Gianluigi Patelli

Catheter-based Radiofrequency Renal Sympathetic Denervation for Resistant Hypertension

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of catheter-based radiofrequency renal sympathetic denervation for treatment of resistant hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four patients with essential hypertension unresponsive to at least three antihypertensive agents underwent renal denervation (RDN). Three patients had variant renal anatomy. Comorbidities included diabetes (n = 11), renal failure (n = 4), and obstructive sleep apnea (n = 2). The effect on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) was assessed at 6 months. Patients with a decrease in systolic BP of at least 10mm Hg were considered responders. RESULTS RDN was bilateral in 19 patients and single-sided in five. The 19 patients with bilateral RDN showed mean reductions in 24-hour ambulatory BP of 20.7/8.7mm Hg±18.1/9.9 (systolic/diastolic; P = .0001/P = .0012). Sixteen bilaterally treated patients (84.2%) showed a systolic BP reduction of at least 10mm Hg and were considered responders, whereas only one of the five patients with single-sided RDN showed a response. Two responders with sleep apnea showed improvement in polysomnography indices, and one with left concentric ventricular hypertrophy showed complete cardiac remodeling 11 months after the RDN procedure. Renal function remained unchanged in all patients, including those with renal failure. Optical coherence tomography of the renal arteries in one patient showed sporadic endothelial scarring. Renal angiograms at 9 months (one patient) and 12 months (two patients) had normal findings. CONCLUSIONS Catheter-based RDN was carried out safely, even in patients with comorbidities, abnormal renal arteries, or anatomic variants. The response rate for bilateral RDN (84.2%) was comparable to previous reports.

Use of a Retrievable Vena Cava Filter with Low-intensity Anticoagulation for Prevention of Pulmonary Embolism in Patients with Cancer: An Observational Study in 106 Cases

PURPOSE To evaluate a retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in combination with low-intensity oral anticoagulation for prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with malignancy complicated by thromboembolic disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS From October 2005 to December 2009, 107 Bard G2 filters were placed in 106 patients. Forty-eight patients had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) alone, 53 had PE with DVT, and five had PE with no evidence of DVT. After an initial period of anticoagulation with heparin, low-intensity oral anticoagulant therapy to achieve a target International Normalized Ratio of 1.5-2.0 was instituted. Follow-up computed tomography to evaluate the pulmonary circulation, IVC, and lower limbs was performed at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS PE recurred in three of 58 patients (5.2%). None of the 48 patients with DVT alone developed PE, nor was there any recurrence of DVT. The filter was removed in 14 patients (13.2%). No complications occurred during the retrieval procedure. A total of 16 complications occurred in seven patients: one migration (0.9%); four cases of vena cava thrombosis (3.7%), three of which were associated with recurrent PE (2.8%); one filter fracture (0.9%); and one IVC penetration (0.9%). Filter tilting greater than 15° occurred in six patients (5.7%) and was associated with other complications in five (4.7%). CONCLUSIONS In patients with malignancies complicated by venous thromboembolic disease, an IVC filter together with low-intensity anticoagulation may be a possible treatment strategy for PE prophylaxis. Controlled studies are warranted.

Long-term infusion in cancer chemotherapy with the Groshong catheter via the inferior vena cava

Aims and background Vascular access through a vein draining into the superior vena cava is commonly used for long-term infusion of drugs inr cancer chemotherapy; prolonged cannulation of the inferior vena cava is generally considered as having an excessively high complication rate. Methods Prolonged cisplatin infusion via the inferior vena cava by means of a Groshong catheter was evaluated in 20 consecutive patients with thoracic malignancies showing evidence of superior vena cava infiltration or obstruction. Results We achieved 1,291 catheter days for our survey with a mean duration of vascular access of 64.5 days per patient and a mean duration of infusion time of 40 days. There were 2 complications, a catheter obstruction after a 7-day rest period and an ileo-femoral thrombosis 6 days after catheter placement. Conclusions Our experience compared favourably with the results obtained by long-term central venous access via the supraumbilical route, and demonstrated the reliability and safety of this approach in cases where the superior vena cava cannulation is technically difficult or impossible.

Carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography in oncological-interventional radiology.

Aims and background The aim of this work is to demonstrate the usefulness of carbon dioxide, used as contrast agent, in special indications in vascular interventional oncological procedures. Methods We studied 40 patients with digital subtraction angiography enhanced with CO2 as a contrast agent. At the same time we utilized also, in all cases, jodinated contrast agent to evaluate the different opacification gradient, the different viscosity range and the different perfusion. Results The low viscosity of CO2 allows demonstration of the presence of even minimal blood losses in gastrointestinal tumors and enhances arteriovenous shunts in hepatocellular carcinoma. Carbon dioxide can also be employed to assess the patency of small-sized catheters for chemotherapy infusion which do not allow easy injection of the traditional iodinated contrast agents characterized by high viscosity. Conclusion Carboangiographic study combined to digital subtraction angiography can clear some diagnostic problems and is further method to assess the outcome of angiographic interventional procedures in oncology.

First clinical experience with a high-capacity implantable infusion pump for continuous intravenous chemotherapy

AbstractPurpose: To evaluate the efficiency of a new high-capacity pump for systemic venous chemotherapy and to verify the quality of implantation by interventional radiology staff. Methods: A total of 47 infusion pumps with a 60-ml reservoir and variable flow rates (2, 6, 8, or 12 ml/24 hr) were implanted by radiologists in 46 patients with solid tumor metastases requiring treatment with a single, continuously infused cytostatic agent. The reservoir was refilled transcutaneously, usually once weekly. The flow accuracy of the pump was assessed from actual drug delivery recorded on 34 patients over a minimum observation period of 180 days. Results: No early complications occurred in any of the 47 implants in 46 patients. A total of 12 (25.53%) complications occurred between 3 and 24 months after implantation. Seven (14.90%) of these were due to the external design of the pump, while five (10.63%) were related to the central venous catheter. In the 34 patients available for pump evaluation (follow-up of at least 180 days), the system was used for a total of 14,191 days (range 180–911 days, mean 417.38 days), giving an overall complication rate of 0.84 per 1000 days of operation. The mean flow rate accuracy was 90.26%. Conclusion: The new implantable pump showed good flow rate accuracy and reliable operation. The pump-related complications were related to its external design and have now been corrected by appropriate modifications. From a radiologic and surgical viewpoint, the venous implantation procedure is identical to that of conventional vascular access devices and can be performed by radiologists familiar with these techniques. The current limitations lie in the high cost of the pump and, for certain drugs, the short time between refills.