Transcatheter management of innominate vein thrombosis prior to bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Innominate vein thrombosis was diagnosed in an 8-months-old infant after stage I surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Cardiac catheterization identified venous collaterals bypassing the innominate vein via the azygous vein. Coil occlusion of the distal azygous vein allowed a subsequent cavopulmonary anastomosis directing collateral flow into the pulmonary bed. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 49:61-63, 2000.     

Occlusion of the coronary sinus ostium: a danger for cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Coronary sinus (CS) ostial obstruction decompressing through a left superior vena cava is a rare finding and presents unique risks to patients requiring a Glenn anastomosis for single-ventricle palliation. Preoperative diagnosis is imperative in order to avoid inadvertent ligation or coil occlusion. We report three cases with single-ventricle physiology and CS obstruction identified at cardiac catheterization. Balloon occlusion angiography proved valuable in making the diagnosis.     

Systemic venous collateral channel causing desaturation after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis: percutaneous closure

An infant with cyanotic cardiac disease that was palliated with a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt developed progressive and worsening cyanosis 5 years after the surgical procedure. A large venous collateral was found to be decompressing the bidirectional Glenn shunt from the superior caval vein to the inferior caval vein and was percutaneously closed with a vascular plug. The unusually large venous collateral, and the excellent outcome associated with percutaneous procedure are discussed.     

经皮经肝介入门静脉血栓溶栓治疗

目的评价经皮经肝门静脉穿刺置管介入溶栓术的安全性和疗效。方法3例患者中,男性2例,女性1例,年龄分别为56岁,62岁,70岁。肝炎肝硬化2例,1例腹痛原因待查(后经手术证实为肠间脓肿)。3例患者均经彩色多普勒和CT检查发现门静脉血栓。3例患者均在B超引导下进行经皮经肝门静脉穿刺,置入5F CobraⅠ型导丝及导管鞘,经导管输注20万单位尿激酶后,继以每日30万单位持续注入,连续3天~5天行溶栓治疗,术后抗凝治疗。结果3例患者经皮经肝门静脉穿刺均一次成功,在置管造影及溶栓过程中均无不良反应;拔管前复查造影显示2例患者门静脉100%再通,1例80%再通;3例患者治疗后临床症状好转,腹水消退,肝功能改善,其中2例肝硬化患者食管静脉曲张程度减轻。1例腹痛原因待查患者溶栓后腹痛减轻但未完全缓解,体温较前下降但未正常,于溶栓后2周行剖腹探查,术中证实右下腹肠间包裹性脓肿,行脓肿切开引流,脓液培养为大肠杆菌,继续抗炎治疗2周后,体温降至正常,腹痛完全缓解。结论经皮经肝门静脉穿刺置管介入溶栓术是治疗门静脉血栓的安全、有效方法。     

Aortic catheterisation via percutaneous left ventricular puncture

When retrograde catheterisation and angiography of the ascending aorta from the brachial or femoral approach is not possible, this can be accomplished by direct percutaneous left ventricular puncture. The haemodynamic and angiographic information obtained was essential to surgical correction of aortic arch anomalies as illustrated in two patients.     

经腋静脉途径置入心脏电极导线的临床研究

目的探讨经皮腋静脉穿刺置入冠状窦电极或心内膜电极导线的可行性与安全性。方法入选216例具有电生理检查指征、起搏器和ICD置入指征的患者,按简单随机法分为实验组与对照组,分别经腋静脉途径和经锁骨下静脉途径置入冠状窦电极或心内膜电极导线。比较两种途径置入冠状窦电极或心内膜电极导线的穿刺成功率和并发症。结果实验组与对照组穿刺成功率分别为97.3%(109/112)和95.2%(99/104);两组并发症发生率分别为9.8%(11/112)和8.7%(9/104),两组患者穿刺成功率和并发症发生率均无统计学差异(P均0.05)。其中,对照组发生气胸3例,实验组无一例发生气胸(P0.05)。结论经腋静脉途径置入冠状窦电极或心内膜电极导线安全可行。     

双导丝一步穿刺法及经皮肝穿刺门静脉造影在TIPS中的应用

目的探讨双导丝一步穿刺法及经皮肝穿刺门静脉造影在TIPS中的操作方法及应用价值。方法采用双导丝一步穿刺法及经皮肝穿刺门静脉造影法,对21例肝硬化并食管胃底静脉曲张破裂出血患者行TIPS术。结果 21例患者均成功实施TIPS手术,手术时间(152.41±50.38)min,手术穿刺针数(2.50±1.54)针,结果显示改良TIPS术可显著降低门静脉压力,改善肝功能,手术成功率100%,病死率5%。结论采用双导丝一步穿刺法及经皮肝穿刺门静脉造影的方法行TIPS术,能降低手术难度,值得临床推广应用。     

Chylothorax following innominate vein thrombosis--a rare complication of transvenous pacemaker implantation

A case of chylothorax following innominate vein thrombosis which developed as a late complication of transvenous pacemaker implantation is discussed. A 78-year-old man presented with a refractory left-sided pleural effusion, which turned out to be a chylothorax. He had undergone a transvenous pacemaker implantation 6 years earlier for sick sinus syndrome. Aetiological work-up showed occlusion of the innominate vein as the cause for the chylothorax. The chylothorax resolved following pleurodesis with talc slurry, and the innominate vein was recanalized by angioplasty. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a case of this nature.     

Aneurysm of the azygos vein

A case of azygos vein aneurysm is described. It is a very rare condition, this being the tenth reported case. The patient presented with superior vena cava obstruction and underwent successful surgical cure. This congenital malformation is practically always latent. The aneurysm is usually diagnosed after the discovery of a mediastinal mass on routine chest X ray. Although its variations in size with position and respiration are characteristic, angiography would seem to be essential to confirm its aneurysmal nature and the anatomical relationships. Surgery is usually simple and should be proposed even to asymptomatic patients because of the risk of thromboembolism.     

Evaluation of the relationship between esophageal varices and azygos vein using percutaneous transhepatic cine-portography

To evaluate the relationship between esophageal varices and the azygos vein--which is generally considered to drain the major part of the esophageal variceal blood--we examined 36 patients with portal hypertension using percutaneous transhepatic cine-portography. The patients were classified into three groups (azygos, cervical and combined) according to the amount of blood to be considered drained by the azygos vein. Eighteen patients (50%) fell into the azygos type group, five (14%) into the cervical, and 13 (36%) into the combined. Highly developed esophageal varices were recognized endoscopically in all patients in the combined and cervical type groups while some of the patients in the azygos type group had less well developed varices. In the azygos type group, there was a tendency for the varices to be increasingly severe the higher the part of the azygos vein they drained into. Because it helps us to fully comprehend the significance of the azygos venous blood flow and the occasionally uncertain effect of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for esophageal varices, it is important to evaluate the drainage route of esophageal varices in vivo and in detail. Percutaneous transhepatic cine-portography is the useful method for this purpose as it enables us to visualize even the most minute blood stream.     

The empty azygos fissure: sign of an escaped azygos vein

We present a case of displacement of the azygos vein from the azygos fissure secondary to deflation of the azygos lobe during surgery. We discuss the anatomy of the azygos fissure and possible mechanisms for formation of the "empty" azygos fissure and the "vanishing" azygos fissure.     

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the azygos vein

The authors report a case of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the azygos vein diagnosed during the investigation of a superior vena cava syndrome. Venography and thoracic CT and nuclear magnetic resonance scans showed an endovenous tumour with spinal and lymph node invasion. Cavographic-controlled biopsies allowed histological identification of the tumour. Palliative therapy consisted in tumour ablation and superior vena cava bypass. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare vascular tumour characterised by the presence of epithelioid endothelial cells. It is slowly progressive and its potential malignancy justifies surgical excision whenever possible.     

Repeat balloon occlusion of a pulmonary arteriovenous fistula following cavopulmonary anastomosis in tetralogy of fallot

A 30-year-old woman with Tetralogy of Fallot and cavopulmonary anastomosis (Glenn shunt) presented with a large pulmonary arteriovenous fistula in the right lower lobe. This report describes the successful management following two successive therapeutic balloon embolizations.     

Occlusion by catheter intervention in patent foramen ovale via additional transseptal puncture

In patients with a cryptogenic cerebral ischemia, the percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) has gained increasing acceptance as an alternative strategy to prevent paradoxical embolism. Promising data with low recurrence rates have been reported for several self-expanding double disk devices. The implantation of the device is usually performed by passing the PFO. However, in one patient with a TIA (m, 43 years) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed an atrial septum abnormality with a hypermobile septum and a very small distance (approximately 12 mm) between the PFO channel and the anterior mitral valve leaflet, which was too short to accommodate the regular implantation procedure of the device via the PFO-channel itself. In this particular case the device (PFO-Star TSD) was advanced to the left atrium via an additional transseptal puncture--performed under TEE guidance--to allow for complete closure of the PFO without impairment of the mitral valve function. No periinterventional complications were observed. During the follow-up period of 9 months the patient was completely asymptomatic with no functional impairment of the mitral valve and no residual intracardiac shunt.     

Chylothorax following innominate vein thrombosis: a rare complication of transvenous pacemaker implantation

A case of chylothorax following innominate vein thrombosis, which developed as a late complication of transvenous pacemaker implantation, is discussed. A 78-year-old man presented with a refractory left-sided pleural effusion, which turned out to be chylothorax. He had undergone a transvenous pacemaker implantation 6 years earlier for sick sinus syndrome. The aetiological workup showed occlusion of the innominate vein as the cause for the chylothorax. The chylothorax resolved following pleurodesis with talc slurry, and the innominate vein was recanalized by angioplasty. To our knowledge this is the first report of a case of this nature.     

Endovascular delivery of vein segments with valves versus direct anastomosis.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate an experimental model designed to allow placement of a vein segment containing a valve into a femoral vein without the need for anastomoses or surgical incision on the target limbs. METHODS: Segments of jugular veins containing valves were harvested bilaterally from 7 female dogs weighing 30 to 40 kg. One of the vein segments was then interposed into one femoral vein, using a standard surgical end-to-end anastomosis. Another segment was loaded into a self-expanding nitinol stent, everted, and secured outside of the stent. This vein-coated stent was then deployed from the jugular approach into the opposite common femoral vein. The endpoint of the study was thrombosis of one of the veins segments or patency at 120 days. The function of the valves was tested prior to completion of the study by instilling dye under incremental pressures and recording the pressure necessary to cause reflux. Light microscopy and electron microscopy were utilized to evaluate structure of the valves at study endpoint. RESULTS: Both grafts in one dog occluded during the second week after surgery. Anastomotic and vein-stented sites remained patent in the remaining 6 animals for 120 days. Retrograde phlebography demonstrated valve competency bilaterally in all cases. The reflux pressures on the stented side averaged 70 mmHg while the transplanted vein segment averaged 55 mmHg. Light microscopy and electron microscopy showed intact vein valve structure in all segments at the completion of the study. CONCLUSIONS: This experimental work demonstrates that endovascular delivery of a native canine vein containing a competent valve is feasible and effective.