Endovascular Treatment of the Huge Dissecting Aneurysms Involving the Basilar Artery by the Internal Trapping Technique: Technical Note

Background:The endovascular strategy of the huge dissecting aneurysms involving the basilar artery (BA) is controversial and challenging.This study was to investigate the clinical and angiographic outc...     

Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in Detecting Endoleaks with Failed Computed Tomography Angiography Diagnosis after Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Background:

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is one of the first-line therapies of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Postoperative endoleak is the most common complication of EVAR. Computed tomography angiography (CTA), which is routine for follow-up, has side effects (e.g., radiation) and also has a certain percentage of missed diagnosis. Preliminary studies on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) have shown that the sensitivity of CEUS for detecting endoleak is no lower than that of CTA. To investigate the advantages of CEUS, we conducted CEUS examinations of post-EVAR cases in which CTA failed to detect endoleak or could not verify the type of endoleak.

Methods:

Post-EVAR patients, who were clinically considered to have endoleak and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled between March 2013 and November 2014. All of the patients underwent color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and a CEUS examination. Size, location, microbubble dispersion, and hemodynamic characteristics of leaks were recorded. Comparison between the diagnosis of CEUS and CDFI was conducted using Fisher''s exact test and clinical outcomes of all patients were followed up.

Results:

Sixteen patients were enrolled, and 12 (75%) had endoleaks with verified types by CEUS. Among 12 cases of endoleaks were positive by CEUS, 10 were CDFI-positive, and the four CEUS-negative cases were all negative by CDFI. The diagnostic values of CEUS and CDFI were statistically different (P = 0.008). Six patients with high-pressure endoleaks received endovascular re-intervention guided by CEUS results. One patient with type III endoleak had open surgery when endovascular repair failed.

Conclusions:

CEUS is a new, safe, and effective means for detection of endoleaks post-EVAR. This technique can be used as a supplement for routine CTA follow-up to provide more detailed information on endoleak and its category.     

Multidetector CT Evaluation in Arterial Stenting

Background

Multidetector CT (MDCT) represents breakthrough in CT technology, significantly improving CT Angiography applications.

Methods

Twenty one patients with aortoiliac & branch aneurysms or stenosis were evaluated by Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and Multidetector CT (MDCT) before and after endovascular repair.

Results

There were eight cases of aortic & branch aneurysms and 13 with stenosis. Four cases had aortic aneurysms, while one case had left subclavian artery aneurysm, thoracic aneurysm, femoral and popliteal artery pseudoaneurysms. Of the 13 cases with stenotic lesions, iliac stenosis was seen in eight patients. The others included carotid, vertebral, aortic, renal and aortic bifurcation stenotic. MDCT offered accurate information on shape and size of aneurysm, shape and patency of graft, the presence or absence of perigraft thrombosis or endoleaks, while in stenotic lesions it provided useful information on shape of graft, its location, its patency and the presence and quantity of distal flow.

Conclusion

MDCT was found to be a potentially useful modality during initial evaluation and follow up of patient undergoing endovascular repair.Key Words: Multidetector Computed Tomography, Endovascular stents, Arterial disease     

自制髂动脉分支装置治疗腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术后髂动脉瘤1例

髂动脉分支装置（iliac branch device, IBD）是专为髂动脉分叉设计的分支支架,为主-髂动脉瘤、孤立性髂动脉瘤腔内治疗时重建髂内动脉血流的理想解决方案。北京大学人民医院血管外科利用自制的一枚IBD,成功治疗腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术（endovascular aneurysm repair, EVAR）后髂动脉瘤1例,其设计及植入较既往报道［1-3］均有独到之处,现将病例分享如下。     

腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术中髂内动脉封堵后盆腔缺血症状发生的危险因素

目的: 分析腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术（EVAR）中封堵髂内动脉后发生盆腔缺血症状的危险因素。方法: 收集2014年1月—2018年6月南京大学医学院附属鼓楼医院血管外科EVAR中行单侧髂内动脉封堵的腹主动脉瘤患者82例，根据随访结果将患者分为盆腔缺血组（20例）和对照组（62例），采用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析患者术后发生盆腔缺血的危险因素，并通过ROC曲线分析其预测髂内动脉封堵术后发生盆腔缺血症状的价值。结果: 单因素分析结果显示，盆腔缺血组和对照组封堵对侧髂内动脉分支显影数和同侧股深动脉狭窄率差异有统计学意义（均P < 0.05），随着显影分支条数增加，盆腔缺血症状的发生率下降。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示，对侧髂内动脉分支显影数降低时发生盆腔缺血症状的危险度增加（OR=8.383，95%CI：1.469~47.841，P < 0.05）。ROC曲线分析结果显示，对侧髂内动脉分支显影数预测髂内动脉封堵后盆腔缺血症状的AUC为0.816，临界值为3.5，敏感度为0.861，特异度为0.167。结论: 术前封堵对侧髂内动脉分支显影数降低是术后发生盆腔缺血的危险因素，然而其预测特异性较低，有待积累病例研究。     

Percutaneous endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair leads to a reduction in wound complications

Introduction

While endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has significantly reduced the morbidity associated with open surgery, efforts continue to minimise the surgical insult to the patient. We report our experience of percutaneous EVAR.

Patients and methods

Since June 2005, 17/20 EVARs (85%) have been attempted percutaneously by deployment of two Perclose^© devices into each femoral artery prior to passage of the device sheath. The sutures are left untied until the sheath is removed at the end of the procedure, when haemostasis is obtained. Patients were entered onto a prospectively maintained database and followed up at regular intervals in a dedicated EVAR clinic.

Results

Access and subsequent graft deployment was successful in all the 17 cases. The range of defects closed ranged from 12–24 Fr. Five patients (29%) required open groin exploration at the end of the procedure to achieve haemostasis. There was a significantly lower incidence of wound complications in the percutaneous EVAR group (6 vs. 10% open cutdown cases, P < 0.05, Mann–Whitney U test).

Conclusion

Percutaneous EVAR is both a feasible and safe method of performing endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, which is associated with a reduction in wound complication rates.

     

Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Technique in the Use of Fractional Flow Reserve in Complex Coronary Artery Lesions

Background:

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become an increasingly important index when making decisions with respect to revascularization of coronary artery stenosis. However, the pressure guidewire used in obtaining FFR measurements is difficult to control and manipulate in certain complex coronary artery lesions, resulting in increased fluoroscopy time and contrast dye usage. This study examined a novel (NOV) technique for obtaining FFR measurements in hope of easing the difficulties associated with evaluating and treating complex coronary artery lesions.

Methods:

Fifty-six patients with complex coronary artery lesions were assigned to a conventional (CON) FFR technique group or a NOV FFR technique group. The NOV technique involved the use of a balloon and wire exchange within the coronary artery. The fluoroscopy time, contrast dye usage, and FFR-related complications were assessed after completing the FFR measurement procedure for each patient.

Results:

The median time required for fluoroscopy in the NOV technique group was significantly less than that in the CON technique group; additionally, lesser amounts of contrast dye were used in the NOV technique group (both P < 0.05). The NOV technique was successfully performed in thirty patients, without any FFR-related complications. However, the CON technique failed in three patients, including two who experienced coronary artery spasms (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

Compared to the CON technique used for measuring FFR, the new technique reduced the fluoroscopy time and amount of contrast dye used when evaluating complex coronary artery lesions. The new technique did not increase the risk of operation or decrease the success rate.     

Study of Relationship Between the Blood Supply of the Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Duct Supply Branches from Gastroduodenal Artery on Imaging and Anatomy

Background:Liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage acute or chronic hepatic disease.Bile duct complications are common events after liver transplantation.Th...     

High-resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Moyamoya Disease

Objective:

To introduce the imaging characteristics of moyamoya disease (MMD) using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) and to discuss the role of HR-MRI in differentiating MMD from other intracranial artery diseases, especially intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD).

Data Sources:

This review was based on the data in articles published between 2005 and 2015, which were obtained from PubMed. The keywords included HR-MRI, MMD, ICAD, and intracranial artery diseases.

Study Selection:

Articles related to HR-MRI for MMD or other intracranial artery diseases were selected for review.

Results:

There are differences between the characteristic patterns of HR-MRI in MMD and ICAD. MMD is associated with inward remodeling, smaller outer diameters, concentric occlusive lesions and homogeneous signal intensity, while ICAD is more likely to be associated with outward remodeling, normal outer diameters, eccentric occlusive lesions, and heterogeneous signal intensity. Other intracranial artery diseases, such as dissection and vasculitis, also have distinctive characteristics in HR-MRI. HR-MRI may become a useful tool for the differential diagnosis of MMD in the future.

Conclusions:

HR-MRI of MMD provides a more in-depth understanding of MMD, and it is helpful in evaluating pathological changes in the vessel wall and in differentiating MMD from other intracranial artery steno-occlusive diseases, particularly ICAD.     

Evaluation of angiography as the sole imaging study for the proximal aortic neck prior to EVAR

Background

Angiographic assessment is an alternative to computerised tomography (CT) prior to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). We evaluated angiography in aortic neck morphology assessment as an alternative investigation.

Methods

Patients admitted for elective or emergency EVAR were assessed by pre-operative CT and intra-operative angiography. The proximal and distal aortic neck diameters, and neck length were measured. Measurements were expressed as median (95% CI).

Results

35 patients (20 male) were assessed from August 2003 to January 2005 for elective (26) and emergency (9) EVAR. In the overall group, the proximal neck diameter was 22.0mm (21.0–23.0) on CT, and 20.7mm (19.3–22.3) on angiography. The distal neck diameter was 23.0mm (22.0–24.0) on CT, and 22.3mm (20.3–24.6) on angiography, while the neck length was only slightly greater on angiography [23.0mm (17.5–28.4)] relative to CT [23.0mm (20.0–28.0)]. The stent-grafts deployed were oversized by 26.8% (± 14.8%) relative to the CT measurements, and 33.7% (± 15.6%) relative to angiographic measurements. Good correlation was found for all three measurements between CT and angiography.

Conclusions

Angiography alone is inadequate for endovascular aneurysm repair. Although it has timesaving potential, the accuracy achieved is not sufficient to use alone.     

Early Results of Coronary Endarterectomy Combined with Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Diffused Coronary Artery Disease

Background:

It is still a challenge for the cardiac surgeons to achieve adequate revascularization for diffused coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary endarterectomy (CE) offers an alternative choice of coronary artery reconstruction and revascularization. In this study, short-term result of CE combined with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was discussed in the treatment for the diffused CAD.

Methods:

From January 2012 to April 2014, 221 cases of CABG were performed by the same surgeon in our unit. Among these cases, 38 cases of CE + CABG were performed, which was about 17.2% (38/221) of the cohort. All these patients were divided into two groups: CE + CABG group (Group A) and CABG alone group (Group B). All clinical data were compared between the two groups, and postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality were analyzed. The categorical and continuous variables were analyzed by Chi-square test and Student''s t-test respectively.

Results:

Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and peripheral vascular disease were more common in group A. In this cohort, a total of 50 vessels were endarterectomized. Among them, CE was performed on left anterior descending artery in 11 cases, on right coronary artery in 29 cases, on diagonal artery in 3 cases, on intermediate artery in 2 cases, on obtuse marginal artery in 5 cases. There was no hospital mortality in both groups. The intro-aortic balloon pump was required in 3 cases in Group A (3/38), which was more often than that in Group B (3/183). At the time of follow-up, coronary computed tomography angiogram showed all the grafts with CE were patent (50/50). There is no cardio-related mortality in both groups. All these patients were free from coronary re-intervention.

Conclusions:

Coronary endarterectomy + CABG can offer satisfactory result for patients with diffused CAD in a short-term after the operation.     

A Preliminary Study of the Therapeutic Role of Human Early Fetal Aorta-derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Inhibiting Carotid Artery Neointimal Hyperplasia

Background:

Endothelial cell damage is an important pathophysiological step of restenosis after angioplasty and stenting. Cell transplantation has great therapeutic potential for endothelial recovery. We investigated the effect of transplanting endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) derived from human early fetal aortas in rat injured arteries.

Methods:

The carotid arterial endothelium of Sprague-Dawley rats was damaged by dilatation with a 1.5 F balloon catheter, and then EPCs derived from human early fetal aortas (<14 weeks) were injected into the lumen of the injured artery in transplanted rats, with an equal volume of normal saline injected into control rats. Rats were sacrificed at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment and transplanted cells were identified by immunohistochemical staining with anti-human CD31 and anti-human mitochondria antibodies. Arterial cross-sections were analyzed by pathology, immunohistochemistry, and morphometry.

Results:

Green fluorescence-labeled EPCs could be seen in the endovascular surface of balloon-injured vessels after transplantation. The intimal area and intimal/medial area ratio were significantly smaller in the transplanted group than in the control (P < 0.05) and the residual lumen area was larger (P < 0.05). After EPC transplantation, a complete vascular endothelial layer was formed, which was positive for human von Willebrand factor after immunohistochemical staining, and immunohistochemical staining revealed many CD31- and mitochondria-positive cells in the re-endothelialized endothelium with EPC transplantation but not control treatment.

Conclusion:

EPCs derived from human early fetal aorta were successfully transplanted into injured vessels and might inhibit neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.     

Limb occlusion after endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm: beware the narrow distal aorta

Purpose

This case aims to highlight the need for careful scrutiny of the distal aorta during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) planning to avoid potentially avoidable graft limb occlusion.

Case report

We present a case of graft limb occlusion after EVAR, unresponsive to endovascular re-intervention requiring surgical extra-anatomic revascularization, due to a narrow distal aorta causing graft impingement and collapse.

Conclusion

We suggest clinicians should be aware of this potential pitfall during EVAR planning and beware the narrow distal aorta.     

Bronchial Artery Embolization for Hemoptysis: A Retrospective Observational Study of 344 Patients

Background:Hemoptysis is a significant clinical entity with high morbidity and potential mortality.Both medical management (in terms of resuscitation and bronchoscopic interventions) and surgery have s...     

Prospective Randomized Study of Sarpogrelate Versus Clopidogrel-based Dual Antiplatelet Therapies in Patients Undergoing Femoropopliteal Arterial Endovascular Interventions: Preliminary Results

Background:

Sarpogrelate is a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor subtype 2A antagonist which blocks 5-HT induced platelet aggregation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. We compared the efficacy of sarpogrelate-based dual antiplatelet therapies for the prevention of restenosis and target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates comparing with that of clopidogrel after percutaneous endovascular interventions (EVIs) of femoropopliteal (FP) arterial lesions.

Methods:

This prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial recruited a total of 120 patients with successful EVI of FP lesions at seven centers across China between January 2011 and June 2012. Patients were randomized to receive either sarpogrelate (100 mg trice daily for 6 months, n = 63) or clopidogrel (75 mg once daily for 6 months, n = 57). All patients also received oral aspirin (100 mg once daily for 12 months). Clinical follow-up was conducted up to 12 months postprocedure.

Results:

There was no significant difference between the two groups in basic demographic data. The restenosis rate was higher in the clopidogrel group (22.80%) than in sarpogrelate group (17.50%), but there was no significant difference between these two groups (P = 0.465). The TLR rate, ipsilateral amputation rate, mortality in all-cause and bleeding rate were also similar in the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

Aspirin plus sarpogrelate is a comparable antithrombotic regimen to aspirin plus clopidogrel after EVI of FP arterial lesions. Dual antiplatelet therapies might play an important role in preventing restenosis after successful EVI of FP lesions.     

Ulnar Artery Compression: A Feasible and Effective Approach to Prevent the Radial Artery Occlusion after Coronary Intervention

Background:

Radial artery (RA) occlusion (RAO) is not rare in patients undergoing coronary intervention by transradial approach (TRCI). Predictors of and prevention from RAO have not been systematically studied. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of the weakness of RA pulsation (RAP) and its predictive value for RAO after TRCI, and simultaneously to describe a feasible and effective approach to maintain RA patency.

Methods:

Between June 2006 and March 2010, all patients who underwent TRCI were classified according to the weakness of RAP after removing compression bandage with confirmation by Doppler ultrasound for the first 30 consecutive patients. Among a total of 2658 patients studied, 187 (7%) patients having a weaker RAP were prospectively monitored. At 1 h after bandage removal, the ulnar artery in puncture side of all patients was blocked with manual compression to favor brachial and collateral artery blood flow through the RA until a good RAP was restored. The primary analysis was the occurrence of RAO.

Results:

Doppler ultrasound demonstrated the significant reduction of both systolic velocity (61.24 ± 3.95 cm/s vs. 72.31 ± 3.57 cm/s) and diastolic velocity (1.83 ± 0.32 cm/s vs. 17.77 ± 3.97 cm/s) in RA at access side as compared to the contralateral RA (all P < 0.001), but these velocities in ipsilateral ulnar artery (81.2 ± 2.16 cm/s and 13.1 ± 2.86 cm/s, respectively) increased profoundly. The average time of ulnar artery compression was 4.1 ± 1.2 h (ranged 2.5–6.5 h). There were two patients experienced persistent RAO with a success rate of 98.9% and RAO in 0.075% of patients after ulnar artery compression was applied. The pulsation of the ulnar artery after compression was removed had not been influenced by the compression.

Conclusions:

After intervention using TRCI approach, the presence of a weaker RAP is an indicator of imminent RAO. The continuing compression of ipsilateral ulnar artery is an effective approach to maintain RA patency.     

Endovascular repair of aortoiliac aneurysm with a hybrid technique to preserve pelvic perfusion

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has been proven to be an effective and safe technique for abdominal or iliac artery aneurysm. However, for aneurysms extending to both iliac bifurcations, routine EVAR will occlude both internal iliac arteries (IIAs), which may increase the risk for pelvic ischemia. New endovascular techniques have been developed to preserve the pelvic perfusion in EVAR for such situation. This article reports an endovascular repair of an aortoiliac aneurysm with an external iliac artery (EIA) to the IIA endograft to preserve the pelvic perfusion. First, an endograft was advanced into the left IIA under the help of an inflated aortic balloon. Coils were deployed to embolize the distal type-1 endoleak from the tunnel around the endograft. and an aortouniiliac endograft and an iliac extension were deployed below the renal arteries extending to the right EIA. Finally, a right-to-left femoro-femoral artery bypass was constructed. Angiography at completion and computed tomography after 6 months demonstrated patency of all grafts and complete exclusion of the aneurysm without any endoleak. Endovascular repair with an EIA-to-IIA endograft to preserve the pelvic inflow is a feasible and effective technique for aortoiliac aneurysms. Coil embolization might be an option to repair the distal type of endoleak. The balloon assisted U-turn technique may help advance the endovascular device over a sharp-angled vessel bifurcation.

     

Nine-month Angiographic and Two-year Clinical Follow-up of Novel Biodegradable-polymer Arsenic Trioxide-eluting Stent Versus Durable-polymer Sirolimus-eluting Stent For Coronary Artery Disease

Background:

Despite great reduction of in-stent restenosis, first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) have increased the risk of late stent thrombosis due to delayed endothelialization. Arsenic trioxide, a natural substance that could inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis, seems to be a promising surrogate of sirolimus to improve DES performance. This randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel arsenic trioxide-eluting stent (AES), compared with traditional sirolimus-eluting stent (SES).

Methods:

Patients with symptoms of angina pectoris were enrolled and randomized to AES or SES group. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF), and the second endpoint includes rates of all-cause death, cardiac death or myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization (TLR) by telephone visit and late luminal loss (LLL) at 9-month by angiographic follow-up.

Results:

From July 2007 to 2009, 212 patients were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to receive either AES or SES. At 2 years of follow-up, TVF rate was similar between AES and SES group (6.67% vs. 5.83%, P = 0.980). Frequency of all-cause death was significantly lower in AES group (0 vs. 4.85%, P = 0.028). There was no significant difference between AES and SES in frequency of TLR and in-stent restenosis, but greater in-stent LLL was observed for AES group (0.29 ± 0.52 mm vs. 0.10 ± 0.25 mm, P = 0.008).

Conclusions:

After 2 years of follow-up, AES demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to SES for the treatment of de novo coronary artery lesions.     

A coil placement technique to treat intracranial aneurysm with incorporated artery

Background

Endovascular coil embolization is an accepted treatment option for intracranial aneurysms. However, the coiling of aneurysms with an incorporated artery (IA) poses a high risk of IA occlusion. Here we report our experience of endovascular coil placement using a technique that avoids IA occlusion in aneurysms with IAs.

Decrease of Glomerular Filtration Rate may be Attributed to the Microcirculation Damage in Renal Artery Stenosis

Background:

The decrease of glomerular filtration rate has been theoretically supposed to be the result of low perfusion in renal artery stenosis (RAS). But the gap between artery stenosis and the glomerular filtration ability is still unclear.

Methods:

Patients with selective renal artery angiogram were divided by the degree of renal artery narrowing, level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), respectively. The different levels of eGFR, renal microcirculation markers, and RAS severity were compared with each other, to determine the relationships among them.

Results:

A total of 215 consecutive patients were enrolled in the prospective cohort study. Concentrations of microcirculation markers had no significant difference between RAS group (RAS ≥ 50%) and no RAS group (RAS < 50%) or did not change correspondingly to RAS severity. The value of eGFR in RAS group was lower than that in the no RAS group, but it did not decline parallel to the progressive severity of RAS. The microcirculation markers presented integral difference if grouped by different eGFR level with negative tendency, especially that plasma cystatin C (cysC) and urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratio (mACR) increased with the deterioration of eGFR, with strong (r = −0.713, P < 0.001) and moderate (r = −0.580, P < 0.001) correlations. In the subgroup analysis of severe RAS (RAS ≥ 80%), the levels of plasma cysC and urinary mACR demonstrated stronger negative associations with eGFR, (r = −0.827, P < 0.001) and (r = −0.672, P < 0.001) correlations, respectively.

Conclusions:

Severity of RAS could not accurately predict the value of eGFR, whereas microcirculation impairment may substantially contribute to the glomerular filtration loss in patients with RAS.