Percutaneous valvulotomy as an alternative to transposition of a brachiocephalic fistula.

Transposition of a deep (9-12 mm) autogenous brachiocephalic vein fistula was required for adequate hemodialysis access in a morbidly obese patient. The patient was a poor candidate for surgical transposition of the upper-arm cephalic vein. As an alternative, retrograde fistula flow was established percutaneously through a 6-F sheath in the forearm cephalic vein with the over-the-wire LeMaitre valvulotome.

Radiofrequency endovenous ClosureFAST versus laser ablation for the treatment of great saphenous reflux: a multicenter, single-blinded, randomized study (RECOVERY study).

Purpose: The present study was designed to address the hypothesis that radiofrequency (RF) thermal ablation, as represented by the ClosureFAST system, is associated with improved recovery and quality-of-life (QOL) parameters compared with 980-nm endovenous laser (EVL) thermal ablation of the great saphenous vein (GSV).

Materials And Methods: Eighty-seven veins in 69 patients were randomized to ClosureFAST or 980-nm EVL treatment of the GSV. The study was prospective, randomized, single-blinded, and carried out at five American sites and one European site.

Evaluation of electrostatically endothelial cell seeded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in a canine femoral artery model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent (luminal coverage) of the endothelial cell (EC) lining/neointimal development and the thromboresistance of electrostatically EC seeded small diameter e-PTFE vascular grafts.

Methods: This evaluation consisted of harvesting autologous, canine jugular vein ECs, electrostatically EC seeding the e-PTFE grafts (4 mm GORE-TEX, Length = 6 cm), implanting the grafts in a canine femoral artery model for six weeks, and excising the graft for histological and scanning electron microscopy evaluations.

Results: The results of the histological evaluation (mid-graft region only) indicated that the electrostatic EC seeding significantly affected neointimal development (p < 0.

Immediate repair compared with surveillance of small abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: Whether elective surgical repair of small abdominal aortic aneurysms improves survival remains controversial.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients 50 to 79 years old with abdominal aortic aneurysms of 4.0 to 5.