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Background: In this study, the early and mid-term outcomes of Omniflow ® II (LeMaitre Vascular, Inc., Burlington, MA, USA) biosynthetic graft in redo surgery in patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) with no available autologous vein material were investigated with the aim to compare the outcomes obtained in "de novo" surgery versus redo surgery., Methods: From January 2018 until December 2022, data of CLTI patients from 18 centers in Italy with no autologous vein material underwent infrainguinal bypass with Omniflow ® II biosynthetic graft were collected. Thirty-day outcome measures including intraoperative technical success, major morbidity, mortality, and graft patency were assessed and compared. At two-year follow-up, estimated outcomes of survival, primary patency, primary assisted patency, secondary patency, freedom from reintervention, and amputation-free survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared between groups using the log-rank test., Results: In the study period 119 CLTI patients had an infrainguinal bypass with Omniflow ® II biosynthetic graft. Seventy-seven patients (64.7%) underwent bypass as "de novo" treatment (group de novo), whilst in the remaining 42 patients (35.3%) the procedure was performed as redo surgery due to occlusion and/or infection of a previous bypass graft (group redo). Two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic, clinical, and morphological data. In group redo explantation of an infected prosthetic graft was needed in 4 cases (9.5%). Intraoperative technical success was achieved in all cases in both groups. At 30 days, the overall patency rate did not differ between the two groups (69/77, 89.6%, group de novo vs. 35/42, 83.3%, group redo; P=0.24), whilst in group redo limb loss was higher with a statistically significant different 30-day major amputation rate between the two groups (11.9% group redo vs. 1.3% group de novo; P<0.001). Overall median duration of follow-up was eight months (IQR 6-13). At two-year follow-up there were no differences between the two groups in terms of survival (67.7% group de novo vs. 55.8% group redo, P=0.53), primary patency (34.4% group de novo vs. 26.8% group redo, P=0.25), primary assisted patency (43.6% group de novo vs. 28.8% group redo, P=0.12), freedom from reintervention (64.1% group de novo vs. 68.8% group redo, P=0.98), and amputation-free survival (67.8% group de novo vs. 60% group redo, P=0.12). Secondary patency was significantly higher in group de novo (53.7% vs. 32.3%, P=0.05). During the follow-up, the overall rates of graft infection and aneurysmal degeneration were 3.4%, and 0.8%, respectively., Conclusions: Nevertheless, poorer early outcomes in terms of limb salvage, Omniflow ® II biosynthetic graft offers acceptable ywo-year outcomes in redo surgery in CLTI patients with no available autologous vein material. Further studies with larger population sizes are needed to validate these outcomes.

Background: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze early and late outcomes of infrainguinal revascularization performed with the Omniflow-II ® (LeMaitre Vascular, Inc., Burlington, MA, USA) biosynthetic vascular graft (BVG) for complex femoro-popliteal obstructive disease., Methods: Over a 10-year period, this BVG was used in 110 patients who underwent infrainguinal femoro-popliteal or femoro-distal bypass. Early (intraoperative and <30 days) results were analyzed in terms of death, thrombosis, amputations and reinterventions. Follow-up results were analyzed in terms of primary and secondary graft patency, and amputation-free survival., Results: We performed 87 (79.1%) above-the-knee bypass, 20 (18.2%) below-the-knee bypass, and 3 (2.7%) tibial artery bypass. In-hospital mortality was not observed. Mean follow-up was 66±37 months (range, 3-150). Estimated primary patency rate at 1, 2 and 5-years of follow-up was 77%±4 (95%CI: 68-84), 73%±5 (95%CI: 63.5-83), and 59%±6 (95%CI: 47-70.5) respectively. Predictors of primary patency loss were the presence of critical limb ischemia (P=0.048; HR: 2.1; 95%CI: 1.01-4.28), and the necessity of below-the-knee bypass (P=0.012; HR: 2.4; 95%CI: 1.22-4.75). Aneurysmal degeneration of the BVG was detected in 4 (3.6%) patients, an infected BVG occurred in 3 (2.7%) patients. The amputation-free survival was 96%±2 (95%CI: 91-99), 93%±3 (95%CI: 86-96), and 76%±5 (95%CI: 66-84) at 1, 2 and 5-years respectively., Conclusions: In our experience, Omniflow-II ® is a valid first-line alternative for infrainguinal revascularization when the ipsilateral autologous saphenous vein is not available. Aneurysmal degeneration was lower than previously reported with alternative BVGs, and the incidence of BVG infection was acceptably low.

Objective: During the most aggressive phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, the Regional Authority of Lombardy identified a number of hospitals, named Hubs, chosen to serve the whole region for highly specialised cases, including vascular surgery. This study reports the experience of the four Hubs for Vascular Surgery in Lombardy and provides a comparison of in hospital mortality and major adverse events (MAEs) according to COVID-19 testing., Methods: Data from all patients who were referred to the Vascular Surgery Department of Hubs from 9 March to 28 April 2020 were collected prospectively and analysed. A positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction swab test, or symptoms (fever > 37.5 °C, upper respiratory tract symptoms, chest pain, and contact/travel history) associated with interstitial pneumonia on chest computed tomography scan were considered diagnostic of COVID-19 disease. Patient characteristics, operative variables, and in hospital outcomes were compared according to COVID-19 testing. A multivariable model was used to identify independent predictors of in hospital death and MAEs., Results: Among 305 included patients, 64 (21%) tested positive for COVID-19 (COVID group) and 241 (79%) did not (non-COVID group). COVID patients presented more frequently with acute limb ischaemia than non-COVID patients (64% vs. 23%; p < .001) and had a significantly higher in hospital mortality (25% vs. 6%; p < .001). Clinical success, MAEs, re-interventions, and pulmonary and renal complications were significantly worse in COVID patients. Independent risk factors for in hospital death were COVID (OR 4.1), medical treatment (OR 7.2), and emergency setting (OR 13.6). COVID (OR 3.4), obesity class V (OR 13.5), and emergency setting (OR 4.0) were independent risk factors for development of MAEs., Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic in Lombardy, acute limb ischaemia was the most frequent vascular disease requiring surgical treatment. COVID-19 was associated with a fourfold increased risk of death and a threefold increased risk of major adverse events., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Novel 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) infection usually causes a respiratory disease that may vary in severity from mild symptoms to severe pneumonia with multiple organ failure. Coagulation abnormalities are frequent, and reports suggest that COVID-19 may predispose to venous and arterial thrombotic complications. We report a case of acute lower limb ischemia and resistance to heparin as the onset of COVID-19 disease, preceding the development of respiratory failure. This case highlights that the shift of coagulation profile toward hypercoagulability was associated with the acute ischemic event and influenced the therapy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to present our experience with the management of isolated left vertebral artery during hybrid aortic arch repairs with thoracic endovascular aortic repair completion., Methods: This is a single-center, observational, cohort study. Between January 2007 and December 2018, 9 patients (4.5%) of 200 who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair were identified with isolated left vertebral artery. The isolated left vertebral artery was the dominant vertebral artery in 4 cases and entered the Circle of Willis to form the basilar artery in all cases. Isolated left vertebral artery transposition was performed in 2 patients during open ascending/arch repair before thoracic endovascular aortic repair completion. In 4 patients, isolated left vertebral artery transposition was performed concomitant with carotid-subclavian bypass during thoracic endovascular aortic repair completion ("zone 2" thoracic endovascular aortic repair). Primary outcomes were early (<30 days) and late survival, freedom from aortic-related mortality, and isolated left vertebral artery patency., Results: Primary technical success was achieved in all cases. Isolated left vertebral artery-related complication occurred in 1 patient (Horner syndrome). Immediate thrombosis, vagus/recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, lymphocele, and chylothorax were never observed. Postoperative cerebrovascular accident or spinal cord injury was not observed. Median follow-up was 15 months (range, 3-72). We did not observe aortic-related mortality during the follow-up. Aortic-related intervention was never required. Both isolated left vertebral artery and carotid-subclavian bypass are still patent in all patients with no sign of anastomotic pseudoaneurysm or stenosis., Conclusions: Although isolated left vertebral artery is not a frequent occurrence, it is not so rare. It may pose additional difficulties during hybrid aortic arch surgical repairs, but isolated left vertebral artery transposition was feasible, safe, and a durable reconstruction., (Copyright © 2019 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the oncologic and surgical outcomes of patients treated with inferior vena cava (IVC) or iliac vein (IV) resection for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS). Surgery is the only curative option for patients with primary RPS. The IVC or IV can be directly invaded by RPS or can be the organ of origin of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma. In both cases, resection of the IVC or IV is required to achieve a complete resection., Methods: Patients who underwent IVC or IV resection for primary or recurrent RPS between 2000 and 2016 at a single referral institution were included in this retrospective study. The oncologic outcome was explored in terms of overall survival and crude cumulative incidence (CCI) of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Surgical outcomes were explored in terms of complications, renal function, lower limb edema, and vascular graft patency., Results: Sixty-seven patients were included: 24 IV resections (IV group), 39 IVC resections, and 4 IVC and IV resections (IVC group). The most frequent histologic types were leiomyosarcoma (63%) and liposarcoma (27%). Five-year overall survival, CCI of local recurrence, and CCI of distant metastasis (95% confidence interval) were 56.2% (43.6-72.4), 12.4% (5.2-29.5), and 51.5% (39.3-67.5). IVC was circumferentially resected in 38 of 43 patients; 32 were treated with graft reconstruction (22 with interposition of banked venous homograft [BVH] and 10 with polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] graft) and 6 with ligation only, mostly dependent on the presence of an adequate collateral vessel network. Patients with preoperative IVC obstruction treated with ligation only (n = 6) did not develop severe postoperative lower limb edema. IVC graft primary patency at 5 years was 100% in IVC PTFE grafts and 76.7% in IVC BVHs. Fifteen patients (22.4%) suffered a Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complication within 60 days of surgery., Conclusions: IVC or IV resection in the context of RPS surgery is of value in achieving long-term survival. A policy of vascular grafting in case of circumferential resection of a patent IVC or IV is rewarding. For IVC reconstruction, both BVHs and PTFE grafts offer good results in terms of high patency rate and low risk of infection., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To analyze our experience and to describe access and arch-related challenges when performing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for penetrating aortic ulcers (PAUs)., Methods: This is a single-center, observational, cohort study. Between October 2003 and February 2019, 48 patients with PAU were identified; 37 (77.1%) treated with TEVAR were retrospectively analyzed. Primary major outcomes were early (<30 days) and late survival, freedom from aortic-related mortality (ARM), and a composite endpoint of arch/vascular access-related complications., Results: On admission, 17 (45.9%) patients were symptomatic with 4 (10.8%) presenting with rupture. In-hospital mortality was 8.1% (n=3). We observed 10 (27.0%) arch/access-related complications. There were 4 (10.8%) arch issues: 2 transient ischemic attacks and 2 retrograde acute type A dissections which required emergent open conversion for definitive repair. Access issues occurred in 6 (16.2%) patients: 3 (8.1%) required common iliac artery conduit, and 1 (2.7%) patient required iliac artery angioplasty to deliver the stent-graft. In addition, 2 (5.4%) patients developed access complications which required operative repair [femoral patch angioplasty (n=2), and femoral pseudoaneurysmectomy (n=1)]. Arch/access-related mortality rate was 5.4% (n=2) and median follow-up was 24 (range, 1-156; IQR, 3-52) months. Estimated survival was 87.1% (standard error: 0.6; 95% CI: 71.2-84.9%) at 1 year, and 63.3% (SE: 0.9; 95% CI: 44.1-79%) at 4 years. Estimated freedom from reintervention was 88.9% (SE: 0.5; 95% CI: 74.8-95.6%) at 1 year, and 84.2% (SE: 0.7; 95% CI: 67.3-93.2%) at 4 years. No arch/access-related issues developed during the follow-up period., Conclusions: Our experience confirms that vascular access and aortic arch issues are still a challenging aspect of performing TEVAR for PAUs. Our cumulative 27% rate of access/arch issues is lower than previously reported due to both technological advancements and meticulous management of both access routes and arch anatomy., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Our series of secondary aorto prosthetic fistulas (PEF) to identify if and how different surgical treatment affect outcome is reviewed., Methods: Between 1982 and December 1999, in the authors department, 42 patients were investigated for a secondary PEF. Mean age was 65 years: the mean time interval since the primitive aortic procedure was 49 months. Twenty patients were treated in emergency surgery: 29 presented evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding. The preoperative work-up included esophagogastroduodenoscopy, CT scan, and aortography. The vast majority of PEF were in a duodenal location. Surgical procedure carried out was graft excision, bowel suture or bowel resection, aortic stump closure and axillofemoral (AXF) bypass (11), new in situ revascularization by synthetic prosthesis (5), simple suture (9), graft excision without revascularization (1), in situ revascularization using arterial homograft (13)., Results: The mean surgery duration was 4 hours and 53 minutes, the mean blood loss was 1845+/-1132. Two patients died shortly after proximal aortic control was obtained. Early overall mortality was 50%, the early overall bypass occlusion rate was 12.5%, the early overall amputation rate was 10%, and the early new PEF rate was 12.5%. Late overall mortality was 22.5%, the late overall bypass occlusion rate was 20%, the late overall amputation rate was 7.5%, and the late new PEF rate was 10%., Conclusions: Bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract in patients with a history of intra-abdominal reconstructive vascular surgery must raise severe suspicion as to the certainty of existence of a PEF unless the diagnostic procedure excludes this possibility. All treatment methods resulted in catastrophic failure, related to recurrent PEF or septic complication. Perhaps, in the presence of PEF extra-anatomical bypass associated with aortic ligature remains an interesting surgical solution.

In our department, an osteochondroma of the tibia in a young girl with intermittent claudication of the right leg was treated. Many instrumental examinations were performed in order to exclude an arterial disorder. As the patient shows signs of arterial compression, an operative procedure to remove the exostosis was performed.

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the presence of a contralateral carotid occlusion increases risk and whether the perioperative results are influenced by a systematic or selective policy of shunting during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in an awake patient. In a retrospective study we compared patients with and without contralateral carotid occlusion (group I, n = 198 - group II, n = 1068) who required CEA. In 77 patients of group I, a shunt was systematically adopted (subgroup A); in the other 121 patients (subgroup B) and in all patients of group II a selective shunting policy was adopted. The risk for the patients with contralateral carotid occlusion was not significantly higher than that for patients without occlusion. Results were not influenced by systematic/selective shunting policy, and the incidence of signs of cerebral ischemia was higher in patients with contralateral carotid occlusion.

The aim of the study is a retrospective review of clinical presentation and management of paraanastomotic aneurysms of the abdominal aorta (PAAA) surgically treated in our Department. From January 1984 to December 1998, 2183 aortic prosthetic grafts were implanted. During the same period, 24 patients were treated for PAAA, 19 false and five true aneurysms. Symptoms were present in 10 patients. Surgical management included tube grafting interposition (14), aortobifemoral bypass (2), graft removal with extraanatomic bypass (2) and with in situ revascularization by arterial homograft (4). Nine patients died during operation or in the early postoperative period, six died during follow-up. Mortality in symptomatic patients was 70%, while in asymptomatic group was 14% (P=0.01). Rupture of false PAAA was very frequent (47% of cases). PAAA are infrequent complications of proximal aortic graft revascularization and tend to be asymptomatic until rupture occurs. The incidence of mortality is very different in asymptomatic versus symptomatic group; rupture is particularly frequent in false PAAA, which must soon undergo surgery when diagnosed. Since PAAA may develop at any time after surgery, their incidence increase in relationship with the length of postoperative interval: therefore, all patients submitted to abdominal graft revascularization need a lifetime surveillance program.

We present two cases of partial graft removal and cryopreserved arterial homograft insertion for treatment of patent axillobifemoral (AXB) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prosthesis with infection confined only to a part of the graft. In the first patient, infection was confined to the left inguinal site; in the second, there was a cutaneous fistula in the middle prosthetic thoracic tract. Neither patient presented signs of systemic sepsis and radio immunological tests were positive only in a confined tract. After surgery, both patients showed early recovery and currently (mean follow-up 21-month) they are disease-free. Selective partial graft removal appears to give satisfactory results and may reduce the risk of complications compared with total graft removal Moreover, arterial homograft shows greater resistance to infection compared to alloplastic materials, when autologous veins are not available and/or not suitable.

We report an unusual case of aortic dissection after superior mesenteric artery percutaneous stenting. A 44-year-old patient, who suffered from back pain and fever, was diagnosed as having an aortic dissection. Aortic dissection, extending from the aortic arch (just after left subclavian artery origin) to the aortic carrefour, was successfully diagnosed by means of Duplex scan and CT scan examination. Two pathogenetic hypotheses, malformative and iatrogenic, were discussed.

We report a case of combined surgical repair including lower limb revascularization (below-knee bypass) and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using cryopreserved arterial homograft. The patient experienced lower limb ischemia due to repeated thrombosis of a long-infected polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft, and was also shown to have a complicating abdominal aortic aneurysm. Infection was eradicated with total graft excision and intravenous antibiotics. Two-year patency of the in situ arterial homograft revascularization was demonstrated with hemodynamic and tomographic controls; no degenerations have been found to date. Benefits of the use of in situ arterial homograft for arterial reconstruction may include improved hemodynamics and greater resistance to infection compared to when alloplastic materials are used. Because of the risk of allograft deterioration, close follow-up of the patient is required.

Background: Peripheral artery aneurysm is the most common peripheral arterial aneurysm. Clinical pictures, perioperative diagnostic evaluations, surgical treatment and results are described., Methods: From January 1982 to September 1998, 65 popliteal aneurysms in 48 patients were treated in the Department of Vascular Surgery of Busto Arsizio Hospital. The series comprises 44 men (91.7%) and 4 women (8.3%) with mean age 65 years (range 44 to 87 years). At the time of surgery, 38 of the 65 aneurysms (58%) were treated because symptomatic: 31 (82%) for limb ischemia (17 for acute ischemia, 14 for chronic ischemia), 6 (16%) for compression on the adjacent popliteal vein and 1 (2%) for rupture. Forty-seven (72.3%) aneurysms were treated electively: 27 cases were asymptomatic and 20 others had chronic leg ischemia or compression on the popliteal vein. The operations performed are listed as follows: 1 primary limb amputation for irreversible ischemia, 1 lumbar sympathicectomy and 62 leg limb revascularizations with graft interposition (vein or synthetic prosthesis). The patient with aneurysmal rupture underwent leg amputation., Results: Mean follow-up is 6.5 years (ranging from 2 months to 10 years) and revealed important differences between symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients in limb salvage and graft patency: inferential analysis of amputation incidence is significant for p < 0.01 (Fisher exact test)., Conclusions: We think that surgery is the best treatment also for small popliteal aneurysms, because of their frequent complications.

Salmonella infection of the abdominal aorta with formation of mycotic aneurysm is rare, but associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Prompt surgical treatment and selective and prolonged antibiotic therapy are required because of its rapid and impredictable evolution in a short period of time, even if an infectivous etiology is only suspected. Methods of revascularization can be different: the traditional two are in situ or extraanatomic bypass using synthetic graft. Both these solutions are subject to complications. An "alternative" method of revascularization with low risk of infection and good patency is the use of arterial homograft in situ. We report two cases of Salmonella mycotic aortic aneurysms successfully treated with revascularization respectively by extraanatomic bypass using synthetic graft and in situ arterial homograft. The reasons for our choice are also discussed.

Background: We describe our experience in the treatment of aortic graft infections by replacing them with arterial homografts as suggested by the good results recently described., Methods: Between March 1994 and March 1997 eighteen patients with infections of the aortofemoral bifurcation segments have been treated. All patients underwent a complete explantation of the infected graft and an in situ revascularization with arterial homograft harvested in multiorgan removal. Eight segments were freshly preserved, 10 were cryopreserved. Four patients were operated as emergencies, of which 3 for aorto-enteric fistulas. All others presented a serious septic state., Results: Three patients died in the early postoperative period: one of acute infarction and two of homograft related causes. In the follow-up there was only one death from acute infarction, a branch occlusion and two allograft enteric fistulas successfully treated by surgery. All surviving patients are submitted to periodical haemodynamic and tomographic control with an average follow-up of 22 months (range 3 months to 3 years) and there has been no allograft degeneration so far., Conclusions: The use of homologue arterial allografts has shown good results in the treatment of serious aortic graft infections resulting in adequate peripheral vascularization. There have been no significant degenerations to date, either in fresh or cryopreserved allografts.

Hepatic artery aneurysms are considered a rare event even though their report in the literature are becoming more and more frequent. A case of a 50-year-old man with common hepatic artery arterial aneurysm is reported. Initially, aspecific upper abdominal symptoms were found, but the great improvement in the diagnosis of vascular disease allows us to recognize this pathology which has a high risk of rupture so that an aggressive treatment is required.

The article is devoted to analysis of surgical treatment of patients with such a dangerous complication as infection of the vascular prosthesis. The authors have performed 25 operations for substituting the infected prostheses for allografts. In 18 patients the infected prostheses were located in the aorto-iliac segment, in 5 patients in the femoro-popliteal segment, 1 patient had it in the aorta, and 1 in the subclavian segment. The prostheses were removed and a simultaneous revascularization was made. The authors make a conclusion that it is very expedient to use alloprostheses as a protective measure against persistent or recidivating infections. The allografts have both early and long-term resistance to infection.

Background: This study was designed to determine the use of bifurcated and not reversed saphenous vein in different cases., Case Description: We report two cases treated in the department of vascular surgery (Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy) in which different arterial tracts had to be revascularized at the same time using not reversed autologus greater bifurcated saphenous vein. They are two different clinical situations (infection and very distal revascularization) treated by the same surgical technique. The two patients were subjected to angiographic examination in the pre- and postoperative period. During their follow-up, we carried out noninvasive surveillance (Doppler c.w.). The second were also subjected to bacterial culture and antibiogram to establish an adequate antibiotic therapy. The mean follow-up was 22 months: during this period rest pain disappeared and the trophic lesion recovered., Conclusions: In our experience, the use of not reversed and bifurcated vein was haemodynamically valid and able to maintain an arterial blood flow on the receiving arteries.

Critical ischemia is a pathology which requires the collaboration of a number of specialists and is often burdened by high morbidity and mortality rates. There are several possible therapeutic solutions, although each has its limits. The authors present a series of operated cases and compare the results of two different but alternative surgical methods (in situ and reversed saphena by-pass) depending on the patient's conditions. Perioperative and long-term results were comparable in both groups of patients.