Endovascular repair of the aortic arch in pigs by improved double-branched stent grafts

Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of total endovascular repair of the aortic arch in pigs using improved integrated double-branched stent grafts.

Methods

Improved self-expandable stent grafts with a main body and two integrated branches were prepared for the repair of the aortic arch in six pigs. The feasibility of using these stent grafts was evaluated with arteriography, computed tomography (CT), computed tomography angiography (CTA) and autopsy three months following the procedure.

Results

The double-branched stent grafts were placed successfully in the aortic arch in all six pigs. All pigs survived for at least three months and their biological behaviour was normal. Arteriography, CTA and animal necropsy revealed good fixation in all cases. Aortic valve function and coronary ostia remained intact, and CT of the head did not detect any lesion of cerebral infarction.

Conclusions

Endovascular repair of the aortic arch with an integrated double-branched stent graft is safe and feasible in animal studies.     

Low rate of active treatment of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Introduction

The results of surgical resection and palliative chemotherapy use in hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) have been well publicised but the proportion of patients able to undergo these treatments and the comparative outcomes in a population of patients with HC are less well known.

Methods

Patients with HC were identified by review of all patients undergoing percutaneous cholangiography over a nine-year period (2002–2010) in a tertiary facility. The treatment undertaken and outcomes were recorded.

Results

Overall, 68 patients were identified (37 female) with a median age of 70 years. Forty-five (66%) were treated solely by insertion of a metal stent (median survival 4.73 months) and nine (13%) also received palliative chemotherapy (median survival 13.7 months). Persisting jaundice after stent insertion was noted in 18 of 35 patients (51%) tested within one month of death. Fourteen patients (21%) underwent surgical resection (median survival 20.2 months).

Conclusions

Patients undergoing surgical resection had significantly longer survival than those receiving only a palliative stent but not compared with those also receiving palliative chemotherapy, with short-term follow-up. Only a third of patients, however, receive active treatment (surgery or chemotherapy) and improvements in long-term biliary palliation are needed.     

血管性血友病因子对支架术后冠状动脉内皮化的预测价值

目的 探讨血管性血友病因子(vWF)对冠状动脉支架植入术后冠状动脉内皮化的预测价值以及对ADP受体拮抗剂用药时间的指导意义.方法 对冠状动脉支架植入治疗后12～18个月无症状的冠心病患者进行冠状动脉造影复查,造影后对无支架内再狭窄的30例患者的32支血管34个支架进行光学相干断层成像(OCT)检查,根据成像结果分组,支架小梁完全内皮化的患者为完全内皮化组,支架小梁非完全内皮化的患者为非完全内皮化组,选18例冠状动脉造影显示血管无狭窄的患者为对照组,术后抽取肘静脉血,测定vWF水平.结果 非完全内皮化组血浆vWF水平显著高于完全内皮化组和正常对照组(29.13±8.47 μg/L比13.81±1.04 μg/L和12.83±1.13 μg/L,P＜0.05),完全内皮化组血浆vWF因子水平与正常对照组比较无显著性差异(P＞0.05).结论 vWF对预测冠状动脉支架植入术后冠状动脉内皮化有一定的参考价值,对临床ADP受体拮抗剂用药时间有一定的指导意义.     

支架治疗动脉硬化性肾动脉狭窄对肾功能影响的前瞻性研究

目的:探讨肾动脉支架置入术,对肾动脉狭窄导致缺血性肾病患者的肾功能影响。方法:2008年1月至2010年1月,对肾动脉狭窄合并有肾功能不全的患者,采用肾动脉支架进行血管腔内治疗。术后1,3,6及12个月定期复查血清肌酐水平。结果:共入选26例患者进行了肾动脉支架治疗,男性14例,女性12例,平均年龄(62±14)岁,术前肾血清肌酐水平为(151.58±11.86)umol/L,术后1个月血肌酐水平为(149.96±16.39)umol/L,与术前差异无统计学意义(P=0.551)。术后3,6及12个月肌酐分别为〔(140.38±27.07)umol/L,P=0.02〕,〔(137.15±30.73)umol/L,P=0.005〕,〔(135.38±33.37)umol/L,P=0.005〕,均低于术前水平,差异具有统计学意义。结论:肾动脉腔内支架成形术,可改善肾动脉狭窄患者的肾功能。     

支架释放同时推注造影剂评价支架术后即刻贴壁不良

目的:通过支架释放同时推注造影剂(Simultaneous injection contrast,SIC),判断支架贴壁情况与光学相干断层成像(optical coherence tomography,OCT),测量支架小梁与血管内膜之间距离,对比评价SIC方法,判断术后即刻支架贴壁情况的实用性。方法:入选21例原位病变的冠心病患者,行支架植入术的同时通过释放支架,同时推注造影剂(SIC)方法判断支架大体的贴壁情况,同时记录支架的型号释放压力等,之后用光学相干断层成像(OCT)精确判断支架的贴壁情况,并对OCT图像每隔1 mm的横截面的支架小梁的贴壁情况进行记录和分析,通过两者的结果对比,评价SIC方法在支架贴壁情况中的实用性。结果:21例患者中共植入支架34枚,其中2个支架节段用SIC及OCT判断均存在贴壁不良,11个支架节段SIC判断贴壁良好,而经OCT检查发现存在>1%的支架小梁贴壁不良。SIC和OCT检查均为贴壁良好的支架节段有21个。结论:SIC方法是在临床实践中一种简便实用的判断支架贴壁情况的方法,虽然其准确性难以与OCT相媲美,但作为一种简便经济的方法,值得在临床推广使用。     

全覆膜食管金属支架治疗高位食管疾病

目的评价全覆膜食管金属支架在高位食管狭窄和瘘以及术后吻合口狭窄和瘘治疗中的有效性和安全性。方法复旦大学附属中山医院内镜中心2005年5月至2013年7月间,应用16mm全覆膜食管金属支架对84例高位食管狭窄和瘘以及术后吻合口狭窄和瘘进行治疗。其中食管癌性狭窄31例,食管外压性狭窄2例,食管癌放疗后狭窄10例,食管癌术后复发致狭窄4例,吻合口狭窄27例,内镜黏膜下剥离术后食管狭窄1例,食管．气管瘘7例,食管一纵隔瘘1例,食管癌术后残胃瘘1例。狭窄或瘘口上缘距中切牙距离15～20cm者48例,大于20cm者36例。结果84例患者共置入100枚支架,术中无出血和穿孔等并发症发生。支架置入术后患者吞咽困难、呛咳症状均迅速缓解。术后并发症发生率为6．0％（5／84）,其中严重胸痛2例,经止痛药物缓解;气管塌陷1例,予气管切开术;支架移位2例,内镜下应用异物钳对支架位置进行调整。76例（90．5％）患者获得完整随访,5-3％（4／76）的患者出现再狭窄,2．6％（2／76）新发食管．气管瘘;其中5例接受再次内镜下置入全覆膜金属支架术并获成功,另1例经沙氏探条扩张及氩离子凝固术治疗效果满意。结论全覆膜食管金属支架治疗高位食管狭窄和瘘以及术后吻合口狭窄和瘘安全、有效,可考虑作为临床首选。     

A novel approach for removing an intra-renal migrated Memokath™ stent

INTRODUCTION

The use of metallic stents in managing benign and malignant ureteric strictures is gaining increasing popularity in urology and has been shown to be a safe and effective alternative to the commonly used double J stents.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We present here the case of a 54 year old female with a symptomatic benign ureteric narrowing at the pelvi-ureteric junction of her left kidney who was successfully managed with a metallic Memokath™ stent inserted at the site of the stricture. She went on to develop a rare complication of proximal migration of the stent into the kidney necessitating removal.

DISCUSSION

Our study systematically reviews the published evidence for the clinical effectiveness of metallic ureteric stents in stricture management and details a novel and safe approach that was successfully used to remove the intra-renal migrated stent in an antegrade percutaneous fashion.

CONCLUSION

Our report highlights a rare complication of metallic ureteric stents and a novel approach to their removal. This has significant importance for the urologist managing an awkwardly positioned stent lying within the kidney and hence difficult to manipulate via the previously published retrograde approaches.Key words: Ureter, Stent, Migration, Intra-renal, Memokath™     

Endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms with the use of stents in small cerebral vessels

Abstract

Objective: To report the results of the Neuroform, Leo and Wingspan stents used to treat cerebral aneurysms in vessels of small caliber.

Materials and methods: We reviewed 12 cases of wide-necked aneurysms treated with stent deployment into small cerebral vessels with diameter range from 1·0 to 2·5 mm. All stents were deployed for aneurysm treatment in combination with coiling. Aneurysm locations were as follows: A1 (n = 4), anterior communicating artery (n = 2), A2 (n = 1), M1 (n = 2), M2 (n = 1) and P1 (n = 2). Clinical follow-up ranged from 3 to 12 months. Imaging follow-up (range: 3-6 months) was performed with cerebral angiography.

Results: Twelve self-expanding stents (six Neuroform stents, three Leo stents and three Wingspan stents) were deployed for 12 wide-necked cerebral aneurysms arising from vessels measuring 2·5 mm in diameter. Eleven procedures were successfully performed without immediate or delayed device-related complications with one stent misplacement. Intraprocedural thrombus developed within the stent in one patient. There were no clinical neurological symptoms related to the treated vessel territory at clinical follow-up.

Conclusion: Development of newer small endovascular devices, such as Neuroform, Leo and Wingspan stents, allow access and ability to treat lesions farther out in the smaller cerebral vessels.     

Revascularización carotídea con stent: implicaciones clínicas y para el procedimiento de la presencia de una lesión suboclusiva

Introduction and objectives

The advisability of implanting a stent in carotid near-occlusion stenosis is a controversial topic. We have assessed procedural and clinical implications of stent implantation for carotid artery disease with near occlusion.

Methods

We included 205 patients who underwent carotid artery revascularisation with a stent. The group of patients with near-occlusion stenosis (n=54)was compared to the rest of the population (n=151).

Results

No differences were found between groups for age, sex, and the percentage of symptomatic patients (three-quarters of the population). Carotid stent revascularisation for near-occlusion stenosis presented a high procedural success rate (96%) similar to that of revascularisation processes for other lesions (98%). Stenting in cases of near-occlusion stenosis required increased use of proximal protection (54% vs. 20.5%, P<.001) and predilation (33% vs. 17%, P=.01). The process to repair near-occlusion stenosis cause increased detachment of plaque, as shown by higher percentages of macroscopic plaque captured by protection devices (18.5% vs. 7%, P=.01) and of perioperative ischaemic brain lesions (47% vs 31%, P = .07). At 30 days of follow-up, the tendency toward adverse neurological events (death, major and minor stroke) was higher in the near-occlusion group (9.2% vs. 3.2%, P=.08).

Conclusions

Stent revascularisation for near-occlusion carotid stenosis has a high procedural success rate; however, its higher plaque load was responsible for the increased rate of ischaemic brain lesions and adverse neurovascular events at 30 days post-procedure.