[Use of the "Multitask" device while performing endarterectomy from iliac arteries]

The study was aimed at assessing efficacy of using the "MultiTASK" device manufactured by the Le Maitre Company while performing extended endarterectomy from iliac arteries in patients presenting with multilevel atherosclerotic lesions of the arterial bed and chronic ischaemia of lower extremities.

We analysed the outcomes of surgical management of a total of 37 patients presenting with multilevel atherosclerotic lesions of the common and external iliac arteries and arteries below the inguinal ligament over the period from 2012 to 2015 at the Department of Emergency Vascular Surgery of the Scientific Research Institute of Emergency Ambulance Care named after N.V. Sklifosovsky. Twenty one (56.8%) patients presented with haemodynamically significant stenoses of the iliac artery. Eleven (29.7%) patients had occlusion of the external iliac artery and five (13.5%) patients presented with occlusion of the common iliac artery in the distal portion. In all cases there was a second block, i. e. occlusion of the superficial femoral artery.

The primary patency rate of the external iliac artery after endarterectomy amounted to 100%. Immediate complications directly associated with endarterectomy from the external iliac artery were encountered in one (2.7%) case - during back traction of the loop there occurred perforation of the wall of the external iliac artery by a calcified plaque, thus requiring external-iliac-common-femoral prosthetic repair. Amputation was performed in two (5.4%) patients (in both cases due to thrombosis and the development of ischaemic gangrene owing to poor condition of the distal arterial bed). One (2.7%) patient died of acute myocardial infarction.

Extended endarterectomy by means of the "MultiTASC" device turned out efficient, yielding good immediate outcomes in atherosclerotic lesions of femoral arteries both as an independent operation and when combined with reconstruction of arteries beneath the inguinal ligament.