Outcomes at a single center after subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention for critical limb ischemia

Objective

The subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique has been used to overcome antegrade recanalization failures for peripheral lower limb arterial occlusive disease. There are few outcomes published for this technique and we sought to evaluate outcomes at our institution over a 7-year period.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed of all subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention procedures of infrainguinal occlusive disease from 2009 to 2016. Retrograde and antegrade accesses were combined when occlusions could not be crossed from the antegrade direction. Baseline patient characteristics, procedures, procedure time, fluoroscopy time, contrast used, and radiation dose were collected. Posterior tibial waveforms, ankle-brachial index, limb salvage, vessel patency, and the presence of symptoms were assessed at follow-up.

Results

Treatment was performed in 52 limbs in 52 patients (35 men and 17 women; mean age, 77.62 ± 11.61 years) with critical limb ischemia and no appropriate venous conduit for surgical bypass. Among the cohort, 63.5% were diabetics, 98% had hypertension, 53.8% had a prior myocardial infarction, and 36.5% end-stage renal disease. The average Rutherford Category before the intervention was 5.08 ± 1.01. Retrograde pedal access was most commonly obtained in the anterior tibial artery/dorsalis pedis (55.7%), followed by the posterior tibial artery (40.3%). The technical success rate was 63.5% (33/52); adjunctive stenting was needed in 19 (36.5%) to optimize results. Preprocedural ankle-brachial index score was 0.54 ± 0.25, which improved after the procedure to an ankle-brachial index score of 0.77 ± 0.25. The primary patency rates at 3 and 6 months were 65% and 60%, respectively. The limb salvage rate at a mean follow-up of 5.4 months was 78.8%. There were 5 complications; 4 were hematomas managed conservatively and 1 was a major retroperitoneal bleed resulting in patient death.

Conclusions

Retrograde pedal access is a viable revascularization technique for achieving limb salvage in patients with critical limb ischemia with acceptable patency for limb-threatening ischemia. This technique expands revascularization options after failed conventional endovascular antegrade approaches.