0000000000053878
AUTHOR
Tomasz Ludyga
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is unlikely to be a direct trigger of multiple sclerosis
Abstract Background Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a vascular pathology affecting the veins draining the central nervous system can accompany multiple sclerosis and is suspected to be involved in its pathogenesis. Objective This study was aimed at exploring a potential role for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in triggering multiple sclerosis. If it were venous abnormalities responsible for neurological pathology, one should expect negative correlation, i.e. more severe vascular lesions in the patients with early onset of multiple sclerosis. Methods Localization and degree of venous blockages in 350 multiple sclerosis patients were assessed using catheter venography. …
Diagnostic accuracy of current sonographic criteria for the detection of outflow abnormalities in the internal jugular veins
Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluation of the diagnostic value of Doppler sonography for the assessment of abnormalities in the internal jugular veins (IJVs). Method: One hundred and sixteen IJVs were assessed in 58 patients with associated multiple sclerosis. Findings of Doppler sonography were compared with results of the reference test: catheter venography. Results: At least one positive extracranial sonographic criterion suggesting venous abnormality was found in 92.2% of the assessed veins. Yet, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of sonography were low: 93.4%, 12.0%, 79.4% and 33.3% for at least one positive criterion, and for at least two positiv…
Endovascular treatment for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency: is the procedure safe?
Objectives The aim of this report is to assess the safety of endovascular treatment for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). Although balloon angioplasty and stenting seem to be safe procedures, there are currently no data on the treatment of a large group of patients with this vascular pathology. Methods A total of 564 endovascular procedures (balloon angioplasty or, if this procedure failed, stenting) were performed during 344 interventions in 331 CCSVI patients with associated multiple sclerosis. Results Balloon angioplasty alone was performed in 192 cases (55.8%), whereas the stenting of at least one vein was required in the remaining 152 cases (44.2%). There were no majo…
Optimal interventional treatment in a patient with occlusion of the brachiocephalic trunk and left subclavian artery with “double” steal syndrome
Subclavian steal syndrome, which comprises reversal of flow in the ipsilateral vertebral artery with stenosis or occlusion of the subclavian artery (SA) or brachiocephalic trunk (BCT), was first described by Contorni in 1960 [1]. This clinical syndrome manifests with the signs and symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, but can also be asymptomatic. This paper describes a step-by-step technique of complex endovascular treatment for a double steal syndrome caused by occlusions of the BCT and the left SA, associated with stenosis of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) and reversed flow in the left external carotid artery (ECA).
Retinal abnormalities in multiple sclerosis patients with associated chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive method for the assessment of optic nerve fibers and retinal ganglion cells. This study was aimed at the assessment of retinal abnormalities in multiple sclerosis patients in the context of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency using OCT of the retina and the optic nerve. We examined 239 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, including 220 patients with associated chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and 19 MS patients without venous pathology. The following OCT parameters were assessed: average ganglion cell complex thickness, global loss volume, focal loss volume and average retinal nerve fibre layer thickness. Abnormalities in the…
Endothelin-1 concentrations in the internal jugular and azygous veins in multiple sclerosis patients: the results of a pilot study
Objectives: In this pilot study we examined the potent vasoconstrictor, endothelin-1, in the blood of multiple sclerosis patients in the context of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency hypothesis. For this purpose we measured endothelin-1 concentrations in blood samples that were obtained during selective catheterisation of the main veins draining the central nervous system: the internal jugular veins and the azygous vein. Material and methods: We measured endothelin-1 concentrations in peripheral blood in nine multiple sclerosis patients and five healthy controls. In multiple sclerosis patients this peptide was also evaluated in blood samples obtained from the internal jugular veins …
Endovascular thrombectomy with the AngioJet System for the treatment of intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism: a case report of two patients
Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the leading causes of death and ranks third, after myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke, among fatal hospital-related cardiovascular events [1–3]. Mortality associated with PE can be lowered by early treatments aimed at restoring patency of occluded pulmonary arteries (PAs). Although systemic thrombolysis remains the recommended management of PE [4], recent advances in endovascular techniques, especially of rheolytic thrombectomy, suggest that the endovascular approach can represent an alternative therapeutic strategy [5–9]. Here we describe endovascular treatment of two patients with acute PE. We used the AngioJet (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA,…
Multiple sclerosis, an unlikely cause of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency: retrospective analysis of catheter venography.
Objectives It is unknown if a relationship exists between multiple sclerosis and chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and if this venous pathology is a causal factor for multiple sclerosis or is a product of a neurological disease. Even so, one should expect that if multiple sclerosis were the cause for venous lesions, then patients with an extended history of the disease would present with a more severe venous pathology. Design Retrospective analysis of catheter venography of the azygous and internal jugularveins, and duration of clinical history of the disease in multiple sclerosis patients. Setting Mono-profile specialist hospital. Participants 353 multiple sclerosis patients, with…
Catheter venography for the assessment of internal jugular veins and azygous vein: position statement by expert panel of the International Society for Neurovascular Disease.
This document by an expert panel of the International Society for Neurovascular Disease is aimed at presenting current technique and interpretation of catheter venography of the internal jugular veins, azygous vein and other veins draining the central nervous system. Although interventionalists agree on general rules, significant differences exist in terms of details of venographic technique and interpretations of angiographic pictures. It is also suggested that debatable findings should be investigated using multimodal diagnostics. Finally, the authors recommend that any publication on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency should include detailed description of venographic technique u…