Journal of vascular surgery
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Practice Guideline Comparative Study
Meeting AHA/ACC secondary prevention goals in a vascular surgery practice: an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.
In an effort to reduce cardiovascular mortality, patients with atherosclerotic arterial disease should undergo risk factor modification according to the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) Secondary Prevention Guidelines (hereafter, Guideline). We assessed compliance with the Guideline in a group of patients seen in a vascular surgery practice. ⋯ Compliance with the Guideline is suboptimal in patients with atherosclerotic arterial disease. Secondary prevention goals were more often achieved in the EVENT patient group, suggesting that a vascular intervention may lead to increased patient and physician awareness and compliance with the Guideline. A targeted effort towards risk factor modification in patients with atherosclerotic arterial disease could improve compliance with the Guideline and reduce cardiovascular mortality.
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This study is retrospective cohort study of data on vocal cord paralysis after aortic arch surgery collected during 14 years at a general hospital. We investigated factors in the development of vocal cord paralysis after aortic arch surgery and the effect of vocal cord paralysis on clinical course and outcome. ⋯ The risk of vocal cord paralysis after aortic arch surgery depends on surgical factors, such as aneurysmal involvement of the distal arch, or the application of newer, less invasive surgical procedures. Vocal cord paralysis after aortic arch surgery itself, under aggressive postoperative respiratory management, did not increase aspiration pneumonia but was associated with postoperative complications leading to higher hospital mortality and prolonged hospitalization.
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Comparative Study
Analysis of parameters associated with hypotension requiring vasopressor support after carotid angioplasty and stenting.
Systemic hypotension has been observed for up to 36 hours in response to stimulation of the carotid baroreceptor by carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and cardiac outcomes for postprocedural hypotension requiring vasopressor support after CAS. ⋯ Prolonged hypotension requiring vasopressor support occurs in a minority of patients after CAS, with higher incidences in older women. In contrast, hypotension requiring a more limited duration of vasopressor use occurs more commonly in patients who had a prior myocardial infarction, independent of age or sex. In this cohort of patients, vasopressors required for hypotension were not associated with an increased incidence of periprocedural cardiac complications. Despite the increased incidence of prolonged hypotension in older women, this study demonstrates that CAS can be performed without an increase in cardiac morbidity in older women.
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Patients with blunt traumatic thoracic aortic transection (BTTAT) just distal to the takeoff of the left subclavian artery typically have concomitant injuries that make open emergent surgical repair highly risky. Over the past decade, endovascular repair of the injured thoracic aorta with commercially available and custom-made covered stents has developed as a viable option, with reported decreases in short-term morbidity and mortality. If active extravasation of contrast from the injured thoracic aorta is not appreciated on chest computed tomography scan, other concurrent injuries of the head, abdomen, and extremities can often be repaired with careful control of blood pressure. The timing of endovascular repair of the traumatic thoracic aortic transection, however, often comes into question, particularly with the presence of fever, pneumonia, or bacteremia. We sought to identify a time frame during which endovascular repair of BTTAT could safely be performed. ⋯ The opportunity to successfully perform endovascular repair of BTTAT may be possible many days after the initial injury in the hemodynamically stable trauma patient.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Improving aneurysm-related outcomes: nationwide benefits of endovascular repair.
Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has changed the practice of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery. We examined a national Medicare database to establish the effect of EVAR introduction into the United States. ⋯ EVAR is replacing open surgery without an increase in overall case volume. EVAR is responsible for overall decrease in operative mortality even in ruptured aneurysms while decreasing utilization variables. Reimbursement to hospitals is shrinking, however.