Video-assisted crossover iliofemoral obturator bypass grafting: a minimally invasive approach to extra-anatomic lower limb revascularization. (9/1718)

Graft infection continues to be one of the most feared complications in vascular surgery. It can lead to disruption of anastomoses with life-threatening bleeding, thrombosis of the bypass graft, and systemic septic manifestations. One method to ensure adequate limb perfusion after removal of an infected aortofemoral graft is extra-anatomical bypass grafting. We used a minimally invasive, video-assisted approach to implant a crossover iliofemoral obturator bypass graft in a patient with infection of the left limb of an aortofemoral bifurcated graft. This appears to be the first case report describing the use of this technique.  (+info)

Surgical management of complex middle cerebral artery aneurysms. (10/1718)

Complex middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms are defined in this review as aneurysms larger than 20 mm, arising from the MCA bifurcation, and requiring unusual surgical approaches for their obliteration. The direct surgical approaches to complex MCA aneurysms can be divided into five techniques: 1) direct clipping, 2) trapping, 3) trapping and extracranial-intracranial anastomosis, 4) excision and end-to-end anastomosis, and 5) external wrapping. The pertinent surgical anatomy, preoperative preparation, intraoperative procedures, operative approaches, and potential complications will be reviewed.  (+info)

Direct anastomotic bypass for cerebrovascular moyamoya disease. (11/1718)

Therapeutic result and pitfalls in the surgical treatment of cerebrovascular moyamoya disease are evaluated. During the recent 15 years, 268 patients with moyamoya disease have been treated in our clinic. Among them, 238 patients showed ischemic symptoms. Superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery anastomoses combined with temporal muscle grafting (encephalo-myo-synangiosis) were performed for most of the cases. Complete remission and clinical improvement were obtained in 34.0% and 64.2% of the patients, respectively. Symptomatic aggravation due to ischemic complication followed the operation in five patients (1.9%). Normocapnic control during general anesthesia with sufficient hydration is essential to avoid perioperative ischemic complications. Omental graft was performed in 16 patients. In 13 patients, omental graft was performed for the progressing ischemia in the posterior cerebral artery or anterior cerebral artery distribution. In the other three patients, omental graft was used for marked brain atrophy.  (+info)

Quality of life in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition. (12/1718)

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Quality of life is an important determinant of the effectiveness of health technologies, but it has rarely been assessed in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN). PATIENTS/METHODS: The non-disease specific sickness impact profile (SIP) and the disease specific inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ) were used on a cohort of 49 patients receiving HPN, and the results compared with those for 36 non-HPN patients with either anatomical (<200 cm) or functional (faecal energy excretion >2.0 MJ/day (approximately 488 kcal/day)) short bowel. RESULTS: In the HPN patients the SIP scores were worse (higher) overall (17 (13)% v 8 (9)%) and with regard to physical (13 (15)% v 5 (8)%) and psychosocial (14 (12)% v 9 (11)%) dimensions and independent categories (20 (12)% v 9 (8)%) compared with the non-HPN patients (means (SD); all p<0.001). The IBDQ scores were worse (lower) in the HPN patients overall (5.0 (4.3-5.7) v 5.6 (4.8-6.2)) and with regard to systemic symptoms (3.8 (2.8-5.4) v 5.2 (3.9-5.9)) and emotional (5.3 (4.4-6.2) v 5.8 (5.4-6.4)) and social (4.3 (3.4-5. 5) v 4.8 (4.5-5.8)) function (median (25-75%); all p<0.05), but only tended to be worse with regard to bowel symptoms (5.2 (4.8-6.1) v 5.7 (4.9-6.4), p = 0.08). HPN also reduced quality of life in patients with a stoma, whereas a stoma did not reduce quality of life among the non-HPN patients. Female HPN patients and HPN patients older than 45 scored worse. CONCLUSION: Quality of life is reduced in patients on HPN compared with those with anatomical or functional short bowel not receiving HPN, and compares with that reported for patients with chronic renal failure treated by dialysis.  (+info)

Laparoscopic tubal anastomosis and reversal of sterilization. (13/1718)

Fallopian tube interruption is a common form of contraception worldwide. For a variety of reasons (e.g. change in marital status, wish for additional children, psychological factors), many of these women seek restoration of fertility. Laparoscopic tubal anastomosis is one of the newest of these procedures by which this can be achieved. Sixteen women underwent laparoscopic microsurgical anastomosis. We used a three-stitches technique with tubal cannulation adapted from methods described in the literature. Five pregnancies occurred, giving an overall pregnancy rate of 31.2%. Surgical outcome depends on the patient's age, the method of tube interruption and the length of Fallopian tube segments being anastomosed. In this study, the feasibility of laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal is confirmed, as well as the benefits offered by laparoscopic procedures in terms of quality of life. Further improvement of surgical outcome will be achieved not only through better laparoscopic techniques but also through careful screening for surgical indications.  (+info)

Preoperative prediction of graft patency for infrapopliteal arterial bypass using pulse-generated runoff. (14/1718)

OBJECTIVE: to assess: (i) pulse-generated runoff (PGR) as a tool for preoperative prediction of graft patency; (ii) the effect of PGR use on graft patency. DESIGN: retrospective analysis of continuous patient data. MATERIALS: all patients undergoing bypass to the infrapopliteal vessels in the Oxford Regional Vascular Unit between 1989 and 1993. METHODS: preoperative assessment using ankle-brachial indices, intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography and PGR. Six-monthly and then yearly clinical and duplex sonography follow-up to assess graft patency. Univariate analysis of graft patency to assess discriminatory ability of PGR for graft patency. RESULTS: a biphasic signal in the artery of insertion was associated with significantly better graft patency rate at 1 month and at maximum follow-up than was a monophasic signal. A monophasic signal was associated with a 12-month patency of 25% and a mortality of 37.7%. Use of PGR did not affect graft patency significantly. CONCLUSION: PGR is a useful, non-invasive, means of preoperative patient assessment to determine the potential for maintained graft patency.  (+info)

Improved graft patency and altered remodeling in infrainguinal vein graft reconstruction for aneurysmal versus occlusive disease. (15/1718)

PURPOSE: This study attempted to determine whether autogenous vein used for infrainguinal reconstruction in patients with aneurysmal disease might demonstrate an altered adaptive response compared with those patients who underwent reconstructive surgery for occlusive disease, potentially altering graft patency. METHODS: From 1974 to 1997, 43 patients underwent vein grafting for 60 popliteal artery aneurysms (PAA). RESULTS: In an attempt to monitor early vein graft adaptation, serial graft surveillance by Duplex ultrasound scan was performed in a statistically valid subset of age-, sex-, and distal anastomotic site-matched patients with PAA and patients with occlusive disease (OD; n = 8 PAA; n = 8 OD). Compared with an age-matched and sex-matched cohort of patients (n = 60 grafts in each group) with occlusive disease and who had femoral below-knee bypass grafts (FBP) only, patients undergoing infrainguinal reconstruction for PAA had a higher 5-year primary graft patency (92% +/- 4% for PAA vs 66% +/- 7% for FBP; P <.01). Duplex surveillance demonstrated a progressive increase in arterialized vein graft diameter in the PAA group versus the OD group. In univariant analysis, aneurysmal disease was a significant predictor of final follow-up diameter (P =.002). In a linear regression model, controlling for diameter at first follow-up after bypass grafting, first follow-up diameter was also predictive of final follow-up diameter. CONCLUSION: These data suggested altered remodeling of vein grafts in patients with popliteal artery aneurysm, which may have a beneficial effect on patency.  (+info)

Controlled intraoperative water testing of left-sided colorectal anastomoses: are ileostomies avoidable? (16/1718)

Anastomotic leakage is a major problem in colorectal surgery, and previous studies have suggested that intraoperative identification of leaks allows repair at the time of surgery. This study examined whether testing allowed a defunctioning ileostomy to be safely omitted. A series of 102 consecutive patients underwent left-sided colorectal resection, 52 males and 50 females, mean age 65.7 years (range 16-89 years). After completion of the anastomosis, its integrity was tested by running saline into the rectum, using a manometer, to a maximum distending pressure of 30 cmH2O. Any leaks were repaired and the anastomosis retested. A defunctioning ileostomy was only performed if the anastomosis could not be shown to be leak-proof on testing. Patients underwent a contrast enema on the 8th postoperative day. Twenty-one (20.6%) patients failed the initial leakage test and 3 (3%) patients failed a second test. Two of these 21 patients went on to have a clinical leak, both of which were treated conservatively. Two defunctioning ileostomies were performed at the time of surgery. Sixteen (16.2%) had a leak on radiological testing, and there was clinical evidence of a leak in 5 (4.9%) patients. There were 3 (2.9%) deaths, but none of these had a leak on radiological testing. Incomplete anastomoses were successfully corrected intraoperatively. A defunctioning ileostomy was avoided in 98% of cases. Intraoperative testing to a pressure of 30 cmH2O is helpful in anterior resection, but does not guarantee that an intact anastomosis will remain intact postoperatively.  (+info)