Batuhan Kara

Computed Tomography-guided Percutaneous Catheter Drainage of Primary and Secondary Iliopsoas Abscesses

AIM To report our experience with computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of iliopsoas abscesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-two iliopsoas abscesses in 21 patients (11 women, 10 men) aged between 18 and 66 years (mean 36 years) were treated with PCD. Abdominal CT demonstrated the iliopsoas abscesses, which were definitively determined by Gram staining and aspirate cultures. Twenty of the 22 iliopsoas abscesses were primary and two were secondary. All PCD procedures were performed under local anaesthesia using a single-step trocar technique (n=19) or Seldinger technique (n=3). RESULTS PCD was an effective treatment in 21 out of the 22 iliopsoas abscesses. Recurrence was seen in three abscesses as minimal residual collections. Two of them resolved spontaneously with anti-tuberculous regimen. One required percutaneous needle aspiration. The procedure failed in a diabetic patient with a secondary abscess, who died due to sepsis. The length of time that catheters remained in place ranged from 21 to 75 days (mean 59.7 days). Complications included catheter dislocation in four abscesses, which required removal of dislocated catheters and indwelling new ones. CONCLUSION CT-guided PCD is a safe and effective front-line treatment of iliopsoas abscesses. Surgery should be reserved for failure of PCD and presence of contraindications to PCD.

Embolization of Peripheral Vascular Malformations with Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer (Onyx)

PURPOSE To demonstrate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of endovascular embolization of peripheral congenital vascular malformations (VMs) with use of a nonadhesive liquid embolic agent, Onyx. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nine patients with a mean age of 20.8 years had local low-flow (n = 4), local high-flow (n = 3), or diffuse high-flow (n = 2) VMs located in the upper or lower extremities. In all patients, endovascular embolization was performed via the superselective catheterization of arterial feeders of VMs with use of microcatheters in a coaxial technique. A total of 15 embolization procedures were performed with Onyx, which was composed of 6%, 8%, or 20% ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. RESULTS In two of four patients with local low-flow VMs, the lesions were embolized completely. In the other two patients with local low-flow VMs, embolizations were incomplete. The remaining five high-flow lesions of local (n = 3) or diffuse (n = 2) types were also embolized incompletely. In all patients with local low-flow VMs and in one patient with a local high-flow VM, clinical signs and symptoms were resolved significantly. Other patients did show clinical benefit from embolization to varying degrees. CONCLUSION In our experience in a limited number of cases, Onyx promises and provides important advantages over conventional embolic agents in the endovascular transcatheter embolization of congenital peripheral VMs. However, as with other embolic agents, it is far from perfect.

Percutaneous drainage for treatment of infected pancreatic pseudocysts.

Background Infection of pancreatic pseudocysts is a potentially fatal complication that must be treated immediately. Despite numerous published reports about percutaneous treatment, the effectiveness of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of infected pancreatic pseudocysts is still under discussion. Methods In this study, 30 patients (17 women) with 30 infected pancreatic pseudocysts were administered local anesthesia and underwent PCD performed with the use of a single-step trocar technique with computed tomographic guidance. The patients’ ages varied from 27 to 74 years (mean age, 45 yr). The etiology was acute pancreatitis in 18 patients, chronic pancreatitis in 11 patients, and surgical trauma in 1 patient. Results No complications related to the procedure occurred in our series. The success rate was 96% (29 of 30 patients), with no recurrence during follow-up, which ranged from 2 to 58 months (mean follow-up, 27.2 mo). One patient had unsuccessful PCD and was subsequently treated surgically. Conclusion Our findings indicate that PCD is a safe and effective front-line treatment for patients with infected pancreatic pseudocysts.

Isolated Cortical Venous Thrombosis Associated With Intracranial Hypotension Syndrome

The association of intracranial hypotension syndrome with cerebral venous thrombosis is rare. We report our experience with isolated cortical venous thrombosis, which developed after unsuccessful epidural anesthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed characteristic imaging findings of intracranial hypotension syndrome, such as dural thickening and brain sagging. We also detected right parietal venous hemorrhagic infarction secondary to right‐sided cortical venous thrombosis. After the treatment of intracranial hypotension via epidural blood patch, heparin was used to treat cortical venous thrombosis.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting with excessive subarachnoid hemorrhage in a 14-year-old boy.

Cerebral venous thrombosis presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is very rare. We report a case of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis as an initial manifestation of SAH. A 14-year-old boy was admitted with progressive headache, nausea, vomiting, diplopia, and gait disturbance. Cerebral computed tomography scan showed a widely SAH in the basal cisterns, bilateral sylvian fissures, and anterior interhemispheric fissure. Cerebral angiography was performed to detect any aneurysm in intracranial vasculature as a cause of SAH; however, the totally thrombosed superior sagittal sinus, galenic vein, and straight sinus were the sole abnormal findings.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings of a patient with neonatal citrullinemia during acute episode

Reports on citrullinemia usually describe the imaging findings in the adult form of the disease. However, neuroimaging findings of neonatal cases are seldom reported. We report on the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of a one-year old infant with neonatal citrullinemia during an acute episode and discuss possible underlying mechanisms for abnormal diffusion findings.

Acute arterial emergencies: evaluation by Doppler ultrasound

Doppler ultrasonography is an easy accessible, safe and non-invasive diagnostic modality that may provide prompt and accurate diagnosis concerning an acute emergency of arterial origin. Although angiography is the gold standard in the evaluation of acute arterial pathologies, Doppler US may provide essential information regarding the acute arterial pathology. The aim of this manuscript is to review the current applications of Doppler sonography in acute arterial emergencies in light of recent advancements of sonographic and other imaging modalities.

Revascularization of acute basilar artery occlusion using the Tigertriever adjustable clot retriever

Following the MR CLEAN study the endovascular recanalization of large vessel occlusions has gained importance in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke [1]. There are numerous different products on the market that can be used therapeutically but most of the current guidelines recommend the use of stent retrievers instead of other devices [2, 3]. In this case report we present our experiences with the Tigertriever (Rapid Medical, Yoqneam, Israel), a new stent retriever device with an adjustable design in the case of acute basilar artery occlusion.

Spontaneous intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt in leptospirosis: is it a rare association or coincidence?

Accepted: 9 December 2002 Published online: 29 January 2003

Cushing reflex: A sign of vessel perforation during mechanical thrombectomy performed under general anesthesia

We aimed to present the assessment of the Cushing reflex caused by intracranial haemorrhagia developing during mechanical thrombectomy in a case presenting with acute ischemic stroke. A 59-year old male patient was scanned by CT angio due to speaking disorder and right lateral weakness developing 5 hours earlier. Acute infarction was observed in the left MCA irrigation area with M1 segment occlusion observed in the left MCA. The decision was made to treat the patient with mechanical thrombectomy and he was transferred to the interventional neuroradiology unit. Under general anesthesia during navigation of the thromboaspiration catheter to the clot localization as the procedure was technically advancing routinely, with sudden development of bradycardia and hypertension the anesthesiology team was warned and 1 mg IV atropine was administered for bradycardia. Acute infarction has to be removed because it is understood as mechanical thrombectomy has been performed to a patient with an infarction. Simultaneously contrast material injection through the guide catheter showed the MCA M1 segment had ruptured and extravasation had developed. As conclusion, anesthesia and operation team must be alert for vessel perforation when Cushing triad develops during navigation of the thromboaspiration catheter.