Randomized trial of radiofrequency ablation versus conventional surgery for superficial venous insufficiency: if you don't tell, they won't know.

Objectives:: This study compared radiofrequency ablation versus conventional surgery in patients who had not undergone previous treatment for bilateral great saphenous vein insufficiency, with each patient serving as his own control.

Method:: This was a randomized controlled trial that included 18 patients and was carried out between November 2013 and May 2015. Each of the lower limbs of each patient was randomly assigned to undergo either radiofrequency ablation or conventional surgery.

Carbon Dioxide as Contrast Medium to Guide Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Background: Iodine contrast medium (ICM) is considered to be gold standard in endovascular procedures, but its nephrotoxicity and hypersensitivity limit the widespread use. Carbon dioxide (CO) is considered as an alternative for endovascular procedures in patients with contraindication to ICM. However, no studies have compared the outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) performed with ICM or CO among patients with no contraindication to ICM.

Carbon dioxide contrast medium for endovascular treatment of ilio-femoral occlusive disease.

Objectives: Compare the use of carbon dioxide contrast medium with iodine contrast medium for the endovascular treatment of ilio-femoral occlusive disease in patients without contraindications to iodine.

Materials And Methods: From August 2012 to August 2014, 21 consecutive patients with ilio-femoral occlusive disease who were eligible for endovascular treatment and lacked contraindications to either iodine contrast or carbon dioxide were randomized into the carbon dioxide or iodine groups and subjected to ilio-femoral angioplasty.We analyzed the feasibility of the procedures, the surgical and clinical outcomes, the procedure lengths, the endovascular material costs, the contrast costs and the quality of the angiographic images in each group.

Public private partnership in vascular surgery.

Objective: To describe and analyze the results of a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Health and a private hospital in a project of assistance and scientific research in the field of endovascular surgery.

Methods: The flows, costs and clinical outcomes of patients treated in a the public-private partnership between April 2012 and July 2013 were analyzed. All patients underwent surgery and stayed at least one day at the intensive care unit of the private hospital.

Carbon dioxide is a cost-effective contrast medium to guide revascularization of TASC A and TASC B femoropopliteal occlusive disease.

Background: Iodine contrast medium (ICM) is considered gold standard in endovascular revascularization procedures. However, nephrotoxicity and hypersensitivity to ICM are causes that limit its indiscriminate use. Carbon dioxide (CO2) contrast angiography has been used as an alternative in patients with formal contraindication to ICM.