Maria Sofia Rosati

Prevention of Peritoneal Metastases from Colon Cancer in High-Risk Patients: Preliminary Results of Surgery plus Prophylactic HIPEC

The study compared the outcome in patients with advanced colonic cancer at high risk of peritoneal metastases (mucinous or signet-ring cell) without peritoneal or systemic spread, treated with standard colectomy or a more aggressive combined surgical approach. The study included patients with colonic cancer with clinical T3/T4, any N, M0, and mucinous or signet ring cell histology. The 25 patients in the experimental group underwent hemicolectomy, omentectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, hepatic round ligament resection, and appendectomy, followed by HIPEC. The control group comprised 50 patients treated with standard surgical resection during the same period in the same hospital by different surgical teams. Outcome data, morbidity, peritoneal recurrence rate, and overall, and disease-free survival, were compared. Peritoneal recurrence developed in 4% of patients in the experimental group and 22% of controls without increasing morbidity (P < 0.05). Actuarial overall survival curves disclosed no significant differences, whereas actuarial disease-free survival curves showed a significant difference between groups (36.8 versus 21.9 months, P < 0.01). A more aggressive preventive surgical approach combined with HIPEC reduces the incidence of peritoneal recurrence in patients with advanced mucinous colonic cancer and also significantly increases disease-free survival compared with a homogeneous control group treated with a standard surgical approach without increasing morbidity.

Randomized controlled trial of remote endarterectomy versus endovascular intervention for TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II D femoropopliteal lesions.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated outcomes of remote endarterectomy (RE) vs endovascular (ENDO) interventions on TransAtlantic Inter-Societal Consensus (TASC)-II D femoropopliteal lesions and identified factors predictive of restenosis. METHODS From October 2004 to December 2008, 95 patients with TASC-II D lesions were randomized 1:1 to receive RE of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) with end point stenting (51 patients) or ENDO, consisting of subintimal angioplasty with stenting (44 patients). The groups were balanced for age, sex, atherosclerotic risk factors, and comorbidities. Categoric data were analyzed with χ2 tests, and time to event provided two-sided P values with a level of significance at .05 and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Survival curves for primary patency were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis for diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, and critical ischemia was performed according to the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 52.5 months (range, 35-75 months). Five RE patients and four ENDO patients were lost to follow-up (censored). Primary patency was 76.5% (39 of 51) in RE and 56.8% (25 of 44) in ENDO (hazard ratio [HR], 2.6; 95% CI, 0.99-4.2; P=.05) at 24 months and was 62.7% (32 of 46) in RE and 47.7% (21 of 40) in ENDO (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 0.94-3.78; P=.07) at 36 months. Assisted primary patency was 70.6% (36 of 51) in RE and 52.3% (23 of 44) in ENDO (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.20-5.02; P=.01). Secondary patency overlapped the primary comparison data at 12 and 24 months; at 36 months, there was a slight but significative advantage for RE (HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.05-4.86; P=.03). Univariate analysis demonstrated that hypercholesterolemia and critical limb ischemia (CLI) were significantly related to patency failure, whereas diabetes was significant only in ENDO. These factors (hypercholesterolemia and CLI) were independent predictors of patency on Cox multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS RE is a safe, effective, and durable procedure for TASC-II D lesions. Our data demonstrate a significantly higher primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency of RE vs ENDO procedures. Furthermore, overall secondary patency rates remain within the standard limits, although preoperative CLI and dyslipidemia continue to be associated with worse outcomes. Taken together, these data suggest that RE should be considered better than an endovascular procedure in SFA long-segment occlusion treatment.

Weekly combination of non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and taxane in first-line breast cancer: wALT trial (phase I–II)

BACKGROUND Through different pharmacodynamic-kinetic interactions, weekly administration of proved efficacy agents can overcome resistance with lower toxicity and greater benefit. Based on this assumption, we designed a phase I-II trial with weekly non-pegylated liposomal anthracycline and taxane in first-line breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 56 previously untreated metastatic breast cancer patients; they were randomly assigned to receive paclitaxel (Taxol) (50 mg/mq) or docetaxel (Taxotere) (30 mg/mq) combined with non-pegylated liposomal anthracycline (25 mg/mq) on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks. The primary end points were the clinical benefit and treatment-related toxic effects assessment. Secondary end points were time-to-disease progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS The overall clinical benefit was 87.04%. World Health Organization G3-4 toxic effects included neutropenia (45%), anemia (44%), complete alopecia (83%), severe onycholysis and neuropathy. The 24% of patients developed left ventricular ejection fraction reduction but none >10% with recover after treatment completion. The median absolute decrease from baseline was 1%. Median TTP was 11 months and median OS was 23 months. CONCLUSIONS Combined weekly administration of taxane and non-pegylated liposomal anthracycline is well tolerated and clinical benefit data encourage phase III study design.

Endovascular Central Venous Stenosis Treatment Ended With Superior Vena Cava Perforation, Pericardial Tamponade, and Exitus

Venous hypertension and outflow stenosis of arteriovenous hemodialysis access managed using endovascular procedures usually present a high technical success rate, with few complications. We reported a rare and fatal complication of superior vena cava perforation with pericardial tamponade 3 months after subclavian vein stenting. Interventional recanalization with stenting for the management of superior vena cava syndrome or central vein stenosis is a safe procedure with a low complication rate. Stent misplacement, reocclusion, migration, or access-related complications appear to occur most frequently.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II because of heparin-coated polytetrafluoroethylene graft used to bypass.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II is an immune-mediated syndrome that may arise in a time-dependent manner after heparin therapy. Thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in patients exposed to heparin are suggestive of this syndrome.

Primary tibial vein aneurysm with recurrent pulmonary emboli

We report the case of a 42-year-old man with pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and associated tachycardia. Three months before, he had been treated for similar features with the diagnosis of pulmonary emboli. Computed tomography scan showed multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli. He had no clinical evidence of deep venous thrombosis, but an accurate venous duplex examination revealed a thrombosis of the posterior tibial vein aneurysm. Thrombolysis, a temporary inferior cava filter (ICV filter), and tangential aneurysmectomy and lateral venorrhaphy were performed. Accurate duplex scan evaluation of lower limb venous system is mandatory in all cases of pulmonary embolism; anticoagulation may be ineffective in preventing pulmonary embolism, and the surgical repair is treatment of choice of this pathology because it is safe and effective.

Carotid Artery Free-Floating Thrombus Caused by Paradoxical Embolization From Greater Saphenous Vein Ascending Thrombophlebitis

Stroke of unknown origin in young patients is seen to be closely correlated with patent foramen ovale (PFO) than stroke in patients with established stroke mechanisms. We report a case of a young woman without cardiovascular risk factors who was admitted to our emergency department with listlessness and altered mental status. The clinical examination revealed right lower limb swelling. Magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scans revealed a free floating thrombus of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) with a large bilateral frontal ischemic lesion. The diagnosis of a medium-sized PFO with moderate right-to-left contrast shunting was made after transesophageal echocardiography. No other cardiac sources for embolization were detected, while an ascending thrombophlebitis of the right greater saphenous vein was detected by venous Doppler ultrasonography. These findings support the diagnosis of ICA free-floating thrombus caused by paradoxical embolization (via the PFO) of clot from the greater saphenous vein. The patient underwent emergency saphenofemoral disconnection with femoral vein thrombectomy and subsequently carotid artery thrombectomy under general anesthesia. No carotid atheromatous wall lesions were detected at surgical exploration; no immunologic pathology, hypercoagulable status, or malignancy were recorded. No hemorrhagic cerebral complications were observed in the postoperative period, and the patient had an improvement of her neurologic status (a reduction of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score from 7 to 3). Her recovery was uneventful. The patient was transferred for rehabilitation on postoperative day 5 with oral anticoagulation. Six-month ultrasound follow-up revealed deep and superficial venous system and carotid artery patency. The patient was asymptomatic and anticoagulation was discontinued. Paradoxical cerebral embolization through a PFO is a rare phenomenon that, in our patient, appeared to have resulted in stroke caused by a free-floating thrombus in the ICA. Accurate evaluation of carotid and lower limb veins by duplex scan is mandatory in cases of stroke of unknown origin, and urgent surgical repair can be useful in order to improve the clinical outcome.

First Clinical Experience with the Innova versus the Protege EverFlex Self-Expanding Bare Metal Stents in Superficial Femoral Artery Occlusions

BACKGROUND To evaluate outcomes of superficial femoral artery (SFA) stenting with Boston Scientific Innova stent system (Boston Scientific Corporation Place, Natick, Massachusetts, United States) compared with ev3 Protege stent system (Endovascular, Inc., Plymouth, Minnesota, United States) in terms of safety and effectiveness and to identify factors predictive of restenosis. METHODS From March 2012 to January 2013, 71 patients with SFA TASC (Trans Atlantic Inter-Societal Consensus)-II B and C occlusive lesions were treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting (30 patients in the Innova group and 41 cases in the Protege group) and were evaluated by retrospective observational data analysis. Chi-square tests for categorical data and time to event provided two-sided p values with a level of significance at 0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Survival curves for primary patency were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis for diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, hypertension, and critical limb ischemia was performed according to the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULT The mean follow-up was 14 months (range 1-18 months). The occlusive lesions treated were ≤15 cm in length. The 12-month primary patency rate was significantly higher in the Protege group (81.5%; 31/38) than the Innova group (43.3%; 13/30; hazard ratio [HR] 3.0; 95% CI: 1.38-6.8; p = 0.005. The secondary patency was similar to the primary comparison data and showed a significant advantage for the Protege stent (HR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.21-6.99; p = 0.01). Univariate analysis demonstrated that diabetes and smoking were significantly related to patency failure in both groups. CONCLUSIONS SFA stenting is generally a safe procedure, but the effectiveness and patency rates are significantly lower for Innova than Protege. Furthermore, preoperative diabetes and smoking continue to be associated with low primary patency rate. These preliminary data suggest that Innova stent is not the treatment of choice for SFA lesions.

Fatal complication after thrombin injection for post-catheterization femoral pseudoaneurysm.

Femoral artery pseudoaneurysm (FAP) is one of the most common vascular complications after cardiac and peripheral angiographic procedures. Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection is the standard procedure for the treatment of FAP. Complications such as thrombotic events with leg ischemia after thrombin leakage into the femoral artery or immunogenic consequences are rare. Our experience indicates the need for caution when treating FAP, as severe complications can occur after thrombin injection in a femoral pseudoaneurysm, leading to a fatal event.

Preoperative evaluation of retroperitoneal venous system anomalies during abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.

The association of a retroaortic left renal vein and an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) fistula is an infrequent event. We present two cases of AAA rupture into the retroaortic left renal vein. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) assessment showed retroperitoneal bleeding due to a large AAA rupture with an associated unusual retroaortic left renal vein. Patients underwent successful arteriovenous fistula sutures with abdominal aortoiliac replacement. The patients had uneventful recoveries, and they were discharged on the seventh to ninth postoperative day (POD) without renal complications. The clinical onset was characterized by the unique syndrome: continuous abdominal bruit, abdominal and left flank pain with an associated pulsatile mass (Mansour Triad). Moreover patients presented with haematuria, proteinuria and a large non-functional left kidney on the imaging scan. The CT-scan may suggest the presence of the venous anomaly. Unusual anatomical presentation recommends a careful surgical approach during AAA operations.