Search

In Japan, the number of patients receiving dialysis is 314,180 at the end of 2013 and 97% are treated with hemodialysis. And the mean age of patients and the percentage of diabetes have been increasing. For this reason, preparations of a new vascular access (VA) and its long-term maintenance have become difficult. In the guidelines by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT), endovascular treatment (ET) is positioned as the first line for VA stenosis. The procedure of ET itself is very simple. The revision of Japanese health insurance set an expensive technical fee for ET in 2012. It also added a restriction by which the claims for both technical and material fees would be denied, if the treatment was performed within 3 months after a previous treatment. This makes determination of best treatment timing more important. The functional evaluation using ultrasonography (US) is a useful monitoring index for determination of the ET timing for patients with stenosis. We investigated the cumulative relative frequency of flow volume (FV) and resistant index (RI) of brachial artery in arteriovenous graft (AVG) and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) cases with access failures. As a result, the cut-off values of FV and RI in AVG were 480 mL/min and 0.57, and in AVF were 354 mL/min and 0.61, respectively. Therefore we determine the treatment timing based on these results. Since 2012, active monitoring using US could have decreased the number of treatment patients by 100 per year. This meant that objective evaluation by US enabled treatments at a more suitable time to promote the proper use of medical expenses for EV treatment.

The transverse aortic arch is challenging to repair by either evolving open or emerging endovascular approaches. Contemporary experience in aortic arch repair can be difficult to assess because clinical practice varies substantially among centers with regard to temperature targets for hypothermic circulatory arrest, temperature monitoring sites, circulating perfusate temperatures, cerebral perfusion monitoring techniques, perfusion catheter flow rates, cannulation sites, pH management, and protective pharmacologic agents. Repair of the aortic arch has changed substantially over the last decade; these changes appear to have substantially reduced patient risk. In general, contemporary outcomes of open aortic arch repair are good to excellent. When acute aortic dissection is absent, many centers report early mortality rates below 5%; when acute aortic dissection is present, these rates are doubled or tripled. Not unexpectedly, mortality rates for total transverse aortic arch repair with elephant trunk or frozen elephant trunk approaches are greater than those for hemiarch repair (7-17% vs. 3-4%). In contemporary reports of mixed hemiarch and total arch repairs for aortic aneurysm, several authors report early mortality rates and stroke rates below 5%. Surprisingly, mortality rates for reoperation are not unlike those for primary repair and range from 8% to 9%; however, the risk of stroke appears somewhat greater and ranges from 5% to 6%.

The first clinical trial of tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) identified stenosis as the primary cause of graft failure. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of the host immune response in the development of stenosis using a murine model of TEVG implantation. We found that the C.B-17 wild-type (WT) mouse (control) undergoes a dramatic stenotic response, which is nearly completely abolished in the immunodeficient SCID/beige (bg) variant. SCID mice, which lack an adaptive immune system due to the absence of T and B lymphocytes, experienced rates of stenosis comparable to WT controls (average luminal diameter, WT: 0.071 ± 0.035 mm, SCID: 0.137 ± 0.032 mm, SCID/bg: 0.804 ± 0.039 mm; P < 0.001). The bg mutation is characterized by NK cell and platelet dysfunction, and systemic treatment of WT mice with either NK cell-neutralizing (anti-NK 1.1 antibody) or antiplatelet (aspirin/Plavix [clopidogrel bisulfate]; Asp/Pla) therapy achieved nearly half the patency observed in the SCID/bg mouse (NK Ab: 0.356 ± 0.151 mm, Asp/Pla: 0.452 ± 0.130 mm). Scaffold implantation elicited a blunted immune response in SCID/bg mice, as demonstrated by macrophage number and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in TEVG explants. Implicating the initial innate immune response as a critical factor in graft stenosis may provide a strategy for prognosis and therapy of second-generation TEVGs., (© FASEB.)

Aim: The aim of this retrospective study was to examine the early and mid-term outcomes for patients undergoing elective aortic arch surgery over a 13-years period in the single low-volume centre. Results of aortic arch surgery published in the literature are usually results of high-volume centers, but the majority of institutions have much lower caseload., Methods: From January 1999 to March 2013 total of 353 surgeries on thoracic aorta were performed in our institution. Only 30 procedures (8.5%) were elective aortic arch surgeries. This group of patients was analyzed., Results: Deep hypothermia alone and hypothermia with ortograde cerebral perfusion was used in 7 (23%) and 23 (77%) patients respectively. Mean core temperature was 22°C (17 - 26°C). Cannulation sites was axillary artery or brachiocephalic trunk in 17 (57%), femoral artery in 8 (27%) and ascending aorta or aortic arch in 5 (16%). Mean hypothermic circulatory arrest time was 39 min (15 - 74 min). There was one death due to multiorgan failure; all-cause mortality at 30 days was 3.3%. The frequency of other complications was permanent neurological deficit in 2 (6.7%), temporary neurological deficit in 2 (6.7%) and renal failure requiring hemodialysis in 2 (6.7%) patients. In the follow-up 13 patients died, remaining 16 are still alive., Conclusion: Despite the lower caseload and technical problems manifested by a higher number of re-operations for bleeding, the all-cause mortality at 30 days as well as mid-term results are comparable with results reported by the high-volume centres.

In 2008, the top priority in our division's 5-year strategic plan was "to become an internationally recognized center of excellence for the endovascular treatment of complex aortic pathology extending from the aortic valve to the external iliac artery." Five components were identified as "most critical" to achieve this strategic priority: (1) training at centers of excellence in complex endovascular repair; (2) industry partnership to improve access to developing technologies; (3) a fully integrated team approach with one leader involved in all steps of all cases; (4) prospective data collection; and (5) development and implementation of a physician-sponsored investigational device exemption for juxtarenal, pararenal, and thoracoabdominal aneurysms. We have now performed 49 repairs (16 commercially manufactured devices, 33 physician-modified devices) for 3 common iliac, 20 juxtarenal, 9 pararenal, and 17 thoracoabdominal aneurysms, using 142 fenestrations, branches, and scallops. All patients had complete 30-day follow-up for calculation of 30-day events. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate 1-year events. In 5 years, we developed a successful complex endovascular aortic program that uses fenestrated/branched repair techniques. A focused team strategic planning approach to program development is an effective way for vascular surgery divisions to gain experience and expertise with new complex technologies while ensuring acceptable patient outcomes., (Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We describe the organization of a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial comparing the effectiveness of open popliteal artery aneurysm repair (OPAR) and endovascular popliteal artery aneurysm repair (EPAR) of asymptomatic popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) as an example for how to use the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) framework. Given that many centers participate in the VQI, this model can be used to perform multicenters' prospective trials on very modest budget., Methods: VQI prospectively collects data on many vascular procedures. These data include many important perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative details regarding both patients and their procedures. We describe a study where minimal changes to the collected data by participating centers can provide level-1 evidence regarding a significant clinical question. Data will be collected using modified VQI forms within the existing VQI data reporting structure. We plan to enroll 148 patients with asymptomatic PAAs into the open and endovascular surgery cohorts. Patients from participating VQI centers will be randomized 1:1 to either OPAR or EPAR and will be followed for an average of 2.5 years. Our primary hypothesis is that major adverse limb event-free survival is lower in the EPAR cohort and that EPAR is associated with more secondary interventions, improved quality of life, and decreased length of stay. The budget for this trial is fixed at $10,000/year for the course of the study, and the trial is judged to be feasible because of the functionality of the VQI platform., Conclusions: Using the existing VQI infrastructure, Open versus Endovascular Repair of Popliteal Artery Aneurysm will provide level 1 data for PAA treatment on a modest budget. The proposed trial has an adequately powered comparative design that will use objective performance goals to describe limb-related morbidity and procedural reintervention rates., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The long-term survival and quality of life of patients on hemodialysis is dependent on the adequacy of dialysis via an appropriately placed vascular access. Recent clinical practice guidelines recommend the creation of native arteriovenous fistula or synthetic graft before start of chronic hemodialysis therapy to prevent the need for complication-prone dialysis catheters. The direct involvement of nephrologists in the management of referral patterns, predialysis follow-up, policy of venous preservation, preoperative evaluation, vascular access surgery and vascular access care seems to be important and productive targets for the quality of care delivered to the patients with end-stage renal disease. Early referral to nephrologists is important for delay progression of both kidney disease and its complications by specific and adequate treatment, for education program which should include modification of lifestyle, medication management, selection of treatment modality and instruction for vein preservation and vascular access. Nephrologists are responsible for on-time placement and adequate maturation of vascular access. The number of nephrologists around the world who create their own fistulas and grafts is growing, driven by a need for better patient outcomes on hemodialysis. Nephrologists have also a key role for care of vascular access during hemodialysis treatment by following vascular access function using clinical data, physical examination and additional ultrasound evaluation. Timely detection of malfunctioning vascular access means timely surgical or radiological intervention and increases the survival of vascular access.

Objective: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Inpatient Quality Indicator (IQI) #11, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair mortality rate, is a measure of hospital quality that is publically reported but has not been externally validated. Because the IQI #11 overall mortality rate includes both intact and ruptured aneurysms and open and endovascular repair, we hypothesized that IQI #11 overall mortality rate does not provide accurate assessment of mortality risk after AAA repair and that AAA mortality cannot be accurately assessed by a single quality measure., Methods: Using AHRQ IQI software version 4.2, we calculated observed (O) and expected (E) mortality rates for IQI #11 for all hospitals performing more than 10 AAA repairs per year in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for the years 2007 to 2011. We used Spearman correlation coefficient to compare expected rates as determined by IQI #11 overall mortality rate risk adjustment methodology and observed rates for all AAA repairs in four cohorts stratified by aneurysm stability (ruptured vs intact) and method of repair (open vs endovascular)., Results: Among 187,773 AAA repairs performed at 1268 U.S. hospitals, hospitals' IQI #11 overall expected rates correlated poorly with their observed rates (E: 5.0% ± 4.4% vs O: 6.0% ± 9.8%; r = .49). For ruptured AAAs, IQI #11 overall mortality rate methodology underestimated the mortality risk of open repair (E: 34% ± 7.2% vs O: 40.1% ± 38.2%; r = 0.20) and endovascular repair (E: 24.8% ± 9% vs O: 27.3% ± 37.9%; r = 0.08). For intact AAA repair, IQI #11 overall mortality rate methodology underestimated the mortality risk of open repair (E: 4.3% ± 2.4% vs O: 6.3% ± 16.1%; r = .24) but overestimated the mortality risk of endovascular repair (E: 1.3% ± 0.8% vs O: 1.1% ± 3.7%; r = 0.25). Hospitals' observed mortality rates after intact AAA repair were not correlated with their mortality rates after ruptured AAA repair (r = 0.03)., Conclusions: IQI #11 overall mortality rate fails to provide accurate assessment of inpatient mortality risk after AAA repair. Thus, it is inappropriate to use IQI #11 overall mortality rate for quality reporting. The accuracy of separate quality measures that assess mortality risk after repair of ruptured and intact AAAs, stratified by the use of open or endovascular repair, should be examined., (Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Vascular surgeons are essential in "lifeline" creation for hemodialysis patients and should be the central player in any multidisciplinary access service together with nephrologists, dialysis staff and interventional radiology. In this position, access surgeons are involved in complicated clinical decision making regarding primary and secondary access selection, which throughout the last decade has been largely aided, and influenced, by national and international guidelines as well as other initiatives. These recommendations, unanimously and appropriately, advocate the placement of native fistulas over synthetic grafts (the majority grafts from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, ePTFE, herein referred to as PTFE) based on the superiority of fistulas with respect to complications such as infections and thrombosis. Nevertheless, the use of PTFE grafts for hemodialysis access is an accepted and firmly established alternative to native fistulas where data today reveal unwanted consequences to overinterpretation of established guidelines such as increased catheter use. This information highlights a need for an adjustment of access selection strategies based on patient-centered algorithms. Here, available results on PTFE graft performance in hemodialysis access is recapitulated, with respect to both conventional grafts and technical modifications, and conclude with a modified approach to primary access selection.

Purpose: The current guidelines for arteriovenous graft (AVG) configuration in hemodialysis state the following sequence: forearm loop, upper arm straight or curved and upper arm looped. These recommendations are based upon literature from the 1980s. Modern patient demographics and patient treatment algorithms, i.e., the Fistula First initiative (FFI), have greatly changed the current practice environment. It is not clear if these changes alter the outcomes of AVGs based upon configuration., Methods: The most recent National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF/K-DOQI) guidelines for vascular access were reviewed. Articles cited to support recommendations for AVG configuration were evaluated. The following search terms: arteriovenous graft configuration, access configuration, PTFE configuration in hemodialysis and straight, looped, curved graft configuration were used to search PubMed, Ovid, Medline and Google scholar. Articles that included data comparing AVG configuration were included. Citations within those articles were examined for publications overlooked in the initial search. Four articles and one abstract were reviewed and separated into pre- and post-FFI groups., Results: Pre-FFI articles demonstrate superiority of forearm looped AVG over straight forearm grafts. Post-FFI, the literature suggests that primary patency, thrombosis and steal are not affected by configuration and location, although looped configuration may have superior secondary patency., Conclusions: The available literature is mixed regarding the effect of configuration on AVG outcomes. Current studies illustrate the effect may be limited and that larger randomized controlled trials are necessary to draw firm conclusions. Regardless, adequate inflow and an appropriately sized outflow vein are paramount for optimal graft performance.

Objective: The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) is a national initiative to reduce surgical complications, including postoperative surgical site infection (SSI), through protocol-driven antibiotic usage. This study aimed to determine the effect SCIP guidelines have had on in-hospital SSIs after open vascular procedures., Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was retrospectively analyzed using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis codes to capture SSIs in hospital patients who underwent elective carotid endarterectomy, elective open repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and peripheral bypass. The pre-SCIP era was defined as 2000 to 2005 and post-SCIP was defined as 2007 to 2010. The year 2006 was excluded because this was the transition year in which the SCIP guidelines were implemented. Analysis of variance and χ(2) testing were used for statistical analysis., Results: The rate of SSI in the pre-SCIP era was 2.2% compared with 2.3% for carotid endarterectomy (P = .06). For peripheral bypass, both in the pre- and post-SCIP era, infection rates were 0.1% (P = .22). For open, elective AAA, the rate of infection in the post-SCIP era increased significantly to 1.4% from 1.0% in the pre-SCIP era (P < .001). Demographics and in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the groups., Conclusions: Implementation of SCIP guidelines has made no significant effect on the incidence of in-hospital SSIs in open vascular operations; rather, an increase in SSI rates in open AAA repairs was observed. Patient-centered, bundled approaches to care, rather than current SCIP practices, may further decrease SSI rates in vascular patients undergoing open procedures., (Copyright © 2014 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is associated with aortic dilatation and aneurysm (AN) formation. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2006 guidelines recommend replacement of the ascending aorta for an aortic diameter (AD)> 45 mm in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). We evaluated the outcomes of AVR and AVR with aortic replacement (AVR/AN)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed (2004-2011) the data from 456 patients with BAV and compared the morbidity and mortality between the AVR and AVR/AN groups and 3 subgroups: AVR with an AD<45 mm; AVR/AN with an AD of 45 to 49 mm; and AVR/AN with an AD of ≥50 mm. Propensity score matching was used to reduce bias., Results: Of the 456 patients, 250 (55%) underwent AVR and 206 (45%) AVR/AN, with 98% compliance with the current guidelines. The overall 30-day mortality was 0.9%. The AVR AD<45-mm group had adjusted short- and medium-term survival similar to that of the AVR/AN AD 45- to 49-mm and AVR/AN AD≥50-mm groups, with a 30-day mortality of 0.8%, 0%, and 1.9%, respectively (P=.41). The propensity score-matched AVR/AN AD≥50-mm group had significantly greater rates of reintubation than either the AVR AD<45-mm (P=.012) or AVR/AN AD 45- to 49-mm (P=.04) group and greater rates of prolonged ventilation (P=.022) than the AVR AD<45-mm group. No significant differences were found in reoperation or myocardial infarction among the subgroups., Conclusions: In patients with undergoing AVR, no increase was seen in morbidity or mortality when adding aortic replacement with an AD of 45 to 49 mm, in accordance with the 2006 ACC/AHA guidelines, although the AVR/AN AD≥50-mm group had a greater risk of respiratory complications. Our findings indicate that compliance with the ACC/AHA guidelines is safe in select centers., (Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Portal vein (PV) resection is used increasingly in pancreatic resections. There is no agreed policy regarding anticoagulation., Methods: A systematic review was performed to compare studies with an anticoagulation policy (AC+) to no anticoagulation policy (AC-) after venous resection., Results: There were eight AC+ studies (n = 266) and five AC- studies (n = 95). The AC+ studies included aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin or warfarin. Only 50% of patients in the AC+ group received anticoagulation. There were more prosthetic grafts in the AC+ group (30 versus 2, Fisher's exact P < 0.001). The overall morbidity and mortality was similar in both groups. Early PV thrombosis (EPVT) was similar in the AC+ group and the AC- group (7%, versus 3%, Fisher's exact P = 0.270) and was associated with a high mortality (8/20, 40%). When prosthetic grafts were excluded there was no difference in the incidence of EPVT between both groups (1% vs 2%, Fisher's exact test P = 0.621)., Conclusion: There is significant heterogeneity in the use of anticoagulation after PV resection. Overall morbidity, mortality and EPVT in both groups were similar. EPVT has a high associated mortality. While we have been unable to demonstrate a benefit for anticoagulation, the incidence of EPVT is low in the absence of prosthetic grafts., (© 2013 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the strategy for treatment of patients presenting with asymptomatic diverticular disease of the large bowel associated with an asymptomatic aortoiliac aneurysmal (AAA) disease., Methods: Sixty-nine patients were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into 5 groups according to the type and sequence of the surgical treatment: 32 patients (47%) underwent colectomy followed by a staged open AAA repair (group A); 10 patients (14%) were treated with open AAA repair followed by a staged colectomy (group B); 13 patients (18%) received endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) followed by a staged bowel resection (group C); 8 patients (12%) had a bowel resection followed by staged EVAR (group D); and 6 patients (9%) underwent simultaneous open AAA repair and bowel resection (group E). Primary end points were mortality and complications after any of the procedures. Secondary end point was the time interval between the staged procedures., Results: The cumulative death rate for delayed treatment of AAA was 6.5% and 0% for delayed treatment of diverticular disease [P=0.22]. The mean time interval between the staged procedures was 11 days for EVAR/colon resection (group C and group D) and 73 days for open AAA repair/colon resection (group A and group B; P<0.01)., Conclusions: EVAR allows a significant reduction in the time required between AAA repair and colon resection, but no definite rule can be established regarding the sequence of staged procedures. Combined procedures should be reserved for selected cases., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Permanent hemodialysis vascular access is crucial for RRT in ESRD patients and patients with failed renal transplants, because central venous catheters are associated with greater risk of infection and mortality than arteriovenous fistulae or arteriovenous grafts. The objective of this study was to determine the types of vascular access used by patients initiating hemodialysis after a failed renal transplant., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Data from the US Renal Data System database on 16,728 patients with a failed renal transplant and 509,643 patients with native kidney failure who initiated dialysis between January 1, 2006, and September 30, 2011 were examined., Results: At initiation of dialysis, of patients with a failed transplant, 27.7% (n=4636) used an arteriovenous fistula, 6.9% (n=1146) used an arteriovenous graft, and 65.4% (n=10,946) used a central venous catheter. Conversely, 80.8% (n=411,997) of patients with native kidney failure initiated dialysis with a central venous catheter (P<0.001). Among patients with a failed transplant, predictors of central venous catheter use included women (adjusted odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.63 to 1.87), lack of referral to a nephrologist (odds ratio, 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.72 to 2.33), diabetes (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 1.22), peripheral vascular disease (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 1.48), and being institutionalized (odds ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 1.89). Factors associated with lower odds of central venous catheter use included older age (odds ratio, 0.85 per 10 years; 95% confidence interval, 0.83 to 0.87), public insurance (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.68 to 0.80), and current employment (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.80 to 0.95)., Conclusions: Central venous catheters are used in nearly two thirds of failed renal transplant patients. These patients are usually followed closely by transplant physicians before developing ESRD after a failed transplant, but the relatively low prevalence of arteriovenous fistulae/arteriovenous grafts in this group at initiation of dialysis needs to be investigated more thoroughly., (Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: Vascular access guidelines recommend routine screening for the timely detection of stenosis using noninvasive methods, including clinical assessment (monitoring) and device-based surveillance relying on access blood flow (Qa) and static intra-access pressure (sVPR, static venous pressure ratio) measurements and duplex ultrasound (DU)., Methods: We reviewed the literature to see how monitoring compares with surveillance in terms of compliance with the World Health Organization's criteria for screening tests., Results: The fundamental element of monitoring, physical examination (PE), has a fair-to-good performance in detecting stenosis in both fistulas and grafts, similar to the Qa criteria recommended in the guidelines. In fistulas, the "or" combination of a positive PE with a Qa <900 mL/min or sVPR >0.5 is more sensitive in detecting stenosis (in up to 98% of cases), making it as good as DU. In grafts, PE performed significantly less well in diagnosing stenosis than sVPR or DU.In randomized controlled trials on fistulas, Qa surveillance enables a significant halving of the risk of thrombosis and access loss by comparison with monitoring alone when Qa criteria highly sensitive to stenosis are considered. In grafts, neither Qa nor DU nor sVPR is able to reduce thrombosis or access loss rates by comparison with monitoring alone., Conclusions: Our analysis indicates that regular monitoring should be the backbone of any vascular access stenosis screening program (possibly associated with Qa and sVPR surveillance for fistulas), and PE should be part of every teaching program for caregivers involved in hemodialysis.

Aneurysm of the ascending aorta may cause acute type A aortic dissection, and the primary aim of a prophylactic operation is avoidance of this life-threatening complication. Current guidelines recommend prophylactic replacement of the aneurysmal ascending aorta at a diameter of ≥5.5 cm. However, several reports have shown that nearly 50% of patients with an acute type A aortic dissection present with an aortic diameter <5.5 cm. It is controversial how to best respond to these observations. Because surgical advances have led to a reduction of early surgical mortality between 1% and 3%, many clinicians believe that surgery is warranted in smaller aortas. Given the frequency of a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), such a strategy has health implications for this population., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: Clinical practice guidelines have been established for surgical management of the aorta in bicuspid aortic valve disease. We hypothesized that surgeons' knowledge of and attitudes toward bicuspid aortic valve aortopathy influence their surgical approaches., Methods: We surveyed cardiac surgeons to probe the knowledge of, attitudes toward, and surgical management of bicuspid aortopathy. A total of 100 Canadian adult cardiac surgeons participated., Results: Fifty-two percent of surgeons believed that the mechanism underlying aortic dilation in those with bicuspid aortic valve was due to an inherent genetic abnormality of the aorta, whereas only 2% believed that altered valve-related processes were involved in this process. Only a minority (15%) believed that bicuspid valve leaflet fusion type is associated with a unique pattern of aortic dilatation aortic phenotype. Sixty-five percent of surgeons recommended echocardiographic screening of first-degree relatives of patients with bicuspid aortic valve. Most surgeons (61%) elected to replace the aorta when the diameter is 45 mm or greater at the time of valve surgery. Fifty-five percent of surgeons surveyed suggested that in the absence of concomitant valvular disease, they would recommend ascending aortic replacement at a threshold of 50 mm or greater. Approximately one third of surgeons suggested that they would elect to replace a mildly dilated ascending aorta (40 mm) at the time of valve surgery. The most common surgical approach (61%) for combined valve and aortic surgery was aortic valve replacement and supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta, and only a minority suggested the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and open distal anastomosis. More aggressive approaches were favored with greater surgeon experience, and when circulatory arrest was chosen, the majority (68%) suggested they would use antegrade cerebral perfusion. In the setting of aortic insufficiency and a dilated aorta, 42% of surgeons suggested that they would perform valve-sparing surgery. Of note, 40% of respondents used an index measure of aortic size to body surface area in addition to absolute aortic diameter in assessing the threshold for intervention., Conclusions: This large survey uncovered significant gaps in the knowledge and attitudes of surgeons toward the diagnosis and management of bicuspid aortopathy, many of which were at odds with current guideline recommendations. Efforts to promote knowledge translation in this area are strongly encouraged., (Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide and the arterial reconstructive surgery remains the treatment of choice. Although large diameter vascular grafts have been widely used in clinical practices, there is an urgent need to develop a small diameter vascular graft with enhanced blood compatibility. Herein, we fabricated a small diameter vascular graft with submicron longitudinally aligned topography, which mimicked the tunica intima of the native arterial vessels and were tested in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats., Methods: Vascular grafts with aligned and smooth topography were prepared by electrospinning and were connected to the abdominal aorta of the SD rats to evaluate their blood compatibility. Graft patency and platelet adhesion were evaluated by color Doppler ultrasound and immunofluorescence respectively., Results: We observed a significant higher patency rate (p = 0.021) and less thrombus formation in vascular graft with aligned topography than vascular graft with smooth topography. However, no significant difference between the adhesion rates on both vascular grafts (smooth/aligned: 0.35‰/0.12‰, p > 0.05) was observed. Moreover, both vascular grafts had few adherent activated platelets on the luminal surface., Conclusion: Bionic vascular graft showed enhanced blood compatibility due to the effect of surface topography. Therefore, it has considerable potential for using in clinical application.

Purpose: To analyze the quality of treatment for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair using the data of the DeGIR quality management system., Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of all data registered in the DeGIR quality management system of the year 2011 was performed regarding the treatment quality for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Registry of data within this system was voluntary. Quality aims of correct indication, treatment strategy and results were examined. Special interest was directed towards treatment success, complication rates and radiation exposure., Results: Out of 82,881 data sets from the year 2011 overall 1167 cases of EVAR were registered. 12.4% of these cases encompassed emergency treatments. The most frequent indication was an abdominal aneurysm with 85% of cases. The median aortic diameter was 56.5 mm. 253 cases showed an aortic diameter between 50 and 55 mm. Technical success was achieved in 94.6% of all cases including emergency indications for aortic rupture. The overall complication rate of all cases was 4% with 2.5% major complications. Examining only the elective cases a mortality rate of 0.34% was found. EVAR of ruptured aneurysms yielded a mortality rate of 12%. Median dose area product and fluoroscopy time were 10,676.5 cGy × cm2 und 17.32 min respectively., Conclusion: Data analysis of the DeGIR quality management system proved a very high technical success rate for the registered cases of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair accompanied by a low complication rate. Improvement of data quality will need further mandatory fields within the software to be implemented., Key Points: The voluntary DeGIR quality management system has reached a high acceptance among radiologists. Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair by radiologists has shown a very high technical success rate and a very low complication rate., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Aim: To explore areas of consensus and disagreement concerning the interhospital transfer of patients with a clinical diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm., Methods: A three-round Delphi questionnaire approach was used among vascular and endovascular surgery and emergency medicine specialists to explore patient characteristics and clinical management issues for emergency interhospital transfer. Analysis is based on 38 responses to rounds 2 and 3 (19 vascular surgeons, 6 interventional radiologists, 13 emergency care specialists) with agreement reported when 70% of respondents were in agreement., Results: Initially there was agreement that transfer patients should be <85 years of age, either alert or with fluctuating consciousness, with moderate or minimal systemic disease, needing no/some help with daily living. Round 3 clarified that patients requiring inotropes and those institutionalised for mental infirmity should be transferred. Those with cardiac arrest in current episode should not be transferred. There was no agreement as to whether those institutionalised with physical infirmities, unconscious/intubated patients or those with severe systemic disease should be transferred. Speed was accepted as important, with agreement for specialty trainees to arrange transfer if consultants were not on site. Consultant-consultant discussion was recommended for patients with severe systemic disease. CT confirmation of diagnosis was considered unnecessary before transfer but ultrasound assessment was desirable, and transfers should not be delayed by waiting for specific tests. There was no agreement about blood tests and ECG before transfer or whether blood should accompany the patient being transferred. There was no agreement as to whether specific staff/facilities needed to be in place at the specialist hospital. A systolic blood pressure ≥70 mm Hg was sufficient for transfer without the need for intravenous fluids unless deterioration occurred., Conclusions: There is broad agreement about the type of patient who should be eligible for transfer but disagreements about patient management before and during transfer remain.

Objective: The management of small popliteal artery aneurysms remains a matter of debate. The goal of this study was to gain additional knowledge about this pathology, focusing specifically on popliteal arteries smaller than 20 mm in diameter. Furthermore, the need for surveillance of the contralateral popliteal artery in patients with a small aneurysm was studied., Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted in 2 Dutch hospitals. From 1998 until 2011, data were collected through a search in the hospital patient databases. A small aneurysm (which was defined as a popliteal artery diameter of 10-20 mm) was identified and evaluated in 73 patients. These patients were monitored, whereby symptoms, complications, and survival were recorded. In addition, the contralateral popliteal artery was analyzed in all 73 patients., Results: Of 73 small aneurysms, 58% were asymptomatic, of which 24% developed an indication for surgical repair during follow-up. Furthermore, 32% were symptomatic and 11% completely thrombosed. Results of surgically treated aneurysms were good, with a secondary patency of 90% after a median follow-up of 30 months. A contralateral popliteal artery exceeding 10 mm was present in 49 patients (67%), of whom 59% had an indication for surgery., Conclusion: This study found that small popliteal artery aneurysms show a considerable risk of becoming symptomatic. In all patients with a known popliteal artery aneurysm, investigation of the contralateral popliteal artery is advised., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endografting for treatment of thoracic aortic pathology continues to gain popularity; in some countries, endovascular aortic repair numbers now exceed open surgery cases. The skills and understanding of open surgical teams are not always translated into endovascular interventions, which may be led by a cardiologist or vascular surgeon with little knowledge of thoracic pathology. The indications for intervention on the dilated aorta continue to be debated despite volumes of literature and multisocietal guidelines. The challenge of making a binary decision in the face of competing continuous risks depends on a best guess as to when the risk of the natural history of the disease exceeds that of the operation. Unfortunately, we have more information about average risk than actual (patient-specific) risk, and only for some of the variables determining those risks. Individual patient-specific operative risk can be calculated for some procedures by means of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database, although surgeon-specific risk models are really required. On the other side of the balance, aortic dissection and rupture represent material failure of the aortic wall when tensile stress exceeds tensile strength. When framed in this way, it is not surprising that diameter is imprecise, as this is only one of the variables in the law of Laplace. The circumferential (hoop) stress is the product of radius and intraluminal pressure, divided by wall thickness. We also have no good measures of the material properties of the wall that determine strength, although a great deal of attention has been paid to the genetic markers for aortic wall abnormalities. Other factors, such as smoking or poorly controlled hypertension, likely should enter into our clinical assessment because they impact wall strength as well. For now, discussions with patients should be framed with all these elements in mind., (Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Physician-modified endovascular devices are becoming commonplace in a modern climate where innovation outpaces regulated technological advancement. Off-label use of medical devices occurs on a daily basis throughout many institutions across the United States and when performed by physicians, is both legal and unregulated. The purpose of this invited commentary is to review the regulatory, compliance, and legal issues regarding the practice of medical device modification., (Copyright © 2013 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Antiplatelet treatment prevents cardiovascular events and thrombosis during the endovascular surgery procedure. The aim of this study is to analyze the different antiplatelet treatment used in endovascular procedures in Spain., Methods: In this investigation we included observational, retrospective, and multicenter study patients who underwent arterial endovascular therapy in 2006 or in the first 3 months of 2007, and follow-up of at least 1 year. The following data were collected: the usual epidemiologic variables, history of cardiovascular disease (coronary, cerebrovascular, or peripheral artery disease), risk factors, endovascular procedure performed, blood pressure, ethiology of arterial disease, the pre-operative antiaggregant treatment, and antiplatelet therapy used at 1 month and 1 year after the procedure., Results: A total of 1,557 patients were evaluated, of whom 84.3% were male. In addition 72.1% were hypertensive, 53.1% dyslipidemic, and 43.3% diabetic. From these patients, 32.6% presented with ischemic cardiomyopathy, 17.9% had a cerebral vascular history, and 35.3% had peripheral arterial disease. The most common etiology was occlusive disease (76.9%), the most commonly treated arterial sector was iliac (33.4%), and the most frequent procedure was stent angioplasty (46.9%). In the preoperative period, 75.1% of the patients were given antiplatelet therapy (89% simple antiplatelet treatment), 62.9% in the perioperative period, and 93.8% at 1 month after surgery (37.3% double antiaggregation). Antiplatelet treatment was administered previously to 86.2% of patients with history of cerebrovascular disease and to 88% of those with coronary disease. In the femoropopliteal sector 76.1% patients were receiving antiaggregation treatment before the procedure (11.1% double). However, 1 month later, double antiaggregation therapy was increased (45.3%), especially in the angioplasty and stent. In the iliac sector, 43.1% of patients with arterial stenosis and 38.2% of patients with complete arterial occlusion treated with angioplasty and stent continued receiving double antiaggregation 1 month after the procedure. In the carotid territory, 65.7% of patients treated with stent were receiving double antiplatelet treatment 1 month after the procedure., Conclusions: We believe it is necessary to create consensus committees to perform clinical practice evidence-based guidelines to formalize antiaggregation treatment in endovascular procedures., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In Italy, the use of arteriovenous grafts (AVG) is limited (1-5 %) due to different approaches to vascular access (VA) management as compared to other countries, where guidelines (which may not apply to the Italian setting) have been produced. Therefore, the Study Group (GdS) on VA of the Italian Society of Nephrology produced this position paper, providing a list of 8 recommendations built upon current guidelines., Methods: The most controversial and innovative issues of existing guidelines have been summed up in 12 different statements. We selected 60 Italian dialysis graft experts, nephrologists and vascular surgeons (PP1SIN Study Investigators). They were asked to express their agreement/disagreement on each issue, thus creating a new method to share and exchange information., Results: Most of them agreed (consensus > 90%) on specific criteria set to choose AVG over native AVF (nAVF) and tunnelled venous catheter (tVC) and on the necessary conditions to implant them. They did not fully agree on the use of AVG in obese patients, in patients at risk of developing ischemia, on the priority of AVG as an alternative to brachial-basilic fistula with vein transposition, and in case of a poorly organized setting regarding graft maintenance. Keeping in mind that the nAVF should be preferred whenever is feasible, AVGs are indicated when superficial veins are unavailable or to repair a nAVF (bridge graft). An AVG is an alternative to tVC if the expected patient survival is long enough to guarantee its clinical benefits.

Background: Aneurysmal regression is a reliable marker for long-lasting success after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The aim of this study was to identify the preoperative factors that can predictably lead to aneurysmal sac regression after EVAR, according to the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the International Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (SVS/ISCVS)., Methods: From 199 patients treated by EVAR between 2000 and 2009, 164 completed computed tomography angiographies and duplex scan follow-up images were available. All computed tomography angiographies for enrolled patients in this retrospective study were analyzed with Endosize software (Therenva, Rennes, France) to provide spatially correct 3-dimensional data in accordance with SVS/ISCVS recommendations. Anatomic parameters were graded according to the relevant severity grades. A severity score was calculated at the aortic neck, the abdominal aortic aneurysm, and the iliac arteries. Clinical and demographic factors were studied. Patients with aneurysmal regression >5 mm were assigned to group A (mean age, 71.4 ± 8.9 years) and the others to group B (76.3 ± 8.3 years)., Results: Aneurysmal regression occurred in 66 patients (40.2%; group A). Univariate analyses showed smaller severity scores at the aortic neck (P = .02) and the iliac arteries (P = .002) in group A and calcifications and thrombus were less significant at the aortic neck (P = .003 and P = .02) and at the iliac arteries (P = .001 and P = .02), and inferior mesenteric artery patency was less frequent (68.2% vs 82.7%, P = .04). Two multivariate analyses were done: one considered the scores and the other the variables included in the scores. In the first, the patients of group A were younger (P = .002) and aortic neck calcifications were less significant (P = .007). In the second, group A patients were younger (P < .001) and the aortic neck scores were smaller (P = .04). There was no difference between the two groups in the type of implanted endoprosthesis or in the follow-up (group A: 46.4 ± 24 months; group B: 47.2 ± 22 months; P = .35)., Conclusions: In this study, the young age of the patients and their aortic neck quality, in particular the absence of neck calcification, appear to have been the main factors affecting aneurysm shrinkage, such that they represent a target population for the improvement of EVAR results., (Copyright © 2012 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Carotid stenting in standard risk patients has recently received supportive recommendations from the American Heart Association, in a guideline document endorsed by 14 societies with diverse but vested interest in carotid intervention. The procedural hazard i.e. the composite endpoint: all-stroke/death/myocardial infarction (MI) for carotid stenting and endarterectomy are equivalent, as is survival free of ipsilateral stroke for the two interventional strategies. However, the microembolic burden generated by endarterectomy and stenting is discrepant and although the fate and clinical relevance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging new white lesions and of microembolic signals on transcranial Doppler remain disputed, empathic reasoning would suggest that technical and/or procedural modifications should be explored and employed during carotid stenting in order to try addressing microemboli. This article seeks to define those procedural steps likely to be associated with microemboli during carotid stenting and thus provide avoidance manoeuvres and/or possible solutions.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the branch morphology and short-term outcome of endovascular aneurysm repair using multibranched thoracoabdominal custom-made stent grafts (CSGs) vs standard stent grafts (SSGs)., Methods: Data on patient demographics, aortic morphology, component use, and outcome were collected prospectively. Final branch length (cuff to target artery orifice) and branch angle (cuff orientation to target artery orientation) were determined using 3-D reconstruction of computed tomographic angiograms (CTAs)., Results: Between January 2008 and March 2010, 28 patients underwent endovascular aneurysm repair using 14 CSGs and 14 SSGs. Two patients were excluded from analysis: one patient in the CSG group had yet to undergo CTA, and one patient in the SSG group had crossed renal branches due to problems traversing a previously reconstructed aortic arch. All the stent grafts were implanted successfully. There were no perioperative deaths. There were no statistically significant differences between the CSG (n = 13) and SSG (n = 13) groups in terms of patient age (74.4 ± 7.9 years vs 73.5 ± 6.0 years), aneurysm diameter (66.1 ± 9.0 mm vs 71.2 ± 9.0 mm), operative time (311 ± 94 minutes vs 286 ± 57 minutes), fluoroscopy time (108 ± 43 minutes vs 101 ± 30 minutes), contrast volume (98 ± 39 minutes vs 91 ± 27 minutes), blood loss (458 ± 205 mL vs 433 ± 193 mL), mean branch angle (22.8 ± 19.0 degrees vs 22.0 ± 17.6 degrees), or branch length (25.3 ± 12.1 mm vs 23.4 ± 10.2 mm)., Conclusion: The substitution of SSG for CSG had no effect on the complexity of the procedure, the branch morphology, or the perioperative outcome. The availability of an off-the-shelf SSG will broaden the application of endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair by eliminating manufacturing delays., (Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endovascular techniques have been slow to assume a primary role in the management of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) because of the high cost of multiple components, regulatory challenges, manufacturing delays, and the complexity of multibranched stent graft insertion. Standardized off-the-shelf stent grafts have the potential to lower all these barriers to the widespread application of multibranched endovascular technology. Despite the desire for a single design to accommodate all variations of thoracoabdominal aneurysms, different approaches are likely required for patients with extensive aneurysmal disease compared with disease that is more localized to the infradiaphragmatic region or that which does not extend below the renals. This article summarizes the basic concepts and stent graft designs for repair of TAAA using off-the-shelf fenestrated and branched endografts.

Background: Stent deployment across the aneurysmal neck has been established as one of the endovascular methods to treat intracranial aneurysms with or without coils., Objective: The purpose is to study the possible adverse effects of deployment of the new flow-diverter stent-like devices (FD) on the flow characteristics of saccular aneurysm models., Methods: Numerical simulations of the blood flow patterns in the artificial models of three aneurysms were studied. One model was designed without an FD stent, the second model with one FD stent, and the third model with two stents. Numerical simulation for incompressible laminar blood flow was conducted in the three artificial cerebral aneurysm models by means of computational fluid dynamics., Results: There was a noticeable increase in the values of the circumferential pressure distributed on the walls of the aneurysm after stent deployment; this led to an increase the tension of the aneurysm surface and was considered to be an adverse effect. This pressure increase was further aggravated by the deployment of another stent. However, there is a beneficial effect of using FD stents, translating into the reduction of the flow velocity inside the aneurysm and wall shear stress at the inflow zone. This reduction decreases further with the deployment of another stent., Conclusion: Aneurysms become tenser after the deployment of one flow-diverter stent and (more tense still) after after the deployment of another stent. This principle should be kept in mind when choosing which group of aneurysms is the best candidate for such a treatment strategy. This study recommends deploying several FD stents during endovascular procedures until complete arrest of the blood flow occurs during the procedure; otherwise, the aneurysm may become tenser and dangerous if a slow blood flow jet still exists inside it at the end of the procedure.

Background: The majority of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs in the United States are performed with endovascular methods. Baseline aortoiliac arterial anatomic characteristics are fundamental criteria for appropriate patient selection for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and key determinants of long-term success. We evaluated compliance with anatomic guidelines for EVAR and the relationship between baseline aortoiliac arterial anatomy and post-EVAR AAA sac enlargement., Methods and Results: Patients with pre-EVAR and at least 1 post-EVAR computed tomography scan were identified from the M2S, Inc. imaging database (1999 to 2008). Preoperative baseline aortoiliac anatomic characteristics were reviewed for each patient. Data relating to the specific AAA endovascular device implanted were not available. Therefore, morphological measurements were compared with the most liberal and the most conservative published anatomic guidelines as stated in each manufacturer's instructions for use. The primary study outcome was post-EVAR AAA sac enlargement (>5-mm diameter increase). In 10 228 patients undergoing EVAR, 59% had a maximum AAA diameter below the 55-mm threshold at which intervention is recommended over surveillance. Only 42% of patients had anatomy that met the most conservative definition of device instructions for use; 69% met the most liberal definition of device instructions for use. The 5-year post-EVAR rate of AAA sac enlargement was 41%. Independent predictors of AAA sac enlargement included endoleak, age ≥ 80 years, aortic neck diameter ≥ 28 mm, aortic neck angle >60°, and common iliac artery diameter >20 mm., Conclusion: In this multicenter observational study, compliance with EVAR device guidelines was low and post-EVAR aneurysm sac enlargement was high, raising concern for long-term risk of aneurysm rupture.

The emphasis on increasing the use of autogenous hemodialysis access in the United States has clearly changed the practice pattern of vascular surgeons during the past decade. However, this change has also been associated with an increased use of cuffed dialysis catheter and a decrease in the autogenous access maturation rate. Future efforts to increase autogenous access use will be hampered, in part, by the characteristics and comorbidities of the aging hemodialysis population and system-wide health care delivery issues, such as late referral for vascular access. As a result, prosthetic access will continue to play an important role in providing vascular access for the US hemodialysis population. This article reviews contemporary trends and evidence-based literature related to autogenous and prosthetic access procedures, as well as factors that influence access choice., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Society for Vascular Surgery® pursued development of clinical practice guidelines for the management of traumatic thoracic aortic injuries with thoracic endovascular aortic repair. In formulating clinical practice guidelines, the Society selected a panel of experts and conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. They used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methods (GRADE) to develop and present their recommendations. The systematic review included 7768 patients from 139 studies. The mortality rate was significantly lower in patients who underwent endovascular repair, followed by open repair, and nonoperative management (9%, 19%, and 46%, respectively, P < .01). Based on the overall very low quality of evidence, the committee suggests that endovascular repair of thoracic aortic transection is associated with better survival and decreased risk of spinal cord ischemia, renal injury, graft, and systemic infections compared with open repair or nonoperative management (Grade 2, Level C). The committee was also surveyed on a variety of issues that were not specifically addressed by the meta-analysis. On these select matters, the majority opinions of the committee suggest urgent repair following stabilization of other injuries, observation of minimal aortic defects, selective (vs routine) revascularization in cases of left subclavian artery coverage, and that spinal drainage is not routinely required in these cases., (Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents an overview of the project carried out by the Vascular Access (VA) Working Group of the Italian Society of Nephrology with the aim of developing 4 position papers at the national level on how to choose, use, and implant the different, possible types of vascular access. The topics of the project are: 1) recommendations on the use of prosthetic arteriovenous fistulas for vascular access in hemodialysis, 2) recommendations on the use of venous catheters for hemodialysis, 3) infections induced by a venous catheter for hemodialysis, and 4) how to create and maintain a vascular access for hemodialysis. This paper also gives an explanation of the difficulties existing in Italy in the implementation of international guidelines, mostly due to significant differences in the procedures for the creation of VA, compared with the countries where most of the literature on the subject has been published. Individual position papers were drafted for each of the different topics. A list of recommendations was produced based on existing guidelines. Then these recommendations were critically reviewed by experts working in Italy, who expressed their opinion on their inclusion in position papers. The working method used to gather the opinions of the various experts is described. The final target is to provide clinicians interested in VA with updated documents on selected topics. Such documents will be updated periodically, and they will present a thorough overview of expert opinions.

The immediate and long-term results of the operative treatment of 473 patients with lower limbs' critical ischemia were analyzed. The ischemia was caused by vascular damage under the level of Pupart ligament. All patients overcame direct and indirect surgical revascularization procedures. The results of the reconstructive operations depended directly upon the transplant permeability both in early and long-term periods. Thus, the shunt thrombosis by femoral-popliteal bypass above the popliteal joint space was 7.5-10.7%, not depending on the operative technique. Whereas, the shunt thrombosis by femoral-popliteal bypass below the popliteal joint space was 8.5-37.0%, directly depending on the operative technique. The thrombosis frequency after femoral-tibial bypass was in between 28.3-100.0%. The comparative analysis proved obvious advantages of direct and combined revascularisations.

65 patients with the aortic dissection type B were operated on in the period 1995-2010. The proximal local aortic prosthetics proved to be the method of choice in treatment of such patients. The method allowed the reduction of the hospital lethality on 5,7 ± 3,9% and considerably decrease the overall hospital stay.

Background: Our study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of preoperative intraarterial computed tomographic angiography to identify the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA). We also aimed to investigate the impact of identification of the AKA on the strategy for preventing spinal cord injury., Methods: Thirty-seven patients (24 cases of descending aortic aneurysms and 13 cases of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms), were studied. Average age was 63.8 years old. A pigtail catheter was inserted into the descending aorta and its tip was located immediately below the left subclavian artery. Subsequently, intraarterial computed tomographic angiography was performed and the segmental artery to the AKA was identified. Aneurysms were replaced electively with prosthetic graft in all cases. In cases where the aortic segment that supplied the AKA was cross-clamped, the identified segmental artery-AKA was selectively perfused. In these cases, the segmental artery-AKA was reconstructed with an interposition graft., Results: Intraarterial computed tomographic angiography successfully identified the segmental artery-AKA in all patients. The average number of AKA observed per patient was 1.3± 0.6 AKAs. Selective perfusion of preoperatively identified segmental artery-AKAs was performed in 11 cases. The average number of reconstructed segmental arteries was 0.5 in descending aortic aneurysms and 1.7 in thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. Although paraparesis occurred in two patients (5%), the remaining 35 patients did not suffer spinal cord injury., Conclusions: Intraarterial computed tomographic angiography reliably identifies the segmental-AKA. Furthermore, selective perfusion of the segmental artery-AKA, based on accurate preoperative identification, might be one option for preventing intraoperative spinal cord ischemia., (Copyright © 2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)