A mycotic aneurysm of the aortic iliac region remains a life-threatening condition, especially if the aneurysm has already ruptured by the time of surgery. Although the content of the aneurysm sac is considered septic, as was proved by positive cultures in 85% of our patients, in situ reconstruction is feasible and, surprisingly, was not more closely related to higher morbidity and mortality in our series than ligation and extra-anatomic reconstruction, although most of the aneurysms repaired in situ were located at the suprarenal and thoracoabdominal aorta. We assume that our operative mortality rate of 36%, which relates to a rupture rate of 85%, could be substantially lowered if the diagnosis of mycotic aneurysm were established before rupture.

Chronic carotid dissection can be effectively treated by surgical reconstruction to prevent further ischemic or thromboembolic complications, if medical treatment for 6 months with anticoagulation failed or if carotid aneurysms and/or high-grade carotid stenosis persisted or have newly developed.

Renal artery dissection can be effectively treated with surgical revascularization. Primary nephrectomy should be considered only in patients with a large ischemic kidney infarction, with significant deterioration of kidney function, to effectively cure or improve severe renovascular hypertension.

Prophylactic 12 h nCPAP significantly reduces the occurrence of postoperative oxygenation disturbances but has no effect on cardiac or pulmonary complications, need for intensive care, LOS or mortality after major vascular surgery.

our results demonstrate for the first time the complexity of the dissecting process on a molecular level. The ultimate dissection seems to be the dramatic endpoint of a long-lasting process of degradation and insufficient remodelling of the aortic wall. Altered patterns of gene expression suggest a pre-existing structural failure of the aortic wall, resulting in dissection.

clinical decision-making based on stratified diagnostic workup by means of extra- and intracranial as well as intracerebral hemodynamics using new imaging techniques may select patients who will benefit more from urgent surgery than from conservative management.

Our results do not support the hypothesis that systemic Cpn, HSV or CMV- infection or evidence of Cpn-, HSV- or CMV-DNA in carotid plaques causes plaque destabilization and cerebral thromboembolism. Plaque infection could only be observed in cases with advanced atherosclerosis.

From January 1977 to July 1997, 16 patients with aorto/iliac-enteric fistulas underwent repair. The fistula became apparent at a mean of 51 months. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the main symptom in 11 cases, 4 patients had a cutaneous fistula, and 1 developed retroperitoneal bleeding. The preoperative diagnosis was established in one-half of the cases. Three patients had to be treated surgically on an emergency basis without a preoperative diagnosis because of bleeding, 7 patients were semi-urgent and 6 had elective surgery. In 3 cases treatment consisted only of local repair. In 6 patients we performed extra-anatomic revascularization and in 7 patients we achieved restoration by in situ replacement after removal of all infected prosthetic material. Eight of 16 patients survived the perioperative period. Local repair alone cannot be recommended. All 3 patients died. The mortality rates between extra-anatomic revascularization and in situ reconstruction are comparable.