Inferior vena cava filter presenting as chronic low back pain.

Our purpose is to report a rare complication of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter with vertebral bone penetration, interval fracture, subsequent endovascular management and outcome. We report a case of an IVC filter embedded within the second lumbar vertebral body and in which one of the primary struts fractured, which presented as chronic low back pain. The filter was retrieved percutaneously approximately 2 years after placement. A fractured small strut remained within the vertebral bone; patient's pain resolved. Symptomatic filter in situ should be retrieved even when fractured.

Subintimal recanalization is safe and effective in treating chronic critical limb ischemia in selected patients.

Subintimal recanalization is a percutaneous technique that allows revascularization in patients with limb-threatening ischemia. It was first described by Bolia (Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 13;357-63:1990) but has not gained widespread use in the United States. Twenty-five patients with 32 threatened limbs were referred from a single surgeon's practice over a 23-month period. All patients were either high-risk surgical patients, due to severe medical comorbidities, or not surgical candidates due to poor target vessels, lack of appropriate conduit, or failed previous surgical revascularizations. The average age of patients was 69. There were 15 men and 10 women treated. Subintimal recanalization was immediately successful in 30 limbs. One peri-procedural death occurred, although this patient underwent a surgical bypass graft procedure in the same hospitalization. Three significant complications occurred (myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage). Primary patency is 83 per cent. Secondary patency is 90 per cent. Limb salvage rate is 88 per cent. Mean follow-up period is 10 months. Eight patients died in the follow-up period due to unrelated causes.

Simultaneous antegrade and retrograde access for subintimal recanalization of peripheral arterial occlusion.

Subintimal recanalization can be a useful procedure in selected patients with severe peripheral vascular disease with tissue loss or rest pain and limited surgical bypass options. Technical failure occurs in approximately 20% of patient who undergo percutaneous intentional extraluminal recanalization due to inability to reenter the distal true lumen. A technique to improve technical success when performing subintimal recanalization when there is failure to reenter the distal true lumen or possibly when there is a limited segment of patent distal target vessel for reentry is proposed. Further evaluation of this technique is necessary to confirm its safety and determine its technical and clinical success.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting in the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia: results and longterm followup.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to review the results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), stenting, or both in the treatment of patients who present with symptoms and angiographic findings most consistent with chronic mesenteric ischemia. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 33 consecutive patients from a single institution who underwent PTA, stenting, or both for treatment of symptoms most characteristic of chronic mesenteric ischemia was performed. RESULTS: There were 12 men and 21 women with a mean age of 63 years (range 40 to 89 years). Median weight loss was 28 lb (range 6 to 80 lb). Postprandial pain was present in 88% of the patients (29 of 33). All lesions treated were stenoses. PTA alone was performed in 21 patients (32 vessels), and PTA and stenting were performed in 12 patients (15 vessels). PTA was technically successful in 26 of 32 vessels (81.3%); PTA plus stenting was technically successful in 15 of 15 vessels (100%) (p = 0.073). Complete alleviation of symptoms occurred immediately in 27 of the patients (82%), and 2 patients (6%) had significant improvement in symptoms. There were four immediate clinical failures (12%): two patients were found to have occult malignancy and one had immediate relief of symptoms after surgical release of the median arcuate ligament. Followup data were obtained in all patients with clinically successful procedures (mean 38 months, median 25 months, range 1 to 123 months). Angiographic followup was available in 52% of the patients (15 of 29), at a mean of 20 months. The primary longterm clinical success rate was 83.3% (24 of 29). Four of the five patients with recurrent symptoms were successfully retreated with endovascular therapy. The primary assisted longterm clinical success rate was 96.6% (28 of 29). The 5-year survival rate was 76.1%. Major complications occurred in 13% of the procedures, with a 30-day mortality rate of 0%. CONCLUSION: Endovascular therapy for treatment of mesenteric arterial stenoses is effective in the treatment of patients with symptoms and angiographic findings characteristic of chronic mesenteric ischemia.