CIRSE Standards of Practice on Management of Endoleaks Following Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

BACKGROUND

Endoleaks represent the most common complication after EVAR. Some types are associated with ongoing risk of aneurysm rupture and necessitate long-term surveillance and secondary interventions.

PURPOSE

This document, as with all CIRSE Standards of Practice documents, will recommend a reasonable approach to best practices of managing endoleaks. This will include imaging diagnosis, surveillance, indications for intervention, endovascular treatments and their outcomes. Our purpose is to provide recommendations based on up-to-date evidence, updating the guidelines previously published on this topic in 2013.

METHODS

The writing group was established by the CIRSE Standards of Practice Committee and consisted of clinicians with internationally recognised expertise in endoleak management. The writing group reviewed the existing literature performing a pragmatic evidence search using PubMed to select publications in English and relating to human subjects up to 2023. The final recommendations were formulated through consensus.

RESULTS

Endoleaks may compromise durability of the aortic repair, and long-term imaging surveillance is necessary for early detection and correct classification to guide potential re-intervention. The majority of endoleaks that require treatment can be managed using endovascular techniques. This Standards of Practice document provides up-to-date recommendations for the safe management of endoleaks.

Increasing Insulin Availability Does Not Augment Postprandial Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Healthy Young and Older Men

CONTEXT

Skeletal muscle protein synthesis is highly responsive to food intake. It has been suggested that the postprandial increase in circulating insulin modulates the muscle protein synthetic response to feeding.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to investigate whether a greater postprandial rise in circulating insulin level increases amino acid uptake in muscle and augments postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates.

PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN

Forty-eight healthy young (age 22 ± 1 y; body mass index 22.0 ± 0.3 kg/m²) and older males (age 68 ± 1 y; body mass index 26.3 ± 0.4 kg/m²) ingested 20 g intrinsically L-[1-¹³C]-leucine- and L-[1-¹³C]-phenylalanine-labeled casein protein with or without local insulin infusion. Primed continuous infusions of L-[1-¹³C]-leucine and L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine were applied, with arterial and venous blood samples and muscle biopsies being collected during a 5-hour postprandial period.

RESULTS

Insulin administration did not increase overall leg blood flow (P = .509) but increased amino acid uptake over the leg in both young and older subjects (P = .003). The greater amino acid uptake over the leg did not further increase postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates (0.050% ± 0.006% and 0.037% ± 0.004% per hour vs 0.044% ± 0.004% and 0.037% ± 0.002% per hour in the insulin-stimulated vs control condition in the young and older groups, respectively; P = .804) and did not affect postprandial deposition of dietary protein-derived amino acids in de novo muscle protein (P = .872).

CONCLUSION

Greater postprandial plasma insulin availability stimulates amino acid uptake over the leg but does not further augment postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates or stimulate the postprandial deposition of protein derived amino acids into de novo muscle protein in healthy young and older men.

Post-Prandial Protein Handling: You Are What You Just Ate

Background

Protein turnover in skeletal muscle tissue is highly responsive to nutrient intake in healthy adults.

Objective

To provide a comprehensive overview of post-prandial protein handling, ranging from dietary protein digestion and amino acid absorption, the uptake of dietary protein derived amino acids over the leg, the post-prandial stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates, to the incorporation of dietary protein derived amino acids in de novo muscle protein.

Design

12 healthy young males ingested 20 g intrinsically [1-¹³C]-phenylalanine labeled protein. In addition, primed continuous L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine, L-[ring-²H₂]-tyrosine, and L-[1-¹³C]-leucine infusions were applied, with frequent collection of arterial and venous blood samples, and muscle biopsies throughout a 5 h post-prandial period. Dietary protein digestion, amino acid absorption, splanchnic amino acid extraction, amino acid uptake over the leg, and subsequent muscle protein synthesis were measured within a single in vivo human experiment.

Results

55.3±2.7% of the protein-derived phenylalanine was released in the circulation during the 5 h post-prandial period. The post-prandial rise in plasma essential amino acid availability improved leg muscle protein balance (from -291±72 to 103±66 μM·min^-1·100 mL leg volume^-1; P<0.001). Muscle protein synthesis rates increased significantly following protein ingestion (0.029±0.002 vs 0.044±0.004%·h^-1 based upon the muscle protein bound L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine enrichments (P<0.01)), with substantial incorporation of dietary protein derived L-[1-¹³C]-phenylalanine into de novo muscle protein (from 0 to 0.0201±0.0025 MPE).

Conclusion

Ingestion of a single meal-like amount of protein allows ~55% of the protein derived amino acids to become available in the circulation, thereby improving whole-body and leg protein balance. About 20% of the dietary protein derived amino acids released in the circulation are taken up in skeletal muscle tissue following protein ingestion, thereby stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates and providing precursors for de novo muscle protein synthesis.

Trial Registration

trialregister.nl 3638

CIRSE standards of practice guidelines on iliocaval stenting

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) as an advanced stage of chronic venous disease is a common problem that occurs in approximately 1-5 % of the adult population. CVI has either a nonthrombotic (primary) or postthrombotic (secondary) cause involving reflux, obstruction, or a combination of both. The role of venous obstruction is increasingly recognized as a major cause of CVI, with obstructive lesions in the iliocaval segment being markedly more relevant than lesions at the levels of the crural and femoral veins. Approximately 70-80 % of iliac veins develop a variable degree of obstruction following an episode of acute deep venous thrombosis. Nonthrombotic iliac vein obstruction also known as May-Thurner or Cockett's syndrome is the most common cause of nonthrombotic iliac vein occlusion. While compression therapy is the basis of therapy in CVI, in many cases, venous recanalization or correction of obstructive iliac vein lesions may result in resolution of symptoms. This document reviews the current evidence on iliocaval vein recanalization and provides standards of practice for iliocaval stenting in primary and secondary causes of chronic venous disease.

Equilibrium-phase high spatial resolution contrast-enhanced MR angiography at 1.5T in preoperative imaging for perforator flap breast reconstruction

Objectives

The aim was (i) to evaluate the accuracy of equilibrium-phase high spatial resolution (EP) contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) at 1.5T using a blood pool contrast agent for the preoperative evaluation of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator branches (DIEP), and (ii) to compare image quality with conventional first-pass CE-MRA.

Methods

Twenty-three consecutive patients were included. All patients underwent preoperative CE-MRA to determine quality and location of DIEP. First-pass imaging after a single bolus injection of 10 mL gadofosveset trisodium was followed by EP imaging. MRA data were compared to intra-operative findings, which served as the reference standard.

Results

There was 100% agreement between EP CE-MRA and surgical findings in identifying the single best perforator branch. All EP acquisitions were of diagnostic quality, whereas in 10 patients the quality of the first-pass acquisition was qualified as non-diagnostic. Both signal- and contrast-to-noise ratios were significantly higher for EP imaging in comparison with first-pass acquisitions (p<0.01).

Conclusions

EP CE-MRA of DIEP in the preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing a breast reconstruction procedure is highly accurate in identifying the single best perforator branch at 1.5Tesla (T). Besides accuracy, image quality of EP imaging proved superior to conventional first-pass CE-MRA.

Prospective evaluation of failure modes in autogenous radiocephalic wrist access for haemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

Radiocephalic wrist arteriovenous fistulae (RCAVF) are the primary and best option for vascular access for haemodialysis treatment. However, 10-24% of these AVFs fail due directly to thrombosis and non-maturation. In a prospective study, the failure modes of radiocephalic AVFs and the impact of surgical and interventional treatment on fistula outcome were investigated.

METHODS

The rate of thrombosis and non-maturation was evaluated in 43 RCAVFs. The selection of RCAVF creation was made on preoperatively determined duplex parameters. Fistula function was evaluated post-operatively by clinical examination and non-invasively measured AVF blood flow. A policy of a liberal use of radiological and/or surgical revision of non-functioning RCAVFs was made on the basis of duplex measured blood flow and angiographically detected vessel stenosis.

RESULTS

Primary fistula function was achieved in 26 of 43 patients (60%). Non-maturation and thrombosis occurred in 14 (33%) and three (7%) patients, respectively. A total of 12 interventions (PTA 6; surgery 6) were needed, resulting in salvage of eight RCAVFs (47%). The blood flow in functioning AVFs was significantly higher compared to non-functioning AVFs at 1 (754 vs 440 cc/min), 7 (799 vs 524 cc/min) and 42 days (946 vs 532 cc/min) post-operatively. At the end, 34 RCAVFs (79%) became functional as vascular access for haemodialysis treatment.

CONCLUSION

Primary RCAVFs have a high rate of failure. An aggressive approach towards early interventional treatment of these non-functional AVFs is worthwhile and leads to a considerable salvage rate. Early post-operative AVF flow measurement indicates the chance of successful maturation of RCAVF.