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Abstract Background The Najuta stent-graft (Kawasumi Laboratories Inc., Tokyo, Japan) is usually easily advanced to the correct deployment position in the ascending aorta thanks to the pre-curved delivery J-sheath with all fenestrations automatically oriented towards the supra-aortic vessels. Aortic arch anatomy and delivery system stiffness could however represent limitations for proper endograft advancement, especially when the aortic arch bends sharply. The aim of this technical note is to report a series of bail-out procedures that could be useful to overcome the difficulties encountered during the Najuta stent-graft advancement up to the ascending aorta. Main body The insertion, positioning and deployment of a Najuta stent-graft requires a through-and-through guidewire technique using a .035″ 400 cm hydrophilic nitinol guidewire (Radifocus™ Guidewire M Non-Vascular, Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) with right brachial and both femoral accesses. When standard maneuver to put the endograft tip into the aortic arch, some bail-out procedures can be applied to obtain proper positioning. Five techniques are described into the text: positioning of a coaxial extra-stiff guidewire; positioning of a long introducer sheath down to the aortic root from the right brachial access; inflation of a balloon inside the ostia of the supra-aortic vessels; inflation of a balloon inside the aortic arch (coaxial to the device); and transapical access technique. This is a troubleshooting guide for allowing physicians to overcome various difficulties with the Najuta endograft as well as for other similar devices. Short conclusion Technical issues in advancing the delivery system of Najuta stent-graft could occur. Therefore, the rescue procedures described in this technical note could be useful to guarantee the correct positioning and deployment of the stent-graft.

A 58-year-old man with a history of aortic and mitral mechanical valve replacement was referred to our hospital for symptomatic chronic heart failure. In 1988, he had undergone open surgical correction of an isthmic aortic coarctation (CoA), with the creation of an extra-anatomic bypass from the left subclavian artery to the descending thoracic aorta. The following findings were found: severe mitral valve failure with perivalvular leakage, severe aortic valve stenosis, pulmonary hypertension, distal anastomotic aneurysm with the apparent occlusion of the CoA. A thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair was performed. A postoperative high-pressure leak with no evident signs of ineffective sealing was observed. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) 3D reconstruction demonstrated the recanalization of the CoA. A second procedure was planned. The CoA was anterogradely cannulated. Three coils were deployed into the aneurysmal sac, followed by a vascular plug, positioned on the coarctation conduit, but it failed to anchor and dislocated into the sac. A second plug was deployed, but it also partially dislocated. Finally, a patent foramen ovale occluder device was deployed to occlude the communication. The final angiogram showed the complete occlusion of the coarctation and correction of the leak, which was confirmed by a 6-month post-operative CTA.

A 78-year-old woman presented with type IIIC and IIID endoleaks after endovascular treatment for a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. Mating between the ruptured segments of superior mesenteric artery stent graft was performed. After failed attempts at relining the right renal artery stent graft, a hybrid approach was used to connect the side branch to the target vessel: a stent graft was deployed into the side branch of the main graft and it was temporarily occluded with a balloon. After opening the sac, a stent graft was deployed into the right renal artery and the two stent grafts were connected with a running suture. Follow-up examination performed 1 month postoperatively by computed tomography imaging confirmed the effectiveness of this treatment. Key Words: Thoracoabdominal, Hybrid technique, Multibranched graft, BEVAR

Abstract Background The diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most prevalent complications of diabetes mellitus and often develops severe effects that can lead to amputation. A non-healing “minor” amputation often precedes a major amputation resulting in a negative impact on the function and quality of life of the patients. Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as a promising option to improve healing, and the adipose tissue is an abundant and easy to access source. The injection of autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue at the amputation stump of a diabetic population undergoing a lower limb minor amputation was evaluated and compared with the standard care. Methods In this randomized controlled trial with two arms (parallel assignment) and no masking, 114 patients undergoing a lower limb minor amputation were randomized to standard of care or to micro-fragmented adipose tissue injection prepared using a minimal manipulation technique (Lipogems®) in a closed system. Clinical outcomes were determined monthly up to 6 months. Primary endpoint of the study was the evaluation of the healing rate and time after the minor amputation. Secondary endpoints included the assessment of safety, feasibility, technical success, relapse rate, skin tropism, and intensity of pain. Results At 6 months, 80% of the micro-fragmented adipose tissue-treated feet healed and 20% failed as compared with the control group where 46% healed and 54% failed (p = 0.0064). No treatment-related adverse events nor relapses were documented, and technical success was achieved in all cases. The skin tropism was improved in the treatment group, and the pain scale did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion The results of this randomized controlled trial suggest that the local injection of autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue is a safe and valid therapeutic option able to improve healing rate following minor amputations of irreversible DFU. The technique overcomes several stem cell therapy-related criticisms and its potential in wound care should be better evaluated and the therapeutic indications could be expanded. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03276312. Date of registration: September 8, 2017 (retrospectively registered).