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Biomedical subjects

R Vecchioni

Publications and source records attributed to R Vecchioni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The Italian trial of endovascular AAA exclusion using the Parodi endograft.

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of the prospective 11-center Italian Parodi Trial using straight and tapered endografts for the endovascular exclusion of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). METHODS: From April 1994 to July 1995, 27 patients were evaluated and selected for endovascular AAA exclusion. The Parodi devices were delivered through femoral arteriotomies using 18 to 22F introducers and deployed by balloon expansion of the terminal stents. RESULTS: Of 27 cases attempted, 24 endografts (15 tube, 9 aortomonoiliac) were implanted (1 deployment and 2 access failures [11.1%] were converted). Three endoleaks (12.5%) were treated intraoperatively with covered stents, two successfully, and the third sealed within 30 days. Three (12.5%) of the 24 treated patients died in-hospital of device-(n = 2) and procedure-related (n = 1) causes; the remaining 21 patients were discharged within 8 days. Of the 8 aortomonoiliac grafts in follow-up, only 1 (12.5%) failed in the mean 23-month (range 18 to 30) follow-up: however, 4 (31%) of 13 tube graft patients were converted to surgery within 18 months. Of the 16 (66.7%) surviving endografts at 2 years, 6 (38%) showed no change in the AAA diameter, while 10 (62%) had shrunk. CONCLUSIONS: The tube graft was applicable in only about 5% of cases, and accurate endograft sizing and distal fixation were problematic. The aortomonoiliac design was not appealing to surgeons but fared better in the long term. Given the advent of newer endograft models, the Italian Parodi Trial has been terminated.

Aged↗

[Unidentified arteriopathy: an epidemiological study. The preliminary results].

The importance of the social and medical impact of arteriosclerotic disease fully justifies a series of studies focused on improving knowledge of this pathology before symptoms become manifest, so as to orientate treatment increasingly towards prevention. The aim of this study-of which the authors now report the preliminary results-was to establish the incidence of unidentified lower limb arteriopathy in the general population and to evaluate the relations between this and the possible presence of risk factors. The authors therefore decided to evaluate patients attending outpatient General Surgery clinic for symptoms manifestly not related to lower limb vascular pathology (arterial or venous). Patients suffering from any arterial disease were likewise excluded from the study. The importance of performing a large-scale epidemiological study (sample size, stratification of population studied, vast geographic area, etc.) persuaded the authors to adopt a multi-centre structure. Twelve General Surgery departments at hospitals in the Veneto area were involved: each was required to evaluate an average of 150 patients, giving a total of 1950 subjects. The method of study chosen was the residual pressure index (RPI) measured using Doppler velocimetry. Patients were divided into two study groups: patients in Group A (with pathological RPI) were re-evaluated after correction for risk factors, integrated or not by medical treatment. Preliminary results relating to 46% of the total sample show that 26.7% of the subjects present pathological RPI. The evaluation of risk factors and the comparison of their presence in the two groups (A--pathological patients, B--non-pathological subjects) reveals significant differences regarding diabetes and hypertension.

Adult↗

[Carotid endarterectomy with placement of a PUR (polyurethane) patch].

In this study, 40 patients who underwent surgery for cerebro-vascular insufficiency were considered. Carotid endarterectomy was the procedure of choice in all of the patients; the arteriotomy was always closed using a PUR patch, a new material that, for its chemical and physical characteristics seems to be a good alternative to PTFE. All of the patients underwent surgery under loco-regional anesthesia, allowing a perioperative monitoring of the neurological status through the patient's active collaboration. During the postoperative period, non local or systemic pathology related to the use of the patch has been observed. During the short and half term follow-up, the patients underwent echo-Doppler of the supra-aortic trunks that didn't show either false aneurysms or thrombosis on the patch surface.

Aged↗

[Risk surgery of the carotid. A balanced assessment of the use of locoregional anesthesia].

The authors report their experience with regional anaesthesia in carotid surgery. They performed 80 carotid endarterectomies in 79 patients. Thirty-three patients were at high surgical risk because of contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion or bilateral stenosis (greater than 70%) or ischemic brain areas for past stroke. In this high risk group 4 strokes were registered in the postoperative period, while no strokes appeared in patients non at risk.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗

[Funnel chest and pigeon chest today].

The authors report on the results of sternochondroplasty according to Ravitch in a group of 31 patients with funnellike or carinated chest. The results appear to be conditioned to the type of anomaly, to the kind of surgery performed, to the age at which the patients undergo surgery. From a functional viewpoint results appear to be markedly better in pectus carinatum as compared to those in pectus excavatum. The latter anomaly requires a prolonged traction of the anterior thoracic "volet": this excludes any possibility of using external traction techniques (poor results in 25-30% of cases). The high percentage of fair results with reference to marring scars or partial excavations of the thoracic wall has lead us to operate (with reference to some ages: less than 5 years old; 9-14 years old) on these patients after they have reached age 15. The authors hope that a larger number of patients will be treated conservatively (in cases of carinated chest) or else that they undergo minor plastic surgery (in funnel chest cases).

Adolescent↗

Recurrence of autonomous hyperparathyroidism in calcium nephrolithiasis.

In a woman with bilateral recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis and hypercalciuria, hypercalcemia developed and she underwent parathyroid surgery, which led to excision of a histologically-confirmed adenoma. The patient became normocalcemic but remained hypercalciuric despite reduction of dietary calcium intake. Several calculi recurred in both kidneys. Four to six years after parathyroidectomy, hypercalcemia recurred and the patient underwent a new surgical exploration; a parathyroid gland with diffuse adenomatous aspects and another gland with pure hyperplasia were excised. Once again, after surgery the patient became normocalcemic but remained hypercalciuric. Evidence for a "renal calcium leak" hypercalciuria was obtained, and thiazide administration led to normalization of urinary calcium excretion. In calcium nephrolithiasis, persistent hypercalciuria may lead to recurrence of autonomous hyperparathyroidism.

Adenoma↗

Postoperative chylothorax. Six cases in 2,500 operations, with a survey of the world literature.

We have systematically reviewed the literature concerning iatrogenic chylothorax and shall report our personal observations on the subject. Despite an increasing number of thoracic operations, injuries to the thoracic duct are infrequent. Cardiovascular and esophageal procedures are the most frequent causes of chylothorax. Malformations of the thoracic duct and other organs of the mediastinum have often been involved in lymphatic injury. Consequently, we believe that a complicating chylothorax may result from varied causes rather than solely from a surgical error.

Adolescent↗