D-Dimers and MPO Are No Suitable Biomarkers for Application in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Surveillance in a Real-World Setting of Vascular Surgery Patients.

There is currently no clinically valid biomarker for predicting the growth and prognosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The most promising candidates with the highest diagnostic values are plasma D-dimers and markers of activated neutrophils, i.e.

Histopathological Characterization of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms from Patients with Multiple Aneurysms Compared to Patients with a Single Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

The aim of this study was to investigate histopathological differences in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) between patients with multiple and single arterial aneurysms, as we suspect that there are different underlying mechanisms in aneurysm formation. Analysis was based on a previous retrospective study on patients with multiple arterial aneurysms (; defined as at least four, = 143) and a single AAA (, = 972) who were admitted to our hospital for treatment between 2006 and 2016. Available paraffin-embedded AAA wall specimens were derived from the Vascular Biomaterial Bank Heidelberg (, = 12 vs.

"Mixed Reality" in patient education prior to abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

To investigate the usability of Mixed-Reality (MR) during patient education in patients scheduled for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Consecutive patients scheduled for elective AAA repair were block-randomized in either the Mixed-Reality group (MR group) or the conventional group (control group). Patients of both groups were educated about open and endovascular repair of their respective AAA.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Increased DNA Damage in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA-SMC).

There is increasing evidence for enhanced oxidative stress in the vascular wall of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Mitochondrial damage and dysfunction are hypothesized to be actors in altered production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. However, the role of mitochondria and oxidative stress in vascular remodelling and progression of AAA remains uncertain.

Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) First in Patients with Lower Limb Ischemia in Complicated Type B Aortic Dissection: Clinical Outcome and Morphology.

Acute Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) can cause organ malperfusion, e.g., lower limb ischemia (LLI).

Inflammasome Targeted Therapy as Novel Treatment Option for Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections: A Systematic Review of the Preclinical Evidence.

Both aortic aneurysm and dissection are life threatening pathologies. In the lack of a conservative medical treatment, the only therapy consists of modifying cardiovascular risk factors and either surgical or endovascular treatment. Like many other cardiovascular diseases, in particular atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm and dissection have a strong inflammatory phenotype.

Inflammasomes in the Pathophysiology of Aortic Disease.

Aortic diseases comprise aneurysms, dissections, and several other pathologies. In general, aging is associated with a slow but progressive dilation of the aorta, along with increased stiffness and pulse pressure. The progression of aortic disease is characterized by subclinical development or acute presentation.

Midterm single-center results after endovascular aneurysm sealing reveal a high rate of stent graft migration, secondary aneurysm ruptures, and device-related reinterventions.

Objective: To report procedural results and mid-term follow-up outcomes of patients treated with endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS) for abdominal aortic disease.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, all patients treated with EVAS between March 2013 and January 2018 for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or abdominal penetrating aortic ulcer were included. The datasets included demographics, aneurysm morphology, and procedural and clinical surveillance outcomes.

Isolated femoral artery revascularisation with or without iliac inflow improvement - a less invasive surgical option in critical limb ischemia.

: Isolated femoral artery revascularisation (iFAR) represents a well-established surgical method in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) involving common femoral artery disease. Data for iFAR in multilevel PAD are inconsistent, particularly in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of iFAR in CLI regarding major amputation and reintervention and to identify associated risk factors for this outcome.

The C57Bl/6J mouse strain is more susceptible to angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm formation than C57Bl/6N.

Background And Aims: Genetic variations between C57Bl/6 mouse substrains are highly relevant to the investigation of cardiovascular disease. We here assessed whether these variations have an impact on the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in C57Bl/6J and 6 N mice.

Methods: AAA were induced by subcutaneous infusion of 1500 ng/kg*min Angiotensin-II for four weeks in six-month-old male CB57Bl/6J and 6N mice.

Necrotic cell debris induces a NF-κB-driven inflammasome response in vascular smooth muscle cells derived from abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA-SMC).

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a multi-factorial progressive vascular disease with life-threatening complications. Increasing evidence suggests that smooth muscle cell (SMC) dysfunction and cell death contribute to dilatation and rupture of the aorta by inducing an inflammatory response. The exact mechanism of this response however, is incompletely understood.

Vascular Biomaterial Banking in Academia.

Background/purpose: To establish a high-quality vascular biomaterial bank to serve vascular research teams and act as a basis for translational medicine. The aim was to collect and store material so that investigation into the pathogenesis of vascular disease would be possible employing methods based on histopathology and/or molecular biology.

Methods: The Vascular Biomaterialbank Heidelberg (VBBH) evolved as part of an established, partly accredited biobank complex at the University of Heidelberg (BioMaterialBank Heidelberg - BMBH).

Effect of metformin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes with respect to glyoxalase 1 activity in atherosclerotic lesions.

Background: The enzyme glyoxalase1 (GLO1) is the main opponent in the degradation of the reactive metabolite methylglyoxal (MG), which by glycation of macromolecules is involved in atherogenesis. Reduced GLO1-activity in atherosclerotic tissue is known to be associated with diabetes. It has been shown that treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes with metformin leads to increased GLO1-activity in peripheral-blood-cells.

Comparison of endovascular aneurysm sealing and repair with respect to contrast use and radiation in comparable patient cohorts.

Background: Due to recent advances in endograft design and percutaneous access, technical success could be increased during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Beside EVAR, endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS) provides an alternative procedure to treat aneurysms. To compare the two methods, additional benchmark criteria should be evaluated: Screening time, dose area product (DAP), procedure time and contrast use.

Extended use of endovascular aneurysm sealing for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR) is now an established treatment modality for suitable patients presenting with aneurysm rupture. EVAR for ruptured aneurysms reduces transfusion, mechanical ventilation, intensive care. and hospital stay when compared with open surgery.

Xenopericardial self-made tube grafts in infectious vascular reconstructions: Preliminary results of an easy and ready to use surgical approach.

Purpose: Infections are a major setback of vascular reconstruction and associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. We evaluated retrospectively our results with self-made bovine pericardial grafts in infected vessel revascularization versus standard graft material.

Basic Methods: Retrospective analysis of 9 patients with bovine reconstruction and 10 patients with miscellaneous grafts (vein, homograft) for vascular infections.

Reduced glyoxalase 1 activity in carotid artery plaques of nondiabetic patients with increased hemoglobin A1c level.

Objective: Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) is ubiquitously expressed in the cytosol of the cell and is the major opponent against the reactive metabolite methylglyoxal, which is involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Nondiabetic individuals with an increased hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level are at higher risk for development of cardiovascular diseases. As such, this study investigated whether there was an association between reduced GLO1 activity in atherosclerotic lesions of nondiabetic patients with an increased HbA1c level.

Current treatment strategies for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) represents one of the most challenging emergencies in surgery. Open repair (OR) is associated with relevant morbidity and mortality and has not been reduced significantly over the last decade. The introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and its meanwhile common use in the treatment of rAAA has raised the demand for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in order to resolve a potential superiority of either OR or EVAR.

A Glyoxalase-1 Knockdown Does Not Have Major Short Term Effects on Energy Expenditure and Atherosclerosis in Mice.

Objective. Glyoxalase-1 is an enzyme detoxifying methylglyoxal (MG). MG is a potent precursor of advanced glycation endproducts which are regarded to be a key player in micro- and macrovascular damage.

Device Conformability and Morphological Assessment After TEVAR for Aortic Type B Dissection: A Single-Centre Experience with a Conformable Thoracic Stent-Graft Design.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to analyze device conformability in TEVAR of acute and chronic (a/c) type B aortic dissections (TBAD) using the Gore Conformable Thoracic Aortic Stent-graft (CTAG). MATERIAL AND METHODS From January 1997 to February 2014, a total of 90 out of 405 patients in our center received TEVAR for TBAD. Since November 2009, 23 patients (16 men; median age: 62 years) were treated with the CTAG.

Type IIIb endoleak after thoracic endovascular aortic repair caused by endoanchor dislocation.

Background: The aim of this study was to report the occurrence of a type IIIb endoleak after endovascular repair of a thoracic aortic aneurysm caused by endoanchor dislocation.

Case Report: An 84-year-old female patient underwent thoracic endovascular repair for aneurysmal disease of her thoracic aorta. The procedure included primary left subclavian artery revascularization and the placement of endoanchors to enhance fixation of the endograft within the aortic arch.

Cyclic mechanical strain induces TGFβ1-signalling in dermal fibroblasts embedded in a 3D collagen lattice.

Many tissues are constantly exposed to mechanical stress, e.g. shear stress in vascular endothelium, compression forces in cartilage or tensile strain in the skin.