Altered renal functions in patients with occlusion of an accessory renal artery after endovascular stenting of an infrarenal aneurysm.

Objective: Coverage of an accessory renal artery (ARA) during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) may result in renal infarction (RI) or decline in renal function. Until now, it remains vague which patients are at risk to develop these complications. We therefore analyzed the effect of ARA sealing by EVAR with respect to the occurrence of RI and renal function.

Combined Carotid Endarterectomy and Retrograde Stenting of the Supra-Aortic Trunk: Does Cervical Block Offer Advantages?

Background: Atherosclerosis of the carotid artery is a major source of stroke. In some cases, atherosclerosis occurs at several positions within the carotid artery. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in combination with retrograde balloon angioplasty and stenting of a brachiocephalic or common carotid artery stenosis has been described as efficacious and safe procedure to prevent stroke in these cases.

Typical exposure parameters, organ doses and effective doses for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: Comparison of Monte Carlo simulations and direct measurements with an anthropomorphic phantom.

Objectives: Radiation exposure of patients during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedures ranks in the upper sector of medical exposure. Thus, estimation of radiation doses achieved during EVAR is of great importance.

Material And Methods: Organ doses (OD) and effective doses (ED) administered to 17 patients receiving EVAR were determined (1) from the exposure parameters by performing Monte Carlo simulations in mathematical phantoms and (2) by measurements with thermoluminescent dosimeters in a physical anthropomorphic phantom.

Idiopathic internal mammary artery aneurysm.

Aneurysms of the internal mammary artery are extremely rare, and their presentation and treatment are variable. Since these aneurysms often tend to rupture and cause haemothorax and life-threatening conditions, the knowledge of secure treatment options is indispensable. We here report the case of an idiopathic internal mammary aneurysm in a 46-year-old man.

Treatment of type I endoleaks using transcatheter embolization with onyx.

Purpose: To report a single-center experience with transcatheter embolization of type I endoleaks using the liquid embolic agent Onyx, an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.

Methods: Eight patients (4 men; mean age 74.8 years, range 63-86) with 10 type I endoleaks (6 abdominal and 4 thoracic) diagnosed 2 days to 9 years after endovascular repair were treated with Onyx embolization because cuff extension was precluded by an insufficient landing zone in 6 cases and an unsuitable aortic diameter in 2.

The ox-foot-model for investigating endoluminal thermal treatment modalities of varicosis vein diseases.

The introduction of technical surgical innovations in clinical medicine is preceded by preclinical evaluation of prototypes. Surgical aspects such as energy dependent tissue response and tissue sealing to reduce bleeding are usually investigated in animal experiments. Extra-corporal organ models can provide the required experimental information without harming animals and thus reduce or even replace in vivo experiments.

Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms combined with bilateral common and internal iliac aneurysms.

Introduction: Combined aneurysms of aortic and iliac arteries are rare with a prevalence of less than 0.1%. However, these combined aneurysms are associated with a high incidence of thrombosis, distal embolism, or rupture.

Penetrating aortic ulcer in the infrarenal stent-graft landing zone: treatment with coils and the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer onyx.

Purpose: To describe a technique to enable endovascular aneurysm repair in patients with penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) in the infrarenal neck of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Technique: The technique is illustrated in a 76-year-old man with a 5.7-cm infrarenal AAA and a 2.

Rotational thrombectomy of acute peripheral vascular occlusions using the ThromCat XT device: techniques, indications and initial results.

Purpose: To gather initial procedural experiences with the ThromCat XT, a new rotational thrombectomy catheter primarily developed for coronary interventions.

Materials And Methods: The ThromCat XT is a 150-cm rapid exchange thrombectomy device consisting of an atraumatic tip and a steel helix with a kink-resistant covering. It was employed in native arteries, veins, grafts and stents in ten patients presenting with acute and subacute thrombembolic occlusions.

Endovenous laser therapy--application studies and latest investigations.

Endovenous laser therapy (ELT) was introduced in clinical practice as a therapy for incompetent veins about ten years ago. One characteristic of ELT is the broad spectrum of different treatment protocols by means of a variety of laser systems as well as manifold application forms and dosimetry concepts are under investigations. Clinical results with effective, relatively pain-free occlusion of incompetent varicosis veins have been observed, as well as undesired side effects such as ecchymosis, phlebitis and recanalization.

Visceral embolus protection by catheters with balloon-inflatable tips during hybrid repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.

Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) are associated with high rupture rates and poor outcome in patients who do not have surgical repair. Endovascular and hybrid techniques have gained increasing acceptance for the treatment of TAAA in patients with multiple comorbidities and an increased anesthetic risk. One of the complications of endovascular repair in TAAA is procedurally related embolism to visceral vessels.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Caused by a Pseudoaneurysm After Pseudarthrosis of the Clavicle.

Clavicle fractures are common, with the majority treated conservatively. If treated conservatively, pseudarthrosis of the clavicle is reported in up to 3% of the cases. In rare cases, pseudarthrosis of the clavicle may cause pseudoaneurysm formation, resulting in compression of the brachial plexus and the adjoining vessels, which may produce neurological symptoms and circulatory disorders.

Large external iliac vein aneurysm in a patient with a post-traumatic femoral arteriovenous fistula.

We report about a young patient with a large aneurysm of the left external iliac vein associated with a traumatic arteriovenous fistula between the left superficial femoral artery and the femoral vein after a stab wound 20 years ago. The patient presented with swelling of the left leg, which developed during the past years and worsened after saphenectomy 12 months before hospital admission. The chronically hyperperfused common iliac artery proximal to the arteriovenous fistula was compressing the common iliac vein.

Evaluation of endovenous radiofrequency ablation and laser therapy with endoluminal optical coherence tomography in an ex vivo model.

Background: This study evaluated the ability of endovascular optical coherence tomography (eOCT) to detect qualitative tissue alteration and quantitative changes of vein wall thickness and vein lumen diameter comparing endovenous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and endovenous laser therapy (ELT) in an established ex vivo model.

Methods: Endoluminal eOCT was performed by means of a new prototype rotating system (System M1, LightLab Imaging Inc, Boston, Mass) with automatic pullback of 1 mm/s. In the course of an eOCT examination of a 50-mm vein segment, 264 electronic cross section images with a spatial resolution of 15 to 20 mum are acquired.