Annals of vascular surgery
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We reviewed our experience with the different types of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters used over 4 years for the incidence of complications and correlated this with the type of filter used. This is a retrospective study involving chart reviews of all the patients who received IVC filters placed between January 2002 and January 2006. Data related to indications for filter insertion and the incidence of early (30 days) and late complications related to the filter insertion were collected. ⋯ In conclusion, IVC filters are frequently used for prophylaxis in the absence of VTE conditions. Complications are relatively low. All types of filters used in this study had comparable complications with the exception of the Bard filter, which had a higher incidence of tilt, and the TrapEase filter, which had a higher incidence of IVC thrombosis, in patients with hypercoagulable/malignant conditions.
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Patient satisfaction after percutaneous endovascular procedures is significantly influenced by the amount of time to ambulation postprocedure. The purpose of this study was to assess the complication rates of early ambulation after use of closure devices or topical hemostatic agents for femoral access sites for endovascular procedures. ⋯ With a protocol using closure devices and hemostatic agents, early ambulation after percutaneous femoral access can be achieved safely with an acceptable complication rate in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
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Pseudoaneurysms may occur at the wrist after catheterization of the radial artery but may also occur after arteriovenous shunting for dialysis or after direct trauma to an artery. Radial artery pseudoaneurysms are being increasingly reported because of widespread use of invasive monitoring. ⋯ The pseudoaneurysm thrombosed after 6 days of external compression. In selected cases, extended external compression is a useful therapeutic option, especially in patients who are medically unfit to undergo general anesthesia or operative treatment.
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Review Case Reports
Recurrent upper extremity embolism due to a crutch-induced arterial injury: a different cause of upper extremity embolism.
Acute embolism of the upper extremity is a relatively infrequent event compared to the lower extremity, but it will affect the function of the limb involved and may occasionally lead to amputation. Most upper extremity emboli are of cardiac origin, with the remainder arising from subclavian aneurysm, occlusive disease, or iatrogenic causes. ⋯ Frequently, this process is initially diagnosed and treated as a brachial artery embolism; such a misdiagnosis is associated with recurrent embolism. We report herein two uncommon cases of axillobrachial arterial injuries secondary to crutch trauma as a source of recurrent emboli to an upper extremity.
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Integration of gene-expression profiles and pathway analysis in ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms.
Despite the increasing incidence of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms, their pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the biological pathways of genes that are expressed differentially in ascending aortic aneurysms. ⋯ We identified that differentially expressed genes are associated with the pathways that are mainly involved in interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix, and with immune function. The reported data provide useful information on the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of ascending aortic aneurysms.