ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of staged carotid artery stenting and coronary artery bypass grafting in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with carotid stenosis. MethodsThe clinical data of patients with coronary heart disease and carotid stenosis treated in Fuwai Hospital from November 2019 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent staged carotid artery stenting and coronary artery bypass grafting. The incidence and risk factors of severe complications such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and death during the perioperative period and follow-up were analyzed. ResultsA total of 58 patients were enrolled, including 47 males and 11 females with an average age of 52-77 (64.2±5.6) years. No complications occurred before coronary artery bypass grafting. There was 1 myocardial infarction, 1 cerebral infarction and 1 death after the coronary artery bypass grafting. The early complication rate was 5.2%. During the follow-up of 18.3 months, 1 cerebral infarction and 2 deaths occurred, and the overall complication rate was 10.3%. According to Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis, patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (log-rank, P=0.037) and placement of close-cell (log-rank, P=0.030) had a higher risk of postoperative ischemic cerebrovascular event, and patients with previous cerebral infarction had a higher risk of postoperative severe complications (log-rank, P=0.044). ConclusionStaged carotid artery stenting and coronary artery bypass grafting is safe and feasible for the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with carotid stenosis.
More and more people suffered from the car otid artery obstruction. It is reported that it's around 69% of these patients the first clinical manifes tation of carotid occlusive disease is the ocular ischemic syndrome. Owing to th e most symptoms of the ocular ischemic syndrome are very obscure, so there are a lways overlook or made a misdiagnosis of this entity in clinical. Fundus fluores cein angiography (FFA) is the best procedure to find this entity. We should pay close attention to notice the early phase of FFA. It is the most specific FFA si gn in ocular ischemic syndrome, and it is a distinctly unusual finding to find t he ocular ischemic syndrome. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2008, 24: 79-81)
Objective To investigate the experience of selective embolization combined with intraoperative internal carotid artery shunt for surgical treatment of carotid body tumor （CBT）. Methods The data of 21 patients （22 sides） with CBT who underwent surgical resection from January 2002 to July 2012 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The all patients’ conditions were fully assessmented and all patients were performed the carotid arteriography and superselective embolization treatment for the blood supply of tumor by with microcatheter on 2-3 days before operation，and then intraoperative internal carotid artery shunt and resection of carotid body tumors were performed. Results Surgical procedures were successfully performeded in all 21 patients （22 sides）. Among them， 16 patients （17 sides） were taken carotid body tumor resected， 5 patients were taken carotid body tumor resected and internal carotid artery reconstruction （autogenous long saphenous vein were used in 3 patients， vascular prosthesis were used in 2 patients）. The postoperative complications were found in 5 patients after anesthesia recovery， which included crooked tongue in 3 cases and facial numbness in 2 cases， and they were cured in 3 months. There were no cerebral infarction， hemiplegia， and death cases. All 21 patients were followed-up for a period from 2 months to 9 years（average 57 months）， there was no tumor recurred. Conclusions Surgical resection is the first choice for treatment of carotid body tumor. The application of selective embolization and intraoperative internal carotid artery shunt for surgical treatment of carotid body tumor in complicated Shamblin Ⅲ stage is safe and effective.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between retinal vessel diameters and cerebral infarction of carotid artery stenosis patients. MethodsEighty-seven patients (174 eyes) with carotid stenosis were included in this study. There were 49 males and 38 females, with an average age of (65.25±7.85) years. Thirty-four patients were suffered from cerebral infarction (cerebral infarction group), and the other 53 patients had no cerebral infarction (control group). There was no significant difference in age (t=1.916), male rate (χ2=0.142) and carotid stenosis extent (χ2=0.785) between the two groups (P=0.059, 0.706, 0.675). All patients underwent color fundus photography after mydriasis. Retinal vascular caliber measurements were performed using IVAN software. The main parameters were central retinal artery diameter (central retinal artery equivalent, CRAE), the diameter of the central retinal vein (central retinal vein equivalent, CRVE) and the retinal arteriole to venular ratio (AVR). The relationship between retinal vessel diameter and cerebral vascular disease were analyzed with logistic regression analysis. ResultsIn cerebral infarction group, CRVE, CRAE and AVR ratios were (132.90±20.67) μm, (243.47±43.92) μm and 0.56±0.10, while the control group was (145.26±21.59) μm, (224.99±32.35) μm and 0.68±0.13 respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups (t=-2.648, 2.257, -4.631; P < 0.05). After correction for risk factors, such as age, smoking history, CRAE reduction and CRVE increases were significantly correlated with cerebral infarction. ConclusionCRAE reduction and CRVE increases are risk factors of cerebral infarction in patients with carotid stenosis, and it is useful in the prediction.
Objective To assess the variation and its significance of messenger ribonucleic acid(mRNA) expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in allografts of common carotid transplantation model in white rabbits. Methods To establish an animal model of common carotid transplantation in vivo, 30 rabbits were divided into four groups with random number table. Group A (n=3): autografts; group B (n=9): allografts with the least treated; group C (n=9): allografts treated by penicillin/streptomycin and preserved under room temperature; group D (n=9): allografts treated by penicillin/streptomycin and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. All the transplanted grafts were harvested 1-3 weeks later, then compared and evaluated the histomorphological variation and eNOS mRNA expression. Results The vascular structures of autografts in group A were kept approximately normal, only a few infiltration of inflammatory cells could be found. The structural variations of allografts in other trial groups behaved similarly as, intima proliferation in the 1st week, intima hyperplasia in the 2nd week, and both intima and media hypertrophy in the 3rd week. And also there seemed that luminal thrombosis could be found in all the allografts. Allografts in group B were destructed utmost the worst in all the groups. The expression of eNOS mRNA in allografts of group B was significantly less than that in other groups (Plt;0.05). Conclusion The down-regulation of eNOS mRNA expression might lead to intima hyperplasia and thrombosis of allografts.
Objective To systematically review the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis. Methods PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM, and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the correlation between OSAS and carotid atherosclerosis and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) from inception to August 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using Stata 16.0 software and RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 32 studies, including 2 915 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed a higher incidence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in OSAS patients than in the control group (OR=5.56, 95%CI 0.27 to 8.38, P<0.000 01); subgroup analysis revealed that, compared with the control group, patients who were male (OR=5.38, 95%CI 2.79 to 10.38, P<0.000 01) or had mild-to-moderate OSAS (OR=3.9, 95%CI 1.66 to 9.15, P=0.002) or severe OSAS (OR=19.86, 95%CI 6.49 to 60.82, P<0.000 01) had a higher risk of carotid atherosclerosis. The CIMT of the OSAS group was significantly higher than that of the control group (SMD=1.24, 95%CI 0.97 to 1.51, P<0.000 01). There was a positive correlation between the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and CIMT in OSAS patients (r=0.52, 95%CI 0.44 to 0.60, <0.000 1), and the CIMT increased with OSAS severity. Conclusion OSAS is associated with a high incidence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque that is highly correlated with CIMT, which increases with an increase in the AHI. These findings are required to be verified in prospective high-quality studies to overcome the limitations of quantity and quality of studies included in this systematic review.
ObjectiveTo study the correlation between neck artery vascular sclerosis and homocysteine levels in hypertensive patients. MethodsA total of 2 132 patients with hypertension participated in the program of "Stroke screening and prevention in Dongying city" were included from Sep. 2012 to Jan. 2013. Questionnaire, physical examination, biochemical blood tests and carotid artery ultrasound were conducted in all included patients. According to the level of homocysteine (Hcy), patients were divided into three groups:716 patients with Hcy level less than 12.3 mm/L were in Group 1, 703 patients with Hcy level 12.3 to 16.5 mm/L were in Group 2, and 713 patients with Hcy level more than 16.5 mm/L were in Group 3. The influence of Hcy levels on carotid atherosclerosis was analyzed. Results① The prevalence rate for carotid plaques in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 50.28%, 60.03% and 65.36%, respectively. The prevalence rate for carotid plaques in Group 2 was higher than that in Group 1 with a statistical difference (OR=1.485, 95% CI 1.203 to 1.833, P=0.000). The prevalence rate in Group 3 was also higher than that in Group 1 with a statistical difference (OR=1.866, 95% CI 1.508 to 2.308, P=0.000). ② The prevalence rate for carotid plaques was 62.24% in the rural population, and 52.39% in the urban population. The difference between urban and rural populations was statistically significant (OR=1.500, 95% CI 1.259 to 1.788, P=0.000). ③ Using the presence of carotid plaques as a dependent variable and Hcy level as a covariant, logistic regression analysis found that the plaque formation in Group 2 was 1.491 times than in Group 1 and the plaque formation in Group 3 was 1.752 times than in Group 1. After adjusting the risk factors (gender, age, BMI, TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and blood sugar level), the results showed that the plaque formation in Group 2 was 1.388 times than in Group 1, and the plaque formation in Group 3 was 1.452 times than in Group 1. ConclusionThere is a correlation between the increased incidence of carotid plaque and homocysteine levels in patients with hypertension. The incidence of carotid plaque in the rural population with hypertension is higher than that in the urban population. In the population with hypertension, high homocysteine level is an independent risk factor for the formation of carotid plaques.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics of vascular neuro-ophthalmology in patients with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). MethodsA single-center, prospective clinical study. From January 2018 to December 2020, 49 eyes of 49 CRAO patients of The Neuro-ophthalmology Department of Xi'an First Hospital were included in the study. Data on patient demographic characteristics, vascular risk factors, disease characteristics, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) imaging characteristics of internal carotid arteries, treatment, treatment-related adverse events, and 1-month follow-up vascular events were collected. All patiens were examined by visual acuity, head CT and or magnetic resonance imaging. At the same time, 35 cases of internal carotid artery vascular DSA were examined; 14 cases of head and neck CT angiography were examined. The anatomical variation of the extracranial segment of the internal carotid artery was divided into tortuous, tortuous, and coiled; the aortic arch was divided into type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ, type Ⅲ, and bovine type. Intravenous thrombolysis, arterial thrombolysis, conservative treatment were performed. The follow-up time was 1 month after treatment. Functional vision was defined as vision ≥20/100. Vascular events were strokes, cardiovascular events, deaths and neovascular glaucoma during follow-up. ResultsAmong 49 eyes of 49 cases, 40 eyes were male (81.6%, 40/49), and 9 eyes were female (18.4%, 9/49); the average age was 60.7±12.9 years. There were 33, 17, and 16 cases with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease, respectively; 27 and 34 cases had a history of smoking and tooth loss, respectively. Taking antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, antiplatelet aggregation/anticoagulation, and hypolipidemic drugs were 15, 5, 8, and 5 patients, respectively. There were 11 cases of transient amaurosis before the onset, and 17 cases of CRAO after waking up. There were 33 cases (67.3%, 33/49) with infarction of the affected side of the brain tissue. DSA was performed in 35 cases, and the stenosis rate of the internal carotid artery on the affected side was 70%-99% and 100% were 3 (8.6%, 3/35) and 4 (11.4%, 4/35) cases, respectively. The ophthalmic artery on the affected side originated from the external carotid artery in 5 cases (14.3%, 5/35). There were 17 (54.8%, 17/31) and 2 (6.5%, 2/31) cases of tortuousity and kinking in the extracranial segment of the internal carotid artery. There were 15 (42.9%, 15/35), 6 (17.1%, 6/35), and 2 (5.7%, 2/35) cases of aortic arch type Ⅱ, type Ⅲ, and bovine type, respectively. Intravenous thrombolysis and arterial thrombolysis were performed in 13 and 29 cases, respectively. Complications occurred in 2 cases during treatment; 3 cases of symptoms fluctuated after treatment, and 10 cases of asymptomatic new infarcts occurred in imaging studies. Forty-eight cases were treated with antiplatelet aggregation/anticoagulation and hypolipidemic treatment. At discharge and 1 month after treatment, the recovery of functional vision was 7 and 17 cases, respectively. One month after treatment, 1 case died because myocardial infarction; 2 cases of neovascular glaucoma occurred. ConclusionThe proportion of CRAO patients with vascular risk factors and internal carotid artery abnormalities on the affected side is relatively high; the prognosis is relatively good after intravenous thrombolysis and/or arterial thrombolysis and secondary stroke prevention.
ObjectiveTo summarize the etiology and prevention measures of carotid artery pseudoaneurysms following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and discuss the complications and prognosis of it performed surgery and endovascular treatment. MethodsThe process and experience of diagnosis and treatment of two patients with carotid pseudoaneurysm following CEA admitted in this hospital from January 2000 to March 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. The related English literatures concerning carotid artery pseudoaneurysm following CEA in PubMed, SpringerLink, ELSEVIER, and ScienceDirect database were searched and then made a conclusion. Results①The incidence of carotid artery pseudoaneurysms following CEA in this hospital was 0.31% (2/641). These two patients were treated with surgery and endovascular therapy respectively, and both recovered well after the treatment.②Thirty-nine related literatures totally were collected, including 187 patients with carotid artery pseudoaneurysm. One hundred and forty patients were treated with artificial patches during CEA, and 36 patients suffered secondary infection in the surgical sites. One hundred and fifty-two patients were treated with surgery, while 33 patients were treated with endovascular therapy, the residual two patients were accepted hybrid surgery. The overall incidence of cranial nerve injuries, the incidence of 30-day stroke, and the incidence of 30-day mortality were 6.4% (9/141), 7.4% (12/163), and 2.7% (5/182), respectively. ConclusionsSurgical site infection is one of the important reasons which lead to carotid artery pseudoaneurysm following CEA. Aneurysm resection and carotid artery reconstruction is still the main treatment of the carotid artery pseudoaneurysm; endovascular therapy could be used as a choice for a part of the patients. How to reduce the perioperative cranial nerve damage and the incidence of complications such as stroke still need further to be studied.
Objective To investigate the effect of combined carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and offpump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) on patients with carotid arteriostenosis and coronary heart diseases. Methods A total of 121 consecutive patients with carotid arteriostenosis and coronary artery diseases underwent CEA and OPCAB between January 2003 and December 2009 in Nanjing First Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. There were 81 males and 40 females, with their ages ranged from 62 to 72 years (67.2±4.5 years). All patients had 3vessel coronary artery lesions, and there were 3 cases of left main coronary artery lesion. Unilateral carotid arteriostenosis (≥50%) occurred in 95 patients, and bilateral (≥50%) in 26 patients. The occurrence of stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and other complications after operation was observed, and followup was carried out. Results All patients underwent unilateral CEA including 50 on the right side and 71 left. The mean block time of carotid artery in CEA was 20.5±7.0 minutes. The average number of distal grafts per patient in OPCAB was 2.9±0.3. None of the patients had stroke or myocardial infarction and no perioperative death occurred. Eightyseven patients felt well in terms of their neuropsycho symptoms; 32 felt no change; and 2 worsened. Follow-up was done for all the patients with a follow-up rate of 100%. The mean time of the follow-up was 67.5±12.5 months. During this period, none of the patients manifested stroke, myocardial infarction or neuropsycho symptoms. Conclusion Concomitant OPCAB and CEA is a safe and effective procedure in patients with carotid arteriostenosis and coronary artery diseases. It can reduce the rate of postoperative stroke significantly. However, longterm outcome of the procedure needs operative experience accumulation, longterm follow-up and observation, and serious research and illumination.