limbs in 32 patients were treated (25 endovenous laser ablation and seven ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy). All procedures were technically successful. One patient in the ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy group had a recurrence with successful repeated treatment. Recurrence was not seen in the endovenous laser ablation group. No complications were observed. All patients had resolution and improvement in 100% of their symptoms at 12 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Giacomini vein insufficiency is mostly seen with insufficiency of the great saphenous vein and can be effectively treated with endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.

Endovascular treatment of acute and subacute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis by using manual aspiration thrombectomy: long-term results of 139 patients in a single center.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the immediate and long-term outcomes of percutaneous manual aspiration thrombectomy with provisional stent placement in treating acute and subacute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-nine consecutive patients (75 women; mean age, 51 years) with acute (n=110) or subacute (n=29) iliofemoral DVT underwent endovascular treatment (total of 148 limbs). All patients were treated with percutaneous manual aspiration thrombectomy by using large-bore guiding catheters with adjunctive catheter-directed thrombolysis and stent placement, if needed. Venography was used to grade thrombus removal. RESULTS: Thrombus removal was less than 50% in five limbs (3.4%), between 50% and 95% in 45 limbs (30.4%), and more than 95% in 98 limbs (66.2%). At least one stent was placed in 99 limbs. Recurrent thrombosis occurred in 27 patients, mostly during the first few months after the procedure. Rethromboses were more frequent among postpartum patients. One patient had a major pulmonary embolism. No major hemorrhage or procedure-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: Manual aspiration thrombectomy is a safe, rapid, and effective treatment option for acute and subacute iliofemoral DVT. Hence, catheter-directed thrombolysis may not be required in a majority of patients.

Percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy in the treatment of lower extremity thromboembolic occlusions.

PURPOSE: To report the immediate and midterm results of manual aspiration thrombectomy as the first thrombus removal method in the treatment of acute or early chronic arterial thromboembolism in the lower extremity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 40 limbs in 37 nonconsecutive patients between March 2006 and March 2008 (21 female [57%], 16 male; mean age, 67 +/- 10 years; age range, 42-84 years) who had percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy for lower limb arterial thromboembolism. Twenty-nine legs had acute ( < 14 days) and 11 legs had early chronic (15-60 days) thromboembolism. Clinical categories of limb ischemia were stage I in 12 limbs, stage IIa in 17 limbs, and stage IIb in 11 limbs. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 35 limbs (88%). Complete thrombus removal was achieved in 26 of 29 limbs (90%) with acute occlusions and 4 of 11 limbs (36%) with early chronic occlusions (P < 0.05, chi(2) test). Amputation-free survival rate was 100% at one month, 93% at one year, and 93% at two years with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Freedom from symptoms of claudication or critical limb ischemia was achieved in 31 of 39 limbs (80%) at one month and 25 of 35 limbs (71%) at one year. There were three major complications and ten minor complications. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy is a rapid and effective way of removing thrombus in thromboembolic occlusions of the limb arteries below the inguinal ligament. It can be used in patients with acute limb ischemia (Rutherford clinical category IIb).

Renal artery origins and variations: angiographic evaluation of 855 consecutive patients.

PURPOSE: To determine angiographically the origins and variations of renal arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 855 consecutive patients (163 females, 692 males; mean age, 61 years) living in the Cukurova region of Turkey, who underwent either aortofemoropopliteal (AFP) angiography for the investigation of peripheral arterial disease, or renal angiography for renovascular hypertension, and were prospectively evaluated. Renal arteries were visualized by non-selective catheterization during AFP angiography and by selective or non-selective catheterization during renal angiography. Locations of renal artery origins and renal artery variations, including the presence of extra renal arteries and division patterns were analyzed on angiograms. RESULTS: The origin of main renal arteries off the aorta was between the upper margin of L1 and lower margin of L2 vertebra in 98% of the patients, and in 74%, this was the origin of extra renal arteries. The most common location for renal artery origin was the L1-L2 intervertebral disc level. A single renal artery was present in both kidneys in 76% of patients. Renal artery variations included multiple arteries in 24%, bilateral multiple arteries in 5%, and early division in 8% of the cases. Additional renal arteries on the right side were found in 16% and on the left side in 13% of cases. Of all the extra renal arteries, the percentage of accessory and aberrant renal arteries were 49% and 51%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Renal arteries originated between the first and the second lumbar vertebral levels in most patients. Extra renal arteries were quite frequent. These results should be kept in mind when a non-invasive diagnostic search is performed for renal artery stenosis, or when renal surgery related to renal arteries is performed.