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This study aimed to determine predictors and outcomes associated with spinal cord ischemia (SCI) after elective fenestrated or branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR) of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), or aortic dissection.Health insurance claims data of Germany's third largest insurance provider, DAK-Gesundheit, were used to investigate SCI in elective F/BEVAR performed between 2008 and 2017. The International Classification of Diseases and German Operation and Procedure Classification System were used. We stratified the results into F/BEVAR with one or two (AAA) vs three or more (TAAA) fenestrations or branches.A total of 877 patients (18.9% female; 5.8% with SCI) matching the inclusion criteria were identified during the study period. SCI occurred more often after F/BEVAR of TAAA vs AAA (10.7% vs 3.0%; P .001). SCI was associated with female sex in the AAA group (odds ratio, 3.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-11.15; P = .014) and with cardiac arrhythmias in the TAAA group (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.24-7.06; P = .013). Compared with patients without SCI, SCI patients were more likely to suffer from drug use disorders (eg, opioids, cannabinoids, sedatives) in the TAAA group (17.6% vs 2.1%; P .05). After F/BEVAR of TAAA, the occurrence of SCI was associated with higher 90-day mortality (14.7% vs 1.1%; P .05), longer postoperative hospital stay (22 vs 9 days; P .05), and severe adverse events, such as acute respiratory insufficiency (44.1% vs 12.7%), acute renal failure (35.3% vs 11.3%), and pneumonia (29.4% vs 4.9%; all P .05). In adjusted analyses, SCI was associated with worse long-term survival after F/BEVAR for TAAA (hazard ratio, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.37-4.73; P .003).Female AAA patients and TAAA patients with cardiac arrhythmias are at highest risk for development of SCI after F/BEVAR. The occurrence of this event was strongly associated with higher major complication rates and worse short-term and long-term survival. This emphasizes a need to further illuminate the value of spinal cord protection protocols in F/BEVAR.

The urgent treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) remains a challenging condition with devastating morbidity and mortality. Available studies are often limited due to a significant selection bias. This study aims to illuminate real-world evidence using comprehensive data from electronic health records, registries, postmortem findings, and administrative data on all consecutively treated patients presenting with rAAA at a tertiary care center.This is a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study covering consecutively treated patients with rAAA between 2009 and 2018. All noninvasive treatments, fatalities, and invasive repairs were included. Information on patient's characteristics, prehospital, and inpatient care was gathered. Short-term outcomes and long-term survival were analyzed for relevant subgroups.In total, 139 patients with rAAA (median age 75 years and 20.9% females, 79.9% infrarenal) were treated increasingly frequent by endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) when compared to open-surgical aortic repair (OSR) during the study period (16.7% in 2009 to 33.3% in 2018, P 0.05). The rate of patients who had been turned down for rAAA repair was 10.8%, and the overall in-hospital mortality was 43.2%. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were similar for EVAR and OSR, although patients treated by OSR presented with a lower mean Glasgow Coma Scale during the prehospital (12.7 vs. 14.3) and inpatient care (12.7 vs. 14.4) (both P 0.001), higher rates of intubation (12.8% vs. 10.9%, P 0.001), lower systolic blood pressure (115 mm Hg vs. 127 mm Hg, P = 0.042), and more often had a cardiac arrest before the operation (14.1% vs. 2.3%, P 0.001). Higher patient's age (Odds Ratio, OR 1.09; Hazard Ratio, HR 1.06), history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (OR 5.30; HR 2.64), higher serum creatinine (OR 1.81; HR 1.31), and occurrence of colonic ischemia (OR 11.31; HR 2.82) were significantly associated with higher odds of dying in hospital and in the longer term, respectively.We observed comparable outcomes following OSR and EVAR, although hemodynamically unstable patients were more likely to be treated by OSR. This study also confirmed the impact of colonic ischemia as a devastating complication following rAAA repair emphasizing the need for further reflection by the vascular community.

Background We investigated changes of cortical thickness and its association with cognitive performance in patients with high-grade carotid artery stenosis without ischemic brain lesions. Methods We studied 25 patients with unilateral carotid artery stenosis ≥50% and 25 age-matched controls. All subjects underwent T1-weighted MRI, and cortical thickness was measured in 33 regions of interest in each hemisphere, as well as in brain regions belonging to the vascular territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). General linear mixed models were fitted to the dependent variable cortical thickness. Cognitive assessment comprised the Stroop Test and Trail Making Test B. Results In the linear mixed model, presence of carotid stenosis had no effect on cortical thickness. There was a significant interaction of stenosis and region with a trend towards lower cortical thickness in the MCA region on the side of carotid stenosis. Patients with carotid stenosis performed significantly worse on the Stroop test than controls, but there was no correlation with cortical thickness. Conclusion In patients with carotid stenosis without ischemic brain lesions, neither a clear pattern of reduced cortical thickness nor an association of cortical thickness with cognitive function was observed. Our data do not support the hypothesized association of cortical thinning and cognitive impairment in carotid stenosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12872-019-1127-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The main objective of this study was to define a role of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) in the arterial injury response of a human artery. The hypotheses were tested that injury induces an expansion of S1PR1-positive cells and that these cells accumulate toward the lumen because they follow the sphingosine-1-phosphate gradient from arterial wall tissue (low) to plasma (high).A humanized rat model was used in which denuded human internal mammary artery (IMA) was implanted into the position of the abdominal aorta of immunosuppressed Rowett nude rats. This injury model is characterized by medial as well as intimal hyperplasia, whereby intimal cells are of human origin. At 7, 14, and 28 days after implantation, grafts were harvested and processed for fluorescent immunostaining for S1PR1 and smooth muscle α-actin. Nuclei were stained with 4',6-diamidine-2'-phenylindole dihydrochloride. Using digitally reconstructed, complete cross sections of grafts, intimal and medial areas were measured, whereby the medial area had virtually been divided into an outer (toward adventitia) and inner (toward lumen) layer. The fraction of S1PR1-positive cells was determined in each layer by counting S1PR1-positive and S1PR1-negative cells.The fraction of S1PR1-postive cells in naive IMA is 58.9% ± 6.0% (mean ± standard deviation). At day 28 after implantation, 81.6% ± 4.4% of medial cells were scored S1PR1 positive (P .01). At day 14, the ratio between S1PR1-positive and S1PR1-negative cells was significantly higher in the lumen-oriented inner layer (9.3 ± 2.1 vs 6.0 ± 1.0; P .01). Cells appearing in the intima at day 7 and day 14 were almost all S1PR1 positive. At day 28, however, about one-third of intimal cells were scored S1PR1 negative.From these data, we conclude that denudation of IMA specifically induces the expansion of S1PR1-positive cells. Based on the nonrandom distribution of S1PR1-positive cells, we consider the possibility that much like lymphocytes, S1PR1-positive smooth muscle cells also use S1PR1 to recognize the sphingosine-1-phosphate gradient from tissue (low) to plasma (high) and so migrate out of the media toward the intima of the injured IMA.

The aim of this work is to introduce a new condition within temporomandibular disorders, temporomandibular joint compromise (TMJC), a mandibular movement limiting disorder of extra-articular traumatic cause, and evaluate the response rate and safety of treatment. The limiting cause of mandibular movement is the lack of space between the mandibular ramus and maxilla. The main symptoms of TMJC include headache, dizziness, and tinnitus. In many cases, the headache is previously diagnosed as a migraine.Data were collected from 54 patients aged between 6 and 59 years that had a confirmed diagnosis of migraine according to the 3rd Edition of the International Headache Classification of the International Headache Society of 2018, and were treated for TMJC in a dental clinic. They also presented with other otolaryngological symptoms. A retrospective quasi-experimental study without a control group was carried out due to ethical considerations related to the harmless nature of the treatment.After treatment of TMJC, migraine symptoms disappeared in 52 patients (96.3%, P.001), and persisted, although with clinical improvement, in 2 (3.7%). There was also an improvement in the other associated symptoms: dizziness disappeared in 23 out of 27 affected patients (85.21%, P.001), and tinnitus disappeared in the 31 affected patients (100%, P.001). No significant treatment-related side effects were observed.This study shows the high rate of response and safety of the treatment of TMJC.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion caused by asymptomatic high-grade stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) has been associated with impaired cognitive function. Only few studies exist on underlying changes of functional connectivity (FC).20 patients with unilateral high-grade ICA stenosis without MRI lesions and 25 aged-match controls underwent resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) and neuropsychological assessment. Patients were examined within ten days before and 6-10 weeks after surgical or interventional revascularization of carotid stenosis. We examined mean resting-state FC ipsi- and contralateral to stenosis and network topology using graph-theoretical measures.At baseline, intrahemispheric FC was similar for patients and healthy controls. After revascularization mean FC increased moderately without an effect on network topology. Patients performed worse in TMT B and Stroop test, while performance in global screening tests for dementia (Mini Mental Status Examination, DemTect) were comparable. Test results did not improve after revascularization.In our study population, we find no effect of chronic hypoperfusion on FC and global cognitive function, although we observe minor impairments in processing speed and mental flexibility. The subtle increase of FC after revascularization could indicate excessive upregulation after restoration of perfusion. However, it might as well be a coincidental finding due to the limited sample size.

The aim of this study was to determine the survival of patients after use of paclitaxel coated devices (PCX), as a recent meta-analysis of randomised trials reported higher mortality in patients treated with PCX balloons and stents METHODS: A retrospective health insurance claims analysis of patients covered by the second largest insurance fund in Germany, BARMER, was used to identify index femoropopliteal arterial interventions between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2018. To ensure first PCX exposure, patients with prior deployment of PCX were excluded. The study cohort was stratified into patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI) and intermittent claudication (IC), then into balloons vs. stents cohorts. Within each stratum PCX were compared with uncoated devices. Propensity score matching was used to balance the study groups. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression.There were 37 914 patients (mean age 73.3 years; 48.8% female) included in the study. The annual proportion of PCX use increased from 3% to 39% during the study period for CLTI and from 4% to 48% for IC (both p .001). Paclitaxel coated balloons and stents were associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.90), amputation free survival (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.91), and freedom from major cardiovascular events (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.77-0.89) vs. uncoated devices at five years for CLTI. In IC cohort, mortality was significantly lower after using drug coated balloons (DCB) (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-0.99) or combined DCB and drug eluting stents (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.98).In this large health insurance claims analysis, rapid adoption of PCX, higher long term survival, better amputation free survival, and lower rates of major cardiovascular events were seen after their use for the treatment of CLTI.

Abstract. This article analyses if and to what extent gender differences exist in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) therapy. For this purpose Medline (PubMed) was searched from January 1999 to January 2018. Keywords were: “abdominal aortic aneurysm”, “gender”, “prevalence”, “EVAR”, and “open surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysm”. Regardless of open or endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms, women have a higher rate of complications and longer hospitalizations compared to men. The majority of studies showed that women have a lower survival rate for surgical and endovascular treatment of abdominal aneurysms after both elective and emergency interventions. Women receive less surgical/interventional and protective medical treatment. Women seem to have a higher risk of rupture, a lower survival rate in AAA, and a higher rate of complications, regardless of endovascular or open treatment. The gender differences may be due to a higher age of women at diagnosis and therapy associated with higher comorbidity, but also because of genetic, hormonal, anatomical, biological, and socio-cultural differences. Strategies for treatment in female patients must be further defined to optimize outcome.

Introduction There is evidence suggesting a detrimental effect of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis on cognitive function even in the absence of ischemic cerebral lesions. Hypoperfusion has been suggested as pathophysiological mechanism causing cognitive impairment. We aimed to assess cognitive performance and cerebral perfusion changes in patients with carotid artery stenosis without ischemic lesions by arterial spin labeling (ASL) and contrast enhanced (CE) perfusion MRI before and after revascularization therapy. Methods 17 asymptomatic patients with unilateral high-grade (≥70%) carotid artery stenosis without evidence of structural brain lesions underwent ASL and CE perfusion MRI and cognitive testing (MMSE, DemTect, Clock-Drawing Test, Trail-Making Test, Stroop Test) before and 6–8 weeks after revascularization therapy by endarterectomy or stenting. Multiparametric perfusion maps (ASL: cerebral blood flow (ASL-CBF), bolus arrival time (ASL-BAT); CE: cerebral blood flow (CE-CBF), mean transit time (CE-MTT), cerebral blood volume (CE-CBV)) were calculated and analyzed by vascular territory. Relative perfusion values were calculated. Results Multivariate analysis revealed a significant impact of revascularization therapy on all perfusion measures analyzed. At baseline post-hoc testing showed significant hypoperfusion in MCA borderzones as assessed by ASL-CBF, ASL-BAT, CE-MTT and CE-CBV. All perfusion alterations normalized after revascularization. We did not observe any significant correlation of cognitive test results with perfusion parameters. There was no significant change in cognitive performance after revascularization. Conclusion We found evidence of traceable perfusion alterations in patients with high grade carotid artery stenosis in the absence of structural brain lesions, which proved fully reversible after revascularization therapy. In this cohort of asymptomatic patients we did not observe an association of hypoperfusion with cognitive performance., Highlights • In patients with high grade unilateral carotid artery stenosis there was a significant impact of revascularization therapy on brain perfusion • All perfusion alterations normalized after revascularization. • We did not observe any significant correlation of cognitive test results with perfusion parameters. • There was no significant change in cognitive performance after revascularization.

Abstract. This overview analyses gender differences in prevalence, epidemiology, risk factors and therapy in patients with carotid stenosis in a systematic review. Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death in Western society, where about 20% of cases are triggered by a carotid stenosis or occlusion, which occurs more frequently in men than in women. The stroke-protective effect of carotid endarterectomy is greater in men. Men have lower peri-procedural stroke and death rates. Particularly men with carotid stenosis and a life expectancy of at least 5 years benefit from surgical treatment. Also, the recurrence rate of ipsilateral stroke 5 years after initial surgery is lower in men than in women. It is not yet fully clarified whether there are significant gender differences regarding the outcome after endovascular versus surgical treatment. Gender differences in the outcome of carotid artery repair may be caused by biological, anatomical (smaller vessel diameter in women) or hormonal differences as well as a protracted development of atherosclerotic changes in women and different plaque morphology. Moreover, women are on average older at the time of surgery and their surgical treatment is often delayed. To reduce the risk of stroke and to improve treatment outcome especially for women, further research on gender differences and their causes is mandatory and promising.

OBJECTIVES Gender disparities in risk factors and outcomes following aortic repair are important issues in healthcare. To date, no large-scale multicentre study addresses this topic in complex endovascular aortic repair. We aimed to determine the outcomes following fenestrated or branched endovascular aortic repair of aneurysms and dissections in female and male patients. METHODS Health insurance claims data of Germany's third largest insurance provider, DAK-Gesundheit, were used to investigate gender disparities in elective fenestrated or branched endovascular aortic repair of thoraco-abdominal or abdominal aortic aneurysms or dissections performed between 2008 and 2017. Elixhauser comorbidities and the linear van Walraven score were used to adjust for confounders in the multivariable analyses. RESULTS There were 959 patients in the cohort, in whom 163 (17%) were female. The mean age was 73 ± 8 years with no differences between females and males. No gender disparities were observed regarding the van Walraven comorbidity score (6.9 vs 6.8, P = 0.83), but complications occurred more frequently in females. Acute renal failure (relative risk 1.71, 95% confidence interval 1.06-2.77), paraplegia (relative risk 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.28-5.77) and bleeding or anaemia requiring transfusion (relative risk 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.39-2.22) were more common in women. In multivariable models, female patients were at a higher risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio 3.206, P

Colonic ischaemia (CI) is a severe complication following abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, leading to high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of CI following AAA repair.National claims from Germany's third largest insurance provider, DAK-Gesundheit, were used to investigate CI after intact (iAAA) and ruptured (rAAA) AAA repairs. Patients undergoing endovascular (EVAR) or open surgical (OSR) repairs between January 2008 and December 2017 were included in the study.There were 9145 patients (8248 iAAA and 897 rAAA) undergoing EVAR or OSR procedures and the median follow up was 2.28 years. Most patients were male (79.2% iAAA, 79.3% rAAA); the median age was 73.0 years (iAAA group) and 76.0 years (rAAA group). Overall, CI occurred 97 (1.2%) times after iAAA and 95 (10.6%) after rAAA. In univariable analyses CI occurred less often after EVAR than after OSR (0.6% vs. 3.7%; p .001). Acute post-operative renal and respiratory insufficiencies were also related to the occurrence of CI (p .001). CI was associated with greater in hospital mortality (42.2% vs. 2.7% for iAAA, 64.2% vs. 36.3% for rAAA; p .001) and lower long-term survival for iAAA (Kaplan-Meier analysis). In multivariable analyses, rAAA (odds ratio [OR] 5.59), and higher van Walraven comorbidity score (OR 1.09) were independently associated with greater risk of CI occurrence. EVAR use (OR 0.30) was protective. EVAR use remained protective in stratified analyses within iAAA (OR 0.32) and rAAA (OR 0.26).Post-operative CI after AAA repair is not common but is associated with worse in hospital outcomes and lower long-term survival. EVAR was protective after both rAAA and iAAA repairs. When discussing the treatment of AAA with patients the protective effect of EVAR should be considered. Future studies should validate predictive scores and advance preventive strategies.

Abstract. Background: Perioperative evaluation in peripheral artery disease (PAD) by common vascular diagnostic tools is limited by open wounds, medial calcinosis or an altered collateral supply of the foot. Indocyanine green fluorescent imaging (ICG-FI) has recently been introduced as an alternative tool, but so far a standardized quantitative assessment of tissue perfusion in vascular surgery has not been performed for this purpose. The aim of this feasibility study was to investigate a new software for quantitative assessment of tissue perfusion in patients with PAD using indocyanine green fluorescent imaging (ICG-FI) before and after peripheral bypass grafting. Patients and methods: Indocyanine green fluorescent imaging was performed in seven patients using the SPY Elite system before and after peripheral bypass grafting for PAD (Rutherford III-VI). Visual and quantitative evaluation of tissue perfusion was assessed in an area of low perfusion (ALP) and high perfusion (AHP), each by three independent investigators. Data assessment was performed offline using a specially customized software package (Institute for Laser Technology, University Ulm, GmbH). Slope of fluorescent intensity (SFI) was measured as time-intensity curves. Values were compared to ankle-brachial index (ABI), slope of oscillation (SOO), and time to peak (TTP) obtained from photoplethysmography (PPG). Results: All measurements before and after surgery were successfully performed, showing that ABI, TTP, and SOO increased significantly compared to preoperative values, all being statistically significant (P < 0.05), except for TTP (p = 0.061). Further, SFI increased significantly in both ALP and AHP (P < 0.05) and correlated considerably with ABI, TTP, and SOO (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In addition to ABI and slope of oscillation (SOO), the ICG-FI technique allows visual assessment in combination with quantitative assessment of tissue perfusion in patients with PAD. Ratios related to different perfusion patterns and SFI seem to be useful tools to reduce factors disturbing ICG-FI measurements.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the immediate postoperative and midterm outcome of complex aortic aneurysm treatment necessitating four-vessel revascularization with either a total endovascular approach (fenestrated-branched stent graft [FBSG]) or a hybrid technique of visceral debranching plus stenting. Methods The clinical data of consecutively treated patients presenting with a complex aortic aneurysm that necessitated four-vessel revascularization between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Results There were 98 patients (65 men [68%]) with a mean age of 70.65 ± 4 years who presented with aortic aneurysm (Crawford type I, 12; type II, 18; type III, 12; type IV, 24; type V, 6; and juxtarenal and suprarenal, 26) and were treated with either FBSG (76/98 [77.5%]) or hybrid repair (22/98 [22.4%]). Twenty-six patients were symptomatic (16, pain; 10, contained rupture). The mean maximum aneurysm diameter was 65 ± 15 mm, and 53% of the patients had a prior aortic intervention. In FBSG-treated patients, 15 off-the-shelf multibranched stent grafts, 3 surgeon-modified fenestrated stent grafts, and 58 custom-made devices tailored to the patient's anatomy were used. Four fenestrations, four branches, and their combination were used in 38 cases, 30 cases, and 8 cases, respectively. A total of 304 target vessels were addressed, with technical success rate of 96% (292/304). In most hybrid cases (18/22 [82%]), a two-stage procedure was undertaken. All target vessels were successfully revascularized with 88 bypasses. The 30-day mortality was 15.3% (15/98), and the early target vessel occlusion was 9.1% (2 in FBSG, 7 in hybrid). After multivariate analysis, type of procedure (hybrid) was independently associated with higher early mortality (odds ratio, 6.3; P = .01). The morbidity was mainly attributed to pulmonary complications (16.3%), lower extremity weakness (16.3%), mesenteric ischemia (6.1%), dialysis on discharge (6.1%), and complete paraplegia (4.3%). Acute renal failure (2.6% vs 18%; P = .03) and mesenteric ischemia (3% vs 23%; P = .001) presented more commonly in the hybrid group. The mean follow-up was 16.4 ± 5 months, and the mortality rate was 19.4% (12% in the FBSG group vs 45% in the hybrid group; P = .05). The graft and stent graft patency rate was 87.8% (three branches and nine bypasses were occluded). Conclusions FBSG and hybrid technique seem to be feasible treatment options for complex aortic aneurysms that necessitate four-vessel revascularization. FBSG may be associated with lower mortality and morbidity rates in comparison to the hybrid procedure. FBSG should be the treatment of choice for complex aneurysms in patients with comorbidities, whereas hybrid repair should be considered for acute cases unsuitable for endovascular repair.

Objective Type II endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is frequently caused by persistent flow from the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). The aim of this study was to assess the perioperative and midterm efficacy of laparoscopic ligation of the IMA for treatment of endoleak. Methods MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane databases and key references were searched with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology for studies reporting on laparoscopic ligation of the IMA for treatment of type II endoleak after EVAR. Results Eight case studies and one study of a retrospective nature were identified. In total, 20 patients (18 men; mean age, 73.6 ± 2 years; with a mean abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter of 64.3 ± 10 mm) who underwent post-EVAR laparoscopic ligation of the IMA for type II endoleak were analyzed. The mean time from EVAR until intervention ranged from 6 to 18 months. All but one patient were asymptomatic; in 9, the aneurysm sac was enlarged, and in 11, the endoleak was considered persistent without sac enlargement. The mean procedural duration was 99 ± 24 minutes, with technical success rate of 90% (18/20); in two cases, the patients were successfully reoperated on laparoscopically in 24 hours. The mean hospitalization was 3.6 ± 1.2 days, with 0% (0/20) perioperative and 30-day mortality. No patient underwent open conversion or showed signs of intestinal ischemia. During follow-up of 32.6 ± 12 months, 13 of 20 patients had aneurysm sac regression, whereas the rest had a stable sac diameter without evidence of persistent type II endoleak. Conclusions Laparoscopic ligation of the IMA for treatment of type II endoleak after EVAR is a feasible and safe technique in specialized centers with high technical success rate and good midterm outcomes.

Diabetes mellitus is a frequent cause for chronic, difficult-to-treat wounds. New therapies for diabetic wounds are urgently needed and in-vitro or ex-vivo test systems are essential for the initial identification of new active molecules. The aim of this study is to compare in-vitro and ex-vivo test systems for their usability for early drug screening and to investigate the efficacy of a birch bark triterpene extract (TE) that has been proven ex-vivo and clinically to accelerate non-diabetic wound healing (WH), in a diabetic context. We investigated in-vitro models for diabetic WH, i.e. scratch assays with human keratinocytes from diabetic donors or cultured under hyperglycaemic conditions and a newly developed porcine ex-vivo hyperglycaemic WH model for their potential to mimic delayed diabetic WH and for the influence of TE in these test systems. We show that keratinocytes from diabetic donors often fail to exhibit significantly delayed WH. For cells under hyperglycaemic conditions significant decrease is observed but is influenced by choice of medium and presence of supplements. Also, donor age plays a role. Interestingly, hyperglycaemic effects are mainly hyperosmolaric effects in scratch assays. Ex-vivo models under hyperglycaemic conditions show a clear and substantial decrease of WH, and here both glucose and hyperosmolarity effects are involved. Finally, we provide evidence that TE is also beneficial for ex-vivo hyperglycaemic WH, resulting in significantly increased length of regenerated epidermis to 188±16% and 183±11% (SEM; p

To describe an innovative technique to occlude distal backflow into a false lumen aneurysm by controlled rupture of the dissection membrane after stent-graft implantation.The "Knickerbocker technique" involves relining the true lumen in the descending aorta with an oversized thoracic tubular endograft, followed by controlled rupture of the dissection membrane using a large compliant balloon within the graft's midsection. This maneuver, which allows expansion of the stent-graft's midsection into the false lumen, was developed in order to occlude the large false lumen distally and thus prevent continued false lumen perfusion through distal abdominal entry tears. The technique has been successfully used in 3 patients with ruptured or symptomatic chronic false lumen aneurysm in type B aortic dissection. There was no short-term mortality associated with the procedure. After a mean follow-up of 8 months, the false lumen aneurysm remained thrombosed, with no mortality after a mean clinical follow-up of 22 months.The Knickerbocker technique appears to be feasible and effective in inducing false lumen thrombosis in selected patients who undergo stent-grafting for chronic type B aortic dissection.

Objective:To describe our experience with consensus-based decision-making for treatment of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis by neurologists, interventional neuroradiologists, vascular surgeons, and neurosurgeons in a multidisciplinary neurovascular board and to study adherence to treatment recommendations in the context of uncertainty with respect to the best treatment option.Methods:We established a multidisciplinary neurovascular board meeting twice a week with structured documentation of consensus decisions. Over a time period of 53 months, 614 cases with ICA stenosis were discussed, with 285 (46%) symptomatic and 279 (45%) asymptomatic cases.Results:Recommendation for symptomatic ICA stenosis was revascularization in 76%, medical management alone in 8%, and further diagnostics in 16%. For asymptomatic ICA stenosis, recommendation was randomization in a clinical trial in 29%, revascularization in 27%, medical management alone in 23%, and further diagnostics in 22%. Treatment recommendations were followed in 94% of symptomatic ICA stenosis and 69% of asymptomatic ICA stenosis. Patients in whom carotid artery stenting was recommended for revascularization were younger and showed a higher rate of severe (≥70%) ICA stenosis.Conclusions:Interdisciplinary board decisions are a helpful and transparent tool to assure adherence to guideline recommendations, and to provide consensus-based individualized treatment strategies in clinical practice in the absence of unequivocal evidence.

Objective— Intraplaque neovascularization contributes to the progression and rupture of atherosclerotic lesions. Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) is strongly expressed by endothelial cells of tumor neovasculature and plays a major role in hypoxia-induced neovascularization in rodent models of benign diseases. We hypothesized that GCPII expression may play a role in intraplaque neovascularization and may represent a target for imaging of atherosclerotic lesions. The aim of this study was to determine frequency, pattern, and clinical correlates of vessel wall uptake of a 68 Ga-GCPII ligand for positron emission tomographic imaging. Approach and Results— Data from 150 patients undergoing 68 Ga-GCPII ligand positron emission tomography were evaluated. Tracer uptake in various arterial segments was analyzed and was compared with calcified plaque burden, cardiovascular risk factors, and immunohistochemistry of carotid specimens. Focal arterial uptake of 68 Ga-GCPII ligand was identified at 5776 sites in 99.3% of patients. The prevalence of uptake sites was highest in the thoracic aorta; 18.4% of lesions with tracer uptake were colocalized with calcified plaque. High injected dose ( P =0.0005) and obesity ( P =0.007) were significantly associated with 68 Ga-GCPII ligand accumulation, but other cardiovascular risk factors showed no association. The number of 68 Ga-GCPII ligand uptake sites was significantly associated with overweight condition ( P =0.0154). Immunohistochemistry did not show GCPII expression. Autoradiographic blocking studies indicated nonspecific tracer binding. Conclusions— 68 Ga-GCPII ligand positron emission tomography does not identify vascular lesions associated with atherosclerotic risk. Foci of tracer accumulation are likely caused by nonspecific tracer binding and are in part noise-related. Taken together, GCPII may not be a priority target for imaging of atherosclerotic lesions.

Aim: The aim of this paper was to present a mathematical model to calculate the required main aortic graft-diameter for parallel chimney-grafts. Methods: Geometric approximation model, developed to allow for a standardized calculation of the main aortic graft-diameter determined by the aortic diameter and the diameter of the chimney-graft. Results: We propose a mathematical formula using circular segments of the aorta and the chimney-graft and provide a table with recommended main aortic graft-diameters for single chimney-grafts of 6 and 8 mm. Conclusion: Geometric approximation can be used to calculate the required main aortic graft-diameter. For parallel running chimney-grafts a significant degree of oversizing is necessary to allow the main aortic body to surround the chimney and to prevent the occurrence of gutters, which may cause type-1 endoleaks.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the technique of transapical deployment of a thoracic endograft and to discuss the specifics of this access. The technique of endograft deployment through a transapical access is demonstrated in a patient with a symptomatic 14-cm aortic arch aneurysm. The 73-year-old patient, with concomitant chronic obstructive airway disease and cardiovascular disease, had been denied open surgery. Femoral artery access was deemed contraindicated because of a more distal concomitant type III thoracoabdominal aneurysm, borderline renal failure and heavily calcified iliac arteries. Bilateral iliac–subclavian debranching and thoracic endografting via a combined transapical and left subclavian access successfully excluded the thoracic aortic aneurysm. The patient died within 24 hours postoperatively due to a massive myocardial infarction. In conclusion, transapical access for thoracic endograft delivery is feasible. Combined with complex debranching procedures in a challenging aneurysmal anatomy, it carries a high risk for periprocedural complications.

Ischemic changes of the abdominal organs are crucial since they develop slowly and are therefore often diagnosed at a late stage. Due to this general aspect, mortality from this disease could not be significantly reduced over the last decade. One of the main causes of these high mortality rates is the insufficient integration of the overall clinical picture into the diagnostic work-up. Acute mesenteric ischemia should be differentiated from chronic visceral ischemia. Acute intestinal ischemia is a vascular emergency with a mortality rate of 60-80%. The incidence of chronic visceral vascular disorders accounts for approximately 1-2% of all abdominal conditions and has to be differentiated from the acute form, since intestinal ischemia has a progressive nature and usually is related to general atherosclerotic disease. Therefore, this condition is associated with an increase of arteriosclerotic-related multimorbidity in an increasingly elderly population. Due to excellent collateralization, extensive chronic occlusion processes affecting the visceral arteries can be asymptomatically treated on a long-term basis.

Repair of blunt shoulder trauma with transection of the subclavian or proximal axillary artery poses a surgical challenge, especially in instable patients. Endovascular treatment for initial damage control in arterial transection has evolved as a promising technique to improve outcome, but technical success can be limited in cases of complete transection as the lesion cannot be passed by a guidewire. This report describes an endovascular approach using a through-and-through brachial–femoral wire to control complete traumatic transection of the proximal axillary artery in a hemodynamically unstable patient. Endovascular therapy is used as a bridging method for open surgical repair three days later under optimized conditions with an interdisciplinary team. The brachial–femoral guidewire technique helps to overcome limitations in endovascular therapy in patients with blunt traumatic transection of thoracic outlet arteries.

We introduce a silicone-based vascular prosthesis that may be optimized in various ways. The current work describes the theoretical background, the fabrication process, and the mechanical properties of these new prostheses, allowing objectification and comparison of materials used in vascular surgery. A production process to coat polyester prostheses with silicone-rubber (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) was established. Further modifications (surface improvements, drug incorporation for release) can be performed wet-chemically. Measurement of the physical properties included longitudinal and circumferential stability and elasticity, suture retention strength and puncture resistance (tensile testing machine), permeability, and compliance (circulation model). Prostheses can be multiply coated with PDMS. Sufficiently low levels of permeability (5 mL/cm(2)/min at 120 mm Hg) were achieved with a PDMS content15 mg/cm(2). Considering stability, elasticity, and compliance, prostheses with a silicone-rubber content of 15-20 mg/cm(2) are comparable to conventional, primarily tight prostheses. Coating with PDMS decreases suture retention strength and puncture resistance compared to conventional alloplastic materials (collagen-coated polyester and expanded polytetrafluorethylene) materials. The silicone coating surrounds the passing threads ("self-sealing surface") and is resistant to clamping trauma. The complete measurement procedures described here allow for a comparison of new materials with conventional ones and allow the handling characteristics of implants to be objectified. The primarily tight, silicone-coated prostheses can be compared to conventional bovine-coated materials without drawbacks regarding physical properties.

Spontaneous perforation of a nonaneurysmal abdominal aorta due to a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU) is exceedingly rare. We describe the case of a 57-year-old man with a perforating PAU of the infrarenal aortic wall and discuss the clinical presentation, diagnostic pathways, and therapeutic options based on a comprehensive review of the literature. Since a PAU of the aorta can give rise to chronic mild to moderate abdominal or back pain, a computed tomographic scan of the abdomen should be performed in patients with evidence of vascular disease and persistent abdominal or back discomfort. Surgical resection or stent-graft placement is indicated in symptomatic patients or in asymptomatic patients with radiographic signs of progressive PAU.

The extent of thyroid resection and the necessity of lymph node dissection has become an issue of controversy in patients with incidental multifocal papillary microcarcinoma.Between 1993 and 2001 a total of 4120 patients underwent surgery for thyroid diseases: 142 patients showed papillary thyroid cancer ofor = 1 cm, multifocal microcarcinomas were found in 22 patients (15.5%). Twenty patients (17 women, three men, aged 26-71 years) met the inclusion criterion of having pre- and intraoperatively no indication of malignancy (incidentaloma). A limited surgical procedure ranging from bilateral subtotal (n=15), ipsilateral total, contralateral subtotal (n=4) to bilateral total (n=1) thyroidectomy without lymph node dissection was performed. The mean volume of thyroid remnants was 4.3 ml.In 16/20 (80%) patients, the thyroid remnant was ablated by the first dose of 131I, using 3.7 GBq 131I in 15 patients and 1.85 GBq 131I in one patient. Three patients received a second, and one patient a third radioiodine ablation. All 20 patients remained free from relapse or metastasis, documented by negative 131I whole-body scintigraphy and unmeasurable thyroglobulin levels after thyroid hormone withdrawal in hypothyroidism. One patient died 7 years after the diagnosis of thyroid cancer from primary lung cancer. Median follow-up was 65 months (range, 24-120 months).Subtotal thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine therapy without completion thyroidectomy and lymphadenectomy is a possible option in incidental multifocal microcarcinomas.

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) and bypass occlusion are vascular emergencies and require immediate decisions and therapy. There are a lot of options, and the vascular therapist should be able to provide multiple alternatives. In this article we give on overview over the actual therapeutic options and present the data of a retrospective analysis of bypass occlusions.Therapeutic options of ALI are discussed according to the current literature. For the retrospective study, patients with acute or subacute occlusion of below knee alloplastic bypass were included. Endpoints of the study were secondary patency and limb salvage rate. A prognostic index was calculated to estimate the specific risk.We analyzed 262 bypass occlusions; 161 patients were male. The majority of patients (N.=249) presented with threatened limb at readmission. After one year, 2/3 of the bypasses showed a reocclusion. Introducing the therapy with bypass thrombolysis enhanced the prognosis significantly. Of the factors examined, cardiac and renal insufficiency had a significant poor influence, whereas therapy with Coumadin enhanced the prognosis in terms of patency. The prognostic index was calculated using the factors identified as relevant in the multivariate analysis.Despite all new technical tools, ALI and bypass occlusion is still associated with a significant risk for limb loss and mortality. Endovascular procedures are excellent options. The prognostic index may be a helpful tool in estimating the patency or risk of limb loss.

Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) are life-threatening vascular conditions of the thoracic aorta presenting with acute pain as the leading symptom in most cases. The incidence is approximately 3-5/100,000 in western countries with increase during the past decades. Clinical suspicion for AAS requires immediate confirmation with advanced imaging modalities. Initial management of AAS addresses avoidance of progression by immediate medical therapy to reduce aortic shear stress. Proximal symptomatic lesions with involvement of the ascending aorta are surgically treated in the acute setting, whereas acute uncomplicated distal dissection should be treated by medical therapy in the acute period, followed by surveillance and repeated imaging studies. Acute complicated distal dissection requires urgent invasive treatment and thoracic endovascular aortic repair has become the treatment modality of choice because of favorable outcomes compared to open surgical repair. Intramural hematoma, penetrating aortic ulcers, and traumatic aortic injuries of the descending aorta harbor specific challenges compared to aortic dissection and treatment strategies are not as uniformly defined as in aortic dissection. Moreover these lesions have a different prognosis. Once the acute period of aortic syndrome has been survived, a lifelong medical treatment and close surveillance with repeated imaging studies is essential to detect impending complications which might need invasive treatment within the short-, mid- or long-term.

Managing graft infections is a challenge in vascular surgery. The incidence of vascular graft infections varies between 2% and 6%. The number of patients treated by means of implantation of artificial prostheses is constantly growing. The treatment of vascular graft infections remains controversial. This article discusses in-situ repair and the role of extra-anatomic routes. Homografts present the lowest rate of reinfection with acceptable rates of degradation and aneurysm formation. Silvergrafts and synthetic grafts coated with antimicrobials show similar early and late mortality rates, but higher reinfection rates. The outcome extra-anatomic bypass surgery seems to be improved in actual series compared with historical results but their disadvantages (limited patency, higher rate of amputations as well as high rates of reintervention combined with higher early mortality) are obvious.

Background and Objectives Atherosclerotic changes of arteries are the leading cause for deaths in cardiovascular disease and greatly impair patient’s quality of life. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a signaling sphingolipid that regulates potentially pro-as well as anti-atherogenic processes. Here, we investigate whether serum-S1P concentrations are associated with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and carotid stenosis (CS). Methods and Results Serum was sampled from blood donors (controls, N = 174) and from atherosclerotic patients (N = 132) who presented to the hospital with either clinically relevant PAD (N = 102) or CS (N = 30). From all subjects, serum-S1P was measured by mass spectrometry and blood parameters were determined by routine laboratory assays. When compared to controls, atherosclerotic patients before invasive treatment to restore blood flow showed significantly lower serum-S1P levels. This difference cannot be explained by risk factors for atherosclerosis (old age, male gender, hypertension, hypercholesteremia, obesity, diabetes or smoking) or comorbidities (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney insufficiency or arrhythmia). Receiver operating characteristic curves suggest that S1P has more power to indicate atherosclerosis (PAD and CS) than high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). In 35 patients, serum-S1P was measured again between one and six months after treatment. In this group, serum-S1P concentrations rose after treatment independent of whether patients had PAD or CS, or whether they underwent open or endovascular surgery. Post-treatment S1P levels were highly associated to platelet numbers measured pre-treatment. Conclusions Our study shows that PAD and CS in humans is associated with decreased serum-S1P concentrations and that S1P may possess higher accuracy to indicate these diseases than HDL-C.

The aim of this study was to assess the value of technetium 99m-MIBI scintigraphy using the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technique for preoperative localization of smaller (/= 1 g) parathyroid adenomas.A total of 92 patients (34 men, 58 women; mean age, 60 +/- 13 years) with an established diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism and nondiagnostic ultrasonography (inclusion criteria) were scanned preoperatively. After a thyroid examination to check for other possible radionuclide-accumulating thyroid diseases, a planar technetium 99m-pertechnetate/technetium 99m-MIBI subtraction scintigraphy (15 minutes post injection) and tomographic images (120 minutes post injection) were acquired after intravenous injection of 740 MBq of technetium 99m-MIBI and using a 3-head gamma camera (Picker Prism 3000). Sensitivity was defined by the ability to predict the correct site of a parathyroid adenoma.All patients had parathyroid adenomas/= 1 g (53 patients, 0.5 -1.0 g; 39 patients,0.5 g). Correct localization of parathyroid adenomas to one side or the other was achieved in 87% of the patients using planar technetium 99m-pertechnetate/technetium 99m-MIBI subtraction scintigraphy. Sensitivity was increased to 95% by supplementary use of the SPECT technique and a 3-D display (volume-rendered reprojection for visualization). There was technetium 99m-MIBI accumulation in 11 benign thyroid nodes, but none of the healthy parathyroid glands were shown on the scan.This study indicates that technetium 99m-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy is a sensitive and specific tool for topographic localization even of small parathyroid adenomas, especially with the use of SPECT. This method could help to improve the efficiency of parathyroidectomy (eg, by making unilateral exploration sufficient).

To report a technique to create an extra-large vascular plug for occlusion of a large distal false lumen in chronic aortic dissection.The "candy-plug" technique is demonstrated in a 58-year-old multimorbid man with a history of complicated acute type B aortic dissection and a 9-cm chronic thoracic false lumen aneurysm. The patient underwent a staged repair with a cervical debranching procedure as a first step and a thoracic endovascular aortic repair from the innominate artery to the celiac artery as a second step. To occlude the large false lumen from a distal route, a stent-graft was modified on-table with a diameter-restricting suture, giving it a wrapped candy-like shape. This plug was deployed into the false lumen, and the remaining opening was occluded with a standard vascular plug. On 3-month follow-up imaging, the thoracic false lumen aneurysm remained completely thrombosed.The candy-plug technique can facilitate complete occlusion of chronic thoracic false lumen aneurysm by prohibiting distal false lumen backflow.

To report the use of antegrade in situ fenestration as a bailout technique to rescue a renal artery after inadvertent coverage during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).The technique is demonstrated in a patient with a 6-cm infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and a short, angulated proximal neck. A type I endoleak persisted on completion angiography after implantation of a bifurcated Zenith stent-graft despite dilation with a compliant balloon. A Giant Palmaz stent mounted on a large compliant balloon successfully resolved the endoleak. After placing the stent, the left renal artery was covered completely by the main aortic graft material, leading to only marginal opacification on angiography. To preserve flow to the renal artery, a transseptal sheath and transseptal needle were introduced from the right femoral artery and used to puncture the abdominal stent-graft antegrade at the site of the left renal artery. A 0.018-inch guidewire could then be introduced into the left renal artery; following a number of maneuvers, a balloon-expandable stent was placed through the fenestration into the target vessel. On computed tomographic angiography 4 days postoperatively, the AAA remained excluded and both renal arteries were patent, with all side branches fully preserved. Renal function was completely restored.Antegrade in situ fenestration can facilitate immediate revascularization of inadvertently covered side branches in EVAR using a transseptal sheath and needle. If the anatomical features are supportive, antegrade in situ fenestration can be a useful bailout technique.

The treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has changed significantly since the introduction of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). In terms of perioperative morbidity and mortality, randomized multicenter trials revealed results in favour of EVAR compared to open reconstruction. However, EVAR is associated with possible late complications caused by endoleaks, stent migration, kinking and/or overstenting of side branches, making life-long follow-up necessary. Since the majority of patients requiring therapy are elderly and exhibit attendant comorbidities, EVAR has become the procedure of choice in those patients with favourable anatomy. Medicamentous and conservative treatment may be relevant in patients with small to medium-sized aneurysms. Since smoking is one of the major risk factors for the development of AAA, all patients should be advised to stop smoking. Studies on long-term statin therapy in patients following surgical AAA repair showed a reduction in both overall and cardiovascular mortality; AAA patients should therefore receive statins for secondary prevention.

The greater saphenous vein is considered as material of first choice for a below-knee bypass. A high number of below knee synthetic, polytetrafluoroethylene or knitted polyester, bypass grafts in the institution of the senior author formed the basis to analyze factors for outcome of below-knee synthetic grafts.A total of 533 patients (327 men, 206 women; age: 71.2 ± 10.3 years), who had their first below knee bypass, were followed-up for up-to 9 (4.1 ± 2.6) years. Survival, primary and secondary patency, and limb salvage were compared between vein bypasses and synthetic grafts by Kaplan Meier analysis. Within the group of 377 patients with synthetic grafts comorbidities, previous interventions, indications, graft diameter, and technical aspects were related to outcome including univariate (log-rank) and multivariate (Cox Proportional Hazard Ratio) statistics.The greater saphenous vein was superior to synthetic graft in primary and secondary patency as well as limb salvage (5 year limb salvage 73.3% vs. 56.7%, P=0.001). In patients with a synthetic bypass, relevant preoperative factors for higher patency rates were hypertension, coronary heart disease and no previous endovascular intervention. Patency and limb salvage was significantly improved for anastomoses not to a single crural vessel. Adding a St. Mary's Boot as cuff technique did not improve the results. In multivariate analysis, independent factors for higher primary patency were no previous endovascular intervention, low severity of peripheral arterial occlusive disease, coronary heart disease and age above 65. Additionally, femoropopliteal and tibioperoneal anastomoses were related to better limb salvage.The greater saphenous vein reveals the best results for below-knee bypass grafts. However, if a vein is not available, synthetic grafts appear to be an valuable alternative especially in patients with no previous radiologic intervention, coronary heart disease, and age over 65.

Exact anatomical knowledge of the arterial vascular system is the basis for all access routes. This article describes the most important assess routes of the upper and lower extremities in arterial vascular surgery. The access routes presented do not claim to be complete because this would overstretch the limits of this article and the reader is referred to the references listed.

Exact knowledge of the topographical anatomy of the arterial vascular system is the basis for all access routes. This article describes the most important assess routes in the neck and torso regions and gives an overview of the basic principles of the surgical technique with respect to suture material, suture technique, anastomotic technique and the atraumatic preparation of the anastomosis region. The article makes no claims to completeness because this would overstretch the limits but refers in particular to the references listed.

Objective— The objective of this study was to define a role for sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3) in intimal hyperplasia. Methods and Results— A denudation model of the iliac-femoral artery in wild-type and S1PR3-null mice was used to define a role for S1PR3 in the arterial injury response because we found in humans and mice that expression of S1PR3 was higher in these arteries compared with carotid arteries. At 28 days after surgery, wild-type arteries formed significantly larger lesions than S1PR3-null arteries. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling experiments demonstrated that on injury, wild-type arteries exhibited higher medial as well as intimal proliferation than S1PR3-null arteries. Because S1PR3 expression in vitro was low, we expressed S1PR3 in S1PR3-null smooth muscle cells (SMCs) using retroviral-mediated gene transfer to study the effects of S1PR3 on cell functions and signaling. SMCs expressing S1PR3, but not vector-transfected controls, responded to sphingosine-1-phosphate stimulation with activation of Rac, Erk, and Akt. SMCs expressing S1PR3 also migrated more. Conclusion— In humans and mice, S1PR3 expression was higher in iliac-femoral arteries compared with carotid arteries. S1PR3 promoted neointimal hyperplasia on denudation of iliac-femoral arteries in mice, likely by stimulating cell migration and proliferation through activation of signaling pathways involving Erk, Akt, and Rac.

Chronic ischemic lesions of the splanchnic organs are often underestimated and underdiagnosed. The etiology, therapy and prognosis of acute mesenteric ischemia can be distinguished from chronic splanchnic ischemia. Progression of underlying atherosclerosis and the polymorbidity of the aging population results in an increased prevalence of chronic mesenteric ischemia, and occlusions of splanchnic arteries are diagnosed more frequently. Due to excellent collateralization, diffuse stenotic processes may remain asymptomatic for a long time. Computed tomography angiography with 3D reconstruction is the preferred diagnostic tool, while diagnostic angiography is more often utilized in combination with endovascular treatment (catheter-derived infusion therapy, lysis, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, stent). Duplex sonography reveals relevant insights into the hemodynamic severity of the lesion. However, the diagnostic accuracy of Duplex sonograpy is often restricted due to bowel gas and operator dependency.In this article the operative treatment of chronic intestinal ischemia is discussed and a classification for treatment stratification is proposed.

Perioperative risk in vascular medicine is particularly high due to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidity. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that during periprocedural management the patient remains in good general condition and that the patient is mobilized as soon as possible. Along with implementation of minimally-invasive techniques and endovascular procedures, networking and cooperation between the surgeon, anesthesiologist, physiotherapist and the nursing team can lead to an optimization of perioperative mobilization. The Fast-Track concept represents uncharted territory in the field of vascular surgery and it can provide advantages, particularly in relation to multimorbidity in the field of vascular medicine. The Fast-Track concept was introduced by Danish surgeon Henrik Kehlet and was originally intended to be implemented in general surgery. When compared to conventional management, this method offers better medical results, lower costs and other advantages for the patient: besides a better perioperative condition a reduction of postoperative complications and reduction of overall in-hospital stay was achieved. Therefore, the next logical step was to introduce and adapt this concept to other fields of operative medicine. This paper represents a systematic review on the actual experience of the fast-track concept in vascular surgery.

To describe a technique to facilitate passage and stable deployment of thoracic stent-grafts in patients with multiple tortuous aortic segments that may hamper endograft delivery or precise placement because of an unstable position in the aortic arch.The technique of a transseptal through-and-through guidewire is demonstrated in a patient with a ruptured thoracic aneurysm with severe tortuosity of the aorta and a right-sided, severely angulated aortic arch. The transseptal through-and-through guidewire stabilization technique allowed successful passage and deployment of a thoracic stent-graft after debranching of the right common carotid and subclavian arteries. The ruptured thoracic aneurysm was excluded, while the proximal graft edge lined up with the origin of the aberrant left innominate artery.An externalized transseptal guidewire can facilitate endograft passage in tortuous aortic anatomies and optimize control in most severely angulated aortic arches. It may obviate the use of proximal bare stents because the proximal stent-graft is actively conformed to the inner curve of the aortic arch by the stabilizing wire. Transseptal access to the ascending aorta has the potential to become an important tool for endovascular treatment, especially for catheterization of branches and fenestrations in aortic arch stent-grafts.

For patients with a diabetic foot wound the risk for amputation is high. The three main reasons for developing foot ulcers in diabetes are biomechanical factors, neurologic and vascular alterations. According to this the ulcers can be categorized in neuropathic (50%), ischemic (15%) and neuroischemic (35%). Sensomotoric polyneuropathy leads to the loss of perception of pain in the feet and in combination with extrinsic and intrinsic biomechanical factors, chronic wounds evolve (malum perforans). The therapy should take place within an interdisciplinary network and based on guidelines. Besides pressure off-loading debridement of the wound is mandatory. The arterial occlusions in diabetes mainly affect the cruropedal vessels and when ischemia occurs a reconstruction must be attempted. The risk of recurrence is high so that regular follow-up examinations, screening to detect high risk patients and education are necessary.

Fast track (FT) is a modern concept to enhance postoperative recovery after elective surgery. It has been approved during the last years. Beside its medical benefits, fast-track (FT) concepts may provide an economic incentive, although a cost-benefit analysis in the daily clinical routine has not yet been realised. In addition to this an elevated consumption of resources is postulated.In 2007 we prospectively studied the implementation of the FT concept for elective colonic surgery in the daily clinical routine at the Department of General Surgery of Nuremberg Hospital. In a representative subgroup of patients studied, we performed a cost-cost analysis by comparing these patients to a retrospectively analysed group that had been treated in a conventional traditional manner in 2002.369 patients were included and treated according to the FT concept. Discharge criteria were met at the 4(th) postoperative day in median (SD 3.9 days, minimum 1, maxiumum 29 days). The rate of general postoperative complications was 24.4 % (16 % minor complications) for all patients and 6.6 % in the group of patients who were discharged within 9 postoperative days or less (n=182). With respect to the main FT items, implementation of the FT concept was considered as effective. Cost-cost analyses showed a cost reduction of 32 % in favour of patients treated with the FT concept.This study clearly shows the clinical and economic benefits of the FT concept considering health services research. Therefore further clinical implementation of the FT concept seems beneficial, not only in the view of medical aspects, but also for economic reasons.

The prognosis of patients suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD) is directly correlated with the severity of the disease. In critically ischemic legs, after one year only 50 % will be alive with a preserved leg. The other 50 % will die or undergo an amputation during this time. Reconstructive surgery is highly effective in PAD caused by extensive arterial lesions. Depending on the localization of the occlusion, operative procedures range from local desobliteration to profundoplasty and from aortofemoral to femorodistal bypass procedures. Especially in critical ischemia, time is of the essence for limb salvage. Evidence-based data for diagnosis and operative treatment are described in detail. Only the consequent use of these critical techniques can improve the prognosis of these patients.

We report the case of multiple midgut carcinoids causing segmental intestinal ischaemia in a 77-year-old man. He was admitted to our hospital because of a 2-month history of postprandial abdominal pain with nausea / vomiting and anaemia. The extensive diagnostic examinations (blood tests, ultrasound, computed tomography, hydro magnetic resonance) did not reveal any pathological findings. The small-bowel capsule endoscopy demonstrated multiple areas of bleeding. A laparotomy showed a local ischaemia of the small bowel, a segmental resection of the jejunum / ileum was performed. There were no signs of occlusion of the mesenteric artery. The pathological examination revealed 8 carcinoids of the midgut (jejunum / ileum). Immune histology demonstrated serotonin-synaptophysin-chromogranin-producing carcinoids. The patient was re-operated because of suspected ongoing mesenteric ischaemia, but no further pathologies were found. The postoperative course was uneventful. A subsequent octreotide scan was negative for metastases.Carcinoids may become symptomatic mimicking intestinal ischaemia. Although this coincidence is considered to be typical, it is still a rare event. The diagnosis is often delayed. EVS ("elastic vascular sclerosis") of the mesenteric artery is pathognomonic for these carcinoids but, as our case demonstrates, not mandatory. According to the literature, the stage of the disease corresponds to the extent of the intestinal ischaemia.

The increase in numbers of vascular operations is due to a worldwide increase in vascular disease and diabetes. As a result of demographic changes, most of the vascular patients are comorbid and are therefore associated with multiple risk factors. Complications of vascular surgery can be divided into systemic, local non-vascular and vascular complications. Systemic complications are primarily caused by the patients' comorbidity. The prevalence of additional coronary heart disease and cerebral sclerosis accounts for approximately 40-60%, concomitant relevant stenoses of the renal arteries are documented in the literature in 23-42% of the cases. Special attention is paid to diabetes and its end-stage complications. Failure of wound healing, infection of the wound and lymphatic fistulas are the most common non-vascular complications. Inguinal incisions often give rise to a failure of wound healing caused by subcutaneous lymphatic vessels and because of the proximity to the anogenital region. Asepsis, atraumatic operative techniques and perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis lead to a reduction of surgical site infections and healing delay. Failing grafts or infection of the bypass are the most common vascular complications. Early graft failures are often caused by inappropriate handling or operation techniques and long-term failure is often related to the bypass material. However, in peripheral vascular surgery, autologous veins are superior to synthetic grafts and provide advantages in cases of infection. Removal of an infected synthetic graft is discussed as well as in-situ or extra-anatomical reconstructions. This article reviews the postoperative complications of vascular surgery and their management.