Background Among asymptomatic patients with severe carotid artery stenosis but no recent stroke or transient cerebral ischaemia, either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can restore patency and reduce long-term stroke risks. However, from recent national registry data, each option causes about 1% procedural risk of disabling stroke or death. Comparison of their long-term protective effects requires large-scale randomised evidence.Methods ACST-2 is an international multicentre randomised trial of CAS versus CEA among asymptomatic patients with severe stenosis thought to require intervention, interpreted with all other relevant trials. Patients were eligible if they had severe unilateral or bilateral carotid artery stenosis and both doctor and patient agreed that a carotid procedure should be undertaken, but they were substantially uncertain which one to choose. Patients were randomly allocated to CAS or CEA and followed up at 1 month and then annually, for a mean 5 years. Procedural events were those within 30 days of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses are provided. Analyses including procedural hazards use tabular methods. Analyses and meta-analyses of non-procedural strokes use Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN21144362.

Use of VAD was associated with significant improvements in QoL as compared with placebo. VAD may be effective for providing symptom relief in patients with CVD.

Surgical treatment and foam sclerotherapy achieved high rates of ulcer healing, without a statistically significant difference. Both treatments led to significant improvements in VCSS, VDS, AVVQ scores, demonstrating improvements in clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Objectives To compare the effectiveness of two foam sclerotherapy techniques of the great saphenous vein. Methods Fifty subjects with varicose veins, edema, and great saphenous vein incompetence (diameter 6–10 mm) were randomly categorized into two equal groups and were treated with different foam sclerotherapy techniques: A (usual ultrasound-guided) and B (catheter-directed with tumescence). Concomitant phlebectomy was performed in all patients. Patients were seen on days 7 and 28, and at six and 12 months. The primary outcomes were the full success rate of the treated great saphenous vein and the number of patients who required retreatment sessions performed at 28-day follow-up. The secondary-assisted outcomes were the full success rates of the treated great saphenous vein after the retreatment sessions at six- and 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were changes in quality of life and side effects and complications of the intervention. In case of reflux, retreatment sessions were performed at 28 days and six months in both groups. Results Full success rate of the treated great saphenous vein was 36% in group A vs. 80% in group B ( p = 0.012) and the number of patients who required retreatment sessions were n = 14 in group A vs. n = 3 in group B at 28-day follow-up ( p = 0.002). Both were statistically significant. At six and 12 months, the success rates were not statistically significant between the groups. Complication rates were similar between the groups. Quality of life improved in both groups with statistical difference ( p < 0.001). Conclusions Catheter-directed foam sclerotherapy with tumescence was better than usual ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy as it reached higher full success rate of the treated great saphenous vein and as a lower number of patients required retreatment sessions in the short-term. Both methods proved to be safe and improved the quality of life.

Behçet's disease consists of a systemic vasculitis that affects veins, arteries and capillaries, but predominantly small vessels. Veins and medium-and large-caliber arteries are rarely involved; however, arteries are less involved than veins. In this paper the authors present a case of popliteal artery aneurysm in a patient with decompensated Behçet's disease. We discuss clinical, radiological and surgical aspects of patients with this inflammatory systemic disease who present important peculiarities.Key words: Behçet's syndrome, aneurysm, popliteal artery. ResumoA doença de Behçet consiste em uma vasculite sistêmica que acomete veias, artérias e capilares, mas predominantemente pequenos vasos. Raramente há o envolvimento de veias e artérias de médio e grande calibre, sendo as artérias menos acometidas que as veias. No presente trabalho, os autores apresentam um relato de caso de aneurisma da artéria poplítea em um paciente com a doença de Behçet descompensada. Discutem-se os aspectos clínicos e radiológicos e o manejo cirúrgico dos pacientes com essa doença inflamatória sistêmi-ca que apresentam peculiaridades importantes.Palavras-chave: Síndrome de Behçet, aneurisma, artéria poplítea.

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Objectives To investigate whether radiofrequency endovenous ablation (RFA) of saphenous and perforating veins increases venous leg ulcer (VLU) healing rates and prevents ulcer recurrence. Method This prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled, single-center trial recruited 56 patients with VLU divided into: compression alone (CR, N = 29) and RFA plus compression (RF, N = 27). Primary endpoints were ulcer recurrence rate at 12 months; and ulcer healing rates at 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Secondary endpoints were ulcer healing velocity; and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS). Results Recurrence was lower in the RF group (p < .001), as well as mean VCSS after treatment (p = .001). There were no significant between-group differences in healing rates. Healing velocity was faster in the RF group (p = 0.049). In the RF group, 2 participants had type 1 endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT). Conclusions RFA plus compression is an excellent treatment for VLU because of its safety, effectiveness, and impact on ulcer recurrence reduction and clinical outcome. Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03293836, clinicaltrials.gov.

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