The authors measured flow velocity of intracranial arteries to venrify the patency of the parent arteries and branches after clip placement during aneurysm surgery. Before the clinical study, experimental sonographic recording was done with a feline aorta. The patency was evaluated by recording the flow velocity and pulse waveform using intraoperative microvascular Doppler sonography. The results of the clinical study were summarized as follows: (1) The patency of the parent artery can be proved. (2) The complete clipping of aneurysmal sac can be confirmed. (3) Vasospasm or narrowing of the arterial caliber can be detected. (4) Severe arteriosclerosis may mimic decreased flow velocity. It is suggested that the use of intraoperative microvascular Doppler sonography is an atraumatic and reliable method of testing the optimal clipping of the aneurysm and patency of the parent artery.
Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Arteriosclerosis ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Parents ; Ultrasonography

We performed real-time 3D echocardiography in sixteen sheep to compare acute geometric changes in the mitral annulus after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD, n=8) ligation and those after left circumflex coronary artery (LCX, n=8) ligation. The mitral regurgitation (MR) was quantified by regurgitant volume (RV) using the proximal isovelocity surface area method. The mitral annulus was reconstructed through the hinge points of the annulus traced on 9 rotational apical planes (angle increment=20 degrees). Mitral annular area (MAA) and the ratio of antero-posterior (AP) to commissure-commissure (CC) dimension of the annulus were calculated. Non-planar angle (NPA) representing non-planarity of the annulus was measured. After LCX occlusion, there were significant increases of the MAA during both early and late systole (p<0.01) with significant MR (RV: 30+/-14 mL), while there was neither a significant increase of MAA, nor a significant MR (RV: 4+/-5 mL) after LAD occlusion. AP/CC ratio (p<0.01) and NPA (p<0.01) also significantly increased after LCX occlusion during both early and late systole. The mitral annulus was significantly enlarged in the antero-posterior direction with significant decrease of non-planarity compared to LAD occlusion immediately after LCX occlusion.
Sheep ; Mitral Valve/*pathology/*ultrasonography ; Ligation ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Coronary Vessels/*pathology/*ultrasonography ; Coronary Arteriosclerosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: Previous pathologic and roentgenographic studies have suggested a relation between aortic plaque and coronary artery disease but have lacked clinical utility. The study was undertaken to elucidate whether atherosclerotic aortic plaque detected by transesophageal echocardiography can be a clinically useful marker for significant obstructive coronary artery disease. METHODS: Clinical and angiographic features and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic findings were prospectively analyzed in 131 consecutive patients (58 women and 73 men, aged 17 to 75 years [mean 54 +/- 12]) undergoing open heart surgery. Significant obstructive coronary artery disease was defined as > or = 50% stenosis of > or = 1 major branch. RESULTS: Seventy-six (58%) of 131 patients were found to have obstructive coronary artery disease. In 76 patients with significant coronary artery disease, 71 had thoracic aortic plaque. In contrast, aortic plaque existed in only 10 of the remaining 55 patients with normal or minimally abnormal coronary arteries. The presence of aortic plaque on transesophageal echocardiographic studies had a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 82% and positive and negative predictive values of 88% and 90%, respectively, for significant coronary artery disease. There was a significant relationship between the degree of aortic intimal changes and the severity of coronary artery disease (r = 0.74, P < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of patient age, sex, risk factors of cardiovascular disease and transesophageal, echocardiographic findings revealed that atherosclerotic aortic plaque was the most significant independent predictor of coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that transesophageal echocardiographic detection of atherosclerotic plaque in the thoracic aorta is useful in the noninvasive prediction of the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Aorta, Thoracic/ultrasonography* ; Arteriosclerosis/ultrasonography ; Coronary Disease/ultrasonography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis of intracranial vessels may progress or regress, however, the natural course of middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis has not been known well. Using Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, we attempt to reveal the frequency and the associated factors about progression or regression of MCA stenosis. METHODS: Among patients with MCA stenosis on MRA (>50% narrowing), objects with repeated TCD examinations (interval >6 months) were included. Mean flow velocity (MFV) changes over than 30 cm/sec were used as criteria for progression, stationary or regression of MCA stenosis. Demographic data, risk factors, and medications were assessed to identify predictors of progression or regression. RESULTS: Eighty-one MCA segments were analyzed (36 males, mean age 64 years). Mean follow-up period was 614 days (210~1457 days). Progression and regression were detected in 18.5% and 14.8%. With multivariate regression analysis, no clinical profiles, risk factors, medications were associated with progression or regression of MCA stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: With long term follow up, progression and regression of MCA stenosis is not uncommon, which means the intracranial atherosclerosis is a dynamic process. TCD seems to be useful in detecting progression or regression of MCA stenosis with optimal criteria. Predicting factors for progression and regression remain to be determined by further prospective, well-designed studies.
Atherosclerosis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial*

Securing the source of hepatic artery inflow is essential for living donor liver transplantation. However, sometimes, the hepatic arteries of the recipients are in poor condition for a good anastomosis in living donor liver transplantation; problems include severe arteriosclerosis, intimal dissection, and significant intimal injuries caused by previous transarterial procedures. In these conditions, the right gastroepiploic artery has generally been the preferred artery because of its anatomical location, size and length. Here, a case of successful hepatic artery reconstruction is reported using the right gastroepiploic artery in living donor liver transplantation. The recipient's hepatic arterial intima was severely injured by multiple transarterial chemoembolization and unsuitable for reconstruction. Instead, the right gastroepiploic artery was anastomosed to the hepatic artery of the graft. Arterial blood flow was satisfactory on Doppler ultrasonography during the operation, and complications related to the hepatic artery were not detected during the follow-up period. Therefore, the right gastroepiploic artery may be considered as a suitable alternative for hepatic artery reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation.
Arteries ; Arteriosclerosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroepiploic Artery ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Transplants ; Tunica Intima ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

OBJECTIVETo determine the distribution of aortic arch and intra/extracranial cerebral arterial atherosclerosis in Chinese patients who had suffered acute ischemic strokes.

METHODSEighty-nine patients with acute ischemic strokes were included in this study. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was used to evaluate potential sources of embolisms in the aortic arch and in the heart; duplex ultrasound was used for the carotid artery; and intracranial Doppler (TCD) imaging was used for the middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and basilar artery (BA). An atherosclerotic lesion in the aortic arch was defined as normal (0); mild plaque (1); moderate plaque (2); and protruding plaque or mobile plaque (3). A lesion in the carotid artery was considered a plaque if the maximal carotid plaque thickness was 1.2 mm. TCD results were deemed abnormal if flow velocity was either greater or lower than normal, and, in the case of the MCA, if an asymmetry index above 21% was measured.

RESULTSOf the 89 patients, 52 (58.43%) patients showed evidence of aortic arch atherosclerosis (AAA), including 11 (12.36%) patients graded mild, 18 (20.22%) patients graded moderate, and 23 (25.84%) patients graded severe. Of the 23 patients with severe AAA, AAA was determined to be an important potential embolic source in 14 patients. Forty-nine (50.56%) patients had carotid arterial plaques (CAPs). The incidence of carotid plaques was higher among patients with AAA than among patients without AAA (71.15% vs 21.62%, OR = 3.291, 95% CI = 1.740 - 6.225, P < 0.001). TCD abnormalities affecting the MCA were found in 54 (60.67%) patients. Differences in incidence of TCD abnormalities between patients with AAA and without AAA (69.23% vs 48.65%) were not significant (OR = 1.423, 95% CI = 0.976 - 2.076, P = 0.05). There was a higher incidence of AAA in older, male patients with a history of diabetes and smoking.

CONCLUSIONSAAA is an important potential source of cerebral embolic strokes. The presence of carotid arterial plaques correlates with AAA incidence. Most of carotid artery lesion were plaques other than severe stenosis, it may be the character of carotid atherosclerosis of stroke patients. It appears that atherosclerosis does not mainly occur in the intracranial arteries in stroke patients as thought before. Aged, male, diabetes, and smoking are important risk factors to the AAA.

Acute Disease ; Aged ; Aorta, Thoracic ; diagnostic imaging ; Aortic Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Arteriosclerosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Brain Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Intracranial Embolism ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical screening and value of vertebral artery ultrasound, Transcranial doppler (TCD), Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and Computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of cerebral arteriosclerosis combined with vertebral artery abnormalies according to vertebral artery digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

METHODSFrom January 2006 to September 2010, 186 patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, 133 cases were males and 53 cases were females,ranged from 30 to 84 years (with a mean of 63.8 years). All the patients were estimated by DSA; 172 cases were estimated vertebral artery ultrasound and TCD; 53 cases were estimated by MRA; 25 cases were estimated by CTA. The positive results by DSA were seen as case group, while the negative results were seen as control group. The sensitivity, specificity and concordance rate among four groups were calculated.

RESULTSThe abnormality rate of vertebral artery with DSA, vertebral artery ultrasound, TCD, MRA and CTA separately was 50.00% (93/186), 30.81% (53/172), 49.42% (85/172),15.10% (8/53) and 40.00% (10/25). According to DSA standard, the sensitivity of vertebral artery ultrasound in diagnosing was 50.57%, the specificity was 89.41%, and concordance rate was 69.77%; while the sensitivity of TCD was 68.48%, the specificity was 72.50%, and concordance rate was 70.35%; the sensitivity of MRA was 21.43%, specificity was 92.00%, and concordance rate was 54.72%; the sensitivity of CTA was 63.64%,the specificity was 78.57%, and concordance rate was 72.00%.

CONCLUSIONThe reasonable and combined application of vertebral artery ultrasound, TCD, MRA and CTA is helpful for diagnosing cerebral arteriosclerosis combined with vertebral artery abnormalies. For the patients with cerebrovascular disease, cervical massage technique should be paid highly attention, which may cause vertebral artery injury and other complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arteriosclerosis ; diagnosis ; Cerebral Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography ; Vertebral Artery ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of breast arterial calcification in Korean women, and to determine its association with systemic diseases and carotid arterial atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand seven hundred and thirteen female subjects who underwent mammography at a health care center between May 1999 and May 2000 were included in this study. Of the total, 172 were found to have breast arterial calcification, and were classified according to age. The coincidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia was examined in both the subject group and the control group selected on the same age basis. To investigate the presence and degree of carotid atherosclerosis, sonographic maging was performed and the findings were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The incidence of breast arterial calcification showed statistically significant differences according to age, with a higher incidence in older patients (p<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the incidence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus between groups. Carotid atherosclerosis was subjects more prevalent among subjects than in the control group (p<0.05), though there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of luminal stenosis. CONCLUSION: The most common pathologic cause of breast arterial calcification is arteriosclerosis. Breast arterial calcification is demonstrated at mammography, along with other clinical risk factors for atherosclerosis or coincidental neurologic symptoms. We stress that further evaluation of the carotid artery is necessary.
Arteriosclerosis ; Atherosclerosis* ; Breast* ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mammography ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Phenobarbital ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between microalbuminuria and endothelial-dependent relaxing function and atherosclerosis of common carotid artery (CCA) in aged patients with essential hypertension (EH). METHODS: Sixty-four aged EH patients were recruited. According to the albumin excretion rate (AER) in the urine measured by immunoturbidimetry, patients were divided into 2 groups: normoalbuminuria group (NAU group) and microalbuminuria group (MAU group). Thirty aged persons without EH were served as the control group. The endothelium-dependent relaxing function of blood vessels, intima-media thickness (IMT) and the plaque of CCA were measured by color Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: The flow-mediated dilation in the MAU group [(4.98+/-1.35)%] and that in the NAU group [(6.31+/-1.14)%] were significantly lower than that in the control group [(9.09+/-1.83)%, P<0.05, respectively], especially lower in the MAU group. The IMT of CCA in the MAU group [(0.97+/-0.19)mm] and that in the NAU group [(0.86+/-0.10)mm] were significantly thicker than that in the control group [(0.78+/-0.13)mm] (P<0.05, respectively), especially thicker in the MAU group. The analysis of multiple stepwise regression showed that the microalbuminuria was successively related to EDF, the IMT of CCA, the plaque index of CCA, systolic blood pressure, etc. CONCLUSION EDF is impaired, and there is the atherosclerosis of CCA in aged patients with EH. Microalbuminuria correlates with the decrease of endothelium-dependent relaxing function and the IMT of CCA in aged patients with EH.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Albuminuria ; etiology ; Arteriosclerosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Carotid Artery, Common ; diagnostic imaging ; Endothelial Cells ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; urine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: This study compared the clinical results of an ultrasound (US)-guided regional nerve block with those of general anesthesia in below-knee amputation (BKA) surgery. In addition, the 1-year mortality rate of BKA patients was evaluated in relation to the preoperative comorbidity and postoperative hemoglobin level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 47 patients who underwent BKA between January 2011 and August 2016, 18 patients in the US-guided regional nerve block group (group 1) and 29 patients in the general anesthesia group (group 2) were analyzed retrospectively and compared. For the clinical assessment, the 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality, postoperative hemoglobin level, and postoperative complications of both groups were investigated. The visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at postoperative 1, 6, and 12 hours for both groups were evaluated. The 1-year mortality of BKA patients was also evaluated in relation to the preoperative comorbidity and postoperative hemoglobin level (hemoglobin < 7 g/dl). RESULTS: Significant differences in the 30-day mortality were observed between the two groups (p=0.023). Group 1 showed a higher 30-day mortality but the 1-year mortality was similar in both groups (p=0.051). The postoperative hemoglobin level was similar in the two groups (p=0.085). The VAS pain scores for the postoperative 1-hour and 6-hour differed significantly between the two groups (p < 0.001). The VAS pain scores for postoperative 12-hour showed no significant difference (p=0.10). The 1-year mortality rate of both groups was not affected by hypertension, diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis obliterans, and postoperative hemoglobin less than 7 g/dl, but was affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) (Pearson's chi-square=14.39, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although US-guided regional nerve block showed comparable 1-year mortality and postoperative hemoglobin levels compared to general anesthesia in BKA, it showed better results in postoperative 1, 6 hour pain control than general anesthesia. The 1-year mortality of BKA was affected by CKD. Therefore, careful consideration is needed for patients with CKD before undergoing BKA regardless of the anesthetic methods.
Amputation* ; Anesthesia, General ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mortality ; Nerve Block* ; Postoperative Complications ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography