Adam Hatzidakis

ePTFE/FEP-Covered Metallic Stents for Palliation of MalignantBiliary Disease: Can Tumor Ingrowth Be Prevented?

AbstractPurposeTo determine the application and clinical effectiveness of ePTFE/FEP-covered metallic stents for palliation of malignant biliary disease, and to evaluate the efficiency of stent coverage in preventing tumor ingrowth.MethodsDuring a 3-year period, 36 patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were treated with ePTFE/FEP-covered stents, with or without proximal side holes. The stricture was located in the lower common bile duct (CBD) in 18 cases, the upper CBD in 9, the lower common hepatic duct (CHD) in 6, and the upper CHD in 3 patients.ResultsThirty-seven covered stents were percutaneously implanted. The technical success rate was 97%. Reintervention was required in 6 cases. The 30-day mortality rate was 40%, not procedure-related. Mean survival was 128 days. Primary patency rates were 100%, 55.5%, and 25% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, while the assisted patency rate was 100% at 12 months. Stents without side holes had higher primary patency rates compared with those with side holes, where occlusion was always due to tumor ingrowth. Tumor ingrowth did not occur in the completely covered stents. No stent dysfunction due to sludge incrustation was found. Complications were 1 case of arterial laceration that occurred during percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, and a subcapsular hematoma and 1 case of bile peritonitis, that both occurred during primary stenting. No complications followed the secondary stenting technique.ConclusionePTFE/FEP-covered metallic stents are safe and effective for palliation of malignant biliary disease. The presence of the ePTFE/FEP coating is likely to prevent from tumor ingrowth.

Nitinol stents for palliative treatment of malignant obstructive jaundice : Should we stent the sphincter of Oddi in every case?

AbstractPurpose: To evaluate the necessity of metallic stenting of the sphincter of Oddi in malignant obstructive jaundice when the tumor is more than 2 cm from the papilla of Vater. Methods: Sixty-seven self-expandable biliary stents were used in 60 patients with extrahepatic lesions of the common hepatic or common bile duct and with the distal margin of the tumor located more than 2 cm from the papilla of Vater. Stents were placed above the papilla in 30 cases (group A) and in another 30 with their distal part protruding into the duodenum (group B). Results: The 30-day mortality was 15%, due to the underlying disease. The stent occlusion rate was 17% after a mean period of 4.3 months. No major complications were noted. Average survival was 132 days for group A and 140 days for group B. In group A, 19 patients survived ≤ 90 days and in eight of these, cholangitis occurred at least once. Of 11 patients in group A with survival > 90 days, only two developed cholangitis. In group B, 13 patients who survived ≤ 90 days had no episodes of cholangitis and in 17 with survival > 90 days, cholangitis occurred in three. There is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) regarding the incidence of cholangitis in favor of group A. Conclusions: In patients with extrahepatic lesions more than 2 cm from the papilla and with a relative poor prognosis (≤ 3 months), due to more advanced disease or to a worse general condition, the sphincter of Oddi should also be stented in order to reduce the postprocedural morbidity.

Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas: Report of a Case after a 10-Year Follow-Up and Review of the Literature

A solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) is an extremely rare tumour of the pancreas that frequently occurs in young females and is mostly benign. SPN is a low-grade malignant tumour that may evolve years before symptoms start. However, the pathogenesis of this tumour remains unclear and there are no adequate reports of long-term results to evaluate the management and the long-term surgical control. We describe a new case of SPN with a 10-year follow-up, and review the world literature that accounts for approximately 322 cases. Moreover, a review of the current management and surgical tendencies in the treatment of SPN is considered. An SPN pancreatic tumour occurred in a 24-year-old female who complained of episodic mild abdominal pain sustained by a palpable epigastric mass. The tumour mass was detected by ultrasound and computer tomography and was localised at the tail of the pancreas adherent to the spleen. The preoperative diagnosis was uncertain and en-block distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed. The size of the mass which weighed 300 g was 11 × 12 × 8 cm, and the tumour was strictly adherent and invaded the splenic hilum. Histologic examination confirmed a complete resection of the primary SPN that locally invaded spleen. The postoperative period was uneventful and after a 10-year follow-up the patient is free of symptoms. SPN should be considered in the differential diagnosis of large pancreatic masses, especially in young females. Radical resection, where technically feasible, should be considered the therapy of choice as it is a safe and effective control of the disease.

Percutaneous coil placement prior to radiofrequency ablation of poorly visible hepatic tumors

The aim of this study was to establish whether using a percutaneously inserted metallic coil as a target facilitates the radiofrequency (RF) ablation of tumors poorly seen on unenhanced computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound (US) studies. We inserted a metallic coil percutaneously via a 21-gauge needle under CT guidance into five tumors during the phase of contrast enhancement in five patients. The coil was subsequently used as a target to guide placement of the RF electrode under fluoroscopic guidance. The precision of position was then checked with CT or US. We also carried out a small experimental study to establish the effect of metallic coils on the pattern of coagulation induced by RF. Placement of a metallic coil into the tumor enabled rapid and accurate placement of the RF electrode. The tumors were ablated with no adverse effects. The experimental study showed that the area of coagulation extends predictably along the coil. The application of the above technique is useful when using RF to ablate tumors poorly visualized on US and unenhanced CT.

Hepatic involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Rendu-Osler-Weber disease)

Abstract. Hepatic involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is infrequent and poorly studied. We describe a 62-year-old woman with Rendu-Osler-Weber (ROW) disease and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding episodes. Blood chemistry was consistent with the presence of cholestasis. Imaging studies revealed prominent vascular abnormalities in the liver and focal intrahepatic bile duct dilatations. The intimate anatomic relationship of the vascular abnormalities to the dilated bile ducts suggests that external vascular compression could have caused their dilatation. To our knowledge, this mechanism has not been proposed in the literature as a possible explanation of biliary dilatation in patients with ROW.

Transcatheter Thrombolysis with High-Dose Bolus Tissue Plasminogen Activator in Iatrogenic Arterial Occlusion after Femoral Arterial Catheterization

AbstractPurpose: To assess the efficacy of percutaneous local thrombolysis with high-dose bolus recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in patients with acute limb ischemia due to arterial thrombosis after cardiac catheterization. Methods: We treated eight patients (7 men; mean age 56 years) with thrombotic occlusion of both the common femoral artery (CFA) and external iliac artery (EIA) in six patients and of the CFA only in two patients. Two 5 mg boluses of rt-PA were injected into the proximal clot through a 5 Fr end-hole catheter and subsequently two additional boluses of 5 mg rt-PA were given through a catheter with multiple side-holes. In case of a significant amount of residual thrombus, a continuous infusion of 2.5 mg/hr of rt-PA was started. Results: Successful lysis was achieved in all patients. The mean duration of lysis was 2 hr 41 min. The mean total amount of rt-PA delivered was 23.16 mg. In four patients unmasked flow-limited dissections confined to the CFA were managed by prolonged balloon dilatation, while in the remaining four patients with extension of the dissection to the external iliac artery one or two Easy Wallstents were implanted. There was prompt relief of lower limb ischemic symptoms and signs in all patients. Two groin hematomas were conservatively treated. Clinical and color Doppler flow imaging follow-up with a mean duration of 15 months, showed no reappearance of ischemic symptoms or development of restenosis in any of the patients. One patient died 6 months after thrombolysis. Conclusions: Transcatheter thrombolysis with high-dose bolus rt-PA is a safe and effective treatment in patients with iatrogenic arterial occlusion after femoral catheterization. Underlying dissections should be treated by prolonged balloon dilatation but stent implantation is often required.

Radiation Dose and Risk from Fluoroscopically Guided Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Procedures

PURPOSE To estimate radiation dose and associated risks after fluoroscopically guided percutaneous transhepatic biliary (PTB) drainage and stent implantation procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Organ and effective doses, normalized to dose-area product (DAP), were estimated for PTB procedures with use of a Monte Carlo transport code and an adult mathematical phantom. Exposure parameters from 51 consecutive patients were used to determine average examination parameters for biliary drainage and stent implantation procedures. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were used in an anthropomorphic phantom to verify Monte Carlo calculations. Radiation-induced cancer and genetic risks were estimated. RESULTS The results consist of doses normalized to DAP so patient dose from any technique and x-ray unit can be easily calculated for left and right biliary access and for separate or combined biliary and metallic stent implantation sessions. A good agreement was found between Monte Carlo-calculated data and data derived from thermoluminescent dosimetry. The average effective dose varied from 1.8 to 5.4 mSv depending on procedure approach (left vs right access) and procedure scheme. A maximum effective dose of 13 mSv was estimated for 30 minutes of fluoroscopy. CONCLUSIONS Doses delivered to patients undergoing PTB procedures are comparable to those that arise from computed tomography protocols. Radiation-induced cancer risk may be considerable for young patients undergoing PTB drainage and stent implantation procedures.

Percutaneous Cholangioscopy in the Management of Biliary Disease: Experience in 25 Patients

AbstractPurpose: To present our experience performing percutaneous cholangioscopy in the management of 25 patients with biliary disease. Methods: During the last 3 years, 26 percutaneous cholangioscopies were performed in 25 patients with common bile duct disease (n = 16), intrahepatic ducts disease (n = 6), and gallbladder disease (n = 4). Our patient population group included seven with common bile duct stones, three with intrahepatic lithiasis, and eight with benign strictures (six iatrogenic and two postinflammatory). In four patients malignancy was to be excluded, in two the tumor extent was to be evaluated, whereas in one case the correct placement of a metallic stent needed to be controlled. A 9.9 Fr flexible endoscope URF-P (Olympus, 1.2 mm working channel, 70-cm length) was used. Results: In total, percutaneous cholangioscopy answered 30 diagnostic questions, was technically helpful in 19 cases (performing lithotripsy or biopsy or guiding a wire), and of therapeutic help in 12 (performing stone retrieval). In 24 of 26 cases the therapeutic decision and the patient management changed because of the findings or because of the help of the method. In two cases biliary intervention failed to treat the cause of the disease. No major complication due to the use of the endoscopy was noted. Conclusions: Percutaneous cholangioscopy is a very useful tool in the management of patients with biliary disease. The method can help in diagnosis, in performing complex interventional procedures, and in making or changing therapeutic decisions.

Percutaneous Minimally Invasive Treatment of Malignant Biliary Strictures: Current Status

The concept of percutaneous management of malignant biliary obstruction has not significantly changed in the last two decades and is based on the successful drainage of bile toward the duodenum, which normalizes liver function and prevents the development of cholangitis and sepsis. However, patient survival has changed slightly in the last two decades due to the advance of the diagnostic methods, chemo-radiotherapy protocols, and minimally invasive local control of the disease. Bare metal stents have not improved; however, newly developed covered biliary stents have been designed, and there is now evidence supporting their use in the clinical practice. However, other novel devices that may potentially offer benefit to patients with malignant biliary obstruction have been developed, such as drug-eluting biliary stents and intraductal ablation devices, and first feasibility trials have been published that offer encouraging results. These new technological developments, in combination with increased patient survival, bring new exciting data in this constantly developing area. The purpose of this review article is to investigate the latest published evidence on percutaneous minimal invasive palliation of malignant biliary disease and to delineate current trends.

Sodium Tetradecyl Sulphate Direct Intralesional Sclerotherapy of Venous Malformations of the Vulva and Vagina: Report of Five Cases

We report five cases of female patients affected by symptomatic focal external genital venous malformations treated with percutaneous direct intralesional injection of sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS). All patients were referred because of discomfort and pain when sexual intercourse was attempted. Direct sclerotherapy with 3% STS was performed on a day-hospital basis with the patient under local anesthesia. Complete resolution of the symptoms was achieved in all cases. No major adverse effects were reported. Direct intralesional sclerotherapy with STS may be considered a safe and effective method for the treatment of female external genital malformation without the necessity of general anesthesia for pain control.