As compared with pressure injuries, the mechanism the development of medical device related pressure ulcers (MDRPU) is not revealed enough. According to studies on severity and frequent site of occurrence, MDRPUs are surmised to occur the surface of the skin. In this study, we assess theoretical and experimental analysis by two-dimensional mechanical model for elastic stockings (ES) wear the lower limbs with or without dug into the skin by the wrinkles and curling up of ES. The Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to calculate the stress on the skin and subcutaneous tissue, because of elucidating the mechanism of MDRPU. The FEM used a triple-layered cylindrical model simulating the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and bone. Regarding the interface pressure (compression pressure), two samples were created: the one is applying a uniform pressure of 5.3 kPa on the skin surface simulating the correct wearing of ES, and the other is applying a pressure of 16 kPa on the part of the skin on which ES dug in. The results were as follows: the internal stress on the skin and subcutaneous tissue was maximum at the site where ES dug in, producing stresses of 54 kPa, 50 kPa, and 21 kPa in the circumferential, longitudinal, and radial directions, respectively. The uniform pressure produced an internal stress of 5–9 kPa on the skin surface. Unlike the mechanism of pressure injury formation, we considered compressive strength from tensile of the circumferential and longitudinal directions, furthermore the additive radial pressure at the digging site on the skin due to the wrinkles and curling of ES, which is one of the factor to cause strong external force in the MDRPU formation. (This is secondary publication from Jpn J Phlebol 2021; 32(1): 119–126.)

After previous earthquakes, high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases including venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been reported. We performed venous screening at the site of Hokkaido East Iburi Earthquake which happened at 6th September 2018. VTE screening using ultrasound sonography was performed for total 7 days at Atsuma town, Mukawa town and Abira town (total 9 shelters). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was found in 19 of 195 evacuees (9.7%), including 8 fresh thrombus cases (4.1%). On multivariable analysis of evacuees and shelter environment factors, systolic blood pressure, use of cardboard bed and toilet environment were significant predictor of DVT. Introduction and setting-up of cardboard beds were found as an important shelter environment factor. (This is secondary publication from Jpn J Phlebol 2021; 32(1): 5–10.)

Objective: Due to the potential of thrombus blockage and aneurysm rupture, saphenous veins with varicose veins are not advised for use as bypass grafts. However, if no other autologous vein is accessible for use as a conduit in lower-limb bypass; varicose vein transplants may be employed. Few reports have studied the clinical results of lower-limb bypass using varicose vein grafts. We therefore investigated whether or not acceptable patency rates of varicose vein graft for lower-limb bypass could be achieved.

Methods: We performed lower-limb bypass using varicose vein graft on nine limbs from June 2017 to May 2020 and conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Results: Early graft failure following bypass surgery using a varicose vein transplant was not detected, and major complications, such as acute graft occlusion or aneurysm dilatation, were not noted throughout the follow-up period. The primary and secondary patency of varicose vein graft was 70.0% and 100% at 3 years, respectively.

Conclusion: The incidence of major problems of the varicose vein transplants does not seem to be higher than with conventional saphenous vein grafts. If there are no other appropriate autologous veins, a varicose vein graft may be useful as a conduit for bypass surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the features and causes of dependent edema (DE) in the legs of patients in geriatrics.

Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 224 patients with DE, aged ≥65 years, who visited our clinic from April 2009–March 2022. DE was defined as bilateral leg edema in patients without known systemic edemagenic conditions, venous insufficiency confirmed by duplex venous scanning, or a cancer treatment history in the pelvic/inguinal lesions.

Results: The median patient age was 77 years (range: 65–94 years), where 74% were female. Overall, 198 patients (88%) had gait disturbances caused mainly by musculoskeletal disorders, but 58 (26%) walked without aid. Compared with patients with DE only (N=129), patients with DE and venous stasis-related skin lesions (N=95) included a larger number of those with obesity than did those with DE only (26% vs. 14%, p=0.02).

Conclusion: The primary cause of DE in older patients was the sedentary lifestyle secondary to aging and gait disturbance, not solely because of reduced leg function. The complications of obesity are associated with increased venous stasis-related skin lesions.

Objectives: It is unclear whether patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) with and without residual deep vein thrombosis (DVT) have different prognoses, and there is debate over whether inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) should be used in conjunction with oral anticoagulants in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Materials and Methods: The J’xactly involved 1,016 patients and was a multicenter, prospective, observational research. In this subanalysis, 419 patients with PE with or without residual DVT who received rivaroxaban with or without IVCFs between February 2016 and April 2018 in Japan were examined.

Results: Of 419 patients with PE, 320 had residual DVT. There was no difference between the groups with and without DVT in terms of the percentage of patients who experienced symptomatic PE recurrence (2.8% [9/320] vs. 3.0% [3/99]) or who died from VTE-related complications (0.9% [3/320] vs. 1.0% [1/99]). The percentages of patients with symptomatic PE recurrence were 0% and 3.2%, and the percentages of patients who died from VTE-related causes were 0% and 1.1%, respectively, in the groups with (n=39) and without (n=281) IVCF, albeit not being statistically different.

Conclusion: Patients with PE with and without residual DVT did not have a different incidence of symptomatic PE recurrence. These results require additional study to be confirmed.

Objectives: Since 2018, we have routinely placed an Amplatzer vascular plug (AVP) in the proximal left subclavian artery (LSCA) to prevent embolic events during thoracic endovascular aortic repair with arch vessel debranching (d-TEVAR). Type II endoleaks of LSCA origin were observed in two patients (20%), and the coil-in-plug (CIP) method, i.e., microcatheter insertion through the plug and addition of coil embolization, which has been used since August 2019, was performed. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CIP method for LSCA embolization.

Methods: A total of 26 patients who underwent d-TEVAR for an aortic arch aneurysm between 2018 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Ten patients who underwent d-TEVAR with a simple AVP placement (the control group) and 16 patients who underwent d-TEVAR with the CIP method (the CIP group) were compared.

Results: Two patients had type II endoleaks in the control group, whereas none had them in the CIP group. LSCA length was significantly shorter in patients with endoleaks than in those without endoleaks (24.5 vs. 50.3 mm; p<0.01). No perioperative deaths or cerebral infarctions occurred in either group.

Conclusions: AVP placement in the LSCA during d-TEVAR effectively prevented perioperative cerebral infarction. d-TEVAR with CIP was especially useful in patients with a short LSCA.

Objectives: Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare but potentially fatal condition. Early diagnosis and intervention are the key steps in the management of this condition. We have reviewed our institution’s 4-year data regarding the presentation and management of this condition.

Methods: We conducted a prospective review of the records of 10 patients who presented to our institute from January 2018 to December 2021 with a splenic artery pseudoaneurysm. We found one patient with a true aneurysm, whom we excluded from the study.

Results: This study included seven male and two female patients with a mean age of 47.7 years. Six patients presented to the emergency department with bleeding secondary to rupture aneurysm, which is the most common reason for admission. Pancreatitis was found to be the most common cause for splenic artery pseudoaneurysm (five patients). Computed tomography angiogram remained the modality of choice for diagnosing splenic artery pseudoaneurysm. All patients were successfully managed with endovascular intervention.

Conclusion: Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm is usually a rare complication of pancreatitis, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Timely diagnosis and intervention are the keys to successful management. Endovascular embolization should be the first-line therapy in splenic artery pseudoaneurysm.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the clinical features of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the background, thrombus site, treatment, and outcome of 76 UEDVT patients.

Results: Of the 76 UEDVT patients, 44 (57.9%) were men, and 51 (67.1%) were complicated by malignancy, 44 (57.9%) had an indwelling central vein (CV) catheter, 8 (10.5%) had concomitant pulmonary embolization (PE), and 33 (43.3%) were symptomatic. Regarding the thrombus site, the right internal jugular vein was the most common, with 30 cases (35.3%). As regards the treatment method, 53 patients (69.7%) received oral anticoagulants. In 2015, when direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) was covered by insurance, there were 44 UEDVT cases, of which 34 (77.3%) received DOACs. Outcomes at a mean observation period of 37.5±41.5 months included 40 deaths (52.6%) with a mean survival of 16.3±21.3 months. The most common cause of death was malignancy, with 33 cases (82.5%).

Conclusion: In the background of UEDVT, the combination of indwelling CV catheter placement and malignancy was frequently observed. While the risk of recurrence or PE complications is low, the prognosis of UEDVT complicated by malignancy is extremely poor.

Objectives: In this study, we aim to assess the efficacy of revision using distal inflow (RUDI) in patients with symptomatic dialysis access-associated steal syndrome (DASS).

Materials and Methods: All consecutive patients who were diagnosed with grade 3 or 4 DASS and have undergone RUDI in 4 years were included in this study.

Results: In total, 35 patients were included in this study; participants had a mean age of 47.5±7.52 years and 54% (n=19) were males. As per our findings, significant improvement was noted in terms of paresthesia (81.2%, p-value: 0.012), coolness (79.4%, p-value: 0.006), pain (78.1%, p-value: 0.006), discoloration (76.4%, p-value: 0.044), paresis (71.4%, p-value: 0.016), and ulcer healing (50%, p-value: 0.044). Gangrene did not further progress in all patients (n=35). Reduction in fistula flow rate after RUDI was 57.5% (682±121 ml/min, p-value: 0.001). Digital systolic pressure was noted to improve by 71.4% (60±9.2 mmHg, p-value: 0.002) after RUDI. Peak systolic velocity increased in both ulnar (66.1±8.2 cm/s, p-value: 0.04) and radial (64.2±7.6 cm/s, p-value: 0.024) arteries of the wrist. Cumulative patency of RUDI graft was 100%, 91.4%, and 85.7% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively.

Conclusion: RUDI has resulted in significant improvements in terms of DASS symptoms. Using a native vein as conduit, RUDI should be considered a procedure of choice for patients with high-flow DASS.

We herein present a case involving an 86-year-old man with abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated by symptomatic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The patient received preoperative treatment for DIC using recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rTM) followed by open surgical repair of the aneurysm. The patient’s coagulopathy cleared quickly after the start of rTM, and the intraoperative and postoperative course went smoothly. The patient was followed without anticoagulant medication, and there was no recurrence of DIC during 14 months of follow-up. The preoperative administration of rTM can be a useful choice to assist safe treatment of aortic aneurysm complicated by aneurysm-related DIC.

A 65-year-old Japanese man without medical history presented with sudden onset lower abdominal pain to our emergency department. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed dissections of the inferior mesenteric artery and left renal artery with false lumen thrombosis without aortic dissection. He was immediately hospitalized, and conservative treatment was administered. However, on the third-day post-onset, the patient reported severe upper abdominal pain and contrast-enhanced CT showed a new superior mesenteric artery dissection. He continued to receive conservative treatment, and his symptoms improved. He was discharged after ten days of hospitalization.

Floating aortic arch thrombi—blood clots forming in an aorta without aneurysms or atherosclerosis—in a normal aorta are exceedingly rare. The etiology is unknown, and there are no guidelines for appropriate treatment strategies. We report a case of floating aortic arch thrombosis in a patient without coagulopathy that was treated surgically. As the mass could not be identified preoperatively as a tumor or thrombus, synthetic graft replacement was performed, allowing resection of the lesion site. Histopathological examination revealed erosion and fissures in the tunica intima of the aorta, which suggested vessel damage to the tunica intima as the cause.

In this study, we present a case of 59-year-old man with a posterior tibial artery (PTA) aneurysm. Mostly, PTA aneurysm is caused by trauma, infection, and iatrogenic injury. The patient had a history of ankle trauma that occurred 2 years ago. Computed tomography and ultrasonography showed a 7×14 mm PTA aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected and primary end-to-end anastomosis was performed. So far, there are only few reported cases of PTA aneurysm. Herein, we describe the surgical strategy and provide detailed intraoperative images.

A 64-year-old male patient who presented with symptoms indicative of hemolytic anemia was referred to our hospital. After obtaining the patient’s history, it was found that hemolysis occurred 14 years after he underwent ascending aortic replacement for acute type A aortic dissection. Enhanced computed tomography revealed an aortic pseudoaneurysm at the proximal anastomosis, which was thought to be the cause of hemolysis. Furthermore, aortic valve regurgitation and dilatation of the sinus of Valsalva were also found on a transthoracic echocardiogram. Therefore, the Bentall procedure was performed. During the surgery, aortic pseudoaneurysm formation and vascular graft stenosis were observed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and hemolysis diminished soon after the surgery.

An 81-year-old Japanese man who had distal aortic arch dilatation at age 77 had thoracic endovascular aortic surgery. The patient developed a fever and was taken to the hospital. Reduced diffusion in the descending aortic wall along the stent graft was discovered using whole-body diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression, and stent-graft infection was identified. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis and blood culture results identified Campylobacter insulaenigrae as the etiological bacterial species. The patient was released from the hospital after 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment since the swelling and inflammatory response had decreased.

A zone 0 landing thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed on a 69-year-old man with a saccular aortic arch aneurysm. Seven days after the surgery, the patient experienced diminished consciousness and lower limb paralysis. Stent graft collapse was seen on a computed tomography scan. Thereafter, the patient underwent total arch replacement and emergency stent graft removal.

A 53-year-old man suddenly developed chest and back pain while driving, resulting in an accident. Computed tomography revealed acute type A aortic dissection with malperfusion of the left lower extremity, retroperitoneal extravasation, hematoma in the anterior mediastinum, and ascites in the rectovesical pouch. Exploratory laparotomy before aortic repair revealed intestinal perforation and retroperitoneal bleeding, which were repaired, and an ascending aortic replacement was performed. Visceral trauma with active bleeding should be treated with priority, even if the need for systemic heparinization accompanies acute type A aortic dissection during surgery for aortic dissection.