Predicting wound complications following lower extremity revascularization.

Objective: The aim of this study was to create a simple risk score to identify factors associated with wound complications after infrainguinal revascularization.

Methods: The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program national data set was queried from 2005 to 2021 to identify 22,114 patients undergoing elective open revascularization for peripheral arterial disease (claudication, rest pain, tissue loss) or peripheral aneurysm. Emergency and trauma cases were excluded.

Percutaneous radial artery access for peripheral vascular interventions is a safe alternative for upper extremity access.

Objective: Percutaneous radial artery access has been increasingly used for peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs). Our goal was to characterize the practice patterns and perioperative outcomes among patients treated using PVI performed via radial artery access.

Methods: The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried from 2016 to 2020 for PVI performed via upper extremity access.

Risk prediction of 30-day mortality after lower extremity major amputation.

Objective: Universal risk calculators may underestimate mortality risk, whereas purely observational administrative data may lack appropriate granularity to individualize risk. The purpose of this study was to create a simple risk prediction model to identify the factors associated with 30-day morality after lower extremity major amputation for ischemic vascular disease.

Methods: The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program national data set was queried from 2005 to 2015 to identify 14,890 patients undergoing elective above-knee or below-knee amputation for rest pain, tissue loss, or gangrene.

Asymptomatic portal vein aneurysms: To treat, or not to treat?

Background Portal vein aneurysms are rare dilations in the portal venous system, for which the etiology and pathophysiological consequences are poorly understood. Method We reviewed the existing literature as well as present a unique anecdotal case of a patient presenting with a very large portal vein aneurysm that was successfully managed conservatively and non-operatively without anticoagulation, with close follow-up and routine surveillance. Result The rising prevalence of abdominal imaging in clinical practice has increased rates of portal vein aneurysm detection.

National outcomes after open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms with visceral or renal bypass.

Background: We evaluated national outcomes after open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with visceral or renal bypass (VRB).

Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 1993 through 2006, AAA repairs were identified by ICD9 codes for diagnosis of intact AAA combined with a procedure of open AAA repair. VRB patients also had an aortorenal and/or mesenteric bypass or mesenteric endarterectomy.

MARCKS silencing differentially affects human vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cell phenotypes to inhibit neointimal hyperplasia in saphenous vein.

Intimal hyperplasia (IH) limits the patency of all cardiovascular vein bypass grafts. We previously found the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS), a key protein kinase C (PKC) substrate, to be up-regulated in canine models of IH. Here, we further characterize the role of MARCKS in IH and examine the phenotypic consequences of MARCKS silencing by small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro and use a rapid 10-min nonviral siRNA transfection technique to determine the effects of MARCKS silencing in human saphenous vein cultured ex vivo.