M. Ashraf Mansour

Complication rates for percutaneous lower extremity arterial antegrade access

HYPOTHESIS The antegrade access (AA) for percutaneous arterial interventions is associated with a higher complication rate than is the retrograde access (RA). DESIGN Retrospective case review. SETTING A statewide consortium for peripheral vascular interventions consisting of 13 Michigan hospitals collecting data on their endovascular procedures. PATIENTS Demographic and procedure data on all patients receiving a percutaneous peripheral arterial intervention were entered prospectively by a full-time clinical nurse specialist in each hospital site. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We evaluated vascular complications as a composite of retroperitoneal hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, hematoma requiring blood transfusion, arteriovenous fistula, acute thrombosis, or the need for surgical repair of the access site. RESULTS In a 2-year period, we collected 6343 cases, of which 5918 had complete data regarding arterial access; of these, 745 (12.6%) were performed via an AA. There were fewer women and smokers (P < .001) in the AA group but more diabetic patients (P < .001). The indications for intervention were more frequently rest pain (P < .001) and limb salvage (P < .001) in the AA group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the odds of complications were significantly higher with a larger sheath (95% confidence interval, 1.53-4.06; P < .001). Also, the incidence of blood transfusion and subsequent amputation was significantly higher in the AA group (P < .001). CONCLUSION Endovascular procedures performed via an AA are more likely to result in perioperative complications and therefore should be used cautiously.

Diagnosis and Management of Pseudoaneurysms

Pseudoaneurysms develop at the site of arterial access when there is failure to establish adequate hemostasis. The number of percutaneous diagnostic and therapeutic coronary and peripheral vascular interventions has increased and with it a commensurate rise in the incidence of pseudoaneurysms is observed. Clinical examination and color-flow duplex ultrasound identify the majority of pseudoaneurysms. Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection has been shown to be the ideal method to treat the vast majority of false aneurysms. In a small number of cases, alternative endovascular techniques or open surgical repair is required.

Preliminary results of Zenith Fenestrated abdominal aortic aneurysm endovascular grafts

BACKGROUND Patients with juxtarenal aortic aneurysms who are unfit for open repair may be considered for fenestrated endovascular repair (fenEVAR). We report our initial experience with fenEVAR. METHODS We reviewed the data on all our patients receiving fenEVAR for juxtarenal aortic aneurysms. RESULTS Eight patients, average age 75 years, underwent fenEVAR. Endografts were designed from details obtained from preoperative computed tomography angiography. There were 6 grafts with superior mesenteric scallops and bilateral renal fenestrations, 1 with bilateral renal scallops, and 1 with a single renal fenestration. All patients survived 30 days. There was no renal failure requiring dialysis. At 10 weeks, 1 patient died from acute intestinal ischemia and multisystem organ failure, and another died from respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS It is feasible to offer fenEVAR to patients who are poor candidates for open repair. However, these procedures are technically challenging. Early outcomes are less favorable than other aortic endovascular procedures.

Vascular procedures in nonagenarians and centenarians are safe

BACKGROUND An increasing number of elderly patients present for elective and emergent vascular procedures. The purpose of this study was to analyze the 30-day and long-term outcome of patients in their 10th decade of life undergoing vascular procedures. METHODS We reviewed the outcomes of all patients in the 10th decade of life included in our registry. RESULTS In a 15-year period, there were 176 patients, 102 women and 74 men, with a mean age of 92 (range 90-102) undergoing 196 vascular operations for acute and chronic limb ischemia, aortic and popliteal aneurysms, and carotid stenosis. Overall morbidity and mortality rates were comparable as well as the return to preoperative functional status. CONCLUSIONS Patients in their 90s can safely undergo vascular procedures with reasonable early outcomes. Most patients return to their preoperative status. Age alone should not be a determinant in refusing surgery in this age group.

Collateral damage: The effect of patient complications on the surgeon's psyche

BACKGROUND The effect of patient complications on physicians is not well understood. Our objective was to determine the impact of a surgeons complication(s) on his/her emotional state and job performance. METHODS An anonymous survey was distributed to Midwest Surgical Society members and attending surgeons within the Grand Rapids, Michigan, community. RESULTS There were 123 respondents (30.5% response rate). For the majority of participants, the first complication that had a significant emotional impact on them occurred during residency (51.2%). Most respondents reported this did not impair their professional functioning (77.2%). If a major complication was first experienced after residency, this had a greater likelihood of causing impairment (P < .05). Surgeons primarily dealt with the emotional impact by discussing it with a surgical partner (87.8%). Alcohol or other substance use increased in 6.5% of those surveyed. Most respondents (58.5%) felt it was difficult to handle the emotional effects of complications throughout their careers and this did not improve with experience. CONCLUSION The majority of surgeons agreed that it was difficult to handle the emotional effects of complications throughout their careers. Efforts should be made to increase awareness of unrecognized emotional effects of patient complications and improve access to support systems for surgeons.

Outcomes for forearm and upper arm arteriovenous fistula creation with the transposition technique

OBJECTIVE To study the outcomes of three different types of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) transpositions (forearm cephalic vein transposition [FACVT], upper arm cephalic vein transposition [UACVT], and upper arm basilic vein transposition [UABVT]) for dialysis patients in a single center. METHODS A 6-year retrospective review, from 2006 to 2012, was conducted at a single institution in which the surgical outcomes for three different types of AVF transposition were reviewed. Preoperative duplex vein mapping was obtained in all patients to choose the best vein for access. RESULTS There were 165 patients identified with 77 FACVTs, 52 UACVTs, and 36 UABVTs. Primary access maturation rates for the FACVT, UACVT, and UABVT groups were 86%, 90%, and 97%, respectively (P = .19). All transposed, matured primary AVFs were used after a mean of 9.9 weeks, without additional intervention. Primary 1-year patency for the FACVT, UACVT, and UABVT groups were 63%, 61%, and 70%, respectively (P = .71). Primary assisted 1-year patency for the FACVT, UACVT, and UABVT groups were 93%, 93%, and 100%, respectively (P > .999). Mean operating room times and time to intervention were not significantly different between the groups. The postoperative hematoma rate was 2% and wound infection rate was 2%. Multivariate analysis indicated no significant predictors of time to failure (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS With low primary failure rates, reduced need for secondary interventions before maturation, and 1-year primary assisted patency rates in excess of 93%, our study showed that the transposition technique, in our experience, is superior to previously published literature in hemodialysis access creation.

Carotid Artery Stenting in the SPACE and EVA-3S Trials: Analysis and Update

Carotid artery stenting is an alternative to carotid endarterectomy. Although the stroke and mortality rates after stenting are low, it is yet to be proved that stenting is superior or equal to endarterectomy in low-risk symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. A summary of the results of 2 recent trials comparing carotid stenting with carotid endarterectomy, SPACE, and EVA-3S, is presented herein. Both trials failed to prove noninferiority of carotid stenting compared with carotid endarterectomy.

Initial results of a thoracic aortic endovascular program: safer in high-risk patients.

Results are presented from our single-institutional experience with thoracic endovascular aortic repair to confirm that it is safe in patients with significant comorbidities. A retrospective review of all patients undergoing endovascular or open thoracic aortic repair at our institution since 2002 was performed. Main outcome measures included clinical presentation, demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative details, and clinical outcomes. The endovascular group included 37 patients (22 males), whereas the open group included 19 patients (eight males). Eight patients per group were treated emergently for trauma or rupture (22% and 42%, respectively; p=0.11). Endovascular patients were significantly older with more comorbid conditions (p<0.05). However, the overall perioperative complication rate was similar in the two groups (32.4% and 31.6%, respectively). Postoperative renal failure occurred only in four open patients (21.1% vs. 0%, p < 0.05). Operative time, ventilator days, and total length of stay were also greater for open patients (p<0.05). There was one death in the endovascular group and three in the open group (2.7% and 15.8%, respectively; p=0.07). Endovascular patients had shorter operative time and length of stay, fewer ventilator days and intensive care unit days, and fewer transfusions. Although the endovascular patients were significantly older with more comorbidities, the complication rate was similar to the open group. Also, there was a trend toward lower mortality in the endovascular group (p=0.07). Endovascular repair is the procedure of choice for treating the descending thoracic aorta in high-risk patients even in the emergent setting.

Combined Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Presentation of 3 Cases and a Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND Coronary artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysmal disease can occur in a single patient, and a therapeutic conundrum presents when open surgical repair is indicated for both conditions. The traditional standard of care is to conduct coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) followed by abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair 2-6 months later, but there is significant risk with staging these 2 major surgeries. An alternative method is to surgically repair both diseases in 1 combined operation. The aim of our study is to review our own experience with the combined procedure and to review the published literature to assess morbidity and mortality of combined CABG and AAA repair. METHODS A systematic search for relevant studies was performed in the PubMed/Medline database. Short-term mortality (<30 days) and postoperative complications were assessed from relevant case series from 1993 to 2013. We also conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing the combined procedure at our institution. RESULTS Thirty case series with a total of 369 patients averaged a 30-day mortality of 3.0%. Fourteen percent and 6% of patients experienced a cardiovascular or respiratory complication, respectively. Other postoperative events included acute renal failure (7%) and superficial wound complications (5%). In our own experience, 3 patients underwent combined CABG and AAA repair. The mean age was 71 years, the average AAA size was 8.9 cm, and average operative time was 328 min. None experienced any postoperative complications. Two are still alive at 9 and 10 years after surgery, and 1 died of unrelated causes 8 years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS The results of this systematic review suggest that combined CABG and AAA repair is a viable procedure with low operative mortality. Patients with preserved ejection fractions, large AAA, and limited comorbidities appear to receive the most benefit from a combined approach based on reported data from the literature. We have experienced promising results in our highly selected patient population. More research is warranted to devise criteria to determine which patients would be good surgical candidates for this combined procedure.

Office-Based Vascular Lab: Is It Worth the Effort?:

The vascular laboratory is an essential part of any contemporary clinical vascular practice. The prototype of the vascular laboratory consisted mainly of instruments designed to understand the hemodynamics of the vascular tree. Earlier versions also played important roles in clinical research. Currently, sophisticated imaging equipments enable clinicians to evaluate the whole range of arterial and venous diseases in the outpatient setting. Both patients and physicians have found this to be very practical and convenient. Furthermore, income generated from performing diagnostic tests in the vascular laboratory helps support a variety of clinical activities and research. However, recent cost-cutting measures by medical insurance carriers are threatening the viability of office-based vascular laboratories