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Biomedical subjects

M S Conte

Publications and source records attributed to M S Conte.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Preferred strategies for secondary infrainguinal bypass: lessons learned from 300 consecutive reoperations.

PURPOSE: To determine the optimal surgical strategies in reoperative infrainguinal bypass, we reviewed our results in 300 consecutive secondary bypasses in 251 patients operated on between Jan. 1, 1975, and Nov. 1, 1993. METHODS: There were 168 men (67%) and 83 women (33%), with a mean age of 64.8 years and a typical distribution of risk factors including smoking (76.4%), diabetes (33.7%), and coronary artery disease (47.1%). The indications for surgery were limb-threatening ischemia in 83.5% and severe claudication in 16.5% of patients. The majority of conduits (n = 213) were autogenous vein and were composed of a single segment of greater saphenous vein in 121 bypasses (57%) and various alternative veins including composite, arm, and lesser saphenous vein in 92 bypasses (43%). Prosthetic conduits included 69 polytetrafluoroethylene, 16 umbilical vein, and two Dacron grafts. RESULTS: There was one perioperative death (0.3%) and a 25% total morbidity rate including a 1.7% myocardial infarction rate. There was a 28.6% early (< 30 days) graft failure and 10.7% early amputation rate for prosthetic bypass grafts compared with 13.6% early graft failure and 5.6% early amputation rates for vein grafts. Autogenous vein bypasses had higher 5-year secondary patency rates than had prosthetic grafts (51.5% +/- 4.6% vs 27.4% +/- 6.1%, p < 0.001). Results with autogenous vein bypass improved significantly from the 1975 to 1984 to the 1985 to 1993 interval with 5-year secondary patency rates increasing from 38.3% +/- 6.9% to 59.1% +/- 5.8% (p = 0.017) and 5-year limb-salvage rates increasing from 40.4% +/- 7.6% to 72.4% +/- 6.6% (p < 0.001). Vein grafts to the popliteal and tibial outflow levels had equivalent long-term results. Vein grafts completed for claudication demonstrated results superior to those for limb salvage, with a 5-year secondary patency rate of 75.8% +/- 8.1% versus 52.3% +/- 7.9% (p = 0.048). Secondary autogenous vein bypass grafting performed after early primary graft failure (< 3 months) did particularly poorly, with only a 27.2% +/- 7.7% 4-year secondary patency rate. Greater saphenous veins tended to perform better than alternative vein bypasses, with a 5-year secondary patency rate of 68.5% +/- 6.0% compared with 48.3% +/- 10.5% (p = 0.09) and a 5-year limb-salvage rate of 77.8% +/- 7.4% versus 54.2% +/- 11.8% (p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: When patients suffer a recurrence of limb-threatening ischemia at the time of infrainguinal graft failure, aggressive attempts at secondary revascularization with autogenous vein are warranted based on the low surgical morbidity and mortality rates and the improved patency and limb salvage rates that are currently attainable.

Amputation, Surgical↗

Endothelial cell seeding fails to attenuate intimal thickening in balloon-injured rabbit arteries.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis of arteries or bypass grafts after vascular reconstruction is a common clinical entity that significantly limits long-term patency. This process, termed intimal hyperplasia (IH), is characterized by smooth muscle cell proliferation in the intima and subsequent accumulation of intercellular matrix. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that endothelial cell (EC) seeding of acutely injured arteries accelerates reendothelialization of the flow surface and limits the development of IH. METHODS: ECs were harvested from jugular veins of New Zealand white rabbits (n = 13) and were amplified in tissue culture. Each animal subsequently underwent bilateral balloon catheter injury of the iliofemoral arteries; one side was immediately seeded with cultured autologous ECs at supraconfluent density, whereas the contralateral vessel served as a nonseeded control. Animals were killed 33 +/- 5 days after balloon injury. Intimal thickening was quantitated on histologic sections of vessels (three sections per vessel, total of 60 sections) and percent endothelialization was assessed by SEM; measurements were obtained by use of computer-aided morphometry performed by a blinded observer. Data were analyzed by use of a paired t test for comparison between seeded and control vessels. RESULTS: Seeded vessels exhibited a greater degree of reendothelialization (93.9% +/- 7.6% of the surface) than their unseeded counterparts (65.1% +/- 22.5%, p < 0.01). Intimal cross-sectional area and the ratio of intimal area to medial area were not significantly different between seeded and control vessels (intima: 0.32 +/- 0.19 vs 0.37 +/- 0.11 mm2, p = 0.28; intimal area to medial area ratio: 0.84 +/- 0.35 vs 1.02 +/- 0.2, p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that seeding with autologous venous ECs accelerated restoration of the endothelial monolayer but failed to attenuate IH in balloon-injured rabbit arteries. Further studies are necessary to determine the functional properties of seeded endothelium and to examine the effect of EC seeding on intimal thickening in other clinically relevant models.

Animals↗

Pulmonary failure following lower torso ischemia: clinical evidence for a remote effect of reperfusion injury.

Acute lung injury as a remote sequela of severe lower torso ischemia-reperfusion has been demonstrated experimentally, in a process involving leukosequestration and generation of the arachidonate derivatives thromboxane and leukotriene B4. However, contemporary clinical reports have been limited to development of transient, subclinical "reperfusion pulmonary edema" several hours after declamping in patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. This report refocuses attention on the clinical syndrome of severe, acute deterioration in pulmonary function occurring several hours after restoration of perfusion to an ischemic lower torso in two patients. The lung injury is characterized by progressive hypoxemia, pulmonary hypertension, decreased lung compliance, and non-hydrostatic pulmonary edema, consistent with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This report reinforces the concept that humoral mediators generated at reflow may induce end-organ injury at a site remote from the focus of ischemia-reperfusion, and that the lung is a target organ.

Aged↗

Efficient repopulation of denuded rabbit arteries with autologous genetically modified endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND: In an effort to determine whether specific genetic modifications of cells of the vascular system might improve the efficacy of existing clinical procedures such as endarterectomy, atherectomy, and percutaneous angioplasty, we investigated the utility of gene transfer to rapidly and efficiently repopulate injured arteries with genetically modified cells in an animal model. METHODS AND RESULTS: The method involves the harvest of autologous venous-derived endothelial cells, the efficient genetic modification of the cells through the use of recombinant retroviruses, and the subsequent implantation of the genetically modified cells on the surface of balloon-denuded arterial segments. With a rabbit model, freshly isolated endothelial cells were transduced with a recombinant retrovirus encoding the bacterial enzyme beta-galactosidase. The autologous transduced cells were then implanted on the surface of balloon-denuded ileofemoral arterial segments at different cell densities; after 1 to 14 days, the animals were killed, and the vessel segments were examined. Cells expressing the bacterial gene product, as determined by in situ staining for beta-galactosidase, were found to be present on the surface of 28 of the 32 arteries seeded with genetically modified cells. Vessels examined at 4 to 7 days after seeding displayed 40% to 90% coverage with transduced cells, even when seeded at subconfluent density, and an intact endothelial cell monolayer, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy studies. Vessels examined at 14 days after seeding revealed more variable staining for beta-galactosidase yet, again, in most cases, an intact endothelial cell monolayer. CONCLUSIONS: These studies indicate the feasibility of generating segments of arterial vessels containing genetically modified cells in a rapid and efficient fashion. Further studies are now necessary to determine whether the local expression of specific polypeptides within a region of vessel for a finite period of time will be clinically useful.

Animals↗

Delayed exposure to pulsatile shear stress improves retention of human saphenous vein endothelial cells on seeded ePTFE grafts.

Since significant loss of endothelial cells (ECs) from the surface of a seeded prosthetic graft occurs after implantation, improved cell retention following exposure to flow should increase the likelihood of long-term success with this technology. An in vitro pulsatile flow circuit was developed to study the effects of two variables on cell retention: cell density at the time of seeding and postseeding incubation time. Fibronectin-coated ePTFE grafts (4 mm x 5 cm) were seeded with human saphenous vein ECs at two densities, confluent (1 x 10(5) cells/cm2) or subconfluent (2 x 10(4)), and incubated in vitro for varying time intervals (90 min, 1, 3, or 7 days). Test grafts were exposed to 90 min of pulsatile flow in an in vitro flow circuit, then fixed, and stained, and in situ cell counts (cells/cm2) were determined for nine representative fields per graft. Paired control grafts were treated identically but were not exposed to flow. Cell retention was calculated using the formula: % retention = cells/cm2 perfused graft divided by cells/cm2 control graft. Grafts exposed to flow 90 min after seeding demonstrated significantly lower cell retention when compared to later time points. When cells were seeded at confluent density, maximal retention (92 +/- 3%) occurred 24 hr after seeding. Prolonged culture of cells seeded on ePTFE grafts at confluent density resulted in increased cell loss. In contrast, on grafts seeded at subconfluent density, retention improved as cells grew to confluence (16 +/- 4.5% initially to 82 +/- 7% at 7 days).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood Vessel Prosthesis↗

Pseudofolliculitis barbae. No 'pseudoproblem'.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae possibly affects 45% of all black servicemen and is a source of much misunderstanding and social unrest in the military. A recent study of 96 cases of pseudofolliculitis barbae has elucidated a successful shaving technique. It employs a 30-day period of beard regrowth to eliminate ingrown hairs, twice-daily use of a new polyester skin-cleansing pad, and use of solely electric hair clippers for facial hair removal. Ninety-six percent of those using this technique could thereafter conform to the Air Force grooming code.

Black People↗

Arterial reconstruction for lower limb ischemia.

The treatment of advanced atherosclerosis involving the lower extremities has undergone considerable evolution over the last several decades. Current strategies hinge on an appreciation of the natural history of disease, the overall health status of the patient, and an armamentarium of endovascular and open surgical reconstructive techniques that may be tailored to optimize outcome for the individual patient. Patients with aorto-iliac disease have a variety of available options with generally good results. For infrainguinal disease, surgical bypass using autogenous vein is the mainstay of interventional therapy and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Increasing medical and surgical challenges are presented by this population, particularly as aggressive medical treatment of risk factors leads to an ongoing decline in cardiovascular mortality, combined with a dramatic increase in the prevalence of diabetes. The future, which is now already at hand, will bring the application of genomics, with a potential for altering the progression of disease as well as extending the long-term benefits of reconstruction.

Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation↗