Safety and Effectiveness of Passeo-18 Lux Drug-Coated Balloon Catheter in Infrainguinal Endovascular Revascularization in the Korean Population: A Multicenter Post-Market Surveillance Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of the Passeo-18 Lux drug-coated balloon (DCB) in endovascular revascularization procedures under real-world conditions in a Korean population with atherosclerotic disease of the infrainguinal arteries, including below-the-knee (BTK) arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight institutions in the Republic of Korea participated in this prospective, multicenter, single-arm, post-market surveillance study. Two hundred patients with Rutherford class 2-5 peripheral arterial disease and infrainguinal lesions suitable for endovascular treatment were competitively enrolled. Data were collected at baseline, the time of intervention, discharge, and 1-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up visits. The primary safety endpoint was freedom from major adverse events (MAE) within 6 months (except when limiting the time frame for procedure- or device-related mortality to within 30 days), and the primary effectiveness endpoint was freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) within 12 months after the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 197 patients with 332 target lesions were analyzed. Two-thirds of the patients had diabetes mellitus, and 41.6% had chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The median target lesion length was 100 mm (interquartile range: 56-133 mm). Of the target lesions, 35.2% were occlusions, and 14.8% were located in the BTK arteries. Rate of freedom from MAE was 97.9% at 6 months, and the rate of freedom from CD-TLR was 95.0% and 92.2% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Subgroup analysis of 43 patients and 49 target lesions involving the BTK arteries showed rate of freedom from MAE of 92.8% at 6 months and rates of freedom from CD-TLR of 88.8% and 84.4% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study, including the BTK subgroup analysis, showed outcomes comparable to those of other DCB studies, confirming the safety and effectiveness of Passeo-18 Lux DCB in the Korean population.

Stent Graft Placement in the Top-Down Direction for Treating Traumatic Intra-Abdominal Suprahepatic Inferior Vena Cava Rupture: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: The treatment of suprahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) ruptures results in high mortality rates due to difficulty in performing the surgical procedure. Here, we present a case of successful endovascular management of a life-threatening suprahepatic IVC rupture with top-down placement of a stent graft. CASE REPORT: A 33-year-old woman was involved in a traffic accident and presented to our emergency department due to unstable hemodynamics after blunt abdominal wall trauma. Computed tomography (CT) revealed massive extravasation of contrast agent from the suprahepatic IVC, which suggested traumatic suprahepatic IVC rupture. To seal the IVC, to salvage major hepatic veins, and to prevent migration of the stent graft into the right side of the heart after placement, an aortic cuff with a proximal hook was introduced in a top-down direction via the right internal jugular vein. After closure of the injured IVC, the patient's hemodynamics improved, and additional laparotomy was performed. After 3 months of trauma care, the patient recovered and was discharged. Follow-up CT after 58 months showed a patent stent graft within the IVC. CONCLUSION: Endovascular management with top-down placement of a stent graft is a viable option for emergent damage control in patients with life-threatening hemorrhage from IVC rupture.

Endovascular treatment of wide-necked aneurysms of the visceral and renal arteries using the double microcatheter technique via a single access route.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the utility of and complications associated with the double microcatheter technique for the treatment of wide-necked visceral and renal artery aneurysms (VRAAs). METHODS: Nine patients (mean age, 58 years; age range, 42-69 years; 4 men, 5 women) with wide-necked VRAAs who underwent treatment with the double microcatheter technique from January 2016 to July 2018 were included in the study. For all patients, anatomical features were confirmed using cone-beam computed tomography (CT) with rotational angiography. The aneurysmal location, size, volume, neck-to-dome ratio, number of coils used, and coil packing density were investigated. Technical success, complications (coil migration and organ ischemia), changes in the complete blood count or serum creatine level, and recurrence were also evaluated. RESULTS: Three renal artery aneurysms and 6 splenic artery aneurysms were treated by the double microcatheter technique. The mean size of the aneurysms was 26.09±4.76 mm, mean volume was 6.19±3.69 cm3, and mean neck-to-dome ratio was 1.53±0.24. The number of coils used ranged from 7 to 16. The mean packing density was 11.32%±3.72%. Technical success was achieved in all 9 patients. Renal ischemia occurred in two patients with renal artery aneurysm, one of whom showed minimal scar formation on follow-up CT after infarction. No coil migrations or disease recurrences were observed. CONCLUSION: The double microcatheter technique for the treatment of wide-necked VRAAs appears to be relatively safe and useful. However, complex renal artery aneurysm should be carefully managed in order to prevent infarction.

Conventional Versus Small Doxorubicin-eluting Bead Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Treating Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage 0/A Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Approximately, 60-70% of patients with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) globally are ineligible for the recommended first-line procedures. This study aimed to compare conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (cTACE) with a treatment, small drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE), in patients with stage 0/A HCCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 76 patients who underwent first-time cTACE (n = 40) or DEB-TACE using 75-150 µm DC Beads® (n = 36) for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage 0/A HCC < 3 cm at a single tertiary care center between July 2015 and March 2017. Outcome measurements were time to local progression (assessed per modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors), tumor response at one month and intrahepatic distal recurrence, progression-free survival, overall survival, safety, and toxicity. RESULTS: The study included 60 (78%) men and 16 (21%) women; participant mean age was 65.8 years. Objective response rates between the cTACE and DEB-TACE groups were similar (p > 0.05). Complete and partial 1-month tumor response rates were 60.0% and 22.5%, respectively, in the cTACE group and 69.4% and 25.0%, respectively, in the DEB-TACE group. The abdominal pain grade was significantly lower with DEB-TACE than with cTACE (p = 0.001). AST and ALT levels after tumor treatment with DEB-TACE were significantly lower than those after treatment with cTACE (p = 0.018 and 0.006). Time to local progression, intrahepatic distal recurrence, progression-free survival, and overall survival were not significantly between the DEB-TACE group and the cTACE group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Time to local progression between groups was not significantly different; however, post-embolic syndrome occurred less frequently in the DEB-TACE group. DEB-TACE appears to be a feasible treatment for small HCCs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Comprehensive Review.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) can be defined as an abnormal, progressive dilatation of the abdominal aorta, carrying a substantial risk for fatal aneurysmal rupture. Endovascular aneurysmal repair (EVAR) for AAA is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure that involves the placement of a bifurcated or tubular stent-graft over the AAA to exclude the aneurysm from arterial circulation. In contrast to open surgical repair, EVAR only requires a stab incision, shorter procedure time, and early recovery. Although EVAR seems to be an attractive solution with many advantages for AAA repair, there are detailed requirements and many important aspects should be understood before the procedure. In this comprehensive review, fundamental information regarding AAA and EVAR is presented.

Change in Perfusion Angiography During Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Predicts Short-Term Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively assess perfusion reductions occurring in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using 2D perfusion angiography and to evaluate the relationships between various 2D perfusion angiography parameter changes and short-term tumor response. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. This prospective study included 172 patients (144 men and 28 women; mean [± SD] age, 65.4 ± 10.2 years) who underwent TACE for HCC between November 2015 and November 2017. Two-dimensional perfusion angiography was performed before and after TACE. Pre- and postprocedural CT images were also reviewed. Index lesions were defined as all discrete lesions 1.5 cm or larger. The tumor response was assessed using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Periprocedural 2D perfusion angiography parameters, including the arrival time, time to peak, wash-in rate, width, AUC, and mean transit time, were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Correlations between 2D perfusion angiography parameter changes and objective tumor response were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS. A total of 187 lesions meeting the inclusion criteria were identified in 172 patients. All analyzed 2D perfusion angiography parameters were significantly different after versus before TACE (p < 0.001). A significant relationship between periprocedural change in AUC and short-term tumor response was found (odds ratio, 1.535; 95% CI, 1.314-1.793; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION. Two-dimensional perfusion angiography could objectively quantify perfusion reductions and predict short-term tumor response to TACE in patients with HCC.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis: Korean Practice Guidelines.

Lower extremity deep vein thrombosis is a serious medical condition that can result in death or major disability due to pulmonary embolism or post-thrombotic syndrome. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment are required to improve symptoms and salvage the affected limb. Early thrombus clearance rapidly resolves symptoms related to venous obstruction, restores valve function and reduces the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome. Recently, endovascular treatment has been established as a standard method for early thrombus removal. However, there are a variety of views regarding the indications and procedures among medical institutions and operators. Therefore, we intend to provide evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis by multidisciplinary consensus. These guidelines are the result of a close collaboration between interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons. The goals of these guidelines are to improve treatment, to serve as a guide to the clinician, and consequently to contribute to public health care.

Inferior vena cava filter insertion through the popliteal vein: enabling the percutaneous endovenous intervention of deep vein thrombosis with a single venous access approach in a single session.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of placing an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter through the same popliteal vein access site used for percutaneous endovenous intervention in patients with extensive lower extremity deep vein thrombosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 21 patients who underwent IVC filter insertion through the popliteal vein over a three-year period. Patient medical records were reviewed for the location of the deep vein thrombosis, result of filter removal, and total number of endovascular procedures needed for filter insertion and recanalization of the lower extremity venous system. Follow-up lower extremity computed tomography (CT) venography was also reviewed in each patient to assess the degree of filter tilt in the IVC. RESULTS: All patients had extensive lower extremity deep vein thrombosis involving the iliac vein and/or femoral vein. Seventeen patients showed deep vein thrombosis of the calf veins. In all patients, IVC filter insertion and the recanalization procedure were performed during a single procedure through the single popliteal vein access site. In the 17 patients undergoing follow-up CT, the mean tilt angle of the filter was 7.14°±4.48° in the coronal plane and 8.77°±5.49° in the sagittal plane. Filter retrieval was successful in 16 of 17 patients (94.1%) in whom filter retrieval was attempted. CONCLUSION: Transpopliteal IVC filter insertion is an efficient technique that results in low rates of significant filter tilt and enables a single session procedure using a single venous access site for filter insertion and percutaneous endovenous intervention.

Iliac Vein Stent Fracture Due to a Migrated Retrievable Vena Cava Filter.

We report a case of iliac vein stent fracture due to hooking by a migrated retrievable inferior vena cava filter in a 55-year-old woman with acute deep venous thrombosis related to May-Thurner syndrome.

A Hyaluronic Acid-Conjugated Gadolinium Hepatocyte-Specific T1 Contrast Agent for Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PURPOSE: In this study, we synthesized hyaluronic acid-conjugated gadolinium (HA-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-Gd) and evaluated as hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent for the diagnosis of hepatic metastasis. PROCEDURES: We conducted Fourier transform (FT)-IR analysis to determine the conjugation of HA and DTPA and performed cell viability assays using NIH3T3 and FL83B cell lines. We also conducted T1-weighted MRI of HA-DTPA-Gd and gadoxetic acid to compare the paramagnetic properties of both. RESULTS: HA-DTPA-Gd had a higher efficiency in liver MRI compared with the commercially available liver-specific contrast agent (p < 0.001). HA-DTPA-Gd, which possessed a higher T1 relaxivity, showed excellent capability for the diagnosis of hepatic metastasis through an in vivo MRI study in comparison with gadoxetic acid (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on this study, we believe that HA-DTPA-Gd has promising potential for use as a contrast agent for liver MRI of hepatic metastases.

Role of interventional radiology in trauma care: retrospective study from single trauma center experience.

PURPOSE: Although interventional management is now regarded as essential in trauma care, the effect on clinical result remains uncertain. We conducted this retrospective study to figure out the role of interventional management in trauma care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients enrolled in the trauma database of our trauma center were reviewed for the period of January 2009 to December 2012. During this period, we have evaluated how many interventional procedures were conducted and the clinical effect of interventional procedure on trauma care. RESULTS: Based on our institutional trauma database, medical records of 2017 patients were reviewed (male/female, 1475:542; mean age, 50.03 years). Their mean injury severity score was approximately 26.28. Among them, 111 patients have been treated with interventional procedure. The number of interventional procedures increased significantly over time, up to 15% (P < .005). During the same period, the overall survival rate did not show significant change. The survival rate of the patients, who have been treated with interventional procedures for traumatic vascular injury, was higher than possibility of survival from trauma injury severity score (86.4% vs 65.59%). CONCLUSION: The need for interventional procedure in trauma care is increasing. Although interventional procedure could not affect the overall survival rate in trauma care, it can improve survival rate remarkably in patients with traumatic vascular injury.

Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm manifesting as delayed postpartum hemorrhage after precipitous delivery: three case reports.

Precipitous delivery may lead to serious maternal and neonatal complications. Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm (UAP) is one of the causes of delayed postpartum hemorrhage. Here we describe 3 cases of UAP manifesting as delayed postpartum hemorrhage after precipitous delivery. The duration of the second stage of labor in cases 1, 2, and 3 was 15, 15, and 60 min, respectively. Excessive vaginal bleeding occurred 10, 9, and 31 days after delivery, respectively. Ultrasonogram and pelvic angiography revealed the UAP in each case and uterine artery embolization was performed. UAP may be a complication of precipitous delivery.

Periductal stromal tumor of the breast with synchronous bilateral breast cancer.

We report on a case of low-grade periductal stromal tumor of the breast with synchronous bilateral breast carcinoma. A 45-year-old woman came to our Hospital because of a palpable mass of the right breast. An approximately 5-cm mass was palpated in the upper right breast. The mammographic and sonographic findings of the palpable mass suggested the possibility of hamartoma. A 1.3-cm, irregular mass with microcalcifications was also detected in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast and a 1.3-cm irregular mass was detected in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast. Core-needle biopsy revealed bilateral breast carcinoma. The patient underwent bilateral breast-conserving surgery, including the excision of the large palpable mass in the right breast. The palpable mass in the right breast was confirmed as low-grade periductal stromal tumor and there were bilateral invasive ductal carcinomas in both upper outer breast quadrants. After surgery, the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. At 16 months of follow-up, no recurrence was observed.

Outcome of mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire stent as first-line intra-arterial treatment in intracranial internal carotid artery occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: Acute stroke from occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) is associated with a poor clinical outcome despite a thrombolytic treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of mechanical thrombectomy using the Solitaire stent for the treatment of acute stroke patients with intracranial ICA occlusion. METHODS: A total of 104 consecutive patients with acute stroke were treated with mechanical thrombectomy using the Solitaire stent as a first-line intra-arterial treatment. We retrospectively reviewed data from 26 of these patients who presented with acute stroke attributable to intracranial ICA occlusion. Rescue treatments in cases of failed Solitaire thrombectomy included intra-arterial urokinase, angioplasty, and forced suction thrombectomy. Successful recanalization was defined as thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia grades 2b to 3. Outcome measure was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 at 3 months. RESULTS: Successful recanalization was achieved in 77% (20/26) of patients. Recanalization was achieved with the Solitaire stent alone in 69% (18/26) of patients. Ten patients (39%) had a good clinical outcome (mRS score of 0-2) at 3 months. There was a good outcome in 50% of patients (10/20) with recanalization and no good outcome in patients (0/6) without recanalization (P = 0.027). None of eight patients who received rescue treatments showed a good outcome. No symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred. Mortality was 8% (2/26) at 3 months. CONCLUSION: Mechanical thrombectomy using the Solitaire stent can achieve a high rate of successful recanalization and a very low rate of symptomatic hemorrhage and thus improve a clinical outcome in patients with acute intracranial ICA occlusion.

Clinical characteristics and corticosteroid treatment of acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

The clinical characteristics and optimal duration of corticosteroid treatment for acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) have not been fully evaluated. This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from 137 patients with AEP, treated with standardised protocol, to clarify the clinical characteristics and compare the efficacies of 2 weeks versus 4 weeks of corticosteroid treatment for AEP. The majority of the patients altered their smoking habits within a median (interquartile range) of 17 (13-26) days prior to development of AEP. 80 (58%) patients presented with acute respiratory failure. A total of 127 (92%) patients were treated with corticosteroids: 4 weeks, n=42; 2 weeks, n=85. Major symptoms were resolved in 3 days and the severity of respiratory failure was inversely correlated with clinical outcomes. After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics between the groups, the differences in adjusted mean (95% confidence interval) for resolution of dyspnoea and disappearance of all symptoms were 0.57 (-0.71-1.86) and -0.04 (-1.91-1.83) days, respectively. The difference in adjusted proportion of resolution of radiological abnormalities was 6.92% (-8.19-22.02). In conclusion, the duration of corticosteroid treatment could be shortened to 2 weeks, even in patients with respiratory failure.

Retrograde Tempofilter II™ placement within the superior vena cava in a patient with acute upper extremity deep venous thrombosis: the filter stands on its head.

The Tempofilter II is a widely used temporary vena cava filter. Its unique design, which includes a long tethering catheter with a subcutaneous anchor, facilitates the deployment and retrieval of the device. Despite this, the Tempofilter II has been used only in the inferior vena cava of patients with lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. In this article, we present a case of superior vena cava filtering using the Tempofilter II in patients with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.

Agenesis of bilateral internal carotid artery associated with basilar artery fenestration mimicking intra-arterial thrombus: a case report.

Bilateral internal carotid artery agenesis is a very rare congenital anomaly, which may be accompanied by various types of associated vascular abnormalities, included intracranial aneurysms or dolichoectatic change of posterior circulation. In this article, we present unique, and to the best of our knowledge, the first case of bilateral internal carotid agenesis associated with basilar artery fenestration, which resembles intra-arterial floating thrombus.

Multidetector-row computed tomographic evaluation of myocardial perfusion in reperfused chronic myocardial infarction: value of color-coded perfusion map in a porcine model.

We aimed to develop color-coded CT perfusion maps (CPM) of infarcted myocardium and assess the utility of CPM in evaluating ischemic heart disease on a cardiac multi-detector CT (MDCT) in a porcine reperfused-myocardial-infarction model. Myocardial infarctions were induced by 30 min occlusions of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in 17 healthy adult female pigs. First-pass and 5 min-delayed cardiac MDCTs were performed after 4 weeks of LAD occlusion. Myocardial CPMs were obtained by using the CPM program. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-staining was performed on the cardiac specimens. We analyzed the intermodality agreement on the size and location of the myocardial infarctions. TTC staining revealed myocardial infarction in 16 of 17 pigs, and 15 of these (94%) showed matched infarcts on the CPM and first-pass images. The areas of perfusion deficit noted in early arterial phase images and CPM coincided exactly with the areas of poor TTC staining in 12 of 15 pigs (80%). In the three remaining pigs, the areas of poor TTC staining were larger than those of a perfusion deficit demonstrated by either early arterial phase images or CPM. The agreement between these tests is calculated to be moderate to good (k = 0.736, P < 0.05). Ten myocardial segments in 4 of the 15 pigs (27%) with hypoattenuated myocardium showed a delayed enhancement on the 5 min-delayed images. Contrast-enhanced MDCT was useful and accurate in detecting chronic myocardial infarction; CPM was helpful in visualizing the infarcted myocardium.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver with helical CT and MRI: imaging spectrum and pitfalls of cirrhosis-related nodules.

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the imaging spectrum of cirrhosis-related nodules on CT and MRI and differentiates between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and common focal lesions that can simulate HCC in the cirrhotic liver. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of cirrhotic nodules and focal lesions and how they mimic HCC will improve the diagnosis and characterization of focal lesions in cirrhotic liver on CT and MRI.