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The study objective was to determine the relationship between lung resection and the development of postoperative hiatal hernia.Preoperative and postoperative computed tomography imaging from 373 patients from the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program and the Initiative for Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment were compared at a median of 31.1 months of follow-up after resection of clinical early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Incidence of new hiatal hernia or changes to preexisting hernias were recorded and evaluated by patient demographics, surgical approach, extent of resection, and resection site.New hiatal hernias were seen in 9.6% of patients after lung resection (5.6% after wedge or segmentectomy and 12.4% after lobectomy;Both open and minimally invasive lung resection for clinical early-stage lung cancer are associated with new or enlarging postoperative hiatal hernia, especially after resections involving the left lower lobe.

Purpose Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis, small airways disease, and emphysema. Diagnosis of COPD requires spirometric evidence and may be normal even when small airways disease or emphysema is present. Emphysema increases the risk of exacerbations, and is associated with all-cause mortality and increased risk of lung cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of emphysema in participants with and without a prior history of COPD. Methods We reviewed a prospective cohort of 52,726 subjects who underwent baseline low dose CT screening for lung cancer from 2003 to 2016 in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program. Results Of 52,726 participants, 23.8%(12,542) had CT evidence of emphysema. Of these 12,542 participants with emphysema, 76.5%(9595/12,542) had no prior COPD diagnosis even though 23.6% (2258/9595) had moderate or severe emphysema. Among 12,542 participants, significant predictors of no prior COPD diagnosis were: male (OR = 1.47, p Conclusion Emphysema was identified in 23.8% participants undergoing LDCT and was unsuspected in 76.5%. LDCT provides an opportunity to identify emphysema, and recommend smoking cessation.

After deep venous thrombosis (DVT), many patients have impaired quality of life (QOL). We aimed to assess whether pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis (PCDT) improves short-term or long-term QOL in patients with proximal DVT and whether QOL is related to extent of DVT.The Acute Venous Thrombosis: Thrombus Removal with Adjunctive Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis (ATTRACT) trial was an assessor-blinded randomized trial that compared PCDT with no PCDT in patients with DVT of the femoral, common femoral, or iliac veins. QOL was assessed at baseline and 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months using the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study on Quality of Life/Symptoms (VEINES-QOL/Sym) disease-specific QOL measure and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary general QOL measures. Change in QOL scores from baseline to assessment time were compared in the PCDT and no PCDT treatment groups overall and in the iliofemoral DVT and femoral-popliteal DVT subgroups.Of 692 ATTRACT patients, 691 were analyzed (mean age, 53 years; 62% male; 57% iliofemoral DVT). VEINES-QOL change scores were greater (ie, better) in PCDT vs no PCDT from baseline to 1 month (difference, 5.7; P = .0006) and from baseline to 6 months (5.1; P = .0029) but not for other intervals. SF-36 PCS change scores were greater in PCDT vs no PCDT from baseline to 1 month (difference, 2.4; P = .01) but not for other intervals. Among iliofemoral DVT patients, VEINES-QOL change scores from baseline to all assessments were greater in the PCDT vs no PCDT group; this was statistically significant in the intention-to-treat analysis at 1 month (difference, 10.0; P .0001) and 6 months (8.8; P .0001) and in the per-protocol analysis at 18 months (difference, 5.8; P = .0086) and 24 months (difference, 6.6; P = .0067). SF-36 PCS change scores were greater in PCDT vs no PCDT from baseline to 1 month (difference, 3.2; P = .0010) but not for other intervals. In contrast, in femoral-popliteal DVT patients, change scores from baseline to all assessments were similar in the PCDT and no PCDT groups.Among patients with proximal DVT, PCDT leads to greater improvement in disease-specific QOL than no PCDT at 1 month and 6 months but not later. In patients with iliofemoral DVT, PCDT led to greater improvement in disease-specific QOL during 24 months.

To determine long-term survival of visceral pleural invasion (VPI) and parenchymal invasion (PAI) (angiolymphatic and/or vascular) on survival of NSCLCs less than 30 mm in maximum diameter.Kaplan-Meier survivals for NSCLCs, with and without VPI and/or PAI, were determined for a prospective cohort of screening participants stratified by pathologic tumor size (≤10 mm, 11-20 mm, and 21-30 mm) and nodule consistency. Log-rank test statistics were calculated.The frequency of PAI versus VPI was significantly lower in patients with subsolid nodules than in those with solid nodules (4.9% versus 27.7% [p0.0001]), and correspondingly, Kaplan-Meier lung cancer survival was significantly higher among patients with subsolid nodules (99.1% versus 91.3% [p = 0.0009]). Multivariable Cox regression found that only tumor diameter (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] =1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.14, p = 0.02) and PAI (adjusted HR = 3.15, 95% CI: 1.25-7.90, p = 0.01) remained significant, whereas VPI was not significant (p = 0.15). When clinical and computed tomography findings were included with the pathologic findings, Cox regression showed that the risk of dying of lung cancer increased 10-fold (HR = 10.06, 95% CI: 1.35-75.30) for NSCLCs in patients with solid nodules and more than twofold (by a factor of 2.27) in patients with moderate to severe emphysema (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.01-5.11), as well as with increasing tumor diameter (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13), whereas PAI was no longer significant (p = 0.19).Nodule consistency on computed tomography was a more significant prognostic indicator than either PAI or VPI. We propose that patients with NSCLC with VPI and a maximum tumor diameter of 30 mm or less not be upstaged to T2 without further large, multicenter studies of NSCLCs, stratified by the new T status and that classification be considered separately for patients with subsolid or solid nodules.

SUMMARY One hundred surviving infants with birthweights ≥1200g were examined longitudinally, using real-time ultrasonography of the brain. Five infants were diagnosed as having cavitary periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). One infant expired within a month following discharge; the remaining four entered a follow-up program and received developmental assessments. Three infants had moderate-severe spastic diplegia and the fourth had spastic quadriplegia. Cavitary PVL can be diagnosed in vivo and predicts future motor delay or cerebral palsy. Since the typical site of PVL involves the optic radiations, and the incidence of visual-perceptual disturbances is high in premature infants, further research is needed to explore the possible relationship between these two abnormalities. RESUME Leucomalacie periventricular cavitaire: incidence et devenir a court terme chez les nourrissons de poidsegal ou inferieur a 1200g a la naissance Cent nourrissons ayant survecu, avec un poids de naissance de 1200g ou moins, ont ete examines en etude longitudinale a partir d'echographie en temps reel du cerveau. Un diagnostic de leucomalacie periventriculaire cavitaire (PVL) fut porte chez cinq nourrissons. Un nourrisson mourut dans le mois suivant le retour chez lui. Les quatre nourrissons restants furent suivis regulierement et beneficierent d'appreciation du developpement. Trois nourrissons presentaient une diplegie spastique d'intensite moderee a severe tandis que le quatrieme avait une quadriplegie spastique. La leucomalacie periventriculaire cavitaire peut ětre diagnostiquee in vivo et permet de prevoir un retard ulterieur du developpement ou une IMC. Puisque le site typique de la PVL implique les radiations optiques et que l'incidence des perturbations visuoperceptives est elevee chez les prematures, des recherches ulterieures sont necessaires pour explorer la relation possible entre ces deux anomalies. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Kavernose periventrikulare Leukomalazie: Haufigkeit und Kurzzeitergebnis bei Kindern mil einem Geburtsgewicht unter 1200g 100 uberlebende Kinder mit einem Geburtsgewicht unter 1200g wurden mit der real-time Ultrasonographic des Gehirns kontrolliert. Bei funf Kindern wurde die Diagnose einer kavernosen periventrikularen Leukomalazie (PVL) gestellt. Ein Kind starb einen Monat nach der Entlassung; die restlichen vier kamen in ein Kontrollprogramm und wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Entwicklung beurteilt. Drei Kinder hatten eine masige bis schwere spastische Diplegie und eins eine spastische Tetraplegie. Kavernose periventrikulare Leukomalazie kann in vivo diagnostiziert werden und weist auf eine motorische Entwicklungsverzogerung oder Cerebralparese hin. Da der typische Sitz der PVL die Sehstrahlung betrifft und das Auftreten visueller Perceptionsstorungen bei Fruhgeborenen hoch ist, sind weitere Untersuchungen notwendig, um eine mogliche Beziehung zwischen diesen beiden Anomalien festzustellen. RESUMEN Leucomalacia cavitaria periventricular: incidencia y curso a corto plazo en lactantes de menos de 1200g al nacer Un centenar de lactantes supervivientes con un peso de nacimiento de menos de 1200 gramos fueron examinados longitudinalmente utilizando ultrasonografia cerebral con tiempo real. Cinco ninos fueron diagnosticados de leucomalacia cavitaria periventricular (LCP). Un nino fallecio al mes de ser dado de alta. Los otros cuatro fueron incluidos en un programa de seguimiento y se exploro su desarrollo. Tres tenian una diplejia espastica moderada-grave y de los restantes uno tenia un tetraplegia espastica. La leucomalacia cavitaria periventricular puede ser diagnosticada “in vivo” y predice un futuro retraso motor o una paralisis cerebral. Puesto que la localizacion tipica de la LCP afecta las radiaciones opticas y la incidencia de alteraciones perceptivas visuales es alta en los prematuros, es necesario plantear una investigateon para explorar la posible relation entre ambas anomalias.

The role of serial cranial ultrasonography in the prediction of cerebral palsy was examined in 116 surviving infants with birthweights less than or equal to 1200 g. All underwent serial real-time sonographic examinations of the brain on days one, five and 21, then monthly, until term corrected age. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) was diagnosed in 48 infants, and three had periventricular leukomalacia. Of the 116 infants, 31 had ultrasound abnormalities at term. At 12 to 18 months corrected age 12 infants had cerebral palsy and 38 were classified as suspect; the other 66 were normal. There was a clear association between risk group, based on sonographic findings at term, and outcome. Infants with IVH whose cranial ultrasounds failed to become normal by term corrected age were at higher risk for cerebral palsy than those with normal examinations at term, regardless of the severity of IVH. Thus an abnormal ultrasound at term corrected age was highly predictive of cerebral palsy, especially among survivors of IVH. It remained the best predictor of cerebral palsy, even when other perinatal and neonatal variables were considered. In contrast, duration of mechanical ventilation, rather than sonographic findings, was the best predictor of suspect neuromotor status.

Individuals concerned about their risk of lung cancer are recommended to talk with their physicians about computed tomographic screening for lung cancer. To provide the necessary information, the survival benefit of the screening, specific to a particular person for a particular round of screening, is needed. The probability of survival gain from the first, baseline, round of screening was addressed as the product of: 1) the screening resulting in a diagnosis of lung cancer; 2) not dying from some other cause for a sufficiently long period of time; and 3) cure resulting from pre-symptomatic treatment of lung cancer. These probabilities were estimated using the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program data on individuals aged 40-85 yrs with a cigarette smoking history of 0-150 pack-yrs. The estimated probability of survival gain ranged from 0.4% for a 60-yr-old with a 10-pack-yr smoking history who quit smoking 20 yrs ago, to 3.1% for a 70-yr-old current smoker with a 100 pack-yr history and 2.0% for an 85-yr-old current smoker with a 150-pack-yr history. When seeking counsel about initiation of screening for lung cancer, an estimate of the probability of survival gain from the first round of computed tomographic screening, specific to the person's age and history of smoking, can be provided.

John D. Barr, MD, John J. Connors, III, MD, David Sacks, MD, Joan C. Wojak, MD, Gary J. Becker, MD, John F. Cardella, MD, Bohdan Chopko, MD, PhD, Jacques E. Dion, MD, Allan J. Fox, MD, Randall T. Higashida, MD, Robert W. Hurst, MD, Curtis A. Lewis, MD, MBA, Terence A.S. Matalon, MD, Gary M. Nesbit, MD, J. Arliss Pollock, MD, Eric J. Russell, MD, David J. Seidenwurm, MD, and Robert C. Wallace, MD, for the ASITN, ASNR, and SIR Standards of Practice Committees

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a hydrodynamic thrombectomy system in a prospective, multicenter randomized comparison with pulse-spray thrombolysis in hemodialysis grafts.Nine centers enrolled 120 adult patients with recently (/=14 days) thrombosed hemodialysis grafts. Graft venography was used to confirm occlusion in 62 patients randomly assigned to thrombectomy and 58 to thrombolysis. For thrombolysis, a mixture of 5,000 U of heparin and 250,000 U of urokinase was distributed throughout the thrombus, first to the venous then to the arterial graft end. For thrombectomy, the catheter was passed in the same sequence. Technical success was removal of 80% or more of thrombus. Clinical success was technical success plus the ability to dialyze. Also assessed were total procedure time, thrombus treatment time, procedure-related blood loss, other complications, and 30- and 90-day outcomes.Patient demographics were comparable. Technical success rates were 95% (59 of 62) for thrombectomy and 90% (52 of 58) for thrombolysis (P: =.31). Clinical success rates were 89% (55 of 62) and 81% (47 of 58), respectively (P: =.24). At 30 days, 69% (43 of 62) and 66% (38 of 58), respectively, could be dialyzed through the graft (P: =.70); at 90 days, the rates were 40% (25 of 62) and 41% (24 of 58), respectively (P: =.91). None of these differences or those for procedure-related blood loss and early and late complications were statistically significant. Thrombus treatment times of 16.8 minutes for thrombectomy and 23.4 minutes for thrombolysis were significantly different (P:.01).The hydrodynamic thrombectomy system is at least as efficacious and safe as pulse-spray thrombolysis but shortens thrombus treatment time.

JVIR 2000; 11:1189–1193 RENAL artery aneurysms (RAAs) are rare, with a reported incidence of 0.015%–1.32% (1–3). Although most RAAs may be safely observed, indications for treatment include a size more than 2.5 cm, interval enlargement, renovascular hypertension, pain, hematuria, intrarenal thromboemboli, and lesions in women of childbearing age (1,2,4,5). Traditionally, the definitive management of RAA has consisted of operative repair or nephrectomy. Although stent-grafts have been used for the exclusion of aortic and iliac aneurysms (6), there exists, to our knowledge, only a single published case description of stentgraft exclusion for the treatment of RAA (7). In this report, we describe our experience with two cases of percutaneous RAA exclusion with use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered Palmaz stents (Cordis, Warren, NJ).

PURPOSE The clinical literature describing the use of alteplase in the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive (PAO) disease is reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS The literature database was acquired by a MEDLINE search using the Boolean keyword string: tissue plasminogen activator and/or rt-PA and peripheral not animal. A review was performed to identify the dose range of alteplase, technique of infusion, use of anticoagulation, clinical success rates, and risk of complications. RESULTS Forty-six clinical studies were identified. There are few prospective, randomized clinical trials and a lack of standardized protocols and endpoints. Use of catheter-directed infusions of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) may be beneficial versus surgery in the initial management of acute limb ischemia ( 14 days), irreversible acute limb ischemia, or advanced diabetic arteriopathy, catheter-directed infusion of rt-PA or other plasminogen activators may be unsuitable. The risk of adverse bleeding appears related to the overall dose and duration of infusion. These risks appear similar to those of urokinase. The role of heparin in increasing adverse bleeding during rt-PA therapy is unclear. CONCLUSIONS There is no generally accepted dose or technique for administering catheter-directed thrombolysis using alteplase; however, several studies have demonstrated its clinical safety and efficacy. Formal studies will be required to determine the optimal dose, technique of infusion, the role of anticoagulation, and complication rates when alteplase is used for PAO disease.

Purpose To compare the clinical effectiveness of the AngioJet F105 rheolytic catheter to that of surgical thrombectomy for the treatment of thrombosed hemodialysis grafts. Materials and Methods This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized trial comparing technical success, primary patency, and complication rates. A total of 153 patients were enrolled: 82 patients in the AngioJet group and 71 patients in the surgical thrombectomy group. Patient follow-up was performed 24–48 hours, 1 month, and 6 months after the procedures. Results Technical success, as defined by the patient's ability to undergo hemodialysis treatment, was 73.2% for the AngioJet group and 78.8% for the surgical thrombectomy group (P = .41). The primary patency rates of the AngioJet group were 32%, 21%, and 15% at 1, 2, and 3 months, respectively. The primary patency rates for the surgical group were 41%, 32%, and 26% at 1, 2, and 3 months, respectively. This difference approached statistical significance (P = .053). The groups had similar complication rates—14.6% in the AngioJet group and 14.1% in the surgery group—although the surgery group had more major complications (11.3%). In the AngioJet group, there was a transient increase in plasma-free hemoglobin, which normalized within 24–48 hours. Conclusions The AngioJet F105 catheter provides similar clinical results when compared to surgical thrombectomy for the treatment of thrombosed hemodialysis grafts. The difference in patency rates between these two techniques approached statistical significance. In addition, results of both thrombectomy methods were inferior to those suggested by the Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines.

JVIR 1995; 6:233-236 PmENTs with enterostomies and coexistent portal hypertension occasionally develop varices at the mucocutaneous junction of their stoma. These portosystemic collateral vessels are prone to recurrent episodes of bleeding despite local interventions including manual compression, sclerotherapy, percutaneous embolization, and stoma1 revision (1-6). Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is currently under investigation for control of variceal bleeding at the gastroesophageal junction and has recently been reported to be promising in treating intraabdominal intestinal varices (7,8). We report two pediatric cases in which bleeding stomal varices were successfully managed with TIPS placement.

Between August 1985 and December 1990, 198 liver transplantations were performed. Among 18 patients, 20 biliary strictures were identified, which were categorized as anastomotic (n = 6), nonanastomotic central hilar (n = 8), and nonanastomotic peripheral (n = 6). Pretransplant disease, hepatic artery patency, presence of acute or chronic rejection, and donor cold ischemia times were tabulated for each case. Among the six patients with peripheral strictures, three had sclerosing cholangitis prior to transplantation. Three patients with nonanastomotic strictures experienced chronic rejection. The mean cold ischemia time for patients with nonanastomotic strictures was 9.75 hours versus 8.1 hours for nonstrictured transplants (P = .025). Balloon dilation was performed in 13 patients; follow-up longer than 6 months was available for nine patients. Dilation was successful in four cases. Among the five failures, only one patient has needed surgery. An association was noted between nonanastomotic biliary strictures and prolonged donor cold ischemia time, between peripheral nonanastomotic strictures and pretransplant sclerosing cholangitis, and between nonanastomotic strictures and chronic rejection. Percutaneous balloon dilation was found useful in the treatment of the strictured transplant.

We describe a technique for transfemoral endovascular exclusion of an iliac artery aneurysm with a reconstrained polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered Wallstent inserted through a 12 Fr sheath after right femoral artery cutdown. The procedure was successfully performed, with evidence of complete aneurysm exclusion at 4-month follow-up. This technique reduces the caliber of the introducer needed to deploy the covered Wallstent. It should be noted that because of a leak, an additional covered Palmaz stent was also deployed.

To evaluate prospectively the diagnostic performance of the New York Early Lung Cancer Action Project (NY-ELCAP) regimen in the diagnosis of early lung cancer at baseline and annual repeat computed tomographic (CT) screenings.Informed consent and institutional review board approval were obtained for this HIPAA-compliant study of baseline and annual repeat low-dose CT screening performed with a common regimen in asymptomatic individuals at 12 institutions in New York State. All 6295 participants were aged 60 years or older, had smoked for at least 10 pack-years, had no prior cancer, had not undergone chest CT in the previous 3 years, and were medically fit to undergo thoracic surgery. Median age was 66 years, and median smoking history was 40 pack-years. The proportion (and 95% exact confidence intervals [CIs]) of subjects with a positive result, as determined by using nodule size; the diagnoses of lung cancer resulting from subsequent work-up; and the distribution by cancer stage and cell type were determined. When relevant, 95% CIs for the proportions were calculated.Initial CT imaging led to recommendations for further work-up in 14.4% (95% CI: 13.5%, 15.3%) of the 6295 baseline screenings and 6.0% (95% CI: 5.1%, 6.6%) of the 6014 annual repeat screenings. Of 101 patients in whom the diagnosis of lung cancer resulted from baseline screening and three in whom a diagnosis of lung cancer was prompted by symptoms prior to the first scheduled repeat screening, 95 (91.3%) had no clinical evidence of metastases. Of the 20 patients in whom the diagnosis of lung cancer resulted from annual repeat screening, 17 (85%) showed no evidence of metastases. Of the 134 recommended biopsies, 125 (93.3%) resulted in diagnosis of lung cancer or another malignancy, while none of the 24 biopsies performed outside of the recommendation of the regimen resulted in diagnosis of lung cancer.The NY-ELCAP regimen of screening revealed that annual CT screening for lung cancer resulted in identification of a high proportion of patients with early-stage disease.

Developed by a Collaborative Panel of the American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology, the American Society of Neuroradiology, and the Society of Interventional Radiology

SETTING credentials for physician qualifications to perform peripheral vascular angioplasty and stent placement has become contentious. Credentialing is the process by which hospitals determine which physicians are both competent and permitted to perform particular procedures. Competency is determined by the physician having performed a sufficient number of training cases with acceptable outcomes. Standards for credentials to perform peripheral vascular interventions have been published by multiple sources, including the Society of Interventional Radiology, the American College of Radiology, the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention, and the Society for Vascular Surgery, as well as independent business organizations. These standards do not necessarily agree with each other (Table) and may be motivated by political and economic interests. The Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) has recently published revised guidelines for the performance of peripheral vascular interventions (5). The revision deals with three purported needs: (i) the need for specialty specific training, (ii) the medical need for cardiologists to treat iliac and renal lesions as part of good cardiac care, and (iii) the need for tiered categories of competency allowing an interventional cardiologist to perform renal or iliac interventions after only three proctored cases. Unrestricted competency to treat any peripheral lesion would still require documented performance of 100 peripheral arterial diagnostic angiograms and 50 peripheral angioplasty procedures. The following comments address each of these purported needs individually.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in patients who present with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) or Budd-Chiari Syndrome (BCS). METHODS: Nine patients with recent PVT and four patients with BCS underwent TIPS. The diagnosis was confirmed by color Doppler ultrasound and by angiogram in most patients. Patients were followed clinically and had TIPS checked periodically for patency. The end point was mortality, subsequent surgical shunting or orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). RESULTS: TIPS was placed in 13 of 15 (87%) patients with BCS or PVT. The mean decrease in pressure gradient was 56%. Median and mean follow-up were 14 months and 16.9 months. Procedure related complications occurred in two of 13 (15%), both in the PVT group. Direct procedural mortality was one of 13 (8%). The majority of patients with PVT (five of eight) underwent OLT. Of the remaining three, one patient subsequently developed a cavernous transformation of portal vein but is stable, one patient is stable, without further variceal bleeding, and one patient died because of multiple organ failure. In patients with BCS, three of four (75%) did well with TIPS, but one patient required immediate surgical shunting after occlusion of the TIPS. Two patients underwent OLT and the fourth patient is stable 2 yr later but has cirrhosis on biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with BCS, TIPS placement is effective and can be used as a bridge to liver transplantation. TIPS in the noncavernous PVT group should only be recommended when cirrhosis and uncontrollable variceal bleeding are present.

Rationale and Objectives. We evaluated the feasibility of using a metallic stented portal vein as a conduit for portacaval shunt in pigs. Methods. A metallic self-expanding stent was placed in the portal vein of five pigs under combined ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance via a percutaneous transhepatic approach. After 6 weeks, a portacaval shunt was performed using the stented portal vein as a conduit. A single angiogram followed immediately by sacrifice and histologic examination was performed on each pig at a varying time interval postshunt. Results. One pig died 3 days after the shunt procedure because of a presumed surgical technical failure and a consequent thrombosed portal vein. Angiographic patency of the portacaval shunt was confirmed in the four remaining pigs. Postmortem histologic evaluation showed more complete endothelialization and subintimal organization in the more chronic stents. Thrombus occurred only in the stent of the pig that died. There was no significant luminal obstruction in the other four stents. Conclusion. Our results suggest that a stented portal vein can be used successfully as a conduit for portacaval shunt in pigs.

To present technical adaptations of percutaneous interventional techniques required for the small size vessels and ureters of “en bloc” transplanted pediatric kidneys. Over a 4-year period, 12 adult patients received en bloc pediatric double renal transplants. Small system percutaneous interventional techniques were used in seven patients to approach the infantile renal arteries and urinary collecting systems for 11 percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasties, 4 antegrade pyelograms, and 3 nephrostomies. Prior to intervention, these patients averaged a creatinine of 2.5 mg%, which decreased to 1.4 mg% at 46 months (range, 22–68) following the first intervention. With a mean follow-up of 42 months (range, 5–47), 9 of 12 (75%) transplants are functioning with an average serum creatinine of 1.3 mg%. With the assistance of percutaneous management of postoperative arterial and ureteral lesions, the prognosis of en bloc renal grafts can approach that of the standard adult renal allograft.

A recent report has challenged the efficacy and safety of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for the treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS). From January 1983 to December 1990, 24 PTA procedures were performed for TRAS in 18 patients. The stenoses were anastomotic in two cases, in the main renal artery in 14, and segmental in eight. After PTA, the residual stenosis was less than 20% in 14 (58%), 20%-50% in four (17%), and greater than 50% in six (25%). The mean diastolic blood pressure decreased from 106 mm Hg 1 day prior to PTA to 82 mm Hg 1 day after PTA. Long-term follow-up mean diastolic blood pressure (at 2-32 months) was 93 mm Hg (P less than .01). Eleven of the 18 patients (63%) had a 10% or greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure on long-term follow-up. Major complications occurred in two patients; one groin hematoma required surgical evacuation, and one polar infarct led to hypertension that was difficult to control. No surgical revisions of the transplant renal artery were necessary. The authors' data indicate that PTA should remain the treatment of choice for nonanastomotic TRAS.

Over a 3-month period, 14 consecutive hemodialysis access occlusions were treated with 1-1.25 million IU of urokinase (UK) delivered at a rate of 20,000 IU/min. After systemic heparin administration, lytic infusion via the crossed-catheter technique was performed with use of pediatric microdrip pumps, with determination of success within 1 hour. Patency was established radiographically in 11 of 14 occlusions, for a 79% immediate success rate. At 285-day mean follow-up, 9% (one of 11) remained patent without further radiologic or surgical intervention; graft survival was 64% (seven of 11). No significant complications occurred with use of ultrarapid UK. The 1-hour outpatient procedure safely allowed for rapid triage between surgical and radiologic intervention, minimal catheter manipulation or physician dependency, shorter duration compression of any bleeding venipuncture sites during UK administration, and greater patient comfort because of shortened procedure times.

The data on post-renal transplantation urine leaks in 23 patients were retrospectively reviewed to assess the role of percutaneous urine-diverting procedures in their treatment. The leaks were confirmed by means of antegrade pyelography, and either a nephrostomy catheter or a nephroureteral stent was placed. Nephrostography was performed frequently to evaluate leak closure. Urinary diversion was continued for an average of 68 days. Leak closure was documented in 20 of 23 (87%) cases. In four patients, concomitant infection or multiorgan failure precluded adequate therapy. One patient developed a ureteral stricture after the urine-diverting procedure and required surgical correction. The results suggest that percutaneous urine-diverting procedures are a definitive treatment for post-renal transplantation urine leaks.

A 49-year-old man presented with right flank pain. Angiography revealed a giant right renal arterial aneurysm. Giant renal arterial aneurysms are typically treated by nephrectomy. In this patient the aneurysm was embolized successfully with multiple Gianturco-Wallace coils and polyvinyl alcohol. This case indicates that embolization may be a reasonable alternative to nephrectomy. (J. Urol., 144: 1227–1228, 1990)

Displacement of various landmarks within the pelvis by enlarging mass lesions can be used advantageously to determine the nature and origin of a particular mass. The noncompliant pelvic osseous ring accentuates the effect of displacement by forcing the vector inwards. This usually results in cephalad extension of a pelvic process into the abdomen. Lesions originating in the sidewall force the neurovascular bundle medially while central lesions will displace these structures against the noncompliant osseous pelvis. The differentiation of supralevator from infralevator lesions by CT aids in planning the appropriate approach to a lesion preoperatively. The various peritoneal spaces can become enlarged by intraperitoneal abscesses, fluid collections or tumor. These processes will also displace sidewall structures laterally against the osseous rim. It is extremely rare for an intraperitoneal process to extend below the level of the mid-femoral head. Extraperitoneal disease arising out of the pelvis may involve...

There is no single correct approach to evaluate aortic aneurysm. Variations in individual cases, equipment availability, technical expertise, and surgeons' preference frequently dictate the workup. Sonography is optimal for screening and follow-up in uncomplicated cases. CT is excellent in preoperative and postoperative evaluation of aneurysms and their potential complications. Angiography is used to determine visceral-branch involvement and define variations in vascular anatomy, although its routine preoperative use is controversial. MR imaging has emerged as a powerful tool to visualize and stage aneurysms.

Five cases of adrenal cortical carcinoma examined with magnetic resonance (MR) are presented. Clinical histories, computed tomographic (CT) scans, and final pathologic findings were reviewed in each case. All masses were hypointense compared to the liver on T1-weighted images and became hyperintense compared to the liver on T2-weighted images. Signal intensity of adrenal masses, fat, and liver were measured. Adrenal/liver and adrenal/fat signal intensity ratios were then calculated. All the masses were readily identified with MR. The MR also demonstrated displacement or invasion of adjacent organs, as well as liver metastases. The inferior vena cava was also identified in each case. Even though there were no consistent MR findings to diagnose adrenal cortical carcinomas accurately, superior blood vessel identification and multiplanar capabilities may make MR the imaging modality of choice in evaluating the extent of disease and in planning surgical excision.

Long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae of chronic disorders such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have not been well-documented in relation to acute perinatal insults such as intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). To study this relationship in ≤1,200 gm infants, the present study used repeated ultrasonographic scans at bedside to detect ICH prior to hospital discharge, and defined BPD as more than 3 wks of ventilation. 68 ≤1,200 gm infants born between 4/14/80 and 4/14/83 were followed through at least 12 mo. of age, with 48 infants tested thus far at 24 mo. (corrected for prematurity). Mean Bayley mental and motor scores at 12-24 mo. were: Both ICH groups included 4 grade III–IV survivors. A repeatedmeasures ANOVA revealed significantly poorer mental and motor performance by BPD infants through 18 mo. of age (ps