Biomedical subjects

Y Alimi

Publications and source records attributed to Y Alimi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Treatment of nonmalignant obstructive iliocaval lesions by stent placement: mid-term results.

This report describes mid-term results of endovascular treatment of obstructive iliocaval lesions. Between November 1995 and December 1999, a total of 15 patients were treated by angioplasty and stent placement in the iliac vein. These patients were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of six patients with acute iliofemoral thrombosis of less than 10 days duration, with associated caval involvement in three cases. Angioplasty was performed after surgical thrombectomy, and creation of an arteriovenous fistula as a one-stage procedure in four cases and as a two-stage procedure in two cases. The underlying chronic lesion was stenosis of the left iliocaval junction (Cockett syndrome) in five cases and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one. Group II comprised nine patients with chronic symptomatic stenosis or occlusion. The etiology was Cockett syndrome in seven cases, post-thrombotic syndrome in three cases, including two associated with Cockett syndrome, and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one case. The mean number of stents per patient was 1.5. The mean duration of follow-up was 23.5 months. Evaluation of clinical outcome according to CEAP criteria for chronic syndromes showed significant improvement. Given good mid-term findings, venous angioplasty with stent placement appears to be a safe and effective technique for treatment of acute or chronic obstructive iliocaval lesions.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Pocket infection complicating inadvertent transarterial permanent pacing. Successful percutaneous explantation.

This report describes a patient admitted for the treatment of a pocket infection occurring 5 months after a dual chamber pacemaker implantation. The ventricular lead had been inadvertently placed into the left ventricle through the arterial system. After careful examination using transesophageal echocardiography and left heart angiogram, successful percutaneous extraction was performed without complication.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Surgical venous thrombectomy.

Rehabilitation of the technique of venous thrombectomy is justified, but, in order for this technique to be effective, it must only be performed in selected cases. In the authors' view it is of the utmost value in young patients when the venous thrombosis occurs accidentally, after traumatism or surgery and when a diagnostic is made without delay.

Female↗

PubMed1999

[Infections of vascular prostheses of the abdominal aorta. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems].

UNLABELLED: Aortic graft infection is one of the most serious complication of vascular surgery. While the incidence of such infections has declined over the years, it continues to be associated with high mortality and high rates of limb loss. Graft implanted in the inguinal area have a higher rate of infection than those that lie entirely within the abdomen. Infection of the intraabdominal extremities of vascular grafts is most frequently associated with prostheto-enteric fistula. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT: Despite the many available sophisticated imaging techniques diagnosis remains difficult, particularly with intra-abdominal grafts because of nonspecific clinical and imaging findings. A variety of approaches to aortic graft infection have been proposed and optimal treatment usually requires an association of systemic antibiotic administration with surgery. Removal of the entire infected graft is often necessary for cure and there are only few situations in which conservative treatment is acceptable. A careful identification of the infecting microorganisms and in vitro susceptibility testing are essential for successful therapy. PREVENTION: Prevention consists in a strict adherence to principles of asepsis and the use of prophylactic antibiotics in vascular surgery. The use of antibiotics-bound knitted grafts has been recently proposed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1998

Use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify Lactobacillus casei in septicaemia secondary to a paraprosthetic enteric fistula.

Human infections caused by Lactobacillus spp. are rarely reported in the literature. Underlying conditions are frequently reported, and identification of lactobacilli to the species level remains rare. A case of Lactobacillus casei septicaemia secondary to a vascular graft infection is reported. The 16S rRNA sequencing technique was used to definitively identify Lactobacillus casei.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Bilateral dissection of the internal carotid artery at the base of the skull due to blunt trauma: incidence and severity.

Between January 1, 1992 and December 31, 1996, a total of 1095 head trauma vicims were admitted in our intensive care unit. If CT scans demonstrated ischemic brain lesions, arteriography to visualize supraaortic vessels was performed. Carotid artery dissection was observed in ten patients (0.91%) and was bilateral in eight patients (0.73%). In the bilateral carotid artery dissection (BCAD) group, there were five women and three men, with a mean age of 35.2 years (range: 17 to 54 years). Injuries resulted from traffic accidents in seven patients and a fall in one patient. Upon admission, six patients presented with alteration of consciousness and three with hemiplegia or hemiparesia, associated with aphasia in two cases. In two other cases, hemiplegia occurred 24 hr and 13 days after the accident. All patients had brain infarction, which was unilateral in five cases and bilateral in three cases. The severity of lesions was graded on the basis of arteriographic findings as follows: Type I, wall involvement without significant stenosis or dilation; Type II, arterial dissection with stenosis >70% (Type IIA) or dilatation >50% (Type IIB) and the normal diameter of the proximal or distal internal carotid artery; and Type III, thrombosis of the internal carotid artery. Lesions were asymmetrical in six patients, including two with Type II and III lesions and four with Type I and II lesions, and symmetrical in two patients, including one with bilateral Type III lesions and one with bilateral Type II lesions. Surgery was performed in two patients with Type II lesions, including one case associated with contralateral carotid thrombosis. The intrapetrous carotid artery was exposed by an ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgeon and repaired by interposition grafting. Follow-up in these two surgical cases was 28 and 31 months. In the remaining six cases, medical treatment was performed. Outcome in nonsurgical cases was variable: death in two cases at 31 and 43 days after the accident, severe permanent hemiplegia in two cases, and minimal or no sequels in two cases. Following blunt trauma, arteriography of supraaortic vessels should be performed to detect BCAD in any patient with immediate or delayed neurologic symptoms that cannot be explained by CT-scan findings. To better understand the natural course of these lesions and define the indications for surgery, we propose a three-grade classification according to arteriographic findings. If surgery is undertaken, vein grafting should be performed following resection of the carotid artery lesions.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Laparoscopic replacement of the abdominal aorta. Experimental study in the pig].

BACKGROUND: Progress in abdominal laparoscopy led us to study end-to-end anastomoses performed laparoscopically. METHOD: An experimental protocol in 10 castrated male pigs weighing 74-95 kg was approved by the ethics committee. After conventional anesthesia, each animal was positioned in lateral decubitus and a retropneumoperitoneum was created. CO2 inflation was maintained at 14 mmHg for insertion of 3 trocars, 5 to 10 mm width. The entire infrarenal aorta was dissected and resected with insertion of a 6 mm dacron prosthesis. Postoperative arteriography was performed in all cases. The animal was sacrificed for direct examination. RESULTS: One animal died during anesthesia induction and the entire protocol was conducted in 9 animals. Mean operative time was 397 min (305-535 min) including a mean 123 min (65-150) for aortic dissection, 82 min (30-155) for proximal anastomosis and 70 min (45-105) for distal anastomosis. Total blood loss varied from 100 to 450 cc (mean 252 cc). Mean difference between pre- and postoperative hematocrits was 4% (0-6%). Among the 18 aortic anastomoses performed, arteriography showed one with moderate leakage and one anastomotic thrombus. Stenosis > 50% was found in 4 cases and < 50% in 4 cases. Analysis of the different operative parameters showed a learning curve with decreasing operative time and improved quality of the anastomoses. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of aortic reconstruction via retroperitoneal laparoscopy in the animal. This procedure could be introduced in man.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMed1997

Surgical interruption of a left inferior vena cava following the transfemoral implantation of a permanent pacing lead.

This report describes the case of a patient in whom, after an unsuccessful attempt through the subclavian vein, a permanent pacing lead was inserted through the femoral vein and a left inferior vena cava with azygos continuation. The procedure was followed 4 months later by a pulmonary embolism complicating a right femoroiliac thrombosis. The patient was successfully treated by a percutaneous lead extraction procedure combined with an inferior vena caval surgical interruption.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Iliac transluminal angioplasty and distal surgical revascularisation can be performed in a one-step technique.

PURPOSE: A few authors have suggested treating double-level atherosclerotic lesions in high risk patients by an association of iliac transluminal angioplasty (ITA) and distal surgical restoration in a two-step technique with an interval of one to three weeks between the two procedures. Previous reports of ITA showed the influence of the quality of the outflow on early results, we therefore decided to perform the two procedures mentioned above during the same operation. METHODS: During a five-year period, 51 patients (42 men, 9 women) underwent an isolated ITA in 32 cases (group I) or associated with a simultaneous surgical reconstruction (group II) in 19 cases. Mean age (56.4+/-12 years versus 63.9+/-11.8 years, p<0.01), frequency of limb-threatened ischaemia (2.6% versus 42.1% p<0.001), and of an ipsilateral thrombosed or severely stenotic femoral artery (20% versus 100%, p<0.001) were significantly higher in group II. In group I (n=32), 45 unique or double iliac lesions (unilateral=25, bilateral=7) including 42 stenosis (>75%) and three thrombosis were treated. In group II (n=19), ITA was performed on unique and unilateral iliac stenosis (>75%) in association with a femoro-femoral bypass (n=4), an ipsilateral femoro-popliteal bypass (n=5) or femoro-tibial bypass (n=3) or an ipsilateral deep or common femoral reconstruction (n=7). RESULTS: Early complications consisted of one haematoma (group I), one death and one iliac restenosis (group 2). After a mean follow-up of 20 months, cumulative patency of groups I and II was respectively 81% and 88% (p=ns), with an increase in the ankle/brachial systolic pressure ratio from 0.73+/-0.14 to 0.92+/-0.14 (p<0.001) in group I, and from 0.57+/-0.15 to 0.84+/-0.12 (p<0.001) in group II. CONCLUSIONS: Early and mid-term results of the one-step technique are similar to those obtained with patients who underwent ITA with good initial outflow. This technique can therefore be recommended in high-risk patients with double-level atherosclerotic lesions including severe iliac stenosis.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

PubMed1997

[Recurrence following surgery of the gastrocnemius veins].

Routine preoperative investigation of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs with echo-Doppler has brought to light the presence of reflux into the gastrocnemius veins in almost 30% of the patients. Surgical treatment to stop this reflux consists in dividing the gastrocnemius vein flush to the popliteal vein. Early postoperative investigation of patients operated on in this way, who are symptomless and with no residual varices, has revealed the presence of persistent, symptomless, postoperative reflux into the gastrocnemius veins. One hundred and six patients were checked six months postoperatively by Duplex Doppler scanning. On the basis of the anatomical and functional findings, postoperative incompetence of the gastrocnemius veins could be classified into several types according to the cause: 1. Persistence of a complete and incompetent gastrocnemius vein, probably missed at operation: 16 patients (15%). 2. Neoangiogenesis: 11 patients (10%). 3. Persistence of an incompetent lower gastrocnemius perforating vein: 17 patients (16%). Thus, echography has revealed that in 44 lower limbs out of 106 (42%) in which the gastrocnemius veins were operated on, six months postoperatively evidence of reflux into the gastrocnemius venous network was present. All these patients were asymptomatic. In a sub-group of 48 lower limbs which had an interval Doppler check at 2 months: 6 already showed a reflux (12.5%), in 11 the gastrocnemius reflux appeared between the second and the sixth months (23%), 31 showed no reflux at 6 months (64.5%). From these findings, certain rules on the surgery of the gastrocnemius veins have been drawn up.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

[Surgery of the perforating veins of the leg: open and endoscopic techniques].

Surgical treatment of incompetent perforating veins of the leg is best carried out through a sub-aponeurotic approach after localisation by coloured Duplex-Scanning. Open techniques are long established. When there is only one perforator, a short 5 cm approach is centred over the previously localised perforator. In the presence of multiple perforators, an extensive approach is necessary. This usually means a single long incision, situated para-tibially in the Linton approach, postero-medially in the Dodd approach or posteriorly in the Felder approach. The advantage of the last two approaches is that they are situated at a distance from any eventual cutaneous lesion. The approach can also be through several separate oblique incisions (De Palma). More recently introduced, endoscopic techniques have the advantage of reducing the incidence of cutaneous complications such as necrosis or infections and of shortening the duration of hospitalisation. Some authors work with re-usable instruments. The perforators are divided after coagulation (Hauer, Sattler). Others use disposable instruments, insufflate the sub-aponeurotic space and clip the perforators to prevent bleeding (Gloviczki). These techniques are currently undergoing evaluation.

Endoscopy↗

PubMed1996

[Manipulations of cervical vertebrae and trauma of the vertebral artery. Report of two cases].

Vertebrobasilar-distribution stroke is a rare but sometimes severe complication of chiropractic neck manipulation. We report two patients with dissections of the vertebral arteries authenticated two and six days after the cervical manipulation. In the first case, a Wallenberg's syndrome occurred due to a dissection of the right intracranial vertebral artery; the patient was treated with anticoagulant therapy but little improvement of the disorder was noted. The second patient had transitory neurologic manifestations which led to the discovery of an intimal tear of the ostium of the right vertebral artery with a floating clot. Further embolic complications were avoided by performing a venous bypass between the right common carotid and the vertebral artery at the base of the skull. Therapists should be aware of vertebrobasilar complications after spinal manipulations and should ask for early explorations (brain CT, cerebral angiography) to institute rapidly the most appropriate treatment.

Aortic Dissection↗

PubMed1995

Acute popliteal arterial injury: the role of angioscopy.

Accurate identification of arterial injury in the emergency setting constitutes one of the essential prognostic factors in patients presenting with acute popliteal arterial injury (APAI). The modalities of angioscopy performed intraoperatively by the vascular surgeon, including the details of how angioscopy can contribute to therapeutic decisions in this setting, are presented. Between June 1987 and August 1993, 26 patients presenting with 27 APAIs (one patient had a bilateral APAI) were treated at our institution. Eighteen (67%) lesions were due to closed trauma, three (11%) to shotgun pellets, three (11%) to knife wounds, two (7%) to iatrogenic wounds, and one (4%) to a bullet wound. Between June 1987 and January 1992 (group I, n = 20), treatment consisted of 15 (75%) saphenous vein bypasses and five (25%) local repairs. Pre- or intraoperative arteriograms were obtained in 14 (70%) cases. Three (15%) major amputations were required after popliteal reconstruction. Between February 1992 and August 1993 (group II, n = 7), two (29%) saphenous vein grafts and five (71%) local repairs were performed after routine intraoperative angioscopy. Arteriograms were obtained in six (86%) instances. No amputations were necessary in this group. As a complement to arteriography, intraoperative angioscopy can determine the extent and number of injuries, provides direct visualization of the intima of the entire femoropopliteal artery, even when the latter is obscured by thrombus, and ensures a final control of popliteal artery repair at completion. After angioscopy, local repair was possible more often (71% vs. 25%, p = 0.03) and treatment was associated with a better functional result (0% vs. 15% amputation rate, p = 0.04) in group II.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Silent brain infarct after carotid artery surgery: incidence and prevention.

To determine the prevalence and mechanisms of postoperative silent brain infarct, brain CT was routinely performed before and after carotid endarterectomy during the same period of hospitalization. Between June 1991 and May 1993, 69 patients who underwent 74 carotid endarterectomies (five two-staged bilateral procedures) were enrolled in the study. Ipsilateral brain infarct was observed on the preoperative CT scans in 25 cases. Of these 25 infarcts, three occurred in 20 patients (15%), without symptoms, 13 in 41 patients (32%) with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), and 9 in 13 patients (70%) with cerebrovascular accident. After surgery, two patients (2.7% of procedures) had monoparesia of an upper limb with no corresponding abnormality seen on CT scans, and two (2.7%) had TIAs, associated with CT evidence of a new lesion in one patient. Five silent brain infarcts (6.8%) were detected, including four in the hemisphere contralateral to the restored carotid artery. These study results indicate there is no correlation between the occurrence of postoperative silent brain infarct and the presence of ulcerated stenosis of the carotid artery documented by Doppler ultrasound examination. Silent infarct was not observed in any of the 24 patients (32%) in whom a shunt had been used during the procedure. After a review of the literature, we propose wider use of intraoperative shunts to prevent postoperative silent brain infarct.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Leukocyte activation study during occlusive arterial disease of the lower limb: effect of pentoxifylline infusion.

Granulocytes play a significant role in vascular diseases. The mechanisms of neutrophil-mediated vascular injury include their increased endothelial adhesion and activation with release of inflammatory mediators. Pentoxifylline (PTX) has a well-demonstrated ability to act on the activated neutrophils. It increases chemotaxis and decreases their adherence to endothelial cells, oxidative burst, and enzyme release. In this preliminary study, we investigated the effects of PTX on ischemia-induced changes in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) activation and cytokine release. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in 14 patients (age range 46-86 years) suffering from critical ischemia, as defined by the European Consensus Document, or subacute ischemia due to occlusive arterial disease of the lower limb. Femoral and antecubital venous blood samples on the side of the ischemic leg were obtained from patients immediately before (TO) and after infusion (T24) of PTX or placebo. PMN activation was evaluated by study of cell migration, beta 2 integrin expression (CD11b/ CD18), oxidative burst, and elastase release. Inflammation proteins were analyzed, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen. Before treatment, our results demonstrate an important activation in both femoral and antecubital venous blood. PMN activation markers, cytokine release, and other inflammation proteins were significantly increased compared with normal subjects. In the experimental group there was no significant difference between femoral and antecubital venous blood. Six patients received PTX infusion and seven patients were in the placebo group. The effect of PTX was evaluated after 24 h of treatment (1,200 mg). In the PTX group the following variables were improved compared with the placebo group: CD11b expression on PMNs, elastase released from PMNs, fibrinogen, CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL6 in plasma. These preliminary results should be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size. Further trials may contribute to more complete understanding.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Late complications of abdominal aortic prostheses: false aneurysms and aorta-digestive fistulas].

Pseudoaneurysms of the abdominal aorta (PAAA) are late complications of aortic reconstruction that occur with an incidence varying from 4.8 to 6.3% associated with an operative mortality of 21 to 35%. Between 1987 and 1994, 16 patients with a PAAA (14 men and two women, with a mean age of 69.5 years, ranging from 55 to 82 years) were treated in our unit. An anastomotic rupture with a pseudoaneurysm diameter varying from 50 to 75 mm was present in five cases (group 1). The eleven other cases were aorto-enteric fistula, isolated in six cases (group 2) and associated with local and/or general sepsis signs in five cases (group 3). The mean interval from the time of the primary aortic graft, which was performed as treatment for aortic aneurysm in six cases and for aortoiliac occlusive disease in 10 cases, and the diagnosis of the PAAA, was 11.3 years. An in situ replacement of the aortic graft with an interposition of the greater omentum was performed in each patient of groups 1 and 2, associated with an enteric restoration in the latter. Group 3 patients were treated by removal of the infected graft with closure of the aortic stump and extra-anatomic bypass. During the post-operative period, five deaths (31%) and one limb amputation (6%) occurred, i.e. one death in group 1 (20%), one in group 2 (17%) and three in group 3 (60%) associated with a limb amputation (20%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Comparative study of color Doppler echocardiography and arteriography in carotid disease].

The increasing accuracy of duplex scanning and the morbidity linked to angiography have led some authors to discard the latter when exploring patients with severe carotid lesions. In order to fully define the respective information obtained by these two explorations and to determine their impact on therapeutic decisions, were examined the file of 122 patients. The comparative analysis of preoperative color duplex scanning and angiographic results, the latter used as a reference, showed a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 57%, concerning the ability to detect a significant carotid artery stenosis. On the other hand, color duplex scan and angiography had the same accuracy to screen the presence of an ulceration, but could only detect two third of the ulcerations observed on pathologic examination of 94 surgically-treated patients. At last, angiography was more reliable in detecting a carotid excess of length (p < 0.001), in the identification of internal carotid thrombosis and of dissection on dysplasic arteries. In conclusion, we propose a selective indication of angiography in case of suspicion of proximal periaortic arterial lesions, of complications on dysplastic arteries, of detection of pre-thrombotic carotid lesions and in order to confirm the existence of significant stenosis in asymptomatic patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Dilation of woven and knitted aortic prosthetic grafts: CT scan evaluation.

Because there are few reports in the literature concerning short- and medium-term outcome of woven and knitted aortic prosthetic grafts, we conducted CT evaluations in 58 asymptomatic patients (53 males and five females with a mean age of 63.5 years) undergoing infrarenal aortic reconstruction between June 1988 and June 1991. Joined CT slices after contrast enhancement, centered on the proximal anastomoses, prosthetic bodies, and prosthetic limbs, were obtained in the early (mean 19 days) and late (mean 19 months, range 6 to 40 months) postoperative periods. In end-to-side aortoprosthetic anastomoses (n = 28), early and late CT examinations revealed that the anteroposterior diameter increased 1.9% (p = NS) and 8.8% (p < 0.0001) for woven and knitted grafts, respectively. In end-to-end aortoprosthetic anastomoses, the diameter of the prosthetic body on early CT scans increased 12.6% (p < 0.0001) and 28% (p < 0.0001) for woven and knitted prosthetic grafts, respectively, as compared with diameter values provided by the manufacturer. Dilation continued to progress 2.2% (p < 0.04) for woven and 6.2% (p < 0.0002) for knitted prosthetic grafts on late CT scans. The mean diameter of the prosthetic graft limbs (n = 96) increased 22.3% (p < 0.0001) and 34.6% (p < 0.0001) for woven and knitted prosthetic grafts, respectively, on early CT scans as compared with manufacturers' values. Secondary increases were 3.2% (p < 0.002) and 7.7% (p < 0.007) for woven and knitted prosthetic grafts, respectively. These data show that dilation of aortic prostheses occurs early in most cases, most likely soon after declamping of the graft, as shown by recent intraoperative measurements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗