AV-7

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The treatment of large arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) presents a challenge and the effectiveness of radiosurgery decreases with increasing treatment volume. Here, we analyzed and compared single-session treatment for AVMs >15 cm3 with staged treatment, when the volume of a large AVM was divided into 2 or more compartments, which were subsequently treated at intervals of a few months. In the event that complete obliteration was not achieved within 3 years, repeat radiosurgery was considered...

METHODS: We conducted an analysis on 11 cases of death after AVG infection that occurred between 1996 and 2013, and compared their information with those of 23 cases of generalized infection due to arteriovenous graft (AVG) infection during the same period who survived. RESULTS: The cause of death was sepsis in all 11 patients. The initial C-reactive protein (CRP) was 10.2-39.8 (28 in average) and the duration from onset of fever to vascular access (VA) hemostasis/removal procedure was 6-9 days (6...

PURPOSE: Infective complications of patients requiring insertion of arteriovenous grafts for hemodialysis remain a challenge. In particular, patients who have exhausted autologous options and have had recent infective complications relating to alternative dialysis modalities such as peritonitis or central venous catheter-associated bacteremia can pose a significant dilemma. We present a series of challenging cases that represent examples of the use of biosynthetic grafts in patients with on-going infective risks...

OBJECTIVE: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a new ablation modality. Our purpose was to describe the effectiveness and the safety of the treatment and to evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) diagnostic accuracy in HCC patients treated with IRE at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an 18-month period, we treated 24 HCC lesions in 20 patients unfit for surgery. MRI, CT and CEUS were performed before and one, 3 and 6 month after IRE...

We hypothesised that lower mesenteric near-infrared spectroscopy values would be associated with a greater incidence of gastrointestinal complications in children weighing <10 kg who were recovering from cardiac surgery. We evaluated mesenteric near-infrared spectroscopy, central venous oxygen saturation, and arterial blood gases for 48 hours post-operatively. Enteral feeding intake, gastrointestinal complications, and markers of organ dysfunction were monitored for 7 days. A total of 50 children, with median age of 16...

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to evaluate advantages, risks, and failures of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in a large series of pediatric and adolescent patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs) who were followed up for at least 36 months. METHODS: Since February 1993, 100 pediatric and adolescent patients (≤ 18 years of age) with cAVMs have undergone GKRS at the authors' institution and were followed up for at least 36 months. Forty-six patients were boys and 54 were girls; the mean age was 12...

The purposes of this study were to characterize and quantify concordance between consecutive atrial and ventricular activation time points through analysis of phases and to explore its association with outcomes in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Patients with structural heart disease and dual-chamber ICDs underwent 5min baseline right ventricular (V) near-field and atrial (A) electrogram (EGM) recording. The cross-dependencies of phase dynamics of the changes in consecutive A (AA') and V (VV') were quantified and the AV phase dependency index was determined...

We describe a case of a 55-year-old male with a remote history of a gunshot wound to the left thigh who presented with a 1-year history of worsening high-output congestive heart failure, left lower extremity edema, and left lower abdominal discomfort. Diagnostic evaluation included a computed tomographic angiography (CTA) that demonstrated a fistulous communication between the left superficial femoral artery (SFA) and vein (SFV) as well as a 7.2-cm external iliac vein aneurysm. Given his symptomatology, an endovascular repair of his AVF was recommended, followed by antithrombotic therapy for his aneurysm...

INTRODUCTION: Dilatation of the ascending aorta is a common finding in Tetralogy of fallot (TOF). We sought to provide aortic dimensions in children and adolescents after corrected TOF obtained by contrast-enhanced cardiac-magnetic-resonance angiography (CE-CMRA) that could serve as reference values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 101 children and adolescents (56 male) with a median age of 10.9 years. All patients underwent CE-CMRA imaging using a 3-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo-sequence...

BACKGROUND: Brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with a fistulous component presents a treatment challenge. The presence of the fistulous component may be related to either a complication from endovascular treatment, perioperative hemorrhagic events during surgical resection, or incomplete obliteration after radiosurgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: From December 2010 to May 2014, 7 consecutive patients (3 men, 4 women, average age, 28.7 years; age range, 11 months to 67 years) with AVMs with a high-flow fistulous component were treated at our institute with venous coiling before transarterial liquid embolization...

INTRODUCTION: Left atrioventricular valve regurgitation is the most concerning residual lesion after surgical correction of atrioventricular septal defects. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with moderate or severe left atrioventricular valve regurgitation within 30 days of surgical repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect. METHODS: We assessed the results of 53 consecutive patients 3 years-old and younger presenting with complete atrioventricular septal defect that were operated on at our practice between 2002 and 2010...

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) on oxygen saturation in retinal vessels in patients with diabetes and non-diabetes after a 1-year follow-up. METHODS: This was a prospective consecutive interventional case series in 82 eyes in 82 patients. The sample consisted of 25 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy with macular oedema based on vitreoretinal traction or epiretinal membrane (ERM) and 57 non-diabetic patients with macular hole and ERM...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cardiac and pulmonary effects of siponimod (BAF312) and propranolol co-administration in healthy subjects. METHODS: Healthy subjects (n=76) were randomized in a doubleblind manner to receive propranolol at siponimod steady state (group A), siponimod at propranolol steady state (group B), placebo (group C) and propranolol (group D). Pharmacodynamic evaluations included maximum change from baseline in time-matched hourly average heart rate (Emax HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (Emax MABP) over 24 hours postdose, change from baseline in PR intervals, cardiac rhythm, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)...

BACKGROUND: Gamma Knife (GK) radiosurgery for pediatric arteriovenous malformations (AVM) of the brain presents a non-invasive treatment option. We report our institutional experience with GK for pediatric AVMs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all pediatric patients treated with GK for cerebral AVMs at our institution from November 2003 up to and including September 2014. Patient demographics, AVM characteristics, treatment parameters and AVM responses were recorded...

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate whether the permanent fluoropolymer-coated Xience Xpedition everolimus-eluting stent (Xience-EES) exhibits lower acute thrombogenicity compared with contemporary drug-eluting stents (DES) with biodegradable polymer coatings in an acute swine shunt model. BACKGROUND: Previous pre-clinical and clinical experience suggests that several factors may influence the predisposition for acute thrombus formation of polymer-coated DES, including stent design and the polymer coating technology...

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine whether imaging of the atrioventricular (AV) membranous septum (MS) by computed tomography (CT) can be used to identify patient-specific anatomic risk of high-degree AV block and permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation before transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with self-expandable valves. BACKGROUND: MS length represents an anatomic surrogate of the distance between the aortic annulus and the bundle of His and may therefore be inversely related to the risk of conduction system abnormalities after TAVI...

Cannulation, and in particular, skilled cannulation is the cornerstone to preserving the arteriovenous fistula, the lifeline for a patient receiving long-term hemodialysis therapy. The buttonhole cannulation method has seen a huge revival in the 2000s, but it can sometimes prove challenging to implement successfully. This chapter discusses and describes the method of creating a buttonhole tract using the BioHole® device (a sterile polycarbonate peg), and describes the associated advantages and disadvantages...

OBJECTIVES: During normal left ventricular (LV) filling, a vortex ring structure is formed distal to the left atrioventricular valve (LAVV). Vortex structures contribute to efficient flow organization. We aimed to investigate whether LAVV abnormality in patients with a corrected atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) has an impact on vortex ring formation. METHODS: Whole-heart 4D flow MRI was performed in 32 patients (age: 26 ± 12 years), and 30 healthy subjects (age: 25 ± 14 years)...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intermediate intracardiac diastolic velocities in fetuses with growth restriction. METHODS: Doppler waveforms of the two atrioventricular valves were obtained. Peak velocities of the E (early) and A (atrial) components, and the lowest intermediate velocity (IDV) between them, were measured in 400 normally grown and in 100 growth-restricted fetuses. The prevalence of abnormal IDV, E/IDV, and A/IDV ratios in fetuses presenting with perinatal death or acidemia at birth (pH ≤7...

BACKGROUND: The native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) needs maturation before it can be used. Needling done before time may result in haematoma formation, miscannulation or even access loss. METHODS: This retrospective study included 20 patients with AVFs punctured with fluoroplastic dialysis catheters within 30 days after access creation and 19 historical controls. RESULTS: The time to first puncture was 2-29 days for the study group and 1-26 days for the control group...