Percutaneous transhepatic endoscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for intrahepatic and choledochal biliary stones.

Purpose: To report our approach for treating complicated biliary calculi by percutaneous transhepatic endoscopic biliary holmium laser lithotripsy (PTBL).

Patients And Methods: Twenty-two symptomatic patients (11 men and 11 women, age range 51 to 88 years) with intrahepatic or common bile duct calculi underwent PTBL. Nine patients had undergone previous gastrectomy and small-bowel anastomosis, thus precluding endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Endovascular management of mycotic aortic aneurysms.

Purpose: We report a single-center experience with the endovascular management of mycotic aortic aneurysms.

Case Reports: Four cases of mycotic aortic aneurysms are described; all treated with endovascular stent graft with variable configurations. All patients underwent successful placement of stent grafts for their aneurysms.

Optease vena cava filter optimal indwelling time and retrievability.

The purpose of this study was to assess the indwelling time and retrievability of the Optease IVC filter. Between 2002 and 2009, a total of 811 Optease filters were inserted: 382 for prophylaxis in multitrauma patients and 429 for patients with venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease. In 139 patients [97 men and 42 women; mean age, 36 (range, 17-82) years], filter retrieval was attempted.

Percutaneous transhepatic lithotripsy with the holmium: YAG laser for the treatment of refractory biliary lithiasis.

Fourteen patients who failed at least 1 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograpy attempt underwent Holmium laser biliary lithotripsy between 2003 and 2007. Ten had prior biliary surgeries, 7 harbored multiple stones, and 6 had common bile duct strictures. Mean age at surgery was 63.