Two-Device Closure Method for Large Diameter Arteriotomies in Percutaneous Endovascular Aortic Repair.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous endovascular aortic repairs (pEVARs) are associated with access site complications. Two-device technique using 2 Perclose devices has been well established. Combined Perclose and Angioseal technique has been described as well. We sought to determine whether a hybrid Perclose and Angioseal closure technique would safely and effectively establish hemostasis in large-bore arteriotomies up to 20F. METHODS: Patients were identified as candidates for percutaneous access based on preoperative computed tomography findings, perioperative ultrasound of femoral vessels, or a combination of the 2 modalities. Prior to sheath insertion, 1 Perclose device was predeployed. At the end of pEVAR, device sheath and introducer were withdrawn over a 0.035″ wire, and partially deployed Perclose was fully deployed. The sheath and introducer were fully withdrawn and the arteriotomy was closed with a 6F Angioseal vascular closure device and completion deployment of the Perclose. Patients were followed at day 1 and day 30 and at least 1 year postintervention. RESULTS: A composite end point of complications was defined as an access site-related bleed or hematoma that required blood transfusion or an extended hospital stay, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, dissection, or retroperitoneal hematoma. The combined technique was initially successful in 44/45 arteriotomies (97.8%) in 24/25 patients (96.0%) with no conversions to cutdown. Sheath sizes ranged from 10F to 20F outer diameter (OD), with an average of 15.89F OD. The single-device failure was caused by a failure of the footplate to catch during deployment in the Angioseal with a 20F arteriotomy. Consequently, that was the only patient in which this closure was attempted for an arteriotomy larger than 19F. There were no early or late complications in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Large-bore arteriotomies may be safely and effectively closed using a hybrid percutaneous closure technique for sheaths up to 19F OD. Evaluation of this technique in closure of large-bore arteriotomies is ongoing and further investigation is needed to assess the value of this closure in 20F OD sheaths and above.

Thermoregulatory catheter-associated inferior vena cava thrombus.

The use of thermoregulatory catheters (TRCs) in critically ill patients has become increasingly popular. TRCs have been shown to be effective in regulating patient body temperature with improved outcomes. Critically ill patients, especially multitrauma patients and those with femoral catheters, are at high risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Among patients for whom chemical DVT prophylaxis is not an option, inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are often placed prophylactically. The development of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has allowed placement of IVC filters at the bedside for patients who are too ill for transport to the operating room or cardiac catheterization lab. After encountering several patients with occult DVT of the IVC during bedside IVC filter placement, we performed a retrospective review to determine the incidence of DVT or pulmonary embolus (PE) in patients who had been treated with a TRC at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Since 2008, IVC filters have been deployed at the bedside with the use of IVUS at Baylor University Medical Center. During that same time period, 83 patients had a TRC placed for either intravascular warming or cooling during their resuscitation. Forty-seven out of 83 patients who had a TRC placed survived their injuries. Ten of 47 patients (21%) were diagnosed with DVT or PE, and 6 of these 10 (60%) were found to have caval thrombus. We present this case series as evidence that undiagnosed IVC thrombus associated with TRCs may be higher than previously suspected, given that 5 out of 10 patients who had IVUS of their IVC for prophylactic IVC filter placement, as well as one patient diagnosed with PE, were found to have caval thrombus.