INTRODUÇÃO: O acometimento de artérias ou veias tronculares periféricas por neoplasias malignas é raro. Quando o tratamento cirúrgico é realizado sendo constatado o acometimento arterial pela neoplasia, a melhor conduta é a ressecção conjunta seguida de reconstrução arterial imediata, restabelecendo o eixo vascular e evitando a isquemia de tecidos nobres com suas possíveis conseqüências. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar os resultados do tratamento cirúrgico de pacientes portadores de neoplasias malignas, submetidos a ressecções tumoral e vascular associadas à reconstrução vascular, avaliando principalmente a morbidade, a mortalidade e a perviedade primária relacionadas às reconstruções arteriais. MÉTODOS: Foram acompanhados os pacientes portadores de neoplasias malignas em regiões cervical, abdominal ou extremidades inferiores, operados eletivamente no período de setembro de 1997 a setembro de 2004 no Hospital do Câncer A.C.Camargo em São Paulo, submetidos à ressecções tumoral e vascular associadas à reconstrução arterial (associada ou não à reconstrução venosa de segmento venoso ressecado no mesmo feixe). O seguimento vascular foi em ambiente ambulatorial, realizando-se exame clínico vascular e exames de imagem para o acompanhamento das reconstruções. Foram analisadas: as características clínicas dos pacientes, as reconstruções vasculares, as complicações vasculares e não vasculares precoces (até 30 dias); as complicações vasculares e não vasculares tardias (após 30 dias), a perviedade primária das reconstruções arteriais e a sobrevida dos pacientes. RESULTADOS: foram operados 36 pacientes, sendo divididos em grupos de acordo com a localização das neoplasias: Cervical (14), Extremidade (13) e Abdome (9). No grupo Cervical, foram realizadas 17 reconstruções (16 arteriais e 1 venosa) nos 14 pacientes, predominantemente com a veia safena. Houve uma oclusão sintomática precoce do enxerto carotídeo com seqüelas importantes e uma oclusão sintomática tardia de enxerto carotídeo sem seqüelas (esse paciente também apresentou oclusão de enxerto arterial para o membro superior sem isquemia grave). No grupo Extremidade, foram realizadas 23 reconstruções (13 arteriais e 10 venosas) nos 13 pacientes, predominantemente com a safena. Houve uma rotura precoce de enxerto arterial femoral, tratada por meio de ligadura e evoluindo sem seqüelas. No grupo Abdome, foram realizadas 13 reconstruções (9 arteriais e 4 venosas) nos 9 pacientes, predominantemente com prótese. Uma paciente apresentou oclusão tardia sintomática de ramo do enxerto aorto-bifemoral, sendo realizado enxerto femoral cruzado, evoluindo sem seqüelas. Não houve diferença estatística entre os índices de perviedade arterial primária entre os grupos (p=0,593). Em relação às reconstruções venosas, houve cinco oclusões sintomáticas. O tempo de seguimento mediano nos grupos Cervical, Extremidade e Abdome foi respectivamente de 11,5, 25 e 18 meses, sendo significantemente menor no grupo Cervical (p=0,034). Houve duas amputações de membro não relacionados às complicações dos enxertos. Não houve óbitos no período intra-hospitalar, sendo todos decorrentes da evolução da doença neoplásica (11 do grupo Cervical, 8 do Extremidade e 3 do Abdome). CONCLUSÕES: 1. as reconstruções arteriais associadas à ressecção de tumores malignos com acometimento arterial em segmentos cervical, abdominal ou extremidades inferiores podem ser realizadas com baixos índices de morbi-mortalidade; 2. não houve diferença entre os índices de perviedade primária das reconstruções arteriais realizadas nos grupos estudados / INTRODUCTION: Arteries or peripheral truncular veins are rarely affected by malignant neoplasias. When arteries affected by neoplasia are observed during surgical treatment, the best approach is in bloc resection followed immediately by arterial reconstruction to reestablish the vascular axis and avoid ischemia of important tissues with the possible consequences. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to analyze the surgical treatment results from patients with malignant neoplasias who underwent tumor and vascular resection associated with vascular reconstruction and, in particular, to evaluate morbidity, mortality and primary patency relating to arterial reconstruction. METHODS: Patients with malignant neoplasias in the cervical, abdominal or lower extremity regions who underwent elective surgery between September 1997 and September 2004 at Hospital do Câncer A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, were followed up. These patients underwent tumor and vascular resections associated with arterial reconstruction (with or without reconstruction of the venous segment resected in the same bundle). The vascular follow-up was in an outpatient environment, through clinical vascular examination and imaging examinations to monitor the reconstructions. The patients\' clinical characteristics, vascular reconstructions, early vascular and non-vascular complications (within 30 days), late vascular and non-vascular complications (beyond 30 days), primary patency of arterial reconstructions and survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients underwent surgery and were grouped according to neoplasia location: Cervical (14), Extremity (13) and Abdomen (9). In the Cervical group, 17 reconstructions were performed (16 arterial and 1 venous) in 14 patients, predominantly using the saphenous vein. There were one early symptomatic occlusion of the carotid graft with significant sequelae and one late symptomatic occlusion of the carotid graft without sequelae (this patient also presented arterial graft occlusion to the upper limb, without severe ischemia). In the Extremity group, 23 reconstructions were performed (13 arterial and 10 venous) in 13 patients, predominantly using the saphenous vein. There was one early rupture of a femoral arterial graft, with treatment by means of ligature and evolution without sequelae. In the Abdomen group, 13 reconstructions were performed (9 arterial and 4 venous) in 9 patients, predominantly using a prosthesis. One patient presented a late symptomatic occlusion in a branch of the aortobifemoral graft, for which a femoral crossover graft was performed, which evolved without sequelae. There was no statistical difference in primary arterial patency rates between the groups (p=0,593). Five symptomatic occlusions relating to venous reconstructions occurred. The median follow-up for the Cervical, Extremity and Abdomen groups were 11,5, 25 and 18 months, respectively: significantly shorter in the Cervical group (p=0,034). There were two limb amputations, unrelated to graft complications. There were no deaths while in hospital. Deaths occurred only as a result of neoplastic disease evolution (11 Cervical, 8 Extremity and 3 Abdomen patients). CONCLUSIONS: 1. arterial reconstructions associated with resection of malignant tumors affecting arteries in the cervical, abdominal or lower extremity segments can be performed with low morbidity-mortality rates; 2. there is no difference between primary patency rates of the arterial reconstructions performed, regarding the groups studied

INTRODUÇÃO: O acometimento de artérias ou veias tronculares periféricas por neoplasias malignas é raro. Quando o tratamento cirúrgico é realizado sendo constatado o acometimento arterial pela neoplasia, a melhor conduta é a ressecção conjunta seguida de reconstrução arterial imediata, restabelecendo o eixo vascular e evitando a isquemia de tecidos nobres com suas possíveis conseqüências. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar os resultados do tratamento cirúrgico de pacientes portadores de neoplasias malignas, submetidos a ressecções tumoral e vascular associadas à reconstrução vascular, avaliando principalmente a morbidade, a mortalidade e a perviedade primária relacionadas às reconstruções arteriais. MÉTODOS: Foram acompanhados os pacientes portadores de neoplasias malignas em regiões cervical, abdominal ou extremidades inferiores, operados eletivamente no período de setembro de 1997 a setembro de 2004 no Hospital do Câncer A.C.Camargo em São Paulo, submetidos à ressecções tumoral e vascular associadas à reconstrução arterial (associada ou não à reconstrução venosa de segmento venoso ressecado no mesmo feixe). O seguimento vascular foi em ambiente ambulatorial, realizando-se exame clínico vascular e exames de imagem para o acompanhamento das reconstruções. Foram analisadas: as características clínicas dos pacientes, as reconstruções vasculares, as complicações vasculares e não vasculares precoces (até 30 dias); as complicações vasculares e não vasculares tardias (após 30 dias), a perviedade primária das reconstruções arteriais e a sobrevida dos pacientes. RESULTADOS: foram operados 36 pacientes, sendo divididos em grupos de acordo com a localização das neoplasias: Cervical (14), Extremidade (13) e Abdome (9). No grupo Cervical, foram realizadas 17 reconstruções (16 arteriais e 1 venosa) nos 14 pacientes, predominantemente com a veia safena. Houve uma oclusão sintomática precoce do enxerto carotídeo com seqüelas importantes e uma oclusão sintomática tardia de enxerto carotídeo sem seqüelas (esse paciente também apresentou oclusão de enxerto arterial para o membro superior sem isquemia grave). No grupo Extremidade, foram realizadas 23 reconstruções (13 arteriais e 10 venosas) nos 13 pacientes, predominantemente com a safena. Houve uma rotura precoce de enxerto arterial femoral, tratada por meio de ligadura e evoluindo sem seqüelas. No grupo Abdome, foram realizadas 13 reconstruções (9 arteriais e 4 venosas) nos 9 pacientes, predominantemente com prótese. Uma paciente apresentou oclusão tardia sintomática de ramo do enxerto aorto-bifemoral, sendo realizado enxerto femoral cruzado, evoluindo sem seqüelas. Não houve diferença estatística entre os índices de perviedade arterial primária entre os grupos (p=0,593). Em relação às reconstruções venosas, houve cinco oclusões sintomáticas. O tempo de seguimento mediano nos grupos Cervical, Extremidade e Abdome foi respectivamente de 11,5, 25 e 18 meses, sendo significantemente menor no grupo Cervical (p=0,034). Houve duas amputações de membro não relacionados às complicações dos enxertos. Não houve óbitos no período intra-hospitalar, sendo todos decorrentes da evolução da doença neoplásica (11 do grupo Cervical, 8 do Extremidade e 3 do Abdome). CONCLUSÕES: 1. as reconstruções arteriais associadas à ressecção de tumores malignos com acometimento arterial em segmentos cervical, abdominal ou extremidades inferiores podem ser realizadas com baixos índices de morbi-mortalidade; 2. não houve diferença entre os índices de perviedade primária das reconstruções arteriais realizadas nos grupos estudados / INTRODUCTION: Arteries or peripheral truncular veins are rarely affected by malignant neoplasias. When arteries affected by neoplasia are observed during surgical treatment, the best approach is in bloc resection followed immediately by arterial reconstruction to reestablish the vascular axis and avoid ischemia of important tissues with the possible consequences. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to analyze the surgical treatment results from patients with malignant neoplasias who underwent tumor and vascular resection associated with vascular reconstruction and, in particular, to evaluate morbidity, mortality and primary patency relating to arterial reconstruction. METHODS: Patients with malignant neoplasias in the cervical, abdominal or lower extremity regions who underwent elective surgery between September 1997 and September 2004 at Hospital do Câncer A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, were followed up. These patients underwent tumor and vascular resections associated with arterial reconstruction (with or without reconstruction of the venous segment resected in the same bundle). The vascular follow-up was in an outpatient environment, through clinical vascular examination and imaging examinations to monitor the reconstructions. The patients\' clinical characteristics, vascular reconstructions, early vascular and non-vascular complications (within 30 days), late vascular and non-vascular complications (beyond 30 days), primary patency of arterial reconstructions and survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients underwent surgery and were grouped according to neoplasia location: Cervical (14), Extremity (13) and Abdomen (9). In the Cervical group, 17 reconstructions were performed (16 arterial and 1 venous) in 14 patients, predominantly using the saphenous vein. There were one early symptomatic occlusion of the carotid graft with significant sequelae and one late symptomatic occlusion of the carotid graft without sequelae (this patient also presented arterial graft occlusion to the upper limb, without severe ischemia). In the Extremity group, 23 reconstructions were performed (13 arterial and 10 venous) in 13 patients, predominantly using the saphenous vein. There was one early rupture of a femoral arterial graft, with treatment by means of ligature and evolution without sequelae. In the Abdomen group, 13 reconstructions were performed (9 arterial and 4 venous) in 9 patients, predominantly using a prosthesis. One patient presented a late symptomatic occlusion in a branch of the aortobifemoral graft, for which a femoral crossover graft was performed, which evolved without sequelae. There was no statistical difference in primary arterial patency rates between the groups (p=0,593). Five symptomatic occlusions relating to venous reconstructions occurred. The median follow-up for the Cervical, Extremity and Abdomen groups were 11,5, 25 and 18 months, respectively: significantly shorter in the Cervical group (p=0,034). There were two limb amputations, unrelated to graft complications. There were no deaths while in hospital. Deaths occurred only as a result of neoplastic disease evolution (11 Cervical, 8 Extremity and 3 Abdomen patients). CONCLUSIONS: 1. arterial reconstructions associated with resection of malignant tumors affecting arteries in the cervical, abdominal or lower extremity segments can be performed with low morbidity-mortality rates; 2. there is no difference between primary patency rates of the arterial reconstructions performed, regarding the groups studied

Para desenvolver e avaliar a aplicabilidade de uma escala técnica prognostica das dificuldades no tratamento microcirúrgico dos aneurismas gigantes e complexos da circulação anterior do polígono de Willis, 50 lesões foram operadas. Um valor numérico foi dado a cada uma das 8 variáveis da escala. Somando-se os valores para cada variável, uma nota (de 1 a 14) foi obtida, para cada uma das 50 cirurgias. Dois grupos, portanto, foram definidos: cirurgia difícil (nota de 1 a 8) e cirurgia extremamente difícil (nota de 9 a 14). Foi feita análise estatística comparando-se os 2 grupos em relação a diversas variáveis demográficas e clínicas. Concluiu-se que a escala proposta é útil no planejamento pré-operatório, intra-operatório e prognóstico neste tipo de aneurisma / In order to develop and verify the applicability of a technical and prognostic scale of the difficulties in the microsurgical treatment of giant and complex aneurysms of the anterior circulation of the Cicle of Willis, 50 lesions were operated. A numeric amount was given for each of 8 variants of the scale. By adding each amount for each variant a score(from 1 to 14) was achieved, for each of the 50 surgeries. Two groups, therefore, were established: difficult surgery (scores from 1 to 8) and extremely difficult surgery (scores from 9 to 14). Statistical assessment comparing both groups in relation to several demographic and clinical variants was done. It was concluded that the proposed scale is useful in preoperative, intraoperative and prognostic planning in microsurgery for this kind of aneurysms

Para desenvolver e avaliar a aplicabilidade de uma escala técnica prognostica das dificuldades no tratamento microcirúrgico dos aneurismas gigantes e complexos da circulação anterior do polígono de Willis, 50 lesões foram operadas. Um valor numérico foi dado a cada uma das 8 variáveis da escala. Somando-se os valores para cada variável, uma nota (de 1 a 14) foi obtida, para cada uma das 50 cirurgias. Dois grupos, portanto, foram definidos: cirurgia difícil (nota de 1 a 8) e cirurgia extremamente difícil (nota de 9 a 14). Foi feita análise estatística comparando-se os 2 grupos em relação a diversas variáveis demográficas e clínicas. Concluiu-se que a escala proposta é útil no planejamento pré-operatório, intra-operatório e prognóstico neste tipo de aneurisma / In order to develop and verify the applicability of a technical and prognostic scale of the difficulties in the microsurgical treatment of giant and complex aneurysms of the anterior circulation of the Cicle of Willis, 50 lesions were operated. A numeric amount was given for each of 8 variants of the scale. By adding each amount for each variant a score(from 1 to 14) was achieved, for each of the 50 surgeries. Two groups, therefore, were established: difficult surgery (scores from 1 to 8) and extremely difficult surgery (scores from 9 to 14). Statistical assessment comparing both groups in relation to several demographic and clinical variants was done. It was concluded that the proposed scale is useful in preoperative, intraoperative and prognostic planning in microsurgery for this kind of aneurysms

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Factors released from coronary perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT), which surrounds large coronary arteries, have been implicated in the development of coronary disease. However, the precise contribution of coronary PVAT-derived factors to the initiation and progression of coronary vascular dysfunction remains ill defined. Accordingly, this investigation was designed to delineate the mechanisms by which PVAT-derived factors influence obesity-induced coronary smooth muscle dysfunction. Isometric tension studies of coronary arteries from lean and obese swine demonstrated that both lean and obese coronary PVAT attenuate vasodilation via inhibitory effects on smooth muscle K+ channels. Specifically, lean coronary PVAT attenuated KCa and KV7 channel-mediated dilation, whereas obese coronary PVAT impaired KATP channel-mediated dilation. Importantly, these effects were independent of alterations in underlying smooth muscle function in obese arteries. The PVAT-derived factor calpastatin impaired adenosine dilation in lean but not obese arteries, suggesting that alterations in specific factors may contribute to the development of smooth muscle dysfunction. Further studies tested the hypothesis that leptin, which is expressed in coronary PVAT and is upregulated in obesity, acts as an upstream mediator of coronary smooth muscle dysfunction. Long-term administration (3 day culture) of obese concentrations of leptin markedly altered the coronary artery proteome, favoring pathways associated with calcium signaling and cellular proliferation. Isometric tension studies demonstrated that short-term (30 min) exposure to leptin potentiated depolarization-induced contraction of coronary arteries and that this effect was augmented following longer-term leptin administration (3 days). Inhibition of Rho kinase reduced leptin-mediated increases in coronary artery contractions. Acute treatment was associated with increased Rho kinase activity, whereas longer-term exposure was associated with increases in Rho kinase protein abundance. Alterations in Rho kinase signaling were also associated with leptin-mediated increases in coronary vascular smooth muscle proliferation. These findings provide novel mechanistic evidence linking coronary PVAT with vascular dysfunction and further support a role for coronary PVAT in the pathogenesis of coronary disease.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Obesity increases cardiovascular disease risk and is associated with factors of the “metabolic syndrome” (MetS), a disorder including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and/or impaired glucose tolerance. Expanding adipose and subsequent inflammation is implicated in vascular dysfunction in MetS. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) surrounds virtually every artery and is capable of releasing factors that influence vascular reactivity, but the effects of PVAT in the coronary circulation are unknown. Accordingly, the goal of this investigation was to delineate mechanisms by which lean vs. MetS coronary PVAT influences vasomotor tone and the coronary PVAT proteome. We tested the hypothesis that MetS alters the functional expression and vascular contractile effects of coronary PVAT in an Ossabaw swine model of the MetS. Utilizing isometric tension measurements of coronary arteries in the absence and presence of PVAT, we revealed the vascular effects of PVAT vary according to anatomical location as coronary and mesenteric, but not subcutaneous adipose tissue augmented coronary artery contractions to KCl. Factors released from coronary PVAT increase baseline tension and potentiate constriction of isolated coronary arteries relative to the amount of adipose tissue present. The effects of coronary PVAT are elevated in the setting of MetS and occur independent of endothelial function. MetS is also associated with substantial alterations in the coronary PVAT proteome and underlying increases in vascular smooth muscle Ca2+ handling via CaV1.2 channels, H2O2-sensitive K+ channels and/or upstream mediators of these ion channels. Rho-kinase signaling participates in the increase in coronary artery contractions to PVAT in lean, but not MetS swine. These data provide novel evidence that the vascular effects of PVAT vary according to anatomic location and are influenced by the MetS phenotype.