A 53-yr-old man underwent radiofrequency ablation to treat persistent atrial flutter. After the procedure, the chest pain was getting worse, and the electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in inferior leads with reciprocal changes. Immediate coronary angiography showed total occlusion with thrombi at the distal portion of the right coronary artery, which was very close to the ablation site. Intervention with thrombus aspiration and balloon dilatation was successful, and the patient recovered without any kind of sequelae. Although the exact mechanism is obscure, the most likely explanation is a thermal injury to the vascular wall that ruptured into the lumen and formed thrombus. Vasospasm and thromboembolism can also be other possibilities. This case raise the alarm to cardiologists who perform radiofrequency ablation to treat various kinds of cardiac arrhythmias, in that myocardial infarction has been rarely considered one of the complications.
Acute Disease ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Atrial Flutter/*surgery ; Catheter Ablation/*adverse effects ; Chest Pain/etiology ; Coronary Occlusion/etiology ; Coronary Vessels/radiography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*diagnosis/etiology/therapy ; Thrombosis/surgery

Gross hematuria secondary to vesical varices is an unusual presentation. We report such a case recurrent gross hematuria in a male patient who had a history of bladder substitution with ileal segments that had been treated by balloon-occluded percutaneous transhepatic obliteration of vesical varices.
Balloon Occlusion/*adverse effects ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Embolization, Therapeutic/*methods ; Hematuria/*etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phlebography ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Varicose Veins/*complications/*therapy

OBJECTIVE: The current study retrospectively evaluated whether the percutaneous N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) seal-off technique is an effective treatment for controlling the angioplasty-related ruptures, which are irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade, during interventions for failed or failing hemodialysis vascular accesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 1588 interventions performed during a 2-year period for dysfunction and/or failed hemodialysis vascular access sites in 1569 patients. For the angioplasty-related ruptures, which could not be controlled with repeated prolonged balloon tamponade, the rupture sites were sealed off with an injection of a glue mixture (NBCA and lipiodol), via a needle/needle sheath to the rupture site, under a sonographic guidance. Technical success rate, complications and clinical success rate were reported. The post-seal-off primary and secondary functional patency rates were calculated by a survival analysis with the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Twenty ruptures irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade occurred in 1588 interventions (1.3%). Two technical failures were noted; one was salvaged with a bailout stent-graft insertion and the other was lost after access embolization. Eighteen accesses (90.0%) were salvaged with the seal-off technique; of them, 16 ruptures were completely sealed off, and two lesions were controlled as acute pseudoaneurysms. Acute pseudoaneurysms were corrected with stentgraft insertion in one patient, and access ligation in the other. The most significant complication during the follow-up was delayed pseudoaneurysm, which occurred in 43.8% (7 of 16) of the completely sealed off accesses. Delayed pseudoaneurysms were treated with surgical revision (n = 2), access ligation (n = 2) and observation (n = 3). During the follow-up, despite the presence of pseudoaneurysms (acute = 1, delayed = 7), a high clinical success rate of 94.4% (17 of 18) was achieved, and they were utilized for hemodialysis at the mean of 411.0 days. The post-seal-off primary patency vs. secondary patency at 90, 180 and 360 days were 66.7 +/- 11.1% vs. 94.4 +/- 5.4%; 33.3 +/- 11.1% vs. 83.3 +/- 8.8%; and 13.3 +/- 8.5% vs. 63.3 +/- 12.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the NBCA seal-off technique is effective for immediate control of a venous rupture irresponsive to prolonged balloon tamponade, during interventions for hemodialysis accesses. Both high technical and clinical success rates can be achieved. However, the treatment is not durable, and about 40% of the completely sealed off accesses are associated with developed delayed pseudoaneurysms in a 2-month of follow-up. Further repair of the vascular tear site, with surgery or stent-graft insertion, is often necessary.
Aged ; Aneurysm, False/etiology/therapy ; Angioplasty, Balloon/*adverse effects ; Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical/*adverse effects ; Enbucrilate/*administration & dosage ; Ethiodized Oil/administration & dosage ; Female ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular/etiology/*therapy ; Humans ; Male ; *Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vascular Patency

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and usefulness of a two-tiered approach to balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) as a treatment for large gastric varices after portal hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 patients were studied who underwent B-RTO for gastric varices between October 2004 and October 2011 in our institution. The B-RTO procedure was performed from the right femoral vein and the B-RTO catheter was retained until the following morning. Distribution of sclerotic agents in the gastric varices on fluoroscopy was evaluated in all patients on days 1 and 2. When distribution of sclerotic agents in the gastric varices on day 1 had been none or very scanty even though the volume of the sclerotic agent infused was above the acceptable level, a second infusion was administered on day 2. When distribution was satisfactory, the B-RTO catheter was removed. RESULTS: In 8 (16%) patients, little or no sclerotic agent infused on day 1 was distributed in the gastric varices. However, on day 2, sclerotic agents were distributed in all gastric varices. Mean volume of ethanolamine oleate-iopamidol infused on day 1 was 24.6 mL and was 19.4 mL on day 2. Gastric varices were well obliterated with no recurrence. Complications caused by the sclerotic agent such as pulmonary edema or renal insufficiencies were not seen. CONCLUSION: When gastric varices are very large, a strategy involving thrombosis of only the drainage vein on the first day followed by infusing the sclerotic agent on the following day might be effective and feasible.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Balloon Occlusion/*methods ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Collateral Circulation ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/etiology/radiography/*therapy ; Female ; Femoral Vein ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology/*therapy ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal/*complications ; Iopamidol/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oleic Acids/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosing Solutions/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) for the treatment of hemorrhage from gastric varices (GV) in Korean patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 183 LC patients who underwent BRTO for GV bleeding in 6 university-based hospitals between January 2001 and December 2010. RESULTS: Of the 183 enrolled patients, 49 patients had Child-Pugh (CP) class A LC, 105 had CP class B, and 30 had CP class C at the time of BRTO. BRTO was successfully performed in 177 patients (96.7%). Procedure-related complications (e.g., pulmonary thromboembolism and renal infarction) occurred in eight patients (4.4%). Among 151 patients who underwent follow-up examinations of GV, 79 patients (52.3%) achieved eradication of GV, and 110 patients (72.8%) exhibited marked shrinkage of the treated GV to grade 0 or I. Meanwhile, new-appearance or aggravation of esophageal varices (EV) occurred in 54 out of 136 patients who underwent follow-up endoscopy (41.2%). During the 36.0+/-29.2 months (mean+/-SD) of follow-up, 39 patients rebled (hemorrhage from GV in 7, EV in 18, nonvariceal origin in 4, and unknown in 10 patients). The estimated 3-year rebleeding-free rate was 74.8%, and multivariate analysis showed that CP class C was associated with rebleeding (odds ratio, 2.404; 95% confidence-interval, 1.013-5.704; P=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: BRTO can be performed safely and effectively for the treatment of GV bleeding. However, aggravation of EV or bleeding from EV is not uncommon after BRTO; thus, periodic endoscopy to follow-up of EV with or without prophylactic treatment might be necessary in LC patients undergoing BRTO.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; *Balloon Occlusion/adverse effects ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/*complications ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology/prevention & control/*therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Pulmonary Embolism/etiology ; Recurrence ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the frequency and risk factors for developing thrombus in a systemic vein such as the infrarenal inferior vena cava or the iliac vein, in which a balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) catheter was indwelled. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine patients who underwent B-RTO for gastric varices were included in this study. The B-RTO procedure was performed from the right femoral vein, and the B-RTO catheter was retained overnight in all patients. Pre- and post-procedural CT scans were retrospectively compared in order to evaluate the development of thrombus in the systemic vein in which the catheter was indwelled. Additionally, several variables were analyzed to assess risk factors for thrombus in a systemic vein. RESULTS: In all 49 patients (100%), B-RTO was technically successful, and in 46 patients (94%), complete thrombosis of the gastric varices was achieved. In 6 patients (12%), thrombus developed in the infrarenal inferior vena cava or the right common-external iliac vein. All thrombi lay longitudinally on the right side of the inferior vena cava or the right iliac vein. One of the aforementioned 6 patients required anticoagulation therapy. No symptoms suggestive of pulmonary embolism were observed. Prothrombin time-international normalized ratio and the addition of 5% ethanolamine oleate iopamidol, on the second day, were related to the development of thrombus. CONCLUSION: Development of a thrombus in a systemic vein such as the inferior vena cava or iliac vein, caused by indwelling of the B-RTO catheter, is relatively frequent. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of pulmonary embolism due to iliocaval thrombosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Balloon Occlusion/*methods ; Catheters, Indwelling/*adverse effects ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/etiology/*therapy ; Female ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Iopamidol/administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oleic Acids/administration & dosage ; Prothrombin Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Venous Thrombosis/drug therapy/*etiology/*radiography

Balloon Occlusion ; adverse effects ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Contraindications ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control

When a large visceral artery is ruptured, uncontrolled bleeding may lead to hemodynamic collapse. Use of endovascular occlusion balloon catheter may provide rapid control of hemorrhage and facilitate definitive therapy. We reported two patients with massive hemorrhage from ruptured celiac-hepatic artery after pancreaticoduodenectomy, who were initially treated percutaneously by temporary selective balloon occlusion. They became critically hemodynamic unstable during the angiographic procedure. Through an 8Fr sheath, a 6Fr compliant latex occlusion balloon was placed proximal to the celiac trunk and inflated, and upon patient stabilization surgical revision and stent-graft placement were successfully performed in the two patients, respectively. Temporary selective balloon occlusion provides fast and effective bleeding control for patient with critically uncontrollable visceral arterial hemorrhage, permitting subsequent use of conventional techniques for management of the arterial bleeding source.
Adult ; Balloon Occlusion ; methods ; Celiac Artery ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; therapy ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; adverse effects

BACKGROUNDData on the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting stent (DES) for treatment of multiple coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions are scanty. The aim of the present study was to compare the long-term outcomes of DES versus bare metal stent (BMS) implantation for multiple coronary CTO lesions.

METHODSWe analyzed 188 patients who underwent coronary stenting for at least two de novo CTO lesions in our center from November 2000 to November 2006. Among them, 118 patients (62.8%) received DES and 70 patients (37.2%) received BMS implantation after the recanalization for CTO lesions. All patients were followed up for up to 5 years for the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Long-term survival rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics and procedural success rate between DES group and BMS group. Compared with the BMS group, the DES group showed a significantly higher rate of long CTO (> or = 15 mm) (62.0% vs. 50.6%, P = 0.023). The number of stents per lesion (1.39 +/- 0.71 vs. 1.17 +/- 0.66, P = 0.007) and the mean length of stents in the DES group were also higher than those in the BMS group ((40.8 +/- 11.4) mm vs. (23.4 +/- 8.7) mm, P < 0.001). But the mean diameter of stents in the DES group was smaller than that in the BMS group ((3.1 +/- 0.2) mm vs. (3.3 +/- 0.5) mm, P < 0.001). Average follow-up time was 4.8 +/- 0.7 (1.5 - 5.0) years in the BMS group and 4.3 +/- 0.5 (1.3 - 5.0) years in the DES group. Both the 5-year cumulative survival rates and the target vessel revascularization (TVR)-free survival rates of the DES group were significantly higher than those in the BMS group (83.1% vs. 72.9%, Log-rank P = 0.044; 77.1% vs. 62.9%, Log-rank P = 0.009). The cumulative MACE-free survival rates in the DES group were significantly higher than those in the BMS group (71.2% vs. 51.4%, Log-rank P = 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that DES implantation for multiple CTO lesions could significantly reduce the long-term MACE risk after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (HR: 0.436; 95%CI 0.327 - 0.665, P < 0.001). Age over 65 years (HR: 2.018; 95%CI 1.491 - 3.127, P < 0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% (HR: 1.494; 95%CI 1.125 - 2.376, P < 0.001) were identified as the independent predictors of long-term MACE.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrates the long-term (up to 5 years) efficacy and safety of DES for treatment of multiple coronary CTO lesions, and its superiority compared to BMS in reducing the rates of TVR and MACE.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; Coronary Occlusion ; mortality ; therapy ; Coronary Thrombosis ; chemically induced ; mortality ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDThere are limited data on the efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) for treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTO). The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of DES implantation for CTO compared with bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation.

METHODSBetween June 1995 and December 2006, a total of 1184 patients with successful recanalization of at least one de novo CTO lesion were consecutively registered, including 660 (55.7%) who underwent DES and 524 (44.3%) who underwent BMS implantation. All patients were followed up for up to 5 years for occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Long-term survival rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSBaseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were comparable between the two groups except that patients in the DES group received longer dual antiplatelet therapy ((7.4 +/- 2.5) months vs (1.7 +/- 0.8) months, P < 0.001). Average follow-up periods were (4.7 +/- 0.89) and (3.2 +/- 1.3) years for the BMS and DES groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in 5-year survival rates between the two groups (90.3% for DES group vs 89.6% for BMS group, Log-rank P = 0.38), but the 5-year target vessel revascularization (TVR)-free survival rate in the DES group was significantly higher than that in the BMS group (81.6% vs 73.5%, Log-rank P < 0.001). The cumulative MACE-free survival in the DES group was also significantly higher than that in the BMS group (80.6% vs 71.5%, Log-rank P < 0.001). The rates of re-admission caused by cardiovascular disease (27.0% vs 37.8%, P < 0.001) and the need for bypass surgery were significantly lower in the DES group (1.5% vs 3.4%, P < 0.05). By multivariable analysis, DES implantation could significantly lower the long-term MACE risk of PCI for CTO patients (HR: 0.492; 95% CI 0.396 - 0.656, P < 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% and elderly (> or = 65 years) were identified as independent predictors of long-term MACE during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrates the long-term (up to 5 years) efficacy of DES for treatment of CTO, which is superior to BMS implantation in reducing the rates of TVR and MACE, as well as the need of re-admission and bypass surgery.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; methods ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Occlusion ; therapy ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome