Determination of barometric criteria for rupture of atherosclerotic plaques in the brachiocephalic arteries

The sequence of determining determination of the critical value of blood pressure for the occurrence of dissection of atherosclerotic intima of the internal carotid artery according to the experimental study. Atherosclerotic lesion of the brachiocephalic arteries was modeled on a vascular silicone phantom of the carotid arteries, in which the surgical material (intact annular area of atherosclerotic intima with plaque), obtained after eversion endarterectomy in a patient with atherosclerotic lesions, was placed and fixed in the region of the mouth of the internal carotid artery. A total of 30 models were created. To determine the critical values of the pressure on the intima with the plaque, at which it ruptures, balloon catheters were used, controlling the pressure with a manometer. The results were compared with the preoperative data of ultrasound and computed tomography examinations of patients. Dissection of the intima in the area of the plaque occurred in 6 cases at a pressure of 150180 mm Hg; in 9 cases at 180200 mm Hg, in 3 cases at a pressure of more than 200 mmHg, in 12 when exposed to more than 300 mm Hg. All patients, whose intima ruptured at a pressure of less than 200 mm Hg, had a fluid component of the plaque on preoperative examination, and in 6 patients, the critical pressure on the plaque was 150 mm Hg., there was also a thinned "cover" of the plaque. In the rest of the cases, the plaques were stable without a liquid component. Dissection of the intima in these cases did not occur when the exposure value was more than 300 mm Hg. The presence of a fluid component in an atherosclerotic plaque of the carotid artery in combination with a thinned cover of the plaque indicates the extreme danger of its destruction and embolism during a hypertensive crisis. The degree of stenosis of the carotid artery was found to be a less significant risk factor for unstable plaque rupture than the presence of a fluid component.

Access-site complications of the transradial approach: Rare but still there.

: In the past decade, the Transradial Approach (TRA) has constantly gained ground among interventional cardiologists. TRA's anatomical advantages, in addition to patients' acceptance and financial benefits, due to rapid patient mobilization and shorter hospital stay, made it the default approach in most catheterization laboratories. Access-site complications of TRA are rare, and usually of little clinical impact, thus they are often overlooked and underdiagnosed. Radial Artery Occlusion (RAO) is the most common, followed by radial artery spasm, perforation, hemorrhagic complications, pseudoaneurysm, arterio-venous fistula and even rarer complications, such as nerve injury, sterile granuloma, eversion endarterectomy or skin necrosis. Most of them are conservatively treated, but rarely, surgical treatment may be needed and late diagnosis may lead to life-threatening situations, such as hand ischemia or compartment syndrome and tissue loss. Additionally, some complications may eventually lead to TRA failure and switch to a different approach. On the other hand, it is the opinion of the authors that non-occlusive radial artery injury, commonly included in TRA's complications in the literature, should be regarded more as an anticipated functional and anatomical cascade, following radial artery puncture and sheath insertion.

Surgical Treatment of Carotid Artery Disease

The rationale for operating on patients with carotid artery disease is to prevent stroke. It has been estimated that in 50 to 80% of patients who experience an ischemic stroke, the underlying cause is a lesion in the distribution of the carotid artery, usually in the vicinity of the carotid bifurcation. Appropriate identification and intervention could significantly reduce the incidence of ischemic stroke. Carotid endarterectomy for both symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis has been extensively evaluated in prospective, randomized trials. Surgical reconstruction of the carotid artery yields the greatest benefits when done by surgeons who can keep complication rates to an absolute minimum. The majority of complications associated with carotid arterial procedures are either technical or judgmental; accordingly, this review emphasizes the procedural aspects of planning and operation considered to be particularly important for deriving the best short- and long-term results from surgical intervention. Specifically, this review covers preoperative evaluation, operative planning, operative technique, postoperative care, follow-up, and alternatives to direct carotid reconstruction. Figures show carotid arterial procedures including recommended patient positioning, the commonly used vertical incision, the alternative transverse incision, mobilization of the sternocleidomastoid muscle to identify the jugular vein, palpation of the internal carotid artery, division of the structures between the internal and external carotid arteries to allow the carotid bifurcation to drop down, division of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle to yield additional exposure of the internal carotid artery, a graphic representation of the measurement of internal carotid artery back-pressure, a central infarct zone surrounded by an ischemic zone, shunt placement, open endarterectomy, eversion endarterectomy, repair of fibromuscular dysplasia, and repair of coiling or kinking of the internal carotid artery. This review contains 17 figures, and 25 references Key words: Carotid artery disease; Carotid endarterectomy; Carotid angioplasty with stenting; Eversion endarterectomy; Open endarterectomy; Carotid plaque; TCAR