Objective To report the results of a single-centre in the treatment of extensive aorto-iliac occlusive disease (AIOD) by the covered endovascular reconstruction of aortic bifurcation (CERAB) technique. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on data obtained from the review of medical charts of all consecutive patients treated with CERAB technique for AIOD between January 2016 and December 2019 in San Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital (Rome, Italy). Clinical examination, duplex ultrasound with ankle-brachial index measurement and contrast-enhanced computed tomography angiography were performed preoperatively. A clinical and ultrasound follow-up was carried out at one month and then half yearly after the intervention to evaluate patients’ clinical status, limb salvage, target lesion revascularization rate, primary and secondary patency rate. Results During the study period, 24 patients (14 men, 58.3%; 10 women, 41.7%; median age 59 years, range 37–79 years) underwent CERAB for AIOD (TASC II C 29.2%, TASC II D 70.8%). Indications for treatment were: intermittent claudication in 18 patients (75%) and critical limb ischemia in 6 (25%). Technical success was achieved in all cases. Perioperative minor complications occurred in three cases (12.5%). One patient reported an intraoperative iliac rupture requiring adjunctive covered stenting. Median hospital length of stay was two days (range 1–9). No patient died perioperatively nor at the last follow-up. At a median follow-up of 18 months (range 6–48 months), mean ankle-brachial index increased significantly (from 0.62 ± 0.15 before the procedure to 0.84 ± 0.18) ( P < 0.001) and target lesion revascularization rate was 12.5%. At two years, the limb salvage rate was 100%, and primary and secondary patency rates were 87.5% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion CERAB technique demonstrated to be effective at the mid-term follow-up with low rate of complications and short length of stay. Long-term results and more robust data are needed to affirm this technique as the first-line treatment for extensive AIOD. However, it could become the preferred option especially in fragile patients and during contemporary COVID-19 pandemic due to the current limitations in vascular and critical care bed capacity.

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Introduction Infra-inguinal vascular reconstruction with active groin infection is a concerning issue. Using resistant grafts to infection is the most adopted approach. However, in absence of these materials in acute situations, the trans-obturator approach allows for limb revascularisation avoiding the infected site. We evaluated the effectiveness of this approach in patients who needed lower limb revascularisation with an ipsilateral groin infection. Materials and methods A retrospective study was conducted over a four-year period. Results Over this period, 13 patients underwent trans-obturator reconstructions (13 external iliac–popliteal above-knee and one aortobipopliteal above-knee bypass). Seven patients had been previously revascularised and were admitted for graft infection (six infra-inguinal bypasses, one axillo-bifemoral bypass). Four presented with acute limb ischaemia, three with groin haematoma and one with a groin abscess. The remaining cases consisted of drug-addicted patients with injury of femoral vessels due to self-injection of drugs. The patients underwent reconstructions with autologous grafts which complicated early with groin haematoma. After transobturator revascularisation, the groin underwent debridement with applying vacuum-assisted wound closure device. Conclusion The transobturator approach could be considered as a chance for lower limb revascularisation in case of ipsilateral groin infection. Moreover, avoiding the infected site allowed us to focus separately and safely on the treatment of the inguinal wound.

Carotid stenosis in the extracranial tract determines 10–15% of all ischaemic strokes. The aim of treatment, therefore, is to prevent major neurological events. Carotid endarterectomy surgery has proved effective in this regard, with various randomized studies that have demonstrated its validity in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. As an alternative, since the late 1990s, the endovascular treatment of carotid stenosis by stenting has gradually established itself. Numerous controlled clinical trials have compared surgery and carotid stenting in terms of perioperative outcomes (death, stroke, and myocardial infarction within 30 days of the procedure) and stroke prevention ipsilateral to the lesion treated during follow-up, evaluating both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. From the systematic review of the data, it is legitimate to state that stenting may represent a safe alternative to conventional surgery in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis under the age of 70, while endarterectomy is clearly safer and more effective than endovascular treatment for symptomatic older patients. On the other hand, as regards asymptomatic patients, the available evidence is limited and further data are needed to compare the two methods and to compare them with the best current medical therapy in order to draw conclusions.