Background: The optimal timing of decompression surgery after thrombolysis in patients with primary upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) is still a matter of debate. This systematic review compares the safety and efficacy of early intervention versus postponed intervention in patients with primary UEDVT. Methods: A structured PUBMED, EMBASE, and COCHRANE search was performed for studies reporting on the timing of surgical intervention for primary UEDVT. Studies reporting on timing of decompression surgery in combination with recurrent thrombosis, bleeding complications, and symptom-free survival were included. Two treatment groups were defined; group A received surgical decompression within two weeks after thrombolysis and group B after two weeks or more. All end points were assessed in accordance with the reported outcomes in the included articles. Mean percentages were calculated using descriptive statistics. Results: Six articles (126 patients) were included: 87 patients in group A versus 39 in group B. In group A, bleeding complications occurred in 7% of patients versus 5% in group B. Two-third of the bleeding complications in group A occurred in patients receiving surgical decompression within 24 hr after thrombolysis while kept on intravenous heparin both preoperatively and postoperatively. Reported preoperative recurrent thrombosis was 7% in group A versus 11% in group B, another 13% had postoperative recurrent thrombosis versus 21% in group B. The effectiveness of both treatment strategies was comparable with a total of 89% of patients in group A with minimal or no symptoms at final follow-up compared with 90% in group B. The mean follow-up in group A was 35 months (1e168 months) and 28 months (1e168 months) in group B. Conclusions: Based on the limited available data presented in this review, early decompression surgery within two weeks after catheter-directed thrombolysis seems as safe and effective as postponed surgical intervention in patients with primary UEDVT. Robert J.C.M.F. de Kleijn and Ludo Schropp contributed equally to this article.

Currently, transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement (TCpO2) is the most favorable non-invasive test for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) healing prognosis. Photo-optical TCpO2 is novel, less time-consuming and more practical in use compared to regular electro-chemical TCpO2. We prospectively investigated the clinical value of photo-optical TCpO2 to predict DFU healing. Patients with suspected DFU undergoing conservative treatment underwent an ankle pressure, toe-pressure and photo-optical TCpO2 test. The primary endpoint was DFU wound healing at 12 months. Based on their clinical outcome, patients were divided into a DFU healing and DFU non-healing group. Healing was defined as fully healed ulcers and non-healing as ulcers that deteriorated under conservative treatment or that required surgical amputation. Differences between groups were analyzed and an optimal TCpO2 cut-off value was determined. In total, 103 patients were included, of which 68 patients (66%) were classified as DFU healing. The remaining 35 patients (34%) had deteriorated ulcers, of which 29 (83%) eventually required surgical amputation. An optimal TCpO2 cut-off value of 43 mmHg provided a sensitivity, specificity and odds ratio of 0.78, 0.56 and 4.4, respectively. Photo-optical TCpO2 is an adequate alternative tool to validate the vascular status of the lower extremity indicating healing prognosis in patients with DFU. Therefore, we recommend that photo-optical TCpO2 can be safely coapplied in clinical practice to assist in DFU treatment strategy.

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to report our experience with arterial and venous endovascular stent placement in the thoracic outlet (TO) and review available literature. Methods: All patients that underwent arterial or venous stent placement in the TO between 2013 and 2020 in 5 Dutch vascular teaching-hospitals were retrospectively identified. Primary endpoint was symptomatic stent failure due to stenosis, chronic or posture dependent compression, fracture, or occlusion of the stent. Secondary endpoints were symptoms at last follow-up and re-interventions. For the literature review, we searched studies reporting on stenting in the TO. Results: Twenty-six patients were included with 11 arterial and 15 venous stents implanted to treat angioplasty resistant stenosis in arterial or venous TO syndrome, iatrogenic or traumatic vascular injury, radiotherapy fibrosis, or arterial dissection. Median follow-up was 19 and 14 months in the arterial and venous-group, respectively. Eight (73%) patients in the arterial, and 9 (60%) in the venous-group suffered symptomatic stent failure. Seven (64%) patients in the arterial, and 9 (60%) in the venous-group required at least 1 re-intervention. When comparing all patients with stent placement after TO decompression (TOD) to patients without, there were substantially more symptomatic stent failures and re-interventions required in the patients without TOD. Six patients (54%) in the arterial-group and 11 (73%) in the venous-group were symptom-free at last follow-up. Five articles describing 51 patients with arterial and 6 articles describing 81 patients with venous stents were included in the literature review. In the arterial-group, no TOD prior to stent placement was performed, while in the venous-group all but 1 article performed TOD prior to stent placement. Results showed comparable rates of symptomatic stent failure (24% vs 30%), and patients requiring re-interventions (29% vs 21%) between groups. Conclusion: Based on our multicenter series and review, stents in the TO have a considerable risk of failure, both in the venous and the arterial territory. Especially in patients without TOD: the need for re-interventions is high and half the patients eventually undergo TOD. Based on the currently available data, stenting in the TO should be applied cautiously while TOD should be considered.

Comparison of photooptical transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement with electro-chemical transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement in patients with arterial claudication,