Increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease independent from blood pressure. Recent studies have shed new light on the importance of inflammation on the pathogenesis of arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is associated with the increased activity of angiotensin II, which results in increased NADPH oxidase activity, reduced ...

Although uncommon, coronary artery perforation is one of the most dreadful complications of percutaneous coronary intervention, which requires prompt, aggressive, and effective management. Perforations induced by coronary guidewires are usually located in the distal part of a coronary artery and commonly managed with embolization. This is an unusual case report ...

The pulmonary veins were identified from the silicone endocast heart models of 19 dogs. Although variation in the number of the more peripheral veins on each specimen existed, all of the casts had a consistency with regards to the most proximal coalescence of the pulmonary veins as they entered the ...

Reports differ regarding the effect of concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS), and no reports have described the effect of aortic valve structure in patients who undergo AVR for AS. A total of 871 patients aged 24 to ...

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the effects of open (O) and closed (C) cell stents on the size and number of embolic particles generated during carotid artery stenting (CAS) and assess the impact on outcome. METHODS: Embolic debris from carotid filters after CAS was analyzed using photomicroscopy and imaging software. ...

BACKGROUND: Flow patterns and shear forces in native coronary arteries are more protective against neointimal hyperplasia than those in femoral arteries. Yet, the caliber mismatch with their target arteries makes coronary artery bypass grafts more likely to encounter intimal hyperplasia than their infrainguinal counterparts due to the resultant slow flow ...

The effect of external forces on axial arterial wall mechanics has conventionally been regarded as secondary to hemodynamic influences. However, arteries are similar to muscles in terms of the manner in which they traverse joints, and their three-dimensional geometrical requirements for joint motion. This study considers axial arterial shortening and ...

Background: Due to anatomical reasons a position-dependent renal allograft artery stenosis is being discussed (e.g. only in patient’s upright position). The tortuous course of the allograft artery complicates the direct, angle-dependent measurement of maximum systolic flow velocities (vmax). So indirect signs such as intraparenchymal vmax and resistance index might be ...

Males born preterm are at greater risk of illness and death than females, principally due to respiratory disease. Much of the excess morbidity occurs within the first few hours of life. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether or not differences in the cardiopulmonary transition soon ...

The clinical manifestations of coronary artery anomalies vary in severity, with some anomalies causing severe symptoms and cardiovascular sequelae and others being benign. Cardiovascular computed tomography (CT) has emerged as the standard of reference for identification and characterization of coronary artery anomalies. Therefore, it is important for the reader of ...

Sufficient arterial flow after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is closely related to graft survival and prevention of postoperative complications. However, some unfavorable hepatic arterial conditions in recipients preclude reconstruction, requiring alternative stumps. We have used the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) as a first alternative for hepatic inflow. From January ...

Anatomic variants of the hepatic vasculature are common, so precise preoperative donor evaluation, including variations in the vasculature, is essential. We analyzed the anatomic similarity according to the donor-recipient relationship. Among the cases who underwent living donor liver transplantations from September 2008 to January 2011 we selected 104 cases with ...

The vascular abnormalities of recipients are associated with reconstructive difficulties with an increased risk of postoperative complications. We performed an orthotopic liver transplantation that required a complex vascular reconstruction using donor vascular grafts. A patient with hepatitis B virus cirrhosis received a liver from a brain-dead donor. Dynamic computed tomography ...

Hepatic artery (HA) occlusion is a sinister complication after liver transplantation. It frequently leads to graft loss if untreated. Urgent arterial reconstruction with thrombectomy may reduce the need for retransplantation. Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) offers further challenges due to smaller-caliber vessels, shorter vascular stumps, and occasional multiple HA. Alternatives ...

Portal vein complications after liver transplantation (LT) can lead to graft liver failure. In this living donor liver transplantation case a stenosis developed in the right posterior branch of the portal vein of the graft liver from a living donor with type 2 portal vein variation. A 61-year-old woman diagnosed ...

This 59-year-old woman underwent living donor liver transplantation using a left lobe graft as an aid for autoimmune hepatitis in 2003. Splenectomy was also performed because of blood type incompatibility. Follow-up endoscopic and computed tomography examinations showed gastroesophageal varices with extra hepatic portal vein thrombosis in 2007 that increased (esophageal ...

Vasculopathy associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) can cause a spontaneous hemothorax, which is an uncommon but life-threatening complication of the disease. We report a case of recurrent rupture of intercostal artery aneurysms in an NF-1 patient. A 40-year-old man with NF-1 suffered from a right spontaneous hemothorax. The bleeding ...

As the use of percutaneous intervention is increasing for closure of the patent ductus arteriosus, procedure-related complications are also on the rise. An Amplatzer duct occluder used in a 4-year-old child was dislodged into the right pulmonary artery. It was removed through median sternotomy by temporarily occluding the right pulmonary ...

The goal of this study was to assess coronary artery calcification in patients ≥10 years or age with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD). Patients with a history of KD and coronary artery aneurysms are at risk for late morbidity from coronary artery events. It is unknown whether patients with ...

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a pseudoaneurysm after hepatobiliary operation is well described in adults. This can be successfully treated with transcatheter embolization under angiographic guidance. We report a case of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a 5-year-old boy secondary to a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery after choledochal ...

Aneurysms are rare in children. Causes include congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, and infectious etiologies. When and how to best surgically treat arterial aneurysms in a child remain unclear. We present the case of a 3-month-old child with an aneurysm of the left common iliac artery, which was first detected on abdominal ...

The stability of arteries is essential to normal arterial functions and loss of stability can lead to arterial tortuosity and kinking. Collagen is a main extracellular matrix component that modulates the mechanical properties of arteries and collagen degradation at pathological conditions weakens the mechanical strength of arteries. However, the effects ...

In a prospective study of the natural history of coronary atherosclerosis using angiography and grayscale and radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-virtual histology (VH), larger plaque burden, smaller luminal area, and plaque composition thin-cap fibroatheroma emerged as independent predictors of future adverse cardiovascular events. The methodology for IVUS-VH classification for an in ...

Due to high incidence of vascular bypass procedures, an unmet need for suitable vessel replacements exists, especially for small-diameter vascular grafts. Here we produced 1-mm diameter vascular grafts with nanofibrous structure via electrospinning, and successfully modified the nanofibers by the conjugation of heparin using di-amino-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a linker. ...

Introduction: Coronary artery bypass grafting is an established means of treating advanced coronary artery disease. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the radial artery as an entry route during coronary angiography. Accurate knowledge of the branching pattern of this artery and its relation to surrounding structures ...

A coronary artery anomaly precludes the use of a trans-annular patch in right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction. Herein we present three patients with coronary artery anomalies who underwent total corrective operations without using a conduit. Between 2007 and 2010, 84 patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) were operated on. ...

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is a well-known and proven method of treatment for coronary artery disease. A modification of this method is complete revascularisation of the right ventricle by sequential bypass grafting of the right coronary artery, the effects of which on ventricular function need to be clarified. We ...

We evaluated the reliability of various multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) parameters for diagnosis and severity assessment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with consideration of World Health Organization (WHO) classification. A total of 172 patients were included in this retrospective study. One hundred fourteen patients had a diagnosis of PH (mean pulmonary ...

This study evaluated the incidence and course of a hematoma occurring after femoral arterial sampling. We studied 270 patients who underwent computed tomography (CT) including the pelvis and blood gas sampling from femoral artery using a 22-gauge needle during 2010. This population comprised 176 men and 94 women with a ...

ABSTRACT: An independent origin of the left vertebral artery from the aortic arch is the second most common aortic arch anomaly and occurs in 7% of otherwise healthy persons. Bilateral and independent origins of vertebral arteries are distinctly unusual. We present and illustrate such a case.

Abstract  We report a 10-day-old newborn, weighing 2.9 kg with an interrupted left aortic arch type B, a large subarterial ventricular septal defect and a right ductus connecting the right pulmonary artery to an isolated right subclavian artery. The patient underwent successful total surgical repair and the isolated right subclavian ...

Testicular arteries arise from the abdominal aorta and the inferior suprarenal artery from the renal artery. There are reports about variant origin and course of these arteries. Accessory testicular artery is also a common finding but its providing origin to inferior suprarenal artery is an important observation. During a routine ...

Simulation has been proposed to improve learning curves in carotid artery stenting (CAS), but previous studies have only evaluated CAS simulation in a single type of arch usually either type I or type II. The aim of our study is to define the use of virtual reality for CAS training ...

Background Sudden internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusive vasospasm is a serious complication of intracranial aneurysm embolization. Conventional spasmolysis with papaverine yields a generally poor outcome. We believe that arterial infusion of lidocaine may offer a better outcome.Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of patients treated with either papaverine ...

Background: Due to the recent technological progress, multislice computerized tomography (MSCT) allows visualizing the heart and coronary arteries. Multislice computed tomography is non invasive and provides high quality images.Its main limits are arythmia, tachycardia and coronary calcifications. But the main drawback with MSCT is the radiation dose. Aim : Report ...

Aim: To assess the efficiency of arteries ligation in intractable obstetrical hemorrhage. Methods: Prospective study which concerned 53 patients who underwent internal iliac arteries ligation for persistent and severe obstetrical hemorrhage from January 2007 to June 2010. Results: The average age of patients was 29.3 years. The mean parity was ...

Coronary artery anomalies are uncommon and often asymptomatic. A double right coronary artery (RCA) is an extremely rare coronary artery anomaly, and only a few cases of double RCA have been reported. We report on an atherosclerotic double RCA that appeared after primary percutaneous intervention in a patient with an ...

Coronary artery fistulas have been diagnosed with aortography, coronary angiography, and coronary computed tomography (CT). A large fistula can be occasionally found as a mass lesion on echocardiography but cannot be easily confirmed. Here, we report a new diagnostic approach to coronary artery fistulas using a contrast agent and transthoracic ...

An 84-year-old male was scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft surgery under general anesthesia. During cardiopulmonary bypass, the leakage of blood into the syringe being used for balloon inflation and the thermistor connector of the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) was detected. Resistance was encountered when trying to withdraw the PAC. ...

Aim. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is the treatment of choice for recurrent stenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). However a significative incidence of in-stent restenosis could be occurred. Despite classical CEA leads to good results, in selective cases bypass graft may be the best treatment of in-stent restenosis. Case reports. We ...

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a reasonable alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA), especially in patients at high risk for surgery. Carotid artery thrombosis of the treated segment is a rare, early but potentially devastating complication of this endovascular procedure. The aim of this article is to identify and critically review ...

We report the uncommon occurrence of a complete brachial artery transection following simple posterior dislocation of the elbow, successfully managed by cephalic vein interposition grafting. This case together with a review of the literature was conducted with the aim of highlighting important issues regarding the diagnosis, management and prognosis of ...

The best management of asymptomatic carotid artery disease in patient who needs coronary bypass remains controversial. We report the neurological outcome of four patients with asymptomatic unilateral significant carotid artery disease who underwent conventional coronary bypass without carotid revascularization. Our review highlighted the risk of perioperative stroke is not increased ...

Haemodynamically significant systemic-to-pulmonary artery collaterals may present as a cause of cardiorespiratory compromise in tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia. We present here a case of TOF with pulmonary atresia with aneurysmally dilated aorto-pulmonary collateral causing compression over trachea, presenting as dry irritating cough who died suddenly with haemoptysis ...

Coronary artery aneurysms are a known but uncommon complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) probably related to effects of vessel wall trauma and possibly a combination of hypersensitivity and incomplete endothelisation associated with drug-eluting stents (DES). We present here a case of giant coronary artery aneurysm 3 months following implantation ...

A spontaneous arterio-venous ilioiliac fistula (AVF) caused by an iliac artery aneurysm (IAA) is a rare complication. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with previous aortic surgery 11 years before who was admitted at the Emergency Department for acute gluteal pain. He was suspected for a hip problem ...

Although relatively rare, congenital arteriovenous fistulas and other vascular anomalies present a diagnostic challenge to the clinician. The same noninvasive tests that are used for diagnosing arterial occlusive disease in the extremities will also detect arteriovenous fistulas. These tests include segmental limb pressure measurements, segmental plethysmography, and arterial waveform analysis. ...

Severe bilateral carotid stenosis caused by atherosclerosis has not been unusual in the elderly. Such patients have high stroke risk. Many studies show that carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an alternative to treat unilateral carotid stenosis. However, the optimal procedural strategy of bilateral carotid stenosis remains unclear. The purpose of ...

Edge dissections after coronary stent implantation are associated with increased short-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. The incidence and outcome of edge dissections after coronary stent implantation were reportedly different using different imaging techniques. We used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess the incidence, morphological findings and related factors ...

BACKGROUND: Venous flow-through flaps are well-described options for small defects where donor site morbidity is undesirable or in areas where useful local veins are in close proximity to the defect, particularly in the extremities. However, higher rates of flap loss have limited their utility. The saphenous venous flap in particular ...