Small Veins Research Articles

"Facilitated small venous anastomosis with couplers using an IV catheter suction system."

Microvascular anastomotic venous couplers are an integral component of our free flap procedures. Oftentimes though we have noticed that pulling the vessel through the coupler's ring, especially in the cases of smaller coupler sizes can be cumbersome. Herein, we would like to share an our technique which facilitates the passage of small veins through the coupler's ring with the help of an intravenous catheter.

Budd-Chiari Syndrome - classification, diagnostics, imaging and treatment

Introduction: Budd-Chiari syndrome is a rare condition which can be defined as hepatic venous outflow obstruction occurring at any level between the small hepatic veins and junction of the inferior vena cava and the right atrium. Symptoms may vary from mild or even asymptomatic for many years to fulminant hepatic failure. Imaging is the mainstay of diagnosis of BCS. Laboratory and ematological tests are invaluable in recognizing hematological and coagulation disorders that may be identified in up to 75% of the patients. The recommended therapeutic approach to BCS is based on a stepwise algorithm beginning with medical treatment, endovascular treatment to restore vessel patency, placement of transjugular portosystemic shunt (TIPS), and orthotopic liver transplantation as a last resort rescue treatment. The aim of the study: This study aims to gather current knowledge about clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome. Materials and methods: This review was based on available data collected in the PubMed database and Google Scholar web search engine, using the keywords: ’Budd-Chiari syndrome’ ,’hepatic venous outflow obstruction’. Conclusions: The treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome requires interdisciplinary cooperation, which has resulted in the increasing curability of this rare disease over the last years.

Satisfactory result of great saphenous vein endovenous laser ablation until below the knee on active venous leg ulcer: a case series

Background: Active venous leg ulcer (VLU) is the most severe manifestation of chronic venous disease which not only affects patients’ health, but also decreases the quality of life, and delivers economic burdens. Treatment of superficial venous reflux with early endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) has been proven to reduce ulcer recurrence levels and promote faster VLU healing. We reported three cases of patients with active VLU undergoing EVLA with different approaches. Case illustration: Three patients came with complaint of leg ulcer, diagnosed with C6sEpAsdPr, with venous clinical severity scores (VCSS) of 15, 23, and 22 respectively. Severe great saphenous veins (GSV) reflux was found in all patients by duplex ultrasound examination. The second patient had undergone above-the-knee EVLA. All patients underwent EVLA using 1470-nano meter wavelength laser device and ELVeS radial fiber (Biolitec, Bonn, Germany). The laser energy protocol used was 6 W linear endovenous energy density (LEED) 50 J/cm for proximal until media ATK GSV ablation, 5 W LEED 40 J/cm for media ATK until proximal below-the-knee (BTK) GSV, and 2 W LEED 20 J/cm for proximal until distal BTK GSV. The third patient was also treated with EVLA for small saphenous vein severe reflux. Follow-up until 6 months post-EVLA showed significant healing of the ulcer with 14, 16, and 17 VCSS reduction consecutively without any complication. Conclusion: We’ve reported three cases of patients with active VLU undergoing EVLA until BTK with significant results. The EVLA of GSV until BTK is safe and provides satisfactory results in patients with VLU.

Small Caliber Distal Cephalic Veins Undergo Significant Dilation under Anesthesia and Can Successfully Be Used for Arteriovenous Fistula Creation

Successful arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation and use for dialysis is highly dependent on preoperative diameter. Small veins (<2mm) exhibit high failure rates and are typically avoided. This study investigates the effects of anesthesia on the distal cephalic vein diameter as compared to preoperative outpatient vein mapping for the purpose of hemodialysis access creation. One hundred eight consecutive procedures for dialysis access placement met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. All patients received preoperative venous mapping and postanesthesia ultrasound mapping (PAUS). All patients received either regional and/or general anesthesia. A multiple regression was conducted to determine predictors of venous dilatation. The independent variables included both demographical and operative-specific variables such as the type of anesthesia. Outcomes of fistula maturation (successful cannulation and dialysis) were analyzed. In this cohort, the mean preoperative vein diameter was 1.85mm and the mean PAUS diameter was 3.45mm, a 2.21× increase, with only 2 patient veins failing to increase in diameter. Smaller veins (<2mm) exhibited significantly more dilation than larger veins after anesthesia (2.73 vs. 1.47×, P<0.001). In the multiple regression analysis, smaller vein diameter was correlated with a significantly greater degree of dilation (P<0.001). The degree of venous dilation was not affected by patient demographic-specific factors or by the type of anesthesia (regional block versus general) in the multiple regression analysis. 6month follow-up data for fistula maturation was available for 75 of 108 patients. Small veins (<2mm) on preoperative ultrasound matured at a similar rate as larger veins (90% vs. 91.4%, P=0.833). Small caliber distal cephalic veins experience a significant degree of dilation under regional and general anesthesia and can successfully be used for AVF creation. Consideration should be made to perform a postanesthesia vein mapping for all patients undergoing access placement despite preoperative venous mapping results.

THROMBO ANGIITIS OBLITERANS- A CASE REPORT

Thrombo angiitis obliterans (TAO) is an inflammatory endarteritis associated with heavy tobacco use, affecting small and medium-sized arteries and veins of the upper and lower extremities, resulting in vaso - occlusion. Clinical features include pain, paraesthesia, moderate-to-severe claudication, paresis, and pulselessness. In Allopathy, pharmacologic or surgical therapy is not beneficial and amputation is considered the viable option.After an assessment of the patient and the disease, based on Ayurvedic principles, a treatment protocol was formulated. The treatment principles include the re-establishment of vascularity by the removal of occlusion (Srothorodhahara, Avaranahara), achieving normalcy of the tissue elements (Dhathu Samyatha), and pacification of the bioregulatory principles (Thridosha). Both purification (Sodhana) and pacification (Samana) treatment protocols were incorporated to achieve normalcy.A 65-year-old male patient was admitted and treated in the IPD of Dept. of Roganidana, Govt. Ayurveda College Thiruvananthapuram for Thrombo angiitis obliterans, with Ayurvedic medications and procedures. The signs and symptoms were completely relieved, and an arterial doppler study revealed normal vascularity of the affected limb.

Surgical Prevention of Thromboembolic Complications in Transfascial Thrombosis

The aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical methods of prevention of venous thromboembolic complications in transfascial thrombosis of the lower extremities.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The paper analyzes the results of examination and surgical or conservative treatment of 417 patients with transfascial thrombosis treated at the Vascular Surgery Department of the Zakarpattia Regional Clinical Hospital named after A. Novak from 1995 to March 2020 and at the Surgical Department of the Central City Clinical Hospital of Uzhhorod from September 2020 to September 2022. The main (I) group consisted of 349 (83.7%) patients who were operated for transfascial thrombosis. The control (II) group consisted of 68 (16.3%) patients with transfascial thrombosis who received conservative treatment.&#x0D; Results. In case of acute varicothrombophlebitis complicated by transfascial thrombosis, the scope of surgery should be expanded in order to surgically prevent thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery. All the patients with transfascial thrombosis were treated as for deep vein thrombosis. The approach to the removal of the small saphenous vein should be differentiated depending on the extent of thrombotic occlusion and the confluence of the sural veins. Surgical treatment of patients with transfascial thrombosis made it possible to prevent recurrence of the thrombotic process in the superficial and deep veins of the lower extremities, thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, while with conservative treatment their frequency was 5.1%, 3.4% and 3.4%, respectively. Active surgical tactics in patients of the I group made it possible to reduce the frequency of manifestations of decompensated chronic venous insufficiency from 27.1% to 7.0%, and manifestations of postthrombotic syndrome in the deep veins of the lower extremities from 100% to 3.7%.&#x0D; Conclusions. Implementation of operative treatment of acute varicothrombophlebitis complicated by transfascial thrombosis allows to effectively prevent venous thromboembolic complications, eliminate manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency and prevent the development of post-thrombotic changes in superficial and deep veins.

Left bundle branch area pacing: How to prevent a coronary venous fistula.

Left bundle branch area pacing: How to prevent a coronary venous fistula.

A Novel Graft Route by Passage under the Achilles Tendon in Paramalleolar Distal Bypass Using the Small Saphenous Vein

A 77-year-old man with diabetes presented to our hospital because of left toe gangrene, requiring infrapopliteal revascularization. The patient was on hemodialysis for renal dysfunction. The great saphenous veins had been used for a previous coronary artery bypass. Hence, the small saphenous vein was applied in a popliteal-to-distal posterior tibial artery bypass. The vein graft was passed under the Achilles tendon to reduce graft length, preventing external compression around the ankle. We performed minor amputation and provided negative pressure wound therapy to promote ulcer healing. The wounds healed entirely after two months.

Electroacupuncture regulates glucose metabolism disorder through PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway in rats with depression

To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST36) on improving glucose metabolism disorder in chronic restraint induced depressed rats. A total of 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups, with 10 rats in each group. The depression model was established by chronic restraint 2.5 h each day for 4 weeks. For rats in the EA group, EA stimulation (1 mA, 2 Hz, 30 min) was applied to bilateral ST36 during the modeling period, once a day for 4 weeks. The body weight of the rats was recorded before and after modeling. The behavior of rats was observed by sugar-water preference and forced swimming after modeling. The contents of glucose and glycosylated albumin in serum were determined by biochemical method. The histopathological morphology and liver glycogen content were observed by HE and PAS staining. The expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated (p)-PI3K (p-PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), p-Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) and p-GSK3β proteins in liver were determined by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the weight increment and sugar-water preference index decreased (P<0.01), the immobile swimming time was prolonged (P<0.01), the glucose and glycosylated albumin contents in serum increased (P<0.05), the expression of p-Akt protein and the ratio of p-Akt/Akt in liver tissues decreased (P<0.001), the expression of p-GSK3β protein and the ratio of p-GSK3β/GSK3β in liver tissues increased (P<0.01,P<0.001) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the weight increment and sugar-water preference index increased (P<0.05), the immobile swimming time was shortened (P<0.05), the glucose and glycosylated albumin contents in serum decreased (P<0.05), the expressions of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins and the ratio of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt in liver tissues increased (P<0.05), the expression of p-GSK3β protein and the ratio of p-GSK3β/GSK3β in liver tissues decreased (P<0.01) in the EA group. HE staining showed that the structure of the hepatic lobule was intact, no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration or fibrosis was observed in the lobule and interstitium, and no abnormalities were observed in the small bile duct, portal vein and artery in the portal area. PAS staining showed that the intensity of staining from the center of the hepatic lobule to the periphery of the hepatic lobule was gradually enhanced in the blank group, that is, the glycogen-rich granules in the hepatic cells were gradually increased; most of the hepatocytes were light colored and glycogen was lost significantly in the model group; while the intensity of hepatocyte staining increased, the staining intensity of the perilobular zone was weaker than that in the blank group, and the glycogen particles partially recovered in the EA group. EA intervention can regulate glucose metabolism disorder in chronic restraint induced depressed rats through PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway.

Intimal granulomatous angiitis in sarcoid pulmonary vasculitis: worth remembering.

Intimal granulomatous angiitis is a facet of pulmonary sarcoidosis vasculitis that has almost been forgotten. Its observation may offer new understanding of the various patterns of pulmonary hypertension associated with sarcoidosis. https://bit.ly/3g6Ms76.

Association between lower extremity venous insufficiency and increased choroidal thickness

The goal of this study is to investigate the association between the choroid and lower extremity venous insufficiency (LEVI). This prospective cross-sectional study includes 56 patients with LEVI and 50 age/sex-similar control subjects. Choroidal thickness (CT) measurements from 5 different points were captured from all participants by optical coherence tomography. In the group with LEVI on physical examination, reflux at the saphenofemoral junction, and the diameter of the great and small saphenous veins were evaluated via color Doppler ultrasonography. The mean subfoveal CT was higher in the varicose group than in the control group (363.04±99.75μm vs. 320.30±73.46μm, P=0.013). In addition, the CTs at the temporal 3mm, temporal 1mm, nasal 1mm, and nasal 3mm distance from the fovea were higher in the LEVI group compared to the controls (for all, P<0.05). There was no correlation between CT and diameter of the great and small saphenous vein in patients with LEVI (for all, P>0.05). However, the great and small saphenous veins of patients with CT above 400μm were observed to be wider in patients with LEVI (P=0.027 and P=0.007, respectively). Varicose veins can be a feature of systemic venous pathology. Another component of systemic venous disease may be increased CT. Patients with high CT should be investigated for susceptibility to LEVI.

Effects of ultrasound with an automatic vessel detection system using artificial intelligence on the selection of puncture points among ultrasound beginner clinical nurses.

Ultrasound guidance increases the success rate of peripheral intravenous catheter placement. However, the longer time required to obtain ultrasound-guided access poses difficulties for ultrasound beginners. Notably, interpretation of ultrasonographic images is considered as one of the main reasons of difficulty in using ultrasound for catheter placement. Therefore, an automatic vessel detection system (AVDS) using artificial intelligence was developed. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of AVDS for ultrasound beginners in selecting puncture points and determine suitable users for this system. In this crossover experiment involving the use of ultrasound with and without AVDS, we enrolled 10 clinical nurses, including 5 with some experience in peripheral intravenous catheterization using ultrasound-aided methods (categorized as ultrasound beginners) and 5 with no experience in ultrasound and less experience in peripheral intravenous catheterization using conventional methods (categorized as inexperienced). These participants chose two puncture points (those with the largest and second largest diameter) as ideal in each forearm of a healthy volunteer. The results of this study were the time required for the selection of puncture points and the vein diameter of the selected points. Among ultrasound beginners, the time required for puncture point selection in the right forearm second candidate vein with a small diameter (<3 mm) was significantly shorter when using ultrasound with AVDS than when using it without AVDS (mean, 87 vs 247 s). Among inexperienced nurses, no significant difference in the time required for all puncture point selections was found between the use of ultrasound with and without AVDS. In the vein diameter, significant difference was shown only in the absolute difference at left second candidate among inexperienced participants. Ultrasonography beginners needed less time to select the puncture points in a small diameter vein using ultrasound with AVDS than without AVDS.

Fluoroscopy-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins in the legs: A retrospective cohort analysis with long-term follow-up

ObjectiveTo examine the long-term effectiveness of fluoroscopy-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins in the legs. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients who underwent fluoroscopy-guided foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins in the legs at the authors’ center during a period from August 1, 2011, to May 31, 2016. The last follow-up was conducted by a telephone/WeChat interactive interview in May 2022. Recurrence was defined as the presence of varicose veins regardless of symptoms. ResultsThe final analysis included 94 patients (58.3 ± 7.8 years of age; 43 men; 119 legs). The median Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology (CEAP) clinical class was 3.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.0, 4.0). C5 and C6 accounted for 5.0% (6/119) of the legs. The average total amount of the foam sclerosant used during the procedure was 35 ± 12 mL (range: 10-75 mL). No patients developed stroke, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism after the treatment. At the last follow-up, the median CEAP clinical class reduction was 3.0. All 119 legs except for class 5 achieved the CEAP clinical class reduction by at least one grade. The median venous clinical severity score was 2.0 (IQR: 1.0, 5.0) at the last follow-up vs 7.0 (IQR: 5.0, 8.0) at the baseline (P < .001). The recurrence rate was 30.9% (29/94) in the overall analysis, 26.6% (25/94) for the great saphenous vein and 4.3% (4/94) for the small saphenous vein (P < .001). Five patients received subsequent surgical treatment, and the remaining patients opted to receive conservative treatments. Among the two C5 legs at the baseline, ulcer recurred in one leg at 3 months after the treatment and healed after conservative treatments. In the four C6 legs at the baseline, ulcer healed within a month in all patients. The rate of hyperpigmentation was 11.8% (14/119). ConclusionsLong-term outcomes in patients undergoing fluoroscopy-guided foam sclerotherapy are satisfying, with minimal short-term safety concerns.

Elderly onset atypical Lemierre’s syndrome concurrent with a rheumatoid vasculitis sacral ulcer infection: a case report

BackgroundTypical Lemierre’s syndrome is usually secondary to an oropharyngeal infection. Recently, several cases following a primary infection site other than the oropharynx have been reported as atypical Lemierre’s syndrome; although, these primary lesions are limited to the head and neck. This is the first case potentially sequential to infectious foci outside the head and neck.Case presentationWe describe an atypical Lemierre’s syndrome in a 72-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, which occurred during the treatment of Streptococcus anginosus bacteremia acquired from a sacral ulcer infection related to rheumatoid vasculitis. At first, the symptoms resolved after the initial administration of vancomycin for the bacteremia caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus anginosus that entered via a sacral ulcer. On the 8th day, the patient developed a fever of 40 °C and unexpectedly required 10 L of oxygen due to rapid deterioration of oxygenation temporarily. Immediately contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed to investigate systemic thrombosis including pulmonary embolism. Afterward, the newly formed thrombi at the right external jugular vein, bilateral internal jugular veins, and the right small saphenous vein were detected, and apixaban was started. On the 9th day, the patient again had an intermittent fever of 39.7 °C, and continuous Streptococcus anginosus bacteremia was revealed; subsequently, clindamycin was administered. On the 10th day, she developed a left hemothorax; consequently, apixaban was discontinued, and a thoracic drain was inserted. She repeatedly had an intermittent fever of 40.3 °C, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography detected an abscess formation at the left parotid gland, pterygoid muscle group, and masseter muscle. After Lemierre’s syndrome was diagnosed in combination with the abovementioned jugular vein thrombus, clindamycin was replaced with meropenem, and vancomycin was increased. Swelling of the lower part of the left ear became prominent with delay and peaked at approximately the 16th day. The subsequent treatment course was favorable, and she was discharged on the 41st day.ConclusionClinicians should consider Lemierre’s syndrome as the differential diagnosis of internal jugular vein thrombosis occurring during sepsis, even though an antibiotic is administered or a primary infection site is anything besides the oropharynx.

Morphological changes in the testes of white rats and humans in acute and chronic alcoholic intoxications: Experimental and sectional study

BACKGROUND: This study analyzed the effects of ethyl alcohol and narcotic drugs on male reproductive organs. Practically no studies have examined morphological transformations in the testicles during alcohol intoxication, which, at the current level of ethanol consumption by men of reproductive age, is a social and medical problem that is far from being solved.&#x0D; AIM: Through short-term and long-term experiments, this study aimed to examine the severity and dynamics of morphological changes in the gonads during alcohol intoxication in mature rats and in comparison with those in individuals who died from alcoholic disease and severe alcohol catamnesis.&#x0D; MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study examined the testicles of sexually mature rats that were subjected to acute and chronic alcohol intoxications (from 2 weeks to 6 months) and testicles of persons who died in which ethyl alcohol was found in the blood (at least 5 promile) and alcohol catamnesis were noted.&#x0D; RESULTS: In both experimental and sectional materials, the stroma of the testicles was characterized by severe circulatory disorders with plethora and stasis in post-capillaries and small veins, edema, and perivascular and interstitial sclerosis. The inhibition of spermatogenesis in the sectional material was more pronounced, which indicated that alcohol was the main etiopathological factor in these changes.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: Chronic alcohol intoxication in both rats and men has damaging effects both directly, with changes in the stroma and testicular parenchyma, and indirectly on the overlying links of the reproductive system (hypothalamus and pituitary gland). The neurotoxic, microangiopathic, and disenergetic effects of ethanol inhibit normal spermatogenesis. Ultimately, the negative effect based on the morphological analysis was observed in the hypotesticular conditions and morphological manifestations of the testicular wasting syndrome.

Prospective cohort study of the venous system through duplex mapping in the puerperal pregnancy cycle

Objective: To evaluate the changes in the venous system during pregnancy and childbirth in pregnant and postpartum women without previous venous disease. Methods: This is an observational, analytical prospective cohort study carried out from May 2021 to October 2021, in pregnant women undergoing caesarean section on their first postoperative day, with duplex mapping being performed to assess the diameter and reflux of the great and small saphenous veins, mean venous flow velocity in the common femoral veins in dorsal decubitus and the comparison of velocities when adopting the left and right lateral decubitus position before caesarean section and on the first postpartum day. Result: 49 pregnant women were evaluated, and an increase in flow velocity was observed when adopting the right and left lateral positions in relation to pre- and post-cesarean section in dorsal decubitus. The mean velocity of venous flow from the common femoral vein increased in the postpartum period, regardless of the decubitus adopted. Conclusion: There was an improvement in flow in the femoral vein with the change from dorsal decubitus to right and left lateral decubitus and after termination of pregnancy.

Pathophysiology of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease.

Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disease (MOGAD) is a spectrum of diseases, including optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and cerebral cortical encephalitis. In addition to distinct clinical, radiological, and immunological features, the infectious prodrome is more commonly reported in MOGAD (37-70%) than NMOSD (15-35%). Interestingly, pediatric MOGAD is not more aggressive than adult-onset MOGAD, unlike in multiple sclerosis (MS), where annualized relapse rates are three times higher in pediatric-onset MS. MOGAD pathophysiology is driven by acute attacks during which T cells and MOG antibodies cross blood brain barrier (BBB). MOGAD lesions show a perivenous confluent pattern around the small veins, lacking the radiological central vein sign. Initial activation of T cells in the periphery is followed by reactivation in the subarachnoid/perivascular spaces by MOG-laden antigen-presenting cells and inflammatory CSF milieu, which enables T cells to infiltrate CNS parenchyma. CD4+ T cells, unlike CD8+ T cells in MS, are the dominant T cell type found in lesion histology. Granulocytes, macrophages/microglia, and activated complement are also found in the lesions, which could contribute to demyelination during acute relapses. MOG antibodies potentially contribute to pathology by opsonizing MOG, complement activation, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Stimulation of peripheral MOG-specific B cells through TLR stimulation or T follicular helper cells might help differentiate MOG antibody-producing plasma cells in the peripheral blood. Neuroinflammatory biomarkers (such as MBP, sNFL, GFAP, Tau) in MOGAD support that most axonal damage happens in the initial attack, whereas relapses are associated with increased myelin damage.

Autonomic dysfunction-dominant phenotype in a Chinese family with biallelic GGC repeat expansions in NOTCH2NLC.

The GGC repeat expansions in the NOTCH2NLC gene are associated with multiple neurodegenerative disorders. Herein, we report the clinical phenotype in a family with biallelic GGC expansions in NOTCH2NLC. Autonomic dysfunction was a prominent clinical manifestation in three genetically confirmed patients without dementia, parkinsonism, and cerebellar ataxia for > 12years. A 7-T brain magnetic resonance imaging in two patients revealed a change in the small cerebral veins. The biallelic GGC repeat expansions may not modify the disease progression in neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease. Autonomic dysfunction-dominant may expand the clinical phenotype of NOTCH2NLC.

Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Chronic Insufficiency of the Saphenous Vein-A Comparative Retrospective Study.

The broad spectrum of chronic venous disease encompasses varicose veins, edema, hyperpigmentation and venous ulcers. Radiofrequency thermal ablation is indicated for the treatment of superficial venous reflux of the lower limb. Our research is a comparative clinical study that aims to identify the most effective and safest therapeutic method in the management of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs. Patients admitted to the Department of Surgery of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, with the clinical diagnosis of varicose veins of the lower limbs, treated by thermal ablation with radiofrequency or by open surgical techniques during the year 2022, were included. A percentage of 50.9% of the patients were treated by the radiofrequency thermal ablation procedure and 49.1% by surgical treatment. More than half of them were hospitalized for 2 days. The duration of hospitalization was significantly longer in patients who had postoperative complications (p < 0.001). The chance of being treated by open surgical treatment for a small saphenous vein is 10.11 times higher than by radiofrequency thermal ablation. According to the applied tests, there is no statistical difference between the group treated by radiofrequency thermal ablation and the one surgically treated in terms of sex, age, origin, CEAP clinical stage at hospitalization, clinical diagnosis at hospitalization and affected lower limb.

An optical and acoustic investigation of microbubble cavitation in small channels under therapeutic ultrasound conditions.

Therapeutic focused ultrasound in combination with encapsulated microbubbles is being widely investigated for its ability to elicit bioeffects in the microvasculature, such as transient permeabilization for drug delivery or at higher pressures to achieve 'antivascular' effects. While it is well established that the behaviors of microbubbles are altered when they are situated within sufficiently small vessels, there is a paucity of data examining how the bubble population dynamics and emissions change as a function of channel (vessel) diameter over a size range relevant to therapeutic ultrasound, particularly at pressures relevant to antivascular ultrasound. Here we use acoustic emissions detection and high-speed microscopy (10 kframes/s) to examine the behavior of a polydisperse clinically employed agent (Definity®) in wall-less channels as their diameters are scaled from 1200 to 15µm. Pressures are varied from 0.1 to 3MPa using either a 5ms pulse or a sequence of 0.1ms pulses spaced at 1ms, both of which have been previously employed in an in vivo context. With increasing pressure, the 1200µm channel - on the order of small arteries and veins - exhibited inertial cavitation, 1/2 subharmonics and 3/2 ultraharmonics, consistent with numerous previous reports. The 200 and 100µm channels - in the size range of larger microvessels less affected by therapeutic focused ultrasound - exhibited a distinctly different behavior, having muted development of 1/2 subharmonics and 3/2 ultraharmonics and reduced persistence. These were associated with radiation forces displacing bubbles to the distal wall and inducing clusters that then rapidly dissipated along with emissions. As the diameter transitioned to 50 and then 15µm - a size regime that is most relevant to therapeutic focused ultrasound - there was a higher threshold for the onset of inertial cavitation as well as subharmonics and ultraharmonics, which importantly had more complex orders that are not normally reported. Clusters also occurred in these channels (e.g. at 3MPa, the mean lateral and axial sizes were 23 and 72µm in the 15µm channel; 50 and 90µm in the 50µm channel), however in this case they occupied the entire lumens and displaced the wall boundaries. Damage to the 15µm channel was observed for both pulse types, but at a lower pressure for the long pulse. Experiments conducted with a 'nanobubble' (<0.45µm) subpopulation of Definity followed broadly similar features to 'native' Definity, albeit at a higher pressure threshold for inertial cavitation. These results provide new insights into the behavior of microbubbles in small vessels at higher pressures and have implications for therapeutic focused ultrasound cavitation monitoring and control.