Objective To evaluate the preliminaily clinical efficacy and retrievability of a retrievable hinged covered metallic stent in the treatment of the bronchial stump fistula (BSF). Methods Between April 2003 and March 2005, 8 patients with bronchial stump fistula after pneumonectomy or lobectomy were treated with two types (A and B) of retrievable hinged covered metallic stents. Type A stent was placed in 6 patients and type B in 2 under fluoroscopic guidance. The stent was removed with a retrieval set when BSF was healed or complications occurred. Results Stent placement in the bronchial tree was technically successful in all patients, without procedure-related complications. Immediate closure of the BSF was achieved in all patients after the procedure. Stents were removed from all patients but one. Removal of the stents was difficult in two patients due to tissue hyperplasia. Patients were followed up for 6 - 21 months. Placement of the stents remained stable in all patients except one due to severe cough. Permanent closure of BSF was achieved in 7(87.5%) of 8 patients. Conclusion Use of a retrievable hinged covered expandable metallic stent is a simple,safe, and effective procedure for closure of the BSF. Retrieval of the stent seems to be feasible. (J Intervent Radiol, 2007, 16: 253-257)[ Key words ] Fistula, pulmonary; Bronchialpleural fistula; Stents and prostheses; Computed tomography

Objective To investigate endovascular treatment of traumatic direct carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCF) and their complications such as pseudoaneurysms. Methods: Over a five-year period, 22 patients with traumatic direct CCFs were treated endovascularly in our institution. Thirteen patients were treated once with the result of CCF occluded, 8 twice and 1 three times. Treatment modalities included balloon occlusion of the CCF, sacrifice of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery with detachable balloon, coil embolization of the cavernous sinus and secondary pseudoaneurysms, and covered-stent management of the pseudoaneurysms. Results All the direct CCFs were successfully managed endovascularly. Four patients developed a pseudoaneurysm after the occlusion of the CCF with an incidence of pseudoaneurysm formation of 18.2% (4/22). A total number of 8 patients experienced permanent occlusion of the ICA with a rate of ICA occlusion reaching 36.4% (8/22). Followed up through telephone consultation from 6 months to 5 years, all did well with no recurrence of CCF symptoms and signs. Conclusion Traumatic direct CCFs can be successfully managed with endovascular means. The pseudoaneurysms secondary to the occlusion of the CCFs can be occluded with stent-assisted coiling and implantation of covered stents.

Purpose of review The enthusiasm generated by the results of the Edmonton protocol of islet transplantation is inciting a great number of institutions to start such programs. However, the procedure of islet isolation and purification is costly, complex and technically challenging. In order to share costs and to avoid facing the steep learning curve of the procedure, many centers interested in islet transplantation have looked into collaborating with experienced groups serving as core islet isolation facilities. Recent findings The proof of principle that remote islet processing and shipment could be successfully implemented with obtainng the Portland/Minneapolis, Huddinge/Giessen and Houston/Miami partnerships. Moreover, in order to increase both the donor pool and the number of patients gaining access to islet transplantation, multicenter networks,such as the Swiss-French GRAGIL consortium and the 4-country Nordic Network in Scandinavia have been built. The GRAGIL group has been fully operational since 1999, allowing the transplantation of 27 islet preparations processed in Geneva, Switzerland into 20 recipients in France over the course of 4.5 years.Organizational issues in the design of such networks are discussed based on the example of the GRAGIL experience. Summary The feasibility and the efficiency of islet transplantation in multicenter networks have been demonstrated. This strategy allows to increase the donor pool and the accessibility to islet transplantation in an extended population area. (J Intervent Radiol, 2006, 15:626-631 )

Subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm that induced from central venous catheterization through the internal jugular vein is relatively uncommon. However, the management of subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm remains a challenge because of their non-compressibility of deep locality and relationship to important surrounding anatomy, such as the origin of vertebral artery. In this paper, the authors report a patient with larger iatrogenic subclavian arterial pseudoaneurysm near the origin of vertebral artery, that was treated successfully by endovascular covered stent and coils.

Objective To evaluate the toxic effects and efficacy of the intra-arterial chrono-chemotherapy on patients with liver metastasis arised from colorectal cancer. Methods Chemotherapy of 42 patients were randomly divided into group A (n = 20) with continuously constant arterial infusion, and group B (n = 22) with arterial chrono-modulated infusion. And the toxic effects and efficacy of two groups were compared. Results A significant difference was found in the toxic effects of digestive system between the two groups. The treatment response was similar in the two groups. Conclusions Intra-arterial chrono-chemotherapy may decrease the toxic effects and improve the life quality of these patients.

Objective To study the damage of liver function after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with low-dose versus conventional-dose anticancer drugs in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods One hundred and twelve patients with unresectable HCC were randomly divided into two groups (A and B) to receive superselective TACE. Low-dose anticancer drugs including mitomycin C (MMC) 2 ～ 8 mg, epirubicin (EPI) 5 ～ 10 mg and carboplatin (CBP) 100 mg were used in group A (n= 52), and conventional-dose of anticancer drugs (MMC 10 mg, EPI 40 mg and CBP 300 mg)for patients in group B(n= 60). Lipiodol-anticancer drugs emulsion was injected into the feeding arteries of tumor and then followed by embolization of gelatin sponge (GS) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles.Laboratory examination of the liver function including Child-Pugh scores, total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin (ALB) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were evaluated respectively before TACE and at third day, one week and four weeks after this procedure. Results In both groups, TBIL, ALT, and Child-Pugh scores increased (P ＜ 0.001 or P ＜ 0.05) and ALB decreased (P ＜ 0.001 or P ＜ 0.01) at three days and one week after TACE. Four weeks after-procedure, all the parameters described above showed no significant difference than those before the procedure in group A (P ＞ 0.05 ). On the contrary in group B, a significant difference (P ＜ 0.05) was found in the comparison of these parameters (except ALT). Conclusion Superselective TACE with low-dose anticancer drugs may induce transient impairment of liver function in the patients with HCC, but those patients used conventional-dose of anticancer drugs frequently cause lasting and more serious worsening of liver function.

Objective To evaluate the mid- and long-term radiological outcomes of cerebral aneurysms with GDCs embolization.Methods One hundred and sixty-two patients with 173 aneurysms embolized with GDCs underwent angiographic follow-up from 1 to 54 months post-operatively and were retrospectively reviewed. Three neuro-radiologists reviewed each angiogram and made a comparison between initial and follow-up angiograms. Morphological outcomes were evaluated as follows: unchanged; progressive thrombosis; and re-opening or re-growth. Results Of 173 aneurysms with GDC embolization, 142 aneutysms had total or nearly total occlusion, 23 subtotal occlusion and 8 partial occlusion shown on initial angiograms. The incidence of re-opening was 17.1% (13/76) in less than 3 months, and 6.2% (6/97) between 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Four aneurysms showed recurrency(2.3%) on second follow-up angiography in one year after procedure and one-year cumulative recurrent rate was 13.3% of 56 aneurysms with the third follow-up angiography in the post-operation period of 12 to 54 months, four showed a little enlargement and the cmnulative recurrent rate so far was 20.2% (35/173). Conclusions The direct and main causes for aneurysmal recurrence are incomplete and loosening packing. The first angiographic follow-up is recommended to be performed at 3 months or earlier after the procedure, especially in aneurysms with initial incomplete occlusion. Re-treatment with balloon- or stent-assisted coil embolization is recommended in re-opening aneurysms. (J Intervent Radiol,2005,14:472-479)

Objective To observed the long-term follow-up of the two types of interventional procedure for achalasia. Methods The study cohort was comprised of 140 patients of achalasia including 70 patients treated under fluoroscopy with pneumatic dilation (group A) and 70 with temporary partially covered metal stent dilation (group B). Results One hundred and forty dilations were performed on the 70 patients of group A with complications of chest pain (n=35), reflux (n=18), and bleeding (n=8); 38 atients of relapsing dysphagia during a 12-month follow-up, and 50 patients out of 60 of recurrent dysphagia during a 36-month follow-up. Seventy partially covered expandable metal stents were temporarily placed in the 70 patients of group B and withdrawn after 3-7 days via gastroscopy with complications of chest pain (n=28), reflux (n=15), and bleeding (n=9); 7 patients out of 70 exhibited dysphagia relapse during a 12-month follow-up, and 9 out of 58 patients exhibited dysphagia relapse during a 36-month follow-up. All the stents were inserted and withdrawn successfully. The follow-up in groups A-B lasted for 12-96 months. Conclusion Temporary partially covered metal stent dilation is one of the best methods of interventional procedure for achalasia in long-term follow-up. (J Intervent Radiol,2005,14:171-174)

Malignant biliary obstruction is caused by biliary tract malignant tumors or by extrinsic compression from pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, etc. Clinically, the disease is characterized by jaundice, skin itching, hepatic failure, etc., and the patients endure a poor quality of life with a short survival time. The key point for the treatment of malignant biliary obstruction lies in dredging biliary drainage channel , timely reducing jaundice and protecting liver function. This paper reviews the relevant medical literature , that have been published both at home and abroad in recent years, concerning percutaneous transhepatic endobiliary radiofrequency ablation by using HabibTM EndoHPB catheter to treat malignant biliary obstruction in order to clarify the fact that percutaneous transhepatic endobiliary radiofrequency ablation is a safe and feasible treatment and this technique can effectively reduce the incidence of re-stenosis of implanted biliary metallic stent.

Although digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has been used as the gold standard for the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms, its clinical use is somewhat limited by its invasiveness, high medical cost and potential risk of nephrotoxicity. For the past three decades, the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) techniques have been developed rapidly. As a non-invasive technique with high resolution ability, MRA can replace DSA for the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms in most clinical situations. The time-of-flight MRA (TOF-MRA) carries a diagnostic sensitivity of up to 98.2%-98.7%for tiny intracranial aneurysms (<5 mm), while the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of contrast enhanced MRA (CE- MRA) for intracranial aneurysms are as high as 95% - 100% and 73% - 100% respectively. The diagnostic specificity of phase-contrast MRA (PC-MRA) for intracranial aneurysms (> 5 mm) reaches as high as 100%. All the above mentioned MRA techniques can clearly display the intracranial aneurysms although their imaging characteristics and clinical applications are different from each other. This paper aims to make a brief review concerning the principles, clinical applications and recent progress of some MRA techniques.