Faculty Bibliography

Nonopacified lower extremity vein bypass grafts may not be thrombosed. Catheterization of these grafts should be performed whenever possible. If graft patency is demonstrated, vein graft angioplasty may restore flow without fibrinolytic therapy. In two cases of nonthrombosed nonopacified grafts, graft patency was demonstrated by catheterization of the grafts, and normal blood flow was restored by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Of the patients with penetrating neck wounds treated between 1979 and 1986, 61 patients with 65 injuries had arteriography during their evaluation. Twenty-seven patients had stab wounds and 34 had gunshot wounds, with a relatively equal distribution between the zones of injury. Fifty-seven arteriograms were normal and six were abnormal. Of the six arteriographic defects, three were thought to be spurious on subsequent review, two were clinically insignificant, and one required surgery. No significant arterial injuries were identified by arteriography in the absence of suggestive physical findings. No major arterial injuries were discovered during neck surgery that were missed preoperatively. Neither abnormal nor normal angiograms significantly altered the course of management, including the approach to neck exploration. These data suggest that arteriography for penetrating neck trauma is usually unnecessary for observation of patients in stable condition without suggestive physical findings. Thorough neck exploration with dissection of the carotid sheath in patients with physical diagnostic criteria for surgery eliminates the need for angiography in most cases and avoids the consequences of a possible false-negative study

During the past 15 years, we have employed a modified classification and management plan to treat infections involving nonaortic peripheral arterial prosthetic grafts (PAPGs) without graft removal whenever possible. Sixty-eight infected wounds potentially involving PAPGs were initially treated by excision of necrotic and infected wound tissue in the operating room (wound excision). This was sufficient for all 34 minor infections that did not directly involve the graft. In the 34 remaining infected wounds with graft involvement (major infections), partial removal of a PAPG in 13 cases allowed preservation for up to 15 years of a functioning arterial segment and its collaterals. Ten other grafts were entirely saved. Only 11 of 34 major graft infections ultimately required total graft removal. This approach to infection complicating PAPGs resulted in only two deaths (6%) and directly led to limb loss or amputation at a higher level in eight patients (24%). Total removal of an infected PAPG is often unnecessary and may increase mortality and morbidity

Self-retaining retraction techniques for the performance of major vascular operations are described. These techniques use standard instruments present in all operating rooms in addition to newer devices, such as mechanical arm retractors and fixed-frame retractors. They can provide exposure of the femoral and iliac arteries, all portions of the abdominal aorta and its branches, the lumbar sympathetic chain, the carotid, the axillary, and all lower extremity arteries. These techniques have been applied in 1051 operations and have provided superior exposure without the need for multiple surgical assistants

Cost factors are an increasingly important aspect of medical care. In the United States, more than 150,000 patients per year have limb-threatening ischaemia due to infrainguinal atherosclerosis. We studied the economic impact of this disease process and its treatment in 313 consecutive patients seen at our hospital between 1979 and 1981. Minimum follow-up was 3 years. Seventy-nine percent of our patients undergoing revascularisation attempts had limb salvage with full function at 1 year and 60% had full function at 3 years. Of the patients who died, 85% died with their limbs intact. The mean patient cost for all 289 arterial reconstructions was $26,194 +/- $876 S.E. ($23,026 +/- $1117 for 166 femoropopliteal bypasses; $30,380 +/- $1349 for 123 distal bypasses). The mean length of stay (LOS) for the reconstruction group was 50 days. In this patient population, the following adverse risk factors were present: Gangrene or necrosis in the foot (72%), age more than 70 (56%), and previous vascular surgery (21%). A significantly higher cost was associated with each of these factors (gangrene, $32,653 +/- $1534; age greater than 70, $28,089 +/- $1235; previous bypass, $29,666 +/- $1962). During the same time period, initial patient costs for 24 patients undergoing primary below-knee amputation and rehabilitation were $27,225 +/- $2896 S.E. Twenty-nine percent of the patients with below-knee amputations never walked again. The nonambulatory patients had a significant continuing expenditure for institutionalisation ($100/day) or home care ($270/week). These facts document the high cost of limb-threatening arteriosclerosis and its treatment by vascular reconstruction or primary below-knee amputation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Between 1/1/76 and 12/31/86, 448 patients underwent transplantation (360 first transplants). Of these, 286 (230 first) were referred by 5 dialysis centers, each referring more than 40 recipients. The remainder were referred by a large number of centers. Using our 5 largest referral centers, we studied the effect of dialysis center on graft and patient survival. There was no difference between dialysis centers in patient survival. Actuarial graft survival differed significantly for all cadaver transplants and for first cadaver transplants (P less than 105). Significant differences persisted when groups were subdivided by type of immunosuppression (azathioprine vs cyclosporine). Demographic (age, race, cause of renal disease) and immunologic (transfusions, PRA, matching) differences between groups did not explain the difference in graft survival. We conclude that referring dialysis center is a previously unrecognized factor affecting transplant outcome. Further studies with larger numbers will be required to determine the underlying reasons for ths phenomenon

The scarcity of donor lungs for transplantation has been caused, in part, by the belief that a single donor cannot provide usable lungs if it serves as a heart donor. However, the appropriate division of the left atrial wall provides sufficient cuffs for individual transplantation of the heart and each lung into three separate recipients. With the described technique, the results of the present studies demonstrate the feasibility of donor lung procurement and preservation for transplantation after cardiac donation. Use of this method will allow the most effective and efficient use of the limited supply of donor organs and thereby permit therapeutic single lung transplantation in selected patients. Cardiac donation should no longer preclude lung donation as it has in the past