球囊扩张联合覆膜支架植入治疗人造血管动静脉内瘘狭窄

目的 探讨球囊扩张联合覆膜支架植入治疗人造血管动静脉内瘘(AVG)狭窄的临床疗效.方法 前瞻性选取15例经皮腔内血管成型术(PTA)疗效欠佳的AVG狭窄患者,且具备以下特点:狭窄长度不超过7 cm,狭窄程度大于50％;PTA后3个月内狭窄复发2次或以上;扩张后残余狭窄＞30％或狭窄部位立即弹性回缩.所有患者在数字减影血管造影(DSA)下行球囊扩张后植入不同内径的聚四氟乙烯覆膜支架.结果 男3例,女12例,平均年龄(66±12)岁.支架植入前内瘘平均使用时间为(19.5±15.0)个月.共植入支架16枚,技术成功率100％,植入部位为静脉吻合口9例(9/15);静脉流出道6例(6/15),其中头静脉3例,肱静脉2例,腋静脉1例.首次开通率3个月为40％,6个月为19％,12个月为13％.再次开通率3个月为93％,6个月为88％,12个月为87％.术后平均随访时间为(14.9±5.3)个月,再窄狭率为87％(13/15).术后PTA 36例次,支架内狭窄36％ (13/36);支架远端狭窄8％ (3/36);支架近端狭窄22％(8/36);与支架无关的狭窄33％ (12/36).AVG中位生存时间为25个月.结论 球囊扩张联合覆膜支架植入治疗AVG狭窄技术成功率高,并发症少,首次开通率不高,但再次开通率令人满意.     

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome of the hand after placement of an arteriovenous graft for hemodialysis

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), a complex clinical syndrome characterized by pain and swelling of an affected extremity, is most commonly seen after trauma. We report the case of a woman with diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure who presented with RSDS 5 months after placement of an arteriovenous (AV) graft for hemodialysis. The temporal relationship between RSDS and the vascular surgery suggests AV graft placement as the precipitating event for the development of RSDS. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids successfully relieved the patient's symptoms. We believe that RSDS should be included in the differential diagnosis of unexplained limb pain and swelling after AV graft placement.     

Acute perigraft seroma simulating anastomotic bleeding of a PTFE graft applied as an arteriovenous shunt for hemodialysis

Perigraft seroma is an uncommonly reported complication of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts applied as an arteriovenous shunt for hemodialysis. It usually presents as a soft tissue swelling around the arterial end of the graft and occurs within 30 days after implantation. An unusual presentation of perigraft seroma occurring immediately after implantation is reported herein.     

Incidence of symptomatic hemorrhage after stereotactic electrode placement

OBJECT: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is the most significant complication associated with the placement of stereotactic intracerebral electrodes. Previous reports have suggested that hypertension and the use of microelectrode recording (MER) are risk factors for cerebral hemorrhage. The authors evaluated the incidence of symptomatic ICH in a large cohort of patients with various diseases treated with stereotactic electrode placement. They examined the effect of comorbidities on the risk of ICH and independently assessed the risks associated with age, sex, use of MER, diagnosis, target location, hypertension, and previous use of anticoagulant medications. The authors also evaluated the effect of hemorrhage on length of hospital stay and discharge disposition. METHODS: Between 1991 and 2005, 567 electrodes were placed by two neurosurgeons during 337 procedures in 259 patients. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was performed in 167 procedures, radiofrequency lesioning (RFL) of subcortical structures in 74, and depth electrodes were used in 96 procedures in patients with epilepsy. Electrodes were grouped according to target, patient diagnosis, use of MER, patient history of hypertension, and patient prior use of anticoagulant medication (stopped 10 days before surgery). The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to evaluate the effect of comorbidities. The CCI score, patient age, length of hospital stay, and discharge status were continuous variables. Symptomatic hemorrhages were grouped as transient or leading to permanent neurological deficits. RESULTS: The risk of hemorrhage leading to permanent neurological deficits in this study was 0.7%, and the risk of symptomatic hemorrhage was 1.2%. A patient history of hypertension was the most significant factor associated with hemorrhage (p = 0.007). Older age, male sex, and a diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) were also significantly associated with hemorrhage (p = 0.01, 0.04, 0.007, respectively). High CCI scores, specific target locations, and prior use of anticoagulant therapy were not associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage. The use of MER was not found to be correlated with an increased hemorrhage rate (p = 0.34); however, the number of hemorrhages in the patients who underwent DBS was insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. The mean length of stay for the DBS, RFL, and depth electrode patient groups was 2.9, 2.6, and 11.0 days, respectively. For patients who received DBS and RFL, the mean duration of hospitalization in cases of symptomatic hemorrhage was 8.2 days compared with 2.7 days in those without hemorrhaging (p < 0.0001). Three of the seven patients with symptomatic hemorrhages were discharged home. CONCLUSIONS: The placement of stereotactic electrodes is generally safe, with a symptomatic hemorrhage rate of 1.2%, and a 0.7% rate of permanent neurological deficit. Consistent with prior reports, this study confirms that hypertension is a significant risk factor for hemorrhage. Age, male sex, and diagnosis of PD were also significant risk factors. Patients with symptomatic hemorrhage had longer hospital stays and were less likely to be discharged home.     

Postoperative seroma formation after abdominoplasty with placement of continuous infusion local anesthetic pain pump

The most common complication after abdominoplasty is seroma formation. The incidence of seroma formation in abdominal procedures as a whole, including abdominoplasty, panniculectomy and transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap abdominal donor sites, ranges from 1% to 38%. A recent concern among surgeons is the possibility of a causal relationship between the use of continuous infusion devices such as local anesthetic pain pumps and the development of seromas. A case of postoperative, persistent, recurrent seroma formation after abdominoplasty with the use of continuous infusion local anesthetic pain pump is presented. After several attempts at aspiration and drain catheter placement, only open surgical excision of the seroma cavity was found to be definitively effective in treating the development of seroma.     

Incidence of graft rejection after pancreas and kidney transplantation]

The possibility of an immunological follow-up of the pancreas through the renal transplant after simultaneous pancreaticorenal transplantation (S.P.R.T.) is controversial. Fifty patients have received a neopren-injected extraperitoneal segmental pancreatic transplant and a contralateral renal transplant, after immunological preparation with blood transfusions, without tissue matching but with a negative anti-T lymphocyte cross-match. Immunosuppression consisted in a three- or four-drug therapy during the first 10 days, then a long-term two-drug therapy (ciclosporine and azathioprine). Sixteen rejection episodes were noted in 16 patients during the first 3 postoperative months. No concomitant alteration of the pancreatic function occurred (no pancreatic histology). No isolated pancreatic rejection has been noted so far. One patients presented with 2 episodes of simultaneous rejection 15 and 26 months after transplantation. The actuarial survival rate at 2 years of the patients, kidneys and pancreata respectively is 96%, 92% and 80%. The absence of long-term alteration of the pancreatic function probably proves the absence of undetected pancreatic rejection. In our experience, the follow-up of the renal function allows screening and treating rejection episodes before a possible functional alteration of the pancreatic transplant occurs. In our opinion, extraperitoneal segmental pancreatic transplantation, a simple procedure with satisfactory metabolic results in the long term, is a good technique for S.P.R.T.     

Perioperative management of endovascular stent graft placement for abdominal aortic aneurysm

We retrospectively examined the changes in hemodynamics, oxygen index and renal function along with the complications in 25 patients who had undergone endovascular stent graft placement (ESG) surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm. During stent graft placement, mean arterial pressure decreased to 58 +/- 8 mmHg by increasing the dose of anesthetics and/or using vasodilators. Except for this intended hypotensive period, mean arterial pressure and heart rate were relatively stable and adequately maintained during surgical manipulation. Oxygenation index was well maintained. A patient with a high preoperative creatinine level underwent prophylactic hemodialysis postoperatively. In other patients except one who died in early postoperative period, both BUN and creatinine levels were kept within normal ranges. Four patients died postoperatively and the causes of the death in two patients are related to the surgical procedure; one with multiple emboli possibly due to released atheloma from the aortic wall during procedure, the other with sepsis due to infected stent graft. Although ESG is a well tolerated procedure, embolism is the most serious complication. Careful preoperative evaluation of the ascending arch and descending aortic wall and monitoring with transcranial doppler are necessary.     

Percutaneous placement of a constrained stent for the treatment of dialysis associated arteriovenous graft steal syndrome

Though rare, dialysis associated steal syndrome (DASS) can cause debilitating symptoms. Surgical revision of the dialysis access is typically required. We describe a percutaneous technique to alleviate steal syndrome utilizing a constrained stent within an arteriovenous graft. A brief review of the incidence, pathophysiology, and standard treatment of DASS is also provided.     

Incidence and management of pancreatic leakage after pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND: Optimal management of severe pancreatic leakage after pancreatoduodenectomy can reduce morbidity and mortality. Completion pancreatectomy may be adequate but leads to endocrine insufficiency. This study evaluated an alternative management strategy for pancreatic leakage. METHODS: Outcome after disconnection of the jejunal limb, resection of the pancreatic body and preservation of a small pancreatic remnant, performed between 1997 and 2002, was compared with that after completion pancreatectomy performed between 1992 and 1996. RESULTS: Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed in 459 consecutive patients. Pancreatic leakage occurred in 41 patients (8.9 per cent); its incidence did not change over the study period. Non-surgical drainage procedures were performed in 14 patients, of whom one died, and surgical drainage in eight patients, of whom two died. Completion pancreatectomy was performed in nine patients with no deaths. A pancreatic remnant was preserved in ten patients, of whom three died. A remnant tail had to be resected in two patients and three patients still developed endocrine insufficiency ('brittle' diabetes). CONCLUSION: The incidence of pancreatic leakage did not change over the study interval. Preservation of a small pancreatic tail was associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates than those of completion pancreatectomy.     

Incidence and management of biliary leakage after hepaticojejunostomy

This study analyzes the change in the management of biliary leakage after hepaticojejunostomy. Between 1993 and 2003 all patients (n = 1033) were studied with a hepaticojejunostomy as part of a pancreatoduodenectomy (n = 486), proximal bile duct resection (without liver resection) (n = 35), and biliodigestive bypass for malignant (n = 302) and benign (n = 210) disease. Biliary leakage was defined as the presence of bile-stained fluid (>50 mL) in the abdominal drain more than 24 hours after surgery, proven radiologically or at relaparotomy. The studied patients were divided into two equal periods to analyze the change in management. Overall, 24 of 1033 patients (2.3%) had biliary leakage. In multivariate analysis, a body mass index greater than 35 kg/m² (P = .012), endoscopic biliary drainage (P = .044), and an anastomosis on the segmental bile ducts (P < .001) were independent predictors of leakage. Management in the first half of the study period (1993-1998) versus the second half (1999–2003) was maintenance of operatively placed drains (18% vs. 15%, respectively, P = 1.000), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (18% vs. 69%, respectively, P = .012), surgical drainage (55% vs. 8%, respectively, P = .023), and re-hepaticojejunostomy (9% vs. 8%, respectively, P = 1.000). There was no mortality in the patients with biliary leakage. Leakage after a hepaticojejunostomy is a relatively rare complication without mortality and can safely be managed with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

Intraperitoneal placement of gentamicin beads in the management of prosthetic graft sepsis

A simple and non-hazardous technique for intraperitoneal placement of gentamicin beads after excision of an infected prosthetic aortic graft is presented. It has been used successfully in six cases of aortic graft sepsis.     

Chest wall arteriovenous fistula: an unusual complication after chest tube placement

Posttraumatic arteriovenous fistulas can form between vessels of the thorax that have sustained loss of integrity to the vessel wall. Although most are caused by injuries as a consequence of missile penetration or stab wounds, iatrogenic damage is a potential cause. Herein we present a case of a systemic arteriovenous fistula involving an intercostal artery and subcutaneous vein after chest tube placement.     

Endovascular stent graft treatment for iatrogenic arteriovenous fistulas after femoral catheterisation

This article presents a case report of a 79-year-old patient who was suffering from a large femoral arteriovenous fistula and a stenosis of the external iliac artery and who was treated successfully with stent grafts. The fistula, which consisted of three parts, was caused by a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Two Jo-stents and one Medtronic AVE stent were used to cover the fistula and to dilate the stenosis. This article also describes the possible causes of iatrogenic arteriovenous fistulas such as the technique of arterial puncture and its localisation. The treatment of iatrogenic arteriovenous fistulas with stent grafts is a safe alternative for surgery in patients who often suffer from multiple cardiovascular problems. It could become the treatment of choice in the future.