Annals of Vascular Diseases (AVD) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing articles on vascular disease. Published continuously online, the journal is fully indexed in J-STAGE and PubMed Central. AVD welcomes submissions from around the world.
Announcements
The licensing policy for our journal has been updated. Starting from January 1, 2025, newly published articles will generally be licensed under the CC BY (Attribution) license.
– Articles published on or after January 1, 2025: Licensed under CC BY (Attribution).
– Articles published before January 1, 2025: Retain their original license, CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike).
– Secondary publications (e.g., translations) may follow the licensing terms of the primary publication.
For more details, please refer to the “Copyright, Open Access and Fees” section of the Instructions to Authors.
About the journal
AVD is an official journal of Asian Society for Vascular Surgery (ASVS) and Asian Venous Forum, sponsored by Japanese College of Angiology, Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery and the Japanese Society of Phlebology.
Contact
This site is operated by Editorial Committee of Annals of Vascular Diseases.
Editorial Committee of Annals of Vascular Diseases
c/o Academy Center, Yamabuki-cho 358-5, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0801, Japan
TEL: +81-3-6824-9399
E-mail: avd-edit[at]je.bunken.co.jp
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Latest articles
Case ReportNovember 15, 2025
True Digital Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report
Hiroki Nakabori, Hideyasu Ueda, Kenji Iino
True aneurysms of the digital artery are extremely rare, and only several dozen cases have been reported worldwide. A 29-year-old man presented with a pulsatile, tender nodule in his left index finger. Angiography revealed a 7-mm saccular aneurysm of the proper palmar digital artery with well-developed distal collaterals. Under local anesthesia, the aneurysm was excised following proximal and distal ligation. It was histopathologically confirmed as a true aneurysm. Postoperatively, symptoms resolved without ischemic or neurological complications and without recurrence after 1 year. Thus, simple ligation and excision are effective when collateral circulation is sufficient.
Case ReportNovember 14, 2025
Successful Surgical Treatment of a Spontaneous Rupture of the Left Iliac Vein: What Is the Optimal and Radical Treatment?
Kei Morioka, Masanori Hirota, Shingo Kasahara
Spontaneous rupture of the iliac vein (SRIV) requires surgical hemostasis and venous return restoration. We herein report a case treated with initial thrombus removal and direct venous repair. Because of early occlusion, a 2nd surgery was performed for iliac vein reconstruction using a 14-mm ringed Gore-Tex graft (W. L. Gore & Associates, Newark, DE, USA), and a 4-mm Gore-Tex arteriovenous shunt was created between the femoral artery and the femoral vein to prevent reocclusion. The patient had an uneventful recovery without recurrence. A single-stage procedure including hemostasis, vein replacement, and arteriovenous bypass may be ideal for radical SRIV treatment.
Review ArticleNovember 5, 2025
Role of Gut Microbes in Hypertension: A Systematic Review of Literature
Swapnil S Garde, Somesh Garde
Objectives: Hypertension is a metabolic disorder affecting a significant proportion of the global population. Growing evidence suggests the contribution of gut microbiota to blood pressure homeostasis and the effectiveness of antihypertensive interventions. This systematic review evaluates the role of gut microbiota in hypertension and identifies microbial taxa contributing to or alleviating the condition.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane databases for non-randomized studies, randomized controlled trials, and registry studies published in English. Studies were classified according to microbial taxa involved in the improvement or worsening of hypertension.
Results: According to the inclusion criteria, 19 studies were included. Some bacterial genera, such as Lactobacillus paracasei, Akkermansia, and Veillonella, had potential protective effects against hypertension by regulating blood pressure through dietary interactions and microbial metabolites. On the other hand, Klebsiella sp., Streptococcus sp., and Parabacteroides merdae were more abundant in hypertensive patients and were involved in dysbiosis and inflammation. The fungal taxa Malassezia and Mortierella were also involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Conclusions: Gut microbiota composition may play crucial roles in hypertension, with certain taxa potentially contributing to or alleviating the condition. Modulating gut microbes through probiotics and diet may offer new therapeutic approaches.
Case ReportOctober 25, 2025
Zone 2.5 TEVAR with L-Shaped Marker-Guided Fenestration for Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection
Norimasa Haijima, Mikihiko Kudo, Satoru Murata, Takuya Ono, Hideyuki Shimizu
A patient with complicated Stanford type B aortic dissection and a large ulcer-like projection just distal to the left subclavian artery (LSA) underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using a physician-made 1-cm fenestration and L-shaped marker. This technique allowed accurate alignment with the LSA under fluoroscopic guidance without additional devices. Postoperative and 6-month follow-up computed tomography confirmed good outcomes. This simplified, economical Zone 2.5 TEVAR approach may be a viable treatment option for high-risk patients with anatomically challenging aortic dissections.
Case ReportOctober 24, 2025
Pancreaticoduodenal Arcade Aneurysm Secondary to Dissection of the Superior Mesenteric Artery: A Case Report
Seishiro Akinaga, Takaaki Maruhashi, Yutaro Kurihara, Koyo Suzuki, Yasushi Asari
Pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms are commonly associated with narrowing of the celiac artery, although involvement of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is rare. A 77-year-old man presented with a 5-day history of abdominal and back pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed hemorrhagic ascites, a pancreatic arcade aneurysm, and dissection of the SMA. Endovascular embolization was performed using metallic coils. Follow-up imaging demonstrated isolation of the aneurysm and improvement in the shrunken true lumen of the dissected SMA. This case suggests that narrowing of the SMA may alter blood flow in the pancreatic arcade and contribute to aneurysm formation.
Case ReportOctober 21, 2025
Interval Skin Necrosis in the Infrapopliteal Segment after Successful Distal Bypass Grafting in a Patient with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia Complicated by Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Long-Term Corticosteroid Therapy
Tsutomu Doita, Shinsuke Kikuchi, Yuya Tamaru, Hirofumi Jinno, Keisuke Kamada, Naoya Kuriyama, Keisuke Miyake, Shigeru Miyagawa, Nobuyoshi Azuma
A 76-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy, who underwent bilateral femoro-inframalleolar bypasses, suffered from interval skin necrosis in both lower legs after vein harvest in the contralateral leg and hematoma formation in the ipsilateral leg. Bilateral interval skin necrosis was improved eventually after revascularization for femoropopliteal lesions. In patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy who undergo distal bypass surgery, it is essential to address not only foot ischemia but also ischemia in the infrapopliteal region along the graft route and at the vein harvest site when formulating the surgical strategy.
Featured articles
GuidelineJune 6, 2025
Supplement of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Endovenous Thermal Ablation for Varicose Veins 2019: Laser Ablation of Varicose Tributaries
Masayuki Hirokawa, Junichi Utoh, Satoru Sugiyama, Osamu Suzuki, Takashi Yamamoto, Tomohiro Ogawa, Makoto Mo, on behalf of the Guideline Committee, Japanese Society of Phlebology
In the treatment of saphenous varicose veins with endovenous laser ablation, simultaneous treatment of varicose tributaries using stab avulsion or sclerotherapy is commonly performed. To address the limitations of these conventional treatments, laser ablation for varicose tributaries has recently gained widespread acceptance. This guideline, developed by the Japanese Society of Phlebology, outlines appropriate treatment protocols for laser ablation of varicose tributaries. Indications include primary varicose veins requiring concurrent treatment of the saphenous trunk and varicose tributaries. The procedure utilizes slim radial fibers, with puncture and ablation performed using either short- or long-axis approaches. Although rare, adverse events such as skin burns, nerve injury, and fiber breakage have been reported. A learning curve is necessary to ensure the safe execution of the procedure. Further clinical studies are essential to enhance the safety and efficacy of laser ablation for varicose tributaries. (This is a secondary publication from Jpn J Phlebol 2025; 36: 51–58.)
Overview of type 2 endoleak following endovascular aneurysm repairMarch 25, 2023
Surgical Treatment of Sac Enlargement Due to Type II Endoleaks Following Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
Seiji Onitsuka, Hiroyuki Ito
An aneurysm sac enlargement caused by type II endoleak (T2EL) following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysms may cause serious complications such as rupture. Consequently, methods that preoperatively prevent or postoperatively treat T2EL have been employed.
Therapeutic Angiogenes UpdateDecember 25, 2022
Therapeutic Angiogenesis Using Autologous CD34-Positive Cells for Vascular Diseases
Yasuyuki Fujita, Atsuhiko Kawamoto
CD34 is a cell surface marker, which is expressed in various somatic stem/progenitor cells such as bone marrow (BM)-derived hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), skeletal muscle satellite cells, epithelial hair follicle stem cells, and adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells. CD34+ cells in BM and peripheral blood are known as a rich source of EPCs.
Updates on Image Diagnosis in Aortic DiseaseDecember 25, 2018
Update on Cardiovascular Echo in Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection
Kazuhiro Nishigami
The majority of aortic aneurysms comorbid with atherosclerosis can be asymptomatic and are discovered incidentally on routine physical examination or on imaging studies for other indications. Transthoracic echocardiography is a basic modality to assess patients with coronary artery disease and can be used for the screening of aortic aneurysm. Acute aortic dissection is a highly lethal cardiovascular emergency and requires prompt recognition. Although cardiovascular echo has a suboptimal accuracy rate for detecting aortic dissection, it is noninvasive, readily available, and easy to use. Recently, the concept of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) refers to ...
Updates on Image Diagnosis in Aortic DiseaseSeptember 25, 2019
Updates on Ultrasonography Imaging in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Shinichi Iwakoshi, Toshiko Hirai, Kimihiko Kichikawa
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are life-threatening and are associated with >80% mortality when they rupture. Therefore, detecting these aneurysms before they rupture is critical. Ultrasonography is a non-invasive tool that is used for screening AAAs by measuring abdominal aorta diameter. A recent meta-analysis demonstrated the positive effects of ultrasonography. To date, aneurysm diameter is the most reliable predictor for aneurysm rupture and is used as a criterion for surgical intervention. However, some AAAs rupture at small diameters. Therefore, a better predictor for AAA rupture that is independent of aneurysm diameter is needed. Recently, an aortic wall strain examined using ultrasonography has been reported to have a potential in predicting AAA rupture....
Updates on Image Diagnosis in Aortic DiseaseMarch 25, 2020
Updates on Computed Tomography Imaging in Aortic Aneurysms and Dissection
Ryoichi Tanaka, Kunihiro Yoshioka, Akihiko Abiko
Computed tomography (CT) is a primary imaging modality for the diagnosis of aortic diseases, because of its minimal invasiveness and agility. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is crucial especially for acute aortic diseases, and the guidelines for acute aortic dissection recommend the use of CT for initial diagnosis. For the follow-up observation of longstanding aortic diseases, the strategy of imaging management by CT must be different from that for emergency and acute phases. In this review, we document the differences in characteristics and clinical course between aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection and explain the use of recent CT techniques in diagnosing short- and longstanding aortic diseases.