Süleyman Men

Percutaneous drainage of abdominal abcess

The mortality in undrained abdominal abscesses is high with a mortality rate ranging between 45 and 100%. The outcome in abdominal abscesses, however, has improved due to advances in image guided percutaneous interventional techniques. The main indications for the catheter drainage include treatment or palliation of sepsis associated with an infected fluid collection, and alleviation of the symptoms that may be caused by fluid collections by virtue of their size, like pancreatic pseudocele or lymphocele. The single liver abscesses may be drained with ultrasound guidance only, whereas the multiple abscesses usually require computed tomography (CT) guidance and placement of multiple catheters. The pancreatic abscesses are generally drained routinely and urgently. Non-infected pancreatic pseudocysts may be simply observed unless they are symptomatic or cause problems such as pain or obstruction of the biliary or the gastrointestinal tract. Percutaneous routes that have been described to drain pelvic abscesses include transrectal or transvaginal approach with sonographic guidance, a transgluteal, paracoccygeal-infragluteal, or perineal approach through the greater sciatic foramen with CT guidance. Both the renal and the perirenal abscesses are amenable to percutaneous drainage. Percutaneous drainage provides an effective and safe alternative to more invasive surgical drainage in most patients with psoas abscesses as well.

Urothelial hyperplasia complicating use of metal stents in malignant ureteral obstruction.

Self-expandable metal stents (7 mm in diameter) combined with coaxial double-j stents were placed in 10 ureters in ten patients with malignant ureteral obstruction. After 2 and 3 months, when the double-j stents were removed in seven patients, six patients developed hydronephrosis and one patient tolerated removal of the double-j stent and had no signs of urinary obstruction until she died in the fifth month. A double-j stent was inserted again in six patients who developed hydronephrosis. Endoscopy performed during insertion of the double-j stents showed urothelial hyperplasia and incrustations which reduced the lumen of the metal stent. Their double-j stents were exchanged with new ones every 3 months. In the last three patients, double-j stents were not removed, but exchanged with new ones every 3 months. Endoscopy performed regularly during the exchange of the double-j stents in the follow-up of nine patients showed that urothelial hyperplasia, although mild, persisted until the sixth month in three patients. We conclude that urothelial hyperplasia and incrustations limit the use of metal stents in malignant ureteral obstruction. Metal stents, however, when used together with the coaxially placed double-j stents, contributed to the achievement of internal urinary drainage in this study. Since a metal stent provides a buttress for the previously obstructed segment of the ureter, the lumen, although decreased by hyperplasia and incrustations, is held open, which allows an easy exchange of the double-j stent. Regarding the high cost of metal stent, use of it with a coaxial double-j stent should be spared for the malignant ureteral obstructions when a previously placed double-j stent alone fails to achieve efficient drainage.

The V2 segment of the vertebral artery in anterior and anterolateral cervical spinal surgery: A cadaver angiographic study

OBJECTIVE The second segment of the vertebral artery is under the risk of injury during anterior and anterolateral cervical spine procedures. To avoid such a risk, one needs to be familiar with the regional anatomy. The aim of this study was to measure the distance between the vertebral artery and the uncinate process, midline, and the medial side of the longus colli muscle using vertebral artery angiograms at the level of C6, C5, C4, and C3 vertebrae. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 12 human cadavers, the vertebral arteries were first irrigated with water. Then the arteries were filled with silicon and barium, and finally their angiographic images were obtained. RESULTS The transverse diameter of the vertebral artery was measured at C6, C5, C4, C3, and C2 level. The values on the left were bigger than the values on the right (p>0.05). The distance between the vertebral artery and the midline decreased from C6 (17.2+/-5.6mm on the right, 17.2+/-2.3mm on the left) to C3 (15.8+/-5.3mm on the right, 13.8+/-2.1mm on the left) (p>0.05). The distance between the apex of the uncinate process and the medial side of the vertebral artery was found to be longer at C4 (2.7+/-1.0 mm on the right, 2.2+/-1.0mm on the left) and C5 (2.5+/-1.1mm on the right, 2.5+/-1.0mm on the left) vertebra levels on the right side (p=0.339 at C4, p=0.862 at C5). The distance between the medial side of the longus colli muscle and the medial side of the vertebral artery was measured as 9.7+/-2.7 mm (9.5+/-2.9 mm on the right, 9.8+/-2.6mm on the left) at C6 level, 9.2+/-2.6mm (8.6+/-2.4mm on the right, 9.8+/-3.1mm on the left) at C5, 9.4+/-1.9 mm (9.2+/-2.1mm on the right, 9.5+/-2.0mm on the left) at C4, and 10.4+/-2.7 mm (10.5+/-3.0mm on the right, 10.1+/-2.6mm on the left) at C3 vertebra level. No significant difference was found between the right and the left (p>0.05). The angle between the vertebral artery and the midline was measured as 4.0+/-1.9 degrees on the right and 2.2+/-1.4 degrees on the left side (p=0.030). CONCLUSION It was considered that the values obtained could be useful in anterolateral and anterior cervical approaches in terms of evaluating the position of the vertebral artery and its relation to vertebral structures. It is also concluded that the risk of injury in upper subaxial cervical spine is higher than in the lower part of the subaxial cervical spine.

Percutaneous treatment of giant abdominal hydatid cysts: long-term results

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous treatment of giant abdominal hydatid cysts.MethodsIn this study, 15 abdominal giant hydatid cysts were treated with the catheterization technique, which included puncture of the cyst, aspiration of fluid, instillation and respiration of hypertonic saline solution, and catheterization and sclerosant therapy with absolute ethanol followed by free drainage of the cavity. The catheter was removed when the daily drainage was less than 10 ml.ResultsThe goals, including inactivation of the parasite and elimination of the mass effect, were achieved in all patients. Catheterization required a mean of 32 days (range, 14–52 days) and hospitalization a mean of 8.73 days (range, 2–30 days). No evidence for recurrence was observed in any patient during a mean follow-up period of 52.8 months (range, 36–72 months).ConclusionPercutaneous treatment of giant hydatid cysts is effective because it eliminates both the mass effect and the parasite and alleviates the symptoms. Although the long catheterization time associated with the procedure is unfavorable, it is tolerated by the patients.

Percutaneous embolization of persistent urinary fistula after partial nephrectomy using N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.

Abstract

Stent-Assisted Coiling of Wide-Neck Intracranial Aneurysms Using Low-Profile LEO Baby Stents: Initial and Midterm Results.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Low-profile self-expandable stents were recently introduced for the treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. This study investigated the initial and midterm clinical and angiographic results of LEO Baby stent–assisted coiling in the treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed to identify patients who were treated with LEO Baby stent–assisted coiling. Eighty patients with 80 wide-neck intracranial aneurysms were included in the study. Eleven patients (13.8%) presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. All patients were treated with LEO Baby stent–assisted coiling. Technical success and immediate postprocedural clinical and angiographic outcomes were evaluated. Seventy-three patients attended angiographic and clinical follow-up for a mean duration of 7.2 ± 3.8 months. Periprocedural and delayed complications were reviewed. Preprocedural and follow-up clinical statuses were assessed by using the modified Rankin Scale. RESULTS: The technical success rate of the procedure was 97.5%. The immediate postprocedural angiography revealed a complete occlusion of the aneurysm in 75% of the 80 patients. The last follow-up angiograms showed complete occlusion in 85.7% of the 77 patients with an angiographic follow-up. Of the 77 patients with a follow-up angiography, 6.5% showed an increase in the filling status of the aneurysm and 5.2% required retreatment. The overall procedure-related complication rate, including asymptomatic complications, was 11.3%. The permanent morbidity rate was 3.8%. There was no mortality in this study. CONCLUSIONS: This case series demonstrates the relative safety, efficacy, and midterm durability of the LEO Baby stent–assisted coiling procedure for the treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms.

Narrow duplicated internal auditory canal: radiological findings and review of the literature

Narrow duplicated internal auditory canal (IAC) is a rare malformation of the temporal bone that is associated with ipsilateral congenital sensorineural hearing loss. This may be an isolated finding or a part of a syndrome. Radiological examination should demonstrate aplasia or hypoplasia of the neural components of the narrow IAC, to guide the surgical approach. We report a 7-year-old boy with Klippel-Feil syndrome with a narrow double IAC with no sensorineural hearing loss but with conductive hearing loss. In this patient, the IAC consisted of two separate narrow bony canals clearly seen on 3D temporal bone CT and one nerve that was delineated on MRI. The contralateral external auditory canal was stenotic and the ossicles were dysplastic.

Palliation of malignant obstructive jaundice. Use of self-expandable metal stents.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical efficacy of metal stents in the palliation of malignant obstructive jaundice. Material and Methods: Fifty patients with malignant biliary obstruction were palliated by means of drainage with a metallic self-expandable stent (Wallstent). Nineteen patients had pancreatic carcinoma, 22 cholangiocarcinoma, 4 hepatocellular carcinoma, and the remaining 5 metastatic carcinoma from a variety of primary sites. The obstruction was at the level of the liver hilum in 19 cases, in the middle common bile duct in 11, and in the lower common bile duct in 20. Results: The patients were followed over a period of 1–17 months. A total of 36 patients (72%) died; 14 (28%) survived. The mean observation time for the whole group of 50 patients was 3.3 months. The 30-day mortality rate was 14% (7 patients). Short-term complications occurred in 6 patients (12%). Long-term complications included stent occlusion requiring a 2nd intervention in 2 patients (4%), and cholangitis in 2 patients (4%). Excellent palliation was achieved in most of the patients. No stent migration was observed. Conclusion: The metallic stent provides good palliative drainage, and the percutaneous insertion of metallic stents is well tolerated by the patients. The procedure is simple and safe to use and can be executed in one stage. The one-stage procedure, compared to the 2-stage procedure, may reduce hospital stays.

Coexistence of movement disorders and epilepsia partialis continua as the initial signs in probable creutzfeldt-jakob disease

Movement disorders and epilepsy rarely occur in the early stage of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) but have not been reported concurrently. We report on a 47‐year‐old patient with probable CJD who presented with generalized chorea and focal dystonia with myoclonic jerks on the right hand. Myoclonic jerks progressed to epilepsia partialis continua within 5 days of admission to the hospital. The diagnosis of our patient was compatible with probable CJD on the basis of clinical course, electroencephalogram, and diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings, and presence of 14‐3‐3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a case developing both movement disorders and epilepsia partialis continua in the early stage of the disease.

Diagnostic contribution of virtual endoscopy in diseases of the upper airways.

PurposeVirtual endoscopy (VE) is a new diagnostic tool that generates 3-dimensional (3D) views of a lumen by exploiting cross-sectional images. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of VE as a diagnostic tool in the diseases of the larynx and pharynx.Materials and MethodsTwenty-two patients with a mean age of 57 years were included in the study. The patients underwent larynx examination, optical endoscopy (OE), and computed tomography (CT) of the larynx. Later, VE was produced from the CT images.ResultsEight patients had larynx carcinoma, a 5-year-old patient had a laryngeal web, a 43-year-old man had fish bone stuck in his submucosal layer, 10 patients were normal, and the remaining two patients were under follow-up for treated nasopharynx carcinoma and had no evidence for recurrence. VE showed the laryngeal tumor in seven patients and the laryngeal web in one patient, but failed to show a plaquelike tumor and the fishbone within the submucosa.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that VE is a useful and complimentary method of 3D imaging in the diseases compromising the laryngeal lumen. Furthermore, it may be superior to OE in severe stenosis or obstructions where the endoscope cannot be passed through.