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Synergizing Antegrade Endoscopic with Bridging Vein Harvesting for Improvement of Great Saphenous Vein Graft Quality from the Lower Leg
Published on: November 19, 2019
Rheolytic thrombectomy with distal filter embolic protection as adjunctive therapies to high-risk saphenous vein
1Division of Cardiology, Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii. paul.c.ho@kp.org
Insights
Percutaneous intervention of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) with heavy clot burden is risky. Combining rheolytic thrombectomy with distal filter protection before stenting can reduce no-reflow events and improve lesion assessment.
Area of Science:
- Interventional Cardiology
- Vascular Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Percutaneous intervention of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) carries a high risk of distal embolization and no-reflow, particularly with significant atherothrombotic disease.
- Distal filter protection alone may be insufficient due to large debris burden and challenges in accurately assessing culprit lesions and vessel size.
Observation:
- A case involving the intervention of an occluded SVG is presented.
- The procedure utilized a combination of rheolytic thrombectomy and distal filter embolic protection as a pretreatment strategy before stenting.
Findings:
- This combined approach aims to mitigate the risk of distal embolization and no-reflow during SVG intervention.
- It also facilitates improved visualization for accurate assessment of underlying anatomy in clot-laden vessels.
Implications:
- This strategy offers a potential method to enhance safety and efficacy in complex SVG interventions.
- It may lead to better patient outcomes by reducing procedural complications and improving lesion characterization.
Abstract:
Percutaneous intervention of saphenous vein graft (SVG), especially those with heavy atherothrombotic load, presents high risk for distal embolization and no-reflow. Using the distal filters alone may occasionally be disadvantageous because of the large debris burden and the inability to assess the underlying culprit lesions and vessel size accurately. We present a case of intervention of an occluded SVG using a combination of rheolytic thrombectomy and distal filter embolic protection as a pretreatment before stenting. This strategy has the potential to reduce further the risk of no-reflow and to provide visualization for proper assessment of the underlying anatomy especially in clot-laden vessels.
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