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Biomedical subjects

Jeanne M LaBerge

Publications and source records attributed to Jeanne M LaBerge.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt--role in treating intractable variceal bleeding, ascites, and hepatic hydrothorax.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) patency can be improved by the use of covered stents. Although this technical advance may lower the costs associated with TIPS, the overall role of TIPS in the management of portal hypertension may not change. Currently, bare metal TIPS is indicated in the treatment of acute refractory variceal hemorrhage, in the secondary prevention of variceal hemorrhage, for the management of ascites refractory to both medical management and large-volume paracentesis, and in the control of hepatic hydrothorax refractory to medical management.

Ascites↗

Sharp recanalization of a short esophageal occluding stricture in a patient with epidermolysis bullosa.

BACKGROUND: Although esophageal strictures caused by epidermolysis bullosa are often treated with balloon dilations, complete obstruction has few effective therapies except esophagectomy with colonic replacement. OBJECTIVE: Resolution of esophageal obstructive lesion without surgical intervention. DESIGN: Case study. SETTING: Interventional radiology. PATIENT: Epidermolysis bullosa with esophageal stricture. INTERVENTION: Endoscopic- and guidewire-guided sharp recanalization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Radiologic evidence of stricture resolution. RESULTS: Successful recanalization. LIMITATIONS: Experience of operators (anesthesiologist, endoscopist, interventional radiologist). CONCLUSIONS: Sharp recanalization of a complete stricture in patients with epidermolysis bullosa is feasible in a controlled setting.

Adult↗

Outcomes of tracheobronchial stent placement for benign disease.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine long-term outcomes in patients who have undergone tracheobronchial stent placement for benign diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this retrospective HIPAA-compliant study, with waiver of informed consent. Forty patients (22 female, 18 male; mean age, 52.0 years) who were treated with metallic airway stents for benign stenosis were identified from an interventional radiology database. Causes of airway stenosis included transplant stricture (n = 13), tracheal tube injury (n = 10), inflammation (n = 6), tracheobronchomalacia (n = 4), infection (n = 3), and extrinsic compression (n = 4). Follow-up, which ranged from 6 to 2473 days, was performed by means of chart review for deceased patients and by means of clinical visit or telephone interview for surviving patients. Survival, primary patency, and assisted patency were estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier product limits method. RESULTS: Initial technical success was achieved in all cases. Symptomatic improvement was present in 39 of 40 cases. At review, 15 patients were alive and had clinical improvement, 18 had died of comorbid causes, one had died of uncertain causes, three had undergone subsequent airway surgery, two had undergone airway stent retrieval, and one was lost to follow-up. Survival at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 years was 79%, 76%, 51%, 47%, 38%, and 23%, respectively. Loss of primary patency was most rapid during the 1st year. With repeat intervention, assisted patency was 90% at 6.8 years. CONCLUSION: Attrition of tracheobronchial stent patency is most rapid during the 1st year, and a high rate of long-term patency can be achieved with secondary interventions. Metallic airway stents are well-tolerated and useful adjuncts for management of select benign tracheobronchial stenoses.

Adult↗

Orthopedic spinal and hip prostheses: effects of magnetic susceptibility artifacts during MR arteriography and venography of abdomen and pelvis.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine if susceptibility artifacts from internal metallic spinal fixation devices and hip prostheses limit the depiction of vascular anatomy and pathologic abnormalities during magnetic resonance (MR) arteriography and venography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the Committee on Human Research of the Institutional Review Board, which waived the requirement for informed consent and deemed the study to be HIPAA compliant. Forty-two contrast material-enhanced MR angiographic examinations were performed by using a 1.5-T imager in 41 patients (16 men, 25 women; mean age, 57 years; range, 36-79 years); 33 of these examinations included both MR arteriographic and MR venographic components. On the basis of resolution, images for which more than 3 mm of vessels were affected by susceptibility artifacts were considered uninterpretable. The odds of obtaining an uninterpretable image due to metallic artifacts were calculated, and a chi(2) analysis was employed to determine significance. RESULTS: Total hip prostheses and spinal hardware that terminated above the L5 level did not generate any appreciable artifacts at MR arteriography (P < .001) or MR venography (P = .002). In patients with hardware that extended to the sacrum, 88% of MR arteriograms were of diagnostic quality (P = .001), but only 21% of MR venograms were interpretable (P = .004). Artifacts limited the evaluation of the inferior vena cava and common iliac veins near the confluence. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic-quality MR arteriograms and MR venograms can be obtained in patients with artificial hip prostheses and spinal hardware terminating above the L5 level, but there is 79% likelihood of obtaining a nondiagnostic MR venogram in patients with internal spinal fixation devices that extend to the sacrum.

Adult↗

Tesio catheter access for long-term maintenance hemodialysis.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine the long-term outcome (>6 months) of placement of tunneled hemodialysis catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The HIPAA-compliant study protocol was approved by the Committee on Human Research, which waived the requirement for informed consent. The records of patients who underwent hemodialysis with the Tesio system (Medcomp, Harleysville, Pa) at a single outpatient dialysis unit between March 1994 and March 2004 were reviewed. The length of catheter access and the requirements for percutaneous revision were recorded, and unassisted- and assisted-access survival times were computed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Three hundred three primary Tesio accesses were created in 200 patients (mean age, 62.3 years +/- 16.3 [standard deviation]; 102 women [51.0%]). Fifty-nine of 303 accesses (19.5%) were percutaneously revised with catheter exchange. During follow-up, 200 of 303 accesses (66.0%) were terminated (117 because they were no longer needed and 83 because of catheter malfunction), and 103 (34.0%) accesses were functioning at the time of last follow-up. The mean duration of catheter access was 247 days (range, 3-2016 days). One hundred twenty-six (41.6%) accesses remained in use for more than 6 months; 50 (16.5%), for more than 1 year; 20 (6.6%), for more than 2 years; 14 (4.6%), for more than 3 years; and five (1.7%), for more than 4 years. Assisted-access survival was 78.1%, 60.0%, 51.5%, 51.5%, and 46.8% at 6 months and 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tesio catheters frequently function for periods longer than 6 months and, when necessary, they can function for many years.

Adult↗

A prospective study on downstaging of hepatocellular carcinoma prior to liver transplantation.

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding conventional (T2) criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), the feasibility and outcome following loco-regional therapy intended for tumor downstaging to meet T2 criteria for OLT are unknown. In this first prospective study on downstaging of HCC prior to OLT, the eligibility criteria for enrollment into a downstaging protocol included 1 lesion >5 cm and < or =8 cm, 2 or 3 lesions at least 1 >3 cm but < or =5 cm with total tumor diameter of < or =8 cm, or 4 or 5 nodules all < or =3 cm with total tumor diameter < or =8 cm. Patients were eligible for living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) if tumors were downstaged to within proposed University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria.13 A minimum follow-up period of 3 months after downstaging was required before cadaveric OLT or LDLT, with imaging studies meeting criteria for successful downstaging. Among the 30 patients enrolled, 21 (70%) met criteria for successful downstaging, including 16 (53%) who had subsequently received OLT (2 with LDLT), and 9 patients (30%) were classified as treatment failures. In the explant of 16 patients who underwent OLT, 7 had complete tumor necrosis, 7 met T2 criteria, but 2 exceeded T2 criteria. No HCC recurrence was observed after a median follow-up of 16 months after OLT. The Kaplan-Meier intention-to-treat survival was 89.3 and 81.8% at 1 and 2 yr, respectively. In conclusion, successful tumor downstaging can be achieved in the majority of carefully selected patients, but longer follow-up is needed to further access the risk of HCC recurrence after OLT.

Aged↗

The impact of pre-operative loco-regional therapy on outcome after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

No prior studies have shown that pre-operative loco-regional therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) improves survival following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We performed subgroup analyses according to pathologic HCC stage among 168 patients who underwent OLT to test the hypothesis that pre-operative loco-regional therapy confers a survival advantage in a subgroup at intermediate risk for HCC recurrence. Patients with pathologic T3 HCC meeting the proposed UCSF expanded criteria (single lesion not exceeding 6.5 cm or two to three lesions none > 4.5 cm with total tumor diameter within 8 cm) had a similar 5-year recurrence-free survival as patients with pathologic T2 HCC (88.5% vs. 93.8%; p = 0.56). In the subgroup with pathologic T2 or T3 HCC, the 5-year recurrence-free survival was 93.8% for the 85 patients who received pre-operative loco-regional therapy, versus 80.6% for the other 41 patients without treatment (p = 0.049). The treatment benefit, according to 5-year recurrence-free survival, appeared greater for pathologic T3 (85.9% vs. 51.4%; p = 0.05) than T2 HCC (96.4% versus 87.1%; p = 0.12). In conclusion, although the lack of a randomized controlled design precludes drawing firm conclusions, our results suggest that pre-operative loco-regional therapy may confer a survival benefit after OLT in the subgroup with pathologic T2 and T3 HCC.

Adult↗

Inferior vena cava thrombosis after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt revision with a covered stent.

A 42-year-old woman who had undergone multiple revisions of a bare-stent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was treated for in-stent stenosis by insertion of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered stent. Immediately after revision with the covered stent, she developed inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis. The potential causes and implications of this complication are discussed.

Adult↗

Hepatocellular carcinoma: regional therapy with a magnetic targeted carrier bound to doxorubicin in a dual MR imaging/ conventional angiography suite--initial experience with four patients.

Four patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with a magnetic targeted carrier bound to doxorubicin (MTC-DOX) by using a joint magnetic resonance (MR) imaging/conventional angiography system consisting of a 1.5-T short-bore magnet connected to a C-arm angiography unit by a sliding tabletop. Selective transcatheter delivery of the MTC-DOX to the hepatic artery was monitored by using intraprocedural MR imaging, and interim catheter manipulation was performed with fluoroscopic guidance to optimize agent delivery to the tumor and minimize delivery to normal tissue. The final fraction of treated tumor volume ranged from 0.64 to 0.91. The fraction of affected normal liver volume ranged from 0.07 to 0.30. The dual MR imaging/conventional angiography system shows promise for directing magnetically targeted tumor therapies.

Adult↗

Reversal of flow in the ovarian artery during uterine artery embolization.

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is gaining increasing recognition as an effective treatment alternative to hysterectomy in select patients. As interventional radiologists gain more experience in the treatment of fibroids, new interest is being directed toward arterial communications between the uterine arteries and ovarian arteries. This case report focuses on the potentially serious complication of flow reversal up the ovarian artery into the aorta during UAE.

Adult↗

Experimental renal artery embolization in a combined MR imaging/angiographic unit.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to use a combined x-ray angiography and MR imaging (XMR) system to manipulate intraarterial catheters and monitor the deposition of gadolinium (Gd)-impregnated embolic microspheres in vivo in a canine kidney model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven anesthetized dogs (18-28 kg) were studied. The renal arteries were catheterized under fluoroscopic guidance. Renal blood flow rates were assessed with velocity-encoded cine MR imaging before and after renal artery embolization with Gd-impregnated microspheres (300-500 and 500-700 micro m in size). The particles were injected in vivo into 14 canine renal arteries under fast dynamic T1-weighted MR imaging guidance at one frame per second. Postembolic microsphere distributions were assessed with MR imaging and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). RESULTS: Gd-impregnated microsphere injection into the renal arteries was successful in all animals. Renal enhancement due to the deposition of the particles persisted for at least 1 hour after the injection. The distribution of MR signal enhancement in the kidneys differed for the smaller versus the larger microspheres. The 300-500- micro m microspheres deposited preferentially in the outer cortical regions, whereas the 500-700- micro m microspheres preferentially deposited in the medulla and inner cortex. Renal blood flow was significantly reduced after the administration of both the 300-500- micro m microspheres (from 3.9 to 1.0 mL/min/g) and the 500-700- micro m microspheres (from 3.5 to 0.2 mL/min/g). CONCLUSION: MR imaging permits real-time guidance of arterial embolization with Gd-impregnated microspheres.

Angiography↗

Coil embolization of a tuboovarian anastomosis before uterine artery embolization to prevent nontarget particle embolization of the ovary.

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is being used more frequently as a primary treatment for uterine leiomyoma. Performing UAE in women who desire future fertility is controversial because of the risks of premature menopause and the undetermined effects on pregnancy. The etiology of ovarian failure after UAE is not yet clearly defined, but one of the leading possibilities is nontarget embolization of the ovaries. In this case report, the authors describe a technique of selective coil embolization of a uterine artery-to-ovarian artery communication before UAE performed specifically to protect the ovary from nontarget embolization.

Adult↗

Massive vaginal hemorrhage after uterine fibroid embolization.

A 48-year-old woman underwent uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) for menorrhagia. One-month after the procedure she developed massive vaginal bleeding and required an emergency hysterectomy. Pathologic evaluation of the uterus revealed ulceration of the endometrium overlying the necrotic fibroid. Physicians performing UFE should be aware of this rare but potentially life-threatening complication.

Embolization, Therapeutic↗