Long-term functional status and quality of life after lower extremity revascularization.
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OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the longer term (up to 7 years) functional status and quality of life outcomes from lower extremity revascularization. METHODS: This study was designed as a cross-sectional telephone survey and chart review at the University of Minnesota Hospital. The subjects were patients who underwent their first lower extremity revascularization procedure or a primary amputation for vascular disease between January 1, 1989, and January 31, 1995, who had granted consent or had died. The main outcome measures were ability to walk, SF-36 physical function, SF-12, subsequent amputation, and death. RESULTS: The medical records for all 329 subjects were reviewed after the qualifying procedures for details of the primary procedure (62.6% arterial bypass graft, 36.8% angioplasty, 0.6% atherectomy), comorbidities (64% diabetics), severity of disease, and other vascular risk factors. All 166 patients who were living were surveyed by telephone between June and August 1996. At 7 years after the qualifying procedure, 73% of the patients who were alive still had the qualifying limb, although 63% of the patients had died. Overall, at the time of the follow-up examination (1 to 7.5 years after the qualifying procedure), 65% of the patients who were living were able to walk independently and 43% had little or no limitation in walking several blocks. In a multiple regression model, patients with diabetes and patients who were older were less likely to be able to walk at follow-up examination and had a worse functional status on the SF-36 and a lower physical health on the SF-12. Number of years since the procedure was not a predictor in any of the analyses. CONCLUSION: Although the long-term mortality rate is high in the population that undergoes lower limb revascularization, the survivors are likely to retain their limb over time and have good functional status. (+info)
Endovascular-assisted versus conventional in situ saphenous vein bypass grafting: cumulative patency, limb salvage, and cost results in a 39-month multicenter study.
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OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective multicenter study, the results of a minimally invasive method of endovascular-assisted in situ bypass grafting (EISB) versus "open" conventional in situ bypass grafting (CISB) were evaluated with a comparison of primary and secondary patency, limb salvage, and cost. METHODS: Enrolled in this study were 273 patients: 117 underwent CISB (42 femoropopliteal, 75 femorocrural) and 156 underwent EISB (41 femoropopliteal, 115 femorocrural). EISB was performed with an angioscopic Side Branch Occlusion system and an angioscopically guided valvulotome. All the patients underwent follow-up examination with serial color-flow ultrasound scanning. RESULTS: Both groups had similar comorbid risk factors for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery heart disease, hypertension, and cigarette smoking. The primary patency rates (CISB, 78.2% +/- 5% [SE]; EISB, 70.5% +/- 5%; P =.156), the secondary patency rates (CISB, 84.1% +/- 4%; EISB, 82.9% +/- 5%; P =.26), and the limb salvage rates (CISB, 85.8%; EISB, 88.4%; P =.127) were statistically similar, with a follow-up period that extended to 39 months (mean, 16.6 months; range, 1 to 40 months). In veins that were less than 2.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter, the EISB grafts fared poorly, with an increased incidence of early (12-month) graft thromboses (CISB, 10 grafts, 8.5%; EISB, 24 grafts, 15.3%). However, wound complications (CISB, 23%; EISB, 4%; P =.003), mean hospital length of stay (CISB, 6.5 days +/- 4.83; EISB, 3.2 days +/- 3.19; P =.001), and mean hospital charges (CISB, $25,349 +/- $19,476; EISB, $18,096 +/- $14,573; P =.001) were all significantly reduced in the EISB group. CONCLUSION: The CISB and EISB midterm primary and secondary patency and limb salvage rates were statistically similar. In smaller veins (< 2.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter), however, EISB is not appropriate because overly aggressive instrumentation may cause intimal trauma, with resultant early graft failure. With the avoidance of a long leg incision in the EISB group, wound complications and hospital length of stay were significantly reduced, which lowered hospital charges and justified the additional cost of the endovascular instruments. When in situ bypass grafting is contemplated, EISB in appropriate patients is a safe, minimally invasive, and cost-effective alternative to CISB. (+info)
Peripheral directional atherectomy evaluated with a rotational digital angiography system.
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BACKGROUND: One of the factors that affect the recurrence rate after peripheral directional atherectomy (DA) is the degree of residual stenosis. A new method of peripheral DA to reduce residual stenoses was evaluated with a rotational digital angiography (RDA) system that provides both angiography and fluoroscopy at multiple projections within 360 degrees. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 1995 and July 1999, severe short segmental stenoses of six iliac arteries and two superficial femoral arteries (SFA) in eight patients were treated with the Simpson DA catheter under RDA system guidance. After pre-procedural RDA evaluation, the first series of DA were performed under ordinary PA fluoroscopic guidance. The residual stenoses were evaluated with RDA. If the residual stenoses exceeded 30%, a second series of DA were performed covering the residual plaque with the cutter window of the DA catheter. To this purpose the fluoroscopy of the RDA system was fixed in the direction in which the residual stenoses were largest and most eccentric. The end point was defined to be a residual stenosis of less than 30% evaluated with the RDA system, and the procedures were repeated until the end point was achieved. RESULTS: Five of six iliac artery lesions were curved at the pre-procedural RDA evaluation. After the first series of DA, only two of six iliac lesions but all SFA lesions achieved the end point. Among the four other iliac lesions, three achieved the end point with one or two additional series of DA using the RDA system guidance to control the selective cuts of the residual plaques. One patient had a residual stenosis of 50% because the procedure could not be completed by balloon rupture of the DA catheter. In the patients with iliac stenoses, there was no final residual stenosis in one, and the range was from 20% to 25% in the four patients. The residual stenoses were located on the greater curvature side of the curved artery in three of these four patients. CONCLUSION: The RDA system is a valuable tool in aiding reduction of the residual stenoses during peripheral DA. Minimal stenoses often remain on the greater curvature side of the wall because the rigid and straight metallic capsule (cylindrical housing) of the Simpson DA catheter does not completely fit the curved wall. This phenomenon was thought to be a mechanical limitation of this device. (+info)
A randomized comparison of balloon angioplasty versus rotational atherectomy in complex coronary lesions (COBRA study).
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AIMS: Rotablation is a widely used technique for the treatment of complex coronary artery lesions but is so far only poorly supported by controlled studies. The Comparison of Balloon-Angioplasty versus Rotational Atherectomy study (COBRA) is a multicentre, prospective, randomized trial to compare short- and long-term effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and rotablation in patients with angiographically pre-defined complex coronary artery lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: At seven clinical sites 502 patients with pre-defined complex coronary artery lesions were assigned to either PTCA (n=250) or rotablation (n=252). Primary end-points were procedural success, 6-month restenosis rates in the treated segments, and major cardiac events during follow-up. Procedural success was achieved in 78% (PTCA), and 85% (rotablation) (P=0.038) of cases. Crossover from PTCA to rotablation was 4% and 10% vice versa (P=0.019). There was no difference between PTCA and rotablation with respect to procedure-related complications such as Q wave infarctions (2.4% each), emergency bypass surgery (1.2% versus 2.4%), and death (1.6% versus 0.4%). However, more stents were required after PTCA (14.9% versus 6.4%, P<0.002), predominantly for bailout or unsatisfactory results. Including bail-out stents as an end-point, the procedural success rates were 73% for angioplasty and 84% for rotablation (P=0.006). At 6 months, symptomatic outcome, target vessel reinterventions and restenosis rates (PTCA 51% versus rotablation 49%, P=0.33) were not different. CONCLUSION: Complex coronary artery lesions can be treated with a high level of success and low complication rates either by PTCA with adjunctive stenting or rotablation. The long-term clinical and angiographic outcome is comparable. (+info)
Role of the distal balloon protection technique in the prevention of cerebral embolic events during carotid stent placement.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the release of atheromatous plaque debris induced by carotid stenting procedures. METHODS: Eight patients with severe carotid atheromatous stenoses were treated by stent implantation under distal balloon protection. Blood samplings were obtained after stent deployment in the blood pooled below the inflated protection balloon. The samples were centrifuged and evaluated for plaque debris with the use of light microscopy. The debris release was quantitatively estimated by dividing the total volume of debris obtained by the mean debris size. Five patients without endovascular procedure were used as a control group. RESULTS: The 2 main debris types found were nonrefringent cholesterol crystals (4 to 389 microm; 115 to 8697 in number) and lipoid masses (7 to 600 microm; 341 to 34 000 in number). There was a statistically significant difference compared with the samples obtained in the control group (P:=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Blood samples collected during stent implantation procedures contain a large quantity of atheromatous plaque debris. This emphasizes the role of distal protection techniques in avoiding migration of this plaque material into the cerebral circulation. (+info)
A novel approach in treating recurrent bilateral hepaticojejunostomy biliary strictures post-liver transplantation: Successful use of Simpson's atherectomy device.
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Biliary complications occur in 6% to 34% of patients who undergo orthotopic liver transplantation. Strictures at the anastomosis site or elsewhere in the biliary tract are common. These strictures are amenable to interventional radiological and surgical procedures; however, retransplantation is sometimes an inevitable outcome. An 8-year-old boy received combined liver and kidney transplants May 31, 1998. Hepatic artery thrombosis was diagnosed postoperative day 1 and treated with revascularization. The choledochojejunostomy was revised twice and resulted in a high hepaticojejunostomy. Significant strictures on both the right and left hepatic ducts at the anastomosis site were unsuccessfully treated by multiple interventional radiological procedures. The option of retransplantation was seriously explored. Simpson's atherectomy device was used in a novel approach February 24, 1999, and strictures on both ducts were successfully treated. At 1-year postprocedure, the patient has normal liver function with no evidence of recurrence of the strictures. Further experience with this novel technique is required to assess its role in treating biliary strictures post liver transplantation. (+info)
Impact of the "stent-when-feasible" policy on in-hospital and 6-month success and complication rates after coronary angioplasty: single-center experience with 17,956 revascularization procedures (1993-1997).
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This retrospective, observational, single-center study analyzed the results of a "stent-when-feasible" policy in a real-world setting. The study began in the "pre-stent" period (1993) and ended after the beginning of the "routine stent" period (1997). When the 1993 and 1997 global data were compared, the early and 6-month results included significant improvements in the rates of angiographic success (89.3% vs 97.1%), emergency surgical revascularization (1.0% vs 0.3%), freedom from in-hospital major events (91.2% vs 95.9%), and freedom from 6-month major events (77.2% vs 85.1%). The 6-month redo revascularization rate was reduced by almost half for "any catheter intervention" (19.6% vs 10.7%) and was lowest after stent use (7.7% in 1997). (+info)
Percutaneous transluminal revascularization for renal artery stenosis: Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System experience.
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PURPOSE: The safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal intervention for renal artery stenosis is improving. This study evaluates the immediate and long-term anatomic and functional outcomes of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in a Veterans Affairs population. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of records from patients who underwent renal artery angioplasty with or without stenting at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System between January 1990 and June 1999. Indications for intervention included hypertension (78%) and rising serum creatinine (78%). Seventy-six patients (74 men, average age of 67 years, range 42-83 years) underwent 88 attempted interventions. Seventy-two percent of contralateral kidneys had significant disease (47% had a >60% stenosis; 16% were nonfunctioning or absent). RESULTS: Of the 88 planned interventions, 86 were successfully performed with placement of 46 stents (52%). Technical success (defined by <30% residual stenosis) was achieved in 78 vessels (89%). The procedure-related complication rate was 5%. Patient mortality by life table analysis was 49% at 5 years. Assisted primary patency rate at 5 years was 100%. Primary and secondary restenosis rates were 37% +/- 8% and 31% +/- 8% at 5 years, respectively. Sixty-eight percent of patients treated for hypertension demonstrated clinical benefit (improved or cured hypertension). This clinical benefit was maintained in 52% of the patients at 5 years, as measured by life table analysis. Serum creatinine was lowered or maintained in 88% of the patients, but this clinical benefit was only maintained in 25% of patients at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Transluminal intervention for clinically symptomatic atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is technically successful and safe. There are excellent assisted-patency and low restenosis rates. There is immediate clinical benefit for most patients, as evidenced by improved control of hypertension and preservation of renal function. However, within 5 years the benefit is not maintained for either hypertension (50%) or renal function (20%). Therefore, although technically successful, functional outcomes after endoluminal intervention are not maintained in the long term. (+info)