Ayla Sayin

Management of aneurysms in Behçet's syndrome: An analysis of 24 patients

BACKGROUND The surgical therapy of Behçet aneurysms is often unsuccessful, resulting in graft occlusions, anastomoses, and/or new aneurysms. METHODS Twenty-nine aneurysms were documented in 24 Behçets patients during a period of 19 years. All patients were male, ranging in age from 20 to 53 years (mean, 35 +/- 7.3 years). The mean duration of disease was 9 +/- 5 years. There were nine abdominal aorta, four iliac, three common femoral, five superficial femoral, four popliteal, one subclavian, one carotid, and one posterior tibial artery aneurysm. In addition, in one patient an aneurysm developed from the arterialized venous conduit that had been inserted for a common femoral artery aneurysm elsewhere. Five patients were already under immunosuppressive therapy for ocular problems at the time of diagnosis. Fifteen patients received immunosuppressive therapy after operation. We performed one abdominal aneurysmorrhaphy, two iliac artery PTFE graft interpositions, two aortobiliac bypasses (PTFE), six aortic tube graft (three PTFE, three Dacron) interpositions, one avrtofemoral bypass (PTFE), two iliofemoral bypasses (PTFE), two superficial femoral artery graft (PTFE) interpositions, and three popliteal graft interpositions (one PTFE, two vein graft). Also as an initial procedure one carotid, one subclavian, four superficial femoral, one popliteal, and one posterior tibial artery were ligated. RESULTS Nineteen patients were followed up for a mean duration of 47.3 +/- 27 months (range, 1 to 108 months). The patient with a subclavian aneurysm died of massive bleeding on postoperative day 15. Four patients were lost to follow-up. In the abdominal aortic aneurysm group one patient died of gastrointestinal bleeding 4 years after the operation. Another patient from the same group died 5 years after operation without any vascular disease. In the common femoral artery group the patient with an occluded iliofemoral graft died of an exsanguinating pulmonary artery aneurysm in the first year after operation. Overall, there were five anastomotic aneurysms. In addition, after the initial operation two iliofemoral, one aortofemoral, and one popliteal interposition graft were occluded without disabling ischemia. CONCLUSIONS Aneurysms limited to the extremities could be ligated without disabling ischemia. Abdominal aortic aneurysms could be treated with tube graft insertion, giving satisfactory results. Patients could tolerate graft occlusion without major ischemia.

Cephalic Vein and Hemodialysis Fistula Surgeon's Observation Versus Color Doppler Ultrasonographic Findings

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether preoperative color Doppler ultrasonography improves immediate success rates of arteriovenous fistulas for dialysis. One hundred twenty‐four patients with chronic renal failure underwent color Doppler ultrasonographic examination of both arms, including the cephalic vein, before arteriovenous fistula construction. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: A and B. In group A, there were 52 patients, and the surgeon planned to construct arteriovenous fistulas depending only on physical examination. In group B, which comprised 72 patients, surgeons performed arteriovenous fistula construction on sites labeled by color Doppler ultrasonography. In group A, of 52 patients who had surgery for arteriovenous fistula construction, 13 had fistulas that did not function. Among these 13 patients, 8 were found to have chronic thrombotic changes in the cephalic vein on color Doppler ultrasonography, and 5 had none of these changes. When we checked the color Doppler ultrasonographic findings, we noted that these 5 patients had decreased volume flow in the radial artery. On the whole, the arteriovenous fistulas worked in 39 patients (75%) and did not function in 13 patients (25%). In group B, surgeons followed the color Doppler ultrasonographic results. Of 72 patients who underwent the procedure, 68 patients (94.4%) had functioning fistulas, whereas 4 (5.6%) had fistulas that did not work. These 4 patients were found to have low volume flow in the radial artery. When both groups were compared by chi2 analysis, the difference was statistically significant (P = .002). Group B, in which patients were preoperatively evaluated by color Doppler ultrasonography, had a high success rate. We found that color Doppler ultrasonography is very helpful as a noninvasive procedure for this evaluation. Although many surgical clinics still perform arteriovenous fistula construction without the aid of color Doppler ultrasonographic findings, we think that the use of color Doppler ultrasonography should be emphasized before surgeons proceed with arteriovenous fistula construction.

Attenuation of Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by N-Acetylcysteine in a Rat Hind Limb Model

BACKGROUND Ischemia/reperfusion is a complex set of events with severe pathologic consequences. Reperfusion initiates both the local and systemic damage in part through rapid oxygen generation. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a scavenger of free radical species, inhibits neutrophil accumulation, acts as a vasodilator and also improves microcirculation. In present study, we examined the protective effect of NAC in a rat hind limb ischemia/ reperfusion model. Dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO), a well-known antioxidant was also tested for comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ischemia was induced for 4 h by vascular clamping and followed by 1 h of reperfusion. Muscle injury was evaluated in 3 groups as a saline group (control), DMSO group, and NAC group. Plasma levels of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and blood HCO(3), as well as muscle tissue TBARS, were measured at the end of reperfusion. Muscle tissue samples were taken for histological evaluation. RESULTS DMSO and NAC group showed significant amelioration of plasma CPK (P < 0.05, P < 0.05), plasma TBARS (P < 0.05, P < 0.05), and muscle tissue TBARS (P < 0.05, P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Similarly, neutrophil infiltration in DMSO and NAC groups were significantly less prominent than the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS These results show that NAC improved effectively ischemia reperfusion injury in a rat hind limb model.

Surgical Treatment of Buerger's Disease: Experience with 216 Patients

Buergers disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) is a rare peripheral vascular disease that usually affects young male smokers. It is characterized by multiple occlusions distal to the knee and elbow. Although rarely encountered in this condition, major arterial occlusions can be corrected by arterial revascularization. The hospital records of 216 patients (214 men and 2 women) with Buergers disease were reviewed retrospectively, 142 (66%) between 1 and 120 (mean(s.d.) 72.8(24)) months after diagnosis. Of these patients 21 had had an arterial revascularization: 183 lumbar and 20 thoracic sympathectomies had been performed. In 30 of the patients a total of 29 minor and four major amputations had been performed. In appropriate cases arterial reconstruction provides better healing of ischaemic lesions. Although vasomotor tone is usually normalized in 2 weeks to 6 months after sympathectomy, the temporary increase in blood flow is often sufficient to heal ischaemic lesions during this period.

Right atrial thrombus mimicking myxoma and bilateral pulmonary artery aneurysms in a patient with Behçet's disease--a case report.

A case of Behçets disease, in which superior vena cava syndrome was the presenting feature is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging and echocardio graphy revealed a mass lesion in the right atrium. This patient developed bilat eral pulmonary artery aneurysms postoperatively and represents one of the bizarre manifestations of Behçets disease.

Surgical treatment of Buerger's disease.

We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of 198 new patients with Buergers disease treated surgically in the last decade. We also compared these results with our former series reported in 1993. The records of patients with Buergers disease who were enrolled in an ongoing investigational protocol between 1991 and 2001 were reviewed. Sympathectomy was carried out in 161 patients and revascularization in 19 patients. The cumulative secondary patency rate was 57.9% for bypass grafts at a mean follow-up of 5.4 years. Clinical outcome following sympathectomy was considered improved in 52.3% of patients, stable in 27.8%, and worse in 19.8%. Seven major and 36 minor amputations were performed, with a limb salvage rate of 95.6%. The aggressiveness of the disease has increased compared with previous series, parallel to the expansion of cigarette consumption. Bypass surgery should be considered for patients with severe ischemia who have target vessels. Sympathectomy still has a role to improve distal flow.

The effects of clopidogrel and calcium dobesilate on intimal hyperplasia following vascular injury.

Abstract Background: Neo-intimal hyperplasia is one of the most common causes of failure of arterial patency following cardiovascular interventions. It has been proposed that clopidogrel and calcium dobesilate may play an important role in the amelioration of intimal hyperplasia. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of these agents on inti-mal hyperplasia occurring after experimental balloon catheter injury. Material and Methods: Twenty-four male New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups. Endothelial injury was caused by introducing a 2.5 χ 20 mm balloon angioplasty catheter into the left iliac artery. After the procedure, clopidogrel (25 mg/kg/day/orally) or calcium dobesilate (100 mg/kg/day/orally) were given for 2 weeks. Eight rabbits were given a placebo and served as controls. The contralateral non-injured iliac arteries of the control group were considered as normal iliac artery samples. Iliac artery specimens were examined planimetrically and the intima/media ratio was obtained for each vessel. Results: In the control group, the intima/media ratio was still significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the contralateral normal artery 14 days after the balloon catheter injury. In the clopidogrel and calcium dobesilate groups, this ratio had significantly decreased when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found when the clopidogrel and calcium dobesilate groups were compared. Conclusion: The anti-agregant agent clopidogrel, and the venous endothelial regulator calcium dobesilate, ameliorate intimal hyperplasia after experimentally induced vascular injury in rabbit iliac arteries.

Peripheral aneurysms in Behçet's disease.

In this report, 14 patients with Behçets disease with a total of 16 aneurysms are presented. The most common site of aneurysm formation was the femoral artery. Patients with Behçets disease and aneurysm formation carry the highest morbidity and mortality rates among all those with the disease. The results of reconstructive surgery in the treatment of aneurysms are discouraging, with many anastomotic aneurysms and grafts occluding. In this study, it was possible to ligate major arteries such as the common iliac, superficial femoral and popliteal without limb loss. It is suggested that ligature either at initial surgery or reoperation should be performed to avoid complications of reconstructive surgery. Adjuvant immunotherapy is required to control relapses responsible for new aneurysm formation.

The Role of Polytetrafluoroethylene Graft Material in Buerger's Disease

The early and long-term results of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts in different anatomical locations were evaluated in 14 patients with Buergers disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). During a 10-year period, 2160 patients with peripheral vascular disease were treated and, in 258, the diagnosis of Buergers disease was made. Fourteen of these 258 patients underwent revascularization with PTFE grafts. In a follow-up period, up to 8 years patency rates were as follows: aorto/ilofemoral bypass 80%, femoropopliteal bypass 40%, femorocrural bypass 50% with a cumulative patency rate of 57.1%, and limb salvage rate of 88.9%. Because of the diverse nature and small number of the operations, the numerical results are not amenable to statistical analysis, but 88.9% limb salvage rate is satisfying in Buergers disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of PTFE grafts in Buergers disease and it validates limb salvage even below the inguinal ligament.