Vascular health and risk management
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2015
ReviewPrevention of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Bariatric surgical procedures are now a common method of obesity treatment with established effectiveness. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) events, which include deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, are an important source of postoperative morbidity and mortality among bariatric surgery patients. Due to an understanding of the frequency and seriousness of these complications, bariatric surgery patients typically receive some method of VTE prophylaxis with lower extremity compression, pharmacologic prophylaxis, or both. ⋯ In contrast to other types of operations, the literature regarding VTE prophylaxis in bariatric surgery is notable for a dearth of prospective, randomized clinical trials, and current professional guidelines reflect the uncertainties in this literature. Herein, we summarize the available evidence after systematic review of the literature regarding approaches to VTE prevention in bariatric surgery. Identification of risk factors for VTE in the bariatric surgery population, analysis of the effectiveness of methods used for prophylaxis, and an overview of published guidelines are presented.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2015
Case ReportsHigh-flow bypass and wrap-clipping for ruptured blood blister-like aneurysm of the internal carotid artery using intraoperative monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics.
Aneurysms at non-branching sites in the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) can be classified as "blood blister-like aneurysms" (BBAs), which have blood blister-like configurations and fragile walls. While surgical treatment for the BBA in the acute stage is recommended, the optimal surgical procedure remains controversial. In the study reported here, we describe the case of a 37-year-old woman with a ruptured BBA in the ophthalmic segment of the right ICA who underwent wrap-clipping with external carotid artery-internal carotid artery bypass by intraoperative estimation of the measurement of cortical cerebral blood flow (CoBF) using a thermal diffusion flow probe. ⋯ We believe that it is important to perform scheduled external carotid artery-internal carotid artery bypass before trapping of the ICA in patients with a ruptured BBA in the acute stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage and to perform wrap-clipping rather than trapping. This would provide much more CoBF if a reduction of CoBF occurs after trapping occlusion of the ICA including a ruptured BBA according to intraoperative CoBF monitoring. As far as we are aware, the case reported here is the first report on high-flow bypass and wrap-clipping for a ruptured BBA of the ICA using intraoperative monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2015
Role of diclofenac in the prevention of postpericardiotomy syndrome after cardiac surgery.
Postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS), which is thought to be related to autoimmune phenomena, represents a common postoperative complication in cardiac surgery. Late pericardial effusions after cardiac surgery are usually related to PPS and can progress to cardiac tamponade. Preventive measures can reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality related to PPS. In a previous study, diclofenac was suggested to ameliorate autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether postoperative use of diclofenac is effective in preventing early PPS after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Postoperative administration of diclofenac may have a protective role against the development of PPS after cardiac surgery.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2015
Comparative StudyComparing withdrawal and non-withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment among patients who died from stroke.
In severe stroke, a decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment is sometimes made in cooperation with the family. The aim of this study was to study the time from withdrawing life-sustaining treatment to death in patients with severe ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. ⋯ One week after withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, a quarter of our patients with severe stroke remained alive. Short time to death was associated with high age, male sex, hemorrhagic stroke, and high C-reactive protein on admittance.