Objective To review the progress of the robotic applications in vascular surgery. Methods Recent literature about the robotic applications in vascular surgery was reviewed and analyzed. Results Robotic system is composed of surgery robotic system and endovascular interventional robotic system. The time of aortic clamping and anastomosis is reduced considerably during the robotic-assisted aorta bypass surgery, and the dissection of aorta is completed successfully in totally robotic approach. Endovascular interventional robotic system has good performance in navigation and stability, and shows apparent advantages in passing special anatomical segment and complicated lesion. However, the robotic systems are still limited in application for high cost. The problem of tactile feedback should also be solved quickly. Conclusion Robotic systems have apparent advantages and good prospect in vascular surgery. Nevertheless, it still require many clinical trials to formulate the indication and contraindication, to establish standard procedure, to assess the long-term effectiveness of the robotic systems and so on.
Objective To review the strategies on repairing elastic fibers in aorta. Methods Literature concerningelastic fiber as well as its repairment was consulted and summarized from three aspects: enhancement of the expressions ofits components, improvement of the condition of its assembly, and reduction of the destructive effects. Results Elastinis concerned as the main protein to be enhanced with three different methods including gene transfection, stimulationwith ectogenesis factors, and induction of phenotype transition of smooth muscle cell. Fibul in and lysyl oxidases show theabil ity to improve the assembly of the elastic fiber, while the related mechanisms are not clear. Matrix metalloproteinasesare regarded as the main destructive factors, and researches focus on reducing their expression as well as their destructiveeffects. Conclusion To assure a high-qual ity repair of elastic fibers in aorta, their components should be sufficientlyexpressed and effectively assemblyed, and the destructive effects caused by dangerous factors should also be reduced.
Objective By observation of the diameter, progression rate, wall thickness, and the opening angle of the abnormal aortic of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in rats, to observe the effect of saturated hydrogen saline on residual strain of AAA rats, and to investigate its inhibition effect on AAA formation. Methods Twenty healthy male Sprague Dawley rats (weighing, 200-220 g) were randomly divided into 2 groups, which was made the AAA model by infiltration of the abdominal arota with 0.5 mol/L calcium chloride. Saturated hydrogen saline (5 mL/kg) or saline (5 mL/kg) was injected intraperitoneally in the experimental group or control group respectively, every day for 28 days. At 28 days, the diameter, progression rate, wall thickness, and opening angle of the abnormal aorta were mearsured. The aortic tissue was harvested for histological examination (HE staining and aldehyde-fuchsin staining). Results At 28 days after operation, the diameter of abnormal aorta in 2 groups were significantly higher than preoperative ones (P lt; 0.05), the progression rate in experimental group (65% ± 15%) was significantly lower than that in control group (128% ± 54%) (t=3.611, P=0.005). The opening angle and the wall thickness in experimental group were (88.78 ± 29.20)° and (0.14 ± 0.03) mm respectively, had significant differences when compared with the values in control group [(44.23 ± 28.52)° and (0.36 ± 0.05) mm respectively] (P lt; 0.01). The integrity and continuity of the aortic wall in experimental group were superior to that in the control group. Compared with the control group, the injury of elastic fiber in aortic wall and the infiltration of inflammation were all reduced. Conclusion Saturated hydrogen saline can maintain good mechanical properties and reduce dilatation of the aorta by increasing residual strain and reducing the remodeling of it.
Objective To compare the advantages and disadvantages between double Perclose ProGlide crossing suture and traditional suture for the closure of 20F or 22F access points so as to provide a basis for selecting appropriate approach to repair the puncture points in endovascular aortic repair. Methods Between June 2007 and May 2011, 103 patients (115 common femoral arteries) underwent endovascular aortic repair using sheaths of 20F or 22F (outer diameter); double Perclose ProGlide crossing suture was performed for closure of puncture sites in 57 cases (64 common femoral arteries) (double Perclose group) and traditional suture in 46 cases (51 common femoral arteries) (traditional group). There was no significant difference in age, gender, or disease duration between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). Results The operation time, blood loss, and hospitalization days of double Perclose group were significantly better than those of traditional group (P lt; 0.05). Ecchymoma in inguinal region and lymphatic leakage occurred in 5 cases (5 common femoral arteries) and 2 cases (2 common femoral arteries) of double Perclose group respectively, in 2 cases (2 common femoral arteries) and 6 cases (8 common femoral arteries) of traditional group respectively; no significant difference was found in the rate of the early complication between double Perclose group and traditional group (7.8% vs. 15.7%, χ2=1.76, P=0.19). The technique success rate of double Perclose group was 96.9% (62/64), and was 100% (51/51) in traditional group, showing no significant difference (χ2=0.31, P=0.50). All patients were followed up, 2-19 months (mean, 15 months) in double Perclose group and 2-18 months (mean, 14 months) in traditional group. Pseudoaneurysm occurred in the puncture region at 3 months in 1 case (1 common femoral artery) of double Perclose group, and incision and suture therapy was performed; no arteriostenosis or pseudoaneurysm occurred in other cases; and the rate of mid-term complication was 1.6% (1/64) in double Perclose group and was 0 in traditional group, showing no significant difference (P=1.000). Conclusion Double Perclose ProGlide crossing suture has the same effectiveness to traditional surture in repairing the puncture point with 20F or 22F, but it is superior to traditional suture in reducing operation time, blood loss, and hospitalization days.
Objective To investigate the early effectiveness of total percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair (TPEVAR) in treating asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAAA) by comparing with surgical femoral cutdown endovascular aneurysm repair (SFCEVAR). Methods Between January 2010 and May 2011, 41 cases of AAAA were treated with TPEVAR in 26 cases (TPEVAR group) and with SFCEVAR in 15 cases (SFCEVAR group). The maximum tumor diameter ranged from 3.5 to 9.2 cm (mean, 5.7 cm) in TPEVAR group, and ranged from 3.5 to 10.0 cm (mean, 6.9 cm) in SFCEVAR group. There was no significant difference in gender or age between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). Results All patients underwent EVAR successfully. The patients were followed up 6-23 months (mean, 13.5 months). No significant difference was found in the outer diameters of the delivery system for main body and iliac leg, operation time, contrast media dosage, hospitalization days, or postoperative hospitalization days between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). The patients of SFCEVAR group had more bleeding volume and longer ICU stay than patients of TPEVAR group (P lt; 0.05). The incidence of minor complication was 7.7% (2/26) in TPEVAR group and 33.3% (5/15) in SFCEVAR group, showing no significant difference between 2 group (χ2=4.42, P=0.08); the incidence of major complication in SFCEVAR group (20.0%, 3/15) was significantly higher than that in TPEVAR group (0) (χ2=5.61, P=0.02). Conclusion TPEVAR shows safer and more effective than SFCEVAR in treating AAAA.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the short-and long-term results of hybrid procedures in the treatment for aortic arch lesions. MethodsFrom October 2002 to March 2011, 28 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms or dissections involving the aortic arch were treated with hybrid endovascular treatment in our center. Twenty-two males and 6 females were in the series. The mean age of the patients was 68 years old. Of 28 patients, 15 were atherosclerotic thoracic aortic aneurysms and 13 were thoracic aortic dissection. Follow-up protocol consisted of computed tomography (CT) angiograms or ultrasound was performed in 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually thereafter. The main goal was to evaluate the operative mortality, morbidity, and the longterm survival of these patients. ResultsHybrid procedures included 12 totalarch transpositions, 3 left common carotid artery (LCCA)left subclavian artery (LSA) bypass, 11 right common carotid artery (RCCA)LCCA-LSA bypass, 2 RCCA-LCCA bypass. The technical success rate was 92.9% (26/28). The complications occurred in 10 patients (35.7%). Operative mortality was 7.1% (2/28). The apoplexia rate was 7.1% (2/28). The time of followup was (36±3) months. The patency rates of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year were 100%, 92.9% (26/28), and 85.7% (24/28), respectively. The survival rates of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year were 89.3% (25/28), 71.4% (20/28), and 60.7% (17/28), respectively. ConclusionsThe short-and long-term results with hybrid procedures in the treatment for aortic arch diseases are satisfactory. Further reducing the complications is the key to increase the survival rate.