Completion Arteriogram Following Carotid Endarterectomy Yields Lower Perioperative Stroke Rate

Introduction: Completion imaging following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) remains controversial. We present our experience performing routine completion arteriography (CA). Methods: A retrospective review of our prospectively maintained institutional database was performed for patients undergoing isolated CEA. Results: 1439 isolated CEAs with CA were performed on 1297 patients. CEA was for asymptomatic lesions in 70% (1003) of cases. There were no complications related to arteriography. An abnormal arteriogram documented significant abnormalities in the internal carotid artery (ICA) and prompted revision in 1.7% (24/1439) of cases: 20 unsatisfactory distal endpoints of the endarterectomy (12 residual stenoses, 7 intimal flaps, and 1 dissection), 3 kinks or stenoses within the body of the patch, and 1 thrombus. Of the 20 distal endpoint lesions, stent deployment was used in 17 cases and patch revision in 3 cases. The other 4 cases were treated by patch angioplasty (3) or thrombectomy (1). None suffered a perioperative stroke. The overall 30-day stroke, death, and combined stroke/death rate for the 1439 patients in our series was 1.5% (22), .5% (7), and 1.9% (27), respectively. The combined stroke/death rate for asymptomatic lesions was 1.1% (11/1003) and for symptomatic lesions was 2.5% (11/436). Of the 22 strokes in the entire series (all with normal CA), 15 were non-hemorrhagic strokes ipsilateral to the CEA; 14 were confirmed to have widely patent endarterectomy sites by CT-A (13) or re-exploration and repeat arteriography (1). The occluded site was re-explored and underwent thrombectomy, but no technical problems were identified. The remaining strokes were hemorrhagic (4 reperfusion syndrome and 1 surgical site bleeding) or contralateral to the CEA (2). Conclusion: Although not all patients in this series who underwent intraoperative revision due to abnormal CA might have suffered a stroke, performing this simple and safe study may have halved our overall perioperative stroke rate from 3.2% to 1.5%.

Power of 3D Transrectal Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Diagnosis of Cryptogenic Rectal Fistulae

Background. The only radical curative treatment for rectal fistulae is surgery. The choice of surgery requires precise characterisation of the fistulous tract. The most common instrumental methods for rectal fistula diagnosis are transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Objectives. Comparative assessment of the diagnostic power of 3D TRUS and MRI techniques in revealing cryptogenic anal fistulae with respect to intraoperative examination.Methods. The study enrolled 92 patients with rectal fistulae aged 27 to 66 years. Fistulous opening was external in 47 (51.1%) and obliterated in 45 (48.9%) patients. The average patient age was 42.7 ± 15.9 years. Surgery for acute paraproctitis 14 to 32 days prior to examination was in history of 58 (63.1%) patients. All patients had preoperative subsequent 3D TRUS and MRI compared with intraoperative examination results.Results. The rate of correct fistulous tract type diagnosis verified with intraoperative revision was 96.7% (89/92) with 3D TRUS and 82.6% (76/92) with MRI (p = 0.0027). The error rate of 3D TRUS estimation of external sphincter involvement was 1.1% (1/92), sensitivity 96.6%, specificity 93.5%, overall accuracy 94.5%. The MRI error rate was 21.7% (20/92), with a statistically significant difference for sensitivity and overall accuracy (p < 0.0001). The rate of correct estimation of internal fistulous localisation in “anorectal clock” was 97.8% (90/92) with 3D TRUS and 90% (81/90) with MRI (p = 0.0342). Internal fistula was not detected with MRI in 2/92 (2.2%) cases, which explains the deviation. Intraoperative revision identified total 113 abscesses. The rate or correct abscess estimation was 97.3% (110/113) with 3D TRUS and 74.7% (71/95) with MRI. MRI failed to detect abscess in 18/113 (15.9%) cases (p < 0.0001).Conclusion. 3D transrectal ultrasonography is statistically superior over magnetic resonance imaging in estimating internal fistula localisation in “anorectal clock”, fistulous type, as well as the fistulous tract location relative to external sphincteric tissue in patients with transsphincteric anal fistulae. Estimation of pararectal and intramural abscesses was also significantly different.

Breast reconstruction with the omentum flap: a case report with unsatisfactory outcome and review of the literature

Summary Background Recently, breast reconstruction with the greater omentum flap has gained more attention, although it has been only rarely reported in the literature. An unpleasant case presented by us here prompted us to perform a literature search on breast reconstruction with the omentum flap concerning postoperative results and complication rates. Case presentation We here present the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented with severe infection 3 months after omentum flap reconstruction in a distant local hospital. Intraoperative revision showed an inflammatory, completely necrotic flap that had to be removed. Conclusion The literature review shows that the omentum flap can be reasonably used only in one-sided reconstructions of very small breasts. Due to the limited indications, unpredictable flap volume, and our negative experience, we recommend that this type of reconstruction be used with restraint.