Background Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a common complication in diabetic patients especially in those with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). However, it can be prevented if its risk factors can be identified and adjusted. Objective To investigate the frequency of diabetic foot ulcers and their associated risk factors in diabetic patients with peripheral artery disease. Method Diabetic patients under medication with known peripheral arterial disease diagnosed with Doppler ultrasonography were recruited from the outpatient department of the cardiothoracic and vascular unit, at Dhulikhel Hospital. The patients were interviewed about their demographic details, presenting clinical symptoms, and the risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, duration of diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Also, the patients were assessed for any ulcers in their feet. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data. Result The analysis demonstrated diabetic foot ulcers in 24.1% of the total 54 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease. The risk factors such as smoking (24.1%), increasing age (68.5%), hypertension (31.5%), and duration of diabetes (72.2%) were found in the majority of the patients. Out of these risk factors, smoking (Odds ratio: 6.81) and increasing age (Odds ratio: 0.28) were significantly associated with diabetic foot ulcers. (p < 0.05) Conclusion Diabetic foot ulcers affected about a quarter of diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease and were found to be associated with increasing age and smoking.
Takayasu's Arteritis (TA) is a rare form of large vessel vasculitis often being apparent late in its progression with features of artery occlusion. Studies comparing endovascular approach with bypass surgeries reveal surgery to be a better option with lesser rates of postoperative restenosis.
Different treatment options are available for subclavian stenosis (SS). Carotid to subclavian bypass surgery (CSBS) is an increasingly used effective treatment strategy when stenting is impossible. However, in Nepal, little is known about SS and its management. A 58-year-old man with a history of aortic valve replacement surgery complained of progressive left arm weakness for the past 6 months associated with pain on exertion and blood pressure discrepancies in both arms. A computed tomographic scan confirmed near-complete subclavian artery stenosis and a Doppler ultrasound showed decreased blood flow and systolic velocity. CSBS was selected as stenting was not feasible. Post-CSBS, all hemodynamic parameters returned to normal, lasting even after 2 years. CSBS appears to be a viable, safe, and promising treatment for symptomatic SS. However, additional studies need to be conducted to analyze the benefits of CSBS relative to other interventions.
Background: Varicose vein is prominent dilated veins of lower limbs. Incomplete treatment and local recurrence are still the clinical challenge among the vascular surgeons. We aim to evaluate the range of imaging on color duplex describing the anatomy of veins, their variants, valve competencies, territories of defective venous system, demographic data, and the factors contributing among the patients referred to Vascular Outpatient Department of Kathmandu University Hospital. Objective: The aim was to know the ultrasound (US) color duplex parameters of superficial venous system in varicose vein. Materials and Methods: We included 299 patients during the study of 6 months with varicose veins for detailed US Doppler analysis. Gray-scale US was done to study the anatomy of veins followed by color duplex and color duplex spectrometry to determine the reflux of the superficial venous system. Quantification of reflux was determined by the use of Valsalva maneuver. Association of great saphenous vein (GSV) cross-sectional diameter and saphenofemoral junction incompetence was also studied. Results: Of 299 varicose vein cases, 52.50% were female. Among involved cases, the mean of GSV diameter was 5.43 mm in the right and 5.68 mm in the left. Saphenofemoral junction diameter was 7.89 mm in the right and 8.17 mm in the left. Receiver operative characteristics curve showed GSV diameter at femoral condyl of 4.5 mm as best cutoff value for the diagnosis saphenofemoral junction reflux. Conclusions: US color duplex is investigation of choice for varicose vein as a preoperative analysis tool, quantifying the superficial valve incompetency, studying and mapping the venous anatomy, and planning the surgery.
Background Pneumothorax is a condition in which air or other gas is present in the pleural cavity. Mainstay of management of pneumothorax is to remove the air from the pleural space usually done by chest tube insertion. There is still uncertainty whether minimal invasive management with pigtail catheter is sufficient for the management of pneumothorax. Objective To find the effectiveness, safety, tolerability, efficacy of pigtail catheters and large bore chest tubes. Method Prospective comparative study was done in Dhulikhel Hospital between August 2019 till August 2021. Chest tube insertion used to be the only available treatment modality till December 2020 (15 months). Following January 2021 after obtaining ethical clearance for use of pigtail insertion for pneumothorax, this treatment modality was done (8 months). Result Among 76 patients, 52(68.4%) underwent a large bore chest tube and 24 (34.6%) pigtail catheter patients. Mean age of the patients was 48 years (SD 18.01). Duration of hospital stay and length of hospital stay was more in large bore catheters and less in pigtail catheters. Eight hours post tube placement of the expansion of the lungs was present in pigtail and was statistically significant. Pain killer used in pigtail catheters was limited to Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for large bore catheter opioids were added and were statistically significant. Conclusion Pigtail catheter is nearly effective as compared to traditional wide bore catheters.
Amplatzer septal occluder is widely used by the cardiac interventionists as an effective alternative to traditional surgery for atrial septal defects. However, although rare, device may embolize during or after procedure due to several reasons. We report a case of device embolization into the descending thoracic aorta during percutaneous closure of ASD in a 14-year-old girl which was successfully retrieved by emergency surgery at Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Cardiac Centre, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh.
University Heart Journal Vol. 15, No. 1, Jan 2019; 37-39
Peripheral vascular trauma can result in limb or life-threatening injuries. Early surgical intervention leads to a better outcome. Diagnosis is made clinically, by non-invasive and invasive imaging modalities. Our aim in this study is to find out the prevalence of peripheral vascular trauma among vascular surgery cases operated in a tertiary care centre of Nepal.This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of peripheral vascular injuries that underwent operative management in a tertiary care hospital of Nepal from January 2018 to May 2020. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (Registration Number 79/20). Convenience sampling technique was used. Data for the study was retrieved from operation records of the patients along with their treatment summaries and entered and analyzed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. All cases with complete records were included. Conservatively managed cases and cases that underwent primary amputation were not included in the study. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data.Among 624 vascular surgery patients, 40 (6.41%) (4.48-8.33 at 95% Confidence Interval) patients had presented with peripheral vascular trauma during the study period. There were 26 (65%) cases where the upper limb was involved.The prevalence of vascular surgery for peripheral vascular trauma among vascular surgeries operated in our study was similar to other studies done in similar settings. Vascular injury needs urgent intervention and appropriate management will result in a high chance of limb salvage and survival.
Spontaneous femoral artery pseudoaneurysm in a young person with no comorbidity is a rare occurrence. A 30 years old gentleman presented to our hospital with complaints of painful swelling of spontaneous onset in the right inguinal region for 15 days. He had undergone incision and drainage of the contents of the swelling five days back but he suffered from a recurrence of the painful right inguinal swelling and persistent bleeding from the incision site for four days. Computed tomography showed a pseudoaneurysm of the right common femoral artery. It was treated surgically by emergency exploration, hematoma evacuation, removal of pseudoaneurysm, and repair of the defect in the right common femoral artery. In this case, we were fortunate that inadvertent incision of the pseudoaneurysm didn’t result in a massive haemorrhage. This serves as a reminder that the possibility of a femoral artery pseudoaneurysm should be considered when evaluating a swelling of the inguinal region.
Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a vascular condition that commonly presents in the lower limb(s). Although reported, its occurrence in the upper limbs is rare. Furthermore, problems with the risk of serious adverse effects in response to vaccination against COVID-19 are relatively rare, despite the unprecedented speed of vaccine production using advanced modern technology. Although infrequent, administration of certain mRNA-based and certain viral vector vaccines have been associated with vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia cases in an otherwise healthy patient: most commonly in the central venous sinus or abdominal splanchnic veins or lower limb. Here, we present an unusual case of post Janssen vaccination upper limb DVT, with an average platelet count.
Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) is a rare congenital vascular disorder characterized by capillary malformation, varicosities, and tissue overgrowth. It usually affects the unilateral lower extremities manifesting commonly as pain, localized rise of temperature, and venous tortuosity. However, in severe cases, ulceration, cellulitis, and chronic lymphatic malformation may be present. Management is mostly supportive and involves the use of compression stockings.Here, we report a case of KTS with a persistent lateral marginal vein of Servelle managed with radiofrequency ablation along with sclerotherapy of selected perforators. On a two-year follow-up, the symptoms had resolved and Doppler ultrasonography revealed resolution of the defective vein along with the absence of incompetent perforators.In cases with venous malformation with the persistence of embryonic avalvular venous structures, like the lateral marginal vein of Servelle, surgical intervention is warranted especially at a younger age to reduce the risk of future thromboembolic events and recurrence.Varicosities of the lateral marginal vein of Servelle can be managed successfully by radiofrequency ablation and adjunct sclerotherapy in selected cases.