Surgical Treatment of Iliofemoral Vein Thrombosis in Pregnancy

The incidence of deep leg vein thrombosis in pregnancy is estimated at 0.13 per 1000 to 1.4 per 100.1−3 One-third occur as isolated, descending iliofemoral vein thromboses, predominantly left-sided. We report our surgical experiences in venous thrombectomy with arteriovenous fistula (AV-fistula) in the groin between the superficial femoral artery and femoral vein in 29 gravidae with a mean age of 27.5 years (range 19–41 years). Thrombosis occurred between the 20th and 36th week of pregnancy. 25 were antepartum two postpartum and two postsectionem. An iliac spur was seen once, as was an AT III deficiency. At the beginning of our series AV-fistula was not performed in three patients who all suffered from re-thrombosis after 24 h. Re-thrombectomy with an AV-fistula was performed successfully. Three of the 26 gravidae with AV-fistula also developed re-thrombosis. In two patients re-thrombectomy was successful, in the third patient the common iliac vein could not be re-opened by thrombectomy and the functioning AF-fistula had been ligated because extensive vulval oedema had developed. Asymptomatic, late re-thrombosis occurred in two patients who were seen at outpatient follow-up. We have seen one mild, non-life-threatening pulmonary embolism on the first postoperative day. No further intraoperative nor postoperative or postpartum complications developed. The re-occlusion rate is 10.3% (3/29), the complication rate is 6.9% (2/29).

Tumor-associated copy number changes in the circulation of patients with prostate cancer identified through whole-genome sequencing

BACKGROUND

Patients with prostate cancer may present with metastatic or recurrent disease despite initial curative treatment. The propensity of metastatic prostate cancer to spread to the bone has limited repeated sampling of tumor deposits. Hence, considerably less is understood about this lethal metastatic disease, as it is not commonly studied. Here we explored whole-genome sequencing of plasma DNA to scan the tumor genomes of these patients non-invasively.

METHODS

We wanted to make whole-genome analysis from plasma DNA amenable to clinical routine applications and developed an approach based on a benchtop high-throughput platform, that is, Illuminas MiSeq instrument. We performed whole-genome sequencing from plasma at a shallow sequencing depth to establish a genome-wide copy number profile of the tumor at low costs within 2 days. In parallel, we sequenced a panel of 55 high-interest genes and 38 introns with frequent fusion breakpoints such as the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion with high coverage. After intensive testing of our approach with samples from 25 individuals without cancer we analyzed 13 plasma samples derived from five patients with castration resistant (CRPC) and four patients with castration sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC).

RESULTS

The genome-wide profiling in the plasma of our patients revealed multiple copy number aberrations including those previously reported in prostate tumors, such as losses in 8p and gains in 8q. High-level copy number gains in the AR locus were observed in patients with CRPC but not with CSPC disease. We identified the TMPRSS2-ERG rearrangement associated 3-Mbp deletion on chromosome 21 and found corresponding fusion plasma fragments in these cases. In an index case multiregional sequencing of the primary tumor identified different copy number changes in each sector, suggesting multifocal disease. Our plasma analyses of this index case, performed 13 years after resection of the primary tumor, revealed novel chromosomal rearrangements, which were stable in serial plasma analyses over a 9-month period, which is consistent with the presence of one metastatic clone.

CONCLUSIONS

The genomic landscape of prostate cancer can be established by non-invasive means from plasma DNA. Our approach provides specific genomic signatures within 2 days which may therefore serve as 'liquid biopsy'.

Critical assessment of preoperative urinary prostate cancer antigen 3 on the accuracy of prostate cancer staging

BACKGROUND

Knowledge about the staging significance of the prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) score to better identify pathologic features after radical prostatectomy (RP) is limited and controversial.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to study the clinical staging significance of PCA3 to identify pathologic favorable and/or unfavorable features in the RP specimen.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Complete retrospective clinical and pathologic data of consecutive men who had undergone RP from three tertiary referral centers including preoperative PCA3 scores (n=305) and computer-assisted planimetrically measured tumor volume data (n=160) were available.

INTERVENTION

All patients were treated with RP.

MEASUREMENTS

PCA3 scores were assessed using the PROGENSA assay (Gen-Probe, San Diego, CA, USA). Beyond standard risk factors (age, digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, biopsy Gleason score, percentage of positive cores), five different PCA3 codings were used in logistic regression models to identify five distinct pathologic end points: (1) low-volume disease (<0.5 ml), (2) insignificant prostate cancer (PCa) according to the Epstein criteria, (3) extracapsular extension (ECE), (4) seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and (5) aggressive disease defined as Gleason sum ≥7. Accuracy estimates of each end point were quantified using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic analysis in models with and without PCA3.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

PCA3 scores were significantly lower in low-volume disease and insignificant PCa (p ≤ 0.001). AUC of multivariable low-volume disease (+2.4 to +5.5%) and insignificant PCa models (+3 to +3.9%) increased when PCA3 was added to standard clinical risk factors. In contradistinction, regardless of its coding, PCA3 scores were not significantly elevated in pathologically confirmed ECE (p=0.4) or SVI (p=0.5), respectively. Higher PCA3 scores were associated with aggressive disease (p<0.001). Importantly, the addition of PCA3 to multivariable intermediate- and high-grade models did not improve prediction. Despite reporting the largest pathologic PCA3 study, the main limitation resides in its small sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

PCA3 was confirmed as a valuable predictor of pathologically confirmed low-volume disease and insignificant PCa. Further exploration of its role as an additional marker to select patients for active surveillance may be warranted. In contradistinction, assessment of pathologically advanced or aggressive PCa is not improved using PCA3.

Analysis of 274 Omniflow Vascular Prostheses implanted over an eight-year period

BACKGROUND

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), dacron, and, more recently, collagen prostheses are finding increasing use for femoropopliteal reconstruction when a suitable vein is not available. The main factors to be considered when choosing a prosthesis are patency, susceptibility to infection and formation of aneurysms.

METHODS

Sheep collagen prostheses were implanted on 274 occasions in the femoropopliteal or crural regions.

RESULTS

The patency rate for supragenual bypass after 3 years was 61.9% with good vascular periphery and 44% with poor vascular periphery. If the prosthesis extended below the knee, the patency rate was 55.4% with good and 35.3% with unfavourable vascular periphery. Patency for the femorocrural bypass was 28.7% after 2 years. The rate of infection was 0% and an aneurysm occurred in three patients (1.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

With this low infection rate and very slight danger of aneurysm, the long-term results suggest that the ovine collagen prosthesis can be recommended for use when no suitable vein is available.

[Results of surgical treatment of pregnancy-associated pelvic vein thrombosis]

We report the results of surgical treatment of iliofemoral vein thrombosis in 49 pregnant women in a seven years period. The patients mean age was 26.5 years (range 18-41 years). Isolated descending pelvic vein thrombosis (PVT) occurred between the 20th and 36th week of pregnancy and was located predominantly left sided. 89.8% of PVT developed in the late period of gestation, three cases of pelvic vein thrombosis were diagnosed after vaginal delivery. An iliac vein spur in one patient and an AT-III deficiency in two cases were registered as additional risk factors. After venous catheter thrombectomy an arteriovenous fistula between the superficial femoral artery and the femoral vein was performed to increase blood flow and velocity in the pelvic veins. Abdominal delivery was performed simultaneously, if thrombosis occurred after the 34th week of pregnancy. Late re-thrombosis was registered in 4 patients (9.0%) after a mean follow-up of 42 months. We have seen symptoms of mild, not life threatening pulmonary embolism in two patients on the first postoperative day (complication rate 4.0%). Re-occlusion rate was high (3/5) after surgical thrombectomy carried out between the 20th and 26th week of gestation. Risk factors were an AT III deficiency in two cases and the continued compression syndrome of the pelvic veins caused by the enlarging uterus. In the late period of gestation surgical thrombectomy of PVT is the preferential method of treatment in selected patients with good therapeutical results. The operation reduces the risk of future venous insufficiency and post-thrombotic syndrome in the young female patients.

Paragangliomas of the carotid bifurcation: oncological aspects of vascular surgery

The present study reviews in concise form the past 12 years of our clinical experience with paragangliomas of the carotid body. Every aspect of the anatomical, histological and biological and biological behaviour of paragangliomas of the carotid body has been recorded in order to be able to define better surgical management and the clinical prognosis. In addition to the conventional histological methods of investigation we also applied immunohistochemistry and made use of electron microscopy. Eighteen tumours of the carotid body in 12 female and four male patients with a mean age of 54 years (34 to 70 years) were treated surgically. Angiography of the aortic arch and supra-aortic branches was undertaken diagnostically in every case. In three patients computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated spreading of the tumour up to the base of the skull and pre-operative embolization of the arteries supplying the tumour was performed to decrease tumour vascularity. In four cases (22%) resection of the internal carotid artery and its reconstruction by a saphenous vein graft was required in order to achieve the therapeutic aim of a complete extirpation of tumourous tissue and preserving the vascular system of the internal carotid artery. In three cases (16%) there was histological evidence of a metastasizing process to the local lymph nodes of the neck and, due to this criterion of malignancy, 50-60 Gy of radiation was applied to the site of the tumour after surgery. Four patients experienced a transient neurological deficit in the supply area of the hypoglossal and the recurrent nerves. In one case, the vagus nerve could not be retained. In an average follow-up of 102 months we recorded one case of local recurrence 13 months after the initial resection and radiation treatment applied to a malignant paraganglioma. All the other patients were doing well without evidence of recurrent disease.

[Femoropopliteal vascular replacement: vein, ePTFE or ovine collagen?]

In an eight year-period from 1988 to 1995 653 femoropopliteal and femorocrural bypasses were performed. 347 above-knee reconstructions 206 below-knee reconstructions and at last 100 femorocrural bypasses were analysed. The cumulative patency rate after a follow up of three years for above-knee vein bypasses was 90%, patency rate for PTFE grafts in the same period was 52%, for ovine collagen grafts 56%. For below-knee bypasses with autologous saphenous vein a function rate of 76% could be observed in the same period, the rate of PTFE grafts in this position was only 30%. In this position 3-year patency rates of 50% were achieved with ovine collagen grafts. This difference was statistically significant. Three years cumulative patency rate for femorocrural reconstructions with greater saphenous vein was 72%, the function rate for PTFE in this position was below 30% after a follow up of one year, with ovine grafts below 40%. Graft infection, aneurysm formation and postoperative mortality were low in all groups. Our data demonstrate, that patency rates of autologous vein bypasses could not be achieved with PTFE or ovine collagen prosthesis in any femoropopliteal the femorocrural position. We therefore cannot confirm the recommendation to use alloplastic grafts as primary choice for above knee bypasses to spare the saphenous vein.

[Indications and outcome of simultaneous operation of carotid stenoses and stenosing coronary arteriosclerosis]

Between 1986 and September 1995 100 patients with carotid artery stenosis and coronary artery disease underwent combined carotid endarterectomy and CABG. The indications for carotid endarterctomy were transient neurological events in 38 patients and in 62 cases high-grade asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The surgical procedures were always performed by a vascular and a cardiac surgical team. In all cases carotid endarterectomy was performed prior to CABG, 3 patients died during the in-hospital-postoperative period: 2 patients died on the first day after surgery because of cardiac failure, 1 on the 18th day because of pneumonia. 2 patients had postoperative transient neurological events. The results are similar to those of isolated single procedures. Thus combined surgery for severe carotid and coronary artery disease can be performed with low mortality and morbidity.

Diagnosis and treatment of carotid body tumors

Carotid body tumors are rare although they must always remain part of the differential diagnosis of a neck mass. Sonography as the screening method of choice followed by angiography determines the diagnosis. In 11 patients 12 carotid body tumors were extirpated. The reconstruction of the internal carotid artery with an interposition of the greater saphenous vein was necessary in two cases after resection of the tumor. One patient underwent preoperative embolisation because of a huge tumor. Two postoperative radiotherapies were undertaken because of malignancy in one case and a partially extirpated tumor in the other. After a 9 year follow-up period all patients are alive. One patient suffers from a persistent palsy of the hypoglossal nerve and another complains of permanent headache supposedly caused by the reocclusion of the venous interposition of the carotid artery. In conclusion, our data support the diagnostic strategies in patients with suspected carotid body tumors. Regarding the exact therapeutic regimen, we suggest the surgical resection, followed by radiotherapy in cases of confirmed malignancy or partially resectable lesions.

[Jugulotympanic paraganglioma]

A case is described of a jugulotympanic paraganglioma in a 64-year-old woman with extentions down the jugular vein to the clavicle and penetration of the cerebellar fossa. The symptoms, differential diagnosis, therapy and prognosis are discussed on the basis of this case report and compared with the literature. The importance of radiological investigation (e.g. selective angiography and computed tomography) in respect to diagnosis and determination of tumour size is emphasized. The diagnostic value of the immunohistochemical detection of neuron-specific enolase, a neuroendocrine cell marker and S-100 protein is stressed. The most favourable therapy, depending on tumour extension, seems to comprise preoperative embolisation, radical resection and postoperative radiotherapy.