Vibrational angioplasty in the treatment of chronic femoropopliteal arterial occlusions: preliminary experience

Performance of the Wingman catheter in peripheral artery chronic total occlusions: Short-term results from the international Wing-It trial

OBJECTIVES

To determine the safety and effectiveness of a peripheral artery chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing catheter following failed crossing attempts with standard guidewires.

BACKGROUND

CTO crossing remains a challenge during peripheral artery interventions.

METHODS

In this prospective, international, single-arm study, patients with a peripheral artery CTO that was uncrossable with standard guidewires were treated with a crossing catheter (Wingman, Reflow Medical). The primary efficacy endpoint of CTO crossing success was compared to a performance goal of 70.7%. The primary composite safety endpoint (major adverse event [MAE], clinically significant perforation or embolization, or grade C or greater dissection) was assessed over a 30-day follow-up period and compared to a performance goal of 13.0%.

RESULTS

A total of 85 patients were treated using the Wingman catheter for peripheral artery CTO crossing. Key patient characteristics were mean age of 71±9 years, 66% male, and mean lesion length of 188±94 mm in the superficial femoral artery (71%), popliteal artery (15%), or infrapopliteal arteries (14%). Both primary endpoints of the trial were met¾CTO crossing success was 90% (lower confidence limit=82.5%) and 5 primary safety events occurred in 4 (4.8%) patients (upper confidence limit=10.7%). Over 30 days of follow-up, Rutherford score decreased by at least 2 categories in 74% patients; the percentage of patients with normal hemodynamics assessed with the ankle-brachial index increased from 1% to 51%.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with a CTO that was unable to be crossed with a standard guidewire, the Wingman catheter was able to cross 90% of occlusions with a favorable safety profile.

Feasibility of ischemic leg ulcer healing using percutaneous techniques: a real-life study

Background

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is established as the first-line vascular procedure in patients with lower extremity artery disease.

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the technical and clinical effectiveness of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the management of ischemic foot ulcers.

Material and Methods

All consecutive patients presenting with a foot ulcer at the outpatient vascular surgery clinic of our hospital between June 2009 and June 2015 were evaluated using foot pulse assessment, ankle-brachial index, and duplex scanning. If non-invasive parameters suggested lower extremity artery disease, CT angiography and/or digital subtraction angiography were performed and a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was carried out when feasible during the same session. All patients were followed until healing, amputation, death, or for at least two years. Short- and long-term clinical success was evaluated based on ulcer size and appearance. Patients with worsening ulcers after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty underwent bypass grafting or amputation.

Results

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed in 161 patients (100%) with stenoses > 50%, including cases lesions > 10 cm and/or multiple/calcified lesions, 144 of which completed the study. In 88 (61.2%) patients, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed in the suprapopliteal axis exclusively, in 10 (6.8%) patients in the infrapopliteal axis only, and in 46 (31.9%) in both levels. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was technically successful in 141 (98%) patients. After 3.1 years, the rate of healing was 68%, limb salvage 88%, overall survival 69.5%, and amputation-free survival 64%.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for ischemic foot ulceration treatment is in the majority of patients feasible, effective, and safe with high rates of healing and limb salvage.

Vibrational angioplasty in recanalization of chronic femoropopliteal arterial occlusions: single center experience

PURPOSE

This prospective study aims to present the overall success rate, safety and long-term outcome of vibrational angioplasty technique, in the treatment of chronic total femoropopliteal occlusions in our institute.

METHODS

Between October 2000 and December 2008, patients with chronic total femoropoliteal arterial occlusions, treated with vibrational angioplasty during the same session after a failed attempt with conventional recanalization technique, were included. Patient's follow up included serial ankle-brachial index measurements and arterial duplex ultrasound examinations at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients (16 males and 11 females) and twenty-eight lesions were included in our study. Twenty-five lesions (89.3%) were successfully recanalized. Pain relief was noticed in twenty-one cases. From ten lesions with tissue loss (ulcer or gangrene) in successfully recanalized occlusions, six healed without major, or minor amputation. One non-healing amputation stump was healed after recanalization, without further complications. Four limbs underwent amputation (one minor and three major) despite successful recanalization, however all had an excellent healing of the amputation stump without further complications. The Kaplan-Meier test demonstrated 90%, 85% and 70% amputation-free survival rate at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively. No major or minor complications were encountered.

CONCLUSIONS

Vibrational angioplasty is a safe, effective and durable endovascular technique for the treatment of chronic total occlusions in patients with limb ischemia that would be difficult to recanalize using conventional intraluminal techniques.

A multicenter experience evaluating chronic total occlusion crossing with the Wildcat catheter (the CONNECT study)

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous techniques for crossing femoropopliteal chronic total occlusions (CTOs) offer an alternative to bypass surgery in patients deemed to be at increased risk due to advanced age or comorbidities. Recent reports document good success rates in catheters designed to reconstitute peripherally occluded arteries following failed guidewire passage. The Wildcat catheter (Avinger, Redwood City, Calif) is a novel device with a rotating distal tip and deployable wedges fashioned for channeling a passage through arterial occlusions. This report describes the results of a prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Wildcat device when crossing de novo or restenotic femoropopliteal CTOs.

METHODS

Between August 2010 and April 2011, patients with peripheral arterial disease due to a femoropopliteal CTO>1 cm and ≤35 cm were evaluated for study enrollment at 15 U.S. sites. During treatment, the physician initially attempted to cross the CTO using conventional guidewires per protocol; if the guidewire successfully crossed, the patient was considered a screen failure and the Wildcat was not deployed. At 30 days, patients were reevaluated. The primary efficacy end point was successful crossing of the Wildcat into the distal true lumen as confirmed by angiography. Primary safety end points included no in-hospital or 30-day major adverse events, no clinically significant perforation or embolization, and no grade C or greater dissection. Additional data collected included lesion length, degree of calcification, and location.

RESULTS

Eighty-eight patients were enrolled in the trial. Of these, the Wildcat device was used in 84 patients (95%) per protocol. Successful CTO crossing was reported and confirmed by independent review in 89% (75/84) of cases with 5% (4/84) major adverse events as defined in the protocol (predominantly perforations sealed with balloon inflation). There were no clinically relevant events associated with any of the perforations. The mean CTO length was 174±96 mm (range, 15-350 mm). Approximately 57% (n=48) of all lesions were categorized as containing at least moderate calcification. Eighty-nine percent (n=75) of vessels recanalized were superficial femoral arteries.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter study, the Wildcat catheter demonstrated an 89% crossing success rate with little associated morbidity. The Wildcat catheter is a viable device for crossing moderately calcified femoropopliteal CTOs.

Vibrational angioplasty in the treatment of chronic infrapopliteal arterial occlusions: preliminary experience

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vibrational angioplasty in chronic infrapopliteal arterial occlusions.

METHODS

Twelve patients (9 men, aged 54 to 90 years) with 13 below-knee arterial chronic total occlusions were treated percutaneously using vibrational angioplasty. The occlusions were located in the anterior tibial artery (n=5), the tibioperoneal trunk (n=4), the peroneal artery (n=1), the posterior tibial artery (n=1), and in both the tibioperoneal trunk and peroneal artery (n=2). The length of the lesions ranged from 5 to 14 cm.

RESULTS

Recanalization was successful in 12 (92.3%) lesions. In 1 case, the wire perforated the arterial wall; the procedure was abandoned without clinical sequelae. The time to cross the occlusions with the wire ranged from 6 to 19 minutes. No other complications were observed. Clinical follow-up ranged to 18 months. Ten patients with ulceration or gangrene demonstrated good wound healing, and pain was alleviated in all successfully treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Vibrational angioplasty appears feasible as a means of safely recanalizing chronic total occlusions of the infrapopliteal arteries. Further experience should be acquired to assess its short- and long-term effects on this vascular territory.