Is JJ Ureteral Stenting Inferior to Percutaneous Nephrostomy as a Drainage Method in Emphysematous Pyelonephritis?

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The aim of the study was to examine the efficacy of JJ stenting in comparison with percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) as a drainage method in patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We retrospectively identified patients with EPN between January 2000 and January 2021. Platelet-to-leukocytic ratio (PLR) at the time of hospital admission and discharge, time taken to clear air locules and to normalize leukocytic count, and air locule volume in mm³ were identified. Renal drainage by either PCN or JJ stent was required if symptoms persist for ≥3 days or in obstructed renal units. Failure of drainage method was defined as conversion to another method of drainage, need for intensive care unit admission, salvage nephrectomy, and mortality. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Twenty-nine patients were managed by JJ stent. Treatment success was identified in 20 patients and 19 patients who were managed by PCN and JJ stent, respectively. Higher air locule volume ≥16.7 mm³ and lower PLR ≤18.4 increased the risk of drainage failure (<i>p</i> = 0.009 and 0.001, respectively). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Ureteral JJ stenting is an effective method for EPN drainage with a comparable overall success to the PCN use. Higher air locule volume and lower PLR increased the risk of drainage failure.

Predictors of 10-Year Stent-Related Adverse Outcomes after Coronary Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation: The Importance of Stent Size

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The predictors of stent treatment failure and their importance 10 years after treatment with drug-eluting stents (DESs) have not been reported in detail. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Data were retrieved from the SORT-OUT II database encompassing 2,849 non-left main coronary lesions in 2,073 unselected all-comer patients treated with first-generation DES and followed clinically for 10 years. Stent treatment failure (STF) was defined as definite or probable stent thrombosis, target lesion revascularization (TLR), or &#x3e;70% restenosis left untreated. Target lesion failure (TLF) was defined as cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or TLR. Characteristics predicting higher hazard ratios (HRs) were identified by the multivariate Cox regression analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A stent diameter ≤2.5 versus ≥3.5 mm had STF 23.3 versus 11.8% and TLF 27.9 versus 18.8%. Stent length &#x3c;20 versus &#x3e;40 mm had STF 13.0 versus 29.0% and TLF 18.7 versus 34.6%. In multivariate analysis, decreasing stent diameter (HR: 1.24 [3.0 mm] to 2.12 [2.25 mm], reference ≥3.5 mm) and increasing stent length (HR: 1.15 [20–30 mm] to 2.07 [&#x3e;40 mm], reference &#x3c;20 mm) predicted STF together with diabetes (HR: 1.31), previous revascularization (HR: 1.31), restenotic (HR: 2.25), bifurcation (HR: 1.45), and chronically occluded lesions (HR: 1.54). A predictive score (PS) was calculated for each lesion from the HRs for the predictors present. The 10-year rates of STF were 10% in lesions with a PS ≤ 1.5 and 37% in those with PS ≥ 3.5. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Ten-year outcomes show large variations depending on the stent size and a few patient and lesion characteristics. The calculation of a PS from these unambiguous variables may be used to improve the risk estimate in individual lesions and patients.

Comparison of hemodynamic stress in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter stent treatment for internal carotid artery aneurysm

OBJECTIVE De novo aneurysms generally develop in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion for large internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm, possibly owing to increased hemodynamic stress in the remaining vessels. In recent years, there has been a shift toward flow diverter stent treatment. However, there is a lack of direct evidence and data that prove this change in hemodynamic stress in healthy vessels after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter stent treatment. The authors compared hemodynamic stress in healthy-side vessels before and after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter treatments. METHODS The authors included patients who underwent 3D cine phase-contrast MRI before and after large ICA aneurysm treatment. Spatially and temporally averaged volume flow rates and spatially averaged systolic wall shear stress (WSS) in healthy-side ICA distal to the posterior communicating artery (C1 segment according to Fisher’s classification) were measured before and after parent artery occlusion and flow diverter treatments. RESULTS Seventeen patients were included (5 patients in the parent artery occlusion group and 12 in the flow diverter group). At 1–2 months after treatment, median volume flow rate in healthy-side ICA increased from 5.36 ml/sec to 6.28 ml/sec (total increase 117%, p = 0.04) in the parent artery occlusion group and from 4.65 ml/sec to 4.93 ml/sec (total increase 106%, p = 0.02) in the flow diverter group. In the parent artery occlusion group, median WSS in the C1 segment of the healthy-side ICA increased from 3.91 Pa to 5.61 Pa (total increase 143%, p = 0.08); however, no significant increase was observed in the flow diverter group (4.29 Pa to 4.57 Pa [total increase 107%, p = 0.21]). CONCLUSIONS Postoperatively, volume flow rate and WSS in the C1 segment of the healthy-side ICA significantly increased in the parent artery occlusion group. Therefore, the parent artery occlusion group was more prone to de novo aneurysm than the flow diverter group.

Association Between Aneurysmal Haemodynamics and Device Microstructural Characteristics After Flow-Diversion Treatments With Dual Stents of Different Sizes: A Numerical Study

ObjectivesTreating intracranial aneurysms with flow-diverting stents sometimes requires deployment of a second device. Herein we quantify the sizing effects of devices in dual-stent treatments upon the final stent microstructure and the post-treatment aneurysmal haemodynamics.MethodsFifteen sidewall ICA aneurysm geometries were included. Using a virtual stenting technique, we implanted either one or two stents for each aneurysm treatment considered, with each stent specified as one of two different sizes, yielding a total of two single-stent and fouir dual-stent treatment scenarios for each aneurysm. Three stent microstructural parameters and nine aneurysmal haemodynamic parameters were quantified and systematically compared across the 90 treatment scenarios.ResultsDeployment of a second stent further reduced the aneurysmal inflow rate (IR) and energy loss (EL) by, respectively, 14 ± 11% (p = 0.001) and 9 ± 12% (p = 0.056), relative to the untreated condition. Sizing effects of the earlier-deployed stent led to largest differences of 6.9% for the final IR reduction and 11.1% for the EL, whereas sizing effects from the later-deployed stent were minor (≤2.1%). The change in stent pore size was the only microstructural parameter demonstrating a strong correlation with the reduction in the post-treatment aneurysmal haemodynamics, in terms of the IR (r = 0.50, p &lt; 0.001) and pressure drop (r = 0.63, p &lt; 0.001).ConclusionSize of the earlier-deployed stent has substantial effects on the final haemodynamic outcomes after dual-stent treatment. The average pore size of stent wires at the aneurysm orifice shows promise as a potential index for predicting the efficacy of flow-diversion treatments.