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• Balloon catheter dilation was attempted as the initial treatment for limb salvage in 83 patients, of whom 38 had rest pain only, 32 had ischemic ulcers, and 13 had gangrene. One hundred eleven lesions were successfully dilated. After one month 87 (78%) of these dilations showed an increase in flow, 14 (13%) had no change, and ten (9%) had thrombosis at the site of dilation. After six months, 23 of 49 dilations showed evidence of restenosis, though 27 maintained flow greater than predilation levels. Only six of 19 lesions in 14 patients who had no surgery maintained improved flow after one year. Overall limb salvage for patients with successful dilation was 71% (51 of 72 patients), and the rate of limb salvage after dilation alone was 34%. Transluminal dilation appears to be a useful method of treatment for patients with limb-threatening ischemia and should be considered complementary to other methods. The tendency for recurrence of stenosis mandates careful, frequent follow-up.(Arch Surg 1983;118:557-560)

The potential impact of local intracoronary infusion of streptokinase (SK) on vascular prostaglandin synthetic pathways was studied in a canine model. Control animals (n = 10) underwent left coronary artery (LCA) infusion of 50,000 units SK for 90 minutes; experimental animals (n = 10) underwent LCA infusion of normal saline. Plasma samples for radioimmunoassay (RIA) of prostacyclin (PGI-2) and thromboxane (TXA-2) were obtained from the coronary sinus (C5) as follows: one sample preinfusion, six samples during infusion, and three samples postinfusion in each animal. Comparisons between control and experimental plasma levels of PGI-2 and TXA-2 were made for each sampling time. The PGI-2 levels remained at or below the lower limits of detectability by RIA (the most sensitive assay available) in both control and experimental animals. TXA-2 levels were higher in experimental than in control animals at all sampling times, with the most significant differences occurring in samples 3 (after 30 minutes of infusion, 001 < P.01), 4 (after 45 minutes of infusion, .05 < P< .10), and 5 (after 60 minutes of infusion, .02 < P< .05).

• We prospectively compared duplex ultrasonography with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and conventional angiography in the evaluation of carotid atherosclerosis by studying 494 arteries. Arteries were graded independently as normal, mildly stenotic, moderately stenotic, severely stenotic, or occluded. There was absolute agreement between duplex ultrasonography and DSA as to disease severity in 296 (68%) of 434 vessels, good correlation in an additional 119 vessels (28%), and poor correlation in 19 vessels (4%). When duplex studies were compared with conventional angiograms, the correlations were similar: absolute for 60 (71%) of 85 vessels, good for 17 (20%) of 85 vessels, and poor for eight (9%) of 85 vessels. With conventional angiography as the standard, duplex studies tended to overestimate the severity of disease in 64% of vessels and underestimate it in 36%, v 28% and 72%, respectively, for DSA. We concluded that duplex ultrasonography is as accurate as DSA in assessing carotid bifurcation atherosclerosis. The tendency of DSA to underestimate disease severity may lead to diagnostic errors in patients with nonobstructive plaques.(Arch Surg 1984;119:664-669)

• The subclavian vein approach is frequently used in the placement of catheters into the great intrathoracic veins. Central venous catheters are associated with complications that may be related to the insertion of the catheter or the location of its tip. A retrospective review of 500 subclavian vein catheterizations was undertaken to determine initial catheter tip position and identify complications associated with the initial placement of the catheter. Catheters were properly positioned in 68% of successful placements. The incidence of complications associated with initial catheter placement was 1.6%. The postplacement chest roentgenogram identified clinically useful information in approximately 33% of the cases.(Arch Surg 1984;119:293-295)