Özalp Karabay

Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis: clinical and treatment characteristics.

We aimed to evaluate patients with upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) in terms of the risk factors, symptoms, clinical course, diagnostic approaches and treatment outcome. Thirty-six patients with a diagnosis of UEDVT, comprising 19 males (52.7%) and 17 females (47.3%), were included in the study; the mean (± SD) age was 54 ± 12.3 years. The most common risk factor was central venous catheter use. The treatment protocol consisted of low molecular weight heparin for up to 7 days, followed by oral anticoagulants for up to 6 months. All patients were followed up for 1 year. More than 90% of the patients responded well to treatment. Nine patients (25%) died due to underlying diseases; no patients died secondary to UEDVT. None of the patients developed pulmonary embolus or recurrent deep venous thrombosis, and post-thrombotic syndrome was not observed. The mortality rate was related to the underlying diseases.

Surgical Management of Giant Aneurysms Complicating Arteriovenous Fistulae

The creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is frequently used to achieve easier access for haemodialysis in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. The most frequent late complication of AVFs is aneurysm formation, which carries the risk of spontaneous rupture. This study reports on 18 patients with giant aneurysms that developed on antebrachial AVFs who were operated on over a period of 6 years. Colour duplex ultrasonographic examination of the upper extremity was performed in all but one patient in the preoperative period. Surgical management included resection of the aneurysm and re-establishment of arterial continuity. There were no complications such as infection, ischaemic extremity loss, neurological sequelae or mortality. Colour duplex ultrasonographic examinations after 6 months were all normal. The mean follow-up period was 29.1 months (range 7 − 50 months). There were no additional vascular complications observed during follow-up. Early surgical intervention is the recommended treatment of choice for giant aneurysm complicating antebrachial AVF.

Prevalence of peripheral arterial disease and related risk factors in Turkish elders

BackgroundIt is known that prevalence of peripheral arterial disease being a widespread atherosclerotic vascular disease increases by age. On the other hand, no comprehensive study showing the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in Turkish elders is seen. In this study, it is aimed to assess prevalence of peripheral arterial disease and related risk factors in Turkish elders in primary health center.Methods507 elderly staying at Narlidere Geriatric Care Center and Residential Home and accepting to participate in the study were included in the study. Epidemiological data for diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, risk factors, findings of physical examination and ankle brachial index measurements were assessed in the study. Data were analyzed in terms of prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, age and gender relation and other cardiovascular risk factors.ResultsOf the participants, 317 (62.5%) were female. The mean age was 77.61 ± 6.93 years (62-102). The most wide-spread chronic diseases in elderly included hypertension, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia and Type 2 DM, respectively. On the other hand, only 7 (1.4%) elderly were diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. The number of elderly ABI of whom was measured as < 0.90 and sent to cardiovascular surgery polyclinic with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease was assessed as 30 (5.9%). Intermittent claudication was seen in about half of these patients.ConclusionsPeripheral arterial disease is expected to be seen prevailing in elderly. However, it was determined at very low rate before the study due to the fact that the disease cannot be diagnosed clinically especially in early-period. Peripheral arterial disease determined in the study is lower than expected as per the age group. This can be associated with practices of geriatrics nursing and family practice including continuous care to reduce cardiovascular risk factors of patients staying at the unit.

Early protective effects of iloprost, a stable prostacyclin analog, during spinal cord ischemia in a rabbit model

Spinal cord ischemia may develop into paraplegia in some cases during operation of the thoracoabdominal aorta. This is attributable to the vulnerability of spinal motor neurons to ischemia. In this study, iloprost was used as an agent to decrease the severity of ischemia and reperfusion injury to the spinal cord motor neurons. Twenty-one rabbits were randomized into three groups of seven animals each: group A (iloprost not administered), group B (25 ng/kg per minute iloprost), and group S (sham-operated). The spinal cord ischemia model was created by a 15-min occlusion of the aorta just caudal to the renal artery with a balloon catheter. Administration of iloprost began 10 min before occlusion of the aorta, and continued thereafter for 60 min. The pre- and postocclusion arterial pressure and heart rate recordings, results of blood gas analyses, and hematocrit and glucose levels were recorded. The spinal cords were removed after 8-h monitoring of neurologic function. Viable and nonviable motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord were counted under light microscopy. Any significant alteration in hemodynamics, blood gases, and other physiologic parameters could not be detected within the groups. Iloprost had a moderately hypotensive effect. Neurologic function in terms of Johnson scoring was significantly better in the iloprost group (P < 0.05). The number of viable cells was higher, whereas the number of nonviable cells was lower in iloprost group, when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Higher numbers of viable motor neurons were consistent with the neurological findings. As a result of this study we concluded that iloprost infused during clamping of the aorta mitigates the spinal cord injury due to ischemia and reperfusion, and has a significant protective effect.

Long-term efficacy and safety of once-daily enoxaparin plus warfarin for the outpatient ambulatory treatment of lower-limb deep vein thrombosis in the TROMBOTEK trial

OBJECTIVE The present study was designed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of once-daily enoxaparin plus warfarin for the outpatient ambulatory treatment of lower-limb deep venous thrombosis (DVT). METHODS A total of 246 patients, comprising 128 men (mean age, 54.28±16.48 years) and 118 women (mean age, 50.11±16.47 years) with symptomatic lower extremity DVT, were included in this open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase IV clinical trial conducted at 14 centers in Turkey. All patients were administered subcutaneous enoxaparin (1.5 mg/kg, once-daily) until international normalized ratio (INR) levels reached to 2 to 3, followed by oral warfarin (5 mg/d) for at least 3 months and elastic compression stockings (30-40 mm Hg). Clinical signs (leg circumference), symptoms (edema, pain, tenderness), recanalization rates upon duplex ultrasound examination, laboratory findings (D-dimer and INR levels), and postthrombotic syndrome status with CEAP classification were the efficacy parameters evaluated every 3 months during 18 months of follow-up. Safety end points included minor and major bleeding as well as serious adverse events. RESULTS Ambulatory treatment with enoxaparin plus warfarin significantly reduced physical symptoms, including tenderness, edema, pain (P<.001), and the circumference of the affected leg (P<.001). The leg circumference difference in almost all patients was <1.5 cm at the end of 18 months (P<.001). Recanalization rates for occluded iliofemoral vein were 76.1% at 3 months and 86.5% at 18 months (P<.001). An early and significant decrease obtained in D-dimer levels on day 10 continued to decline significantly until month 6 and remained unchanged afterwards (P<.001). Of four patients diagnosed with major bleeding during oral anticoagulant use, three recovered with conservative treatment (reduction in hemoglobin levels in 2 developed at visit 2 [day 10] and intracranial bleeding in 1 developed at visit 3 [day 30]), and one patient required a hysterectomy after menorrhagia developed at visit 7 (month 18). Two of the 65 (9.9%) adverse events documented were serious adverse events, but none of the serious adverse events leading to death were related to the study medications. CONCLUSION Ambulatory treatment with enoxaparin plus warfarin seems to be effective in symptomatic healing and in clinical improvement by reducing thrombus formation and organization at all levels of lower extremity venous system with DVT, without a significant major bleeding risk. Therefore, the results of our conventional conservative treatment are in line with 1A level evidence reported in the recent American College of Chest Physicians guideline.

Low‐Density Lipoprotein Apheresis by Membrane Differential Filtration (Cascade Filtration) via Arteriovenous Fistula Performed in Children With Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Membrane differential filtration (cascade filtration) is an apheresis technique by which atherogenic lipoproteins can be eliminated from plasma on the basis of particle size. In this study, we aim to discuss the efficacy of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis performed by providing alternative vascular routes in two siblings with familial hypercholesterolemia who did not respond to medical treatment and diet. Of the two siblings, one was nine years old and the other one was three‐and‐a‐half years old. Of the total of 78 apheresis processes performed, 24 were done via a permanent subclavian catheter, 36 were done via a subsequently provided arteriovenous fistula, and 18 were done via an arteriovenous graft. We observed a mean reduction in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (61.6%), LDL cholesterol (65.5%), and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (38.6%). We noted that cascade filtration apheresis was effective in decreasing the LDL cholesterol in plasma, and no serious complications were noted. The success of the apheresis program depends on well‐functioning blood access. An arteriovenous fistula may be the best route for the long‐term treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia, which requires complication‐free apheresis treatments.

A new minimally invasive method of aortofemoral revascularization.

In recent years, minimal invasive surgical applications have been used in every field of surgery and became a routine application for some kinds of operations. Mini-laparotomy has been limited to abdominal incisions between 3 and 10 cm long. Four aortobifemoral and one aortofemoral bypass cases that were performed with mini-laparotomy incision between January 1997 and February 1998 are presented. In all cases, revascularization of lower extremities was performed successfully without enlarging the incision. The average operation time was shorter and the number of transfused blood units was significantly lower in that group when compared to the conventional laparotomy group of 12 cases. In all cases, bowel sounds appeared in 2 to 8 hours and at the end of 24 hours, oral nutrition was started. The mean discharge time from the hospital was 4.7 days. With the advantages of less operation time, optimal aortic exposure, ability in safe cross-clamping, less postoperative pain, less scar tissue occurrence, early resumption of intestinal functions, early mobilization and shorter hospitalization time, the mini-laparotomy technique is a safe reliable method for use in aortobifemoral bypass operations.

TAVI in a Patient with Single Coronary Artery: The Choice of Self-Expandable Valve may be Reasonable.

BACKGROUND Single coronary artery is a rare congenital coronary artery anomaly with the incidence of approximately 0.03%-0.05%. Its coexistence with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is even rarer. Patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have a risk of coronary obstruction (1%) which will be more lethal when the origin of the coronary artery is single. CASE REPORT An 81 year-old female was referred to our institution for severe AS. Her coronary angiography revealed a single coronary artery originating from right sinus of valsalva. Since the patient had a high risk for aortic valve surgery, the cardiac team decided to perform transfemoral TAVI with a self-expandable valve. CONCLUSION We presented a successful case of TAVI with Medtronic CoreValve (Medtronic; Minnesota, USA) in a patient with single coronary artery after discussing the base of our strategy for preferring self-expandable valve. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of CoreValve implantation in such a patient in the literature. We suggest that the self-expandable valve may be the first choice in these patients because of its recapturable design.

Transthoracic Colour Doppler Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Internal Thoracic Artery Bypass Graft Patency

The internal thoracic artery (ITA) is the most important conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. The quality of the anastomosis joining the ITA to the left anterior descending coronary artery has a major impact on left ventricular perfusion. The rapid detection of flow disturbances due to sub-optimal anastomosis is, therefore, of great prognostic significance. In this study, 47 coronary bypass patients were examined using colour Doppler ultrasonography peri-operatively and 4–6 months post-operatively. Findings were correlated with clinical observations and a treadmill exercise test. The pre-operative ITA flow pattern was normally triphasic, but changed post-operatively to simulate the normal biphasic flow pattern of left anterior descending coronary artery. A 35-case-control group was used to compare pre-operative ITA flow characteristics. The authors conclude that Doppler parameters, clinical findings and the treadmill test can be used in combination for the routine evaluation of graft patency, and to select cases that require more invasive coronary angiography.

Effect of adventitial dissection in brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistulae opened in children as vascular access for hemodialysis on patency and maturation of fistulae.

Background Recently, therapy of pediatric patients with chronic renal failure has been carried out using hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or renal transplant. In this study, we prospectively investigated the role of adventitial dissection (performed on brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistulae in the antecubital area) in the patency rate, maturation, and early initiation of dialysis among pediatric cases undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Methods Thirty children (7 male and 23 females) were included in this study. They were operated on at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of Alsancak State Hospital and Dokuz Eylul University between March 2001 and June 2003. Their mean age was 12.3 ± 2.9 years (range 7-17 years), and their mean weight was 25.5 ± 7.9 kg (range 16-44 kg). Children who underwent only brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistula operation were included. Group 1 (n = 15) consisted of those who underwent adventitial dissection, and group 2 (n = 15) consisted of those not receiving the adventitial dissection procedure. Results The procedure was conducted by the same surgeon, and follow-up examinations were done at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology by investigators masked to treatment groups. Conclusion There were no significant differences in age, sex, existence of preoperative hypertension, diameter of vein measured preoperatively, and first day of dialysis between the groups. In 29 cases, a palpable thrill was noted at the operation site. Hemodialysis had been initiated after the fourth week, when the fistulae had matured. The mean duration of follow-up was 12.53 ± 8.98 months in group 1 and 11.85 ± 7.55 months in group 2 (p = .880). In group 1, one case developed fistula infection in the second month and one case developed lymphatic drainage. In group 2, one case developed early thrombosis, one case developed hematoma, and one case developed transient ischemia owing to arterial spasm in the ipsilateral limb. One case in each group developed minimal edema in the forearm, which was treated conservatively. The primary patency rate was 93.3% in both groups, whereas the secondary patency rate was 100% in group 1. Adventitial dissection performed on the vein during arteriovenous fistula formation does not result in any additional benefit with respect to fistula maturation, early initiation of dialysis, and patency. Among pediatric patients with chronic renal failure, in cases of inappropriate forearm veins, brachial arteriovenous fistulae performed with a meticulous surgical technique should be the procedure of choice because it is associated with minimal complications and a high patency rate.