Ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography for endovascular aortic repair surveillance in a patient after renal transplant.

Endovascular aneurysm repair requires lifelong imaging surveillance, typically with contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging. This poses risks to patients with end-stage renal disease. Ferumoxytol, a superparamagnetic iron-based nanoparticle with minimal nephrotoxicity, has emerged as an alternative contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography in patients with renal impairment.

Perioperative Outcomes for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Based on Aneurysm Diameter.

Background: Guidelines from the Society for Vascular Surgery recommend elective repair in asymptomatic patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) only if their diameter is greater than or equal to 5.5 cm, yet smaller ones are routinely repaired. This study aims to evaluate perioperative outcomes based on aneurysm size at the time of repair.

False-negative upper extremity ultrasound in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein thrombosis due to thoracic outlet syndrome (Paget-Schroetter syndrome).

Objective: To assess the utilization and consequences of upper extremity Duplex ultrasound in the initial diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein (SCV) thrombosis and venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS).

Methods: A retrospective single-center review was conducted for patients that underwent primary surgical treatment for VTOS between 2008 and 2017, in whom an upper extremity ultrasound had been performed as the initial diagnostic test (n = 214). Clinical and treatment characteristics were compared between patients with positive and false-negative ultrasound studies.

MR-based attenuation correction for PET/MRI neurological studies with continuous-valued attenuation coefficients for bone through a conversion from R2* to CT-Hounsfield units.

Aim: MR-based correction for photon attenuation in PET/MRI remains challenging, particularly for neurological applications requiring quantitation of data. Existing methods are either not sufficiently accurate or are limited by the computation time required. The goal of this study was to develop an MR-based attenuation correction method that accurately separates bone tissue from air and provides continuous-valued attenuation coefficients for bone.

Probabilistic Air Segmentation and Sparse Regression Estimated Pseudo CT for PET/MR Attenuation Correction.

Purpose: To develop a positron emission tomography (PET) attenuation correction method for brain PET/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging by estimating pseudo computed tomographic (CT) images from T1-weighted MR and atlas CT images.

Materials And Methods: In this institutional review board-approved and HIPAA-compliant study, PET/MR/CT images were acquired in 20 subjects after obtaining written consent. A probabilistic air segmentation and sparse regression (PASSR) method was developed for pseudo CT estimation.

Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Vascular Registry evaluation of comparative effectiveness of carotid revascularization procedures stratified by Medicare age.

Objective: Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that age significantly affects the outcome of carotid revascularization procedures. This study used data from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Registry (VR) to report the influence of age on the comparative effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS).

Methods: VR collects provider-reported data on patients using a Web-based database.

Outcomes of percutaneous endovascular intervention for type II endoleak with aneurysm expansion.

Objective: Type II endoleak (T2EL) with aneurysm expansion is believed to place patients at risk for aneurysm-related mortality (ARM). Treatment with glue and/or coil embolization of the aneurysm sac, inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), and lumbar branches via translumbar or transarterial approaches has been utilized to ablate such endoleaks, and thus decrease ARM. We evaluated the midterm results of percutaneous endovascular treatment of T2EL with aneurysm expansion.

Population-based analysis of inpatient vascular procedures and predicting future workload and implications for training.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the trend in inpatient vascular procedures in the United States over the past decade and predict the future demand for vascular surgeons.

Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to determine the weighted national estimates of inpatient vascular procedures performed on adult patients (age ≥ 18) between 1997 and 2008. Using population estimates from the United States Census Bureau, the per capita rates of inpatient procedures were calculated for age-specific groups (18-64 years, 65-84 years, and ≥ 85 years).

Use of a bifurcated endovascular graft for treatment of endograft migration with major endoleak.

The purpose of this study was to describe the use of a bifurcated endovascular graft to treat endograft migration with major endoleaks. We present four patients who presented at a mean of 72.0 months after their initial endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Long-term outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair for challenging aortic necks using the Talent endograft.

The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for challenging aortic necks. Subgroup analyses were performed on 156 patients from the prospective multicenter Talent eLPS (enhanced Low Profile Stent Graft System) trial. Patients with high-risk aortic necks (length < 15 mm or diameter ≥28 mm) were compared with the remaining patients.

Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Registry evaluation of stent cell design on carotid artery stenting outcomes.

Objective: The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Vascular Registry (VR) collects data on outcomes of carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting (CAS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of open vs closed cell stent design on the in-hospital and 30-day outcome of CAS.

Methods: The VR collects provider-reported data on patients using a Web-based database.

Outcome of endovascular repair of small and large abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: To evaluate the outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in patients with small (≤5.4 cm) and large (≥5.5 cm) abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).

Midterm outcomes of the Zenith Renu AAA Ancillary Graft.

Objective: The Zenith Renu abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) Ancillary Graft (Cook Medical Inc, Bloomington, Ind) provides active proximal fixation for treatment of pre-existing endografts with failed or failing proximal fixation or seal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the midterm outcomes of treatment with this device.

Methods: From September 2005 to November 2006, a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter, postmarket registry was utilized to collect physician experiences from 151 cases (89 converters and 62 main body extensions) at 95 institutions.

Hybrid repair of distal arch aortic aneurysms: endovascular elephant trunk completion.

Background: Traditional open repair of distal arch aortic aneurysms requires a two-stage procedure associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The introduction of thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair has created a less invasive option to complete the second stage of the repair after proximal elephant trunk creation. The present study reports a series of patients treated with a combined open proximal and endovascular distal repair of distal arch aortic aneurysms.

A 5-year comparison of EVAR for large and small aortic necks.

Purpose: To compare the long-term outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Talent endograft for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with large and small aortic necks.

Methods: Data on 156 patients (142 men; mean age 74.1 years, range 41-89) with adequate preoperative imaging were obtained from the prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter Talent eLPS trial, which enrolled patients from February 2002 to April 2003.

Long-term outcome of endovascular popliteal artery aneurysm repair.

Background: Popliteal artery aneurysms have traditionally been repaired with an open surgical approach. However, endovascular popliteal artery repair (EVPAR) has been used in selected patients because of its less invasive nature. In this report, we present our long-term outcomes for EVPAR.

A 5-year evaluation using the talent endovascular graft for endovascular aneurysm repair in short aortic necks.

Background: Although endovascular aneurysm repair has been shown to be an effective way to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), certain anatomic characteristics such as a short aortic neck, limit its applicability. Initially, commercially available devices were approved only for the treatment of AAA with an aortic neck length ≥ 15 mm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of the recently approved Talent endograft for AAAs with a short aortic neck length (10-15 mm).

Arterial access for thoracic endograft placement.

Background: Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic disease continues to evolve since FDA approval of the first thoracic endograft in the United States in March 2005. Certain anatomic characteristics, including adequacy of arterial access, remain a significant limiting factor in thoracic endovascular repair. In clinical trials evaluating thoracic endografts, vascular access complications occurred in >20% of cases.

Use of a surgeon-modified branched thoracic endograft to preserve an aortorenal bypass during treatment of an intercostal patch aneurysm.

A 72-year-old man presented with thoracic pain. Nine years earlier, a descending aortic dissection with aneurysmal degeneration had been treated by thoracoabdominal aortic graft placement with reimplantation of a visceral patch and an intercostal patch. A separate left aortorenal bypass had also been performed with the bypass originating from the thoracic portion of the graft.

A comparative analysis of the outcomes of aortic cuffs and converters for endovascular graft migration.

Objective: Proximal attachment failure, often leading to graft migration, is a severe complication of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Aortic cuffs have been used to treat proximal attachment failure with mixed results. The Zenith Renu AAA Ancillary Graft (Cook Inc, Bloomington, Ind) is available in two configurations: converter and main body extension.

Acceptable risk but small benefit of endovascular aneurysm repair in nonagenarians.

Background: We report the outcomes of a single-center experience with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in nonagenarians.

Methods: Via a retrospective medical records review, we identified all patients > or = 90 years old who underwent EVAR at a single university teaching hospital during a 5-year period (January 2004 to December 2008). Patients were evaluated for surgical risk factor profile, preoperative imaging, technical success, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and need for secondary intervention.

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of doxycycline after endoluminal aneurysm repair.

Background: The late durability of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has been limited by progressive aortic degeneration believed to be mediated by matrix metalloproteases (MMP). The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of a MMP inhibitor, doxycycline, on EVAR.

Methods: Patients undergoing EVAR were randomized to doxycycline (100 mg twice daily) or placebo for 6 months following the procedure.

Complications of carotid artery stenting are largely preventable: a retrospective error analysis.

Procedure-related complications with carotid artery stenting must be minimized for it to be a valid treatment for carotid stenosis. Failure analysis was done for 207 carotid stent procedures. All complications were reviewed and technical errors were identified.