[en] 

Aims

To report a series of patients treated with the Jotec custom-made endograft for thoraco-abdominal aneurysms and dissections and identify predictive factors for re-intervention.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 49 patients unsuitable for surgery, treated between 2011 and 2017 (71.3 ± 9.5 years; 15 females). Indications included Crawford type 4 aneurysm in 25 patients, type 3 in 13, type 2 in 4, type 1 in 2 and chronic aneurysmal dilatation of the false lumen following dissection in 5 cases. Mean aneurysm diameter was 58.7 ± 8.4 mm. The study aims were to assess procedural success, complications rate, mortality and long-term follow-up. We also analysed factors that predicted the need for re-intervention.

Results

The endograft was successfully deployed in all patients, catheterization of the fenestration and/or branches was achieved in 152/156 (97.4%) vessels. Early complications occurred in 10 patients (3 paraplegia, 3 haemorrhages, pancreatitis, aortic rupture, iliac artery rupture, 2 strokes). Thirty-day mortality was 10.2% and 180-day mortality 14.3%; two non procedure related deaths occurred. Mean follow-up was 23.6 ± 29.9 months [range 1–80]. No patients needed surgical explantation or developed significant renal impairment. Endoleak rate was 34.6% and re-intervention rate 9.7%. The aneurysm sac reduced or was stable in 36/49, and enlarged in 9/49 patients prompting re-intervention. Primary, primary-assisted and secondary patency of fenestrations/branches at 80 months was 90, 96 and 100%. Re-intervention was required more frequently in braches than in fenestrations, most commonly the external type branches.

Conclusions

The results of the Jotec endograft are comparable to other devices, with acceptable complication and re-intervention rates. Fenestration and inner-branch should be preferred due to lower re-intervention rates.

[en] Pancreatic pseudocysts may occur in up to 10% of patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis. Symptomatic, persistent, and infected pancreatic pseudocysts require interventional therapy. We present the case of a patient with complete dislocation of a double pigtail catheter into an infected pseudocyst and the repositioning of the drainage catheter using a transgastric snaring technique. The combination of CT-guided percutaneous puncture and fluoroscopic snaring permitted minimally invasive management of this rare complication.

[en] Short communication

[en] To assess the variability and systematic differences in polyp measurements on optical colonoscopy and CT colonography. Gastroenterologists measured 51 polyps by visual estimation, forceps comparison and linear probe. CT colonography observers randomly assessed polyp size two-dimensionally (abdominal and intermediate window) and three-dimensionally (manually and semi-automatically). Linear mixed models were used to assess the variability and systematic differences between CT colonography and optical colonoscopy techniques. The variability of forceps and linear probe measurements was comparable and both showed less variability than measurement by visual assessment. Measurements by linear probe were 0.7 mm smaller than measurements by visual assessment or by forceps. The variability of all CT colonography techniques was lower than for measurements by forceps or visual assessment and sometimes lower (only 2D intermediate window and manual 3D) compared with measurements by linear probe. All CT colonography measurements judged polyps to be larger than optical colonoscopy, with differences ranging from 0.7 to 2.3 mm. A linear probe does not reduce the measurement variability of endoscopists compared with the forceps. Measurement differences between observers on CT colonography were usually smaller than at optical colonoscopy. Polyps appeared larger when using various CT colonography techniques than when measured during optical colonoscopy. (orig.)

No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] To systematically review the evidence on the accuracy of MRI for grading disease activity in Crohn's disease (CD). The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane databases were searched for studies on the accuracy of MRI in grading CD compared to a predefined reference standard. Two independent observers scored all relevant data. Three disease stages were defined: remission, mild and frank disease. The accuracy rates of MRI per disease stage were calculated by means of a random-effects model. Seven studies were included from a search resulting in 253 articles. In total 140 patients (16 patients in remission, 29 with mild disease and 95 with frank disease) were used for data analysis. MRI correctly graded 91% (95% CI: 84-96%) of patients with frank disease, 62% (95% CI: 44-79) of patients with mild disease and 62% (95% CI: 38-84) of patients in remission. MRI more often overstaged than understaged disease activity; MRI overstaged disease activity in 38% of patients in remission, mostly as mild disease. Overstaging of mild disease was observed in 21%, understaging in 17%. MRI correctly grades disease activity in a large proportion of patients with frank disease. For patients in remission or with mild disease, MRI correctly stages disease activity in many patients (62%). (orig.)

[en] We used a vascular access system (VAS) for continuous arterial infusion (CAI) of a protease inhibitor in two patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. The infusion catheter was placed into the dorsal pancreatic artery in the first patient and into the gastroduodenal artery in the second, via a femoral artery approach. An implantable port was then connected to the catheter and was secured in a subcutaneous pocket prepared in the right lower abdomen. No complications related to the VAS were encountered. This system provided safe and uncontaminated vascular access for successful CAI for acute pancreatits.

[en] Short communication

[en] Scintigraphic examination of esophagus was performed in 24 patients with clinical signs of gastroesophageal reflux (GER). The results were divided into five different types of clinical findings representing different disorders in esophageal motility. The results were compared with radiological examinations, pH-metry and endoscopy. Sensitivity of the scintigraphy was 94.1%, specificity 50%, and accuracy 89.5%. The results are much better than those of radiological examinations and are comparable with pH-metry. Esophageal scintigraphy a good noninvasive method providing information about the motility of the esophagus not obtainable with other methods. (author). 8 figs., 9 refs