Endovascular treatment of a chronically occluded limb of endograft with combination TNK pharmacological and EKOS thrombolytic catheter system

Abstract

Arterial occlusion is a common and sometimes devastating medical condition related to peripheral vascular and cardiovascular disease. These patients are at severe risk of limb loss and death. Those patients with embolic phenomena are at significantly higher mortality risk than those with thrombosis. Catheter directed therapies have been used routinely for restoration of perfusion to a limb removing the thrombosis or embolic material. Limb thrombosis following endovascular graft placement is a known complication occurring within the first year of the endograft. In many institutions, endovascular treatment of aortic limb occlusions has become the initial management for acute occlusions. We describe the endovascular treatment of a chronic occluded limb utilizing a combination of pharmacological and mechanical thrombolysis using the new ultrasound enhanced EKOS catheter system. Endovascular specialists should be aware that chronically occluded endograft limbs can be successfully treated in the endovascular suite with the EKOS system without requiring more invasive surgical therapies.