[Surgery of the proximal vertebral artery. Indications and results]

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to: 1) detail the clinical presentations of diseases requiring revascularization of the vertebral artery and recall the guidelines of the 1975 Ad Hoc committee; 2) identify the explorations needed to detect vertebro-basilary insufficiency; 3) define operative indications since no consensus has been reached.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively the files of 34 patients who underwent revascularization of the vertebral artery between January 1990 and December 2000.

RESULTS

Surgery of the vertebral artery accounted for 4.6% of our vascular surgery cases involving the brain. Fifty percent of the cases of vertebro-basilary insufficiency were caused by hemodynamic disorders and 26.5% by embolism; 23.5% of the patients had no neurological sign. The most frequent neurological signs were vertigo (44%), balance disorders (41%), long pathway involvement (32%). Vertebro-basilary reimplantation was performed in 76% of the cases. There were no cases of stroke and no deaths during the early postoperative period. There was one case of asymptomatic thrombosis. Mean follow-up was 33.6 months with no patients lost to follow-up. Overall survival was 85.29% at 3 years with patent arteries in 97.06% of the cases at 3 years.

CONCLUSION

Our series is in agreement with others reported in the literature, emphasizing the good outcome achieved after vertebral artery surgery. Surgery helps improve signs of vertebro-basilary insufficiency with little operative risk. This surgery is rarely indicated but must be recognized. One must also resist the temptation to "treat images".

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for management of critical ischemia in arteries below the knee

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) can be performed safely in arteries below the knee by using current coaxial catheters. This study includes 37 consecutive patients treated between March 1992 and March 1999 by PTA for limb-threatening infrageniculate occlusive artery disease. The mean duration of follow-up was 28 months. Limb salvage was achieved in 32 patients. The actuarial limb salvage rate at 2 years was 87 +/- 6%. This study shows that PTA was a viable alternative to surgical treatment for management of critical lower extremity ischemia in carefully selected patients. Limb salvage rates after PTA and conventional surgical revascularization seem comparable. Based on these findings, we recommend that PTA be attempted, whenever possible, for initial treatment of patients presenting critical, limb-threatening ischemia due to isolated or multiple stenoses of below-knee arteries.

[Severe and distal ischemia of the upper limb. Results of a surgical follow-up of 11 years in 34 patients]

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate etiology, frequency and prognosis of the distal and severe arterial diseases of the upper limb treated in a vascular surgical unit. Between Jan. 1986 and Jan.1997, 34 patients, 22 males and 12 females, mean age 56 years (range 30 to 87 years) were followed in the vascular and thoracic surgical unit in Angers. Follow-up was 100% complete. Each patient was explored by selective angiography of the upper limb due to the critical characteristic of ischemia.19 patients (56%) had tissue loss. Among multiple etiologies, arteriosclerosis was found in 32% of the cases. When medical treatment was unsuccessful, a thoracic sympathectomy was attempted in 50% of the cases, and 21% of the patients had direct arterial surgery. Nine deaths, due to initial pathology, occurred during follow-up. Eight digitalis amputations were carried out whose two directly because serious necrosis. Severe arterial diseases of the upper limb represented 6, 4% of critical limb ischemia treated during this same period. At time, this study showed arteriosclerosis preponderance over systemic diseases, and the seriousness of cases referred to a vascular surgical center after unsuccessful medical treatment (J Mal Vasc 1999; 24: 368-372).

Persistent sciatic artery: report of an original aneurysm-associated case

Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare embryologic abnormality and can sometimes be bilateral. It may be discovered because of a gluteal aneurysm or ischemic or embolic complications in the lower limb. The case we report was a unilateral type III aneurysm-associated PSA. Since the abnormal artery may be the only source of blood supply to the lower limb, a thorough knowledge of the artery and its embryologic origins is essential.