Percutaneous Large-Bore Pulmonary Thrombectomy with the FlowTriever Device: Initial Experience in Intermediate-High and High-Risk Patients

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective cohort study investigates outcomes of patients with intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) who were treated with transfemoral mechanical thrombectomy (MT) using the large-bore Inari FlowTriever aspiration catheter system.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-seven patients (mean age 56.1 ± 15.3 years) treated with MT for PE between 04/2021 and 11/2021 were reviewed. Risk stratification was performed according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Clinical and hemodynamic characteristics before and after the procedure were compared with the paired Student's t test, and duration of hospital stay was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Procedure-related adverse advents were assessed.

RESULTS

Of 27 patients treated, 18 were classified as high risk. Mean right-to-left ventricular ratio on baseline CT was 1.7 ± 0.6. After MT, a statistically significant reduction in mean pulmonary artery pressures from 35.9 ± 9.6 to 26.1 ± 9.0 mmHg (p = 0.002) and heart rates from 109.4 ± 22.5 to 82.8 ± 13.8 beats per minute (p < 0.001) was achieved. Two patients died of prolonged cardiogenic shock. Three patients died of post-interventional complications of which a paradoxical embolism can be considered related to MT. One patient needed short cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the procedure due to clot displacement. Patients with PE as primary driver of clinical instability had a median intensive care unit (ICU) stay of 2 days (0.5-3.5 days). Patients who developed PE as a complication of an underlying medical condition spent 11 days (9.5-12.5 days) in the ICU.

CONCLUSION

In this small study population of predominantly high-risk PE patients, large-bore MT without adjunctive thrombolysis was feasible with an acceptable procedure-related complication rate.

Hepatocellular carcinoma tumor thrombus entering the right atrium treated with combining percutaneous and intravenous high-dose-rate brachytherapy: a case report

The presented report describes a case of a Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor thrombus (TT) infiltrating the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right atrium (RA) in a 66-year old male patient who initially presented with TT related symptoms. CT-guided high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) was performed for both, the intraparenchymal primary and the TT. A marked improvement of the tumor-related symptoms and shrinkage of the tumor mass were achieved six months after treatment initiation. The combination of intravascular and percutaneous HDRBT demonstrating a promising approach to palliate tumor-related symptoms in advanced HCC with macrovascular invasion.

Switching off for future-Cost estimate and a simple approach to improving the ecological footprint of radiological departments

Purpose

Besides diagnostic imaging devices, in particular computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), numerous reading workstations contribute to the high energy consumption of radiological departments. It was investigated whether switching off workstations after core working hours can relevantly lower energy consumption considering both ecological and economical aspects.

Methods

Besides calculating different theoretical energy consumption scenarios, we measured power consumption of 3 workstations in our department over a 6-month period under routine working conditions and another 6-month period during which users were asked to switch off workstations after work. Staff costs arising from restarting workstations manually were calculated.

Results

Our approach to switching off workstations after core working hours reduced energy consumption by about 5.6 %, corresponding to an extrapolated saving of 3.2 tons in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and 2100.70 USD/year in electricity costs for 227 workstations. Theoretical calculations indicate that consistent automatic shutdown after core working hours could result in a potential total reduction of energy consumption of 38.6 %, equaling 22.2 tons of CO₂ and 14,388.28 USD/year. However, staff costs resulting from waiting times after manually restarting workstations would amount to 36,280.02 USD/year.

Conclusions

Switching off workstations after core working hours can considerably reduce energy consumption and costs, but varies with user adherence. Staff costs caused by waiting time after manually starting up workstations outweigh energy savings by far. Therefore, an energy-saving plan with automated shutdown/restart besides enabling an energy-saving mode would be the most effective way of saving both energy and costs.

The ESC ACCA EAPCI EORP acute coronary syndrome ST-elevation myocardial infarction registry

Aims 

The Acute Cardiac Care Association (ACCA)–European Association of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (EAPCI) Registry on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) of the EurObservational programme (EORP) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) registry aimed to determine the current state of the use of reperfusion therapy in ESC member and ESC affiliated countries and the adherence to ESC STEMI guidelines in patients with STEMI.

Methods and results 

Between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2018, a total of 11 462 patients admitted with an initial diagnosis of STEMI according to the 2012 ESC STEMI guidelines were enrolled. Individual patient data were collected across 196 centres and 29 countries. Among the centres, there were 136 percutaneous coronary intervention centres and 91 with cardiac surgery on-site. The majority of centres (129/196) were part of a STEMI network. The main objective of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics of patients with STEMI. Other objectives include to assess management patterns and in particular the current use of reperfusion therapies and to evaluate how recommendations of most recent STEMI European guidelines regarding reperfusion therapies and adjunctive pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are adopted in clinical practice and how their application can impact on patients’ outcomes. Patients will be followed for 1 year after admission.

Conclusion 

The ESC ACCA-EAPCI EORP ACS STEMI registry is an international registry of care and outcomes of patients hospitalized with STEMI. It will provide insights into the contemporary patient profile, management patterns, and 1-year outcome of patients with STEMI.

Radiation exposure during TACE procedures using additional cone-beam CT (CBCT) for guidance: safety and precautions

Background During transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) can be used for tumor and feeding vessel detection as well as postembolization CT imaging. However, there will be additional radiation exposure from CBCT. Purpose To evaluate the additional dose raised through CBCT-assisted guidance in comparison to TACE procedures guided with pulsed digital subtraction angiography (DSA) alone. Material and Methods In 70 of 140 consecutive patients undergoing TACE for liver cancer, CBCT was used to facilitate the TACE. Cumulative dose area product (DAP), cumulative kerma(air), DAP values of DSA, total and cine specific fluoroscopy times (FT) of 1375 DSA runs, and DAP of 91 CBCTs were recorded and analyzed using Spearman's correlation, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Additional CBCT increased DAP by 2% ( P = 0.737), kerma(air) by 24.6% ( P = 0.206), and FT by 0.02% ( P = 0.453). Subgroup analysis revealed that postembolization CBCT for detection of ethiodized oil deposits added more DAP to the procedure. Performing CBCT-assisted TACE, DSA until first CBCT contributed about 38% to the total DAP. Guidance CBCT acquisitions conduced to 6% of the procedure's DAP. Additional DSA for guidance after CBCT acquisition required approximately 46% of the mean DAP. The last DSA run for documentation purposes contributed about 10% of the DAP. Conclusion CBCT adds radiation exposure in TACE. However, the capability of CBCT to detect vessels and overlay in real-time during fluoroscopy facilitates TACE with resultant reduction of DAPs up to 46%.

Abstract P4-13-06: Does large volume displacement oncoplastic surgery still offer an advantage of a low positive margin rate using the new SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO margin guidelines?

Purpose

Breast conservation has become the mainstay of surgical management for early stage breast cancer. Large volume displacement oncoplastic surgery (LVOS) uses reconstructive mastopexy and breast reduction techniques to allow for larger oncologic resections while providing good aesthetic outcomes in a single operation. Oncoplastic surgery publications have recently increased by 220%, demonstrating the increasing popularity of this surgical technique, 2 and many of these studies have demonstrated excellent oncologic outcomes.4 To date, however, no study has used the most recent SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO surgical margin recommendations to assess oncoplastic surgery. 4 Recent SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO guidelines established no ink on tumor as an adequate margin for invasive breast cancer and at least 2mm as adequate margins for ductal carcinoma in situ. The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical margin rates of LVOS using the new SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO guidelines. We presumed that under the newer, stricter guidelines, LVOS would have a higher positive margin rate than reported in the past literature.

Methods:

Our study consisted of two parts. First, a literature review to assess margin rates before the introduction of SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO guidelines was done using PRISMA guidelines with an international Pubmed search and reviewed by two blinded authors. The search included keywords such as “oncoplastic breast surgery,” “lumpectomy,” “partial mastectomy,” and “positive margins associated with breast surgery.” All articles either pertained to LVOS, standard lumpectomy (SL) or both. The inclusion criteria for our study included histology discrepancy, and new guideline margin status. From this, we determined the published positive margin for SL and LVOS. Second, we analyzed all LVOS performed at our institution since the adoption of the new SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO margin guidelines and compared these margin rates to the literature review outcomes using Z tests.

Results:

Our study consisted of 1702 patients. There were 847 patients in LVOS group and 855 patients in the SL group. Of the 45 papers evaluated, 34 were not included due to exclusion criteria (missing: new margin guidelines, histology, or margin status). The pre-guideline positive margin rate for LVOS was lower than with SL (12.51% vs. 20.4%, P-value &lt;0.001). Of the 50 LVOS operations done at our institution since adoption of the SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO margin guidelines, no statistical difference in the positive margin rates was noted when compared to the literature rates (10% vs. 12.67% respectively, P-value 0.5796). Positive margin rates for LVOS at our institution were lower than SL margin rates reported in the literature (P-value 0.0358).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that even with the stricter margin SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO guidelines, LVOS still has a low positive margin rate comparable to pre-guideline literature reports. LVOS continues to have a significantly lower positive margin rate than SL. This is the first study to report margin rates for LVOS after the adoption of the SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO guidelines, and confirms the importance of LVOS in providing optimal oncologic outcomes for patient with large locally advanced breast cancer.

Citation Format: Jonczyk MM, Patel K, Graham R, Naber S, Erban J, Chen L, Chatterjee A. Does large volume displacement oncoplastic surgery still offer an advantage of a low positive margin rate using the new SSO/ASBrS/ASTRO margin guidelines? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-13-06.

[Treatment in XIIth c. Poland according to medical writings of Nicholas of Poland]

The authors present the person of Mikolaj of Poland, a thirteenth century doctor, connected with the Princes of Pomerania and Greater Poland, educated in France, and known from his two major writings, Antipocras (Anti-Hypocrates) and Experimenta. On the background of medieval medicine, the methods of healing he suggested appear as unusual and unconventional. He healed with amulets, mud, dung, river and sea water, frogs, moles, vipers, flies and worms. Using them, he produced powders, pills, ointments and oils which were to have outstanding healing results. They were to be used in lithiasis, skin irritations, nephritis, hepatitis, deafness, epilepsy, and toothache. Women might use them as cosmetics, too. Considering thirteenth century medicine, Mikolaj with no doubts represents medieval medical "empiry", creating an interesting alternative against official standards binding doctors of that time.

[Rational laboratory diagnosis of cholestasis syndrome]

Laboratory diagnostics efficiently applied is of decisive importance for a great deal of questions in spite of the technical and endoscopic methods which are available today in the field of examinations. By means of a screening programme consisting of ALAT, gamma-GT, ChE at a sensitivity of > 90% alterations in both the hepatobiliary system and cholestasis can be recognized with sufficient reliability. Clinical data and a defined laboratory routine programme as a second step in diagnostics results in reliable indication for distinction between obstructive and non-obstructive cholestasis which can be promoted by computer-aided techniques. On the basis of such pre-selections special laboratory methods (differential diagnosis of consecutive non-obstructive cholestasis in liver diseases) or invasive methods to clarify their reason and localization diagnostics of biliary obstruction can then be applied in a well-directed manner to obtain a definite nosologic diagnosis. Effective diagnostic procedures in this three-step programme are described.