Primary retrograde distal access for endovascular interventions in patients with lower limb ischemia.

Objective: To evaluate safety and technical efficiency of primary retrograde distal access for endovascular interventions in patients with lower limb ischemia.

Material And Methods: A prospective analysis included 25 endovascular procedures via primary retrograde distal access in 23 patients with chronic obliterating diseases of lower limb arteries. Occlusive lesion of femoral-popliteal segment was observed in 68% of cases, occlusion of at least one tibial artery was also found in 68% of cases. In 44% of cases, occlusive lesion was localized at several levels. Percutaneous intervention via anterior tibial artery or dorsalis pedis artery was performed in 68% of cases, posterior tibial artery - 24% of cases, peroneal artery - 8% of cases. We used 2 accesses in 92% of cases (the main one for intervention and additional one for angiography). In 8% of cases, intervention was carried out through a single access. Angiosome artery was punctured in 65% of cases. The only patent tibial vessel was used in 20% of cases. In 24% of cases, we performed antegrade recanalization of 'adjacent' tibial artery via distal access.

Results: Primary retrograde distal access was successfully performed in 100% of cases. Retrograde revascularization was not successful in all cases (successful recanalization rate 96%, retrograde intervention rate - 92%). Femoral access was performed in 8% of cases. Antegrade blood flow through at least one tibial artery was restored in all cases. Direct revascularization of the affected angiosome was performed in 15 patients with foot necrosis, indirect revascularization through collaterals - in 5 patients. Local complications of surgical access occurred in 12% of cases.

Conclusion: Endovascular revascularization via primary retrograde distal access was technically effective in most cases. There were no complications with systemic consequences.