A Prospective Clinical Study of a Percutaneous Vascular Access System for Hemodialysis Catheters.

Introduction: Dysfunctional or infected hemodialysis polyester-cuffed catheters often require removal and are dissected out. The DermaPort™, percutaneous vascular access system (PVAS) permanently integrates a titanium mesh with the skin forming a stable, sterile barrier that allows for catheter placement, adjustment, or catheter exchange. This study aimed to describe the use and clinical outcomes of the DermaPort PVAS.

Perception of radiation exposure and risk among patients, medical students, and referring physicians at a tertiary care community hospital.

Background: It is important for physicians to be aware of the radiation doses as well as the risks associated with diagnostic imaging procedures that they are ordering.

Methods: A survey was administered to patients, medical students, and referring physicians from a number of specialties to determine background knowledge regarding radiation exposure and risk associated with commonly ordered medical imaging tests.

Results: A total of 127 patients, 32 referring physicians, and 30 medical students completed the survey.

Pathologic assessment of radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary metastases.

Purpose: To evaluate pathologically the effectiveness of radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of pulmonary metastases.

Materials And Methods: Patients with multiple pulmonary metastases scheduled for surgical resection were prospectively enrolled. Patients underwent RF ablation of one percutaneously accessible tumor and within 2-4 weeks underwent surgical resection of the ablated tumor and any additional lesions.

Role of radiology in geriatric care: a primer for family physicians.

Objective: To present family physicians with the options available for diagnosing and treating a selection of common diseases in the elderly using diagnostic and interventional radiology.

Quality Of Evidence: Articles providing level I or II evidence were included in our review. Most articles presented results from randomized or other case-controlled studies.

Imaging and transcatheter arterial embolization for traumatic splenic injuries: review of the literature.

The spleen is the most commonly injured visceral organ in blunt abdominal trauma in both adults and children. Nonoperative management is the current standard of practice for patients who are hemodynamically stable. However, simple observation alone has been reported to have a failure rate as high as 34%; the rate is even higher among patients with high-grade splenic injuries (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma [AAST] grade III-V).

Interdisciplinary Canadian guidelines on the use of metal stents in the gastrointestinal tract for oncological indications.

Objective: To provide evidence-based guidelines regarding the appropriate use of gastrointestinal stents for oncologic indications. This document describes the use of gastrointestinal stents by appropriately trained physicians.

Methods: This document is based on a review of the published evidence and supplemented by consensus expert opinion.

Performance of carotid stenting, vertebroplasty, and EVAR: how many are we doing and why are we not doing more? A survey by the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association.

Objective: To determine the percentage of interventional radiologists who currently perform 3 interventional procedures: carotid stenting, vertebroplasty, and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in Canada, and impediments to their future performance by other interventional radiologists.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was emailed to all members of the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA). The survey was open for a period of 2 months.

Safety and efficacy of gastrointestinal stents in cancer patients at a community hospital.

Objective: Increasing scientific evidence supports the use of self-expanding metallic gastrointestinal (GI) stents. The commonly accepted primary indications are their usefulness as a bridge to surgery and for palliation to avoid surgery. These stents have been shown to have high technical success and low complication rates, leading to improved quality of life for patients.

Back stab: percutaneous vertebroplasty for severe back pain.

Objective: To review the evidence supporting use of percutaneous vertebroplasty for relief of pain and mechanical stability in patients with vertebral compression fractures unrelieved by conventional measures.

Quality Of Evidence: Ovid MEDLINE was searched from January 1966 to December2006 for all English-language papers on vertebroplasty. The quality of evidence in these papers was graded according to the 4-point classification system of evidence-based medicine.

Uterine fibroid embolization: CME update for family physicians.

Objective: To review evidence supporting the use of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) as an alternative to hysterectomy and myomectomy for managing uterine fibroids.

Quality Of Evidence: MEDLINE was searched using the MeSH terms embolization, therapeutic; leiomyoma; treatment outcome; pregnancy; and clinical trials. Most published studies on use of UFE for management of uterine fibroids provide level II evidence.

The difficulties of a randomized study in superior vena caval obstruction.

Introduction: Superior vena caval obstruction (SVCO) is a not uncommon complication of malignant disease. Treatment may consist of radiation (RT) to the mediastinum, systemic therapy for chemosensitive tumors, and supportive measures such as oxygen and steroids. Advances in interventional radiology have allowed the introduction of expandable stents into the superior vena cava (SVC), with the theoretical advantage of providing symptom relief within hours, rather than the days and weeks over which RT exerts its effect.

Limitations influencing interventional radiology in Canada: results of a national survey by the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA).

Purpose: To describe the current state and limitations to interventional radiology (IR) in Canada through a large, national survey of Canadian interventional radiologists.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was offered to members of the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA). Only staff radiologists were invited to participate.

Awareness of interventional radiology among patients referred to the interventional radiology department: a survey of patients in a large Canadian community hospital.

Purpose: To quantify the level of knowledge about interventional radiology (IR) among patients referred for an IR procedure and to develop recommendations on how to increase public awareness of IR.

Materials And Methods: Paper surveys were prospectively administered to consecutive patients scheduled to undergo an IR procedure at a community hospital. The study was terminated at the accrual of 100 completed surveys.