Arterial reconstruction using the basilic vein from the zone of injury in pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures: a clinical and radiological series

The authors describe the advantages of using the basilic vein as an arterial conduit in the management of children with supracondylar humeral fractures requiring vascular repair. Eight children, aged 3 to 10 years, presented with supracondylar humeral fractures and vascular injury. In all eight children, the arteries were successfully reconstructed with a reversed, interposition basilic vein graft harvested from the ipsilateral arm. The basilic vein was anatomically consistent with few side branches and was an excellent size match for the brachial artery. There were no postoperative thromboses. At a minimum follow-up of 1 year, all children had palpable radial pulses and the vein grafts were patent with no anastomotic or other focal stenoses. This series confirms the safety of using a donor vein from within the zone of injury for arterial reconstruction, after a supracondylar humeral fracture. Benefits include a single surgical wound on the less conspicuous medial side of the arm, reduced operating time, and preservation of donor veins that may be subsequently required for the management of atherosclerotic disease.     

Color Doppler flow imaging of the facial artery and vein

The purpose of this study was to provide some guidelines with respect to the location of the facial vessels, display the potential inverted blood flow of the facial artery, and reemphasize the value of color Doppler ultrasound studies in flap planning. An anatomic study of the facial artery and vein was done using color Doppler ultrasonography in 12 adults. The artery and the vein were located together at the lower border of the mandible. Around the oral commissure and under the nasal ala, they were located apart from each other with variable distances. This divergence of the facial vein from the artery is important information in the planning of axial pattern flaps. Furthermore, the reverse flow was observed in 12 patients after the blood flow of the facial artery was stopped by applying pressure manually at the lower border of the mandible. Observation of the reversed flow confirms the possibility of safe elevation of a retrograde flow-arterialized flap based on the distal portion of the facial artery.     

Role of the vascular laboratory in the diagnosis of aortic arch occlusive disease: Screening of 2000 patients

A significant difference in bilateral systolic brachial artery pressures and the presence of systolic bruit over a subclavian artery suggests occlusive disease in the innominate or subclavian arteries. Two thousand patients with these signs underwent ultrasonography of the carotid, subclavian, and brachial arteries in our laboratory. Doppler recordings of a vertebral artery, with hyperemia testing of the ipsilateral arm, identified those with a subclavian steal syndrome. In each case, angiography confirmed the laboratory diagnosis. The effectiveness of corrective surgery was evaluated noninvasively. Illustrative cases are presented and discussed.     

Training a Sophisticated Microsurgical Technique: Interposition of External Jugular Vein Graft in the Common Carotid Artery in Rats

Neointimal hyperplasia is one the primary causes of stenosis in arterialized veins that are of great importance in arterial coronary bypass surgery, in peripheral arterial bypass surgery as well as in arteriovenous fistulas.^1-5 The experimental procedure of vein graft interposition in the common carotid artery by using the cuff-technique has been applied in several research projects to examine the aetiology of neointimal hyperplasia and therapeutic options to address it. ^6-8 The cuff prevents vessel anastomotic remodeling and induces turbulence within the graft and thereby the development of neointimal hyperplasia.Using the superior caval vein graft is an established small-animal model for venous arterialization experiment.^9-11 This current protocol refers to an established jugular vein graft interposition technique first described by Zou et al., ⁹ as well as others.^12-14 Nevertheless, these cited small animal protocols are complicated.To simplify the procedure and to minimize the number of experimental animals needed, a detailed operation protocol by video training is presented. This video should help the novice surgeon to learn both the cuff-technique and the vein graft interposition. Hereby, the right external jugular vein was grafted in cuff-technique in the common carotid artery of 21 female Sprague Dawley rats categorized in three equal groups that were sacrificed on day 21, 42 and 84, respectively. Notably, no donor animals were needed, because auto-transplantations were performed. The survival rate was 100 % at the time point of sacrifice. In addition, the graft patency rate was 60 % for the first 10 operated animals and 82 % for the remaining 11 animals. The blood flow at the time of sacrifice was 8±3 ml/min. In conclusion, this surgical protocol considerably simplifies, optimizes and standardizes this complicated procedure. It gives novice surgeons easy, step-by-step instruction, explaining possible pitfalls, thereby helping them to gain expertise fast and avoid useless sacrifice of experimental animals.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydia pneumoniae</Emphasis> aggravates vein graft intimal hyperplasia in a rat model

Background  

Along with angioplasty, autologus vein grafts are commonly used for artery bypass grafting in patients with advanced arterial stenosis and drug-resistant angina pectoris. Although initially a successful procedure, long-term functionality is limited due to proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells. Like in atherosclerosis, common chronic infections caused by viruses and bacteria may contribute to this process of vein graft failure. Here we investigated the possible role of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) in the pathogenesis of venous graft failure in an experimental animal model. In 2 groups (n = 10 rats/group), an epigastric vein-to-common femoral artery interposition graft was placed. Immediately thereafter, rats were infected with Cpn (5*10⁸ IFU) or injected with control solutions. Rats were sacrificed three weeks after surgery and the grafts were harvested for morphometrical and immunohistochemical analysis.     

彩色双功能超声在诊断肢体假性动脉瘤中应用价值(附16例分析)

目的评价彩色双功能超声在检查创伤性肢体假性动脉瘤中的诊断价值。方法利用高频线阵探头对16例(17个)肢体假性动脉瘤患者进行检查,并与血管造影进行对比分析。结果16例肢体假性动脉瘤首先经超声检查诊断,所有病例假性动脉瘤体内均有红蓝相间的“来和去”特征性彩色血流图像,6例行血管造影检查,结果与超声诊断完全相符。诊断符合率为100%。11例手术切除,其中10例与超声检查结果相符,1例合并桡动脉漏超声未能检出。超声诊断符合率为92%。结论彩色多普勒超声诊断创伤性肢体假性动脉瘤在临床上具有重要的诊断价值。     

彩超检查在肾脏恶性肿瘤诊断及治疗中的应用

目的:探讨应用彩超在肾脏恶性肿瘤诊断及治疗中的应用效果。方法:回顾分析2006年1月~2010年12月在我院采用彩超确诊的肾脏恶性肿瘤138例,所有患者均采用LOGIQ-7彩色多普勒超声诊断仪进行检测并行手术治疗,术后均行病理检查。结果:138例患者彩超影像显示瘤体内具有丰富的动静脉血流信号,诊断为肾脏恶性肿瘤,与病理诊断完全相符。结论:彩超检查可以明确肾脏肿瘤的性质和范围,以供临床决定手术方式,也可用于术后复查。     

经肱动脉途径冠状动脉介入治疗并发症的预防及处理

目的:评价130例次经肱动脉途径冠状动脉介入治疗(PCI术)局部并发症情况.方法:连续入选2009年3月至2011年12月我院经肱动脉途径冠状动脉PCI术的病例130例次.分析经肱动脉介入治疗操作并发症情况.结果:共24例患者发生了局部并发症,并发症发生率为18.5％.其中穿刺局部发生血肿22例(16.9％),其中1例合并骨筋膜室综合征及正中神经损伤(0.8％),局部神经损伤1例(0.8％),假性动脉瘤1例(0.8％).经处理后血肿全部吸收,最后仍有1例正中神经损伤和1例假性动脉瘤未能完全康复.结论:经肱动脉途径冠状动脉PCI术并发症发生率较高,熟悉肱动脉穿刺方法、掌握标准的压迫止血包扎方案、术后肢体夹板制动、并对其并发症有足够的认识和处理对策的充分准备可以减少并发症及其不良后果的发生.     

Pressure-distension relationship in arteries and arterioles in response to 5 wk of horizontal bedrest

We hypothesized that exposure to prolonged recumbency (bedrest), and thus reductions of intravascular pressure gradients, increases pressure distension in arteries/arterioles in the legs. Ten subjects underwent 5 wk of horizontal bedrest. Pressure distension was investigated in arteries and arterioles before and after the bedrest, with the subject seated or supine in a hyperbaric chamber with either one arm or a lower leg protruding through a hole in the chamber door. Increased pressure in the vessels of the arm/leg was accomplished by increasing chamber pressure. Vessel diameter and flow were measured in the brachial and posterior tibial arteries using Doppler ultrasonography. Electrical tissue impedance was measured in the test limb. Bedrest increased (P < 0.01) pressure distension threefold in the tibial artery (from 8 +/- 7% to 24 +/- 11%) and by a third (P < 0.05) in the brachial artery (from 15 +/- 9% to 20 +/- 10%). The pressure-induced increase in tibial artery flow was more pronounced (P < 0.01) after (50 +/- 39 ml/min) than before (13 +/- 23 ml/min) bedrest, whereas the brachial artery flow response was unaffected by bedrest. The pressure-induced decrease in tissue impedance in the leg was more pronounced (P < 0.01) after (16 +/- 7%) than before (10 +/- 6%) bedrest, whereas bedrest did not affect the impedance response in the arm. Thus, withdrawal of the hydrostatic pressure gradients that act along the blood vessels in erect posture markedly increases pressure distension in dependent arteries and arterioles.     

B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound of the forearm arteries in the preoperative screening prior to coronary artery bypass grafting

The objective of this paper was to establish the normal findings of B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound of the forearm arteries in candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting with radial artery graft. Examination of radial and ulnar arteries was performed in 127 patients. The vessel diameters and peak systolic velocities were measured and the presence of atherosclerotic changes, calcifications and anatomical variants was assessed. Radial artery proved to be dominant forearm artery with non-significant side-to-side asymmetry. The luminal changes were present in 30% of the patients. Ulnar arteries were more prone to these changes than radial arteries (28.4% vs. 24.4%). The anatomical variants found included ulnar artery hypoplasia in 3.9% of patients and high brachial artery bifurcation in 2.4% of patients. No cases of high-grade stenosis or occlusion were found. The results of the present study indicate that B-mode and color Doppler are valuable methods for preoperative screening as they enable morphological and functional evaluation of the forearm circulation.     

视网膜静脉阻塞与颈动脉狭窄的相关性研究

目的:探究视网膜静脉阻塞与颈动脉狭窄的相关性研究,并为其临床检测、治疗与预后提供参考。方法:选择我院55例视网膜静脉阻塞患者(55只眼)为研究组,对其裸眼视力、矫正视力、眼压、眼底血管荧光造影(FFA)等检查资料进行分析,并进行多普勒彩超检查,记录其颈动脉狭窄情况,并对两种疾病之间的关系进行分析。同时选取55例健康人作为对照组。结果:研究组55例患者确诊为视网膜静脉阻塞(RVO),多普勒结果显示患者患侧与健侧劲动脉血流动力学各项差异不明显(P0.05);其IMT值较之对照组显著增高(P0.05);其PSV与EDV值有所降低,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:视网膜静脉阻塞患者大多存在颈动脉狭窄,因此检测颈动脉血流动力学对于诊断与预防视网膜静脉阻塞有着重要作用。     

对比分析四维容积超声及彩色多普勒超声在胎儿肺静脉异位引流诊断中的应用

摘要 目的：对比分析四维容积超声及彩色多普勒超声在胎儿肺静脉异位引流（APVC）诊断中的应用价值。方法：采用回顾性分析方法,2019年1月到2022年1月选择在本院进行诊治的胎儿肺静脉异位引流孕妇60例作为研究对象,都给予四维容积超声及彩色多普勒超声,记录影像学特征并判断诊断价值。结果：在60例孕妇中,彩色多普勒超声检查判断为胎儿肺静脉异位引流51例,诊断敏感性为85.0 %;四维容积超声检查判断为胎儿肺静脉异位引流59例,诊断敏感性为98.3 %,四维容积超声检查对胎儿肺静脉异位引流的诊断敏感性明显高于彩色多普勒超声检查（P<0.05）。彩色多普勒超声检查与四维容积超声检查诊断的特异性都为100.0%。在60例孕妇中,判断为胎儿肺静脉异位引流心上型32例,心下型28例;心上型的肺静脉引流途径为肺静脉-垂直静脉-右上腔静脉22例、肺静脉-垂直静脉-左上腔静脉10例,心下型的肺静脉引流途径为肺静脉-垂直静脉-左头臂静脉-右上腔静脉6例、肺静脉-垂直静脉-门静脉22例。合并心脏畸形32例,合并畸形率为53.3 %;有51例孕妇终止妊娠,9例孕妇继续妊娠,其中8例未经治疗者新生儿期死亡,1例在3月龄死亡。结论：相对于彩色多普勒超声,四维容积超声在胎儿肺静脉异位引流诊断中的应用可提高诊断敏感性,可有效反映肺静脉回流情况,可指导临床进行早期干预。     

Ultrasound studies in varicocele

Renal function, the anatomic and functional status of the vena cava inferior, renal arteries and veins, and spermatic veins were evaluated in healthy individuals and patients with varicocele before and 12 months after laparoscopic ligation of the left spermatic vein. The renal vessels were assessed by color Doppler ultrasonography and renal function was examined by complex radionuclide study with 99mTc-pentatech. There were no significant changes in the diameter of renal arteries and vena cava inferior and the right arterial blood flow velocities in healthy individuals and patients. No difference were found in the diameter of renal veins and in the blood flow velocity in renal arteries and veins. The enlarged renal veins and decreased mean blood flow velocity in the left renal vein in healthy persons and patients with varicocele and lower blood flow in the left renal artery than in the right one indicate left-sided renal hypertension that is attributable to left renal vein overload due to a great variety of collaterals and to compression at the site of "a forcepts". At the same time 12-month postoperative ultrasonic, Doppler and complex radionuclide studies revealed no significant changes in the diameter and blood flow velocity in the left renal vein.     

经皮电刺激治疗外伤性外周神经损伤40例的效果分析

目的 本文分析使用经皮神经肌肉电刺激治疗外伤性周围神经损伤的临床疗效,探讨经皮电刺激对神经周围微循环的影响.方法 采用丹迪Keypoint型肌电图仪对40例上肢周围神经不全损伤的患者,行经皮神经肌肉电刺激治疗,配合运动疗法.治疗中使用激光多普勒血流仪(LDF)检测电刺激前、后神经周围微循环血流改变情况,并分析电刺激对微循环的影响.同时在治疗前、后行神经电生理检查对比检测,并对不同病程患者治疗后的效果作对比分析.利用以上分析手段观察受损神经功能的恢复情况.结果 40例臂丛神经、正中神经、桡神经、尺神经不全损伤的患者,经2-10个疗程的治疗后,受损神经功能治愈率达63％ (25/40),有效率为90％ (36/40).LDF检测结果显示电刺激后神经周围微循环血流量较刺激前增加23.36％-26.96％,改善受损神经局部微循环,神经肌电检测结果显示较治疗前有明显好转.在不同病程的患者中进行比较,病程越短者,效果越好.结论 经皮神经肌肉电刺激在外伤性周围神经损伤的治疗中,是一种行之有效的方法,可提高受损神经肌肉的兴奋度,促进受损神经局部的血液循环,有利于周围神经的再生.运动疗法的干预,能改善肌萎缩,增强肌协调力,预防关节僵硬,保持关节活动度,最终取得对外伤性周围神经损伤的满意疗效.应用激光多普勒血流成像技术,测得电刺激前、后神经周围微循环出现明显的血流量增加,证实电刺激能改善受损神经局部微循环.     

Superficial intimal injury of the rabbit carotid artery induced by distilled water

The study of mechanical injury to the aortic endothelium in experimental animals is important in understanding the pathologic processes in atherogenesis. In this investigation distilled water was used to produced superficial injury to the rabbit carotid artery. Sterilized distilled water was injected into a temporarily isolated segment of rabbit carotid artery measuring 0.5 cm in length. After 4 min blood flow was reestablished by removal of the isolating ligatures. The carotid arteries were examined at time intervals of 5 min, 24 h, 48 h, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after injury. Five min after injury, the carotid endothelial cells were almost completely removed but no medical injury was present. After 24 and 48 h, a few platelets were adherent to the denuded intimal surface. After 1 month, 3 months and 6 months the injured surface showed a slight intimal thickening consisting of modified smooth muscle cells. Our experimental findings suggested that the extent of the injured area is more important in the repair process than its depth.     

Distal embolization at the site of a stenotic distal anastomosis of a saphenous vein graft,leading to dye entrapment

This case report describes the entrapment of contrast media after recanalization of a recently occluded saphenous vein graft with balloon predilation, thrombectomy and stent implantation. Recanalization of the respective coronary artery was performed, and the entrapped contrast media within the saphenous vein graft progressed to the left circumflex artery.     

Matrix metalloproteinase expression in vein grafts: role of inflammatory mediators and extracellular signal-regulated kinases-1 and -2

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play key roles in vascular remodeling. We characterized the role of inflammatory mediators and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) in the control of arterialized vein graft expression of MMP-9, MMP-2, and membrane-type 1-MMP (MT1-MMP) and of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2). For this purpose we used a canine model of jugular vein to carotid artery interposition graft and analyzed the vein grafts at various postoperative times (30 min to 28 days) using the contralateral vein as a control. To study the role of ERK-1/2, veins were incubated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK-1/2) inhibitor UO126 for 30 min before being grafted. Vein graft extracts were analyzed for MMPs, TIMP-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) infiltration, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and thrombin activity, and for ERK-1/2 activation. Vein graft arterialization resulted in rapid and sustained (8 h to 28 days) upregulation of vein graft-associated MMP-9, MMP-2, MT1-MMP, thrombin activity, and TNF-alpha levels with concomitant TIMP-2 downregulation. MMP-2 activation preceded MT1-MMP upregulation. PMN infiltration and vein graft-associated MPO activity increased within hours after arterialization, indicating a prompt, local inflammatory response. In cultured smooth muscle cells, both thrombin and TNF-alpha upregulated MT1-MMP expression; however, only thrombin activated MMP-2. Inhibition of ERK-1/2 activation blocked arterialization-induced upregulation of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP. Thus, thrombin, inflammatory mediators, and activation of the ERK-1/2 pathway control MMP and TIMP-2 expression in arterialized vein grafts.     

Effects of posture on shear rates in human brachial and superficial femoral arteries

Shear rate is significantly lower in the superficial femoral compared with the brachial artery in the supine posture. The relative shear rates in these arteries of subjects in the upright posture (seated and/or standing) are unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that upright posture (seated and/or standing) would produce greater shear rates in the superficial femoral compared with the brachial artery. To test this hypothesis, Doppler ultrasound was used to measure mean blood velocity (MBV) and diameter in the brachial and superficial femoral arteries of 21 healthy subjects after being in the supine, seated, and standing postures for 10 min. MBV was significantly higher in the brachial compared with the superficial femoral artery during upright postures. Superficial femoral artery diameter was significantly larger than brachial artery diameter. However, posture had no significant effect on either brachial or superficial femoral artery diameter. The calculated shear rate was significantly greater in the brachial (73 +/- 5, 91 +/- 11, and 97 +/- 13 s(-1)) compared with the superficial femoral (53 +/- 4, 39 +/- 77, and 44 +/- 5 s(-1)) artery in the supine, seated, and standing postures, respectively. Contrary to our hypothesis, our current findings indicate that mean shear rate is lower in the superficial femoral compared with the brachial artery in the supine, seated, and standing postures. These findings of lower shear rates in the superficial femoral artery may be one mechanism for the higher propensity for atherosclerosis in the arteries of the leg than of the arm.