Remote Iliac Artery Endarterectomy: A Case Series and Systematic Review

Can remote endarterectomy expand access to kidney transplantation in patients with severe iliac calcification?

Severe iliac artery calcification in patients with end-stage renal disease is a common barrier to listing for kidney transplant. While few surgical solutions to iliac calcification have been reported, improving treatment may thus improve access to transplant care. Here we present two cases of a novel application of remote endarterectomy of the external iliac artery to facilitate listing for renal transplant. Both patients were listed following remote endarterectomy, followed by successful renal transplants using the treated vessels.

Eversion Endarterectomy - an alternative approach to occlusive External Iliac Artery disease

OBJECTIVES

While endovascular intervention is the recommended first option for management of common iliac artery (CIA) lesions, it lacks durable patency for Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC)-II C and D lesions involving the external iliac artery (EIA). Aorto-femoral bypass is a durable option but is unsuitable in patients with significant co-morbidities. Eversion endarterectomy provides an alternative to both endovascular and extensive open aortoiliac reconstruction for occlusive EIA disease.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A single-centre, retrospective review (2000-2020) of all patients undergoing eversion endarterectomy for EIA disease was undertaken. Demographic, clinical, operative and follow-up data were recorded.

RESULTS

Fifty eversion endarterectomies were performed in 47 patients. The median age was 65.0 years (46-82) and 66.6% were male. Sixty-eight percent (n=34) were ASA grade 3. Indications for intervention were disabling claudication (44%) and critical limb ischaemia (56%). Angiography demonstrated 22 TASC C and 28 TASC D lesions. The median follow-up was 18.5 months (range 0-149 months). The technical success rate was 100% and 84% (n=42) experienced an immediate symptomatic improvement. Primary and primary-assisted patency at one, three and five years was 86%, 82% and 74%, and 100%, 96% and 92%, respectively. The five-year limb salvage rate was 96%. Eight limbs required reintervention to maintain patency, either by open (n=2), endovascular (n=3) or hybrid approach (n=3). Thirty-day mortality was 2% (n=1) with 10% (n=5) experiencing a procedure-related morbidity. All-cause mortality was 38% (n=19) during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

Eversion endarterectomy is a safe, effective alternative treatment for occlusive EIA disease. This study reports durable patency at five years and low perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Remote iliac artery endarterectomy with selective stent use at the proximal dissection zone in TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D lesions

BACKGROUND

Remote iliac artery endarterectomy (RIAE) is a challenging technique in the treatment of arterial occlusive disease. The impact of proximal transection zone stenting on patency rates is still unclear.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent RIAE in our hospital between March 2007 and October 2017. A stent was used in cases with a dissection flap or a stenosis at the proximal transection zone after RIAE. In all other cases, we did not use a stent. Study end points were patency rates, limb salvage, and survival after 5 years.

RESULTS

There were 115 RIAEs performed in 108 patients. All lesions were TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C (61.7%) or D (38.3%) lesions. The median follow-up time was 38.5 months (range, 0-117 months). The indications were claudication in 67.0% and critical limb ischemia in 33.0%. Group 1 (n = 56) included all patients without a stent; group 2 (n = 59) included all patients with stenting of the proximal dissection zone. Risk factors were similar between the groups. The 30-day morbidity and mortality rates between the groups were not significantly different. The primary patency rate was 81.6% (group 1, 76.2%; group 2, 87.6%; P = .286), the primary assisted patency rate was 91.9% (group 1, 94.0%; group 2, 90.0%; P = .512), and the secondary patency rate was 93.8% (group 1, 94.0%; group 2, 91.6%; P = .435) after 5 years. Limb salvage (97.2%; group 1, 100%; group 2, 94.5%; P = .084) and survival time (57.1%; group 1, 66.7%; group 2, 43.5%; P = .170) were also not significantly different between the groups. A restenosis at the transection zone occurred in 14.3% in group 1 and 1.7% in group 2 (P = .013) during follow-up. A newly formed occlusion of the hypogastric artery was seen in 5.2% of patients after RIAE.

CONCLUSIONS

RIAE is a safe procedure with excellent patency rates. However, the restenosis rate is higher in cases without stenting.