Julien Gaudric

Transposition of radial artery for reduction of excessive high-flow in autogenous arm accesses for hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE All surgical methods published to date for the reduction of excessive high-flow in native elbow fistulas for dialysis have limitations. We report a new surgical approach to flow reduction by transposition of the radial artery to the elbow level. METHODS From 1992 to 2008, 47 consecutive patients (22 women) with brachial artery to elbow vein autogenous fistula underwent flow reduction via replacement of brachial artery by transposed distal radial artery inflow. Fistulas were side-to-end either brachial-cephalic (19) or brachial-basilic (28). The indications were hand ischemia (4), cardiac failure (13), concerns about future cardiac dysfunction (23), and chronic venous hypertension resulting in aneurysmal degeneration of the vein (7). Mean patient age was 44 years, 11% were diabetic, 17% were smokers, and mean BMI was 22. Mean fistula age before flow reduction was 2.5 years. RESULTS Technical success was 91% (43 of 47). The mean flow rate dropped by 66% +/- 14%. Clinical success in symptomatic patients was 75% (18 of 24). The fistula eventually had to be ligated in three cases of cardiac failure because of insufficient clinical improvement. All four patients with hand ischemia were cured, with no recurrence during follow-up. Primary patency rates at one and three years were 61% +/- 7% and 40% +/- 8%. Secondary patency rates at one and three years were 89% +/- 5% and 70% +/- 8%. CONCLUSION Transposition of the radial artery, a safe and effective technique, might now be considered in the surgical armamentarium of flow reduction techniques.

Proximal radial artery ligation (PRAL) for reduction of flow in autogenous radial cephalic accesses for haemodialysis.

OBJECTIVE Juxta-anastomosis proximal radial artery ligation (PRAL) is a new surgical technique for reduction of excessive blood flow of radial cephalic fistulas (RCFs). PATIENTS AND METHODS This prospective study included 37 consecutive patients (eight children and 29 adults) who underwent PRAL of high-flow RCFs causing ischaemia (n = 2), aneurysmal degeneration of the vein (n = 14), and cardiac insufficiency (n = 7) or for prevention of cardiac overload (n = 14). Mean fistula age was 2.6 years for children and 7.4 years for adults. None had diabetes. Anatomical prerequisites (side-to-end anastomosis fistula and retrograde flow in the distal radial artery) were checked by ultrasound or angiography. Division and ligation of the juxta-anastomosis proximal radial artery were performed under regional anaesthesia. Patency following ligation was estimated according to the life table method. RESULTS The success rate was 92% (34/37). The three failures included one excessive and two insufficient reductions of flow (<33%). Mean flow reduction rates were 50% in children and 53% in adults. Primary patency rates at 1 and 2 years were 88% +/- 6% and 74% +/- 9%, respectively. Secondary patency rates were 88% +/- 6% and 78% +/- 8%, respectively. CONCLUSION PRAL is a simple, safe, and effective technique for reduction of flow in RCFs.

Placement of wrist ulnar-basilic autogenous arteriovenous access for hemodialysis in adults and children using microsurgery.

OBJECTIVES The distal basilic forearm vein is frequently preserved and might be used more frequently for placement of an ulnar-basilic autogenous arteriovenous access (UB-AAVA) in the wrist despite the small size of the two vessels. The scarcity of publications led us to initiate a prospective study regarding the placement and outcomes of UB-AAVAs. METHODS Seventy patients (63 adults, seven children) with no usable cephalic vein in either forearm were selected consecutively over 4 years for placement of a UB-AAVA. The prerequisite was a clinically visible or palpable forearm basilic vein after placing a tourniquet. Regional anesthesia, prophylactic hemostasis, and a surgical microscope were used systematically. Secondary superficialization was performed in two patients. Most non-matured accesses were abandoned in favor of the placement of a more proximal autogenous access. Mean follow-up was 20 months (SD =15). RESULTS Immediate patency was obtained in 94% of adults and 100% of children. Success (in-use access) was achieved in 60% of patients (38/63 adults and 6/7 children) after a mean postoperative interval of 80 days (SD = 64; range, 31-277). Failures included four immediate thromboses, one postoperative death, and 21 never-matured accesses. No steal syndrome was observed. Initial failures included, primary patency rates in adults at 1 and 2 years were 42% ± 6% and 30% ± 7%, respectively; secondary patency rates at 1 year and 2 years were 60% ± 6% and 53% ± 7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Although patency rates are not as good as those achieved with radial cephalic-AAVA, the UB-AAVA is an alternative autogenous forearm access before the placement of any other access involving the basilic vein. The use of the surgical microscope is mandatory, and more than usual time is required to achieve maturation.

Long-term results of surgical treatment of aneurysms of digestive arteries.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to document the long-term results of open surgical treatment of aneurysms of the digestive arteries. METHODS Between January 2000 and March 2010, 60 patients were operated on for 78 aneurysms of the digestive arteries at our institution. The mean age of patients was 61 years (31-84 years). The average lesion diameter was 33 mm (range 10-90 mm). Topographic distribution involved the coeliac trunk in 23 cases (30%), hepatic artery in 20 (26%), splenic artery in 19 (24%), superior mesenteric artery in 11 (14%), gastroduodenal artery in 3 (4%), and pancreaticoduodenal arteries in 2 (3%). Twenty patients (33%) were symptomatic, 1 of whom presented with aneurysmal rupture (1.7%). Follow-up was prospective and an actuarial analysis was carried out. Only 3 patients (5%) were lost to follow-up. RESULTS Hospital mortality was 1.7% (upper gastrointestinal bleeding from gastric metastases of a kidney cancer). Postoperative complications were mainly respiratory (18%), digestive (18%), and renal (13%). Five reintervention procedures (8%) were necessary: 2 for colonic ischemia; 1 for intestinal bleeding; 1 for secondary graft infection due to peritonitis; and 1 for drainage of an acute pancreatitis. The average follow-up was 42 months (range 1-120 months). The actuarial survival rates were 98% at 1 month and 1 year, and 97% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. One late death occurred at 22 months (bronchopulmonary cancer). Three late reinterventions were carried out: 2 re-establishments of digestive continuity and 1 embolization for a recurrent aneurysm 7 years after the initial operation. The primary patency rate of the revascularizations was 98% at 1 month and 1 year, and 95% at 5 and 10 years. The rates of indemnity of restenosis or thrombosis were 98% at 1 month and 1 year, and 95% and 93% to 5 and 10 years, respectively. The rates of freedom of reintervention on bypasses were 98% at 1 month and 1 and 5 years, and 97% at 10 years. CONCLUSION Open surgical treatment of aneurysms of the digestive arteries offers excellent long-term results in terms of patency. It is with these late results that endovascular techniques will have to be compared to define the best therapeutic strategy.

A multicenter experience with infected abdominal aortic endograft explantation

Objective: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is widely used with excellent results, but its infectious complications can be devastating. In this paper, we report a multicenter experience with infected EVAR, symptoms, and options for explantation and their outcome. Methods: We have reviewed all consecutive endograft explants for infection at 11 French university centers following EVAR, defined as index EVAR, from 1998 to 2015. Diagnosis of infected aortic endograft was made on the basis of clinical findings, cultures, imaging studies, and intraoperative findings. Results: Thirty‐three patients with an infected aortic endograft were identified. In this group, at index EVAR, six patients (18%) presented with a groin or psoas infection and six patients (18%) presented with a general infection, including catheter‐related infection (n = 3), prostatitis (n = 1), cholecystitis (n = 1), and pneumonia (n = 1). After index EVAR, eight patients underwent successful inferior mesenteric artery embolization for a type II endoleak within 6 months of index EVAR and one patient received an additional stent for a type Ib endoleak 1 week after index EVAR. Median time between the first clinical signs of infection and endograft explantation was 30 days (range, 1 day to 2.2 years). The most common presenting characteristics were pain and fever in 21 patients (64%) and fever alone in 8 patients (24%). Suprarenal fixation was present in 20 of 33 endografts (60%). All patients underwent endograft explantation, with bowel resection in 12 patients (36%) presenting with an endograft‐enteric fistula. Methods of reconstruction were graft placement in situ in 30 patients and extra‐anatomic bypass in 3 patients. In situ conduits were aortic cryopreserved allografts in 23, polyester silver graft in 5, and autogenous femoral vein in 2. Microbiology specimens obtained from the endograft and the aneurysm were positive in 24 patients (74%). Gram‐positive organisms were the most commonly found in 18 patients (55%). Early mortality (30 days or in the hospital) was 39% (n = 13) in relation to graft blowout (n = 3), multiple organ failure (n = 6), colon necrosis (n = 3), and peripheral embolism (n = 1). At 1 year, the rates of patient survival, graft‐related complications, and reinfection were 44%, 10%, and 5%, respectively. Conclusions: Abdominal aortic endograft explantation for infection is high risk and associated with graft‐enteric fistula in one‐third of the cases. Larger multicenter studies are needed to better understand the risk factors and to improve preventive measures at index EVAR and during follow‐up.

The dicrotic notch analyzed by a numerical model

Divergent concepts on the origin of the dicrotic notch are widespread in medical literature and education. Since most medical textbooks explain the origin of the dicrotic notch as caused by the aortic valve closure itself, this is commonly transmitted in medical physiology courses. We present clinical data and numerical simulations to demonstrate that reflected pressure waves could participate as one of the causes of the dicrotic notch. Our experimental data from continuous arterial pressure measurements from adult patients undergoing vascular surgery suggest that isolated changes in peripheral vascular resistance using an intravenous bolus of phenylephrine (a selective alpha 1-receptor agonist and thus a potent vasoconstrictor) modify the dicrotic notch. We then explore the mechanisms behind this phenomenon by using a numerical model based on integrated axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations to compute the hemodynamic flow. Our model illustrates clearly how modifications in peripheral artery resistance may result in changes in the amplitude of the dicrotic notch by modifying reflected pressure waves. We believe that this could be a useful tool in teaching medical physiology courses.

Open Repair of Vertebral Artery: A 7-Year Single-Center Report

BACKGROUND To report the long-term results of proximal and distal VA open repairs. METHODS From January 2002 to December 2009, 74 cases of VA open repair were performed (73 patients, 41 men; mean age, 66.5 ± 15.2 years). Symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency were present in 61 cases (82.4%). Forty-seven have had a proximal VA repair, and 27, a distal one. Bypass grafting using a saphenous vein graft was performed in 21 cases (28.3%). Direct transposition was used in 48 (64.8%), mostly into the common carotid artery. RESULTS Mean duration of follow-up was 39.5 ± 31.3 months. A stroke was present in three patients (4.1%), two hemispheric (2.7%) and one vertebrobasilar (1.3%), which turned lethal. The two hemispheric strokes occurred in the subgroup of 35 procedures combined with a carotid artery reconstruction. A transient Horner syndrome was found in 16 cases (21.6%), and a transient vocal palsy, in six (8.1%). Early postoperative occlusion occurred in two cases (2.7%). A total of seven (9.4%) patients died during follow-up, one from a stroke. Cumulative Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 90.7 ± 4.8% at 3 years and 77.3 ± 12.2% at 6 years. Assessment of late patency was obtained in 54 (84.3%) of 64 survivals by duplex scanning (70.3%) or angiography (10.9%). Significant vertebrobasilar symptom-free rate was 87.7 ± 9.2% at 6 years. Primary patency rate was 94.8 ± 3.8% at 3 years and 90.8 ± 9.4% at 6 years. CONCLUSIONS VA open repair provides excellent long-term results. Patients with combined carotid and VA reconstruction are at higher risk of postoperative stroke than patients undergoing isolated repair of the VA.

New insights on tuberculous aortitis

Objective: Aortitis is an exceedingly rare manifestation of tuberculosis. We describe 11 patients with tuberculous aortitis (TA). Methods: Multicenter medical charts of patients hospitalized between 2003 and 2015 with TA in Paris, France, were reviewed. Demographic, medical history, laboratory, imaging, pathologic findings, treatment, and follow‐up data were extracted from medical records. TA was considered when aortitis was diagnosed in a patient with active tuberculosis. Results: Eleven patients (8 women; median age, 44.6 years) with TA were identified during this 12‐year period. No patient had human immunodeficiency virus infection. Tuberculosis was active in all cases, with a median delay of 18 months between the first symptoms and diagnosis. At disease onset, vascular signs were mainly claudication, asymmetric blood pressure, and diminished distal pulses. Constitutional symptoms or extravascular signs were present in all patients at some point. Aortic pseudoaneurysm was the most frequent lesion, but three patients had isolated inflammatory aortic stenosis. TA appeared as extension from a contiguous infection in only three cases. Tuberculosis was considered because of clinical features, tuberculin skin or QuantiFERON‐TB Gold (Quest Diagnostics, Madison, NJ) test results, pathologic findings, and improvement on antituberculosis therapy. A definite Mycobacterium tuberculosis identification was made in only three cases. All patients received antituberculosis therapy for 6 to 12 months. Surgery including Bentall procedures, aortic bypass, and open abdominal aneurysm repair was performed at diagnosis in eight patients. Seven patients received steroids as an adjunct therapy. All patients clinically improved under treatment. No patients died for a median follow‐up duration of 4 years. Conclusions: TA may result in aneurysms contiguous to regional adenitis but also in isolated inflammatory aortic stenosis. Steroids may be associated with antituberculosis therapy for inflammatory stenotic lesions. Surgery is indicated for aneurysms and in case of worsening stenotic lesions despite anti‐inflammatory drugs. No patient died after such combined treatment strategy.

Arterial aneurysm with distal ischemia in a renal allografted patient: beware of angiosarcoma

ejd.2013.2020 Auteur(s) : Barouyr Baroudjian1 bbarouyr@hotmail.com, Maxime Battistella2, Samia Mourah3, Geoffroy Hickman1, Cecile Pages1, Isabelle Moulonguet1, Fabien Koskas4, Julien Gaudric4, Christine Le Maignan5, Jacques Dantal6, Martine Bagot1, Antoine Petit1, Celeste Lebbe1 1 Department of Dermatology, 2 Department of Pathology, 3 Laboratoire de Pharmacologie-Genetique, 4 Department of vascular surgery, Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Paris, France 5 Department of Oncology, Saint Louis Hospital, Avenue [...]

Femoral artery transposition is a safe and durable option for the treatment of popliteal artery aneurysms

Objective: A suitable ipsilateral great saphenous vein (GSV) autograft is widely considered the best material for arterial reconstruction of a popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA). There are, however, cases in which such a GSV is absent, diseased, or of too small diameter for this use. Alternatives to GSV are synthetic conduits, but with a reduced long‐term patency, in particular for infragenicular bypass; other venous autografts of marginal use; and stent grafts still in the first stages of their evaluation. However, a sufficiently long segment of the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery (SFA) is often preserved in patients with a PAA. Such a segment may be used as an autograft for popliteal reconstruction. Moreover, the morphometric characteristics of the SFA often optimally match those of the distal native popliteal bifurcation. SFA autografts (SFAAs) have therefore become our choice when the ipsilateral GSV is not suitable. We herein present the long‐term results of SFAA for the treatment of PAA in the absence of a suitable GSV. Methods: Within this single‐center study, all cases during the last 26 years were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, risk factors, comorbidities, morphometrics of the PAA, and preoperative and follow‐up data were intentionally sought. Results: From 1997 to 2017, there were 67 PAAs treated with an SFAA. The mean age of the patients was 67.67 ± 12 years, and 98% were male. Symptoms included intermittent claudication in 25% (17), critical limb ischemia in 7% (5), and acute ischemia in 10% (7) of the patients; 51% (34) of the patients were asymptomatic. The mean aneurysm diameter of the treated PAA was 29 ± 11 mm (12‐61 mm). The mean operative time was 254.8 ± 65.6 minutes (140‐480 minutes), with a mean cross‐clamp time of 64.5 ± 39 minutes (19‐240 minutes). The median length of stay was 9 ± 6.4 days (5‐42 days). There were no early amputations or deaths in the series. During a mean follow‐up of 47.91 ± 48.23 months, there were 2 anastomotic stenoses, 11 thromboses, 1 infection, and 1 aneurysmal degeneration of the graft; 6 patients died of unrelated causes. The 1‐, 3‐, 5‐, and 10‐year primary and secondary patency rates were 93% and 96%, 85% and 90%, 78% and 87%, and 56% and 87%, respectively. Conclusions: These data suggest that SFAA use to treat PAA is a safe and durable option. A prospective and comparative work is necessary to confirm these results and to determine the interest of this technique as a first‐line strategy.