VACC helper - VACC Vascular Access Updated: 2024

Compression therapy, in which pressure is applied to certain areas of the body, has been proven to help with specific medical issues and is relatively easy to use.

“Compression for lower extremities helps prevent or decrease swelling seen in the lower legs or when the legs are in a dependent position, sitting or standing,” Danielle Bajakian, M.D., a vascular surgeon at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, told Fox News Digital.

Here’s a deeper dive and what to know.

What is compression therapy?

Compression therapy can be used to help improve blood flow and decrease perceived muscle soreness related to exercise and activity.

That’s according to Chicago-based Leo Arguelles, PT, DPT, a spokesperson with the American Physical Therapy Association. 

“It is most commonly used in the case of sleeves worn on the lower legs, but it can also be used for the upper extremities,” he said.

He said types may include:

• Compression bandaging
• Compression garments or sleeves
• Taping
• Total contact casting
• Pneumatic compression devices (sleeves worn around legs that fill with air and squeeze)

Who can benefit from compression therapy?

Dr. Bajakian of Columbia University said patients who most commonly benefit from this are those with venous insufficiency or deep vein thrombosis.

Others who can benefit: pregnant women in their second and third trimester, when their blood volume increases; patients with lymphedema (a build-up of lymph fluid in the fatty tissues just under the skin); and patients with heart failure or other medical conditions that prevent venous return, resulting in leg edema.

Should people buy OTC compression clothing?

For most patients with mild symptoms, OTC compression clothing works well, Dr. Bajakian said. 

“The keys to effective compression garments are compliance and fit,” she added. 

For a compression garment to work, the fit needs to be snug. 

For socks, there are usually sizing guidelines for calf circumference and leg length from knee to ankle, she said. 

“They should fit tightly around the ankle and looser as they get higher toward the knee,” Dr. Bajakian noted. 

“Regarding compliance, over the counter brands offer an array of styles and fabrics that work with different lifestyles,” she also noted. “I often see better compliance with those than a medical grade compression garment.”

She clarified that for patients with severe symptoms or diagnoses such as lymphedema, medical-grade compression garments are essential.

When else can compression therapy be helpful?

Sunil Iyer, M.D., FACC, an interventional cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist with Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute in Wilmington, North Carolina, told Fox News Digital that for people who are on their feet for long periods of time — or who are going for long car rides or airplane rides — graduated compression stockings can help with the swelling and discomfort that may come from the blood pooling in the ankles. 

“This can even help varicose veins not to form or not to be as engorged and painful,” Dr. Iyer said. 

Compression stockings are part of the treatment, he said. 

In addition, walking and exercising the legs, especially the calf muscles, can help with venous insufficiency as well, he said. 

“Diet is also important. Patients may note that the swelling is worse after they drink a lot of fluids or eat a lot of salt,” he said.

Do people need to speak to a doctor before they buy compression socks?

For patients with minimal medical problems who are looking to improve vein health, there is no need to consult a physician prior to buying compression stockings, said Dr. Bajakian.  

“However, patients who are at risk of blood clots or who have unexplained leg swelling should seek out a doctor for a workup,” she said. 

The MAQUET line of FUSION grafts merges ePTFE with PET to offer vascular surgeons the best of both materials: the easy handling of ePTFE and the minimal suture hole bleeding seen in knit polyester grafts. The two-layer construction of FUSION grafts delivers benefits during and after peripheral bypass surgery:

• Axial compliance for better handling compared with standard ePTFE grafts
• High suture retention strength and durability for long-term performance
• Kink resistant to enhance blood flow
• Minimal suture hole bleeding for improved hemostasis
• Crush resistant to help enhance flow dynamics

Hybrid Construction: ePTFE and PET Layers

The inner layer of the FUSION graft is comprised of extruded, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). The outer layer is a knit polyester textile, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These two layers are fused together with a proprietary polycarbonate-urethane adhesive.

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Argon Medical Devices, a leading provider of device solutions for Interventional Radiology, Vascular Surgery, Interventional Cardiology, and Oncology, announced the launch of the Kodiak^™ Dual Port Coaxial Introducer Kit for precise and streamlined introduction of diagnostic and therapeutic devices into the vasculature.

The Kodiak Dual Port Coaxial Introducer Kit is engineered for versatility, as it applies to various vascular procedures. Kodiak allows physicians to utilize a robust, large-bore sheath and a unique Y-shaped adapter to introduce multiple components simultaneously through a single access site. In doing so, Kodiak can simplify complex procedures where the rigor of the procedures demands a robust device to provide treatment efficiently.

"Complex IVC filter retrievals require stable and reliable access that can accommodate various retrieval methods. Kodiak provides reinforced support required for all advanced techniques of filter retrieval in one coaxial and valved system, providing the operator with the greatest flexibility in their procedural algorithm," said Dr. Julie Bulman, Interventional Radiologist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

"We take great pride in unveiling yet another innovative device designed for interventionalists who rely on top-tier products to achieve successful procedural outcomes. The Kodiak was developed to fulfill the unmet need for a durable introducer system resilient enough to accommodate the anatomical diversity frequently encountered in vascular procedures. We are enthusiastic about adding Kodiak to our portfolio and anticipate that this new product will advance our mission to improve the lives of caregivers and the patients they serve," said George Leondis, President & CEO, Argon Medical.

"The Kodiak Dual Port Coaxial Introducer Kit offers unmatched versatility and robustness, applicable to a variety of complex endovascular procedures that require simultaneous introduction of multiple components into the vasculature. This new device further expands the portfolio of differentiated solutions we provide to our customers for their complex vascular procedures, demonstrating our commitment to help them achieve their desired clinical outcomes more efficiently," said Tom Younker, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, Argon Medical.

Story continues

About Argon Medical

Since its founding in 1972, Argon Medical Devices earned a reputation for delivering innovative products, superior service, and exceptional value for Interventional Radiologists, Vascular Surgeons, and Interventional Cardiologists worldwide. Argon is proud to have over 1,100 employees, and manufacture products in the United States in Texas, Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin. Argon brands are well-known globally, highlighted by the Option^™ ELITE IVC Filter, the Cleaner^™ Rotational Thrombectomy System, the BioPince^™ Ultra Full-core Biopsy Instrument, and SKATER^™ Percutaneous Drainage Catheters. By utilizing a well-established sales and marketing infrastructure, Argon serves its global customers through a direct sales organization, and long-standing relationships with medical device distributors and strategic partners.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/argon-medical-launches-kodiak-dual-port-coaxial-introducer-kit-for-complex-vascular-procedures-302002151.html

SOURCE Argon Medical Devices, Inc.

Decreased activity of a specific signaling pathway in brain vessels was linked to a decline in vascular function and subsequent neurodegeneration, according to a recent Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The study is the first to demonstrate that decreased activity of the Notch3 signaling pathway can be used as a biomarker for vascular aging and neurodegeneration, findings that could help inform the development of targeted therapies to prevent and treat age-related neurodegenerative diseases, according to Luisa Iruela-Arispe, Ph.D., the chair and Stephen Walter Ranson Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, and senior author of the study.

"Our initial goal was to capture changes in the brain vasculature associated with aging. The study is foundational because it provides information related to physiological aging in the absence of any other confounding pathologies," said Arispe, who is also a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

An outcome of normal physiological aging is the progressive decline in the functioning of different organ systems, including the vascular system, which subsequently reduces blood flow to the brain, leading to vascular dementia and neurodegeneration.

Patients with vascular dementia experience cognitive decline, memory loss and changes in behavior. However, the underlying mechanisms of vascular dementia that cause this cascade of symptoms are not well understood.

"The intricate co-dependency between brain function and the vasculature has been well acknowledged by clinicians and scientists, but how the aging vasculature affects the brain is less understood," Arispe said.

Using single-cell transcriptomics to study brain vessels from young and aging humans and mice, the scientists found in the aging mice a noticeable decline in the activation of the Notch3 signaling pathway. Notch3 signaling makes up one of four Notch receptors, which are essential for cell development and response to cellular stressors.

Additional transcriptomics analysis and MRI scans of both mouse and human blood vessels revealed that reduction in Notch3 signaling altered the regulation of calcium and prevented blood vessels from properly contracting, which contributed to multiple vascular impairments, including dilation, microaneurysms, and decreased blood flow to the brain.

Furthermore, the investigators found these vascular impairments prevented proper glymphatic flow, or the clearing of waste and excess extracellular fluid from the central nervous system.

According to the authors, these pathological features are also observed in patients with CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy)—a rare, inherited type of vascular disease that causes dementia and is also associated with Notch3 mutations.

"The fact that we identified Notch3 as the top pathway altered by aging was powerful because of its known association with hereditary vascular dementia," Arispe said.

According to Arispe, her team's findings are essential for improving the understanding of what causes normal physiological aging without additional cofounding factors and confirms Notch3 as a biomarker of vascular aging.

Arispe said her team and collaborators are now particularly interested in determining whether intervening to increase Notch3 signaling in small muscle cells located in the wall of blood vessels might rejuvenate contractility, and they also hope to develop more appropriate models of CADASIL to more accurately compare them to the progressive loss of Notch3 function in aging.

"My research group is extremely appreciative of the community of clinicians and scientists here are Feinberg and our extensive group of collaborators that contributed so much to this study and facilitated the extension of these findings to patients," Arispe said.

On December 12, 2023, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, P.A. (“CTVS”) filed a notice of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights after discovering that information on the company’s computer network was subject to unauthorized access. In this notice, CTVS explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security Numbers, financial account information, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, medical record numbers, and health information. Upon completing its investigation, CTVS began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you receive a data breach notification from Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, P.A., it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons Data Breach?

The Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, CTVS’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on October 13, 2023, CTVS detected unusual activity within its computer system. In response, CTVS secured its systems and then began working with outside cybersecurity specialists to investigate the incident.

The CTVS investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party was able to access and potentially acquire confidential patient information stored on the company’s computer network. The period of unauthorized access was between October 12, 2023 and October 13, 2023.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security number, credit card information, account number and password, financial account information, driver’s license number, date of birth, medical record number, health insurance numbers and other health insurance information, patient account number, doctor or medical professional name, treatment information, procedure code, diagnosis code, Medicaid/Medicare number, dates of treatment, prescription information, diagnosis and symptoms information.

On December 12, 2023, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, P.A.

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, P.A. is a healthcare provider that specializes in surgery of the heart, lungs, chest, esophagus, and major blood vessels of the body. CTVS operates three locations in central Texas, including in Austin, Kyle, and Georgetown. Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons employs more than 87 people and generates approximately $12 million in annual revenue.