Proper identification of the source of type II endoleak and its complete occlusion, combined with aneurysm sac coiling, may result in prompt decrease in aneurysm size.
The presentation of DVT and that of a Baker's cyst are similar enough to be difficult to distinguish by clinical examination. Careful examination of the popliteal fossa should be performed during venous duplex examinations regardless of the indication for the study.
The objective of this study was to compare the complication rates of diagnostic angiography performed by vascular surgeons to those previously published by interventional radiologists. From May 1999 through August 2000, 3 board-certified vascular surgeons performed 224 endovascular procedures in a modern endovascular suite. Of these 224 procedures, 144 were diagnostic angiographies. A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify periprocedural complications of these angiographies. The patients were classified into 3 groups according to the indication for angiography, and the major and overall complication rates were tabulated. The complication rates for the initial 25 and subsequent 119 arteriographies were compared to evaluate the presence of a learning curve. Thirty-eight percent of angiographies were performed to define aneurysmal anatomy (type I), 51% to define peripheral arterial stenosis or occlusion (type II), and 12% to assess symptomatic carotid artery disease or mesenteric ischemia (type III). The major complication rates for these 3 types were 0%, 2.7%, and 5.9%, respectively, and showed no statistical difference (Fischer's exact test) compared to published rates of 0.7%, 2.9%, and 9.1%. Major complications included an external iliac artery dissection, a cerebral air embolus, and a deep venous thrombosis. The overall major complication rate was 2.1%, which compares to published rates of 1.9-2.9%. The major complication rates for the initial 25 and final 119 were 8% and 0.8%, respectively. Vascular surgeons can perform diagnostic angiography with acceptable complication rates. The complication rate is reduced with angiographic experience.
Patients with degenerative connective tissue disorders may benefit from less invasive treatment with stent-grafts. The more flexible Viabahn stent-graft may be better able to adapt to arterial tortuosity. However, the long-term results of this new technique have not yet been established.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.