Use of the Covera Stent Graft for the Treatment of Dysfunctional or Thrombosed Arteriovenous Grafts: A Retrospective Analysis of 64 Patients

PurposeTo retrospectively evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Covera stent graft (SG) for the treatment of dysfunctional or thrombosed arteriovenous grafts (AVGs).Materials and MethodsWithin 29 months (February 2016–August 2018), 79 patients underwent Covera SG placement in the authors’ department for the treatment of dysfunctional AVGs. Data were available for 64 patients who underwent 64 procedures, using 64 devices. Minimum follow-up was 6 months, unless reintervention occurred. Mean follow-up was 277 days (6–923 days). Treatment characteristics were 51 cases with venous-graft anastomosis (VGA) stenosis (79.7%), 13 cases of puncture zone stenosis (20.3%), 14 cases of in SG stenosis (21.9%), 8 cases of pseudoaneurysm treatment (12.5%) (1 treatment area might have had more than 1 characteristic). Thirty-six patients presented with thrombosis (56.2%), and 31 of 64 case were de novo treatment areas (48.4%). Primary outcome measurements were technical success and post-intervention primary patency (PIPP) at 6 months, whereas secondary outcome measurements included factors influencing primary outcome.ResultsTechnical success was 100%. Median PIPP was 336 days, and 73.6% of treatment areas were patent at 6 months. There were no significant differences in terms of PIPP when de novo treatment areas were compared with restenotic areas (519 vs. 320 days, respectively; P = .1); patients who presented with versus those who presented without thrombosis (320 vs. 583 days, respectively; P = .07); puncture zone stenosis or elsewhere (329 vs. 686 days, respectively; P = .52); and VGA stenosis or elsewhere (336 vs. 335 days, respectively; P = .9).ConclusionsUse of the Covera SG for AVG treatment was safe and effective in every type of treatment area presented in this retrospective analysis.     

Self-expandable metallic stents in the treatment of post-esophagogastrostomy/post-esophagoenterostomy fistula

Esophageus or gaster resection in patients with malignant disease is still a treatment of choice. It is obvious that each surgical procedure in these patients carries some possibility of complications. Esophageo-gastric or esophageo-jejuno anastomosis has a 4-27% frequency of fistula occurrence. All these result in 65% mortality in cases of poorer prognosis. The aim of this paper is not to present all types of complications but to objectively analyse the usefulness of the covered stent placement in the treatment of anastomotic fistulas. We present six patients who were treated for postoperative fistula of esophageo-gastric anastomosis (1 case) or esophageo-jejuno anastomosis (5 cases). All patients were treated with stapler suture for digestive tract reconstruction after malignancy removal during the primary surgical procedure. Signs and symptoms of suture leak between 5-8 days post-surgery were observed. Conservative therapy was not effective. Thus a new method of treatment was employed - covered stent placement. The procedure was performed under X-ray control. In all treated patients there was change for the better and quick reduction of secretion from the fistulas was observed. All patients were discharged from the department after several days and all had survived at 30 days follow-up. Covered esophageal stent placement seems to be a safe and promising method of treatment for patients with anastomotic fistula which significantly reduces mortality and improves quality of live. Our experiences confirms that of other investigators.     

Quality of life after total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: After total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer, many surgeons try to avoid an abdominoperineal resection (APR) by performing a transanally double stapled low colo-rectal anastomosis (LRA), frequently without a pouch. This policy is mainly based on the assumption that the quality of life after such LRA is higher than after APR. It has been suggested that a better functional outcome and therefore a higher quality of life might be achieved by a colo-anal J-pouch anastomosis (CPA). The aim of this study was to assess quality of life among disease-free survivors after APR, LRA and CPA. METHODS: The charts of 301 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for cancer in the middle or lower third of the rectum were analysed. Two hundred four patients were eligible for inclusion. The quality of life among these patients was assessed using one generic (EQ-5D) and two disease-specific questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38). RESULTS: The response rate was 82%. The median follow-up was 31 months. Overall, quality of life was good but CPA patients had better quality of life scores than APR and LRA patients. This difference was not only due to the better functional outcome but also to the lower incidence of disturbed micturition and sexual problems in the CPA group. CONCLUSION: The quality of life after colo-anal J-pouch anastomosis is better than after abdominoperineal resection (APR) and low colo-rectal anastomosis (LRA). The quality of life after APR is similar to that after LRA.     

周围神经端侧动脉套接后神经再生的研究

目的研究周围神经端侧动脉套接后神经再生的可能性及其特点. 方法取SD大鼠75只,在股骨中下段切断腓神经,将近断端逆转90度包埋于肌肉中.随机分为5组.A组:将截取的左颈总动脉套接于右侧正常胫神经侧方与腓总神经远端2 mm距离之间,缝合部胫神经外膜不予切除;B组:在胫神经套接部外膜开窗1.0 mm;C组:腓总神经切断14天后再予动脉套接,余同B组;D组:同B组,且于动脉套接部注入神经生长因子(neural growth factor, NGF)1 ml;E组:将腓总神经远端以端侧缝合形式直接缝合于胫神经的一侧,外膜开窗1.0 mm.术后4、8和12周分别行组织学、电镜和神经纤维计数等检查. 结果 4周时C、D及E组周边区域有神经纤维轴突和髓鞘再生,A组则无神经纤维生长; 8周时C、D及E组再生神经纤维较B组多,E组神经纤维较C、D组多,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 12周时C、D及E组神经纤维多于B组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);C组及D组有较丰富的神经再生,与神经端侧直接吻合的E组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05). 结论神经端侧2 mm距离动脉套接可作为修复周围神经损伤的一种可行方法.     

再次显微输卵管复通术17例报道

对17例人工绝育后曾行输卵管复通手术失败病例,进行再次显微输卵管复通手术,经随访二年以上,宫内妊娠率41.18%(7/17)。手术后成功率与输卵管吻合部位有关,峡部与壶腹部吻合效果最差。作者指出再次显微输卵管吻合手术对由于原吻合部位闭锁病例有一定的价值。但需慎重考虑如何提高初次吻合术质量、防止术后粘连是十分重要。     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MICRO-VASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS IN INFECTED WOUNDS

The effect of established infection with penicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus on m'icrbarterial anastomosis was studied in an experimental model. The infection was treated with wound debridement and systemic antibiotics before the surgical procedure. It was found that the anastomotic patency rate of microarte-rial repair was 95.1%. The presence of established infection, if properly treated, should not be a contraindication to microarterial surgery.     

Treatment of iatrogenic biliary obstruction by balloon dilatation of a biliary jejunal fistula

Biliary obstruction and multiple hepatic abscesses occurred in a patient after ligation of a segmental branch of the right hepatic duct. The patient was successfully managed by transhepatic biliary drainage and balloon dilatation of an internal fistula that developed between the ligated duct and a Roux limb of jejunum. Internal biliary fistulas may be dilated using interventioanl radiologic techniques to permit nonobstructed bile flow. Implications for the nonsurgical treatment' of biliary strictures are discussed.     

急诊左半结肠一期切除吻合术25例治疗体会

目的探讨急诊左半结肠切除一期肠吻合的可行性。方法腹腔探查完后，用布带结扎横结肠，游离肠系膜后，于预切除肠段的上端切开作肠外减压，挤压排空粪便，切除病变肠管，端端吻合，术后作肛管扩张，停留肛管引流，胃肠减压。结果全部病人预期痊愈出院，无发生吻合口漏和腹腔污染。结论该法有利于吻合口的愈合，增加左半结肠一期切除吻合的安全性，减少第2次手术痛苦，可推荐为左半结肠急诊切除一期吻合的良好方法。