Unstable Carotid Artery Thrombus in a Patient With COVID-19 Infection.

We present a case of an unvaccinated, 43-year-old African American female patient with COVID-19 infection and clinical evidence of a left hemispheric stroke. A non-occlusive thrombus with a radiographic target lesion was identified on computed tomography angiography (CTA). A multi-disciplinary discussion regarding concern for embolization was provided due to its unstable nature, as well as evidence of recent stroke.

Hybrid Paraclavicular Decompression for Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome with Primary Endovascular Reconstruction.

Background: Venous thoracic outlet syndrome (vTOS) is characterized by severe stenosis and potential thrombosis of the axillary-subclavian vein (effort thrombosis) with significant effects on patient mobility, quality of life, and risks associated with possible anticoagulation. Treatment goals are aimed at symptomatic improvement and freedom from recurrent thrombosis. To date, there exist no clear protocols or recommendations on surgical approach that result in optimal outcomes.

Use of Endoscopic Vein Harvest Yields Improved Outcomes in Popliteal Artery Aneurysm Repair.

Background: There is growing literature showing that endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) is safe, with excellent patency rates and decreased wound complications when treating infrainguinal occlusive disease. Our institution has performed EVH since 2003 with a dedicated team of providers specializing in endoscopic vein harvest. The purpose of this study was to evaluate major outcomes of EVH as an adjunct to standard, open operative repair of popliteal artery aneurysms.

Ten-year experience of infrainguinal bypass with endoscopic vein harvest.

Objectives: There is conflicting data comparing minimally invasive vein harvest (MIVH) using endoscopic technique and open vein harvest (OVH) in terms of bypass patency, wound infection incidence, and patient morbidity. Our institution has performed MIVH since 2003 for peripheral bypass procedures with a consistent team of specialized endoscopic vein harvesters. This study reviewed the major outcomes of MIVH infrainguinal bypass at our institution given a predominant cohort of critical limb ischemia.

Outcomes of Dexmedetomidine with Local Regional Anesthesia in Carotid Endarterectomy.

Background: Adequate sedation to complement regional techniques in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can be challenging. Dexmedetomidine has both analgesic and amnesic properties and is reported to be a safe and acceptable alternative to conventional general endotracheal anesthesia (GETA). Outcomes observing dexmedetomidine in conjunction with regional anesthesia in CEA are not well described or known.

Efficacy and utilization of intravascular ultrasound in office-based lower extremity endovascular interventions for peripheral arterial disease.

Objectives: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a uniquely objective but underutilized imaging modality in the interventional treatment of peripheral arterial disease treatment. IVUS has been shown to improve device size selection and diagnose occult pathology difficult to see with routine angiography. We hypothesize that the use of IVUS in lower extremity endovascular intervention improves accuracy in stent and balloon size selection and minimizes contrast use.

Successful paraclavicular surgical decompression for recurrent venous thoracic outlet syndrome following transaxillary first rib resection in an elite athlete.

Objectives: Recurrent effort thrombosis after prior surgical intervention for venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is an uncommon problem, and there are multiple alternative surgical approaches in the management of recurrent venous TOS.

Methods: We present a case of a 23 year-old female professional athlete who presented with arm swelling, pain, and recurrent effort thrombosis after prior transaxillary rib resection. Imaging at our institution revealed subclavian vein thrombosis, confirmed with dynamic venography, as well as a remnant first rib.

A statewide quality improvement collaborative significantly improves quality metric adherence and physician engagement in vascular surgery.

Background: Quality improvement national registries provide structured, clinically relevant outcome and process-of-care data to practitioners-with regional meetings to disseminate best practices. However, whether a quality improvement collaborative affects processes of care is less clear. We examined the effects of a statewide hospital collaborative on the adherence rates to best practice guidelines in vascular surgery.

Rapid, midline retroperitoneal exposure for four-level anterior lumbar interbody fusion-technical case atlas.

We describe a novel, rapid midline retroperitoneal operative technique in a patient, with multi-level degenerative scoliosis, who underwent an extensive L2-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion in addition to posterior instrumentation. Uniquely, our approach enables an essentially midline approach to the rectus muscle and uses the diminution of the transversalis fascia-to-peritoneum transition in the pelvis to provide expedited exposure-making it particularly helpful for ALIF exposure, retraction and intraoperative radiography. We minimize morbidity around the rectus sheath by dissecting only the medial rectus muscle and then gently, bluntly mobilizing the retroperitoneum from the deep pelvis cranially.

Hybrid-based iliofemoral endarterectomy for severe and complete iliofemoral occlusive disease.

Objective: Primary endovascular approaches are now the dominant modality for the treatment of iliac occlusive disease. However, stenting of the external iliac artery is plagued with high in-stent restenosis rates. This hybrid approach with fluoroscopic, retrograde iliofemoral endarterectomy combined with stenting was previously demonstrated to be both a safe and effective alternative to bypass and primary stenting alone for TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) II C and D lesions.

Giant External Iliac Artery Aneurysm.

Isolated external iliac artery aneurysms are a very rare occurrence. We present the case of a patient with a very large symptomatic isolated external iliac artery aneurysm found incidentally on imaging for other reasons. Due to his compressive symptoms, he underwent uncomplicated open repair of his aneurysm.

Staged retroperitoneal mesenteric revascularisation and aortobifemoral bypass after endovascular rescue for acute mesenteric ischaemia.

Visceral artery revascularisation through a retroperitoneal approach provides an infrequent yet viable, alternative means of managing mesenteric ischaemia in patients with previous abdominal operations. We present a unique case implementing this surgical approach in a 55-year-old man in which we performed a retroperitoneal aortobifemoral bypass with concomitant retrograde jump graft from the aortic prosthesis to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for bilateral lower extremity rest pain and chronic mesenteric ischaemia. Three months previously, the patient had presented with acute mesenteric ischaemia and colonic perforation.

Prophylactic Groin Wound Vacuum-assisted Therapy in Vascular Surgery Patients at Enhanced Risk for Postoperative Wound Infection.

Background: Vascular groin wounds have higher than expected surgical site infection (SSI) rates and some patients are at enhanced risk. The Wiseman et al. paper suggests an objective scoring system that identifies patients at enhanced risk of postdischarge SSI.

Hybrid external iliac selective endarterectomy surgical technique and outcomes.

Objective: Long or multisegmental external iliac-to-femoral arterial lesions treated by angioplasty and stenting have achieved disappointing results. Conventional, open approaches are often complicated by significant morbidity, and endovascular stenting alone typically requires additional outflow procedures. We hypothesized that a hybrid approach, combining endovascular techniques with remote selective external iliac endarterectomy, produces superior outcomes in terms of patency compared with stenting alone, with minimal associated morbidity.

Proteomic Profiling of Early Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension: Evidence for Both Adaptive and Maladaptive Pathology.

Background: The molecular mechanisms governing right atrial (RA) and ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and failure in chronic pulmonary hypertension (CPH) remain unclear. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize RA and RV protein changes in CPH and determine their adaptive versus maladaptive role on hypertrophic development.

Methods: Nine dogs underwent sternotomy and RA injection with 3 mg/kg dehydromonocrotaline (DMCT) to induce CPH (n=5) or sternotomy without DMCT (n=4).

Surgical management of abdominal aortic aneurysms: a lost art?

Endovascular repair of abdominal aneurysms has become the dominant treatment modality for infrarenal aneurysms. Initial reports showed a constant number of open repairs although there was a shift toward complicated juxtra-renal aneurysms. In the past several years, more aggressive endoluminal approaches and the introduction of fenestrated grafts have appeared to dilute the open aneurysm operating experience.

Importance of atrial surface area and refractory period in sustaining atrial fibrillation: testing the critical mass hypothesis.

Objective: The critical mass hypothesis for atrial fibrillation (AF) was proposed in 1914; however, there have been few studies defining the relationship between atrial surface area and AF. This study evaluated the effect of tissue area and effective refractory period (ERP) on the probability of sustaining AF in an in vivo model.

Methods: Domestic pigs (n = 9) underwent median sternotomy.

Differential calcium handling in two canine models of right ventricular pressure overload.

Background: The purpose of this investigation was to characterize differential right atrial (RA) and ventricular (RV) molecular changes in Ca(2+)-handling proteins consequent to RV pressure overload and hypertrophy in two common, yet distinct models of pulmonary hypertension: dehydromonocrotaline (DMCT) toxicity and pulmonary artery (PA) banding.

Methods: A total of 18 dogs underwent sternotomy in four groups: (1) DMCT toxicity (n = 5), (2) mild PA banding over 10 wk to match the RV pressure rise with DMCT (n = 5); (3) progressive PA banding to generate severe RV overload (n = 4); and (4) sternotomy only (n = 4).

Results: In the right ventricle, with DMCT, there was no change in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) or phospholamban (PLB), but we saw a trend toward down-regulation of phosphorylated PLB at serine-16 (p[Ser-16]PLB) (P = 0.

Outcomes of percutaneous endovascular intervention for type II endoleak with aneurysm expansion.

Objective: Type II endoleak (T2EL) with aneurysm expansion is believed to place patients at risk for aneurysm-related mortality (ARM). Treatment with glue and/or coil embolization of the aneurysm sac, inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), and lumbar branches via translumbar or transarterial approaches has been utilized to ablate such endoleaks, and thus decrease ARM. We evaluated the midterm results of percutaneous endovascular treatment of T2EL with aneurysm expansion.

Chronic performance of a novel radiofrequency ablation device on the beating heart: Limitations of conduction delay to assess transmurality.

Objective: The creation of consistently transmural lesions with epicardial ablation on the beating heart has represented a significant challenge for current technology. This study examined the chronic performance of the AtriCure Coolrail device (AtriCure Inc, West Chester, Ohio), an internally cooled, bipolar radiofrequency ablation device designed for off-pump epicardial ablation. The study also examined the reliability of using acute intraoperative conduction delay to evaluate lesion integrity.

Differential modulation of right ventricular strain and right atrial mechanics in mild vs. severe pressure overload.

Increased right atrial (RA) and ventricular (RV) chamber volumes are a late maladaptive response to chronic pulmonary hypertension. The purpose of the current investigation was to characterize the early compensatory changes that occur in the right heart during chronic RV pressure overload before the development of chamber dilation. Magnetic resonance imaging with radiofrequency tissue tagging was performed on dogs at baseline and after 10 wk of pulmonary artery banding to yield either mild RV pressure overload (36% rise in RV pressure; n = 5) or severe overload (250% rise in RV pressure; n = 4).

A minimally invasive cox-maze procedure: operative technique and results.

Objective: The Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) traditionally has required a median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass. This study describes a method using ablation technologies to create the full Cox-Maze lesion set through a 5- to 6-cm right minithoracotomy.

Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients underwent a CMP through a right mini-thoracotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass.

Factors affecting survival after mitral valve replacement in patients with prosthesis-patient mismatch.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of prosthesis-patient mismatch on long-term survival after mitral valve replacement.

Methods: From 1992 to 2008, 765 patients underwent bioprosthetic (325; 42%) or mechanical (440; 58%) mitral valve replacement, including 370 (48%) patients older than 65 years of age. Prosthesis-patient mismatch was defined as severe (prosthetic effective orifice area to body surface area ratio <0.

Evaluation of revascularization subtypes in octogenarians undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Recent data suggest that octogenarians' long-term survival after complete coronary artery bypass graft revascularization is superior to incomplete revascularization. Discriminating between variable definitions of "complete" complicates interpretation of survival data. We aimed to clarify octogenarian long-term survival rates by stratifying revascularization subtypes.