A rare cause of acute pancreatitis: Percutaneous mechanical rheolytic thrombectomy of deep venous thrombosis.

Introduction: Percutaneous mechanical rheolytic thrombectomy is an effective treatment option for deep vein thrombosis as well as arterial and graft thromboses. Acute pancreatitis, a rare complication of this technique, is described in this case report.

Case Report: A 40-year-old man underwent AngioJet mechanical rheolytic thrombectomy for iliocaval deep vein thrombosis.

Adoption of endovenous laser treatment as the primary treatment modality for varicose veins: the Auckland City Hospital experience.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of adopting endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) as the primary treatment modality for varicose veins at Auckland City Hospital (Auckland, New Zealand).

Methods: The outcomes of 354 consecutive EVLT procedures performed between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed. Data was collected from a prospectively maintained procedural database and by retrospective chart review.

Subclavian stump syndrome causing a posterior circulation stroke after thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) with adjunctive carotid to subclavian bypass and endovascular embolization of the left subclavian artery.

Background: Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic pathology has become increasingly common over the last decade. We highlight the case of an intentionally occluded left subclavian artery stump acting as a source of emboli after thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) for type B dissection.

Methods: A 68-year-old man underwent TEVAR of a type B thoracic aortic dissection.

Living donor kidney transplantation using laparoscopically procured multiple renal artery kidneys and right kidneys.

Background: The use of kidneys with multiple renal arteries (MRA) and right kidneys procured laparoscopically for living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of recipients of LDKT using laparoscopically procured MRA and right kidneys.

Study Design: We reviewed the medical records of all LDKT recipients with laparoscopically procured kidneys from 2000 to 2009.

New Zealand's first two-pair kidney transplant chain.

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, providing better quality and quantity of life compared with dialysis. Living donor transplantation is being increasingly utilised to match the demand, however it is limited by HLA antigens or ABO blood group incompatibility between the donor and recipient. Organising a kidney transplant chain can overcome such incompatibilities through recipients 'exchanging' incompatible for compatible donors.

Nocturnal nutritional supplementation improves total body protein status of patients with liver cirrhosis: a randomized 12-month trial.

Unlabelled: Patients with liver cirrhosis exhibit early onset of gluconeogenesis after short-term fasting. This accelerated metabolic reaction to starvation may underlie their increased protein requirements and muscle depletion. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the hypothesis that provision of a late-evening nutritional supplement over a 12-month period would improve body protein stores in patients with cirrhosis.

Strategies to reduce the rate of type II endoleaks: routine intraoperative embolization of the inferior mesenteric artery and thrombin injection into the aneurysm sac.

Purpose: To determine whether the rate of type II endoleaks following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) can be decreased using a branch vessel management strategy.

Methods: The branch vessel management strategy consisted of routine intraoperative embolization of all patent inferior mesenteric arteries (IMA) and thrombin injection into all aneurysm sacs that showed branch vessel filling on the "sacogram." Sixty-nine consecutive patients (65 men; median age 77 years, range 58-90) undergoing elective EVAR since the protocol was introduced in July 2003 were included; 69 consecutive patients (65 men; median age 76 years, range 60-90) who underwent EVAR immediately prior to the protocol were used as controls.

Patient awareness of risk factors for peripheral vascular disease.

Our aim was to document patient awareness of the risk factors that predispose to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) before and after consultation with a vascular specialist. Two cohorts of patients attending vascular outpatient clinics were interviewed before or after consultation with a vascular surgeon. They were interviewed according to an agreed protocol to determine if they knew that they had PVD and if they knew what the risk factors for vascular disease were.

Role of intraoperative frozen section in the management of thyroid nodules.

Background: The role of intraoperative frozen section in the management of thyroid nodules is controversial. Its potential benefit is to facilitate one-stage total thyroidectomy. Most literature on this topic originates from overseas tertiary referral centres with a high percentage of cancer cases and a fully resourced frozen section service.

The Auckland experience with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Aims: To examine the initial experience of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) in New Zealand and compare it with open donor nephrectomy (ODN).

Methods: All LDNs performed between June 2000 and June 2002 were reviewed. An equal number of ODNs were reviewed.