Subintimal racanalization for the treatment of chronic aorto-iliac artery occlusion: its feasibility and preliminary results / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the feasibility and proper technique of subintimal racanalization in treating chronic aorto-iliac artery occlusion. Methods Subintimal racanalization via right brachial artery access was performed in a 57-years-old man with chronic total occlusion of aorto-iliac artery. Subintimal pathways were created with two hydrophilic guidwires (Teromo), which were inserted into the subintimal space from the occluded end of the abdominal aorta and got into the right and left external iliac arteries separately. Subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention was employed in left side to overcome the difficulty in reentering the true lumen. The exchange guidwires were conducted out of the femoral artery puncture sites on both sides in sequence, in this way the bilateral femoral pathways were established. Aorto-iliac artery balloon angioplasty and retrograde stent implantation, including one aortal and 5 iliac stents, were carried out by kissing technique from the femoral site. Results The aorto-iliac artery lumen was successfully reopened after the procedure. The internal lumen shape of the stents was satisfactory and the blood flow was unobstructed. The ischemic symptoms of the lower extremities disappeared completely. The ankle brachial index (ABI) rose from 0.32 to 0.96, and the condition remained stable in a follow-up period of 10 months. Conclusion Subintimal racanalization therapy is practical and safe for treating total aorto-iliac artery occlusion, especially for the patients with chronic arterial sclerosis.