Journal List > J Korean Soc Radiol > v.76(6) > 1087807

Cha, Kim, Kim, and Kim: Effectiveness of Percutaneous Aspiration Thrombectomy for Acute or Subacute Thromboembolism in Infrainguinal Arteries

Abstract

Purpose

To report the feasibility and longterm clinical outcome of percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy for treating acute or subacute arterial thromboembolism in the infrainguinal arteries.

Materials and Methods

Thirty limbs of 29 patients were enrolled in this retrospec-tive study between January 2004 and March 2014. Nine limbs underwent overnight catheter-directed thrombolysis followed by percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy (PAT). Eighteen limbs underwent PAT with adjunctive selective intraarterial thrombolysis in a single session. The remaining three limbs underwent PAT alone. Balloon angioplasty (n = 16) or stent placement (n = 3) was performed as required. In-hospital mortality and complications were estimated. The primary patency rate and the rate of freedom from reintervention were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

Technical success was achieved in 28 limbs. Clinical success was achieved in 27 limbs. The mean ankle-brachial index increased from 0.17 ± 0.26 to 0.98 ± 0.19 after the procedure. Three in-hospital deaths and no major amputations were recorded. Distal embolization of crural arteries occurred as a minor complication in five limbs, but no major complications occurred. The primary patency rate and the rate of freedom from reintervention were 74.9% and 90.9% at 1 year, respectively, and 66.6% and 80.8% at 2 years, respectively.

Conclusion

PAT is a rapid and effective method to remove a thrombus from oc-cluded infrainguinal arteries.

Index terms

Peripheral Arterial Disease, Angiography, Endovascular Procedures, Mechanical Thrombolysis, Thrombolytic Therapy

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Fig. 1.
Flow chart of patient selection. ALLI = acute lower limb ischemia, CDT = catheter-directed thrombolysis, CTA = CT angiography, DUS = Doppler ultrasonography, PAT = percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy, UK = urokinase
jksr-76-386f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Angiograms of a 74-year-old male who presented with coldness and resting pain in the left leg for 7 days. He had undergone prior surgical embolectomy. Initial angiogram (A) shows occlusion from the distal superficial femoral artery (arrow) to the popliteal artery. Angiogram after aspiration of the thrombus and balloon angioplasty of the superficial femoral artery (B) reveals embolic occlusion of the crural arteries. After aspirating the thrombi in the crural arteries, the final angiogram shows good patency of the superficial femoral (C), proximal posterior tibial, and common peroneal arteries (D). Although the final angiogram of the foot (E) reveals distal embolization (arrow) at the distal posterior tibial artery, collateral flow is detected from the recanalized posterior tibial artery to the dorsalis pedis artery (arrowhead). Clinical success was achieved, and the ankle-brachial index increased from 0 to 1.16.
jksr-76-386f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Primary patency curves. PAT + CDT: overnight CDT followed by PAT group, PAT alone: PAT with/without adjuvant thrombolysis in a single session group. CDT = catheter-directed thrombolysis, PAT = percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy
jksr-76-386f3.tif
Fig. 4.
Freedom from reintervention curves. PAT + CDT: overnight CDT followed by PAT group, PAT alone: PAT with/without adjuvant thrombolysis in a single session group. CDT = catheter-directed thrombolysis, PAT = percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy
jksr-76-386f4.tif
Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Patients
Demographics  
Age (years ± SD) 66.1 ± 11.7
Number of limbs 30
Gender  
 Male 23
 Female 6
Rutherford clinical limb stage (%)  
 Stage IIa 25 (83)
 Stage IIb 5 (17)
Onset of ischemic symptom (%)  
 < 1 day 6 (20)
 1–14 days 19 (63)
 > 14 days 5 (17)
Mean symptom duration (days) 6.4
Source of embolism (%)  
 Thrombosis-native artery with atherosclerosis 12 (40)
 Thrombosis-bypass graft 3 (10)
 Thrombosis-underlying Buerger's disease 1 (3)
 Cardioembolism-atrial fibrillation 10 (33)
 Cardioembolism-congestive heart failure 1 (3)
 Unknown 3 (10)
Level of arterial occlusion (%)  
 Superficial femoral artery 10 (33)
 Popliteal artery 15 (50)
 Crural arteries 5 (17)
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