Secondary nerve reconstruction using vein conduit grafts for neglected digital nerve injuries

Digital nerve defects can result from neglected nerve injuries. The standard method of reconstruction is nerve grafting, but donor-site morbidity encourages searching for alternative graft materials, including vein conduit grafts. From 1995-2005, three patients with neglected digital nerve injuries received vein conduit grafting for digital nerve reconstruction in our hospital. The interval between the injury and the reconstructive procedure ranged from 17 days to 2 years, and the length of the defects ranged from 0.8 to 2.5 cm. All the vein grafts were harvested from the distal forearm. Patient 1 had a moving and a static two-point discrimination (M2PD and S2PD) of 3 and 4 mm, respectively, at a 12-year follow-up. Patient 2 had an M2PD of 5 mm and S2PD of 6 mm at an 11-year follow-up, and the patient 3 had both an M2PD and S2PD of 4 mm at a near 3-year follow-up. They all achieved useful sensory function (S3 and S3+) by modified Highet and Sander criteria. Although previous studies showed secondary repair using vein grafts yielded worse sensory recovery than that of primary repair, in our cases, secondary digital nerve reconstruction with vein conduit grafts gives excellent results at the long-term sensory evaluation, two of them with more than 10 years' follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this might be the longest follow-up after secondary digital nerve reconstruction using a vein conduit graft. It bears the advantages of readily accessible, no donor-site morbidity, and compatible in size with digital nerves.     

Orthopedic trauma of limbs associated with vascular injuries

Objective： To evaluate the treatment for patients with major vascular injuries associated with traumatic orthopedic injuries. Methods： A total of 196 patients, aged from 4-67 years with the mean age of 29.88 years, had major vascular injuries associated with traumatic orthopedic injuries and were treated in our hospital in a period of 44 years. The most common mechanism of trauma was blunt trauma （67.3 % ）, open injuries accounted for 32.4 % and 54.5 % of the injuries were located in the lower extremities. The vascular injury frequently happened in the femoral artery （26. 7 % ） and popliteal artery （ 20. 3 % ）. The treatment principle consisted of aggressive resuscitation, Doppler imaging and stable bone internal fixation with subsequent vascular repair and debridement. The vascular repair for injuries included end-to-end anastomosis （80 cases, 39.6 % ）, interpositional vein graft （94, 46.5 % ）, vascular decompression through fracture distraction （ 18, 8.9% ）,arterial ligation （6, 3.0% ）, vein patch （2, 1. 0%）, bypass graft （ 2, 1.0% ）, venous repair including autogenous vein graft （9, 24. 3%） and ligation （28, 75.7% ） and prophylactical fasciotomy （15. 7. 4%）. Postoperative amputation was performed in 16 cases （16.3%）. Results： No intraoperative death was observed and all fractures united within 6 months. Limbs were salvaged in 180 patients （91. 8% ）. Among these patients, early complications were found in 19 patients （9. 7 % ） and late complications were observed in 8 patients （4.1% ）. Conclusions： A well-organized approach, based on a specific treatment principle, not only improves clinical outcome but also does good to excellent functional recovery for patients with severe orthopedic injuries and concomitant vascular lesion.     

Revascularization using satellite vein after radial artery harvested for coronary artery bypass grafting

The radial artery has been increasingly used for coronary artery bypass grafting and has excellent long-term patency rates. Hand claudication is one of the adverse effects after radial artery harvest. We reconstructed a radial artery using the satellite vein to prevent hand claudication. Pulsating blood flow at 35 cm/sec was evaluated using color Doppler echocardiography three months after surgery. This method makes it possible to use a radial artery in patients with a positive Allen test.     

Cerebral revascularization using cadaveric vein grafts

BackgroundUse of cadaveric cryopreserved saphenous vein grafts (CSVGs) has been described for peripheral vascular and coronary revascularization. The aim of this study is to recognize CSVGs as a potential alternative to autologous conduits for extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass in patients without available or suitable saphenous vein graft or radial artery. We report the short-term patency rate of CSVGs in EC-IC bypass.MethodsWe present our preliminary experience in 10 patients using CSVG for cerebral revascularization. Data regarding operative indications, patient demographics, and bypass patency were collected.ResultsThe average age was 56 years old with equal sex distribution. The indications for the procedure were giant aneurysms in 7 patients, medically refractory vertebrobasilar ischemia in 2, and a skull base tumor in 1. ABO/Rh blood group compatible CSVG was used in each case. Postoperative angiography demonstrated patency in all cases. Quantitative magnetic resonance angiography was performed in 8 patients, demonstrating a mean bypass flow of 109 mL/min ± 19 mL/min (mean ± SE).ConclusionsUse of CSVG for EC-IC bypass has not previously been reported. In our series, the short-term patency rate was 100%, better than that found in cardiac and peripheral vascular series, possibly because of the higher flow in EC-IC bypasses. Our preliminary experience suggests that CSVGs may be an option in patients without available autologous conduits, although longer follow-up is needed to assess long-term patency.     

Covered stent use after subclavian artery and vein injuries in the setting of vascular Ehlers-Danlos

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos (VED) represents a rare disorder in which a defect in collagen synthesis renders vessels to be extremely fragile. We report the successful repair of a subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm via a hybrid technique employing delivery of a covered stent along with video-assisted thoracoscopic ligation of the internal mammary artery in a patient with VED.     

Reconstruction of femoral vein using ePTFE grafts

Rare cases of reconstruction of peripheral veins were reported. We experienced two patients with liposarcomas of the thigh in which the femoral vessels were resected with the tumor and reconstructed with ePTFE grafts. In a 51-year-old male, the left femoral vein was reconstructed with an ePTFE graft 6 mm in diameter and 11 cm in length; but the graft occluded early in the postoperative period. In another case, a 33-year-old male, the right femoral vein was reconstructed with a ringed ePTFE graft 8 mm in diameter and 9 cm in length, with an arterio-venous fistula. The graft maintained its patency for 7 months after surgery.     

Choledochoplasty by vein grafts in iatrogenic bile duct injuries.

The quality of immediate repair of common bile duct injuries with or without tissue loss occurring during elective cholecystectomy is crucial and maybe the sole factor behind future stricture formation with its considerable morbidity and mortality. Successful repair of iatrogenic common bile duct injuries has been achieved by immediate saphenous vein grafts in two patients with cystic duct avulsion, in one patient whose duct was split by a balloon catheter, and in one patient where a segment of the duct was resected. Follow-up for 5 years demonstrated that the grafting remained sound and produced no complications. Consequently, the immediate repair of iatrogenic bile duct injuries using vein grafts deserves consideration.     

肢体血管猎枪伤的治疗与探讨

[目的] 总结肢体主干血管猎枪伤的临床治疗经验,并就相关问题进行探讨.[方法] 全部行急诊手术治疗.清创后,彻底切除损伤段血管,自体大隐静脉桥接重建循环;合并软组织缺损者带蒂或游离皮瓣修复创面;对缺血时间超过12h或软组织损伤广泛者预防性开放骨筋膜室(n=24).通过随访,对该组患者进行分析总结.[结果] 平均随访时间29个月(17～75个月).所修复血管通畅度均满意,肢体功能至少显著优于假肢.缺血时间超过15h者(N=9)均遗留不同程度关节活动障碍或肢端感觉减退,其中4例因小腿后侧肌群挛缩导致较严重的足下垂或马蹄内翻畸形,经软组织松解及相应肌腱延长术可负重行走.[结论] 肢体主干血管猎枪伤及时治疗效果满意;彻底清创,损伤段血管切除自体静脉桥接修复及满意的软组织覆盖可最大程度减少感染、迟发性出血机会并保证远期血管通畅率;预防性骨筋膜室切开可保护肾功能,改善肢体循环,减少坏疽发生.     

血管移植在肢体血管损伤中的应用

目的 总结应用血管移植在肢体血管损伤修复中的临床效果。方法 采用自体静脉和人工血管,用不同的吻合方式对５３条损伤的血管进行血管移植。结果 除２例术后截肢外,其余移植血管均通畅,远端肢体循环良好,肢体无肿胀。结论 动脉、静脉损伤２ｃｍ以上均需行血管移植,尽量采用自体静脉移植,必要时可使用人造血管,血管吻合时应遵循显微外科原则。     

Polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in the rapid reconstruction of acute contaminated peripheral vascular injuries

Conventional wisdom dictates that autogenous tissue interposition be used in contaminated wounds when direct vascular repair is not feasible. Although there are few reports of successful use of PTFE grafts in grossly contaminated wounds, doubt still exists regarding the use of any prosthetic material in such wounds for reconstruction of vascular injury. Twenty-five vascular reconstructions were performed in 20 patients during a 3.5 year period. These patients had life-threatening multiple trauma and severe local tissue damage along with their arterial and venous injuries in open contaminated wounds after blunt (16 patients) and penetrating (4 patients) trauma. In all patients, 6 mm PTFE was used for interposition bypass for arterial injuries, and in five of these patients, 8 mm PTFE was used for concomitant venous interposition bypass. One patient died and there was one arterial and one venous graft thrombosis in the same patient 3 months after a shotgun blast injury to the groin, but there was no limb loss. All other grafts remained patent without wound infection, sepsis, or anastomatic disruption. Under the circumstances of these peripheral vascular injuries, PTFE was an acceptable choice for primary reconstruction in our patients. Its ready availability in many calibers, sparing of autogenous vein for future use, and its expedience in vascular reconstruction comprise the advantages of using PTFE in multiply traumatized patients without producing the feared evidence of infected prosthetic grafts.