Eduardo Toledo de Aguiar

Ring-stripping retrograde common carotid endarterectomy: case report

CONTEXT Total occlusion of the common carotid is rare and the indications and techniques for surgical treatment are still a matter of controversy. OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the feasibility of retrograde common carotid endarterectomy. DESIGN Retrospective case report study. SETTING Tertiary care private hospital. PARTICIPANTS Three patients underwent ring-stripping retrograde common carotid endarterectomy. Their ages were 81, 68 and 65 years. All were hypertensive with generalized atherosclerosis, two had diabetes mellitus, and one had undergone coronary artery bypass some years earlier and had non-dialytic chronic renal insufficiency. Symptoms of brain ischemia were present in two patients. All patients had total occlusion of the common carotid, extending from the origin to the bifurcation and localized in the right common carotid in two cases. In two cases the internal carotid artery was also occluded. MAIN MEASUREMENTS Postoperative early mortality and stroke rate, and the medium and long-term endarterectomy patency. RESULTS There were no deaths. One patient had a transient ischemic attack. All endarterectomies were patent after eight months, four years and seven years of follow-up. CONCLUSION There is low mortality, and the procedure can be done through only one cervical incision. Tandem lesions of the carotid arteries can be treated together. It is suitable for long total occlusions of the common carotid, and long-term patency.

Early and late results of carotid endarterectomy: retrospective study of 70 operations

CONTEXT Indications and results of carotid endarterectomy have been defined from clinical multicentric trials like the European Carotid Surgery Trialists, North-American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study. The patients included in these trials were highly selected, as were the surgeons performing the operations. Clinical practice is different but the same results should be achieved. OBJECTIVE To study indications, technique, early and late results, and whether carotid endarterectomy has been performed in accordance with standards defined by multicentric trials. DESIGN Retrospective case report study. SETTING A tertiary care private hospital. PARTICIPANTS 57 patients, on whom 70 carotid endarterectomies were performed over a 10-year period. The median age was 66.4 +/- 7.8 years; 43 (75.4%) were male, 41 (71.9%) hypertensive, 36 (63.1%) current smokers and 24 (21.0%) had diabetes. Bilateral carotid stenosis was present in 31 (54.3%) patients, peripheral arterial occlusions in 32 (56.1%) and ischemic cardiopathy in 25 (43.1%). All patients had had angiography and 41 (71.9%) had also had a duplex-scan of neck arteries. Cerebral imaging via computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging was obtained for 36 patients. Patients were followed up over a period of one to 122 months. MAIN MEASUREMENTS early and late post-operative death, early and late post-operative stroke, and recurrence of atheroma plaque and symptoms relative to carotid stenosis. RESULTS There was one post-operative death (1.4%) caused by myocardial infarction and two early strokes (2.8%): a total complication rate of 4.2%. After 3 and 5 years, 95.4% and 81.3% of patients respectively were stroke-free and 72.8% and 67.3% were alive. There were four recurrences and two of them related to stroke. Forty-nine (70%) stenoses operated on were symptomatic. Brain infarction was detected in 59.2% of patients who underwent computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging. CONCLUSIONS Carotid endarterectomy was done in accordance with international standards. The most frequent cause of late death was myocardial infarction, and recurrences were related to stroke. Patients should be followed up closely.

Cirurgia Endoscópica Subfascial de veias Perfurantes Insuficientes (CESPI): experiência inicial

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of varicose ulcers in Brazil has been estimated as high as 3.6%. Perforator vein insufficiency is the main source for the development of these ulcers. The recently proposed SEPS technique is regarded as minimally invasive approach followed by low complication rates and short in-hospital stay. Our objective is to study the results of subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery associated or not to superficial venous system surgery. METHODS: Prospective, non-controlled ,clinical study. Inclusion criteria were patent deep venous system, patient with primary or secondary venous insufficiency (congenital not included) and an ankle/arm index higher than 0.8; exclusion criteria were: deep vein thrombosis, trauma or orthopedic surgery and deep venous system surgery occurring during post-operative follow-up. All patients had a duplex-scan perfomed before operation. RESULTS: Forty-three lower limbs were operated on since june/97; there were 27 patients with mean age 56.6 years; great saphenous vein, lesser saphenous vein and tributaries stripping were associated in 29 limbs; three limb were classified as C3, 15 as C4, 11 as C5 and 14 as C6. Venous insufficiency was secondary to deep venous thrombosis in 2 limbs. There were no immediate deaths; three to five perforators per limb were ligated; all ulcers healed during a period from two to 15 weeks; there were three infections (6.9%); 19 patients left hospital on 1st, six on 2nd and two on 3rd post-operative day. There was one ulcer recurrence (4.0%) after 10 months (perforator vein left in place). CONCLUSION: the procedure is safe, the hospitalization time is short, ulcer healing occurs mostly within two weeks and recurrence rate depends on a follow-up period at least of five years.