Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysm. The experience of two centers.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms are a rare but serious complication of aortic surgery. Treatment with traditional open surgery is associated with a high rate of perioperative mortality and morbidity. Endovascular treatment is less invasive and guarantees lower mortality and morbidity rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of short-, medium- and long-term endovascular treatment of these pseudoaneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over the past 10 years, 14 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms, which developed after prior aortic surgery, underwent endovascular treatment involving implantation of an endoprosthesis at our institutions. Exclusion criteria were emerg…

Intraoperative cell salvage in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) on the early outcome after open repair (OR) of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). Methods. This is a retrospective review of 73 consecutive patients who underwent emergency OR of infrarenal rAAA with ICS between 2005 and 2008 (Group I), compared to 51 repairs from 2002-2004 with no ICS (Group II). In addition, a transfusion protocol of platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) administration on admission and during surgery was adopted in patients in Group I to maintain coagulation competence. Results. ICS reduced bank blood demand by 63.6% (from 11 to 4 units, P<0.001) compared to controls, and …

carotid endarterectomy versus stenting in patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion

THE POSTERIOR APPROACH IN THE REPAIR OF POPLITEAL ARTERY ANEURYSMS: A TWO CENTER EXPERIENCE

Objective: Popliteal artery aneurysms (PAA) are most frequent among peripheral aneurysms. The most commonly performed surgical repair is proximal and distal ligation with a saphenous vein bypass. We aim to report the early and mid-term outcome of surgical repair of popliteal artery aneurysms via a posterior approach. Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent surgical PAA repair in two vascular surgery units between 1998 and 2009 was performed. Within this group, the posterior approach was used in 28 repairs in 26 patients (25 men). All patients had an ultrasound examination. Eighteen patients underwent conventional angiography while CT angiography with 3-D recons…

Emergency endovascular repair of an acute aortocaval fistula with AAA: Case report and review of the literature

A 72-year-old man with sudden abdominal pain and congestive cardiac failure presented a high-flow aortocaval fistula with a large abdominal aortic aneurysm as detected by Duplex ultrasonography and computed tomography angiography. As the patient’s multiple comorbidities precluded open repair, an emergency left aortouniiliac stent-graft deployment and femoro-femoral crossover bypass grafting were performed. Notwithstanding, incomplete exclusion of the fistula due to a small inflow from the contralateral iliac axis, the patient’s cardiac overload decreased with a rapid resolution of cardiac failure, allowing for a staged ligation of the right iliac artery with a complete occlusion of the aort…

Carotid endarterectomy versus stenting in patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion

Aim. The aim of this prospective study was to compare outcomes after CEA and CAS in patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion. Methods. Between 2004 and 2009, 527 consecutive patients underwent CEA (N.=281) or CAS (N.=246) for severe stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA). Of them, 85 (16.1%) were identified with contralateral carotid artery occlusion. CEA was performed in 31(36.4%) patients with contralateral ICA occlusion, and 15 (48.4%) were symptomatic. Intraoperative shunts were placed in 12% versus 41.9% (P<0.001) patients with patent (N.=250) or occluded contralateral ICA (N.=31). Fifty-four (63.5%) patients with contralateral ICA occlusion underwent CAS with distal pro…