Intravascular Lithotripsy and Aortic Bare-Metal Stenting: A Low-Profile Solution for the Treatment of Heavily Calcified Aorto-Iliac Disease.

Purpose: To present a novel technique for the treatment of heavily calcified aorto-iliac disease using intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) and self-expanding bare-metal stents (BMS).

Technique: We present our experience with 4 cases of calcified aorto-iliac disease that were treated with IVL as vessel preparation followed by BMS deployment. Intravascular lithotripsy was performed using a 7-mm or 8-mm Shockwave catheter from 1 access and a non-compliant balloon introduced from the second access in a "hugging-balloon" configuration. Afterward, a self-expandable BMS is deployed in the infrarenal aorta and additional bare-metal balloon-mounted stents are deployed in the iliac arteries as needed. This technique provides a low-profile solution with only 6- and 7-French introducers, preservation of the collateral circulation while also preserving the option for an up-and-over approach in the future. Technical success was achieved in all cases and no periprocedural complications were observed.

Conclusion: Intravascular lithotripsy in combination with BMS for the infrarenal aorta and the aortic bifurcation seems to be a safe and effective low-profile treatment option for heavily calcified lesions. Large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are needed to validate our positive early results.

Clinical Impact: Endovascular treatment of heavily calcified aortoiliac disease poses significant challenges, including the risk of rupture and dissection. The proposed technique uses intravascular lithotripsy and bare-metal stenting of the aortic bifurcation and represents a low-profile solution that preserves collaterals and potentially reduces the risk of dissection with IVL vessel preparation.