Primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty performed for acute myocardial infarction in a patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. (1/249)

A 72-year-old female with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) complained of severe chest pain. Electrocardiography showed ST-segment depression and negative T wave in I, aVL and V4-6. Following a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), urgent coronary angiography revealed 99% organic stenosis with delayed flow in the proximal segment and 50% in the middle segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Subsequently, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for the stenosis in the proximal LAD was performed. In the coronary care unit, her blood pressure dropped. Hematomas around the puncture sites were observed and the platelet count was 28,000/mm3. After transfusion, electrocardiography revealed ST-segment elevation in I, aVL and V1-6. Urgent recatheterization disclosed total occlusion in the middle segment of the LAD. Subsequently, PTCA was performed successfully. Then, intravenous immunoglobulin increased the platelet count and the bleeding tendency disappeared. A case of AMI with ITP is rare. The present case suggests that primary PTCA can be a useful therapeutic strategy, but careful attention must be paid to hemostasis and to managing the platelet count.  (+info)

Histological changes in the rat common carotid artery induced by aneurysmal wrapping and coating materials. (2/249)

Histological changes in and around the arterial walls of rats were investigated following topical application of aneurysmal wrapping and coating materials, including a fibrin glue, a cyanoacrylate glue (Biobond), and cotton fibers (Bemsheet). Bilateral common carotid arteries were exposed using sterile techniques, and one of the test materials was applied to the right artery. The left artery was used as the control. Changes in arterial histology were evaluated at 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after surgery. The fibrin glue was surrounded by intense inflammation at 2 weeks after surgery. Both the fibrin glue and inflammation had disappeared at 2 months, but the glue had induced mild inflammation in the adventitia. Biobond caused chronic inflammation, necrosis of the media, and thickening of the arterial wall due to fibrosis in both the media and adventitia. Bemsheet produced chronic inflammation, progressive fibrosis, and granuloma. Connective tissue increased in the adventitia, but no major changes were observed in the media. The Bemsheet fibers remained unchanged, and adhered to the arterial wall. Although arterial stenoses were not observed in the present study, the results suggest that cyanoacrylate glue can cause the arterial occlusive lesions observed following aneurysm surgery.  (+info)

Thrombin injection versus compression of femoral artery pseudoaneurysms. (3/249)

OBJECTIVE: The compression of femoral artery pseudoaneurysms is a time consuming, painful, and sometimes unsuccessful procedure. Thrombin injection has been advocated as a superior alternative. In this study, we compare our experiences with both techniques. METHODS: All the records of femoral artery false aneurysms that were treated in the vascular laboratory from January 1996 to April 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment with ultrasound scan-guided compression was compared with treatment with dilute thrombin injection (100 U/mL). RESULTS: Both groups had similar demographics and aneurysm sizes (P >.2). Of the pseudoaneursyms, 88% were caused by cardiac catheterization and the others were the results of femoral artery access for cardiac surgery (6%), arteriography (5%), and renal dialysis (1%). Compression was successful in 25 of 40 patients (63%). Nine persistent aneurysms necessitated operation, and six were treated successfully with thrombin injection. Primary thrombin injection successfully obliterated 21 pseudoaneurysms in 23 patients. Overall, 27 of 29 pseudoaneurysms were treated successfully with thrombin injection (93%). Thrombosis occurred within seconds of the thrombin injection and required, on average, 300 units of thrombin (100 to 600 units). The patients who underwent successful compression required an average of 37 minutes of compression (range, 5 to 70 minutes) and required analgesia on several occasions. No patients in the thrombin group required analgesia or sedation. Neither group had complications. A cost analysis shows that thrombin treatment results in considerable savings in vascular laboratory resource use but not in overall hospital expenditures. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound scan-guided thrombin injection is a safe, fast, and painless procedure that completely obliterates femoral artery pseudoaneurysms. The shift from compressive therapy to thrombin injection reduces vascular laboratory use and is less expensive, although it does not significantly impact hospital costs.  (+info)

Management of massive blood loss: a template guideline. (4/249)

The management of acute massive blood loss is considered and a template guideline is formulated, supported by a review of the key literature and current evidence. It is emphasized that, if avoidable deaths are to be prevented, surgeons, anaesthetists, haematologists and blood-bank staff need to communicate closely in order to achieve the goals of secure haemostasis, restoration of circulating volume, and effective management of blood component replacement.  (+info)

The management of peripheral vascular complications associated with the use of percutaneous suture-mediated closure devices. (5/249)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the peripheral vascular complications associated with the use of percutaneous suture-mediated closure (PSMC) devices and compare them with postcatheterization femoral artery complications not associated with PSMC devices. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of all patients admitted to the vascular surgery service at the Chattanooga Unit of the University of Tennessee Department of Surgery with a peripheral vascular complication after percutaneous femoral arteriotomy between July 1, 1998, and December 1, 1999. The complications followed the use of PSMC devices (group I, n = 11) and traditional compression therapy (group II, n = 14) to achieve arterial hemostasis. Group II was subdivided into patients who required operative intervention (group IIA, n = 8), and those who were treated without operation (group IIB, n = 6). RESULTS: No significant difference was found between groups I and II with regard to age (P =.227), time to vascular surgery consultation (P =.987), or diagnostic versus therapeutic catheterization (P =.897). A significant difference was found with regard to mean pseudoaneurysm size (group I = 5.9 cm, group II 2.9 cm; P =.003). Ultrasound compression was successfully performed in 66.6% of group II patients, but no (0.0%) patient in group I responded to this therapy (P =.016). Groups I and IIA had a significant difference for mean estimated blood loss (group I = 377.2 mL, group II = 121.8 mL; P =.017) and requirement for transfusion (P =.013). More patients in group I required extensive surgical treatment (P =.007), with six of these patients requiring vein patch angioplasty during their treatment. More patients in group I also had infectious complications (n = 3) compared with group IIA (n = 1). CONCLUSION: In comparison with complications that follow percutaneous arteriotomy when PSMC devices are not used for hemostasis: (1) pseudoaneurysms after the use of PSMC devices are larger and do not respond to ultrasound compression, (2) complications associated with PSMC devices result in more blood loss and increased need for transfusion and are more likely to require extensive operative procedures, and (3) arterial infections after the use of PSMC devices are more common and require aggressive surgical management.  (+info)

Iatrogenic vascular injuries from percutaneous vascular suturing devices. (6/249)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns of injury and the strategies of surgical repair of iatrogenic vascular injuries from a percutaneous vascular suturing device after arterial cannulation. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical experience from an academic vascular surgical practice over a 2-year period. The subjects were patients undergoing vascular repair of iatrogenic vascular injury after deployment of a percutaneous vascular suturing device. Interventions were direct repair of arterial injury (with or without device extraction) or arterial thrombectomy and repair. The main outcome variables included patterns of arterial injury, magnitude of arterial repair, limb salvage, hospital stay, and perioperative mortality and morbidity rates. RESULTS: From August 1998 through August 2000, eight patients (4 men, 4 women; median age, 55 years; range, 44-80 years) required vascular operations for complications of percutaneous suturing devices after diagnostic (2) or therapeutic (6) arteriograms through a transfemoral approach. Complications included four pseudoaneurysms (1 infected) due to arterial tear from suture pull through, two entrapped closure devices due to device malfunction, and two arterial thromboses due to narrowing/severe intimal dissection. All patients required operative intervention. Direct suture repair with or without device removal was performed in five patients, arterial debridement with vein patch angioplasty in one patient, and arterial thrombectomy and vein patch angioplasty in two patients. There were no perioperative deaths. The median hospital stay was 5 days (range, 2-33). Limbs were salvaged in all patients with a mean follow-up of 4.8 months (range, 1-13). CONCLUSIONS: Although abbreviated postangiography recovery periods and early ambulation have motivated the widespread use of percutaneous suturing devices, the infrequent occurrence of vascular injuries produced by these devices can be significantly more challenging than simple acute pseudoaneurysms or hemorrhage. In addition, thrombotic complications have a small but finite risk of limb loss.  (+info)

Vascular complications after percutaneous coronary interventions following hemostasis with manual compression versus arteriotomy closure devices. (7/249)

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the vascular complications after hemostasis with arteriotomy closure devices (ACD) versus manual compression after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). BACKGROUND: Previous clinical studies have indicated that ACD can be used for achievement of hemostasis and early ambulation after PCI. This study investigated the safety of ACD in achieving hemostasis after PCI compared with manual compression in a large cohort of consecutive patients. METHODS: A total of 5,093 patients were followed after PCI was performed with the transfemoral approach. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify the predictors of vascular complications with ACD (n = 516) or with manual compression (n = 5,892) as a hemostasis option after sheath removal. RESULTS: The use of ACD was associated with a more frequent occurrence of hematoma compared with manual compression (9.3 vs. 5.1%, p < 0.001). There was also a higher rate of significant hematocrit drop (>15%) with ACD versus manual compression (5.2% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001). Similar rates of pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistulae were noted with either hemostasis technique. Vascular surgical repair at the access site was required more often with ACD versus manual compression (2.5 vs. 1.5%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In this early experience with ACD after PCI, their use was associated with higher vascular complication rates than hemostasis with manual compression.  (+info)

Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta: cohort study and systematic review. (8/249)

PURPOSE: Through a systematic review of the literature, we identified the optimal management of traumatic ruptures of the thoracic aorta (TRTA) and reported the results of a cohort of patients treated with the clamp-and-sew technique (CAS) at a tertiary trauma center. METHODS: Studies were identified through Medline and the Cochrane library and from reference lists and papers from the authors' files. Studies with a single consistent protocol (CAS, Gott shunt [GS], left heart bypass [LHB], or partial cardiopulmonary bypass [PCPB]) that reported mortality and neurologic outcomes were included. Relevance, validity, and data extraction were performed in duplicate. A retrospective review of charts from June 1992 to August 2000 provided the database for our experience. RESULTS: Twenty studies reporting on 618 patients were found to be relevant. Interobserver agreement for relevance and validity decisions was high. Mortality rates for repair with CAS, GS, LHB, and PCPB were 15%, 8%, 17%, and 10%, respectively, and for paraplegia they were 7%, 4%, 0%, and 2%, respectively. The difference in mortality rates was not statistically significant. CAS had a higher incidence of neurologic deficits than GS (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% CI, 0.4-8), LHB (OR, 6.4; 95% CI, 0.8-50), and PCPB (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1-10). In our cohort of 25 patients, 21 underwent surgery with CAS. The median abbreviated injury severity score was 20 (range, 4-50). The mean aortic clamp time was 30 +/- 12 minutes. Aortic repair was achieved with graft interposition in 43% of patients, and simple suture was achieved in 57% of patients. Mortality (10%) and neurologic complication (paraplegia, 11%; paraparesis, 5%) rates were not statistically different from those reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: CAS is associated with a similar mortality rate but a higher incidence of neurologic deficits than methods with distal aortic perfusion.  (+info)