Aorta Balloon Occlusion in Trauma: Three Cases Demonstrating Multidisciplinary Approach Already on Patient's Arrival to the Emergency Room.

Purpose: To describe the usage of aortic balloon occlusion (ABO), based on a multidisciplinary approach in severe trauma patients, emphasizing the role of the interventional radiologist in primary trauma care.

Methods: We briefly discuss the relevant literature, the technical aspects of ABO in trauma, and a multidisciplinary approach to the bleeding trauma patient. We describe three severely injured trauma patients for whom ABO was part of initial trauma management.

Prevention of vasa vasorum neovascularization attenuates early neointima formation in experimental hypercholesterolemia.

Vasa vasorum (VV) neovascularization is a key feature of early atherosclerosis and adds substantial endothelial exchange-surface to the coronary vessel wall. Thus, it is conceivable that VV neovascularization favors the entry of pro-inflammatory and pro-atherosclerotic blood components into the coronary vessel wall. We sought to investigate the effects of Thalidomide (Th), a potent anti-angiogenic drug on vasa vasorum (VV) neovascularization, vessel wall inflammation, and neointima formation in early experimental atherosclerosis.

Treatment of chronic recurrent abdominal pain: laparoscopy or hypnosis?

Objective: Functional chronic recurrent abdominal pain (FCRAP) is long lasting, intermittent, or constant pain affecting 15-30% of children ages 4-18 and presents a diagnostic and treatment challenge to the physician. The predictive value of diagnostic tests is questionable, and studies of the treatment of chronic abdominal pain show inconclusive evidence regarding diet regimens as well as medical and surgical treatments. However, there is evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy may be useful in improving pain and disability outcome.

Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia differentially affect the function and structure of pig carotid artery.

The purpose of this work was to compare the effects of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia on carotid endothelial function, structure, and vasa vasorum density. Seventeen pigs were randomized to a 12-week normal diet without (n=5), or with renovascular hypertension (HT; n=6), or to a high cholesterol diet (HC; n=6). Carotid arteries were studied by organ chambers (endothelial function) and microcomputed tomography (vasa vasorum), and tissue was processed for Sirius red staining and immunoblotting (vascular endothelium growth factor, endostatin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and matrix metalloproteinase-2).

Left subclavian artery occlusion by thoracic aortic stent graft: long-term clinical and duplex follow-up.

Background: In recent years there has been an increase in endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms. In cases of insufficient neck length, occlusion of left subclavian artery achieves proper sealing and is usually well tolerated. Selected cases require revascularization of the left subclavian artery, including patients after coronary bypass surgery (left internal mammary to left anterior descending) and those with arm claudication or subclavian steal syndrome.

Role of renal cortical neovascularization in experimental hypercholesterolemia.

Hypercholesterolemia induces renal inflammation and neovascularization, associated with renal endothelial dysfunction and injury. Neovascularization might conceivably represent a defense mechanism to sustain renal perfusion. Therefore, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that preventing neovascularization using thalidomide, a potent anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic agent, would impair basal renal hemodynamics in experimental hypercholesterolemia.

A novel intermittent mechanical compression device for stasis prevention in the lower limbs during limited mobility situations.

Introduction: Intermittent pneumatic mechanical compression is commonly applied to obviate venous stasis in patients with increased risk of thromboembolism. Aviafit is a small battery-operated intermittent compression device using a patented mechanical, non-pneumatic technology. Our objective was to examine its ability to prevent venous stasis.

Impaired myocardial perfusion reserve in experimental hypercholesterolemia is independent of myocardial neovascularization.

Our objective was to investigate the functional role of hypercholesterolemia-associated myocardial neovascularization in early atherosclerosis using the antiangiogenic thalidomide. Experimental atherosclerosis is characterized by myocardial neovascularization, associated with a decrease in myocardial perfusion response to challenge, coronary endothelial dysfunction, and high oxidative stress. However, the functional significance of these neovessels is not known.

Placenta growth factor expression in human atherosclerotic carotid plaques is related to plaque destabilization.

Background And Purpose: Placenta growth factor (PlGF) mediates angiogenesis and inflammation, but its role in human atherosclerosis is unknown. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that PlGF-expression in human atherosclerotic carotid plaques is related to inflammation, vascularization and clinical plaque instability.

Methods: The expression of PlGF, C-reactive protein (CRP) and CD40L was analyzed with Western blots in carotid plaques of 60 patients.

Early experimental obesity is associated with coronary endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress.

Obesity is independently associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, since established obesity clusters with various cardiovascular risk factors, configuring the metabolic syndrome, the early effects of obesity on vascular function are still poorly understood. The current study was designed to evaluate the effect of early obesity on coronary endothelial function in a new animal model of swine obesity.

Dietary reversal of experimental hypercholesterolemia improves endothelial dysfunction of epicardial arteries but not of small coronary vessels in pigs.

Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by impaired vasodilation, increase of oxidative stress and inflammation. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that reversal of hypercholesterolemic diet alone does not normalize all the parameters of endothelial dysfunction. After 10 weeks on a high-cholesterol diet, female juvenile pigs were randomized to normal diet (n=5, "Reversals") or continued on the same diet (n=6, "HC") for another 6 weeks.

Experimental hypercholesterolemia differentially affects adventitial vasa vasorum and vessel structure of the left internal thoracic and coronary arteries.

Objective: Atherosclerosis is a chronic and diffuse disease that affects all vascular beds. However, some vascular beds are more prone to atherosclerosis than others. Recent evidence suggests a role for the vasa vasorum in the atherosclerotic process.

Type IV sacrococcygeal teratoma causing urinary retention: a rare presentation.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma is a rare fetal neoplasm usually diagnosed antenatally and considered benign with no functional impairment. Nevertheless, fetuses with this malformation are at risk of significant perinatal morbidity and mortality, usually implying a malignant component. Management is primarily surgical, with a generally good prognosis.

Concurrent treatment with renin-angiotensin system blockers and acetylsalicylic acid reduces nuclear factor kappaB activation and C-reactive protein expression in human carotid artery plaques.

Background And Purpose: The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and cyclooxygenase-2 contribute to the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) and C-reactive protein (CRP). We hypothesized that the combination of RAS blockers (RASb) and ASA reduces NFkappaB and CRP within atherosclerotic plaques.

Methods: Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were divided into groups according to treatment (RASb-acetylsalicylic acid [ASA], ASA, RASb, and control).

Adventitial vasa vasorum heterogeneity among different vascular beds.

Introduction: Different vascular beds show substantial variation in their susceptibilities for development of vascular disease like atherosclerosis, and thereby exhibit a variety of different clinical presentations. Yet, the underlying mechanism of this heterogeneity is not well defined. Recent evidence suggests a role for the vasa vasorum (VV) in vascular disease.