Kiriakos Ktenidis

Endovascular Treatment of a Primary Aortoduodenal Fistula: 2-Year Follow-Up of a Case Report

The purpose is to evaluate the role of endovascular management for primary aortoduodenal fistula in poor surgical risk patients. A 70-year-old-man was admitted at the emergency room of our hospital with recurrent upper-gastrointestinal bleeding. A diagnostic workup was suggestive of a primary aortoduodenal fistula caused by erosion of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Intractable cardiac arrhythmia, recurrent hemorrhage, and poor patient condition were compatible with an exceedingly high surgical risk. The fistula was successfully treated, and gastrointestinal bleeding was eliminated with placement of a Lifepath endoluminal aortoiliac stent graft. At the 21-month follow-up, the patient was not presenting with symptoms and signs of graft infection, and radiologic studies confirmed decreasing aneurysm size without associated signs of local sepsis. Endovascular stent grafts can efficiently arrest massive exsanguination in critically ill patients with primary aortoenteric fistula. The risk of graft infection remains the most serious problem associated with this approach.

Vacuum‐assisted closure therapy for vascular graft infection (Szilagyi grade III) in the groin—a 10‐year multi‐center experience

The aim of the study was to evaluate the benefit of vacuum‐assisted closure (VAC) therapy in the management of deep, alloplastic graft infections (Szilagyi grade III) in the groin. From 2000 to 2009, we identified and included in our study 72 deep inguinal infections in 68 patients, involving native as well as synthetic graft or patch material. There were 29 early graft infections (<30 days after implantation) and 43 late infections (≥30 days after implantation). Among these, 17 cases involved native grafts/patches (12 grafts and 5 patches), while 55 cases involved non‐native grafts/patches [26 polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) grafts and 24 Dacron grafts (Haemashield, Meadox Medical, Boston Scientific Corporation, Natick, NY; Gelsoft graft, Vascutek, Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK; Intervascular, Mahwah, NJ); INVISTA, and 5 Vascu‐Guard™ bovine pericardial patches; Synovis Surgical Innovation]. All patients were treated with multiple wound debridements, graft salvage, sartorius myoplasty, intravenous antibiotics and VAC therapy until thorough surface healing was achieved. Exclusion criteria were an alloplastic graft infection with proximal expansion above the inguinal ligament, blood culture positive for septicaemia or septic anastomotic herald or overt bleeding. Nine months after initiation of therapy, overall, graft/patch salvage was achieved in 61 of 72 (84·7%) cases. Of the native graft/patch group, infected graft material was replaced with an autogenous great saphenous vein graft or patch in four patients (23·5%). In the non‐native group, vein or synthetic graft preservation without revision was achieved in 48 of 55 (87·3%) patients. The mean duration of VAC therapy was 16 ± 7·7 days, and postoperative mean hospital stay was 25·3 ± 8·5 days. In 23 of 72 (31·9%) cases, a secondary closure of the wound was achieved; in the other 49 cases, wound healing was achieved by meshed split‐thickness skin grafting. Mean wound healing time for all wounds was 24·3 ± 12·5 days. Specific complications during VAC therapy were wound fluid retention in 2 cases and an increased need for analgesics in 12 cases (16·66%). Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been reported to be useful in the treatment of severe wound infections. Even in the presence of synthetic vascular graft material, NPWT can greatly simplify challenging wound‐healing problems leading to wound dehiscence and its sequelae. Our long‐term experience demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of VAC therapy in the management of deep graft infections.

New exposure technique for management of giant internal carotid artery aneurysm

We are presenting a case of giant internal carotid artery aneurysm (ICAA) managed by a new exposure technique. Following double mandibular osteotomy, the exposure of the entire aneurysm was achieved by mandible mobilization. The aneurysm repair was performed by resection and graft interposition. Mandible bone reconstruction was succeeded via mini plate osteosynthesis. No adverse events were noticed during the 24-month follow-up period. The surgical ICAA management is necessary to prevent severe complications. In cases of aneurysm extension to the skull base, double mandibular osteotomy is a safe technique that facilitates aneurysm exposure and control.

Management of Traumatic Aortic Isthmus Rupture in Case of Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery (Arteria Lusoria)

BACKGROUND To present an unusual case of blunt aortic injury in a 30-year-old male patient with an aberrant right subclavian artery. METHODS AND RESULTS Driven by the complicated and challenging nature of the case, we decided to treat the patient by a combined approach-right subclavian artery transposition and endograft implantation at the isthmus level. During the 24-month follow-up (clinical examination, angiogram, computed tomographic scan), we registered no complaints; normal perfusion of the right arm; and adequate sealing of the aortic tear. CONCLUSIONS We believe that the hybrid management of such trauma is a feasible, effective, and less-invasive option.

Current Management of Vascular Infections

Technical advances in Vascular Surgery have led to an increased use of prostheses (grafts, patches, stents, stent grafts etc.) and improved results for the patient. Despite routine antibiotic prophylaxis, infection, although rare, remains a serious complication, with catastrophic consequences. Vascular infections are divided into 3 groups according to Szilagyi (Table 1.), depending on the extent of the inflammation: the superficial, the deep and the mixed type.[1] Samson (Table 1.), as well as Karl and Storck (Table 1.) , have modified the widely used classification system of Szilagyi.[1-3] While the superficial type is restricted to the skin and subcutaneous tissue, the deep infection involves the vessels or a prosthetic graft. The mixed type of vascular infection is the combination of the above types affects all the tissue layers and can produce trauma disruption. Vascular infections can be classified by appearance time into: a) early ( 4 weeks). Samson’s and Karl’s modifications take into consideration further clinical parameters, which define the treatment (Table 2.). [2,3] When infection involves a graft anastomosis or the suture line of a patch, there is high risk of vessel rupture, septic hemorrhage or pseudoaneurysm formation. [4-6] Other serious complications are septic thrombosis, endocarditis, etc. [7] In severe cases, treatment can be problematic and mortality remains high, despite the use of antibiotics and surgical treatment. Keys to successful outcome include early and accurate diagnosis, identification of the infecting organism, and extent of graft infection, administration of culture-specific antibiotic therapy, and excision or replacement of the infected graft.

Surface modification of endovascular stents with rosuvastatin and heparin-loaded biodegradable nanofibers by electrospinning

This study describes the development of drug-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds as a nanocoating for endovascular stents for the local and sustained delivery of rosuvastatin (Ros) and heparin (Hep) to injured artery walls after endovascular procedures via the electrospinning process. Purpose The proposed hybrid covered stents can promote re-endothelialization; improve endothelial function; reduce inflammatory reaction; inhibit neointimal hyperplasia of the injured artery wall, due to well-known pleiotropic actions of Ros; and prevent adverse events such as in-stent restenosis (ISR) and stent thrombosis (ST), through the antithrombotic action of Hep. Methods Biodegradable nanofibers were prepared by dissolving cellulose acetate (AC) and Ros in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and acetone-based solvents. The polymeric solution was electrospun (e-spun) into drug-loaded AC nanofibers onto three different commercially available stents (Co–Cr stent, Ni–Ti stent, and stainless steel stent), resulting in nonwoven matrices of submicron-sized fibers. Accordingly, Hep solution was further used for fibrous coating onto the engineered Ros-loaded stent. The functional encapsulation of Ros and Hep drugs into polymeric scaffolds further underwent physicochemical analysis. Morphological characterization took place via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses, while scaffolds’ wettability properties were obtained by contact angle (CA) measurements. Results The morphology of the drug-loaded AC nanofibers was smooth, with an average diameter of 200–800 nm, and after CA measurement, we concluded to the superhydrophobic nature of the engineered scaffolds. In vitro release rates of the pharmaceutical drugs were determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography assay, which showed that after the initial burst, drug release was controlled slowly by the degradation of the polymeric materials. Conclusion These results imply that AC nanofibers encapsulated with Ros and Hep drugs have great potential in the development of endovascular grafts with anti-thrombogenic properties that can accelerate the re-endothelialization, reduce the neointimal hyperplasia and inflammatory reaction, and improve the endothelial function.

IN-VITRO IMMUNOCOMPATIBILITY & CHARACTERIZATION AT NANOSCALE OF THIN FILMS AND VASCULAR MEDICAL DEVICES.

* Milka Janjic 1,2 , Paraskevi Kavatzikidou 1 , Varvara Karagkiozaki 1 , Theodora Choli-Papadopoulou 3 , Stergios Logothetidis 1 and Kiriakos Ktenidis 2 . 1. Department of Physics, Laboratory for Thin Films – Nanosystems and Nanometrology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124, Thessaloniki, Greece. 2. Vascular Surgery Department, First Propaedeutic Surgery Clinic, AHEPA General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54621, Thessaloniki, Greece. 3. Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry Lab, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124, Thessaloniki, Greece. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History

Technically Challenging Cases for Endovascular Repair of Aortic Aneurysms

Aortic aneurysms and treatment thereof continue to challenge the vascular surgeon. The natural history of aneurysms has been well documented, and the indica- tion for treatment extensively discussed [56]. The goal of treatment is to prevent aneurysm rupture and distal embolization. It is well known that aneurysm size is the most important criterion determining the main risk, namely rupture. Arterial hypertension is the second most important parameter that influences this risk, according to Laplace’s law (tension on the wall is produced by the product of pressure and radius). As experience has accu- mulated, the durability of open surgical therapy, which was introduced over 50 years ago, has also been well doc- umented [29]. In contrast, there are very few data on the long-term durability of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), which was introduced as a new approach about 15 years ago [45].

Surgical Treatment of an Isolated Dissection of the Internal Carotid Artery—A Case Report

A forty-four-year-old man was seen because of transient ischemic at tacks in the vascular laboratory. In vestigations indicated a high-degree stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA). In the intravenous digital sub traction angiography it seemed to be a case of fibromuscular dysplasia. At operation the authors found an iso lated dissection of the ICA, which was responsible for the stenosis. This was confirmed by histologic findings. The ICA was anastomosed to the ex ternal carotid artery in end-to-end technique. The dissected part of the ICA was resected. This proceeding was possible, because an anastomosis free of tension could be performed owing to a poststenotic coiling of the ICA. The postoperative course was uncomplicated. The follow-up six months later showed a patent ICA in Doppler ultrasound examination and intravenous digital subtraction angi ography.