Long-term Comparative Outcomes of Carotid Artery Stenting Following Previous Carotid Endarterectomy vs De Novo Lesions

Purpose: To report the long-term outcomes of patients who underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) for de novo carotid stenosis vs patients treated for restenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all 385 patients (mean age 68.6±9.6 years; 231 men) who underwent 435 CAS procedures at a large tertiary care center between January 1999 and December 2013. For analysis, patients were stratified based on their lesion type [de novo (dn) vs post-CEA restenosis (res)] and subclassified by symptoms status [symptomatic (Sx) or asymptomatic (Asx)], creating 4 groups: (1) CAS-dn Asx, (2) CAS-dn Sx, (3) CAS-res Asx, and (4) CAS-res Sx. For the CAS-res group, the mean elapsed time from CEA to CAS was 72.4±63.6 months. Outcomes included target vessel reintervention (TVR) and in-stent restenosis (ISR), the latter defined by a carotid duplex ultrasound velocity \u3e275 cm/s. Results: The main indication for initial carotid angiography with possible revascularization was severe carotid stenosis (≥70%-99% on duplex) in both CAS-dn and CAS-res groups (83.6% vs 83.7%, p=0.999). There were no significant differences in the percentage of patients with postintervention residual stenosis (\u3c30%; 100% each arm) or complications between CAS-res vs CAS-dn: in-hospital stroke (1.4% vs 1.8%, respectively), myocardial infarction (0.9% vs 0%), or death (0.9% vs 0%). Mean follow-up was 62.4±45.6 months (median 53.5, range 1–180). Average clinical/TVR follow-up was greater for the CAS-res group (71.9±48.6 months) compared with 53.3±40.5 months for the CAS-dn group (p\u3c0.001). Across the 4 study groups, there were no differences in freedom from ISR (p=0.174) or TVR (p=0.856). Multivariate analysis found peripheral vascular disease (PVD) as the sole ISR independent predictor [hazard ratio (HR) 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03 to 3.62, p=0.041], while significant predictors for TVR were age \u3c65 years at the time of the procedure (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.05 to 6.18, p=0.039) and PVD (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.03 to 5.87, p=0.043). Conclusion: The current study suggests that CAS is a feasible and durable therapeutic option for recurrent restenosis after CEA. Long-term outcomes were similar for patients treated for de novo lesions or post-CEA restenosis. Age and PVD appear to influence long-term CAS durability

Update on intervention versus medical therapy for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is known to be one of the most common causes of secondary hypertension, and early nonrandomized studies suggested that renal artery stenting (RASt) improved outcomes. The vascular community embraced this less invasive treatment alternative to surgery, and RASt increased in popularity during the late 1990s. However, recent randomized studies have failed to show a benefit regarding blood pressure or renal function when RASt was compared with best medical therapy, creating significant concerns about procedural efficacy. In the wake of these randomized trial results, hypertension and renal disease experts along with vascular interventional specialists now struggle with how to best manage atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. This review objectively analyzes the current literature and highlights each trial’s design weaknesses and strengths. We have provided our recommendations for contemporary treatment guidelines based on our interpretation of the available empirical data

Identification of Abnormal Biliary Anatomy Utilizing Real-Time Near-Infrared Cholangiography: A Report of Two Cases

Biliary duct anomalies are commonly encountered during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Advancements in the field of surgery allow for enhanced intraoperative detection of these abnormalities. Fluorophore injection and near-infrared (NIR) imaging can provide real-time intraoperative anatomic feedback without intraoperative delays and ionizing radiation. This report details two cases where the PINPOINT Endoscopic Fluorescence Imaging System (NOVADAQ, Ontario, Canada) was used to identify anomalies of the biliary tree and guide operative decision-making

Development, refinement, and characterization of a nonhuman primate critical care environment.

BackgroundSystemic inflammatory response remains a poorly understood cause of morbidity and mortality after traumatic injury. Recent nonhuman primate (NHP) trauma models have been used to characterize the systemic response to trauma, but none have incorporated a critical care phase without the use of general anesthesia. We describe the development of a prolonged critical care environment with sedation and ventilation support, and also report corresponding NHP biologic and inflammatory markers.MethodsEight adult male rhesus macaques underwent ventilation with sedation for 48-96 hours in a critical care setting. Three of these NHPs underwent "sham" procedures as part of trauma control model development. Blood counts, chemistries, coagulation studies, and cytokines/chemokines were collected throughout the study, and histopathologic analysis was conducted at necropsy.ResultsEight NHPs were intentionally survived and extubated. Three NHPs were euthanized at 72-96 hours without extubation. Transaminitis occurred over the duration of ventilation, but renal function, acid-base status, and hematologic profile remained stable. Chemokine and cytokine analysis were notable for baseline fold-change for Il-6 and Il-1ra (9.7 and 42.7, respectively) that subsequently downtrended throughout the experiment unless clinical respiratory compromise was observed.ConclusionsA NHP critical care environment with ventilation support is feasible but requires robust resources. The inflammatory profile of NHPs is not profoundly altered by sedation and mechanical ventilation. NHPs are susceptible to the pulmonary effects of short-term ventilation and demonstrate a similar bioprofile response to ventilator-induced pulmonary pathology. This work has implications for further development of a prolonged care NHP model