Incidence rate and topography of intra-pelvic arterial lesions associated with high-energy blunt pelvic ring injuries: a retrospective cohort study

Background The aim of this study was to determine the rate and topography of intra-pelvic arterial lesions associated with high-energy blunt pelvic ring injuries (PRI). Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a level I trauma center serving 500,000 inhabitants. A total of 127 consecutive patients with high-energy blunt PRI were included between January 1st, 2014 and December 31st, 2017. Every patient had a total body or thoraco-abdominal computed tomography scan including contrast enhanced arterial sequences. A board-certified radiologist reviewed all the vascular images and precisely described every intra-pelvic arterial lesion in terms of localization. Complete pelvic series (standard radiographs and fine cut computed tomography images) were reviewed by three board-certified orthopedic surgeons experienced in PRI management, and Young and Burgess and AO/OTA classifications were determined. Demographic, clinical, therapeutic and outcome data were extracted from the institutional severely injured patients’ registry. Results Patients’ mean age was 45.3 years and 58.3% were males. Fifteen (11.8%) had a total of 21 intra-pelvic arterial lesions: seven lesions of the obturator artery, four of the superior gluteal artery, three of the inferior gluteal artery, two of the vesical artery, and one of each of the following arteries: internal iliac, internal pudendal, fifth lumbar, lateral sacral, ilio-lumbar. These lesions occurred in 8.6% of lateral compression injuries, 33.3% of anteroposterior compression injuries and 23.5% of vertical shear and combined mechanism injuries (Young and Burgess classification, p = 0.003); and in 0% of type A injuries, 9.9% of type B injuries and 35% of type C injuries (AO/OTA classification, p = 0.001). Patients with an intra-pelvic arterial lesion were more likely to present with pre-hospital hemodynamic instability (p = 0.046) and to need packed red blood cells transfusion within the first 24 h (p = 0.023; they needed a mean of 7.53 units vs. 1.88, p = 0.0016); however, they did not have a worst outcome in terms of complications or mortality. Conclusions This systematic study found an 11.8% rate of intra-pelvic arterial lesion related to high-energy blunt PRI. The obturator, superior gluteal and inferior gluteal arteries were most often injured. These findings are important for the aggressive management of high-energy blunt PRI.

Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI) in Diabetic Patients: Looking at the Big Picture beyond Wound, Ischemia and Foot Infection (WIfI) Classification System

During the 1990s, most diabetic ulcers were considered neuropathic, but the Eurodiale study showed that more than 50% of these were non-plantar (neuro-ischaemic and ischaemic). According to the International Guidelines, the neuro-ischaemic and ischaemic diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) outcomes are connected to factors related to the wound, leg-associated factors and patients’ comorbidities. We used wound, ischaemia and foot infection (WIfI) classification system; Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus-II (TASC-II) arterial lesion score; and Kaiser Permanente pyramid (stratification of patients according to their complexity) for assessing these parameters. From February 2011 to June 2012, we collected 124 episodes of neuro-ischaemic and ischaemic active ulcer in 100 patients: 18 required major amputation, 14 of them were in WIfI stage 4 and 4 in WIfI stage 3. Ten patients (over 14 in WIfI stage 4) were classified as TASC-II D. Eight patients (over the same 14) were classified as the higher risk of Kaiser Permanente pyramid. In line with other studies, our data support that the WIfI classification correlates well regarding risk of amputation at 1 year. However, when adding TASC-II and Kaiser Permanente pyramid assessment, the outcome is even more accurate not only for limb salvage but also for patients’ survival.

Efficiency of the Endovascular Correction of Clinically Evident Degrees of Chronic Obliterating Lower Limb Diseases in Multisegment Lesions

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency and extent of endovascular revascularization in patients with multisegment lesions in chronic obliterating diseases of the lower limb arteries.Material and methods. The outcomes of the endovascular correction of multisegment lesions of the lower limb arteries were analyzed in 10 patients. Results. After the treatment the patients revealed a statistically significant change (increase of the value) of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) (p = 0.001). The ABI value after the surgical intervention amounted to 0.81 (0.71; 0.87), which was connected with a favourable prognosis for such patients. Аccording to the established criteria, the outcomes of the interventions comprised the decrease of the degree of chronic arterial insufficiency (p < 0.01), all the patients were discharged having no clinical manifestations of critical lower limb ischemia or decreased evidence of intermittent claudication.Conclusion. The majority of patients with clinically evident ischemia of the lower limbs suffer from multisegment arterial lesion (the number of the segments exceeds 2), which entails the need of multiple corrections in one patient. Meanwhile, the evaluation of the treatment results is possible only in the postoperative period according to the indirect criteria. Therefore, during the operation there arises the need to develop a method of the objective intraoperative evaluation of the extent and efficiency of the performed correction of arterial lesions on each segment.

Renovasal relationship in patients with uncomplicated hypertensive disease

Aim. To assess the influence of arterial stiffness on the renal filtration function in patients with uncomplicated hypertensive disease. Materials and methods. The study included 88 patients of able-bodied age, suffering from stage III hypertensive disease. The mean age was 50.38 5.19 years. All the patients underwent sphigmopletismography with assessment of cardio-malleolar-vascular index (CAVI1), evaluation of renal filtration function by creatinine and cystatin C levels as well as by calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by creatinine and cystatin C. All the patients were divided into 3 groups according to CAVI1 level: group 1 patients without arterial lesion and CAVI1 8; group 2 patients with borderline changes in arteries and CAVI1 8.08.9; group 3 patients with arterial lesion and CAVI19. Results. No statistically significant differences by clinicoanamnestic characteristics were found out in patients of all groups. In patients of group 1, cystatin level appeared to be statistically significantly lower than in patients of group 2 and 3 (pmg = 0.013). Patients of all groups statistically significantly differed according to GFR by cystatin C (pmg = 0.015). No difference according to creatinine level and GFR by creatinine were registered in the groups. Conclusions. As arterial stiffness by CAVI1 level is increased, there occurs statistically significant aggravation of renal filtration function, assessed by cystatin C level and GFR using the formula CKD-EPI by cystatin C. Changes in the renal filtration function indices were observed within the normal values that shows early preclinical changes.