Improving the quality of surgeons' treatment decisions: a comparison of clinical decision making with a computerised evidence based decision analytical model. (57/1306)

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate to what extent an evidence based decision model can improve physicians' decisions and whether a selective use of the decision model is feasible. METHODS: Four experienced vascular surgeons were asked to make a treatment decision for 137 "paper patient" cases with asymptomatic abdominal aneurysms. Their decisions were compared with the optimal treatment as calculated by a computerised evidence based decision analytical model. RESULTS: Surgeons agreed with the model's advice based on life expectancy in 81% of the cases, and decided to operate in only 12% of the cases for which there was no agreement. Surgeons' decisions differed from the decision model's calculated optimal treatment, in particular, for older patients with aneurysms of intermediate size and with many risk factors, and for younger patients with small aneurysms and few risk factors. Not all these decisions, however, were reported to be more difficult. CONCLUSION: Use of a decision analytical model might lead to more appropriate decisions and a better quality of care. Selective use of the decision tool for difficult decisions only would be more efficient but is not yet feasible because reported decision difficulty is not strongly related to disagreement with the decision tool.  (+info)

Huge calcified aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. (58/1306)

Aneurysms of the sinus of Valsalva often remain undiagnosed until they rupture. A 61-year-old man had a huge, heavily calcified unruptured aneurysm, originating from the right sinus of Valsalva, detected incidentally on a chest radiograph taken for the diagnosis of cardiomegaly. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion with a huge calcified mass compressing the right ventricular outflow tract. The Doppler color-flow echocardiogram showed blood flow from the aortic root into the aneurysm. A chest computed tomographic scan revealed a large thrombosed aneurysm originating from the aortic root and measuring 10x10 cm. After pericardiocentesis, cardiac catheterization was performed, which showed that the right ventricular systolic pressure had elevated to 80 mmHg. Aortic root aortography demonstrated a huge unruptured calcified aneurysm in the sinus of Valsalva arising from the right coronary sinus. The patient underwent surgical correction to prevent aneurysmal rupture and to relieve the right ventricular outflow obstruction.  (+info)

Histopathologic analysis of endovascular stent grafts from patients with aortic aneurysms: Does healing occur? (59/1306)

BACKGROUND: Research with animal models has demonstrated tissue healing of endovascular grafts in both native arterial segments and in experimentally created arterial aneurysms. Fundamental to the successful clinical use of endovascular grafts for the treatment of aneurysmal disease is the creation of a permanent hemostatic seal between the graft ends and the arterial wall. Characteristics of this healing process in patients with aneurysmal disease have not been fully studied. In this study, we analyzed the macroscopic and histopathologic changes of the arterial wall after endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms. METHODS: Over a 7-year period, 313 patients were treated with endovascular grafts to exclude arterial aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Of these patients, 11 had their endovascular grafts recovered for analysis. Five graft specimens were recovered during subsequent open aortic surgery. Six grafts were recovered at autopsy after the death of the patient of causes unrelated to the patient's endovascular graft. All specimens were fixed in formalin. Histologic analysis included light microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin and trichrome stains. Well-preserved specimens were selected after light microscopic examination and postfixed in 3% buffered glutaraldehyde for electron microscopy. The aortas from autopsy specimens were removed en bloc and fixed in formalin; representative regions of each graft were sectioned for analysis. Adherence of the graft to the vessel wall was categorized as densely adherent or easily separated after graft explantation. Traction applied to the graft-aortic anastomosis was equal to traction generated by suspending a standardized 2-kg weight. Infrarenal graft specimens were obtained with supraceliac aortic clamping, longitudinal aortotomy, and graft sampling before endograft revision. RESULTS: In eight patients, endograft fixation was found to be firmly adherent to the arterial wall. A translucent film of fibrinous material was consistently seen across the entire luminal surface of the endograft. Light and electron microscopy failed to demonstrate an endothelial layer or organized pseudointima at the graft-artery interface. CONCLUSION: Despite suggestive experimental data regarding endograft healing in animals, minimal graft incorporation was apparent in the stent grafts recovered in this study. A greater emphasis on the construction and mechanism of fixation of endograft attachment systems will be important for long-term device function.  (+info)

Endovascular stents in the management of coarctation of the aorta in the adolescent and adult: one year follow up. (60/1306)

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that endovascular stents used with dilation of coarctation of the aorta (CoA) improve late outcomes. Balloon dilation for CoA has been limited by concerns over the risk for acute dissection, late restenosis, or aneurysm formation. DESIGN: All patients seen with CoA between November 1994 and September 1997 underwent attempted stent implantation. Follow up was obtained for all patients and a subgroup (n = 18) had repeat catheterisation at a mean (SD) of 1.3 (0.5) years to assess residual gradient and stent-CoA morphology. RESULTS: Stents were placed in 27 patients (15 male and 12 female patients, mean age 30.1 (13.1) years), of whom seven had prior surgical coarctectomy and one had a prior balloon dilation. Hypertension was present in 26 patients (mean pressure 164 (26)/86 (13) mm Hg), of whom 16 were on antihypertension drugs. CoA gradients were 46 (20) mm Hg (range 18-106 mm Hg) at baseline and 3 (5) mm Hg after the procedure. One patient had a stroke following the procedure; another patient had incomplete dilation and underwent a second procedure. At 1.8 (1) years after the procedure the mean pressure was 130 (14)/74 (11) mm Hg with seven patients on antihypertension treatment. The clinical gradient was 4 (8) mm Hg (range 0-32 mm Hg). At follow up angiography, the mean gradient was 4(6) mm Hg, and two patients had a gradient over 10 mm Hg. Aneurysms formed in three patients at the dilation site; one patient was referred for surgery. CONCLUSION: In this age group stent management for CoA appears to be an effective technique and results in sustained reduction in CoA gradients at early term follow up, but aortic aneurysm was detected in 17% of patients who had repeat angiography.  (+info)

Spinal ischemia following abdominal aortic surgery. (61/1306)

Serious spinal cord ischemia may follow infrarenal abdominal aortic surgery. Five cases are summarized and added to the 23 previously published cases in order to identify this syndrome, emphasize its importance, and draw attention to the possibility of spontaneous recovery which may occur. The multifactorial complex which comprises each patient's clinical picture clouds a precise and specific cause for paraplegia in these cases. However, neither hypotension, steal phenomena nor emboli are necessary for completion of the syndrome. The relevant spinal cord arterial anatomy indicates that the common anomalies which occur favor development of spinal cord ischemia in the arteriosclerotic population which requires aortic surgery. No means of prevention is possible at this time.  (+info)

Abdominal aneurysm and horseshoe kidney: a review. (62/1306)

Two patients with aortic abdominal aneurysms in association with horseshoe kidney are presented, making a total of 34 cases recorded in the literature. In 29 patients, the aneurysm was resected and five patients were non-resectable. Because of the abnormalities in vascular supply to the abnormal kidney, it is important to diagnose the combination of aneurysm and horseshoe kidney preoperatively. An error in diagnosis should be unusual if an intravenous pyelogram is routinely obtained on all patients. This study may reveal abnormalities which will allow the diagnosis of horseshoe kidney to be made or suspected. If the intravenous pyelogram is abnormal, it should be followed by an aortogram. This may substantiate the diagnosis of aneurysm and horseshoe kidney and provide the necessary detailed information regarding the pattern of blood supply and its relationship to functioning tissue. The amount and disposition of functioning renal parenchyma may be further amplified by renal scan. If this sequence is followed, the unanticipated combination of abdominal aneurysm and horseshoe kidney should be rare.  (+info)

Axillary-femoral bypass graft patency without aorto-femoral pressure differential: disuse atrophy of ipsilateral ileo-femoral segment. (63/1306)

Differential aorto-femoral pressure gradient is not required to assure axillary-femoral bypass graft patency for a brief period of time. One-hundred twenty-three days elapsed from axillary-femoral graft construction to elective removal of the functioning conduit in an individual without aorto-femoral pressure differential. During this time, reversible "disuse atrophy" of the ipsilateral ileo-femoral arterial system occurred. It is suggested that phasic differences in pulse wave propagation between the aorto-iliac-femoral and axillary-femoral circuits maintained graft patency and accompanying decreased flow volume in the ileo-femoral arterial circuit resulted in "disuse atrophy."  (+info)

Aortic and other arterial injuries. (64/1306)

Three hundred sixty arterial injuries in 353 patients are reviewed. They covered a wide spectrum of injuries and included 36 aortic injuries and 19 cases of carotid truama. The mortality rate of 12% was in large part due to aortic injuries. Shock was the predominant cause of death. Infection was the most frequent non-fatal complication. Pulmonary complications were surprisingly uncommon. With methods and techniques discussed in the paper, 90% satisfactory end results were achieved. The amputation rate was 6% where extremity injuries were involved.  (+info)