Benefit of a single dose of preoperative antibiotic on surgical site infection in varicose vein surgery.

Background: Ligation and division of the saphenofemoral junction (L/D SFJ) can protect against the danger of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with greater saphenous vein (GSV) radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Although this procedure is regarded as clean from an infection standpoint, surgical site infection (SSI) can offset its thromboembolic benefit. We questioned whether SSI associated with L/D SFJ could be minimized by a single preoperative dose of antibiotic.

Improving longevity of prosthetic dialysis grafts in patients with disadvantaged venous outflow.

Objective: Angioaccess for hemodialysis in an extremity with disadvantaged venous outflow has reduced long-term patency. We hypothesized that arteriovenous bridge graft patency could be improved in patients with disadvantaged venous outflow by preoperative venous duplex mapping.

Methods: The charts of 114 patients who underwent 115 prosthetic arteriovenous bridge grafts were reviewed.

Characteristics of rectal carcinomas that predict the presence of lymph node metastases: implications for patient selection for local therapy.

Background And Objectives: It has been estimated that approximately 5% of middle and low rectal adenocarcinomas are amenable to local therapy. However, these treatment modalities are limited by their failure to identify and treat regional nodal metastases.

Methods: This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of tumor size, depth of penetration into the rectal wall, degree of histologic differentiation, DNA ploidy status, and their combination on the presence or absence of metastases in perirectal lymph nodes.

Intimal hyperplasia following thrombectomy versus thrombolysis in occluded vein grafts.

Although the histologic effects of balloon catheter thromboembolectomy in arteries are well described, little is known about its effects on arterialized vein grafts. A chronic canine model was used to compare the intimal hyperplasia that develops following balloon catheter thrombectomy versus thrombolytic therapy when each treatment was used to open experimentally occluded reversed autogenous vein grafts. Eleven of 12 dogs survived to the time of graft thrombosis and treatment.

FGF-1 affixation stimulates ePTFE endothelialization without intimal hyperplasia.

The affixation of FGF-1 to porous vascular grafts has been reported to stimulate capillary ingrowth and surface endothelialization. The current study further characterizes responses to fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 affixation to 30-cm-long grafts followed 140 days. ePTFE grafts (30 cm x 8 mm i.

Biomaterial-induced macrophage activation and monokine release.

This study quantifies macrophage acid phosphatase release as a marker of cell activation when cultured with or without biomaterials. Peritoneal macrophages were harvested from six New Zealand White rabbits and cultured in minimum essential media with 10% equine serum. After cell identification by morphology, nonspecific esterase, and RAM 11 immunoperoxidase, cells were passaged twice, and second-passage macrophages were seeded in 96-well plates (5,000 cells/well) and grown to confluence.

Modulation of myofibroblast proliferation by vascular prosthesis biomechanics.

Cyclic deformation in vitro modulates smooth muscle cell proliferation. Different degrees of cell deformation occur in vivo on grafts of different compliance. This study evaluates the influence of prosthetic biomechanics on cell proliferation.

Hepatic insulin resistance during chronic hyperdynamic sepsis.

Disturbances in normal glucose metabolism and homeostasis which manifest as hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance are often observed during clinical sepsis. Skeletal and myocardial muscle as well as whole body insulin resistance have been demonstrated in this laboratory and others during experimental and clinical sepsis. The existence of hepatic insulin resistance in sepsis has yet to be fully elucidated.