Safety and Ease of Sheath Insertion During Endovascular Treatment Via the Common Femoral Artery After Endarterectomy With Autologous Repair: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background Endovascular treatment (EVT) using the common femoral artery (CFA) for access after endarterectomy (EA) may result in sheath insertion difficulties because of subcutaneous scar tissue, as well as difficulties with hemostasis. We evaluated the safety of CFA access and the ease of sheath insertion over time after EA. Method We included 19 patients (21 limbs, 40 cases) in whom the CFA was used after EA with autologous repair as an access route in EVT for peripheral arterial disease in our institution from January 2013 to December 2020. Nine limbs underwent simple closure repair and 12 underwent autologous patch repair. Difficult sheath insertions were defined as those in which additional devices (stiff guidewire or a smaller diameter sheath for dilation) were used for scheduled sheath insertion. The inability to insert a sheath with the scheduled diameter was defined as a failed sheath insertion. We evaluated the EVT timing after EA for difficult sheath insertions, and whether the CFA was repaired with simple closure or autologous patch repair during EA surgery. Results There were 10 (25%) difficult sheath insertions, with one (2.5%) failure. The rate of difficult sheath insertions peaked from 6 months to 1 year after EA and gradually decreased (47% from 6 months to 3 years, 14% thereafter). There were more statistically significant difficult sheath insertions with simple closure repair (50%) than with autologous patch repair (12%) (P = 0.018). Hemostasis devices were used in 90% of EVT cases. The median maximum sheath diameter was 6 Fr (mean = 5.8 Fr). None of the cases required surgical procedures to achieve hemostasis after EVT. Conclusion EVT may be performed safely using the CFA after EA. The difficulty of sheath insertion may differ depending on the EVT timing after EA; it was more difficult with simple closure than with autologous patch repair, possibly related to scar formation.

Factors associated with difficulty in crossing the culprit lesion of acute myocardial infarction

In percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the culprit lesion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unsuccessful guidewire crossing causes immediate poor outcomes. It is important to determine the factors associated with unsuccessful guidewire crossing in AMI lesions. The purpose of this study was to find factors associated with difficulty in crossing the culprit lesion of AMI. We defined the difficult group when the guidewire used to cross the culprit lesion was a polymer jacket type guidewire or a stiff guidewire. We included 937 patients, and divided those into the non-difficult group (n = 876) and the difficult group (n = 61). Proximal reference diameter was significantly smaller in the difficult group than in the non-difficult group (p < 0.001), and degree of calcification was severer in the difficult group than in the non-difficult group (p < 0.001). In the multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, proximal reference diameter [odds ratio (OR) 0.313, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.185–0.529, p < 0.001)], previous PCI (OR 3.065, 95% CI 1.612–5.830, p = 0.001), moderate-severe calcification (OR 4.322, 95% CI 2.354–7.935, p < 0.001), blunt type obstruction (OR 12.646, 95% CI 6.805–23.503, p < 0.001), and the presence of collateral to the culprit lesion (OR 2.110, 95% CI 1.145–3.888, p = 0.017) were significantly associated with difficulty in crossing the culprit lesion. In conclusion, previous PCI, calcification, blunt type obstruction, and the presence of collateral were associated with difficulty in crossing the culprit lesion, whereas proximal reference diameter was inversely associated with difficulty. Our study provides a reference to recognize the difficulty in crossing the culprit lesions of AMI for PCI operators, especially junior operators.

The End of Wire Wrapping: A Technique to Avoid Intertwining Preloaded Guidewires for Endovascular Aortic Arch Repair

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present a new technique for endovascular aortic arch repair for 1, 2, or 3 vessels using preloaded wires and precannulated target vessels without wire wrapping. Technique: This technique uses a prototype catheter with 2 parallel lumens to position through-and-through guidewires in the supra-aortic branches and an extra-stiff guidewire in the ascending aorta with no wrapping. This allows the introduction and advancement of the device with the already precannulated target vessels. The endograft is advanced to the aortic arch without twisting or wrapping. Covered stents are deployed to align the graft and target vessels. Conclusion: To our knowledge, a technique that avoids wire wrapping has not been previously described. This technique allows safer and faster endovascular arch procedures and opens up new possibilities by enabling multi-vessel endovascular aortic arch repair with all precannulated target vessels.

A case of picking calcified plaque in the common femoral artery with a long needle: the “calc-pick technique”

An 88-year-old man had intermittent claudication of his right leg. Angiography revealed severely calcified plaque in the common femoral artery. Endovascular treatment was performed by contralateral approach. We attempted to penetrate the center of the calcified plaque and perform balloon dilatation. However, a 0.014-inch stiff guidewire could not enter the center of the lesion. Thus, we used an inner cylinder of 15-cm 20G long needle directly through the retrograde femoral sheath and successfully introduced the guidewire into the calcified plaque. Crosser and balloon dilatation resulted in 50 % stenosis. To cross the center of calcified plaque, it is important to obtain sufficient lumen gain at the non-stenting zone.

A Case of Picking Calcified Plaque In The Common Femoral Artery With A Long Needle: The “Calc-Pick Technique”

An 88-year-old male had intermittent claudication of his right leg. Angiography revealed severely calcified plaque in the common femoral artery. Endovascular treatment was performed by contralateral approach. We attempted to penetrate the center of the calcified plaque and perform balloon dilatation. However, a 0.014-inch stiff guidewire could not enter center of the lesion. Thus, we used a inner cylinder of 15-cm 20G long needle directly through the retrograde femoral sheath and successfully introduce the guidewire into the calcified plaque. Crosser and balloon dilatation resulted 50% stenosis. To cross the center of calcified plaque is important to get sufficient lumen gain at the nonstenting zone.

Sharp recanalization of peripheral arterial chronic total occlusions

Peripheral arterial chronic total occlusions (CTOs) usually have calcified caps at either ends. When attempting endovascular recanalization, these calcified CTO caps may prevent the interventionist in crossing the lesion with conventional catheter and guidewire techniques. Using specialized CTO devices or re-entry devices can help crossing the CTO, but such devices are usually expensive, not always readily available and require specialist training prior to usage. “Sharp recanalization” is an alternative method of crossing the CTOs. If it is not possible to cross the CTO with conventional catheter and guidewire technique, one can take out the floppy end of the guidewire and use the stiff or the “sharp” end of the guidewire to break the hard CTO cap. Once the CTO cap is broken, the stiff end is replaced by the floppy end of the guidewire again to proceed with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting. In order to safely use the sharp recanalization technique while minimizing the risk of perforation, sharp recanalization should only be attempted once conventional methods have failed. The interventionist should plan sharp recanalization with the vascular path in mind and decide in advance how far s/he will proceed. It can be helpful to set a time limit together with the intervention team, past which the sharp recanalization attempt will be abandoned. Using straight catheters can help directing the stiff guidewire tip to the center of the vascular lumen and reduce the risk of sub intimal dissection or arterial wall perforation.

Accordion effect: A red herring during percutaneous angioplasty of arteriovenous dialysis access

Accordion or concertina effect is the angiographic appearance of pseudostenosis caused by interaction of a stiff guidewire with a tortuous vessel during endovascular procedures. This phenomenon may often mislead the interventionist into performing unnecessary and potentially harmful procedures in a bid to treat the ‘stenotic’ lesion. The resolution of ‘stenosis’ on withdrawal of the guidewire clinches the diagnosis. While well described in coronary vessels, the occurrence of this phenomenon in arteriovenous fistula or graft has not been reported. We describe a case of accordion effect observed during endovascular intervention for arteriovenous graft salvage.

Mitral valve perforation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement

An 86-year-old female with severe aortic valve stenosis underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement. A balloon-expandable valve was used, guided by a double-stiff guidewire that successfully straightened the aorta. During valve placement, the balloon shifted. After placement of the prosthetic valve, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation from the anterior mitral leaflet. Open conversion was performed immediately. A 5-mm hole was identified in the anterior leaflet, and direct closure was chosen for mitral valve repair. While transcatheter aortic valve replacement has gained popularity for patients with severe aortic stenosis and high operative risk, reports of mitral valve perforation are rare.

P1563 A new dimension in patent foramen ovale size estimation

Introduction Detailed multidimensional assessment of patent foramen ovale (PFO) size with transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) may help to determine PFO pathogenicity in cryptogenic stroke patients and may improve the procedural outcome of percutaneous PFO closure. Purpose We explored the potential additive value of Live xPlane and three-dimensional (3D) TOE anatomical PFO sizing techniques. Methods Imaging data of 45 patients who underwent a 3D TOE-assisted PFO closure were included. The two-dimensional (2D) PFO separation distance and right to left (RL) contrast shunt magnitude were retrospectively assessed at rest and during release of a Valsalva maneuver on pre‑procedural 2D TOE recordings. Peri-procedural measurements of the triangular anatomic PFO opening (base, height and area) were performed after positioning of a stiff guidewire (SW) through the PFO, using Live xPlane imaging and 3D Zoom mode. Results The peri-procedural PFO SW base was on average five times larger than the pre-procedural 2D PFO separation (median difference +/- IQR : 13 +/- 5 mm ; p &lt; 0.001), having the biggest impact on total PFO area. The width of the PFO SW base was highly variable, even for a given separation, and significantly larger in patients with a large versus a small to moderate PFO RL contrast shunt (18 versus 15 mm; p = 0.007) and in those with a spontaneous versus a provoked shunt (18 versus 14 mm; p = 0.003). Conclusion The PFO SW base, assessed by Live xPlane and 3D TOE, seems a more precise estimate of anatomical PFO size compared to the conventional 2D PFO separation distance. This new PFO dimension may be taken into account for optimization of device and patient selection strategies. Abstract P1563 Figure. 3D Zoom PFO size measurement