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Background: Carotid endarterectomy is a recognized method for preventing stroke for both symptomatic and asymptomatic hemodynamically carotid artery stenosis. Hemodynamic depression is more frequently associated with carotid artery stenting, while postoperative hypertension and cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome are known frequent complications after carotid endarterectomy. Severe hypotension after carotid revascularization is associated with a higher risk of perioperative stroke, myocardial infarction, and death, with limited data existing regarding risk factors. This study aims to investigate intraoperative risk factors for severe hypotension after carotid endarterectomy., Methods: A total of 160 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy were included in this study. Patients with other cardiac conditions that required concomitant cardiac surgery, patients with incomplete medical records, and patients considered high risk for surgery were excluded., Results: The incidence of severe hypotension was 30.6%. Patients with severe hypotension after carotid endarterectomy had a higher incidence of diabetes, moderate mitral valve regurgitation, a history of percutaneous coronary intervention, and higher operative times. Using logistic regression, temporary shunt insertion was independently associated with severe postoperative hypotension (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.09-4.71, p = 0.029)., Conclusions: This result favors the selective shunting strategy when performing carotid endarterectomies, especially for those patients with comorbidities predisposing to postoperative complications.

Aims: Vertebral lesions, either primary or more frequently metastasis, are difficult targets for percutaneous guided biopsies and surgical biopsies and are associated with greater risks of complications. We investigated the feasibility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy in the assessment of vertebral osteolytic tumors as an alternative to CT guided biopsy which is the technique currently used., Material and Methods: Four patients with osteolytic tumors of the vertebral bodies identified by imaging methods (CT or MRI) - 3 patients, and one with a tumor detected primarily during EUS procedure were included in order to evaluate the feasibility of the procedure. The lesions were located either at the dorsal or lumbar vertebrae. In all cases we performed EUS FNA of the osteolytic vertebral body lesions with 22G needles using the transesophageal or transgastric approach., Results: In all cases EUS FNA provided enough tissue for an accurate histopathological report, with no procedural complication. We diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma, hepatocarcinoma and a pancreatic adenocarcinoma vertebral metastasis and one case of lymphoma., Conclusions: EUS FNA is a valuable technique which should be considered in selected cases, when a "traditional approach" is not applicable or associated with a higher risk. Treatment guidelines are based on the histology of the tumor, histopathological examination being nowadays mandatory. Therefore, we propose for selected cases a feasible technique, with significantly lower procedural risks, as an alternative for open surgical biopsies or computed tomography guided biopsies.