ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasonic ablation in patients with chronic deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities. Methods Fifty-six patients with chronic deep vein thrombosis resulting in total occlusion of iliac-femoral veins accepted intra-venous ultrasonic ablation. The time for ultrasonic ablation was 12-24 minutes with the mean being 18 minutes. After the procedure, anti-coagulation was performed through the retaining catheters and venous propeller was utilized for promoting blood reflow. Results Ultrasonic ablation easily created a channel within the occlusive iliac-femoral veins and achieved successful recanalization in 49 of 56 patients (87.5%). Five patients (8.9%) were partially re-canalized and 2 (3.6%) had no recanalization. Thirty-eight of the 49 re-canalized patients were followed up, including 22 with no stent placement showed 9 (40.9%) re-occlusion and 16 received stent placement, and 2 had (12.5%) re-occlusion. Conclusions Intravascular ultrasonic ablation is an effective therapeutic modality to recanalize chronic thrombosed occlusion of iliac-femoral veins and can lay down a foundation for further balloon-expansion or stent-placement with long term patency.
