Long-term sequelae of calf vein thrombosis treated with heparin or low-dose streptokinase

A prospective randomized study was performed to investigate the long-term sequelae of calf vein thrombosis (CVT) and correlate them to the success of the initial treatment. Thirty-six patients with symptomatic CVT, verified by venography, were treated with heparin or low-dose streptokinase (SK) combined with low-dose heparin. Venography was repeated after 1 week, and long-term follow-up was performed clinically and with foot volumetry after an average of 5 years. Since the low-dose SK regimen led to serious hemorrhagic side-effects in a parallel study, the present investigation was discontinued prematurely. The thrombolysis achieved was greater with SK but, since the initial thrombi were somewhat larger in this group, no significant difference in the average size of the thrombi after therapy could be displayed between the groups. The long-term sequelae and results of foot volumetry were also equal. Signs or symptoms of venous insufficiency were found in 37%, and foot volumetry showed deep venous insufficiency in 26% of the cases. There was a correlation between the hemodynamic change, as assessed by foot volumetry, and the venographic severity. This relation was stronger for the size of the thrombus after treatment than for the initial size. Thus, it seems important to limit the extent of a CVT in order to minimize the long-term sequelae, but administration of SK is not justified due to side-effects.     

Axillary vein perforation by the medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm

Variation in the venous pattern in the arm is common. In this study, a rare variant of the axillary vein and its association with the median cutaneous nerve of the forearm is described. In the axilla, the medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm penetrated the axillary vein, thereby creating two narrow venous channels at the site of passage. Such variations are important because a large number of diagnostic and therapeutic invasive procedures are carried out on veins. A possible mode of origin and the clinical importance of this variation are discussed.     

Prevention of myocardial damage in acute myocardial ischemia by early treatment with intravenous streptokinase

We evaluated the effectiveness of early intravenous administration of 750,000 units of streptokinase in 53 patients with acute myocardial ischemia treated by a mobile-care unit at home (9 patients) or in the hospital (44 patients). Treatment was begun an average (+/- S.D.) of 1.7 +/- 0.8 hours from the onset of pain. Non-Q-wave infarctions developed subsequently in eight patients, whereas all the others had typical Q-wave infarct patterns. In 81 per cent of the patients the infarct-related artery was patent at angiography performed four to nine days after admission. Vessel patency was independent of the time of treatment, but residual left ventricular function was time dependent. Patients treated less than 1.5 hours after the onset of pain had a significantly higher ejection fraction (56 +/- 15 vs. 47 +/- 14 per cent; P less than 0.05) and infarct-related regional ejection fraction (51 +/- 19 vs. 34 +/- 20 per cent; P less than 0.01) and a lower QRS score (5.6 +/- 4.9 vs. 8.6 +/- 5.5; P less than 0.01) than patients receiving treatment between 1.5 and 4 hours after the onset of pain. Patients treated earlier by the mobile-care unit also had better-preserved left ventricular function than patients treated in the hospital. We conclude that thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase is most effective if given within the first 1.5 hours after the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction.     

Pulmonary embolism: long-term follow-up after treatment with full-dose heparin, streptokinase or embolectomy

The study comprises 74 patients alive 30 days after the start of treatment of pulmonary embolism with heparin (n = 32), streptokinase (n = 22) or embolectomy (n = 20). The cumulative 5-year survival was 100% in the embolectomy group, compared to 75 +/- 7% (SE) in the medically treated patients (p less than 0.05). Cancer caused 78% of the late deaths. At follow-up 0.5-8.7 years after treatment the treatment groups were indistinguishable as regards right-sided heart catheterization data, pulmonary artery rest-obstruction, right ventricular diameter and wall thickness, ventilatory function and ECG changes. The embolectomized patients were in a more favourable NYHA classification level than the medically treated. Chronic pulmonary artery hypertension was found in 75% of patients with greater than or equal to 3 anamnestic recurrent embolic episodes before diagnosis compared to 8% of patients with less than or equal to 2 recurrent episodes (p less than 0.001). Patients with irreversible cardiocirculatory shock before embolectomy all had abnormal pulmonary vascular resistance (greater than 1.5 mmHg/l/min), depressed ventilatory function and more than 25% reduced pulmonary perfusion at follow-up. The major prognostic factors thus were cancer, the number of recurrent episodes and the degree of cardiocirculatory affection in the acute event. Although the embolectomized patients were the most affected initially, they had a good prognosis. This led us to extend our indications for embolectomy to include all patients with central emboli, irrespective of the degree of cardiocirculatory impairment.     

Hemorrhagic myocardial infarction after streptokinase treatment for acute coronary thrombosis

A 37-year-old man with an evolving anterior myocardial infarction received intracoronary thrombolytic therapy six hours after its onset. The restored coronary artery patency was recorded angiographically in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). He died 28 hours after administration of the therapy. Uniform and severe interstitial hemorrhage was present in the area of myocardial necrosis. The distribution of hemorrhage and myocardial necrosis corresponded with the vascular bed of the LAD and was thus consistent with experimental studies that concluded that the hemorrhagic areas were probably confined to muscle that was already necrotic.     

Axillary vein compression by Langer's axillary arch,an aberrant muscle bundle of the latissimus dorsi

BackgroundAxillary vein compression is an important differential diagnosis in swelling of the upper extremities besides deep venous thrombosis.Case reportWe present a rare case of axillary vein compression in a 17-year-old female with intermittent swelling and pain of the left arm due to an aberrant muscle bundle of the left latissimus dorsi. After resection of this bundle, which corresponded to Langer's axillary arch, the swelling and pain on the left arm resolved completely.ConclusionIn symptomatic patients with axillary vein compression due to Langer's axillary arch, a resection of the muscle bundle is an effective way of treatment.