Olivier Hartung

Late results of surgical venous thrombectomy with iliocaval stenting.

PURPOSE Iliac vein occlusive disease leads to 73% of rethrombosis that occurs after venous thrombectomy when left untreated. The goal of this study is to present our long-term results of stenting of iliocaval occlusive lesions persisting after surgical venous thrombectomy. METHODS From November 1995 to April 2007, 29 patients (19 women), with a median age of 38 years, had surgical venous thrombectomy with creation of an arteriovenous fistula and angioplasty and stenting. All were admitted for acute (<10 days) deep venous thrombosis (DVT) involving the iliocaval segment, of which eight had concomitant acute pulmonary embolism. Six patients had a history of DVT (2 with previous venous thrombectomy), two were pregnant, and three had postpartum DVT. No patients had short- or mid-term life-threatening factors. The underlying lesion was left iliocaval compression (May-Thurner syndrome) in 22 patients, chronic left common iliac vein occlusion in 3, residual clot in 3, and compression of the left external iliac vein by the left internal iliac artery in 1. RESULTS Neither perioperative death nor pulmonary embolism occurred. Four early complications occurred after stenting (13.8%). Median hospital length of stay was 8 days (range, 5-22 days). Median follow-up was 63 months (range, 2-137 months). Three late complications occurred (10.3 %): one rethrombosis due to stent crushing during pregnancy and two restenosis, which were treated by iterative stenting. At the end of the follow-up, the median venous clinical severity score was 3 (range 1-12) and the venous disability score was 1 (range 0-2). Primary, assisted primary and secondary patency rates were, respectively, 79%, 86%, and 86% at 12, 60, and 120 months. Patients with patent iliocaval segments had significantly fewer infrainguinal obstructive lesions (4% vs 50%) and a higher rate of valvular competence (76% vs 0%) than those who experienced rethrombosis. Venous scores were also worse in patients with rethrombosis. CONCLUSION Stenting is a safe, efficient, and durable technique to treat occlusive iliocaval disease after venous thrombectomy. Its use can prevent most of the rethrombosis that occurs after venous thrombectomy without major adverse effects.

Laparoscopic transposition of the left renal vein into the inferior vena cava for nutcracker syndrome

Reimplantation of the left renal vein into the infrarenal inferior vena cava is the standard surgical procedure for nutcracker syndrome. A 40-year-old woman with a solitary left kidney suffered from left lumbar pain and hematuria. Imaging techniques found a large kidney with nutcracker syndrome. A totally laparoscopic transposition of the left renal vein was performed. Twelve months later, the patient is improved and has no more hematuria. Duplex scan showed no residual stenosis. Laparoscopic transposition of the left renal vein into the inferior vena cava is feasible with short length of stay and good short-term result.

Laparoscopy-Assisted Left Ovarian Vein Transposition to Treat One Case of Posterior Nutcracker Syndrome

We report one case of posterior nutcracker syndrome treated by left ovarian vein (LOV) transposition. A 36-year-old woman was suffering from nutcracker syndrome associated with pelvic congestion syndrome. Color duplex scan, computed tomographic scan, and angiography demonstrated a stenosis of a retroaortic left renal vein with proximal dilatation and incompetence of the LOV. The renocaval pullback gradient was 10 mm Hg. The LOV was harvested laparoscopically and transposed into the inferior vena cava. Completion angiography showed a patent reconstruction with no significant gradient. At day 4, an asymptomatic thrombosis was treated by thromboaspiration. Forty months later, the patient remained asymptomatic with a patent transposition. Posterior nutcracker syndrome is a rare condition. When associated with pelvic congestion syndrome due to LOV reflux, it can be treated by LOV transposition.

A comparison of the standard bolia technique versus subintimal recanalization plus Viabahn stent graft in the management of femoro-popliteal occlusions

OBJECTIVE To assess the potential benefit of the addition of a covered stent to a subintimal recanalized artery in patients with femoro-popliteal occlusions. METHODS From September 2003 to October 2005, we retrospectively analyzed all patients admitted for severe claudication or critical limb ischemia related to long femoro-popliteal occlusions and treated with subintimal recanalization. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether they received a stent or not. All patients in the group treated with stent received a stent graft, and the entire length of the recanalized artery was covered in each case. Demographic data, indications, procedure, and outcomes were examined using survival analysis statistical techniques. RESULTS Fifty-three patients (54 limbs) were treated consecutively for severe claudication (n=19) or critical limb ischemia (n=34). Thirty-four (64%) had a stent placed, while 19 (35.8%) did not. The mean length of the lesions treated was 20.11 cm (range, 5-35 cm). Statistically, there was no significant difference in lesion length, Rutherford stage of peripheral-artery disease, Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus classification, and distal run-off between the two groups. The technical success rate was 94.5%, and two out of the three failures were treated with surgical bypass in one case and major amputation in the other. The third patient received only medical treatment. Combined procedures were required in the treatment of 68.2% of limbs in the no-stent group and 55.8% in the stent group. Mean follow up was 16.9 months (range, 1-35 months). At 1 year, primary, primary-assisted, and secondary patency for the stent vs no-stent groups was, respectively, 61.8% vs 78.9% (P=.49), 70.6% vs 78.9% (P=.78), and 88.2% vs 78.9% (P=.22). The 1-year limb salvage rate for the stent vs no-stent group was 94.1% vs 100% (P=.7). CONCLUSION Combining subintimal angioplasty with a stent graft in femoro-popliteal lesions does not improve patency. The limb salvage rate remains high after addition of a stent graft. Rigorous monitoring is recommended to diagnose and treat restenosis early in order to improve patency.

Emergency stent graft implantation for ruptured visceral artery pseudoaneurysm

BACKGROUND Literature series that include visceral artery pseudoaneurysms rarely separate them from true aneurysms, although they address different issues. Guidelines for optimal management of these lesions are lacking. We report our experience of stent graft treatment of these lesions with midterm results. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all patients with a visceral pseudoaneurysm who were treated with a stent graft in our institution. Patient history, clinical characteristics, procedure details, and outcome were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS From March 2004 to June 2009, 10 consecutive patients (9 men), who were a mean age of 59 years, were treated for symptomatic visceral artery pseudoaneurysm, with hemorrhagic shock in 8 patients (80%), after pancreaticoduodenectomy in 8, gastrectomy in 1, and abdominal trauma in 1. A mean of 24 days (range, 7-60 days) passed between the initial surgery or trauma and pseudoaneurysm diagnosis. Septic complications were associated in six patients (60%). The pseudoaneurysm was in the hepatic artery in 8 patients, the splenic artery in 1, and the superior mesenteric artery in 1. Technical and clinical success was achieved in 80% of patients. Two failures of catheterization were followed by redo surgery and death (20%). No patients died postoperatively, and no complications among the patients who were treated successfully. Mean follow-up was 37 months (range, 10-63 months). All stent grafts were patent, with no signs of infection. Two patients died secondary to neoplasm. No rebleeding or recurrent aneurysms were noted. CONCLUSION Stent graft exclusion of visceral artery pseudoaneurysm seems to be a valid therapeutic approach regardless of the patients septic or hemodynamic status.

Management of pregnancy in women with previous left ilio-caval stenting

BACKGROUND Ilio-caval stenting now represents the first line treatment for disabling obstructive ilio-caval lesions. Most patients are young women of child-bearing age. We herein report our experience of pregnancy in women who have a history of ilio-caval stenting. MATERIALS AND METHODS From November 1995 to April 2008, 119 patients had ilio-caval stenting for obstructive venous disease in our department. Of these, 62 women were able to become pregnant. When pregnancy occurred, they received preventive treatment with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) from the 3rd month of pregnancy to 1 month after delivery and had to wear elastic stockings. Patients also had to sleep on their right side if possible. They were followed during the pregnancy by duplex scanning at 3, 6, and 8 months, and then 1 month after delivery. RESULTS Eight pregnancies occurred in 6 patients (mean age 26.5 years) who had a patent self-expanding stent (1 patient had 3 pregnancies). They had stenting for May-Thurner disease in 3 patients, for post-deep venous thrombosis (DVT) left common iliac vein occlusion in 1 patient, and during venous thrombectomy in 2 patients. All stents were self-expanding metallic stents located on the left common iliac vein. One patient had unrelated spontaneous abortion after 2 months of pregnancy. No DVT or symptomatic pulmonary embolism occurred during pregnancy, delivery, or during the postpartum period. Four patients needed cesarean delivery and none had hemorrhagic complications. None of the patients had adverse effects from the treatment. Duplex scan showed compression of the stent(s) at 8 months in 4 patients with inflow obstruction in 3 patients. Postpartum duplex-scan showed no remaining stenosis in all patients. No stents had structural damage. CONCLUSION Ilio-caval stent compression can occur during pregnancy but does not lead to structural damage to the self-expanding stents. Despite this, no cases of DVT occurred with preventive LMWH treatment.

Endovascular management of severe bleeding after major abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND In this study we analyzed embolization and stent-graft results. METHODS Demographics, indications, procedures, and outcomes of patients treated with embolization or stent grafting for late postoperative bleeding after major abdominal surgery were retrospectively recorded. Outcomes were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS Between 2004 and 2008, 14 consecutive patients (11 men and 3 women, mean age 64 years) were treated for hemorrhage responsible for shock in 6 patients (43%), occurring after pancreaticoduodenectomy (n=13) or subtotal gastrectomy (n=1). Mean onset occurred at 23 days postoperatively (range 7-75 days). Bleeding site included: the stump of the gastroduodenal artery (n=10), splenic artery (n=2), common hepatic artery (n=1), and right gastric artery (n=1). Initial success was obtained in 13 patients (93%); the only failure of stent-graft deployment required re-laparotomy. Treatment included embolization in 8 patients and stent grafting in 5 patients. In the embolization group, 5 complications (62%) occurred: 4 rebleeding and 1 gastric perforation, compared with no early complications in the stent-graft group. One patient died in each group. The mean follow-up was 25 months (range 6-57 months). CONCLUSIONS Stent grafting seems to provide definitive hemostasis and fewer complications compared with embolization.

Acute Popliteal Arterial Injury: The Role of Angioscopy

Accurate identification of arterial injury in the emergency setting constitutes one of the essential prognostic factors in patients presenting with acute popliteal arterial injury (APAI). The modalities of angioscopy performed intraoperatively by the vascular surgeon, including the details of how angioscopy can contribute to therapeutic decisions in this setting, are presented. Between June 1987 and August 1993, 26 patients presenting with 27 APAIs (one patient had a bilateral APAI) were treated at our institution. Eighteen (67%) lesions were due to closed trauma, three (11%) to shotgun pellets, three (11%) to knife wounds, two (7%) to iatrogenic wounds, and one (4%) to a bullet wound. Between June 1987 and January 1992 (group I, n=20), treatment consisted of 15 (75%) saphenous vein bypasses and five (25%) local repairs. Pre- or intraoperative arteriograms were obtained in 14 (70%) cases. Three (15%) major amputations were required after popliteal reconstruction. Between February 1992 and August 1993 (group II, n=7), two (29%) saphenous vein grafts and five (71%) local repairs were performed after routine intraoperative angioscopy. Arteriograms were obtained in six (86%) instances. No amputations were necessary in this group. As a complement to arteriography, intraoperative angioscopy can determine the extent and number of injuries, provides direct visualization of the intima of the entire femoropopliteal artery, even when the latter is obscured by thrombus, and ensures a final control of popliteal artery repair at completion. After angioscopy, local repair was possible more often (71% vs. 25%,p= 0.03) and treatment was associated with a better functional result (0% vs. 15% amputation rate,p= 0.04) in group II.

Renal artery thrombosis caused by stent fracture: the risk of undiagnosed renal artery entrapment.

We report a case of renal artery thrombosis resulting from a stent fracture in a patient with a solitary functional kidney. It was successfully revascularized by surgical repair despite renal ischemia lasting more than 48 hours. This article illustrates the danger of generalizing endovascular stenting in renal artery disease regardless of the etiology. Renal artery entrapment must be kept in mind as a possible cause of renal artery stenosis. Treatment of compressive pathologies with stenting can lead to stent failure. Surgery remains the best approach for the treatment of this type of lesion.

Transposición de la vena ovárica izquierda asistida con laparoscopia para tratar un caso de síndrome del cascanueces

Describimos un caso de sindrome del cascanueces tratado mediante transposicion de la vena ovarica izquierda (VOI). Se trata de una mujer de 36 anos de edad portadora del sindrome asociado a sindrome de congestion pelvica. El examen con eco-Doppler, tomografia computarizada y angiografia demostraron una estenosis de la vena renal izquierda retroaortica con dilatacion proximal e incompetencia de la VOI. El gradiente renocava era de 10 mmHg. Mediante laparoscopia se transpuso la VOI en la vena cava inferior. En la angiografia realizada al completar el procedimiento se demostro una reconstruccion permeable sin un gradiente sustancial. En el dia 4, una trombosis asintomatica se trato mediante tromboaspiracion. A los 40 meses, la paciente permanecia asintomatica con una transposicion permeable. El sindrome del cascanueces posterior es un proceso poco frecuente. Cuando se asocia a un sindrome de congestion pelvica debido al reflujo de la vena ovarica izquierda, puede tratarse mediante transposicion de la misma.