Amplatzer Plug to Occlude the Internal Iliac Artery During Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair: A Large Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: During endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR), in the absence of a distal iliac landing zone, the Amplatzer plug is increasingly being used to replace other internal iliac artery (IIA) embolization techniques. This study aimed at assessing the technical success, complication occurrence, and durability of the Amplatzer plug for IIA embolization. METHOD: From January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2013, all consecutive patients who underwent internal iliac embolization with an Amplatzer plug during EVAR were included in the study. There were 169 patients, (160 men, 9 women, mean 75 ± 9 years), treated by unilateral (158 cases, 93%) or bilateral (11 cases, 7%) embolization of the IIA, performed either separately prior to (65 cases, 38.5%) or during EVAR (104 cases, 61.5%). Follow up CT scan and/or US scan were performed 1 month after treatment and yearly thereafter. The inclusions were done retrospectively but the series was continuous and consecutive. Data were collected and analyzed using acquisition REDCap software. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 97.6%. Failures were device migration (n = 1), navigation failure (n = 2), and release outside the target zone (n = 1). On average, 1.43 plugs were required to achieve the embolization. The average amount of contrast agent for the embolization procedure was 111 ± 51 mL and the radiation dose was 127,777 ± 89,528 mGy/cm(2). The total fluoroscopy time was 854 ± 538 seconds. No re-canalization of the IIA trunk was observed during follow up. Complications were buttock claudication (n = 41, 24.3%), which resolved in 24 cases (58.5%, 24/41) at the first follow up, and intestinal ischemia requiring limited bowel resection in two cases. CONCLUSION: This multicenter study is the largest published to date. It demonstrates the efficacy and reliability of the Amplatzer plug to embolize the IIA during EVAR, with few side effects.

Obliterative Endoaneurysmorrhaphy with Stent Graft Preservation for Treatment of Type II Progressive Endoleak.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Persistent type II endoleak (EL II) with sac enlargement after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm requires treatment to prevent rupture. Embolization is not always effective. Conversion to open repair with stent graft (SG) explantation is a high risk option. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and immediate results of an alternative technique combining obliterative endoaneurysmorrhaphy (OEA) with SG preservation. METHODS: The open surgical technique combined sacotomy, ligation of all patent back-bleeding vessels and SG preservation. The aneurysmal shell was tightly closed over the SG to protect it from the intestines. An intra-aortic occlusion balloon was used when clamping was required. RESULTS: Twelve patients were treated with the OEA technique at Amiens University Hospital. All 12 procedures were successful. Four patients had previously undergone unsuccessful transarterial or translumbar embolization. Aortic clamping was performed in four cases. No SG migration or graft dislocation was observed. Follow up computed tomography scan at a median of 12 months showed shrinkage of the aneurysm sac with stable diameters and no recurrence of EL II in all cases. CONCLUSION: The OEA technique is an alternative option for the treatment of progressive EL II, which can be particularly useful after failure of embolization.

Gestación extratterina canina: relato de un caso / Canine extrautriine gestation: casereeport

Se reporta un caso de gestación extrauterina en una hembra canina de raza Pinscher de dos años de edad, la cual fue remitida al Centro de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia de la Universidad CES (Medellín, Colombia) por presentar un cuadro de descarga vaginal de color oscuro; a la evaluación se confirmó gestación de 42 días. En la imagen radiográfica se constató presencia de abundante material gaseoso y en la ecografía, ausencia de fetocardia y disminución de líquido amniótico. Se realizó ovariohisterectomía que permitió evidenciar un cuadro de gestación extrauterina con fetos en cavidad abdominal. El artículo reporta un cuadro gineco-obstétrico poco frecuente y descrito por primera vez en Colombia.

A clinical case of extrauterine gestation is reported in a female canine breed Pinscher 2 years of age, which was derived at the Center for Veterinary Medicine CES University (Medellin, Colombia) with dark vaginal discharge. During the evaluation, a gestation of 42 days was confirmed and abundant gaseous material in the radiographic images. In addition, the ultrasound indicated an absence of fetocardia and decreased amniotic fluid. An ovariohysterectomy was performed and extrauterine gestation fetuses were found in the abdominal cavity. This article reports and describes for the first time a case involving a pregnancy outside the womb in a canine as an uncommon case and first described in Colombia.

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion versus intensive conventional insulin therapy in type I and type II diabetic pregnancy.

Two groups of pregnant diabetic women, fifteen with type I and fourteen with type II diabetes, were randomly assigned either to CSII or to ICT and the subgroups compared with respect to glycaemic control, insulin requirement and perinatal out-come. Ten non-diabetic pregnant women served as controls for the variations in the metabolic parameters considered (24-hour mean blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin). Strict glycaemic control was achieved and maintained by both regimens before week 13 in all patients with type I and in 57.1% of patients with type II diabetes. The mean insulin requirements in the type I group increased up to week 34-36 and then stabilized to term in patients receiving CSII and rose progressively to term in those receiving ICT. In the type II group insulin requirements rose up to week 36 in patients receiving CSII and up to week 32 in those receiving ICT, stabilizing thereafter on both regimens. No significant differences in mean insulin requirement at the different stages of gestation were found between the patients receiving CSII and those receiving ICT of either group. Perinatal outcome was satisfactory in both groups, although control of foetal growth was better with ICT than with CSII. CSII is a practical, safe and effective method of maintaining maternal normoglycemia in pregnancy but for the present we cannot consider it superior to ICT in the treatment of pregnant diabetic women.

Interference on metabolism induced by muzolimine and chlorthalidone in type II hypertensive diabetics.

There is a very high prevalence of hypertension in diabetic subjects, which makes it necessary to use an antihypertensive drug with the least possible metabolic interference. For example, in the early phase of hypertension, diuretics usually worsen the metabolic equilibrium. According to recent reports, a new diuretic, muzolimine (MZ), which acts on the loop of Henle, seems to present a minor effect on carbohydrate metabolic balance. In order to determine whether this assumption was correct or not, we carried out a clinical trial on 26 type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetics, in fairly good metabolic control and with moderate hypertension (orthostatic diastolic pressure from 100 to 115 mmHg), comparing the effect of MZ with those of chlorthalidone (CL). According to a randomized, single-blind cross-over design, the patients were treated with MZ (20 mg/day) or CL (50 mg/day) for the duration of 4 weeks. After the treatment period with the first drug, there was a 2 week wash-out period on placebo (PL) before the second drug was given. During the study, a set of metabolic and non-metabolic parameters was monitored, as were the clinostatic and orthostatic blood pressure values. The results show that the antihypertensive effect of the two drugs was the same (both caused a more than 10% decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure). No significant changes in plasma electrolyte levels occurred. There was a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in urinary aldosterone excretion after CL (20.7 +/- 11 micrograms/24 hours vs. 13.3 +/- 8.5 after PL, and 14.5 +/- 7.2 after MZ) (mean values +/- standard deviations).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)