Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiovascular patients were found to be presenting to hospitals with myocardial infarctions and cerebrovascular accidents at progressed disease states. We noticed a parallel in acute limb ischemia (ALI) patients presenting during Massachusetts' COVID-19 State of Emergency declaration. We question whether patients developed a hesitancy to seek medical attention at hospitals due to fear of COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The external carotid artery (ECA) serves as a major collateral pathway for ophthalmic and cerebral artery blood supply. It is routinely examined as part of carotid duplex ultrasound, but criteria for determining ECA stenosis are poorly characterized and typically extrapolated from internal carotid artery data. This is despite the fact that the ECA is smaller in diameter, with a higher resistance and lower volume flow pattern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Prior studies have suggested improved wound complication rates but decreased primary patency in lower extremity bypasses performed with endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) vs open vein harvest (OVH). We hypothesize that the inferior patency reflects the initial learning curve for EVH and that improved patency can be achieved with experience.
Methods: This was a single-institution review of 113 patients with critical limb ischemia who underwent infrainguinal bypass with a continuous segment of great saphenous vein harvested endoscopically (n = 49) or through a single open incision (n = 64) from 2012 to 2017.
Traumatic celiac artery injuries are rare and highly lethal with reported mortality rates of 38-62%. The vast majority are caused by penetrating trauma with only 11 reported cases due to blunt trauma (Graham et al., 1978; Asensio et al.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Eversion endarterectomy (EE) is a well-described technique for the treatment of extracranial cerebrovascular disease. Longitudinal arteriotomy and closure with patch angioplasty is the standard for infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease in the iliofemoral segment. A potential drawback of this technique is the introduction of exogenous material into the field.
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