Stone, William M.

Background To review long-term outcomes and saphenous vein (SV) occlusion rate after endovenous ablation (EVA) for symptomatic varicose veins. Methods A review of our EVA database (1998–2018) with at least 3-years of clinical and sonographic follow-up. The primary end point was SV closure rate. Results 542 limbs were evaluated. 358 limbs had radiofrequency and 323 limbs had laser ablations; 542 great saphenous veins (GSV), 106 small saphenous veins (SSV) and 33 anterior accessory saphenous veins (AASV) were treated. Follow-up was 5.6 ± 2.3 years; 508 (74.6%) veins were occluded, 53 (7.8%) partially occluded and 120 (17.6%) were patent. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, male sex (HR 1.6, 95% CI [0.46–018], p = 0.012) and use anticoagulation (HR 2.0, 95% CI [0.69–0.34], p = 0.044) were predictors of long-term failure. On Kaplan-Meier curve, we had an 86.3% occlusion rate. Conclusion Our experience revealed a 5-year closure rate of 86.3%. Ablations have satisfactory occlusion rate.

AbstractLittle is known about the surgical challenges and outcomes of kidney transplantation (KT) in the face of severe iliac occlusive disease (IOD). We aim to examine our institution's experience and outcomes compared with all KT patients. Retrospective review of our multi-institutional transplant database identified patients with IOD requiring vascular surgery involvement for iliac artery endarterectomy at time of KT from 2000 to 2018. Clinical data, imaging studies, and surgical outcomes of 22 consecutive patients were reviewed. Our primary end-point was allograft survival. Secondary end-points included mortality and perioperative complications. A total of 6,757 KT were performed at our three sites (Florida, Arizona, and Minnesota); there were 22 (0.32%) patients receiving a KT with concomitant IOD requiring iliac artery endarterectomy. Mean patient age was 61.45 ± 7 years. There were 13 (59.1%) male patients. The most common etiology of renal failure was diabetic nephropathy in 10 patients (45.5%) followed by a combination of hypertensive/diabetic nephropathy in five patients (22.7%), and hypertensive nephrosclerosis in three patients (13.6%). The majority (n = 16, 72.7%) of patients received renal allografts from deceased donors and six (27.3%) were recipients from living donors. Mean time from dialysis to transplantation was 2.9 ± 2.9 years. Mean follow-up was 3.5 ± 2.5 years. Mean length of hospital stay was 6.3 ± 4.3 days (range: 3–18 days). Graft loss within 90 days occurred in two (9.1%) patients, one due to renal vein thrombosis and another due to acute tubular necrosis. Overall allograft survival was 90.1% at 1-year and 86.4% at 3-year follow-up. Overall mortality occurred in 6 (27.3%) patients. Perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo Grade 2–4) occurred in 13 (59.1%) patients, including 10 (45.5%) with acute blood loss anemia requiring transfusion, 2 (9.1%) reoperations for hematoma evacuation, 1 (4.5%) ischemic colitis requiring total abdominal colectomy, and 1 (4.5%) renal vein thrombosis requiring nephrectomy. IOD patients selected for KT are not common and although challenging, they have similar outcomes to our standard KT patients. The 1- and 3-year allograft survivals were 90.1 and 86.4% versus 96.0 and 90.3% in the general KT patient population. With these excellent outcomes, we recommend expanding the criteria for KT to include patients with IOD with prior vascular surgery consultation to prevent progression of IOD or prevention of wait list removal in select patients who are otherwise good candidates for KT.

Introduction: This study aims to describe robot assisted surgery of the inferior vena cava (IVC) by assessing techniques utilized, perioperative outcomes, complications, and long-term patency of the IVC. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all robotic surgeries involving dissection and repair of the IVC at our institution. Patient characteristics, operative reports, and follow-up visits were analyzed. Preoperative and postoperative imaging was independently reviewed by a single radiologist to determine changes in IVC diameter. Complications were analyzed according to early (<30 days) vs late (>30 days). Results: Thirty-four patients underwent robot assisted surgery of the vena cava from 2008 to 2018. Twenty-six cases were performed for urologic malignancy, four were performed for IVC filter explantation, and four renal vein transpositions were performed for nutcracker syndrome. Twenty-four of the 26 patients with urologic malignancy underwent radical nephrectomy with IVC tumor thrombectomy. Three cases were converted to open. Median length of stay was two nights, and mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 375 mL. There were five complications, ranging from Clavien-Dindo grade II–IIIa, four of which were early complications. No patients required return to the operating room, and there were no perioperative mortalities. IVC diameter was reduced by 41% on axial diameter, with no patients experiencing compromised venous return. Conclusion: Robot assisted surgery offers the advantage of minimally invasive surgery with the ability to apply open surgical principles. In our series, an experienced multidisciplinary team approach yielded low EBL, short length of stay, and low complication rates.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) refers to a group of genetic disorders involving the connective tissues. Type IV EDS impairs type III collagen that is responsible for vessel integrity. Patients with type IV EDS are susceptible to vascular and visceral complications, including aortic aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, dissections, and spontaneous rupture of internal organs. Treating aneurysms with open surgery versus endovascular techniques each carry a unique risk-to-benefit ratio that must be applied to each individual carefully. We present a patient with type IV EDS who presented with a rapidly growing inferior mesenteric artery aneurysm. The patient was treated with a percutaneous endovascular technique using coils and n-butyl-cyanoacrylate glue.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common heart condition in adults. Closure with a septal occluder device is a safe, well-established treatment option with excellent clinical outcomes. One rare complication of percutaneous PFO closure is embolization of the device to the heart chambers or distal vasculature. Most device migrations are recognized during or shortly after implantation. While many endovascular retrievals of migrated devices are successful, there are still a high percentage of surgical interventions performed. We report a case of a septal occluder device that embolized to the abdominal aorta and was discovered 7 days after implantation. Endovascular techniques with a snare and endobronchial forceps were used to retrieve the device safely.

Successful dialysis access necessitates superficial arteriovenous fistula (AVF) placement to facilitate identification of anatomical landmarks for safe cannulation. Suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL) may be an alternative to traditional surgical AVF revision procedures for placing fistulas more superficially. Three patients with an average body mass index of 45.2 kg/m 2 , with inaccessible AVFs due to obesity, underwent ultrasound-guided SAL of their upper extremities. Successful cannulation was achieved within two weeks. A clinically insignificant hematoma and arm swelling occurred in one patient. SAL provides a safe and effective alternative for salvaging deep AVFs for dialysis access in the upper extremities of obese patients.

SAGE-Journals-Accessible-Video-Player 10.1089/vid.2013.0019.M1 sj-vid-1-vid-10.1089_vid.2013.0019

We present a 33-year-old dialysis-dependent female who presented with new onset split second heart sound. Following a failed left upper extremity dialysis fistula, a right upper extremity hemodialysis reliable outflow (HeRO) graft was performed in 2011. Her subsequent cadaveric renal transplant had delayed function necessitating concurrent use of hemodialysis. However, as renal function improved, hemodialysis was discontinued. Two weeks following transplantation, the HeRO graft occluded. Subsequent clinical and radiological assessment confirmed widespread pulmonary emboli. Following cessation of hemodialysis and subsequent HeRO graft occlusion, removal was deemed appropriate to reduce further thromboembolic phenomenon. Right atrial thrombi are complications associated with central venous catheters. However, their actual incidence varies significantly. Right heart thromboemboli are associated with a 4% to 6% pulmonary embolism rate. Katzman et al assessed 38 patients who underwent HeRO graft and reported 1 (2.6%) patient with right atrial emboli and likely pulmonary embolism. Although thrombotic complications remain rare, consideration of graft removal should always be evaluated particularly in the absence of an alternative thrombotic source.