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Biomedical subjects

L J Schultze Kool

Publications and source records attributed to L J Schultze Kool.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Subintimal angioplasty of supra- and infrageniculate arteries.

We retrospectively reviewed our experience with subintimal angioplasty for chronic limb ischemia. Hospital records and films of all subintimal angioplasty procedures performed between October 2002 and December 2004 were reviewed and analyzed for demographic data, clinical data, and comorbid condition status. Thirty-nine subintimal angioplasties were performed in 37 patients (65% male, 35% female), with a median age of 73 years. Median follow-up was 9 months. The 30-day mortality rate was 8%. All-cause mortality was 33% after 24 months. In 23 cases (59%), a subintimal angioplasty of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) alone was performed. Both the SFA and popliteal/crural vessels were used in nine limbs (23%), the popliteal artery alone in three limbs (8%), and the crural arteries alone in four limbs (10%). Initial technical and clinical success rates were 67% and 49%, respectively. The complication rate was 28%. Twenty-four additional surgical interventions were performed after the initial angioplasty procedure, of which 12 were major amputations. Amputation-free survival (limb-salvage rate) was 69% at 12 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 52-85%], and overall survival was 69% (95% CI 52-85%) at 12 months. In patients with critical limb ischemia, subintimal angioplasty is feasible and in most cases technically successful. In these high-risk patients, often with combined cardiac, pulmonary, and diabetic risk and considered unfit for bypass surgery, subintimal angioplasty offers a safe and effective alternative.

Aged↗

[A child with traumatic hemobilia].

A 4-year-old boy was hit by a car travelling at 40 km/h and was admitted 3.5 h later to the department of paediatric surgery. Because he was haemodynamically unstable and needed blood transfusion, the patient underwent an emergency operation. The liver was ruptured in the right lobe. A large haematoma was found in the serosa of the duodenum, along with a Meckel's diverticle, which was left in place. The liver rupture was covered and sealed. One month after the accident the patient was re-admitted, because of abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. The cause was thought to be the Meckel's diverticle, which was removed later. Two months after the trauma the patient was re-admitted with abdominal pain, again with haematemesis and melaena. The diagnosis of hemobilia was obtained with MRI and angiography, which revealed a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the ramus dexter of the proper hepatic artery. The patient was successfully treated with embolization. The diagnostic delay was two months, which illustrates the importance of considering the possibility of the diagnosis hemobilia in case of gastrointestinal haemorrhage combined with biliary symptoms.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Isolated hepatic perfusion for the treatment of colorectal metastases confined to the liver: recent trends and perspectives.

Isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) involves a method of complete vascular isolation of the liver to allow treatment of liver tumours with toxic systemic doses. The recent clinical studies mainly employed IHP with melphalan with or without tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and mild hyperthermia. The results of these studies show that high response rates and high survival rates can be achieved by IHP. In this article, the current status, recent developments and future perspectives of IHP are discussed.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

An experimental minimally invasive perfusion technique for the treatment of liver metastases.

AIM: Isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) is an invasive, technically difficult, non-repeatable and demanding operation. In this study we report the development of a less invasive alternative for the surgical IHP in a pig model. METHODS: Our technique was tested in 8 Yorkshire pigs (60 kg). The liver was isolated from the systemic circuit using minimally invasive techniques: an occlusion stent-graft and balloon catheters, with reversal of the blood flow through the liver during IHP. RESULTS: Tests with varying pressures applied at the PV revealed a clear relation between the suction pressure at the outflow site (PV), intrahepatic pressure and systemic leakage of 99mTc. A leakage-free IHP could be obtained in seven separate experiments. CONCLUSION: Isolated hepatic perfusion using minimally invasive techniques is feasible in pigs when the intrahepatic pressure is controlled. This technique has yet to be tested in patients.

Animals↗

Reduction in the number of sentinel lymph node procedures by preoperative ultrasonography of the axilla in breast cancer.

Currently, breast cancer patients without clinically suspicious lymph nodes are candidates for sentinel lymph node procedures (SLNPs). The aims of this study were to investigate whether preoperative axillary ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA) can reduce the number of the more time-consuming SLNPs, and to identify a subset of quantitative nodal features to predict metastatic involvement. 268 axillae were ultrasonographically examined. FNA was performed on suspicious nodes (smallest diameter > or =5 mm or atypical cortex appearance). SLNP was omitted if a tumour-positive node was found on FNA. Length, width, maximum cortex thickness and appearance of cortex and hilus were ultrasonographically established. In 93 axillae (35%), at least one node was detected with ultrasound. FNA was performed once per axilla on 66 nodes; 37 (56%) contained tumour cells. 31% of all tumour-positive axillae (macro-+micrometastases) was found by ultrasound and FNA (37/121). 41% of all axillae containing macrometastases was found by ultrasound and FNA (36/87). SLNPs were reduced by 14% (37/268). Maximum cortex thickness is the main feature to predict metastatic involvement (area under Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve (A(Z))=0.87).

Adult↗

Percutaneous radiological gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer.

AIM: To evaluate the results of percutaneous radiological gastrostomy in patients with head and neck cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study design. One hundred and eighteen patients with head and neck cancer were referred 130 times for gastrostomy tube placement between 1 April 1993 and 17 August 1998. Mean age was 60 years. All data were analysed by using the following parameters: success rate, complications and mortality. Complications were divided into major, minor (complication that needed only conservative treatment) and tube-related. RESULTS: The success rate of percutaneous radiological gastrostomy was 97%. Major complications occurred in 6% of patients after gastrostomy tube placement. Minor complications occurred in 15% of patients. There was one tube-related complication. Procedure-related mortality occurred in one patient. The results of this study show no difference from those known from the literature for the percutaneous method and confirm that radiological gastrostomy has significantly lower rates of major complications than other methods of gastrostomy placement. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous radiological gastrostomy tube placement is, in our opinion, an effective and reliable method for placing a feeding tube in patients with head and neck cancer.

Adult↗

Displacement of breast tissue and needle deviations during stereotactic procedures.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to quantify the displacement of breast tissue and the inaccuracy of needle positioning for biopsy (14-gauge) and localization (19.5-gauge) needles. METHODS: For displacement of breast tissue, differences between the coordinates of identifiable microcalcifications in the images before (baseline) and after needle positioning were analyzed (n = 52). For accuracy of needle positioning, differences between the coordinates of the needle tip and the target were analyzed in breast tissue (n = 97) and in air (n = 246). RESULTS: Average target displacement was 2.1 mm for biopsy needles (95% prediction interval [PI] 0.6-7.8) and 1.0 mm (95% PI 0.3-3.9) for localization needles. Mean inaccuracy of needle positioning in breast tissue was 1.1 mm (95% PI 0.4-3.0) and 1.8 mm (95% PI 0.7-4.6) for biopsy and localization needles, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Tissue and needle displacements cause a total positioning error of 2.4 mm in stereotactic core biopsy, which will limit the attainable diagnostic accuracy.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Stent attachment site-related endoleakage after stent graft treatment: An in vitro study of the effects of graft size, stent type, and atherosclerotic wall changes.

OBJECTIVE: Perigraft endoleakage is a major complication of the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The factors that cause this form of endoleakage are not completely identified. The effect of sizing of the prosthesis in combination with either self-expandable or balloon-expandable stents is evaluated in this study. Further, the influence of atherosclerotic changes on endoleakage is evaluated. METHODS: Eight human abdominal aortas were assessed macroscopically at 11 sites for the presence of atherosclerotic changes with intravascular ultrasound scanning (IVUS) and with computed tomography (CT). Five aortas were placed in in vitro circulation with physiologic parameters. After the determination of the proximal and distal landing site of the stent graft, the diameter and surface measurements of the cross sections were taken. The stent graft diameters were chosen from 4-mm undersizing to 6-mm oversizing, both for Gianturco stent grafts (William Cook Europe A/S, Bjaeverskov, Denmark) and for Palmaz stent grafts (Cordis/Johnson & Johnston Co, Warren, NJ). After placement of the stent graft, the diameter and surface measurements of the aortic cross section were determined at the proximal and distal stent attachment sites. The presence and size of the folds at the stent attachment site and the interface with the aortic wall were determined with IVUS and angioscopy. Endoleakage was evaluated with angiography. After angioplasty of the stent attachment site, IVUS, angioscopy, and angiography were repeated. RESULTS: Regarding atherosclerotic changes of the aortic wall, the correlations between clinical impression and CT, clinical impression and IVUS, and CT and IVUS were high (r = 0.77, r = 0.79 and r = 0.79, respectively). For the Gianturco stent grafts, no significant relationship existed between the diameters measured before and after stent graft placement, leading to great differences in intended and achieved oversizing. The achieved oversizing was less in the case of minimal atherosclerotic changes of the aortic wall. The Gianturco stent graft followed the aortic wall closely during the heart cycle. The sizes of the folds of the fabric were clearly correlated with the achieved oversizing (r = 0.83; P =.04) and the grade of endoleakage (r = 0.88; P =.022). Angioplasty after stent graft placement had no effect on the diameter and the grade of endoleakage. Palmaz stent grafts did not follow the aortic wall during the heart cycle. A significant correlation existed between oversizing and both space between aortic wall and stent graft (r = -0.88; P =.02) and grade of endoleakage (r = 0.84; P =.036). Grade of endoleakage in the Palmaz stent graft group was less than in the Gianturco stent graft group. CONCLUSION: With the use of Gianturco stents, a great difference between intended and achieved oversizing is accomplished. The atherosclerotic changes of the aortic wall possibly affect this finding. The configuration of the Gianturco stent results in the formation of fold in the case of oversizing, which is associated with endoleakage. However, the self-expandable character of the stent leads to a close relation to the aortic wall during the heart cycle, and this may possibly accommodate future aortic neck dilation. The Palmaz stent grafts do not follow the aortic wall during the heart cycle, but they do lead to better interface between the graft and the aortic wall, which results in less endoleakage.

Angioscopy↗

Abdominal aortic aneurysm measurements for endovascular repair: intra- and interobserver variability of CT measurements.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the intra- and interobserver variability in measurements of the aorta and iliac arteries in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) considered for endovascular repair using computed tomography angiography (CTA). METHODS: the diameter of the neck, aneurysm, right and left iliac artery were measured by 5 observers in 10 consecutive patients. Measurements were performed on hard copy using a ruler and on a workstation using an electronic caliper. RESULTS: the intraobserver variability showed a decrease going from hard copy to workstation in the standard deviation of the differences of the paired observations for the neck from 3.54 mm to 1.18 mm; for the aorta from 4.16 to 1.72 mm; for the right iliac from 1.87 to 1.01 mm; for the left iliac from 2.07 to 0.87 mm. The interobserver variability showed a similar decrease for the neck in all ten pairs of observers; for the aorta in two, for the right iliac and left iliac in five. However, the difference between observers regularly exceeded 2 mm. CONCLUSION: the use of a workstation and electronic calipers results in lower intra- and interobserver variability. However, the results still show a clinically relevant difference between the observers. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an automatic observer-independent measurement technique.

Angiography↗

Endoleakage after stent-graft treatment of abdominal aneurysm: implications on pressure and imaging--an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Endoleakage is a fairly common problem after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm and may prevent successful exclusion of the aneurysm. The consequences of endoleakage in terms of pressure in the aneurysmal sac are not exactly known. Moreover, the diagnosis of endoleakage is a problem because visualization of endoleaks can be difficult. METHOD: With an ex vivo model of circulation with an artificial aneurysm managed by means of a tube graft, studies were performed to evaluate precisely known diameters of endoleaks with both imaging techniques (computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography) and pressure measurements of the aneurysmal sac. The experiments were performed without endoleak (controls) and with 1.231-French (0.410 mm), 3-French (1 mm), and 7-French (2.33 mm) endoleaks. Pressure and imaging were evaluated in the absence and presence of a simulated open lumbar artery. The pressure in the prosthesis and in the aneurysmal sac were recorded simultaneously. Digital subtraction angiography with and without a Lucite acrylic plate, computed tomographic angiography, and delayed computed tomographic angiography were performed. For the first experiments, the aneurysmal sac was filled with starch solution. All tests were repeated with fresh thrombus in the aneurysmal sac. RESULTS: Each endoleak was associated with a diastolic pressure in the aneurysmal sac that was identical to diastolic systemic pressure, although the pressure curve was damped. At digital subtraction angiography without a Lucite acrylic plate, the 1.231-French (0.410 mm) endoleak was visualized without an open lumbar artery. When a Lucite acrylic plate was added, the endoleak was not visible until a lumbar artery was opened. In the presence of thrombus within the aneurysmal sac, all endoleaks were not visualized at digital subtraction angiography. At computed tomographic angiography, all endoleaks were not visualized in the absence of a thrombus mass in the aneurysmal sac. In the presence of thrombus within the aneurysmal sac, the 1.231-French (0.410 mm) endoleak became visible after opening of a simulated lumbar artery. At delayed computed tomographic angiography, all endoleaks were visualized without and with thrombus. CONCLUSION: Every endoleak, even a very small one, caused pressure greater than systemic diastolic pressure within the aneurysmal sac. However, small endoleaks were not visualized with digital subtraction angiography and computed tomographic angiography, whereas all endoleaks were visualized with a delayed computed tomographic angiography protocol. We believe that follow-up examinations after stent graft placement for aortic aneurysms should focus on pressure measurements, but until this is clinically feasible, delayed computed tomographic angiography should be performed.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

Patient and staff radiation dose in fluoroscopy-guided TIPS procedures and dose reduction, using dedicated fluoroscopy exposure settings.

Fluoroscopy guided interventions, such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedures, can results in relatively high radiation doses to patients and staff. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible benefit of dedicated fluoroscopy exposure factors in the reduction of doses. Doses to patients and staff were measured during fluoroscopy-guided TIPS procedures in two Dutch university hospitals. Patient doses were calculated from dose-area product (DAP) measurements, entrance beam dimensions and DAP conversion factors. Staff doses were measured outside lead aprons using electronic personal dosemeters. Average patient entrance skin dose (ESD) rate during fluoroscopy was 49 mGy min-1 (13 cases, average fluoroscopy duration 32 min) in one hospital, and 6 mGy min-1 (10 cases, average fluoroscopy duration 50 min) in the other. Estimated staff effective dose per procedure was 28 microSv average in the first hospital compared with 4 microSv average in the other. The use of dedicated fluoroscopy exposure factors, with a relatively high tube voltage and lower tube current resulted in a significant dose reduction for patient and staff in this type of radiological intervention.

Fluoroscopy↗

Variability of splanchnic blood flow measurements using MR velocity mapping under fasting and post-prandial conditions--comparison with echo-Doppler.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim was to study the reproducibility of magnetic resonance velocity mapping, when measuring portal vein and superior mesenteric artery blood flow, under fasting and post-prandial conditions. Magnetic resonance flow measurements for the portal vein were compared with echo-Doppler measurements in the right portal vein. METHODS: Eight healthy volunteers were studied on two occasions, separated by 1 week. Blood flow in the portal vein and superior mesenteric artery was measured repeatedly under basal fasting conditions. On one occasion measurements were also made after a meal. Every magnetic resonance measurement was followed by an echo-Doppler measurement in the right portal vein. Correlations between flow values were calculated using Pearson's r. Variability components were assessed using ANOVA. RESULTS: Intra-individual variability was approximately 7% for portal vein flow measurements using magnetic resonance velocity mapping. This variability did not increase after 1 h, 1 week and after a meal. Values of flow measured in the portal vein and superior mesenteric artery using magnetic resonance velocity mapping correlated well (r = 0.80, p < 0.001). Fasting portal flow as measured with magnetic resonance velocity mapping was 1.2 l/min (range 0.96-1.6 l/min). Variability in echo-Doppler measurements was comparable to the variability of magnetic resonance velocity mapping, and flow measurements obtained with the two techniques correlated well (r = 0.74; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance velocity mapping accurately measures blood flow in the portal vein with low variability and should be preferred when absolute flow values are necessary. Echo-Doppler measurement of the right portal vein has a low variability and can be used to study changes in flow.

Adult↗

Ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm. An insidious complication.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and clinical presentation of ruptured popliteal aneurysms. METHODS: The records of 89 consecutive patients, all males, seen between 1958 and 1995 with 124 arteriosclerotic popliteal aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively. Most aneurysms were symptomatic (69/124; 55.6%). In six cases (6/124; 4.8%) a rupture was present. RESULTS: There was a wide range in primary diagnosis varying from deep venous thrombosis to peroneal nerve palsy. In all cases primary reconstructive surgery was performed. No primary or secondary amputations were necessary. Surgical outcome was good in four cases. In the remaining cases one patient suffered from a permanent peroneal nerve palsy and one from non-disabling claudication. Review of the literature showed a rupture incidence of 2.5% (range 0-16%) and amputation rates as high as 100%. CONCLUSION: An acute rupture of a popliteal aneurysm is rare. Although the clinical presentation can be non-specific, this possibility must be especially taken into account when dealing with older male patients presenting with signs and symptoms of generalised atherosclerosis and non-specific pain in the popliteal region.

Acute Disease↗

Chronic splanchnic ischaemia: is tonometry a useful test?

OBJECTIVE: To find out if gastric tonometry is of sufficient accuracy to diagnose chronic splanchnic syndrome. DESIGN: Prospective open study. SETTING: University hospital, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: 10 patients in whom chronic splanchnic syndrome had been suspected, and in 5 of whom it was subsequently confirmed. INTERVENTION: Standardised measurement of intramucosal gastric pH (tonometry) and multiplane angiography of the abdominal aorta and splanchnic arteries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Correlation between intramucosal gastric pH and angiographic and clinical findings. RESULTS: The mean basal pH preoperatively was 7.48 among 5 patients subsequently found to have splanchnic syndrome (group 1) and 7.41 among the 5 who did not (group 2). Those in group 1 all had extensive three vessel disease with stenoses of 70% or more in at least two of the three splanchnic arteries. The 5 patients in group 2 had no clinically important stenoses in either the coeliac or the superior mesenteric artery; 4 had occlusions of the inferior mesenteric artery. CONCLUSION: Gastric tonometry is of no use in the diagnosis of chronic splanchnic syndrome.

Adult↗

Pitfalls in the diagnosis of origin stenosis of the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries with transabdominal color duplex examination.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of respiration, localization of the Doppler sample, and the presence of origin stenosis on the Doppler parameters of coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries in 22 patients undergoing elective abdominal vascular reconstructive surgery under standardized stable anesthesia. Deep inspiration decreased peak systolic and end diastolic velocities of the coeliac artery origin. Proximal to distal Doppler velocities of normal coeliac and superior mesenteric artery origins were comparable. However, in the presence of an origin stenosis, the increase of Doppler velocities at the origin of the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries is likely to be missed by transabdominal scanning.

Adult↗

Assessment of the progression of emphysema by quantitative analysis of spirometrically gated computed tomography images.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors assessed the progression of pulmonary emphysema by means of quantitative analysis of computed tomography images. METHODS: Twenty-three patients suffering from emphysema due to an alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, aged 45 +/- 7 years and exsmokers, were scanned twice with a 1-year time interval. At 90% of the vital lung capacity, slices with a thickness of 1.5 mm were acquired at the level of the carina and 5 cm above the carina; slices with a thickness of 1 cm were acquired 5 cm below the carina. The entire lung was scanned spirally at a respiratory status, corresponding with 75% of the total lung capacity at baseline. The mean lung densities (MLD) were calculated in an objective manner with new analytic software featuring automated detection of the lung contours. RESULTS: Mean lung densities decreased by 14.2 +/- 12.0 Hounsfield units (HU; P < 0.001) above the carina, by 18.1 +/- 14.4 HU (P < 0.001) at the carina level, by 23.6 +/- 15.0 HU (P < 0.001) below the carina, and by 12.8 +/- 22.2 HU (P < 0.01) for the entire lung. The decrease in MLD was most obvious in the lower lung lobes. For the same patient group, the annual decrease in the forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and the carbon monoxide-diffusion were 120 +/- 190 mL (P < 0.01) and 10 +/- 70 mmol/kg/minute ( P < 0.2), respectively. No significant correlation was found between the decrease in MLD and the decrease in FEV1. CONCLUSIONS: Progression of emphysema can be assessed in an objective manner based on the mean lung density (MLD), measured from computed tomography volume scans as well as from single-slice scans. Mean lung density has proved to be more sensitive than FEV1 and carbon monoxide-diffusion.

Adult↗