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Carotid revascularization, both endarterectomy (CEA) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS), are associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients aged ≥80 years. Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) is a technique that combines surgical principles of neuroprotection with less invasive endovascular techniques to treat severe carotid stenosis. Data from a recent registry study comparing TCAR with that of CEA and TFCAS demonstrated no significant difference in outcomes between TCAR and CEA in patients aged ≥80 years, and a significant reduction in stroke and composite outcomes between TCAR and TFCAS in patients aged ≥80 years. To add to these studies, a more in-depth analysis of demographic, procedural, and outcome factors is warranted for elderly patients aged ≥80 years undergoing TCAR. At our center, with a large volume of elderly patients based on local demographics, we expect there will be no significant effect of age on outcome measures between patients aged <80 years and those aged ≥80 years.

Purpose:To validate 3 angiographic scoring systems for peripheral artery calcification using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as the gold standard. Methods:The study employed preprocedure angiography and IVUS data from 47 patients (median age 72 years; 34 men) in the 55-patient JetStream G3 Calcium Study (ClinicalTrials.govidentifier NCT01273623) to validate the 3 angiographic scoring systems [Peripheral Academic Research Consortium (PARC), Peripheral Arterial Calcium Scoring System (PACSS), and the DEFINITIVE Ca++trial]. Preprocedure angiograms were analyzed using conventional quantitative vessel analysis software in 2 orthogonal views. Calcium length was evaluated by markers placed beside the artery during the procedure; calcium deposit(s) were assessed as being on one or both sides of the vessel wall. The 3 calcium scoring systems used these 2 basic angiographic elements to evaluate calcium severity. Based on these criteria, calcium severity varied from none to focal, mild, moderate, or severe in PARC; grade 0 to 4 in PACSS; and none, moderate, or severe in the DEFINITIVE Ca++system. Calcium location on IVUS was classified as superficial, deep, or mixed. Lesion length was the segment between the most normal looking proximal and distal reference sites. Superficial, deep, and calcium length were based on motorized IVUS pullback. Results:IVUS detected calcium in 44/47 (93.6%) lesions, and angiography detected calcium in 26/47 (55.3%) lesions (p<0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of angiography relative to IVUS were 59%, 100%, 100%, and 14%, respectively. With increasing severity of angiographic calcium, there was a stepwise increase in the prevalence of IVUS superficial calcium and the maximum arc and length of superficial calcium. Using PARC criteria, with increasing severity of calcification, IVUS maximum calcium arc increased from 120° for none to 305° for severe (p<0.001); the length of calcium increased from 7 to 68 mm (p<0.001). Though a similar trend was seen in IVUS superficial calcium, it was not observed in IVUS deep calcium. Similar observations were seen when using the PACSS and DEFINITIVE Ca++scoring systems. Conclusion:IVUS confirmed that the PARC, PACSS, and DEFINITIVE Ca++calcium scoring systems can be used to classify the degree of calcium in peripheral artery disease, especially superficial calcium.

Endovascular repair is associated with better 30-day outcomes than open surgical repair for patients with infrarenal aortic aneurysms. In patients with complex aortic aneurysms (CAAs) requiring suprarenal or supravisceral aortic cross-clamping during open repair, few data exist directly comparing the real-world outcomes of open repair versus endovascular repair with fenestrated-branched stent grafts (FEVAR).

Popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) have been referred to as “the silent killer” because of the devastating thromboembolic events they can cause without warning symptoms. Open surgical repair of PAA remains the gold standard, although the endovascular approach has being increasingly reported during the past years. Open repair can be performed over the medial or posterior approach, depending on the extent of the aneurysm and surgeon's preference. The goal of the present article is to summarize the clinical results of open and endovascular repair of PAA and to serve as a practical and prompt literature search tool for all surgeons and endovascular specialists who encounter this disease process in their practices.

To describe successful endovascular rescue of a prior fenestrated endograft repair of a thoracoabdominal aneurysm that presented with combined type I and type III endoleaks due to aortic stent migration and subsequent visceral stent dislodgement.

The role of common femoral artery endarterectomy (CFE) and the need for distal revascularization is challenging in certain clinical scenarios. For some patients with claudication or rest pain CFE alone may suffice, however, some surgeons advocated that in-line flow must be re-established in patients with major tissue loss for wound healing purposes. The decision when to perform CFE with or without distal revascularization is sometimes difficult. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of common femoral artery endarterectomy (CFE) to define predictive factors for additional distal revascularization.

Purpose To describe modification of the Viabahn Padova Sutureless (ViPS) technique for challenging anastomosis between a prosthetic graft and a circumferentially calcified target artery.Technique The technique is demonstrated in a 75-year-old man with complete superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusion and reconstitution of a circumferentially calcified above-knee popliteal artery. A 7-mm Viabahn endoprosthesis with its constraining string was withdrawn from its delivery system; the string at the proximal edge of the stent was gently cut with a scalpel, causing the proximal part of the stent to deploy, while the undeployed distal tip with its smooth profile retained its commercial orientation. The proximal end was subsequently sutured to a 7-mm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft. After surgical exposure, the popliteal artery was transected, and the undeployed distal portion of the Viabahn was inserted into the distal segment, supported by a stiff guidewire. By pulling the constraining string, the stent was deployed in a “non-reversed” fashion and subsequently dilated to achieve optimal apposition. Finally, the proximal end of the PTFE graft was tunneled under the sartorius muscle and sutured to the common femoral artery.Conclusion This modification to the ViPS technique using a “non-reversed” method of Viabahn stent preparation allows a safer and more accurate deployment of the endoprosthesis in the calcified target artery.

Despite much advancement in preoperative evaluation and perioperative care of patients with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA), open surgical repair of TAAAs remains a formidable challenge for the vascular surgeon. It requires extensive dissection and mobilization of the aorta and its branches, as well as cross-clamping of the aorta above intercostal and visceral arteries. Over the past decade, the mortality and morbidity associated with open TAAA repair have improved significantly. However, it remains one of the most complex, extensive surgical procedures performed in the field of vascular surgery. Recently, there has been much attention directed at less invasive methods such as the so-called “hybrid” or “debranching” procedure, or complete endovascular repair with fenestrated and branched endografts for repairing TAAAs. However, the gold standard for repair of TAAA remains open surgery, and this article summarizes the clinical outcomes of open surgical repair of TAAAs during the past decade (2000–2010) to provide a benchmark for comparison with results from previous decades and also with which to compare the results of modern-day hybrid and/or complete endovascular techniques.

A 72-year-old male presented with a 7.4-cm abdominal aortic aneurysm with bilateral common and internal iliac involvement. To maintain pelvic perfusion, preservation of the patient’s left hypogastric artery (HA) was pursued. Two weeks after right HA embolization, endovascular repair of the patient’s aneurysms was performed using a branched endograft approach. A 22-mm main body bifurcated endograft was unsheathed and the proximal covered stent was removed. The contralateral gate was preloaded with a wire and catheter. The device was resheathed and placed in the left common iliac artery. The preloaded wire in the contralateral gate was snared from the right side, establishing through-and-through femoral access. A contralateral femoral sheath was advanced up and over the aortic bifurcation from the right side into the contralateral gate of the bifurcated endograft. The repair was bridged to the left HA using a balloon-expandable stent-graft, followed by standard endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Completion angiography demonstrated exclusion of patient’s aneurysms, without evidence of endoleak, and maintenance of pelvic blood flow through the left HA. The patient recovered without complication and was discharged home on postoperative day 4. This technique illustrates the technical feasibility of using a preloaded commercially available endograft to preserve HA blood flow and maintain pelvic perfusion during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Health care–associated infections are not uncommon after elective vascular surgery and can negatively impact mortality rates and hospital resource utilization. Identification of modifiable risk factors for perioperative infection is critical for efforts aimed toward reducing their incidence. We evaluated the associations between preoperative inpatient hospitalization and perioperative surgical site infection (SSI), pneumonia, and urinary tract infection (UTI) following elective vascular surgery procedures.

To describe early results of a novel technique (ViPS, Viabahn Padova Sutureless) that connects a vascular prosthetic graft to a target artery in a sutureless fashion.

Aberrant origin of right subclavian arteries represents the most common of the aortic arch anomalies. This variant has few published series to guide management. Our goal was to review treatment options and results for these potentially complex reconstructions.

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have become popular for a range of indications in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Though PICCs are generally safe, they can be associated with a variety of complications. We present here a case with embolic strokes due to inadvertent arterial placement of PICC, an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication. A high clinical suspicion with critical evaluation of radiographs is indispensable for suspecting misplaced PICCs.

We describe the feasibility and early results of a novel approach to preserve pelvic perfusion during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) in patients with aortoiliac aneurysms extending to the iliac bifurcation.

Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) carries a high morbidity and mortality despite vast improvements in the care of critically ill patients over the past two decades. Between 50% and 80% of all patients with ruptured AAA do not survive. Endovascular treatment of ruptured AAA has recently become popularized because of its purported advantages to open repair in terms of mortality and morbidity due to its minimally invasive approach. The tabular review herein presented is the second part of our series on endovascular therapy for AAA. Similar to part 1, which emphasized elective procedures, we summarize the results of the world's literature for ruptured endovascular AAA repair in table format to serve as a comprehensive and concise search tool to be utilized in the vascular surgeon's and endovascular specialist's practice.

We analyzed the risk of adverse events following carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) in patients <80 years (group I) compared with those ≥80 years of age (group II).

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is supported by level 1 evidence as the standard of care for symptomatic and asymptomatic extracranial carotid stenosis. Eversion CEA (ECEA) has been proposed as an acceptable alternative to the standard bifurcation endarterectomy in many patients; however, long-term follow-up of this technique has not been reported. This study was designed to analyze the long-term durability of ECEA in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

En el ejercicio de la cirugía vascular en todo el mundo la isquemia mesentérica crónica es una enfermedad poco frecuente. Para pacientes en bajo riesgo, la revascularización abierta sigue siendo el mejor tratamiento debido a sus resultados por lo que respecta a la permeabilidad y eficacia. La revascularización endovascular para la isquemia mesentérica crónica estaba indicada principalmente en pacientes de edad avanzada y mayor riesgo, pero esto ha cambiado durante los 10 últimos años debido al desarrollo de dispositivos más precisos y a las menores tasas de morbilidad y mortalidad, a pesar de las mayores tasas de recidiva y reestenosis. El objetivo del presente estudio fue resumir los datos sobre revascularización endovascular y abierta para la isquemia mesentérica crónica en una presentación tabulada.

Many studies over the last decade have indicated that circulatory forces such as shear stress and cyclic strain can influence the endothelial cell (EC) phenotype. However, very little is known about thein vitroeffects of pressure on EC. To study this, cultured bovine aortic EC were grown in custom designed pressure chambers with carefully regulated CO2/air environment. EC were exposed to either atmospheric, static (135 mmHg) or pulsatile pressure (160/110 mmHg). A pulsed pressure frequency of 60 cycles/min was maintained by computer-controlled solenoid valves, placed in series with pressure lines. EC proliferation was determined both by cell count after trypsin release on days 1,3 and 5 and by3H-thymidine incorporation. By day 5, a significant decrease in cell number occurred in both pressure groups, confirmed by the thymidine studies. No changes were observed in cell morphology and cell viability as assessed by LDH activity studies. To investigate the mechanism of this effect, EC conditioned media from the three pressure conditions were transferred to non-exposed, control EC. Significant cell growth inhibition was demonstrated in the control EC group treated with conditioned media from EC cultured under pulsatile pressure conditions. This finding suggests that EC exposed to pulsatile pressure secrete an autocrine factor with growth inhibitory properties. This effect was not mediated by the growth factors TGFβand IL-1 as shown by Northern blot analysis and antibody-neutralization studies.