Foreign body ingestion represents a frequent reason for emergency endoscopy. The endoscopic procedure is a successful technique which allows the removal of the foreign bodies in almost all cases without significant complications. Surgery is rarely required.

Background Although open surgical bypass remains the standard revascularization strategy for patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), many centers now perform peripheral endovascular intervention (PVI) as the first-line treatment for these patients. We sought to determine the effect of a prior ipsilateral PVI (iPVI) on the outcome of subsequent lower extremity bypass (LEB) in patients with CLI. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis of all patients undergoing infrainguinal LEB between 2003 and 2009 within hospitals comprising the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) was performed. Primary study endpoints were major amputation and graft occlusion at 1 year postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital major adverse events (MAE), 1-year mortality, and composite 1-year major adverse limb events (MALE). Event rates were determined using life table analyses and comparisons were performed using the log-rank test. Multivariate predictors were determined using a Cox proportional hazards model with multilevel hierarchical adjustment. Results Of 1880 LEBs performed, 32% (n = 603) had a prior infrainguinal revascularization procedure (iPVI, 7%; ipsilateral bypass, 15%; contralateral PVI, 3%; contralateral bypass, 17%). Patients with prior iPVI, compared with those without a prior iPVI, were more likely to be women (32 vs 41%; P = .04), less likely to have tissue loss (52% vs 63%; P = .02), more likely to require arm vein conduit (16% vs 5%; P = .001), and more likely to be on statin (71% vs 54%; P = .01) and beta blocker therapy (92% vs 81%; P = .01) at the time of their bypass procedure. Other demographic factors were similar between these groups. Prior PVI or bypass did not alter 30-day MAE and 1-year mortality after the index bypass. In contrast, 1-year major amputation and 1-year graft occlusion rates were significantly higher in patients who had prior iPVI than those without (31% vs 20%; P = .046 and 28% vs 18%; P = .009), similar to patients who had a prior ipsilateral bypass (1 year major amputation, 29% vs 20%; P = .022; 1 year graft occlusion, 33% vs 18%; P = .001). Independent multivariate predictors of higher 1-year amputation and graft occlusion rates were prior iPVI, prior ipsilateral bypass, dialysis dependence, prosthetic conduit and distal (tibial and pedal) bypass target. Conclusions Prior iPVI is highly predictive for poor outcome in patients undergoing LEB for CLI with higher 1-year amputation and graft occlusion rates than those without prior revascularization, similar to prior ipsilateral bypass These findings provide information, which may help with the complex decisions surrounding revascularization options in patients with CLI.

BACKGROUND Although it is commonly reported that IBD patients are at increased risk for venous thromboembolic events, little real-world data exist regarding their postoperative incidence and related outcomes in everyday practice. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify the rate of venous thromboembolism and modifiable risk factors within a large cohort of surgical IBD patients. DESIGN We performed a retrospective review of IBD patients who underwent colorectal procedures. PATIENTS Patient data were obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2004 to 2010 Participant Use Data Files. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcomes measured were short-term (30-day) postoperative venous thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism). Clinical variables were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses to identify modifiable risk factors for these events. RESULTS A total of 10,431 operations were for Crohn’s disease (52.1%) or ulcerative colitis (47.9%), and 242 (2.3%) venous thromboembolic events occurred (178 deep vein thromboses, 46 pulmonary embolisms, 18 both) for a combined rate of 1.4% in Crohn’s disease and 3.3% in ulcerative colitis. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism each occurred at a mean of 10.8 days postoperatively (range for each, 0–30 days). A multivariate model found that bleeding disorder, steroid use, anesthesia time, emergency surgery, hematocrit <37%, malnutrition, and functional status were potentially modifiable risk factors that remained associated (p < 0.05) with venous thromboembolism on regression analysis. Patients with thromboembolism had longer length of stay (18.8 vs 8.9 days), more complications (41% vs 18%), and a higher risk of death (4% vs 0.9%). LIMITATIONS This study was limited by its retrospective design and its limited generalizability to nonparticipating hospitals. CONCLUSIONS Inflammatory bowel disease patients are at increased risk for postoperative venous thromboembolism. Reducing preoperative anemia, steroid use, malnutrition, and anesthesia time may also reduce venous thromboembolism in this at-risk population. Risk-reducing, preventative strategies are needed in this at-risk population.

Objective Although carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is performed to prevent stroke, long-term survival is essential to ensure benefit, especially in asymptomatic patients. We examined factors associated with 5-year survival following CEA in patients with asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Methods Prospectively collected data from 4114 isolated CEAs performed for asymptomatic stenosis across 24 centers in the Vascular Study Group of New England between 2003 and 2011 were used for this analysis. Late survival was determined with the Social Security Death Index. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify risk factors for mortality within the first 5 years after CEA and to calculate a risk score for predicting 5-year survival. Results Overall 3- and 5-year survival after CEA in asymptomatic patients were 90% (95% CI 89%-91%) and 82% (95% CI 81%-84%), respectively. By multivariate analysis, increasing age, diabetes, smoking history, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, poor renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 or dialysis dependence), absence of statin use, and worse contralateral ICA stenosis were all associated with worse survival. Patients classified as low (27%), medium (68%), and high risk (5%) based on number of risk factors had 5-year survival rates of 96%, 80%, and 51%, respectively (P < .001). Conclusions More than four out of five asymptomatic patients selected for CEA in the Vascular Study Group of New England achieved 5-year survival, demonstrating that, overall, surgeons in our region selected appropriate patients for carotid revascularization. However, there were patients selected for surgery with high risk profiles, and our models suggest that the highest risk patients (such as those with multiple major risk factors including age ≥80, insulin-dependent diabetes, dialysis dependence, and severe contralateral ICA stenosis) are unlikely to survive long enough to realize a benefit of prophylactic CEA for asymptomatic stenosis. Predicting survival is important for decision making in these patients.

Endoscopic sclerotherapy of esophageal varices may represent a trigger factor for portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients with genetic thrombophilia.