Daniel Gustavo Miquelin

Uma mulher de 73 anos, com histórico de hipertensão arterial, foi encaminhada ao serviço de cirurgia vascular por dor torácica intensa e sinais de choque

A 73-year-old woman with a history of hypertension was referred to the vascular surgery department for severe chest pain and signs of shock, including

Endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) is a less invasive alternative, with reduced mortality and morbidity compared to open repair. However, reports on the results of this procedure in Brazil are scarce. This article reports the first institutional experience with endovascular treatment of TAAAs using branched and fenestrated endografts. Four patients with TAAA were included in this report. The devices used were custom-made by Braile, tailored to each patient’s anatomy based on computed tomography (CT) imaging. A total of 10 visceral branches were required to maintain the patency of the visceral arteries. CT follow-up was performed 2 months after the procedure. All implants were successfully completed. The fenestration/branch interfaces were secured with covered, balloon-expandable, and self-expanding peripheral stents in 8 of the 10 target branches. The remaining 2 branches were preserved with openings and free flow. Post-procedural angiography demonstrated correct positioning of the endografts and stents in the visceral arteries, with patency maintained in 9 of the 10 target branches. Among the complications, one selective catheterization of the celiac trunk was not possible at the first attempt. However, there was no mesenteric ischemia, and a peripheral stent was successfully implanted in the celiac trunk in a second procedure. All patients had a complication-free recovery. Follow-up CT demonstrated complete aneurysm exclusion with no leaks and visceral perfusion was maintained in 7 of the 8 target branches. It was concluded that endovascular treatment of TAAA with custom-made endografts is feasible and may become a treatment of choice for patients with challenging anatomical lesions.

Background Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are 4-6 times more frequent among men than among women, but prognosis tends to be worse in women. Objective To compare endovascular procedures to repair infrarenal AAA in men and women, using data from a prospective registry. Methods This registry collected data from five university hospitals in the state of São Paulo (Brazil) from 2012 to 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted compiling demographic data, anatomic variables (aneurysm diameter, short neck, angulated neck, calcified neck, or thrombosed neck; distal neck < 1.5 cm, and tortuous, abnormal iliac arteries), complications (leaks, conversions, and patency or stenosis of branches) and renal failure and mortality at 30 days. The chi-square test and Student’s t test were applied with a 5% significance level. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee (process 4040-2011). Results A total of 152 (15.9%) of the patients were women and 799 (84.0%) were men (p < 0.05). The majority were white (80.2% of the women and 87.4% of the men). Diabetes and hypertension were significantly more frequent among the women. The most prevalent shape was fusiform, particularly among the women (95.39% vs. 89.86% among men). Mean diameter was smaller among the women (5.96 cm vs. 6.49 cm; p = 0.0056). The iliac arteries were less often involved among the women (89.40% vs. 73.58%; p = 0.00001). Blood loss was greater in the men (321.40 ml vs. 168.84 ml among the women; p < 0.05). Operative mortality was similar in both sexes, but obstructions were more frequent among the women (15.2% vs. 13.51%; p = 0.017296). Conclusions Aneurysmal diameter was smaller and obstructive complications were more frequent among women.

Resumo Contexto O aneurisma da aorta abdominal (AAA) afeta 4-6 vezes mais frequentemente os homens do que as mulheres, porém nas mulheres o prognóstico costuma ser pior. Objetivo Comparar os procedimentos endovasculares para correção de AAA infrarrenal em homens e mulheres, usando dados de um registro prospectivo. Métodos Esse registro foi feito em cinco hospitais universitários do estado de São Paulo entre 2012 e 2022. Foi realizado um estudo transversal, compilando dados demográficos, anatômicos (diâmetro do aneurisma, colo curto, angulado, calcificado ou com trombo; colo distal < 1,5 cm e artérias ilíacas tortuosas, alteradas), complicações (vazamentos, conversões, perviedade ou estenoses de ramos) e insuficiência renal e mortalidade em 30 dias. Foram utilizados o teste de qui-quadrado e teste t de Student, com significância de 5%. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética (processo 4040-2011). Resultados Um total de 152 (15,9%) dos pacientes eram mulheres e 799 (84,0%) eram homens (p < 0,05). A maior parte eram brancos (80,2% das mulheres e 87,4% dos homens). Diabetes e hipertensão foram significativamente mais frequentes nas mulheres. O formato foi fusiforme, principalmente nas mulheres (95,39% versus 89,86% nos homens). O diâmetro médio foi menor nas mulheres (5,96 cm versus 6,49 cm; p = 0,0056). As artérias ilíacas foram menos envolvidas nas mulheres (89,40% versus 73,58%; p = 0,00001). A perda sanguínea foi maior nos homens (321,40 ml versus 168,84 ml nas mulheres; p < 0,05). A mortalidade operatória foi similar entre os sexos, mas as obstruções foram mais frequentes nas mulheres (15,2% versus 13,51%; p = 0,017296). Conclusões Nas mulheres, o diâmetro aneurismático foi menor e as complicações obstrutivas foram mais frequentes.

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) are alternative strategies for stroke prevention in patients with atherosclerotic carotid disease. CEA has been considered the first-line treatment for carotid stenosis worldwide, and the safety and efficacy of CAS compared to CEA remains in question. The purpose of this study is to compare the practice and outcomes of CAS and CEA in a real-world setting within public university hospitals in Brazil. This study will be a prospective 5-year analysis of treatment for atherosclerotic carotid stenosis with CEA and CAS performed at 5 centers affiliated with the Vascular Study Group at public university hospitals in Brazil. The indications for the procedures will be determined by each surgeon's individual discretion, in accordance with preoperative risk evaluation. The primary outcome measures will be (1) any in-hospital stroke or death, and (2) any per-procedural stroke, death, or myocardial infarction (MI). Patients undergoing CEA in conjunction with cardiac surgery will be excluded from the study. Multivariate logistic regression will be performed to identify predictors of stroke or death in patients undergoing CEA and CAS. All tests of significance will be performed at the .05 level. This study was approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research at the University Hospital of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, and in all other participating institutions linked to National Research System and National Board of Health in Brazil (Process 15695/2011). This study is currently in the recruitment phase, and the final patient is expected to be enrolled by the end of 2018. We hope to recruit approximately 800 patients to the study. Analyses will focus on primary end points for patients that are allocated to each treatment group. During the per-procedural period, the occurrence of the primary end point components (stroke, MI, or death) for CAS and CEA will be analyzed for symptomatic or asymptomatic subjects. The analyses of the primary endpoints (and all others variables of the study) are expected to be published in 2019 in a peer reviewed journal, and results will be presented at scientific meetings, with summary results published online. This study will obtain new data related to the quality of treatment for carotid disease in Brazil at the primary training centers of future vascular surgeons, but the initial data that will be obtained and published (with the outcomes and complications) are restricted to the first 30 days postprocedure. This time restriction limits the comparison of the results that relate to the main goal of treatment, which is to decrease the risk of stroke over 5 years. The purpose of the study group is to continue the monitoring of patient records, and evaluate the follow-up data in the 5 years following the initial evaluation. This study protocol will contribute very significantly to improving the care of patients with carotid disease, in addition to qualifying the level of assistance provided in public university hospitals in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02538276; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02538276 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6m7APnFLD).