Faculty Bibliography

Donor organs that are suitable for transplantation remain scarce, especially in view of the number of types of organ transplants now possible and the ever-increasing number of waiting recipients. This scarcity of donor organs can, to some extent, be ameliorated by the adoption of potential organ donor maintenance protocols that protect the organs from irreversible damage. Of key importance to the success of any such protocol is the establishment of hemodynamic adequacy and stability. Appropriate and vigorous antibiotic prophylaxis is also a major consideration, especially with regard to the pulmonary and genitourinary systems. The use of ophthalmologic preparations for protection of the corneas, attention to skin cleanliness, and the practice of rigorous sterile technique in the care of all indwelling catheters are measures that are strongly encouraged in order to provide the best possible chance of successful donation of organs that otherwise may be compromised

The role of noninvasive hemodynamic tests in the evaluation of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty success or failure was studied. The ankle-brachial pressure index and pulse volume recording amplitude were measured before and after 37 iliac and 46 femoropopliteal angiographically successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasties. Immediate evidence of hemodynamic improvement was seen in 53 percent of angiographically successful dilatations using the ankle-brachial pressure index and in 60 percent using the pulse volume recording amplitude alone. A better correlation was seen when improvement was noted on either test but was still only 71 percent. Twelve primary iliac percutaneous transluminal angioplasties were considered to be successful immediately by angiography, yet no hemodynamic improvement was recorded. Nine primary iliac percutaneous transluminal angioplasties, however, had continued clinical success and limb viability. Twelve angiographically successful femoropopliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasties also showed no improvement in hemodynamic values, yet three have continued clinical evidence of patency. Thus, although noninvasive hemodynamic tests are important and must be carried out, they are only one of many ways to assess the effectiveness of angioplasty

Limb-salvage was the indication for 90% of 206 attempted PTAs in 175 patients between 1976 and 1982. Life-table patency rates at 4 years for the angiographically successful iliac PTA and femoropopliteal PTA were 78% and 50%, respectively. PTA of eight iliac, seven femoropopliteal, nine tibial, and two subclavian arteries and one autogenous saphenous vein graft (ASV) were unsuccessful. Of these, 17 subsequently underwent successful bypass grafts and five required below-knee amputations. Ten iliac, 37 femoropopliteal, four tibial, and two ASV graft PTAs failed. Of 20 repeat attempts at PTA, only two have achieved long-term patency. Appropriate surgery allowed limb salvage in 23 of 36 early failures (less than 3 months) and 12 of 14 late failures (greater than 3 months), and usually consisted of the same operation that would have been performed had PTA not been attempted. Fifty-two complications were classified according to the method of treatment. Fourteen warranted surgery, but in 10 this was successfully achieved by the same operation that would have been required had PTA not been performed