Rajesh Bhat

Primary Cutting Balloon Angioplasty for Treatment of Venous Stenoses in Native Hemodialysis Fistulas: Long-Term Results from Three Centers

AimTo evaluate the technical success and patency rates following primary cutting balloon angioplasty for venous stenoses in native dialysis fistulas.MethodsForty-one patients (26 men, 15 women; age range 26–82 years, average age 59 years) underwent 50 (repeat procedures in 9 patients) primary cutting balloon (PCB) angioplasty procedures in three institutions by three primary operators. The indication was primary stenosis in 21 patients, recurrent lesions in 15, and immature fistulas in 5. A PCB was used alone in 17 cases, but was followed by a larger standard balloon in 33 cases. Follow-up included ultrasound, flow analysis and urea reduction ratio, and ranged from 2 to 30 months (mean 14 months).ResultsThe technical success rate was 98%. All procedures were relatively painless. Two PCBs burst and 4 leaked, but without causing any morbidity. Nineteen fistulas were still working at last follow-up. Primary patency rates at 6, 12, and 24 months using Kaplan-Meier analysis were 88%, 73%, and 34%, respectively, and the primary assisted patencies were 90%, 75%, and 50%, respectively.ConclusionPCB angioplasty has high technical success and low complication rates. The long-term patency rates are favorable for PCB angioplasty and compare favorably with other series.

Cutting Balloon Angioplasty Versus Standard Balloon Angioplasty for Failing Infra-inguinal Vein Grafts: Comparative Study of Short- and Mid-Term Primary Patency Rates

PurposeTo evaluate the results of a recent change in practice in our institution using cutting balloon angioplasty instead of standard balloon angioplasty as the primary treatment for failing infra-inguinal vein bypass grafts.MethodsIn this nonrandomized cohort study with a historical control, failing infra-inguinal vein grafts were identified at duplex surveillance or clinical examination. Patients had confirmatory arteriography and balloon angioplasty at the same attendance. Interventions proximal or distal to the graft itself and prosthetic grafts were not included. Patients were entered into a duplex graft surveillance program. Initial assessment of technical success was duplex or improvement 4–6 weeks after the primary angioplasty.ResultsTwenty-seven consecutive patients were treated with standard balloon angioplasty, then 11 consecutive patients were treated with cutting balloon angioplasty. Initial technical success was 74% for the standard balloon versus 82% for the cutting balloon. The primary patency rate at 6 months was 16/26 (62%) for standard balloon angioplasty and 8/10 (80%) for cutting balloon angioplasty (p = 0.44). The primary patency rate at 12 months was 9/25 (36%) for standard balloon angioplasty and 5/10 (50%) for cutting balloon angioplasty (p = 0.47).ConclusionThe use of cutting balloons for primary angioplasty of infra-inguinal vein grafts offers no definite advantage over standard balloon angioplasty in this institution or compared with patency rates after standard balloon angioplasty reported elsewhere. Larger multicenter studies would be required to demonstrate whether there was any real difference between the two techniques.

Spontaneous subclavian artery dissection causing ischemia of the arm: diagnosis and endovascular management.

Spontaneous subclavian artery dissections are rare, with very few cases described in the literature. We report an unusual case of a 62-year-old female who presented with ischemia of the left arm secondary to spontaneous dissection of the first part of the left subclavian artery. We describe the imaging findings on both aortic arch angiogram and CT angiogram and discuss management by endovascular means.

Endovascular Repair of a Ruptured Mycotic Aneurysm of the Common Iliac Artery

This report describes the case of a ruptured mycotic aneurysm of the left common iliac artery, successfully treated with endovascular stent-grafting. A 64-year-old woman underwent diagnostic coronary angiography complicated by an infected hematoma of the left groin. Seven days later, she developed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus septicemia and CT scan evidence of perivascular inflammation around the left common iliac artery. This was followed by rupture of a mycotic aneurysm of the left common iliac artery. The lesion was successfully treated with a stent-graft and prolonged antibiotic therapy, and the patient remains free of infection 10 months later. Accumulating evidence suggests that endovascular repair can be used safely for the repair of ruptured infected aneurysms.

Arteriovenous Fistula of a Colic Branch of the Superior Mesenteric Artery: Endovascular Therapy

Arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) of the superior mesenteric artery and its branches are exceedingly rare. We report an unusual case of a patient who was found to be symptomatic from such an AVF, with diarrhea and terminal ileal thickening. We describe the findings from magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and catheter angiography and discuss the endovascular management.

Stent graft exclusion of pseudo-aneurysm arising from PTFE hemodialysis graft after recurrence following ultrasound guided thrombin injection.

There are various non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques for management of pseudoaneurysms including ultrasound guided compression, ultrasound guided thrombin injection and covered stent placement. We report a case where a covered stent graft was successfully used for the treatment of a pseudoaneurysm directly arising from a PTFE graft which recurred 3 months following treatment with ultrasound guided thrombin injection.

Femoral Artery Thrombosis Following Percutaneous Treatment with Thrombin Injection of a Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysm: A Case Report

Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms secondary to arterial interventions are commonly treated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection with a low complication rate (0%–4%) [1]. Thrombosis of the distal native artery is a recognized but rare complication. We report a patient who had a complex femoral artery pseudoaneurysm due to unsuccessful attempts at insertion of a femoral venous dialysis line. This was treated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection, with simultaneous balloon occlusion of the neck from contralateral access. During this procedure the patient developed distal superficial artery thrombosis with acute ischemic symptoms in the leg. However, a good response to endovascular thromboaspiration was obtained and there were no sequelae at the end of the procedure.

Inadvertent Subclavian Artery Cannulation: Endovascular Repair Using a Collagen Closure Device—Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Inadvertent line insertion into the subclavian artery is an uncommon complication of subclavian venous catheterisation, and its timely recognition is vital to minimise risk of harm to the patient. We describe the radiographic, computed tomographic (CT), and angiographic findings in two patients and illustrate the subsequent endovascular management using collagen vascular closure devices.