In vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of a new silver-triclosan vs a silver collagen-coated polyester vascular graft against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

ObjectivesVascular graft infection is a rare but serious complication of vascular reconstructive surgery. This in vitro study investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of a new, silver-triclosan collagen-coated polyester vascular graft compared with a silver collagen-coated polyester vascular graft alone during the first 24 hours.MethodsThe antimicrobial efficacy of the investigated vascular grafts was assessed by performing a time-kill kinetic assay following Clinical and Laboratory Institute Standards-approved guidelines M26-A. For the purpose of the experimental study, the ATCC 33591 strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va) was used. All assays were repeated sixfold. Bacterial survival numbers were obtained at 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours using a standard plate count procedure. Bactericidal activity was defined as a 3 log10 reduction factor (logRF), according to the approved guideline M26-A.ResultsBoth antimicrobial vascular grafts achieved >3 logRF and fulfilled the efficacy criterion for bactericidal activity but performed differently in their speed of antimicrobial action. The silver-triclosan vascular graft achieved 3.37 logRF after 8 hours, and the silver vascular graft showed a 4.19 logRF after 24 hours. The silver-triclosan graft yielded significantly lower colony-forming units/mL counts after 4 hours compared with the silver graft (4.29 × 104 vs 1.03 × 106; P = .031).ConclusionsBoth antimicrobial collagen-coated polymer vascular grafts showed bactericidal activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. Although the silver-triclosan vascular graft showed a faster antimicrobial efficacy, the silver graft exhibited its antimicrobial properties after 24 hours. Which concept will protect an implanted vascular prosthetic graft better from bacterial contamination and subsequent infection needs to be investigated further in in vivo animal and clinical studies.Clinical RelevanceVascular graft infection is a rare but one of the most serious complications of vascular reconstructive surgery. Conservative treatment of prosthetic graft infections is rarely successful and is used only in patients with a high operative risk or apparently limited infection. The most pre-eminent strategy against this severe complication therefore is primary prevention of vascular graft infection. The use of antimicrobial vascular grafts might support prevention of vascular graft infection. Results of a standardized experimental study on the antimicrobial efficacy of the silver-triclosan collagen polyester vascular graft with an identical collagen polyester vascular graft containing silver alone are presented

The role of completion imaging following carotid artery endarterectomy

A variety of completion imaging methods can be used during carotid endarterectomy to recognize technical errors or intrinsic abnormalities such as mural thrombus or platelet aggregation, but none of these methods has achieved wide acceptance, and their ability to improve the outcome of the operation remains a matter of controversy.It is unclear if completion imaging is routinely necessary and which abnormalities require re-exploration. Proponents of routine completion imaging argue that identification of these abnormalities will allow their immediate correction and avoid a perioperative stroke. However, much of the evidence in favor of this argument is incidental, and many experienced vascular surgeons who perform carotid endarterectomy do not use any completion imaging technique and report equally good outcomes using a careful surgical protocol. Furthermore, certain postoperative strokes, including intracerebral hemorrhage and hyperperfusion syndrome, are unrelated to the surgical technique and cannot be prevented by completion imaging.This controversial subject is now open to discussion, and our debaters have been given the task to clarify the evidence to justify their preferred option for completion imaging during carotid endarterectomy

Debate: Whether young, good-risk patients should be treated with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

As endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has become increasingly prominent in our vascular surgery practices, the discussion regarding long-term durability continues. The initial randomized trials that enrolled patients almost 10 years ago revealed a short-term survival advantage with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair at the expense of a higher reintervention rate and loss of that initial survival advantage in the longer term. Continuing and healthy debate over the practical importance of these findings has resulted in somewhat differing practice patterns on either side of the Atlantic. This debate explores the issues surrounding whether younger, good-risk patients with a long life expectancy should be treated with endovascular repair

FR167653 improves renal recovery and decreases inflammation and fibrosis after renal ischemia reperfusion injury

ObjectiveAcute tubular necrosis (ATN) secondary to induced warm ischemia (WI) results in inflammatory and delayed fibrotic processes and remains a common clinical problem with serious consequences. Because tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a prominent proinflammatory factor implicated in the pathophysiology of acute renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), we hypothesized that FR167653 (FR), a potent inhibitor of TNF-α and interleukin-1β production, may reduce IRI.MethodsIRI was induced in male pigs by bilateral clamping of the renal pedicle for 90 minutes (WI90), or unilateral renal clamping (90 minutes) after contralateral nephrectomy (1/2N×90), or unilateral renal clamping without contralateral nephrectomy (WIuni90). FR was administered intravenously 60 minutes before WI (1 mg/kg/h), during WI, and continuously for 3 hours (1 mg/kg/h) during reperfusion in treated groups (FRWI90, FR1/2N×90, or FRWIuni90). Blood and urine samples were collected between day 1 and 3 months after reperfusion for assessment of renal function. Kidneys were excised and renal tissues were collected at 3 months for morphologic and inflammation evaluation and protein analysis. Experimental groups were compared with sham operated (control) and heminephrectomized (Unif) groups without renal ischemia.ResultsThree WI90 animals (43%) and five 1/2N×90 (70%) were euthanized and necropsied at day 7 because of no urine production or poor conditions. Mortality was significantly improved after FR treatment. Survival was 100% in the control, Unif, WIuni90, and FR groups. In Unif groups, FR significantly reduced renal failure and bilateral renal ischemia (P < .05). At 3 months, proteinuria was significantly reduced in FR-treated groups (P < .01). Inflammatory cells count was also dramatically diminished in FR-treated pigs (P < .01 for CD3-positive cells). The second aspect of transient ischemia is the fibrotic process determined at 3 months. FR treatment was characterized by a reduction of renal fibrosis, particularly in Unif groups. TNF-α protein expression was diminished in FR-treated groups.ConclusionThis is the first evidence that FR reduced the early and long-term effect of WI in the severe ischemia model. This effect was particularly marked against fibrosis and inflammation, which would contribute to deterioration of a patient's renal function.Clinical RelevanceAcute ischemia of the kidney is common in the setting of renal artery or aortic surgery. Deterioration in renal function is a common cause of morbidity in patients treated surgically for juxtarenal and suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. FR167653 represents a useful therapeutic approach to prevent renal damage in a planned period of warm ischemia and during suprarenal aortic surgery

Totally laparoscopic aortic repair: A new device for direct transperitoneal approach

On the basis of our experience with more than 71 cases of totally laparoscopic aortic surgery by the retrocolic approach, we have developed a new technique by a simple transperitoneal approach. The purpose of this report is to describe that technique and the novel laparoscopic bowel retractor used to ensure stable exposure of the aorta

Short-term results of a randomized trial examining timing of carotid endarterectomy in patients with severe asymptomatic unilateral carotid stenosis undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the timing of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in the prevention of stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis >70% receiving a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).MethodsFrom January 2004 to December 2009, 185 patients with unilateral asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis >70%, candidates for CABG, were randomized into two groups. In group A, 94 patients received a CABG with previous or simultaneous CEA. In group B, 91 patients underwent CABG, followed by CEA. All patients underwent preoperative helical computed tomography scans, excluding significant atheroma of the ascending aorta or aortic arch. Baseline characteristics of the patients, type of coronary artery lesion, and preoperative myocardial function were comparable in the two groups. In group A, all patients underwent CEA under general anesthesia with the systematic use of a carotid shunt, and 79 patients had a combined procedure and 15 underwent CEA a few days before CABG. In group B, all patients underwent CEA, 1 to 3 months after CABG, also under general anesthesia and with systematic carotid shunting.ResultsTwo patients (one in each group) died of cardiac failure in the postoperative period. Operative mortality was 1.0% in group A and 1.1% in group B (P = .98). No strokes occurred in group A vs seven ipsilateral ischemic strokes in group B, including three immediate postoperative strokes and four late strokes, at 39, 50, 58, and 66 days, after CABG. These late strokes occurred in patients for whom CEA was further delayed due to an incomplete sternal wound healing or because of completion of a cardiac rehabilitation program. The 90-day stroke and death rate was 1.0% (one of 94) in group A and 8.8% (eight of 91) in group B (odds ratio [OR], 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.91; P = .02). Logistic regression analysis showed that only delayed CEA (OR, 14.2; 95% CI, 1.32-152.0; P = .03) and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11; P = .004) reliably predicted stroke or death at 90 days.ConclusionsThis study suggests that previous or simultaneous CEA in patients with unilateral severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis undergoing CABG could prevent stroke better than delayed CEA, without increasing the overall surgical risk

Follow-up of patients after revascularisation for peripheral arterial diseases : a consensus document from the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases and the European Society for Vascular Surgery

Peripheral arterial diseases comprise different clinical presentations, from cerebrovascular disease down to lower extremity artery disease, from subclinical to disabling symptoms and events. According to clinical presentation, the patient's general condition, anatomical location and extension of lesions, revascularisation may be needed in addition to best medical treatment. The 2017 European Society of Cardiology guidelines in collaboration with the European Society for Vascular Surgery have addressed the indications for revascularisation. While most cases are amenable to either endovascular or surgical revascularisation, maintaining long-term patency is often challenging. Early and late procedural complications, but also local and remote recurrences frequently lead to revascularisation failure. The rationale for surveillance is to propose the accurate implementation of preventive strategies to avoid other cardiovascular events and disease progression and avoid recurrence of symptoms and the need for redo revascularisation. Combined with vascular history and physical examination, duplex ultrasound scanning is the pivotal imaging technique for identifying revascularisation failures. Other non-invasive examinations (ankle and toe brachial index, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging) at regular intervals can optimise surveillance in specific settings. Currently, optimal revascularisation surveillance programmes are not well defined and systematic reviews addressing long-term results after revascularisation are lacking. We have systematically reviewed the literature addressing follow-up after revascularisation and we propose this consensus document as a complement to the recent guidelines for optimal surveillance of revascularised patients beyond the perioperative period.Peer reviewe