Percutaneous Vascular Closure Using an Anchored Collagen Plug Provides Effective Haemostasis Following both Antegrade and Retrograde Femoral Arterial Punctures

Recanalization of superficial femoral artery chronic total occlusion through retrograde popliteal approach recanalization of superficial femoral artery chronic total occlusion

Purpose

This retrospective study aims to evaluate the safety, practicality, and efficacy of the independent retrograde popliteal approach for recanalization superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions when the bilateral common femoral artery approach is unavailable, such as after endovascular aneurysm repair or common iliac artery stenting.

Methods

This treatment was considered for patients with contralateral iliac artery occlusion, severe iliac tortuosity, or those who had previously undergone endovascular aneurysm repair or common iliac stenting. Patients with SFA lesions extending into the P1-P2 segment of the popliteal artery or with calcification in the P3 segment were excluded. Angioplasty and stenting were conducted via the popliteal artery approach, with hemostasis at the puncture site achieved using an EXOSEAL vascular closure device. Patients were routinely followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually thereafter.

Results

Forty-eight consecutive patients with SFA occlusion who underwent endovascular treatment via the retrograde popliteal artery approach were included in this study. Retrograde puncture of the popliteal artery was successful in all cases. Six-French sheaths were utilized in all procedures. The EXOSEAL vascular closure device was successfully applied in all 48 cases. No instances of pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, major bleeding, or embolic complications were observed. The technical success rate for SFA recanalization was 100 %. All patients experienced clinical improvement. The ankle-brachial index significantly increased from an initial 0.33 ± 0.11 at admission to 0.81 ± 0.19 at discharge (P < 0.001). The mean follow-up period was 25.1 ± 11.7 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed primary patency rates of 82.5 % at 12 months and 71.8 % at 24 months. No patients required major amputation during the follow-up period.

Conclusion

The endovascular treatment of SFA occlusions via the independent retrograde popliteal approach is a viable alternative, demonstrating a low incidence of puncture-related complications and a high success rate of recanalization.

The Utility of Ultrasound Guidance to Improve the Safety of Closure of Antegrade Common Femoral Artery Access after Lower Limb Revascularization

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guidance in reducing adverse event (AE) rates when using Angioseal device during antegrade lower limb angioplasty via common femoral artery access. From December 2016 to November 2022, 1,322 patients were identified, including 1,131 (85.6%) patients who underwent US-guided closure and 191 (14.4%) who underwent non-US-guided closure. Moderate AEs were encountered in 10 (5.2%) patients in the non-US-guided closure group compared to 38 (3.4%) patients in the US-guided closure group (P = .208). Severe AEs were encountered in 4 (2.1%) patients in the non-US-guided closure group compared to 3 (0.3%) patients in the US-guided closure group (P = .010). Overall AEs occurred in 14 (7.3%) patients in the non-US-guided closure group compared to 41 (3.6%) patients in the US-guided closure group (P = .029). Binary logistic regression showed that only non-US guidance was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of severe AEs (P = .008).

Endovascular Revascularisation versus Open Surgery with Prosthetic Bypass for Femoro-Popliteal Lesions in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

Aim: Complex atherosclerotic femoro-popliteal lesions have traditionally been treated with bypass surgery. A prosthetic graft is used to save the vein graft for more distal revascularisations or when a vein graft is unavailable. The endovascular approach has gained popularity and is offered as a first-line strategy for complex lesions. This study aimed to evaluate whether endovascular procedures can be used as a first-line treatment strategy for complex native femoro-popliteal lesions over open surgery with prosthetic bypass in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Methods: This single-centre retrospective observational study was conducted between 2013 and 2021; it included patients with symptomatic PAD who required limb revascularisation at the femoro-popliteal segment and who had complex lesions. The primary endpoints analysed were technical success, primary patency, freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularisation (cdTLR), freedom from major adverse limb and cardiovascular events (MALE and MACE, respectively), freedom from limb loss, and survival. The secondary endpoints were length of in-hospital stay, and duration and costs of the procedure. Results: We identified 185 limbs among 174 suitable candidates for comparison, wherein 105 were treated with an endovascular procedure and 80 with a femoro-popliteal prosthetic bypass. Most patients in both groups presented with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia, and >90% of them had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification of >3. The endovascular group had more octogenarians (p = 0.02) and patients with coronary disease (p = 0.004). The median follow-up was 30 months. The technical failure rate for endovascular procedures was 4.7%, versus 0% in the open group (p = 0.047). Freedom from MACE was similar in both groups. The endovascular group showed superior primary patency (p < 0.0001), cdTLR (p < 0.0001), MALE (p < 0.0001), and freedom from limb loss (p = 0.0018) at 24 and 48 months. Further analysis performed for the open above-the-knee sub-group showed that the aforementioned endpoints were similar between the groups at 12 months and were better in the endovascular group at 24 and 48 months. Procedural time and in-hospital stay were longer in the open group than in the endovascular group (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The procedural cost in the endovascular group was 10-fold lower than that in the prosthetic bypass group. Conclusions: Endovascular procedures are safe for treating complex femoro-popliteal lesions in patients at a high risk for surgery and show better outcomes at 24 months than prosthetic bypasses do. The latter may be considered as an alternative should endovascular treatment fail.

Safety and efficacy of the Mynx Control vascular closure device in peripheral arterial procedures: A prospective study

OBJECTIVES

This article aims to present a prospective study investigating the safety and efficacy of the Mynx Control extravascular closure device (Cordis Corporation, FL, USA), for femoral arterial closure in patients undergoing peripheral arterial procedures.

METHODS

Between January 2020 and February 2021, 100 Mynx Control devices were deployed in 91 consecutive patients (mean age: 67.5 ± 16.9 years) who underwent peripheral arterial procedures. We used ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy during Mynx Control deployment and ultrasound post-procedure to detect complications. Femoral artery punctures included 62 (62%) antegrade and 38 (38%) retrograde punctures. The mean activated clotting time at time of device deployment was 221s. The primary endpoints were technical success, device failure, and complication rates up to 30 days.

RESULTS

A 5F vascular sheath was used in 43 cases (43%) (36 (36%) 6F and 21 (21%) 7F). The majority of our cases had antegrade access (62%). Overall technical success rate was 97% in both antegrade and retrograde cases. In total, there were 4 minor complications: 3 (3%) cases of pseudoaneurysm and 1 (1%) case of haematoma. No major complications were recorded post-procedure or 30 days post index procedure.

CONCLUSION

The Mynx Control vascular closure device is safe and effective in achieving haemostasis in patients undergoing antegrade and retrograde peripheral angioplasty procedures.

Superficial femoral artery access for infrainguinal antegrade endovascular interventions in the hostile groin: A prospective randomized study

INTRODUCTION

In a hostile groin, it may be difficult to perform antegrade endovascular procedures at the lower extremities using the ipsilateral common femoral artery as vascular access; therefore, the use of the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery (SFA) could be a useful alternative. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided SFA puncture versus traditional SFA cutdown to achieve arterial access.

METHODS

This prospective observational randomized study examined patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease who required endovascular interventions at the lower extremities. A hostile groin was defined as high femoral bifurcation, obesity, and surgical scarring due to previous surgical interventions. A 6-Fr sheath (12 cm long; ULTIMUM™ EV INTRODUCER; Abbott, Plymouth, MN, USA) was used in all procedures. In the percutaneous group, the puncture was performed under ultrasound guidance and hemostasis was performed using a percutaneous closure device (PCD) (Angioseal Vip 6-Fr; Terumo Medical Corporation, Somerset, NJ, USA). The primary endpoints were technical success and perioperative complications. The secondary endpoints were the time required for the management of vascular access and the type of anesthesia administered.

RESULTS

Between 2020 and 2021, 107 patients who underwent antegrade revascularization were enrolled. SFA was achieved in 50 cases by the femoral cutdown technique (c-group) and in 57 cases by percutaneous ultrasound-guided puncture (p-group). In the c-group, the time from incision to sheath introduction and the time of suturing the artery and wound closure was 35 ± 8 min. In the p-group, the time from skin puncture and sheath placement plus that from the sheath removal and hole closure with the PCD was 6 ± 3 min. For the c-group versus p-group, the following variables were as follows: high bifurcation, 10 vs. 6 cases (=p 0.2); severe obesity, 33 vs. 40 cases (p 0.46); and previous surgical groin interventions, 7 vs. 9 cases (p 0.53), respectively. The technical success rates were 100% vs. 96.49% for the c-group vs. p-group, respectively (p 0.63). Two percutaneous puncture failures were managed using the cutdown technique. In the p-group, two post-procedural hematomas were recorded, with only one requiring surgical treatment and two with SFA occlusion to intravascular cap hemostatic dislocation, which were subjected to surgical revision. A total of three percutaneous procedures in the p-group required surgical revision versus none in the c-group (p =0.1). Within 3 months, complications consisted of 6 cases of surgical wound complications in the c-group versus none in the p-group (p 0.009). All procedures in the p-group versus 72% of patients in the c-group were managed with local anesthesia (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The femoral cutdown technique seems to be safe and successful approach for achieving vascular access in cases of hostile groin. Ultrasound-guided puncture and PCD make SFA puncture a successful and safe alternative with an acceptable complications rate. Moreover, it reduces the time required to manage vascular access and can be performed mainly under local anesthesia.

Conversion From an Outpatient to an Inpatient Setting After an Endovascular Treatment for Lower Extremity Artery Disease

BACKGROUND

Outpatient endovascular treatment (EVT) for lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) is increasing. Some patients will, nonetheless, unexpectedly stay hospitalized for the night after the procedure. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with a conversion from an outpatient setting (OS) to an inpatient setting (IS).

METHODS

From April 2017 to August 2019, we performed 745 EVT for LEAD. Patients scheduled for a same-day discharge procedure were retrospectively analyzed. The factors potentially associated with a conversion to an IS were assessed. Results are expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Among the 198 (26.6%) patients scheduled for outpatient EVT, mean age was 70.8±14.1 years old, 34.3% had an ASA score≥3 and 38.4% presented a chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Twenty-eight patients (14.1%) were converted from an OS to IS. Univariate analysis found that Rutherford stage≥4 (OR = 5.09 [2.11-12.27], P < 0.001), high blood pressure (OR = 3.19 [1.06-9.63], P = 0.040), ASA score≥3 (OR = 3.61 [1.58-8.24], P = 0.002), duration of procedure ≥90 min (OR = 2.36, [1.03-5.39], P = 0.042), anterograde puncture (OR = 2.94, [1.30-6.66], P = 0.009), arrival in the operating room ≥12:00 (OR = 13.05, [5.29-32.17], P < 0.001) and general anesthesia (OR = 3.89, [1.20-12.62], P = 0.024) were associated with a conversion. The multivariate analysis revealed that an arrival in the operative room ≥12:00 (OR = 11.71, [3.85-35.60], P < 0.001) and general anesthesia (OR = 6.76, [1.28-35.82], P = 0.009) were independent factors associated with a conversion.

CONCLUSION

Arrival in the operative room after 12:00 and general anesthesia represent two independent correctible factors associated with the risk of OS failure. No factor directly related to comorbidities or the LEAD severity was identified.

Complication rates associated with antegrade use of vascular closure devices: a systematic review and pooled analysis

BACKGROUND

Vascular closure devices (VCDs) have become a mainstay in endovascular interventions in recent years. On-label use only allows for retrograde interventions originating at the common femoral artery (CFA). However, off-label use in antegrade and/or superficial femoral artery (SFA) access has become more common in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease. Despite this, there is a paucity of comparative literature assessing individual VCD safety profiles and relative complication risks of CFA vs SFA applications.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE systematic searches were performed from inception to October 2019 to identify studies assessing VCD use in antegrade CFA and SFA interventions. Abstract selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. Primary outcomes included bleeding-related complications, vessel occlusion or stenosis, embolization, pseudoaneurysm formation, or arteriovenous fistula formation.

RESULTS

Twenty-four unique studies with 4124 vascular closure events via six unique VCDs were included (Angioseal, Exoseal, Femoseal, Glubran 2, Mynx, Starclose; 3698 CFA, 426 SFA). Pooled occurrence of all complications across closure devices used in the CFA and SFA ranged from 0.9% (Mynx) to 7.4% (Starclose) and 0% (Perclose) to 10.1% (Starclose), respectively, depending on VCD type. Clinically meaningful differences were identified between devices with a trend toward significance (P = .08 CFA, P = .07 SFA). Individual devices demonstrated a range of bleeding complication rates from 0.4% (Mynx) to 7.2% (Femoseal) for the CFA site and from 0% (Perclose) to 6.4% (Starclose) for the SFA site (P = .01 and P = .03, respectively). Significant heterogeneity between studies precludes definitive characterization of the device as cause for variations in bleeding complication rates. Pooled complication rates did not differ between the CFA and SFA arms (4.6% vs 5.8%, P = .56). Bleeding complication rates also did not differ between the CFA and SFA arms (3.6% vs 3.6%, P = .98).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically meaningful differences in overall pooled complications were identified between VCDs with a trend toward significance. Significant differences between VCDs exist with respect to bleeding risk. However, this must be interpreted with caution as these differences could be secondary to interstudy heterogeneity. Finally, no difference was identified between antegrade SFA and CFA VCD use with respect to overall complication and bleeding risks.

FemoSeal® vascular closure device for antegrade common femoral artery access: Safety and technical notes

PURPOSE

To retrospectively assess the efficacy and safety of FemoSeal^® vascular closure device to achieve hemostasis following antegrade common femoral artery puncture after lower limb revascularization using vascular sheaths from 5 to 8 Fr.

METHODS

We reviewed the hemostatic outcome achieved with FemoSeal in 103 consecutive patients (mean age: 69 ± 8 years, 71 males) that undergone to 111 antegrade common femoral artery accesses for percutaneous lower limbs revascularization using 5- to 8-Fr vascular sheaths. We used FemoSeal in an unselected population, without exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the technical success, meant as achieving complete hemostasis without immediate complications.

RESULTS

Hemostasis was achieved in all 111 puncture sites (100% technical success). We observed eight (7%) puncture site minor complications (hematomas), none of which affecting the patients' outcome or requiring further therapies or increasing the hospital stay. There were no statistically significant differences between the variables potentially related to the occurrence of complications (age, international normalized ratio, platelet count, partial thromboplastin time ratio, body mass index, and common femoral arteries calcification grade) in patients with and without complications. Complications group mean body mass index was 26.4 ± 2.8 kg/m² versus non-complications group 26.6 ± 4.4 kg/m², p = 0.92. Mean international normalized ratio and partial thromboplastin time ratio were 1.05 ± 0.01 and 1.05 ± 0.14 versus 1.13 ± 0.2 (p = 0.39) and 1.12 ± 0.23 (p = 0.53), respectively. Common femoral arteries calcification grade was the same (mean: 1, p = 1). Platelet count was 202 × 10³/mL ± 66.7 versus 226 × 10³/mL ± 91.2, p = 0.55. Mean age was 72.3 ± 10 years versus 72.8 ± 8 years, p = 0.86.

CONCLUSION

The low rate (7%) and grading of the adverse events, combined with the high technical success rate (100%), in an unselected group of patients treated in daily routine, suggest high safety and efficacy of FemoSeal vascular closure device in antegrade common femoral artery puncture site hemostasis when using vascular sheaths ranging from 5 to 8 Fr. Therefore, FemoSeal could be considered as a first-line hemostasis strategy in such cases.

Successful Retrieval of an Embolized Vascular Closure Device (Angio-Seal®) After Peripheral Angioplasty

A 55-year-old male with peripheral arterial disease underwent angioplasty of the right lower limb arteries via antegrade femoral access. Angio-Seal^® closure device was used to treat the puncture site, whereby the intravascular sealing anchor accidentally embolized into the malleolar region of the right posterior tibial artery. Successful retrieval of the anchor was accomplished by a SpiderFX embolic protection device. This technique may be a useful approach to retrieve embolized foreign bodies via endovascular access.

Technical Approach to Antegrade Femoral Access

The number of endovascular procedures for treatment of peripheral arterial disease continues to increase as minimally invasive procedures have become the first-approach solution for lower extremity arterial lesions of any complexity, including Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus Document on Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (TASC) II category C and D. Although the usual treatment strategy has been to access the contralateral common femoral artery (CFA), an ipsilateral, antegrade CFA approach has certain advantages. The greatest advantages are the decrease in the access-to-lesion distance, which in turn improves the mechanical advantage and responsiveness of the tools used to perform the intervention. In certain clinical situations such as prior endovascular aneurysm repair, aortobifemoral surgical bypass, iliac kissing stents, and aortoiliac occlusive disease, an antegrade approach may be mandatory. In this article, we describe our institutional thought process and techniques for performing a successful antegrade puncture of the CFA, as well as highlight some pitfalls and the associated complication rates of which to be aware.