Laser Fenestration of Aortic Stent-Grafts Followed by Noncompliant vs Cutting Balloon Dilation: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study.

Purpose: To examine the effects of in situ laser fenestration and subsequent balloon dilation (noncompliant vs cutting) on the graft fabric of 4 aortic stent-graft models.

Method: In an in vitro setup, the Zenith TX2, Talent, Endurant, and Anaconda aortic stent-grafts (all made of polyester graft material) were subjected to laser fenestration with a 2.3-mm-diameter probe at low and high energy in a physiologic saline solution followed by balloon dilation of the hole.

In Vitro Laser Fenestration of Aortic Stent-Grafts: A Qualitative Analysis Under Scanning Electron Microscope.

In situ fenestration of stent-grafts allows patients with life threatening aortic pathologies to be amenable to emergent "off the shelf indications for use" percutaneous treatments as a bail out technique. Three types of aortic stent-grafts were subjected to laser fenestration in a physiological saline solution followed by balloon angioplasty using 8, 10 or 12 mm in diameter noncompliant balloons. The morphology and the size of fenestrations were observed under optical and scanning electron microscopy.

Aortic remodeling after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for intramural hematoma.

Background: Intramural hematoma (IMH), penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU), and aortic dissection comprise a spectrum of acute aortic pathologies. Although thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has increasingly been applied to aortic dissection, there is a paucity of data on the anatomic effect of TEVAR for IMH. Our goal was to investigate the extent of aortic remodeling after TEVAR.

Delaying an appendectomy: is it safe?

Appendicitis has always been an indication for an urgent operation, as delay is thought to lead to disease progression and therefore worse outcomes. Recent studies suggest that appendectomy can be delayed slightly without worse outcomes, however the literature is contradictory. The goal of our study was to examine the relationship between this delay to surgery and patient outcomes.

Appendicitis, is it an emergency?

Prompt appendectomy has always been a standard of care because of the risk of progression in pathology. This time honored practice has been recently challenged by studies, suggesting that appendicitis can be operated on electively. The aim of this study is to examine whether delayed intervention in acute appendicitis is safe by correlating the interval from presentation to operation with the operative and postoperative complications.