Usefulness of a Guide Extension Catheter in Endovascular Therapy of Infrapopliteal Lesions

Guide extension catheters have been available since 2015 for peripheral endovascular intervention. These devices are commonly used for active backup support. We successfully managed 2 cases of infrapopliteal arterial disease with the assistance of a guide extension catheter. In a patient with a posterior tibial artery occlusion, early elastic recoil occurred after balloon dilatation. We then deployed the guide extension catheter to maintain blood flow while ballooning for 15 min, resulting in good blood flow to the toes after device removal. Another patient had a severely calcified stenotic anterior tibial artery lesion. Although a guidewire could be advanced to the lesion, no device could be passed through the calcification. Using the guide extension catheter, we then safely delivered a 0.035-inch guidewire's tail to drill through the calcification. Thereafter, a balloon could be passed, and successful angioplasty was achieved. These cases illustrate the usefulness of a guide extension catheter in endovascular therapy of complex infrapopliteal lesions.