Survival is not improved by elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms smaller than 5.5 cm, even when operative mortality is low.

No abstract

Most venous ulcers can be expected to heal when patients are enrolled in a nurse-managed/physician-supervised ambulatory ulcer clinic. Photoplethysmography-derived venous refill time of 10 seconds or less predicted delayed healing. Strict compliance with the treatment protocol significantly decreased the time to healing and prolonged the time to recurrence.

The SEPS modified Linton operation appears safe, with no postoperative deaths or early thromboembolism. Wound infection after SEPS remains important. Early results indicate rapid ulcer healing. Prospective evaluation of long-term results is warranted.

Plasma MMP-9 levels remain elevated for as much as 3 months after conventional AAA repair, whereas successful endovascular exclusion of an AAA results in decreased plasma MMP-9 levels by 3 months. MMP-9 may have clinical value as an enzymatic marker for endoleak after endovascular AAA exclusion.