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Biomedical subjects

J M Giordano

Publications and source records attributed to J M Giordano.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Experience with surgical treatment of Takayasu's disease.

We reviewed 28 patients with Takayasu's disease to determine the incidence of stroke and its relationship to the involvement of the thoracic aortic arch and its branches. We describe surgical experiences with 10 of the 28 patients who required 21 vascular surgical procedures for critical thoracic aortic arch arterial stenoses, upper and lower extremity ischemia, and renal artery stenoses. Four of the 28 patients initially had a stroke caused by occlusion of one or more thoracic aortic arch arteries. Six of the 10 patients underwent 7 bypass procedures for critical thoracic arch stenoses. All have remained free of stroke for 5 or more years. Four patients had five anastomotic stenoses or graft occlusions in late follow-up; the development of these stenoses did not relate to disease activity at the time of the operative procedure. All bypass grafts originating from the subclavian axillary artery developed anastomotic stenoses; no anastomotic stenoses occurred in bypass grafts originating from the ascending aorta. In contrast to other reports, no anastomotic false aneurysms occurred. Occlusions of major aortic arch arteries in Takayasu's disease cause stroke. Bypass of critically stenoses aortic arch arteries protects against stroke and is best performed with grafts originating from the ascending aorta. Anastomotic stenoses but not anastomotic aneurysms are common. This study suggests that aggressive surgical treatment can be performed with good results.

Adult

Arteriovenous fistula simulating arteriovenous malformation.

A 36-year-old man was thought (for 20 years) to have an arteriovenous malformation that could not be excised. Repeated ligations of proximal arterial supply to the vascular lesion were only transiently beneficial and may have caused a delay in correct diagnosis because of impaired angioaccess. Once it was discovered that he had an arteriovenous fistula--probably caused by a tonsillectomy at age 6--it was possible to occlude the fistula with detachable balloons. The mass and his headaches subsequently resolved. AV fistulas are caused by trauma. Growth of AVMs is often stimulated by trauma. Both lesions have pulsatile masses associated with overlying bruits. The differential diagnosis can usually be made by arteriography, since AV fistulas are acquired lesions with a single communication between an artery and a vein, whereas AVMs are congenital lesions with multiple, large arterial feeding vessels and numerous arteriovenous communications. Proper diagnosis is important, since AVMs are aggressive lesions that tend to regrow if not completely excised. AV fistulas will be cured if the single arteriovenous communication can be obliterated. Proper treatment for AV fistula is obliteration of the single arteriovenous communication, operatively or with occlusive balloons; treatment of AVMs--when possible--is excision of the entire mass, combined (on occasion) with preoperative embolization of the tumor mass. This case report emphasizes the importance of accuracy in the differential diagnosis between arteriovenous malformations and arteriovenous fistulas; moreover, it demonstrates both the ineffectiveness and deleterious consequences of proximal arterial ligation, since collateral development is enhanced and angiographic access is compromised.

Adolescent

Iliac arterial-enteric fistulas occurring after pelvic irradiation.

Fistulas from the iliac artery to the bowel constitute a condition that is often lethal. Excluding fistulas related to vascular grafts, a review of previously reported cases shows that they are most often due to atherosclerotic iliac aneurysms. Three unusual cases of this condition that occurred after high-dose pelvic irradiation for treatment of cancer are presented; in no case was recurrent tumor evident. These cases suggest that high-dose pelvic irradiation can predispose to the formation of iliac arterial-enteric fistulas, particularly if sepsis or inflammation develops. The definitive surgical management of these fistulas entails bowel resection, arterial ligation, and extra-anatomic bypass.

Adult

Anomalies of the inferior vena cava.

The inferior vena cava is formed by a complex process of embryogenesis during the sixth to tenth week of gestation. Improper completion of the process may result in four anatomic anomalies: duplication of the inferior vena cava, transposition or left-sided inferior vena cava, retroaortic left renal vein, and circumaortic left renal vein. The first two anomalies can be diagnosed by sonography and all four anomalies can be seen on CT scan of the abdomen. Duplication and transposition of the inferior vena cava should be further delineated by preoperative phlebography. Preoperative diagnosis of the anomalies should reduce the complication rate of abdominal aortic operations.

Aged

Regional nerve block for femoropopliteal and tibial arterial reconstructions.

Thirteen high-risk patients underwent lower extremity revascularization anesthetized with a regional nerve block technique. The sciatic, femoral, and obturator nerves were infiltrated with 1% lidocaine and 0.25% bupivacaine. Eight femoropopliteal and five femorotibial bypasses were performed for limb salvage (11 patients), disabling claudication (one patient), and popliteal artery aneurysm (one patient). Analgesia was adequate with only one patient who needed supplemental nitrous oxide. One patient died on the sixth postoperative day of a myocardial infarction. Regional nerve block is an effective anesthetic technique that should be considered if general or spinal anesthesia is inappropriate.

Adult

Transperitoneal approach and right retroperitoneal dissection for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Most abdominal aortic aneurysms can be resected through a standard transperitoneal approach. In patients with large aneurysms, supra-renal extension of the aneurysm, those requiring renal reconstructive procedures and in patients who have had previous extensive intra-abdominal operations, alternative approaches have been recommended. We exposed the abdominal aorta in ten of these difficult patients using a midline transperitoneal incision and right retroperitoneal dissection that provided excellent exposure of the suprarenal aorta. We recommend this technique for performance of complicated abdominal aortic aneurysm resections.

Aorta, Abdominal

Vascular malformations.

Fourteen patients with hemangiomas or arteriovenous malformations treated with operative management are described. Particular emphasis is placed on the definition of terms and the methods of differentiating arteriovenous fistulas, hemangiomas, and arteriovenous malformations. Arteriovenous fistulas are acquired lesions consisting of a single communication. Hemangiomas are congential lesions that rarely pulsate or have an associated bruit; moreover by angiography they have multiple small feeding arterial vessels and histologically are composed of numerous thin-walled, but normal-appearing, blood vessels. Arteriovenous malformations are also congenital but they pulsate and have associated bruits; furthermore on angiography they have a number of larger arterial feeding vessels and histologically are composed of abnormal dysplastic vessels. Operative management of all lesions should be carefully planned and executed. Arteriovenous malformations and skeletal muscle hemangiomas will have a tendency to recur if not completely excised.

Adolescent

Timing of carotid artery endarterectomy after stroke.

Carotid endarterectomy has been advocated to prevent further neurologic deterioration in patients who have had a stroke. Previous reports have shown that endarterectomy within 2 weeks of a stroke is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates presumably from hemorrhagic complications in the brain. Some recommend a 2- to 6-week waiting period after a stroke, but the safety of operation in the interval of time beyond 2 weeks has not been documented in the literature. The present study investigated the morbidity and mortality rates of 352 consecutive carotid endarterectomies. Three hundred three endarterectomies were performed on patients with symptoms other than stroke. Forty-nine endarterectomies were performed on patients with a deficit lasting more than 24 hours. Of these, 27 carotid endarterectomies were performed in an interval less than 5 weeks after initial stroke (early interval) and 22 operations were performed in a 5- to 20-week interval after stroke (late interval). Five strokes occurred in the 27 patients operated on within 5 weeks, an incidence of 18.5%; none of the patients operated on after 5 weeks exhibited worsening of their preoperative neurologic status. With the use of Fisher's exact test to compare these two intervals, the results were found to be significant (p less than 0.05). The cause of stroke in those operated on in the early interval was investigated by postoperative CT scans; in only one instance was there a hemorrhagic infarct of the ipsilateral hemisphere. The literature suggests that a variety of intracerebral vascular changes render the brain more susceptible to reinfarction soon after stroke. This study suggests an unstable situation in the 5-week interval following stroke that contraindicates carotid endarterectomy.

Adult

Lytic therapy in the treatment of axillary and subclavian vein thrombosis.

The importance of individualized treatment of patients with primary and secondary axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis is described with special emphasis on the use of thrombolytic therapy. Nine patients were treated with streptokinase or urokinase. Balloon dilation of the axillary or subclavian vein and first rib resection were also selectively used. Of the five patients with primary axillary-subclavian thrombosis, three did not have symptoms after the thrombus was lysed. Two had successful lysis of the thrombus but later suffered a rethrombosis, one of which most likely resulted from an untreated stenosis. All four of the patients with secondary thrombosis had successful thrombolysis. Patients with primary axillary-subclavian thrombosis are usually young and as many as 40% continue to have intermittent upper extremity edema or pain. For this reason we believe aggressive attempts to reestablish normal venous return through the axillary and subclavian veins are warranted. Patients with secondary axillary-subclavian thrombosis usually require prolonged venous catheterization for chemotherapy or total parenteral nutrition. Since patency of major upper extremity veins is extremely important in these patients with secondary thrombosis, we believe that vigorous attempts to restore these venous access routes are indicated and appropriate.

Adult

Priority of revascularization in patients with graft enteric fistulas, infected arteries, or infected arterial prostheses.

Patients with arterial infections, infected arterial prostheses, or graft enteric erosions or fistulas have high amputation and mortality rates after treatment. An unresolved therapeutic question is whether remote ("extra-anatomic") bypass should precede or follow removal of the infected artery or prosthesis. None of the ten patients reported here who had a remote bypass inserted first developed distal limb ischemia or infection of the remote bypass. Literature review of patients with aortic prosthetic infections revealed a mortality of 71% (10/14) if infected graft removal preceded remote bypass and 26% (6/23) if remote bypass was first. Patients with graft enteric erosions or fistulas had a mortality of 53% (40/75) if graft removal was first and 17% (5/29) if remote bypass was first. Subsequent infection of the remote bypass was rare. Therefore, when possible, remote bypass with a prosthetic graft should precede removal of an infected artery, an infected arterial prosthesis, a graft enteric erosion, or a graft enteric fistula.

Aged

Delayed arterial embolectomy.

Eight instances of delayed or late embolectomy are presented with a review of 241 additional patients from the literature. The time interval from clinical onset to embolectomy ranged from three days to eight weeks in our series and two days to seven weeks in the additional 12 series surveyed. One amputation and seven successful restorations of arterial pulses occurred in our series. One hundred and seventy-two viable extremities, 48 amputations and 30 deaths were reviewed among the additional series. Intraoperative arteriography and a direct operative approach to the distal arterial tree would improve the results for those patients who require a delayed embolectomy.

Adult

Regional hemodynamics of large and small femoral arteriovenous fistulas in dogs.

Alterations in regional hemodynamics were determined after construction of side-to-side femoral arteriovenous fistulas in dogs to quantitate the relationship between fistula size and reversal of distal arterial blood flow. When fistula size exceeded the transverse diameter of the femoral artery and vein (large fistula group), reversal in distal arterial blood flow was observed in all fistulas and measured 48 +/- 7 ml. per minute. If the fistula size were approximately equal to these critical transverse diameters (small fistula group), distal arterial flow was reduced but reversal did not occur. Distal arterial and venous pressures were 42 +/- 5 and 35 +/- 4 mn. Hg, respectively, for the large fistula group, and these pressures were 79 +/- 5 and 17 +/- 2 mn. Ht, respectively, for the small fistula group. These pressure changes for the two groups were significantly different and may provide a better understanding of the physiology of the reversal phenomenon.

Animals