The use of thrombin in the radiology department

A Pulsatile Mass in the Right Buttock

Gluteal artery pseudoaneurysms are a rare cause of buttock pain, with few cases reported in the recent literature. Although small pseudoaneurysms are usually asymptomatic, larger can be painful and require treatment. Most of these cases are pseudoaneurysms resulting from local trauma. We report in this case a patient with a gluteal artery pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm was successfully thrombosed using ultrasound-guided thrombin injection. This article reviews the literature, discusses the imaging diagnostics and the treatment of gluteal artery aneurysms.

[Review of pre- and post-treatment multidetector computed tomography findings in abdominal aortic aneurysms]

The increase in the frequency of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and the widely accepted use of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) as a first-line treatment or as an alternative to conventional surgery make it necessary for radiologists to have thorough knowledge of the pre- and post-treatment findings. The high image quality provided by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) enables CT angiography to play a fundamental role in the study of AAA and in planning treatment. The objective of this article is to review the cases of AAA in which CT angiography was the main imaging technique, so that radiologists will be able to detect the signs related to this disease, to diagnose it, to plan treatment, and to detect complications in the postoperative period.

Miscellaneous pharmaceutical agents in interventional radiology

Interventional radiologists employ a wide variety of drugs on a daily basis to improve patient experiences and outcomes during interventional procedures. The expectation is for the interventionalist to be well-versed in all pharmaceuticals used in the interventional suite. In this article, the authors review the following classes of common miscellaneous pharmaceutical agents used in interventional radiology: vasodilators, vasoconstrictors, antiemetics, bowel antiperistalsis agents, and prothrombotics.

Minimally invasive application of thrombin in the treatment of pseudoaneurysms following open aortic surgery

BACKGROUND

Anastomotic leaks are uncommon complications following aortic surgery. To avoid the morbidity associated with a second surgical procedure, minimally invasive techniques have become increasingly popular.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of thrombin in interventional treatment of postoperative pseudoaneurysms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CT-guided percutaneous injection was chosen in four cases. Endovascular access using an occlusion balloon catheter placed in the orifice of the pseudoaneurysm was utilized in one case.

RESULTS

The average volume of all pseudoaneurysms was 178 ± 190 mL with a volume of the patent lumen of 25 ± 28 mL. All aneurysms thrombosed after injection of 600 ± 237 IU of thrombin. During the follow-up period of an average of 10 months all pseudoaneurysms remained occluded.

CONCLUSION

Our series demonstrates the feasibility of thrombin in the treatment of aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysms. In combination with occlusion balloon catheters, even wide-necked pseudoaneurysms may be treated successfully. However, further investigations are warranted.

Diagnosis and management of mycotic aneurysms

We reviewed all papers most recently reported in the literature related to infected arterial aneurysms (IAAs) affecting the aorta and vascular beds other than the aorta. In this article, we report on vascular beds other than the aorta. As is the case for aortic IAAs, infected non-aortic aneurysms are rarely encountered. The majority of recent studies are limited to case reports and small series of unusual infected aneurysms. A comprehensive review of this entity was performed based on the available literature from January through December 2008 in all languages. Available reports were analyzed with respect to demographic features, type of presentation, methods of diagnosis and therapy, follow-up, and outcome (morbidity and mortality).