Ocelot catheter for the treatment of long SFA occlusion

Long saphenous femoral artery (SFA) chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are considered the “Achilles heel” of the lower extremity percutaneous interventions. Antegrade, retrograde, or transcollateral approaches, intraluminal or subintimal techniques with re‐entry and specialized CTO devices using microdissection, vibrational energy, and laser have all been tried for the management of such challenging lesions with various success rates. Ocelot is the first CTO crossing device using real‐time OCT technology. Its crossing catheter utilizes spiral wedges to corkscrew the CTO cap, while real‐time OCT offers direct visualization to facilitate intravascular true‐lumen orientation. The recently presented results of the CONNECT‐II study demonstrated crossing success of 97% and freedom from major adverse events of 98%. We present one of the most challenging SFA CTOs with ambiguous proximal cap in the ostium of the SFA, heavy calcification and involving almost the entire length of the SFA. The Ocelot catheter assisted to the successful true‐lumen recanalization of that complex lesion. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

New endovascular technique for thrombus in the non‐stenting zone—the Grab a Clot and Hold ON “(GACHON) technique”: Case report

It is difficult to treat a thrombotic embolism in the common femoral artery or popliteal artery (POP A), i.e., the non‐stenting zone. We report a new technique for the treatment of thrombotic embolism in the non‐stenting zone using a self‐expandable nitinol stent. Case 1 had an external iliac artery (EIA) occlusion that occurred over several months. A self‐expandable nitinol stent was placed in the right EIA lesion via a retrograde approach using a distal 9‐Fr balloon protection guide catheter in the right femoral artery. A thrombotic embolism occurred at the balloon protection site. It was too big to be removed using an aspiration catheter; therefore, we attempted removal with a self‐expandable stent. Using a crossover approach, we delivered a nitinol self‐expandable stent to the distal site of the thrombus, opened the tip of the stent, and pulled it up to the proximal site. Finally, we “grabbed a clot,” moved it to the stenting zone, and “held on” the vessel wall without occurrence of a distal embolism. We named this the “GACHON technique.” Case 2 underwent endovascular therapy for an acute thrombotic embolism in POP A after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for dissection. This thrombus was too big to aspirate, and we successfully treated it using the “GACHON technique.” The “GACHON technique” may be considered as a choice of treatment for a thrombotic embolism in the non‐stenting zone. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Transradial stenting of the iliac artery: a case report.

In this case report, stenting of the common iliac artery via the radial access route with 6 Fr equipment, including an extra long multipurpose catheter, is presented. Radial access avoids bleeding and ischemia that may complicate retrograde or crossover access to the iliac artery.     

Therapy of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is still a common and disabling side effect of many chemotherapy agents in use today. Unfortunately, neither prophylactic strategies nor symptomatic treatments have proven useful yet. This review will discuss the diagnosis and evaluation of neuropathy in cancer patients, as well as reviewing the various prophylactic and symptomatic treatments that have been proposed or tried. However, sufficient evidence is lacking to recommend any of these treatments to patients suffering with CIPN. Therefore, the best approach is to treat symptomatically, and to start with broad-spectrum analgesic medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If NSAIDs fail, a reasonable second-line agent in properly selected patients may be an opioid. Unfortunately, even when effective in other types of neuropathic pain, anti-depressants and anticonvulsants have not yet proven effective for treating the symptoms of CIPN.     

Endovascular revascularization of a surgically ligated superficial femoral artery: A case report

We present a case of a patient with left lower extremity ischemic rest pain who initially underwent surgical profundaplasty requiring ligation of his superficial femoral artery (SFA). The patient developed continued rest pain due to diffuse disease of his profunda and inadequate collaterals. Endovascular intervention was therefore performed to the oversewn SFA. Retrograde left SFA access was obtained and the origin of the SFA was recanalized with true lumen re‐entry using an ultrasound guided re‐entry catheter. Angioplasty was performed at the origin of the SFA and self‐expanding stents were deployed in the proximal and mid left SFA. Hemostasis at the distal left SFA access site was obtained by balloon inflation at the access site and manual compression. This case illustrates the feasibility of endovascular repair of a ligated SFA. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Correlations between nerve function and tissue oxygenation in diabetic patients: further clues to the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy?

Summary Transcutaneous oxygen, laser Doppler flowmetry, peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity and skin temperature were assessed in both legs of 34 diabetic patients, who had a mean age of 41 (range 29–77) years, and diabetes duration of 21 (3–34) years. Transcutaneous oxygen significantly correlated with peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity (r=0.59 p<0.001) and laser Doppler flowmetry (r=0.7 p<0.001). Laser Doppler flowmetry correlated weakly with peroneal motor conduction velocity, (r=0.34 p<0.05). In each patient the leg with the higher transcutaneous oxygen (mean 70.2±9.3 (SD) mmHg) had a significantly higher peroneal motor conduction velocity (45.3±7.1 vs 41.5± 6.3 m/s, p<0.01), than the leg with the lower transcutaneous oxygen (61.0±11.9 mm Hg), though no difference in skin temperature was observed, 31.4±0.4 vs 31.1±0.5°C. We then assessed the potential for reversibility of conduction velocity deficits in ten non-diabetic patients, aged 59 (52–77) years, undergoing unilateral femoro-popliteal bypass, measuring transcutaneous oxygen, peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity and skin temperature pre- and 6 weeks post-surgery. In the control leg (unoperated) there was no significant change in transcutaneous oxygen (63.2±8.8 vs 63.0±4.6 mm Hg), peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity (45.1±7.8 vs 43.4±7.2 m/s) or skin temperature (30.8±1.3 vs 30.2±1.2°C) after surgery (all NS). In the operated leg, transcutaneous oxygen increased from 59.3±10.7 to 70.7±7.2 mm Hg (p<0.01), and peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity from 42.6±6.1 to 46.7±3.2 m/s (p<0.01), but skin temperature was unchanged 30.3±0.4 vs 30.4± 1.3°C (NS). These studies provide further evidence that peripheral nerve function is associated with tissue hypoxia and that improving tissue oxygenation can significantly improve nerve conduction over a short period of time.     

High-Speed rotational ablation (rotablator®) for unfavorable lesions in peripheral arteries

A strategy of using a single, conservatively sized percutaneous transluminal rotational ablation device with or without adjunctive balloon angioplasty was employed in 18 vessels in 17 patients selected because of unfavorable lesion morphology for balloon angioplasty alone. Fifteen patients had lower extremity occlusions and/or heavily calcified lesions and two patients had ostial renal artery stenoses. We were able to achieve a 94% (17/18 lesions) technical success rate, and a 94% (16/17 patients) clinical success rate. In the patients with lower extremity lesions, the baseline ankle-brachial blood pressure index increased from 0.55 ± 0.15 to 0.90 ± 0.19 (p < .001) 1 day after the procedure. Follow-up at 6.8 ± 2.8 months revealed clinical evidence of restenosis in only one patient. We conclude that a cost-effective strategy of treating unfavorable lesions with a single Rotablator® burr and adjunctive balloon angioplasty is safe and effective. © 1993 Wiiey-Liss, Inc.     

Prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy,neuropathic pain and foot ulceration in the Arabian Gulf region

Aims/IntroductionThis study determined the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), painful DPN and diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) in patients with type 2 diabetes in secondary healthcare in Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Materials and MethodsAdults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes were randomly enrolled from secondary healthcare, and underwent clinical and metabolic assessment. DPN was evaluated using vibration perception threshold and neuropathic symptoms and painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy was evaluated using the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire.ResultsA total of 3,021 individuals were recruited between June 2017 and May 2019. The prevalence of DPN was 33.3%, of whom 52.2% were at risk of DFU and 53.6% were undiagnosed. The prevalence of painful DPN was 43.3%, of whom 54.3% were undiagnosed. DFU was present in 2.9%. The adjusted odds ratios for DPN and painful DPN were higher with increasing diabetes duration, obesity, poor glycemic control and hyperlipidemia, and lower with greater physical activity. The adjusted odds ratio for DFU was higher with the presence of DPN, severe loss of vibration perception, hypertension and vitamin D deficiency.ConclusionsThis is the largest study to date from the Middle East showing a high prevalence of undiagnosed DPN, painful DPN and those at risk of DFU in patients with type 2 diabetes, and identifies their respective risk factors.