Syed Raza

Sterile Fluid Collections in Acute Pancreatitis: Catheter Drainage Versus Simple Aspiration

PurposeTo compare the clinical outcome of needle aspiration versus percutaneous catheter drainage of sterile fluid collections in patients with acute pancreatitis.MethodsWe reviewed the clinical and imaging data of patients with acute pancreatic fluid collections from 1998 to 2003. Referral for fluid sampling was based on elevated white blood cell count and fevers. Those patients with culture-negative drainages or needle aspirations were included in the study. Fifteen patients had aspiration of 10–20 ml fluid only (group A) and 22 patients had catheter placement for chronic evacuation of fluid (group C). We excluded patients with grossly purulent collections and chronic pseudocysts. We also recorded the number of sinograms and catheter changes and duration of catheter drainage. The CT severity index, Ranson scores, and maximum diameter of abdominal fluid collections were calculated for all patients at presentation. The total length of hospital stay (LOS), length of hospital stay after the drainage or aspiration procedure (LOS-P), and conversions to percutaneous and/or surgical drainage were recorded as well as survival.ResultsThe CT severity index and acute Ransom scores were not different between the two groups (p = 0.15 and p = 0.6, respectively). When 3 crossover patients from group A to group C were accounted for, the duration of hospitalization did not differ significantly, with a mean LOS and LOS-P of 33.8 days and 27.9 days in group A and 41.5 days and 27.6 days in group C, respectively (p = 0.57 and 0.98, respectively). The 60-day mortality was 2 of 15 (13%) in group A and 2 of 22 (9.1%) in group C. Kaplan–Meier survival curves for the two groups were not significantly different (p = 0.3). Surgical or percutaneous conversions occurred significantly more often in group A (7/15, 47%) than surgical conversions in group C (4/22, 18%) (p = 0.03). Patients undergoing catheter drainage required an average of 2.2 sinograms/tube changes and kept catheters in for an average of 52 days. Aspirates turned culture-positive in 13 of 22 patients (59%) who had chronic catheterization. In group A, 3 of the 7 patients converted to percutaneous or surgical drainage had infected fluid at the time of conversion (total positive culture rate in group A 3/15 or 20%).ConclusionsThere is no apparent clinical benefit for catheter drainage of sterile fluid collections arising in acute pancreatitis as the length of hospital stay and mortality were similar between patients undergoing aspiration versus catheter drainage. However, almost half of patients treated with simple aspiration will require surgical or percutaneous drainage at some point. Disadvantages of chronic catheter drainage include a greater than 50% rate of bacterial colonization and the need for multiple sinograms and tube changes over an average duration of about 2 months.

Transhepatic puncture of portal and hepatic veins for TIPS using a single-needle pass under sonographic guidance.

OBJECTIVE Creating transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) requires accessing a portal vein branch from a metal cannula wedged in a hepatic vein. This initial step in shunt creation often requires multiple blind intrahepatic punctures and occasionally fails. We describe a method using sonographic guidance to serially puncture the portal vein and hepatic vein with a single transhepatic needle pass, after which the TIPS procedure is completed in the standard transjugular fashion. CONCLUSION Sonographically guided transhepatic dual puncture of the portal and hepatic veins facilitates portosystemic shunt creation in a single needle pass and allows more controlled selection of the portal vein entry and hepatic vein landing sites in selected patients.

Hepatic Perfusion as a Predictor of Mortality after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation in Patients with Refractory Ascites

PURPOSE To determine whether hepatic perfusion patterns predict mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in patients with severe ascites. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included 22 patients who had enhanced cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging performed immediately before TIPS creation in the angled coronal plane including the left kidney, liver, and main portal vein. Regions of interest were centered over the liver and kidney, and perfusion curves were generated and reviewed before the standard TIPS procedure was performed. Four patients did not undergo TIPS creation as a result of very poor hepatic perfusion by MR. All patients were followed clinically and by ultrasound surveillance of their shunt. RESULTS Eleven patients died within 6 months, including all four patients who did not have a TIPS because of MR evidence of poor hepatic perfusion. Of these 11 patients, eight (73%) had unfavorable liver flow consisting of diminished enhancement compared to the kidney and early peak enhancement of less than 50 seconds. The surviving patients all showed a delayed peak enhancement of greater than 50 seconds. CONCLUSIONS In patients undergoing TIPS creation for refractory ascites, blunted arterial-type hepatic enhancement is a poor prognostic sign. Cine MR imaging with evaluation of hepatic perfusion can be performed and reviewed before the TIPS procedure. Alternative techniques for ascites reduction may be preferred for patients with unfavorable hepatic perfusion.

Centrally Infiltrating Renal Masses on CT: Differentiating Intrarenal Transitional Cell Carcinoma From Centrally Located Renal Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to retrospectively determine the accuracy of CT for differentiating intrarenal transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) from centrally located renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to define the most discriminating diagnostic CT features. MATERIALS AND METHODS CT studies of 98 pathologically proven central renal tumors (64 centrally located RCCs and 34 intrarenal TCCs) seen over 5 years at three university hospitals were reviewed by five specialty-trained radiologists who were blinded to the final diagnosis. Multiple CT features and global impression were graded on a 4-point score. The sensitivity and specificity of each feature and of global assessment were calculated and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Interobserver agreement (kappa values) was also calculated for each parameter. RESULTS All five readers recognized intrarenal TCCs with a high diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, 90%; specificity, 90%; area under ROC curve [AUC], 0.80-0.95 for global assessment) with moderate-to-excellent interobserver agreement (κ = 0.72-1). Six CT features were most diagnostically specific for identifying intrarenal TCCs: tumor centered within the collecting system; focal filling defect in the pelvicalyceal system; preserved renal shape; absence of cystic or necrotic change; homogeneous tumor enhancement; and tumor extension toward the ureteropelvic junction (sensitivity, 68-82%; specificity, 79-89%; AUC, 0.75-0.84). There was moderate-to-good agreement among the readers over all these features (κ = 0.44-0.69). CONCLUSION Intrarenal TCC can be recognized with a high accuracy on CT; global impression showed the best diagnostic performance. A solid, homogeneously enhancing mass that is centered on the collecting system and extends toward the ureteropelvic junction combined with a focal pelvicalyceal filling defect and preserved renal outline is more likely to be an intrarenal TCC than a centrally located RCC.

Life-saving systemic thrombolysis in a patient with massive pulmonary embolism and a recent hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident.

Massive pulmonary embolism is associated with mortality rates exceeding 50%. Current practice guidelines include the immediate administration of thrombolytic therapy in the absence of contraindications. However, thrombolysis for pulmonary embolism is said to be absolutely contraindicated in the presence of recent hemorrhagic stroke and other conditions. The current contraindications to thrombolytic therapy have been extrapolated from data on acute coronary syndrome and are not specific for venous thromboembolic disease. Some investigators have proposed that the current contraindications be viewed as relative, rather than absolute, in cases of high-risk pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 60-year-old woman in whom massive pulmonary embolism led to cardiac arrest with pulseless electrical activity. Eight weeks earlier, she had sustained a hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident-a classic absolute contraindication to thrombolytic therapy. Despite this practice guideline, we administered tissue plasminogen activator systemically in order to save the patients life. This therapy did not evoke intracranial bleeding, and the patient was eventually discharged from the hospital. Until guidelines specific to venous thromboembolic disease are developed, we think that the current contraindications to thrombolysis should be considered on an individual basis in patients who are at high risk of death from massive pulmonary embolism.

Transjugular portosystemic shunt in chronic portal vein occlusion: Importance of segmental portal hypertension in cavernous transformation of the portal vein

The authors describe a patient with bleeding varices due to chronic portal vein occlusion. A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) attempt failed because of cannulation of a low-pressure network of portal veins, which communicated only with the chronically thrombosed native portal vein. A second TIPS attempt was successful after transhepatic catheterization of a high-pressure portal system that was continuous with periportal collateral veins and mesenteric veins. After 8 months and one TIPS revision for hepatic vein stenosis, the patient has improved liver function, collapsed varices, and a patent TIPS on ultrasonogram. This case illustrates that cavernous transformation of the portal vein may result in variable intrahepatic portal perfusion and pressures and that TIPS in such cases requires careful selection of an intrahepatic portal vein to achieve adequate portal decompression.