On-Site–Modified Sheath to Overcome the Undesirable Catheterization of the Profunda Femoris Artery During Antegrade Femoral Access

Purpose: To present a simple method to avoid favored passage of a guidewire into the profunda femoris artery (PFA) after antegrade puncture of the common femoral artery. Technique: A 6-F conventional introducer sheath with a radiopaque distal marker is placed on the nurse’s table with its side port orientated to the 12 o’clock position. A small (2–2.5 mm) oval fenestration is created on the superior aspect of the sheath about 3 cm from its tip with a size 11 surgical blade. The modified introducer is passed over the angled 0.035-inch guidewire into the PFA and gently retrieved until the tip marker is ~3 cm from the femoral bifurcation. The dilator is removed, and the guidewire is withdrawn to the level of the fenestration, manipulated through it, and advanced further into the superficial femoral artery under fluoroscopic guidance. Conclusion: When repeated passage of the guidewire down the PFA persists despite conventional manipulation of the wire or needle, an on-site modification of the sheath is an easy alternative approach for the catheterization of the superficial femoral artery.

Retrograde technique for great saphenous vein ablation using the VenaSeal™ closure system – Ideal approach for deep seated or small below the knee refluxing truncal veins

Objectives The VenaSeal™ closure system (Medtronic, Galway, Ireland) is a novel non-thermal, non-tumescent ablative device that induces endovenous closure by inducing fibrosis of the truncal superficial vein. The conventional IFU antegrade technique is straightforward except when the great saphenous vein is small at the planned access site below the knee, deep, or steeply traverses the fascia making passage of the introducer wire to the groin difficult. We describe our technique for retrograde great saphenous vein puncture, which mitigated these access problems and assessed the effectiveness and outcomes. Methods Fourteen patients (14 legs; 14 great saphenous vein) underwent VenaSeal™ ablation via a retrograde puncture, all for great saphenous vein incompetence; 10/14 (71.4%) had C4–C5 disease. Retrograde puncture introduces the VenaSeal™ catheter in a cranial-caudal manner, with the designated puncture site at the most proximal point of the great saphenous vein reflux. Patients were reviewed at 1 week, 3, 6 and 12-months post-procedure. Post-operative outcomes and complications were recorded, along with patient satisfaction. Results The most common reason for a retrograde puncture approach was the small great saphenous vein calibre below the knee, in 9/14 (64.3%) patients. There was 100% technical success, with no major complications from the procedure; 11/14 (78.6%) patients tolerated the procedure under local anaesthesia without any sedation. There was 100% Duplex-occlusion rate at 1 week, 3, 6 and 12-months post-procedure. Conclusion The retrograde puncture technique for the VenaSeal™ Closure system is safe and effective in ablating the great saphenous vein in patients who are not amendable to the conventional antegrade puncture approach. Patients tolerated this procedure without additional mean operative time and minimal complications. More extensive studies with longer follow-up periods are required to validate the long-term outcomes of this technique.

Complication during Endovascular Intervention: Acute Ischemia of the Lower Extremity as a Result of Spiral Dissection with Antegrade Puncture of the Left Common Femoral Artery

Introduction. Over the past decade, endovascular interventions have become widely used in patients with obliterating atherosclerosis of lower extremity arteries. This is due to the low-trauma nature of the methodology, various technological achievements in the improvement of instruments and the accumulation of operational experience. However, despite all the successes achieved, no intervention is without its complications. In the case of endovascular interventions, complications are most commonly associated with the site of arterial access. One of the most widely-used arterial approaches is retrograde femoral access. However, if an intervention is planned on the femoropopliteal arterial segment, the antegrade femoral approach is generally the method of choice. Among the advantages of antegrade access can be noted the shorter path to the site, better toolkit support and a shorter operation duration. One of the main complications involved in antegrade access is the development of dissection. Although this complication occurs in less than 1% of cases, it carries a threat of critical ischemia of the lower limbs, which may require emergency open surgery up to and including emergency limb amputation.Materials and methods. The paper presents a clinical case of successful treatment of iatrogenic spiral dissection, which occurred following antegrade vascular access. During surgical treatment of this complication, stents were implanted throughout the dissection to “press” the exfoliated layer of the intima.Results. The study presents a case of iatrogenic spiral dissection after antegrade femoral puncture followed by successful endovascular treatment of this complication.Conclusion. Endovascular balloon angioplasty and stenting can be successfully used when iatrogenic dissection develops following antegrade puncture of the right femoral artery, allowing classic “open” surgical intervention to be avoided.

MynxGrip for Closure of Antegrade Puncture After Peripheral Interventions With Same-Day Discharge

Background: This was the first prospective study to assess the safety and efficiency of MynxGrip vascular closure device (VCD) in peripheral interventions with antegrade access. Methods and Results: We enrolled 66 consecutive patients from 1 center. All patients were discharged home on the day of procedure and were observed for adverse events at 1 and 30 days of follow-up. No major complications were observed. The rate of minor complications (conversion to manual or mechanical compression) was 7.6%. Postdischarge, 3% of patients experienced minor complications—small abscess, ipsilateral deep vein thrombosis. In 1 patient, a second VCD was deployed after device failure. The derived device failure rate was 5.9%. No patients required hospitalization. No late bleeding and no hematomas >6 cm were noted. The mean time to discharge was 4 hours and 5 minutes. Conclusion: The MynxGrip was safe and effective in sealing access sites after antegrade femoral artery puncture with same-day discharge.