PURPOSE: Hand-sewn anastomosis as the gold standard of vascular anastomosis cannot fully meet the requirements of vascular anastomosis in speed and quality. Various vascular couplers have been developed to ameliorate this situation. Most of them are mainly used for venous anastomosis rather than arterial anastomosis. Although it is generally acknowledged that in almost all operations involving vascular reconstruction, it is the arteries that need to be anastomosed faster and more accurately and not the veins. A dedicated device is needed for creating arterial anastomosis in an easy, timesaving, less damaging but reliable procedure. Therefore, we plan to develop a novel arterial coupler device and test pre-clinical safety and effectiveness. METHODS: In this cohort study, the rationality of this novel arterial coupler was preliminarily tested by finite element analysis before it was manufactured. Several factors restrict the use of vascular couplers in arterial anastomosis, such as arterial eversion, fixation, etc. The manufactured arterial couplers underwent in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, isolated arteries of beagles were anastomosed with the assistance of an arterial coupler, and the anastomosed arteries were evaluated through anti-traction tests. In animal experiments, the bilateral femoral arteries of 5 beagles served as a control group. After dissection, the femoral artery on one side was randomly selected to be anastomosed with a quick arterial coupler (QAC) (QAC group), and the femoral artery on the other side was anastomosed by the same person using an end-to-end suture technique with a 6-0 Prolene suture (suture group). The bilateral femoral arteries of 5 beagles were used for coupler-assisted anastomosis and hand-sewn anastomosis in vivo, respectively. Success rate, blood loss, anastomotic time, clamp time, total operation time, and patency rate were recorded. The patency of anastomosed arteries was assessed using vascular Doppler ultrasound, electromagnetic flowmeter, and pathological examination (6 weeks after surgery). RESULTS: As a novel arterial coupler, QAC was successfully designed and manufactured by using poly lactic-co-glycolic acid raw materials and 3-dimensions printing technology. Its rationality was preliminarily tested through finite element analysis and related mechanical analysis methods. The isolated arteries were successfully anastomosed with the assistance of QAC in vitro testing, which showed good anti-traction properties. In animal studies, QAC-assisted arterial anastomosis has superior profiles compared to hand-sewn anastomosis in anastomotic time (7.80 ± 1.41 vs. 16.38 ± 1.04 min), clamp time (8.80 ± 1.41 vs. 14.14 ± 1.57 min), and total operation time (46.64 ± 2.38 vs. 51.96 ± 3.65 min). The results of electromagnetic flowmeter, vascular Doppler ultrasound, and pathological examination showed that QAC-assisted anastomotic arteries were superior to hand-sewn arteries in terms of postoperative blood flow (16.86 ± 3.93 vs. 10.36 ± 0.92 mL/min) and vascular patency in 6 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION QAC is a well-designed and easily maneuverable device specialized for end-to-end arterial anastomosis. Application of this device may decrease thermal ischemia time and improve the patency of anastomotic arteries, thus, improving outcomes.
Animals ; Anastomosis, Surgical/instrumentation* ; Dogs ; Femoral Artery/surgery* ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/instrumentation* ; Finite Element Analysis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the technical aspects and outcomes of endovascular recanalization of a thrombosed native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) complicated with an aneurysm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients who had a thrombosed AVF complicated with an aneurysm (two radiocephalic and 14 brachiocephalic) were included in this study. Recanalization procedures were performed by mechanical thrombectomy using the Arrow-Trerotola percutaneous thrombectomy device and adjunctive treatments. We evaluated dose of thrombolytic agent, underlying stenosis, procedure time, technical and clinical success, and complications. The primary and secondary patency rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: The thrombolytic agents used were 100000 U urokinase mixed with 500 IU heparin (n = 10) or a double dose of the mixture (n = 6). The thrombi in aneurysms were removed in all but two patients with non-flow limiting residual thrombi. One recanalization failure occurred due to a device failure. Aspiration thrombectomy was performed in 87.5% of cases (n = 14). Underlying stenoses were found in the outflow draining vein (n = 16), arteriovenous anastomosis or juxtaanastomosis area (n = 5), and the central vein (n = 3). Balloon angioplasty was performed for all stenoses in 15 patients. Two patients with a symptomatic central vein stenosis underwent insertion of a stent after balloon angioplasty. Mean procedure time was 116.3 minutes. Minor extravasation (n = 1) was resolved by manual compression. Both technical and clinical success rates were 93.8% (n = 15). The primary patency rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 70.5%, 54.8%, and 31.3%, respectively. The secondary patency rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 70.5%, 70.5%, and 47.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Thrombosed AVF complicated with an aneurysm can be successfully recanalized, and secondary patency can be prolonged with endovascular treatment.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aneurysm/complications/*surgery ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arteriovenous Fistula/*surgery ; Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical/adverse effects ; Constriction, Pathologic/complications ; Endovascular Procedures ; Equipment Failure ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use ; Heparin/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents/adverse effects ; Thrombectomy/instrumentation/*methods ; Thrombosis/etiology/*surgery ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator/therapeutic use ; Vascular Patency ; Veins

OBJECTIVETo verify the feasibility and safety of the vascular interventional vascular interventional surgical robot system applied to vascular interventional operation.

METHODSFrom March to September 2013, 10 patients had undergone robot-assisted cerebral angiography. There were 6 male and 4 female patients; aged from 19 to 58 years, with an average age of 38.4 years. The operation were carried out by neurosurgeons and vascular interventional robot. After successfully implanted of femoral artery sheath by hand, the catheter was fixed on the robot, under the guidance of navigation image the surgeon manipulate the master part and control the slave part of robot by sending command through network transmission, finally finished the whole cerebral angiography. The operation time was recorded from placing the sheath into femoral artery to finishing cerebrovascular selective angiography, simultaneously the time of staff under exposure of X ray was recorded, and the position difference between the setted targets and the actual position(positioning accuracy).

RESULTSIt took 25-41 minutes to finish the cerebral angiography, the average time was (31 ± 5) minutes, and the robot-assisted angiography went quickly and smoothly without surgical complications. The remote positioning accuracy was (1.03 ± 0.23) mm. The time of staff under exposure of X ray was 0 minute, the entire experimental process was basically implemented mechanization and automation.

CONCLUSIONThis system basically achieves initial medical purposes, such as reducing the radiation, facilitating interventional procedures on the basis of enhancing the image navigation, shorting the operation time, and improve the quality of operation.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; Young Adult

In vascular invasive surgery procedures, because doctors suffered from a large number of X-ray radiation, and it is difficult to manipulate catheter, so vascular interventional robot has been rapidly developed. On the basis of analysis of vascular surgical intervention process, key technologies of vascular interventional surgical robots are provided. The image navigation system, the mechanical structure, control systems and force feedback are also analyzed.
Equipment Design ; Robotics ; instrumentation ; methods ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Vascular Surgical Procedures

In the spirit of international exchanges of knowledge with colleagues from all over the world, who are interested in the care and treatment of vascular trauma, we offer selected historical reflections from the western world on vascular trauma. Whereas there are a number of key individuals and a variety of events that are important to us in our writing, we know essentially nothing about what is written by other cultures and, particularly, the Chinese. It is well recognized around the world that Chinese surgeons are among the first to be highly successful in re-plantation of severed extremities, repairing both injured arteries and veins. Also, we recognize that there are contributions in other parts of the world, which are not well known to us collectively. Contributions from the Arabic speaking part of the world come to mind because there is periodic brief reference. We offer our perspective hoping that there will be one or more Chinese surgeons who will offer us the benefit of sharing their perspective on important historical contributions to the managing of vascular trauma outside of the western world, and, particularly, the English speaking literature. Once again, we encourage our colleagues in the Arabic speaking world to provide us with their perspective of the development and management of vascular trauma.
History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods ; Vascular System Injuries ; history ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility and safety of vascular interventional surgery by using vascular interventional robot system (VIRS).

METHODSVIRS included image navigation systems and body propulsion systems, and adopted a master-slave structure. The surgeon sat at the master site, sending controlling instructions to the robot fixed at the slave site, and then the robot translated these instructions into catheter motion. A 3D vascular model was reconstructed so that the surgeon can perform surgical planning easily. In glass model and animal experiments, the surgeon remotely controlled VIRS, which inserted a catheter into predefined targets, and the catheter positioning error and robotic surgery time were measured.

RESULTSThe robot was initially tested on a glass vascular model. Under robotic manipulation, the catheter could enter an arbitrary branch of the vascular model. The catheter positioning error was less than 1 mm. Then robotic interventional surgery was performed successfully in ten adult dogs. The renal artery and the vertebral artery angiography carried out smoothly without complication. Experiment took 35 minutes, and the time what staff exposed to the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) machine was 0 minute.

CONCLUSIONVascular interventional surgical robot system is safe and feasible, and can achieve the catheter remote operation, meet the requirements of angiography basically.

Angiography ; Animals ; Dogs ; Feasibility Studies ; Robotics ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods

The external wrapping of intracranial aneurysm is the definitive treatment of choice for surgical clipping or endovascular occlusion, yet there may exist considerable difficulties and risks because so far neither ideal wrapping techniques nor ideal wrapping materials have been obtained. An encapsulated aneurysm clip with biomembrane graft across the vessels is introduced in this article. By clipping the neck and wrapping the sack of aneurysm simultaneously, this clip successfully solves the problems of unreasonable encapsulated materials and techniques; it has been proved to be an effective method for treating intracranial refractory aneurysms.
Equipment Design ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; surgery ; Ligation ; instrumentation ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Blood Vessels ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; surgery ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods ; Vena Cava Filters