Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes Following Minor Amputations in Australia - An Important Consideration for Timing of Revascularisation.

Background: Vascular patients with tissue loss requiring minor amputations could be an early sign of a terminal event. The long-term outcomes and timing of revascularisation for these patients are not well-studied. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes following minor amputations.

Acute Upper Limb Ischemia Due to Delayed Presentation of a Brachial Artery Pseudoaneurysm Post-Venipuncture.

Brachial artery pseudoaneurysms (BAPs) are rare but could lead to complications of high morbidity. We report a case of a BAP presenting with hand ischemia and median nerve neuropathy nearly a decade after the inciting iatrogenic trauma, successfully treated with excision and direct repair. This report highlights that untreated pseudoaneurysms can be indolent and present late with both symptoms of embolization and local compression.

Vein diameter is a predictive factor for recanalization in treatment with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.

Objective: Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) is a low-cost and minimally invasive treatment option for varicose veins. There is a relative paucity of outcome reports.

Methods: UGFS procedures at a tertiary public hospital between 2010 and 2017 were studied.

A Fine Needle Recanalization Technique for Iliac Artery Occlusions in Endovascular Surgery.

Background: Endovascular intervention for chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) poses technical challenges. In this manuscript, our experience of fine needle recanalization for the treatment of iliac artery CTO is described.

Method: A prospective database recorded treatment of 11 limbs in 11 patients since 2011 using this technique.

Clinical Evaluation of Portable Wound Volumetric Measurement Devices.

Objective: Wound dimensional assessments are important in determining the progress of a wound and the effect of interventions on wound healing. The FastSCAN (FS; Polhemus Inc, Colchester, Vermont) and Silhouette Mobile (SM; ARANZ Medical, Christchurch, New Zealand) are portable devices that quantify surface area, depth, and volume of wounds. This study evaluated their reliability in producing accurate wound measurements.

Measuring Transcutaneous Oxygenation to Validate the Duration Required to Achieve Electrode Equilibration.

Objective: The transcutaneous oxygenation measurement (TCOM) system is useful in assessing tissue viability. There are no clear recommendations regarding the duration required for the electrode to equilibrate and reliably evaluate tissue oxygenation values. The objective of this study was to validate the duration required to achieve electrode equilibration in a clinical setting.

A Novel Technique for Sutureless Proximal Aortic Endograft Revision in Type 1A Endoleak.

Management of type 1A endoleaks can be challenging. In the endovascular era, this condition is expected to become more frequent. Conventionally, surgical explant of the endograft remains the "last-resort" surgical treatment when all endovascular or other open options are exhausted.

Perioperative warming, oxygen, and Ilomedin on oxygenation and healing in infrainguinal bypass surgery.

Background: Perioperative adjuncts are utilized across surgical specialities with the goal of improving patient outcomes. High-dose oxygen and extended warming are shown to increase wound collagen deposition during abdominal surgery. Prostacyclin is shown to improve limb salvage and patency rate in infrainguinal bypass (IIB) surgery.

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in New Zealand: A 15-Year Experience at a Regional Hospital.

Introduction: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) account for approximately 400 deaths per year in New Zealand (NZ). Waikato Hospital caters to a diverse population comprising a high proportion of the indigenous Māori ethnic group considered to be at higher risk of mortality and morbidity. Despite these population factors, there is no screening program for AAA.

Effects of topical negative pressure therapy on tissue oxygenation and wound healing in vascular foot wounds.

Objective: Topical negative pressure (TNP) therapy is widely used in the treatment of acute wounds in vascular patients on the basis of proposed multifactorial benefits. However, numerous recent systematic reviews have concluded that there is inadequate evidence to support its benefits at a scientific level. This study evaluated the changes in wound volume, surface area, depth, collagen deposition, and tissue oxygenation when using TNP therapy compared with traditional dressings in patients with acute high-risk foot wounds.

Evaluation of hyperspectral imaging technology in patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Background: Hyperspectral imaging technology is a novel method of using transcutaneous measurement of oxyhemoglobin (HT-Oxy) and deoxyhemoglobin (HT-Deoxy) concentrations to create a two-dimensional, color-coded "oxygen map." The aims of this study were to compare the use of a hyperspectral imaging device with the transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TCOM), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and severity of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and to assess their correlations.

Methods: This prospective study recruited 294 participants divided into three distinct groups composed of healthy volunteers and patients with PVD.

Comparison of FLIXENE™ and standard PTFE arteriovenous graft for early haemodialysis.

Purpose: The purpose is to compare the outcomes of FLIXENE™ arteriovenous graft (AVG) to standard polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) AVG for early haemodialysis.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study of all AVGs placed over a 40-month period between 2008 and 2011 at our vascular unit. Primary outcome was to examine early cannulation rates for FLIXENE™.

Evaluation of surgical performance using V-POSSUM risk-adjusted mortality rates.

Vascular-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (V-POSSUM) is a risk-adjusted scoring system for predicting 30-day mortality in patients undergoing vascular surgery. It can assess surgical performance by comparing predicted deaths with observed deaths. The aim of this analysis was to assess trends in surgical performance over time using risk-adjusted 30-day mortality as the primary outcome.