Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Picus.
We report a case of arteriovenous fistula and pseudoaneurysm formation following endopyelotomy. Presentation, successful management with interventional radiology techniques, and the relationship between variant renal artery anatomy and endopyelotomy are discussed.
An animal model was developed to study ureteral occlusion produced by steel coils and gelatin sponge. A coil nest was formed in the ureter, and in all but one pig, gelatin sponge pledgets were incorporated in the coil nest. Animals were killed at 2 hours, 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months. High-grade obstruction was present immediately following the procedure in all animals and was documented to be persistent by means of antegrade nephrostograms obtained just prior to death. At gross examination after death, ureteral thickening and strictures were evident. Histologic studies helped confirm the presence of acute and chronic inflammatory changes. In the in vivo model, gelatin sponge was not found necessary for acute ureteral occlusion. However, in an ancillary in vitro study in which a rigid plastic tube was used, gelatin sponge was necessary in addition to coil occlusion to provide acute total obstruction. The authors' findings suggest that in a compliant ureter, coil occlusion alone produces sufficient mechanical occlusion. Long-term obstruction is probably due to mechanical obstruction and stricture formation.
A previous report described the use of coils and gelatin sponge pledgets as a means of producing ureteral occlusion to achieve urinary diversion in patients with urinary fistulas. The authors have performed this procedure in nine ureters of six patients. Five of the patients had urinary leaks with extensive pelvic tumor, and one had severe chronic cystitis. Ureters were occluded with use of Gianturco coils and gelatin sponge pledgets placed via a sheath through a percutaneous nephrostomy tract. The procedure was successful in all patients as judged by means of antegrade nephrostogram or intravenous pyelogram and by marked improvement or complete resolution of symptoms.
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Percutaneous gastrostomy was performed in 27 patients with ages ranging from 7 months to 18 years (mean, 8 years). Patient weights ranged from 4.7 to 73 kg (mean, 25 kg). Access to the stomach was planned and achieved with only fluoroscopic guidance. The technical success rate was 100%. Major procedure-related complications including death, sepsis, hemorrhage, peritonitis, or early tube removal did not occur. The minor complication of local skin infection occurred in six patients. Twenty-six patients (96%) tolerated tube feedings well. Mean follow-up was 184 days, and median follow-up was 103 days. At 30 days, 26 patients (96%) were alive. Percutaneous gastrostomy under fluoroscopic guidance is a safe and effective method of obtaining long-term nonparenteral nutritional access in pediatric patients.
The authors reviewed their experience with percutaneous gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy in 30 consecutive patients who had undergone prior gastric surgery consisting of either partial resections (n = 24) or alteration of normal gastric anatomy (n = 6). Parameters evaluated included indications for the procedure, procedural modifications, type of prior gastric surgery, major and minor procedural complications, tube efficacy, and follow-up data. Gastrostomy tubes were placed in 27 patients for enteral feeding and in three for decompression. The success rate (100%), as well as the prevalence of major (0%) and minor (23%) morbidity--transient fever, skin infection, and high gastric residuals--were similar to those reported in patients who had not undergone prior gastric surgery. Thirty-day mortality was 13% (four patients); no deaths were related to the gastrostomy tube placement. Minor procedural modifications such as an extra-long needle, a peel-away sheath, or additional rotational fluoroscopy were necessary in 18 patients (60%). Knowledge of the postsurgical gastric anatomy is crucial in this subset of patients. Prior gastric surgery is no longer a contraindication to percutaneous gastrostomy or gastrojejunostomy tube placement.
Transvenous retrieval was attempted in five patients following surgical misplacement of stainless steel Greenfield filters. Four filters were located within the right atrium, and one was in the left hepatic vein. All retrievals were attempted within 5 days of placement. Retrieval was successful for the four filters in the right atrium and failed for the filter in the left hepatic vein. One air embolism occurred; this was the only filter- or retrieval-related complication. Transvenous retrieval is a safe and effective minimally invasive method of removing misplaced filters.
Percutaneous cholecystolithotomy was attempted in 58 consecutive patients. Patients were considered for percutaneous cholecystolithotomy only if they had symptomatic gallstones and a strong contraindication to surgical cholecystectomy. The procedure consisted of three parts: (a) initial percutaneous cholecystostomy, (b) tract dilation and stone removal, and (c) tract evaluation and tube removal. Local anaesthesia and intravenously administered analgesia were used in all procedures. Percutaneous cholecystolithotomy was successful in removing all of the stones in 56 patients (97%), including cystic duct calculi in 15 patients and common duct calculi in 10 patients. Major complications occurred in five patients (9%); in four cases, they were related to bile leakage after the cholecystostomy tube was removed. Thirty-day mortality was 3% (two patients). Advantages of percutaneous cholecystolithotomy include avoidance of general anesthesia and the ability to treat patients in any disease setting, including acute cholecystitis. Percutaneous cholecystolithotomy, although technically demanding, is an effective alternative to surgical cholecystectomy in elderly and debilitated patients.
During a 5-year period, 13 patients who presented with massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage had normal findings on arteriography. Seven had prophylactic embolization of the left gastric artery, and six had conservative therapy. Normal angiographic findings were associated with clinical cessation of bleeding in 12 of 13 patients. Lesions not treated by embolization or other invasive therapy had a high rate of massive recurrent hemorrhage (four of six). Of lesions subsequently found to be supplied by the left gastric artery, two of four cases not treated by embolization or surgery had clinically significant recurrent hemorrhage, whereas none of six cases treated by embolization had recurrent hemorrhage. Prophylactic embolization of the left gastric artery appears warranted when (1) there is definite prior identification of a lesion in the left gastric artery territory or (2) there is no prior localization of a lesion but the patient is at risk for multiorgan failure if bleeding recurs.
Technical problems encountered during percutaneous placement of 165 Bird's Nest filters over 16 months are described. Filter deployment was successful in all patients. Although frequent, the technical problems were all minor with no long-term sequelae. Several problems were inherent to the design of the filter. Other problems related to the patient's anatomy were seen as well. Because deployment of the Bird's Nest filter is more operator-dependent than is deployment of other types of inferior vena cava filters, knowledge of pitfalls and means to avoid problems are particularly important.
Pulmonary arteriovenous (A-V) malformation is frequently a manifestation of Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome (hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia). We identified 14 patients (9 men and 5 women) with A-V malformation by contrast echocardiography; 10 patients with atrial right-to-left shunt served as control subjects. Agitated saline solution (10 ml) was injected through a peripheral vein during echocardiographic imaging. The delay in the appearance of microcavitations in the left atrium was measured (in number of frames) after right atrial appearance. The degree of left ventricular opacification was graded 1 to 4+ (where 4+ = intense left ventricular endocardial outline, and 1+ = minimal opacification). Results indicated patients with A-V malformation had a significant delay (p less than 0.001) in left atrial appearance of microcavitations compared with those with atrial right-to-left shunt (66 +/- 27 vs 21 +/- 7 frames, mean +/- 1 standard deviation). In the group with A-V malformation, abnormal blood gases were present in only 6 of 14 patients and chest x-ray was positive in 7. Pulmonary angiography was performed in 11 of 14 patients with positive contrast echocardiography, and all 11 had A-V malformation identified. In patients with 3 to 4+ left ventricular opacification (n = 8), large (greater than 5 mm feeding vessel) or multiple malformations were present, whereas patients with small or isolated malformation had 1 to 2+ left ventricular opacification. Balloon occlusion of malformations was performed in all 11 of these patients; repeat contrast echocardiography revealed significant diminution of right-to-left shunt in 9, and 2 required repeat embolotherapy for an additional previously undetected A-V malformation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In the last five years angio-interventional techniques have been applied to the recanalization of proximally occluded fallopian tubes in infertile women. The reported technical success of 90% and subsequent pregnancies in up to 54% of patients has led to considerable interest in this technique. This article will discuss current methodologies and review the reported results of this procedure.
Recently, x-ray equipment manufacturers have produced systems capable of generating nonsubtracted digital angiograms (NSDA) of the arteries of the lower extremities with a high-resolution 1,024 x 1,024 matrix. One such system was compared with conventional screen-film angiography (CSFA) for the evaluation of peripheral vascular disease. Both NSDA and CSFA were performed prospectively in an identical fashion on 47 patients. The images were evaluated, and diagnostic adequacy (ie, information sufficient to direct subsequent therapy) and a variety of image quality attributes--vessel opacification, correct timing, complete anatomic coverage, and ease of reading--were compared. CSFA and NSDA provided similar diagnostic information. NSDA was judged superior to CSFA with regard to timing (P less than .001). CSFA was judged superior with regard to anatomic coverage (P less than .001) and ease of reading (P less than .01). NSDA is a promising method for evaluating patients with peripheral vascular disease. Further work is needed to provide more complete anatomic coverage and to improve the quality of the hard-copy images.
A new multilevel infusion catheter for administration of thrombolytic agents is described that provides near equal flow distribution through each of four infusion ports. Advantages of the catheter include fluoroscopically visible infusion length markers, small size (4.7 F), and secure positioning of the catheter within the occluded segment of graft or vessel. This catheter was used for infusion of urokinase in the treatment of 20 peripheral vascular occlusions. Complete or near complete thrombolysis was achieved in all cases.
Fourteen days after removal of an internal jugular catheter inserted prior to renal transplantation, a patient presented with brisk arterial hemorrhage from the insertion site. The hemorrhage, caused by a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the costocervical trunk, was controlled by transcatheter embolization with gelatin particles. One year later the patient reported no problems related to the pseudoaneurysm or its management.
The treatment of patients with chronic gastrointestinal bleeding can be a frustrating diagnostic challenge. In the past 10-15 years, a variety of new diagnostic procedures (e.g., fiber-optic endoscopy, scintigraphy, and double-contrast barium studies) have become available to examine these patients. Despite these new procedures, a small number of patients continue to bleed without a defined cause. We sought to evaluate the role of visceral angiography in patients with chronic gastrointestinal bleeding in whom findings on an extensive noninvasive workup have been normal. Between 1983 and 1990, we obtained angiograms on 36 such patients. The cause of bleeding was established by angiography in 16 patients (44%). In 11 of these 16, angiography revealed only a structural abnormality without active bleeding. Twenty patients had normal angiographic findings. No angiograms were false-positive, but three were false-negative (8%). No complication occurred as a result of the angiographic procedures. Our experience shows that visceral angiography can provide a positive diagnosis in a significant number of patients with chronic gastrointestinal bleeding of obscure origin in whom all other diagnostic measures have been unrevealing. Despite improvements in noninvasive diagnostic techniques, angiography still remains an important tool for examining this group of patients.
Adequate venous outflow is critical to the proper function of a vascular-access graft (arteriovenous fistula) used for chronic hemodialysis. Stenosis of the subclavian vein can significantly compromise this venous outflow. The development of such subclavian vein stenoses has been associated with the prior placement of temporary subclavian vein dialysis catheters. We evaluated the importance of preoperative detection of these stenoses before placement of a permanent vascular-access graft in the upper extremity. Upper extremity venography was performed before placement of a permanent vascular-access graft in 43 patients. A total of 62 extremities were evaluated. A 40% prevalence of moderate or severe subclavian vein stenosis was found in patients with prior or existing temporary dialysis catheters in the subclavian vein. No stenoses were found in patients without a history of dialysis catheters in the subclavian vein. This difference in the prevalence of subclavian vein stenosis is statistically significant (p less than .001). In no case was the stenosis suspected clinically. Before placement of a permanent vascular-access graft, the subclavian vein should be evaluated in all patients with a history of a temporary dialysis catheter in the subclavian vein. The use of sites other than the subclavian vein for temporary dialysis is strongly encouraged.