The Randomized Freeway Stent Study: Drug-Eluting Balloons Outperform Standard Balloon Angioplasty for Postdilatation of Nitinol Stents in the SFA and PI Segment.

Purpose: The prospective randomized multicenter Freeway study evaluated the possible hemodynamic and clinical benefits of primary stent insertion followed by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with drug-eluting balloons (DEB) over post-stent insertion PTA with standard balloons in the treatment of symptomatic femoropopliteal arteriosclerotic lesions.

Methods: In total, 204 patients in 13 centers in Germany and Austria were enrolled and randomized to primary stenting followed by either FREEWAY™ drug-eluting balloon or standard PTA balloon angioplasty. The primary endpoint was the rate of clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 months; the secondary endpoints include TLR rate at 12 months and primary patency, shift in Rutherford classification, ankle-brachial index (ABI) and major adverse events (MAE) at 6 and 12 months.

Patient radiation dose in percutaneous biliary interventions: recommendations for DRLs on the basis of a multicentre study.

Objective: Percutaneous biliary interventions (PBIs) can be associated with a high patient radiation dose, which can be reduced when national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are kept in mind. The aim of this multicentre study was to investigate patient radiation exposure in different percutaneous biliary interventions, in order to recommend national DRLs.

Methods: A questionnaire asking for the dose area product (DAP) and the fluoroscopy time (FT) in different PBIs with ultrasound- or fluoroscopy-guided bile duct punctures was sent to 200 advanced care hospitals.

Case study of hepatic radiofrequency ablation causing a systemic inflammatory response under total intravenous anesthesia.

Objective: To investigate the effects of hepatic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with malignant liver disease with respect to inflammation activation and stress response.

Materials And Methods: In an observational trial, we investigated the physiologic parameters of 17 patients (20 interventions) who underwent percutaneous RFA under general anesthesia after applying total intravenous anesthesia. TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, adrenaline and noradrenaline, liver enzymes, lactate and creatine kinase were determined pre-interventionally after induction of anesthesia (T1), 90 minutes after initiation of RFA (T2), immediately after the conclusion of the procedure (T3), and 24 hours after the procedure (T4).

Functional cervical MRI within the scope of whiplash injuries: presentation of a new motion device for the cervical spine.

Purpose: Frequently following a whiplash injury of the cervical spine, patients suffer from persistent pain symptoms. The MRI will in some of these cases show changes consistent with disk pathology or spinal stenosis, although in most instances the imaging studies will offer no adequate explanation for the described symptoms. The goal of our research was to develop and test a new MRI compatible device that will allow functional imaging of the cervical spine.

Molecular magnetic resonance imaging of deep vein thrombosis using a fibrin-targeted contrast agent: a feasibility study.

Purpose: To evaluate the value of a fibrin-specific MR contrast agent (EP-2104R; EPIX Pharmaceuticals) for detection of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and monitoring of percutaneous intervention for treatment.

Materials And Methods: In 6 domestic swine, DVT was induced in an iliac/femoral vein using an occlusion-balloon catheter and subsequent injection of thrombin. The occluded vessels were recanalized by mechanical thrombectomy using a Fogarty catheter and an Arrow rotating thrombectomy device.

A porcine deep vein thrombosis model for magnetic resonance-guided monitoring of different thrombectomy procedures.

Purpose: To establish a porcine model of deep iliac vein thrombosis, which allows monitoring of thrombectomy and thrombolytic procedures by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: Deep iliac vein thrombosis was induced in 12 domestic swine using an occlusion-balloon catheter and subsequent injection of thrombin distal to the occluded vessel site. Thrombosis induction was successfully achieved in all animals after 1 hour as verified by MRI.

Radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma: initial results with a bipolar ablation device.

Purpose: To report the initial results with percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation of osteoid osteomas with a bipolar ablation device.

Materials And Methods: Twelve patients (seven male patients and five female patients; mean age, 17.3 years; age range, 6-36 y) with clinically and radiologically suspected osteoid osteoma were treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous bipolar RF ablation.

Radiofrequency ablation of renal tumors.

Percutaneous thermal ablation is increasingly applied in the therapy of renal tumors. Various techniques are available, allowing a safe and accurate therapy of renal tumors either using hyperthermia such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA), laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) and microwave ablation (MW) or by hypothermia (cryoablation). As thermal ablation is a minimally invasive and nephron-sparing procedure, it is ideally suited for patients with a single kidney, multiple tumors or contraindications for resective surgery.

Noninvasive extracorporeal thrombolysis using electrical discharge-induced shock waves: in vitro experiments.

Rationale And Objectives: Many thrombectomy approaches have been developed for the treatment of venous thrombosis; however, no reference standard exists at this time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the transcutaneous application of electrical discharge-induced shock waves for thrombolysis in an in vitro model.

Methods: Shock waves were applied on a thrombus positioned in a plasma-containing silicon tube using 2 different energy flux densities (0.

MR-guided radiofrequency ablation of hepatic malignancies at 1.5 T: initial results.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatic malignancies using a high-field MR scanner.

Materials And Methods: A total of 10 patients with 14 primary (N = 1) or secondary (N = 13) hepatic malignancies underwent MR-guided RFA using a closed-bore 1.5 T MR scanner.

Regional thermoablation of local or metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

The objective of the study was to elucidate thermal based ablation techniques for local tumor control. Seven lesions of renal cell carcinoma (2 renal, 1 adrenal, 2 muscle, 1 hepatic, 1 bone) were treated under local (n=2) or general (n=6) anaesthesia with percutaneous cryoablation (CRA): CryoHit device or radiofrequency (RF) ablation (RFA): RF 3000). Treatment was palliative in 4 patients with progression after systemic therapies, and with curative intention in one organ confined tumor (patient with active HCV and HIV infection).