Vascular surgery trends in Australia: 2001-2015: less open surgery, less limb loss and more endovascular intervention.

Background: The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in Australia is currently poorly characterized. The risk factor profile for PAD is changing with the population ageing, diabetes increasing and smoking rates declining. The management of PAD is also evolving, with advances in medical management and endovascular technique.

Does a distal perfusion cannula reduce ischaemic complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation?

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides support to patients with severe but reversible cardiac or pulmonary failure. Vascular complications of ECMO are well recognized.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 70 patients (mean age 48 years; 15-85) who received peripheral veno-arterial ECMO from 2004 to 2010 in a single centre.

Percutaneous endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysms.

Background: To evaluate percutaneous endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) using self-expanding covered stent grafts.

Methods: A retrospective record review of consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous endovascular PAA repair across 2 Australian centers between April 2009 and May 2012 was performed.

Results: We report 16 patients (mean age: 77.

Early Australasian experience with branched endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Introduction: Endovascular technology can now support total endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair with branches maintaining visceral and renal perfusion thus avoiding the need for massive open surgery. High-volume centres have reported encouraging results. We report our Australasian experience of 10 cases including the first-in-man 'off-the-shelf' graft.

Using bilateral iliac branch devices for endovascular iliac aneurysm repair.

Introduction: The endovascular repair of bilateral iliac aneurysms using bilateral Iliac Branch Devices (IBDs) has been infrequently performed and reported.We aim to describe this technique and report on the results of our case series.

Methods: Three different device designs are available.

Endovascular repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with bilateral iliac dissections.

Background: The presentation of a ruptured fusiform abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) co-occurring with bilateral iliac dissections is extremely rare. Endovascular repair of ruptured AAA is an accepted treatment modality for suitable patients; however, this approach may be complicated by the presence of iliac arterial pathology.

Methods And Results: We report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with a ruptured AAA.

The iliac bifurcation device for endovascular iliac aneurysm repair: indications, deployment options and results at 1-year follow-up of 25 cases.

Background: The iliac bifurcation device (William A Cook Australia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia) is a new endovascular device for iliac aneurysm repair. We review the indications for use, device characteristics, deployment options and the results of our case series.

Methods: The most common indication for deployment is endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with common iliac aneurysm repair.

Transient ischaemic attack caused by an ingested stingray barb.

A 76-year-old woman reported a fishbone stuck in her throat, but no foreign body was identified. Eight weeks later, she experienced a transient ischaemic attack, and a stingray barb was subsequently removed from the right common carotid artery. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the migration of an ingested stingray barb.

Durability of autogenous vein and polytetrafluoroethylene bypass grafts to the carotid arteries.

Background: Bypass for extra-cranial arterial disease is infrequently carried out. We reviewed our experience to determine the outcome of carotid artery grafting using either an autogenous vein or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Methods: Details of patients were recorded prospectively as part of a vascular surgical registry.

Laparoscopic versus open ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease.

Objective: Laparoscopic ileocolic (LI) resection for Crohn's disease has several potential advantages over the traditional open technique. The objective of this study was to compare early surgical outcomes in patients having laparoscopic versus open ileocolic resections for Crohn's disease.

Methods: Data collected prospectively from 21 patients having LI resection for Crohn's disease between 1995 and 2001 were compared to data from 19 patients having open ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease between 1990 and 1995.