Importance and advantages of intermittent external pneumatic compression therapy in venous stasis ulceration

Venous ulcers are seen following postthrombophlebitic syndrome with venous insufficiency and can begin as a result of minor trauma. In this retrospective study the authors examined the value of external intermittent pneumatic compression therapy in chronic venous ulcers. Results in 1,250 patients with postthrombophlebitic syndromes, 235 of these patients with leg ulcers, revealed that this modality of therapy shortens the therapy duration, lowers the total therapy cost, and hastens the return to active life in comparison to the classical therapy with compression stockings and antiaggregant or low-dose oral anticoagulant therapy. In the light of their findings they propose the wider use of this adjuvant therapy

Surgery for mitral valvar disease in childhood: should we choose reconstruction or repair?

Objective: Modern surgical techniques now offer the potential for reconstructing rather than replacing the mitral valve in those patients who require an operation during childhood. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome in our centre following mitral valvar surgery in children. Methods: Between 1992 and 2002, 51 consecutive children, with a mean age of 12.5 +/- 3.5 years, underwent surgical treatment of mitral valvar stenosis and/or insufficiency in the Cardiovascular Surgical Department of Istanbul University. Of the children, 20 underwent repair, whilst we replaced the valve in 31 patients. In one, we inserted a pulmonary valvar autograft in mitral position. Results: There were neither early nor late deaths in those who underwent mitral valvar repair. Similarly, there were no early deaths in those in whom the valve was replaced, but two patients died late, while six outgrew their prosthetic valves and required insertion of a further valve within 10 years of their first operations. Conclusion: Our experience shows that procedures designed to repair the mitral valve are effective and reliable when performed in children, with low mortality, and a lower incidence of reoperation when compared with those having replacement of the mitral valve

Anterior spinal artery syndrome after infrarenal abdominal aortic surgery

Background Neurological complications such as paraplegia or paraparesis due to spinal cord ischemia has been an unpredictable, devastating event after infra-renal abdominal aortic surgery. The aim of our study is to focus the importance of this entity and in this connection to review the vascular anatomy of the spinal cord, incidence and etiology of spinal cord ischemia, methods of prevention, and management of the patient

Spontaneous Brachial Pseudo-aneurysm in a 12-year-old with Kyphoscoliosis-type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

The Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterised by fragility of the soft connective tissues and widespread manifestations in skin, ligaments, joints, blood vessels and internal organs. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy, previously diagnosed with kyphoscoliosis-type EDS (type VI), presenting with a left brachial artery pseudo-aneursym with history of multiple spontaneous and post-traumatic arterial ruptures. Surgical management of this patient was performed successfully by primary repair of brachial artery lesion. (c) 2012 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Anomalous dual drainage of the right pulmonary veins in a patient with cor triatriatum: report of a case without scimitar sign

The majority of patients with partial anomalous drainage of pulmonary veins are asymptomatic during infancy and childhood. Patients with significant left-to-right shunt develop symptoms and benefit from early corrective surgery. Anomalous pulmonary veins draining into inferior vena cava is very rare and frequently encountered in association with scimitar syndrome. The purpose of this case report is to describe a non-scimitar patient with cor triatriatum who had anomalous dual drainage of right pulmonary veins into inferior vena cava/left atrium and anomalous connection of persistent left superior vena cava with a common pulmonary venous chamber. The patient underwent an operation with redirection of anomalous pulmonary venous; drainage into left atrium and ligation of persistent left superior vena cava

CONGENITAL CORONARY ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULA IN A 10-YEAR-OLD BOY WITH ANGINA-PECTORIS

Congenital arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) is a rare cardiac lesion. Angina pectoris is uncommon in younger patients with CAVF Fistula-related symptoms, complications of this anomaly and surgical complications have a strong correlation with the age of the patient. A ten-yer-old male patient with angina pectoris in whom the diagnosis of CAVF was established, and who, following surgical ligation recovered, is presented

Pulmonary artery aneurysm in a child with transposition of great arteries

A 2.5 months old baby with transposition of the great arteries and single ventricle had a pulmonary artery aneurysm. Resection of the aneurysm with primary closure of the pulmonary artery and a Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure were performed successfully

Pseudoaneurysm of the Supracoeliac Aorta Following Blunt Trauma in a 83-Year-Old Woman

We report on the case of an 83-year-old hemiplegic female patient presenting with post-traumatic pseudo-aneurysm of the supracoeliac aorta, treated with 38 mm x 100 mm Talent Endoluminal Stent-Graft (Medtronic Inc., Santa Rosa, CA) using local anaesthesia. The patient was discharged on day 3 and the 8 month follow-up was without complications

10-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF FEMOROPOPLITEAL BYPASS GRAFTS - COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF LATE PATENCY RATES OF PTFE AND SAPHENOUS-VEIN GRAFTS FOR LOWER-EXTREMITY ISCHEMIA

Between January, 1987 and June 1988, 335 femoropopliteal bypass (FPBP) operations were performed on 308 patients who had limb ischemia caused by femoropopliteal occlusion. The greater saphenous vein graft (SVG) was used whenever possible (165) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prosthesis was used in 165. In addition, 4 Dacron grafts and 1 umbilical vein graft were used in 5 operations but were excluded from comparison in this study. The two groups did not differ significantly regarding stage of peripheral ischemia, preoperative indication, distal popliteal anastomotic site, and number of patent runoff vessels. Overall cumulative patency rates according to occlusive criteria alone were calculated by the life table method. Graft occlusion was determined by angiography, Doppler assessment, loss of previously palpable pulses, or return of symptoms. Diabetes mellitus was associated with a significantly lower patency rate