Ultrasound-Guided Glue Injection as Alternative Treatment of Femoral Pseudoaneurysms

The interventional angiographic techniques using the percutaneous femoral approach for endovascular revascularization are becoming increasingly more popular. These methods usually require larger sheaths, and most patients need postprocedural anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy. As a consequence, the interventional procedure is associated with a higher rate of complications at the arterial entry site compared to diagnostic angiography [1,2]. The reported incidence of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm formation after coronary artery interventions ranges from 3.2% [1] to 7.7% [3], and the rates noted after diagnostic angiography range from 0.2% [1] to 1% [4].Peripheral pseudoaneurysms have traditionally been treated by surgical intervention, but nonsurgical alternatives, such as ultrasound (US)-guided compression, coil embolization, stent-graft placement, and percutaneous thrombin injection with or without balloon occlusion have also been documented. Of these alternatives, direct percutaneous embolization with embolic agents is the most popular method. The tissue adhesive n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) (Hystoacryl) (B. Braun, Melsungen, Germany) is one of the most popular occluding agents for neurovascular interventions, and has been widely used for more than 20 years [5,6]. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and utility of direct percutaneous injection of NBCA for embolization of femoral pseudoaneurysms.     

Cardiac reoperation by Carpentier bicaval femoral venous cannula: GATA experience

BACKGROUND: Division of the sternum is primarily a blind procedure in reoperation and carries an increased risk of injury for major cardiac structures in the presence of adhesions between the posterior table and the heart. METHODS: Two hundred patients were randomly divided into two groups. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established through the femoral artery and vein in group 1 (n = 100) patients before sternal reentry. Carpentier dual-stage femoral venous return cannula was used in all group 1 patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass was performed after sternal reentry in group 2 (n = 100) patients. RESULTS: Six severe cardiac injuries developed in group 2. Cardiopulmonary bypass time was 93 +/- 9 minutes in group 1 and 71 +/- 11 minutes in group 2 (p = 0.011), and the operation time was 155 +/- 23 minutes in group 1 and 185 +/- 32 minutes in group 2 (p = 0.024). Inotropic therapy was required in 52 patients in group 1 and 76 patients in group 2 (p = 0.032). Average chest drainage was 450 +/- 135 mL in group 1 and 850 +/- 250 mL in group 2 (p < 0.001). Average fresh whole blood transfusion was 3.3 +/- 1.2 U in group 1 and 5.8 +/- 0.9 U in group 2 (p = 0.033). Average intensive care unit stay was 2.2 +/- 1.3 days in group 1 and 4.5 +/- 2.3 days in group 2 (p = 0.025). Average hospital stay was 7.3 +/- 2.4 days in group 1 and 9.1 +/- 3.1 days for group 2 (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary bypass by bicaval Carpentier femoral venous cannula before resternotomy not only allows adequate cardiopulmonary bypass flow but also significantly reduces the risk of cardiac injury and catastrophic hemorrhage and allows safe reopening. Although this procedure increases cardiopulmonary bypass time, the operation time, bleeding, and blood transfusion requirement are significantly reduced.     

Metformin decreases testicular damages following ischaemia/reperfusion injury in rats

The effects of metformin on a testicular torsion injury in adolescent rat testis after I/R were evaluated in the present study. Forty adolescent rats were divided into five groups with eight rats per group: a control group; a sham-operated group; an ischaemia group, where torsion was applied for 4 hr and testis was examined immediately after detorsion; an I/R group, where torsion was applied for 4 hr and the testis was examined 4 hr after detorsion; and an I/R + M group, where the metformin (300 mg/kg) administration was added to the identical procedures used for the I/R group. Spermatogenesis, basal membrane integrity and cleaved caspase-3 expression were assessed. The I/R + M group had a significantly higher Johnsen score than the I/R group (7.9 ± 0.1 vs. 7.5 ± 0.2; p < .001; F-value = 14.2). Failure of basal membrane integrity was highest in the ischaemia group (45 ± 5) compared to the other groups (control group, 20 ± 5; sham-operated group, 16.6 ± 2.8), but not different between the I/R + M (31.6 ± 12.5) and the I/R groups (25 ± 3.5). Cleaved caspase-3 expression was highest in the ischaemia group (73.5 ± 0.7), and significantly lower in the I/R + M group (33.4 ± 0.9) than the I/R group (58.5 ± 0.2; p < .05; F-value = 7.6). Metformin decreases testicular damage by exerting protection against the harmful effects of I/R on spermatogenesis and alleviating apoptosis in adolescent rat testis.     

Radiological imaging findings of Dyke–Davidoff–Masson syndrome

Radiological findings of Dyke–Davidoff–Masson syndrome (DDMS) in patients with different etiologies are presented in our study. The study included 12 patients (seven females, five males) for whom radiological examinations were requested due to reasons such as epilepsy, mental retardation, and/or hemiplegia. CT was performed in 12, MRI in 6, MRA in 1, and DSA in 1 patient. Following imaging findings were evaluated: cerebral and cerebellar involvement (laterality, encephalomalacia), affected territories, ventricular enlargement, sulcal enlargement, calvarial thickening, and paranasal sinus enlargement hyperaeration. Age range of the patients was 5–62 (mean 34.1 ± 21.7). Left hemicrania was affected in eight patients, right hemicrania in four. Ipsilateral calvarial thickening and lateral ventricular dilatation were observed in all patients. 11 patients had ipsilateral frontal sinus hyperaeration, sulcal enlargement and encephalomalacia. Wallerian degeneration of the mesencephalon and middle fossa hypoplasia was seen in ten patients, mastoid hyperaeration, third ventricular enlargement and thalamic involvement in nine, and corpus callosum, basal ganglion injury, and sphenoid sinus hyperaeration in eight. MCA, ACA, and PCA territories were involved in six patients. Only MCA territory involvement was seen in four patients. Cerebellar atrophy was contralateral in two patients. Symmetric bilateral atrophy was observed in one patient. DDMS can be encountered with different radiological findings based on cerebral damage formation process and the extent of damage. Patients may have different levels of cerebral hemiatrophy, ipsilateral carvarial thickening, and lateral ventricular dilatation.     

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome; without hearing loss

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) arises from the lower side of the basilar artery and supplies blood to the rostral olfactory bulb, rostral pontine base, and cerebellar regions. The AICA syndrome was first defined by Adams in 1943. Here, we present a case of a patient with a left AICA occlusion who suddenly started experiencing dizziness and had abnormal gait; he was subsequently diagnosed with ischemia in the left cerebellar hemisphere.A 55-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with complaints of sudden onset of vertigo, speech disorder, and imbalance. The neurological examination revealed gait disturbance, and left-sided ataxia. In addition, dysarthric speech left peripheral facial paralysis, loss of pain and heat sensations in the left half of the face and right half of the body. Bilateral horizontal nystagmus was observed. Babinski and Hoffman signs were also observed on the left side. The patient was evaluated with diffusion weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. On DW image and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps precisely determined diffusion restrictions in the antero-inferior part of the left cerebellar hemisphere and the left part of the inferior vermis. MR angiography revealed occlusions in the right internal carotid artery and left AICA; hence, he was administered antiagregan treatment. We have presented this case because infarctions in the AICA have different clinical features from those observed in other cerebellar arteries, and such cases are rarely observed in neurological practice.     

Relationship between impulsivity and obsession types in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objective: Impulsivity is an important aspect of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which is classified under a new heading in DSM-5 with other impulsivity related disorders like trichotillomania. Due to its heterogeneous nature, different obsessions may be linked to varying impulsivity profiles. Aim of this study was to investigate the impulsivity traits and their relationship with obsession types by comparing OCD subjects who display sexual, religious and aggressive obsessions or other obsessions to healthy controls.

Methods: Outpatients with OCD (n?=?146) and healthy controls (n?=?80) were evaluated with Sociodemographic Data Form, SCID-I, SCID non-patient version, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11).

Results: BIS-11 attention scores of the OCD group were significantly higher than healthy subjects. In patients with sexual, aggressive, religious obsessions, BIS-11 attention scores were significantly higher than those who have other obsession types and that of controls.

Conclusions: Higher levels of attentional impulsivity, particularly in patients suffering from sexual, aggressive or religious obsessions suggest a common diathesis for a dysfunction in neural correlates corresponding to these symptoms. The results of our study may promote further studies conducted with more advanced and objective neuropsychometric tests evaluating features of the clinical course, neurobiology and the response to OCD treatment.     

Multiple spinal cavernous malformations in Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome

Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTWS) is a rare, congenital vascular disorder characterized by cutaneous haemangiomas, venous varicosities, and hypertrophy of the osseous and soft tissue. Various vascular anomalies of the central nervous system have been described in this syndrome. Two previous associations between KTWS and spinal cord cavernous malformations have been reported in the English literature. In this report, we present a patient in whom multiple cavernous malformations located in the conus medullaris region and cauda equina were associated with KTWS. General physical examination as well as neuroradiological and operative findings are described.