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Histologic, manometric, and direct magnification venographic studies of four patients with portal fibrosis and 10 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis were compared before and for variable periods after portacaval shunt procedures. Unique to this investigation was the availability of postoperative wedged portal vein manometry and venography. In periportal fibrosis (presinusoidal obstruction), portal studies demonstrated portal venular atrophy and occlusions, with egress of contrast material from hepatic sinusoids via hepatic veins; hepatic studies were near normal. The reverse was observed in patients with cirrhosis (postsinusoidal obstruction). The degree of elevation of portal vein pressures did not enable clear discrimination of pre- and postsinusoidal obstruction. Results support classical concepts of pre-and postsinusoidal obstructive disease and confirm the utility of wedge hepatic and portal venography in differentiating these two entities.

Streptokinase was selectively infused into nine thrombosed hemodialysis access fistulas in eight patients. Lysis occurred in all but one case. Of the eight infusions producing lysis, seven resulted in some clinical benefit. Three grafts functioned adequately for 2 to 6 months after streptokinase infusion alone. A fourth patient had good function for over 11 months after streptokinase treatment and transluminal angioplasty. In a fifth patient, graft function was partially restored, but a persistent arterial defect led to elective graft replacement. Moderate fibrinolysis in the sixth case was of no clinical benefit; rethrombosis developed promptly after SK was discontinued because of bleeding from a recent puncture site. In cases 7 and 8, fibrinolysis restored arterial inflow to the graft, but surgery was needed to revise partially obstructed venous outflow. It is concluded that selective streptokinase infusion, with or without transluminal angioplasty and operation, is often effective in the treatment of acutely thrombosed vascular access fistulas.

Selective intra-arterial infusions of streptokinase (SK) were made in 50 arteries of 45 patients with a variety of acute thromboembolic conditions. The most common regimen was 5,000 units of SK/hour for 24 to 48 hours with a simultaneous heparin infusion of 250 to 500 units/hour. Significant lysis occurred in 80% of cases, with 74% of the patients benefiting clinically. Minor bleeding, usually from puncture sites, occurred in 30% of the patients. Major hemorrhages, requiring transfusion or surgery, developed in four patients (8%). No hemorrhagic strokes or fatalities were directly attributable to SK infusion. Coagulation parameters were determined before infusion, 4 and 24 hours after infusion, and every 24 hours thereafter. Significant alterations of coagulation parameters developed promptly, but were not very useful in predicting either clinical response or hemorrhage. Selective intra-arterial infusion of SK is a moderately effective and safe therapeutic technique in acute peripheral arterial thromboembolic disease. A comparison with prior reports suggests that selective low-dose infusion provides a moderate gain in benefit-risk ratio over systemic infusion.

Benign hepatic tumors and peliosis hepatis developed in a patient who had received androgen therapy for three years. The tumors were identified by arteriography. Peliosis hepatis was diagnosed by wedged hepatic venography: to our knowledge, this method has not been previously used to diagnose this condition. Wedged venography, performed four months after withdrawal of androgen therapy and after liver function had nearly returned to normal, demonstrated morphologic improvement as well. On the basis of this case and other histologic descriptions of peliosis hepatis, we believe that wedged hepatic venography is a simple, sensitive, and specific diagnostic modality.

Transluminal angioplasty of the abdominal aorta was performed in 6 women between 49 and 69 years of age with histories of cigarette smoking. Five had a relatively small aorta. This procedure is effective in treating focal aortic stenoses.