Left Superficial Femoral Artery Research Articles

Spontaneous superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm: a rare case report

Spontaneous femoral artery pseudoaneurysm (PSA) is a rare disease and there are few reported cases. We report a case of a 45 year-old male with painless, non-pulsatile swelling in the medial aspect of left lower thigh, which is gradually increasing in size for a period of 2 months. He had no history of trauma or surgery. CT Angiography confirmed a large pseudoaneurysm of the left distal superficial femoral artery (SFA). Then patient had sudden rupture of the pseudoaneurysm and it was treated surgically by ligation of SFA proximal and distal to pseudoaneurysm with excision of large surrounding hematoma.

Case Report of Stent Revascularization for Left Superficial Femoral Artery Occlusion

Patients with intermittent claudication may benefit from planned exercise therapy prior to revascularization, whereas those experiencing acute limb ischemia-a medical emergency-need revascularization within hours. The urgency of revascularization varies greatly depending on the patient's presentation. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can cause symptoms ranging from severe evidence of ischemia (tissue loss, pain during rest) to intermittent claudication, or pain during walking. The author reports the case of a 72-year-old male patient who underwent a stent revascularization (angioplasty) for claudication due to left superficial femoral artery occlusion. The aim of this article is to present the importance of south-south cooperation between Gabon where vascular surgery is not available and Morocco where it is available. Moreover, the author wanted to put the emphasis on the development of partnership with some private clinics in Gabon to develop such surgery.

OA18 Small vessel and large vessel vasculitis due to rheumatoid vasculitis: a case of mononeuritis multiplex with pulseless foot leading to amputation

Abstract Introduction Rheumatoid vasculitis occurs in patients with longstanding severe seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. The incidence has reduced drastically with availability of more effective medication. Rheumatoid vasculitis primarily affects small and medium vessels, and rarely large vessels as well. Case description This 77-year-old lady with deforming seropositive rheumatoid arthritis was stable on methotrexate under the care of multiple Trusts for the last 30 years. Methotrexate had been stopped a year ago due to pancytopenia and she was started on prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine. While on these medications she flared with arthralgia and had difficulty in walking attributed to ankle synovitis. She was started on adalimumab, after 3 doses of which she developed widespread skin psoriasis leading to discontinuation. Subsequently, she was admitted to our Trust with left foot gangrene and was referred to rheumatology. Further questioning revealed that numbness in both lower limbs, inability to walk and frequent falls had started following the cessation of methotrexate. On examination, there was bilateral foot drop, worse on the right side. The left foot was gangrenous with diminished pulses in dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries with preserved all other pulses. There was no vasculitic rash or nail fold infarcts. Psoriatic rash had resolved and there was no active synovitis in the joints. Nerve conduction test revealed severe ongoing axonal degenerative type sensory and motor polyneuropathy in the lower limbs without any upper limb involvement. CT angiogram showed multifocal stenoses, more so in the left common iliac, external iliac and superficial femoral artery. There were no conventional vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia or smoking, and there was no past history of cardiovascular disease. PET-CT scan did not reveal any features of vasculitis or aortitis. The vasculitis screening was negative including cryoglobulins. Initially she was on IV antibiotics for left foot cellulitis, hence she was managed with steroids without any potent immunosuppressive agents. Subsequently, she underwent left sided below knee amputation. After the wound had healed, she was started on IV rituximab with low-dose methotrexate and steroid taper. Discussion Although rare, rheumatoid vasculitis can cause significant morbidity and complications. Rheumatoid vasculitis tends to occur in patients with so-called ‘burnt-out’ RA and strongly associated with seropositivity. While it can affect many organ systems, skin and the peripheral nervous system are most frequently affected. Cutaneous vasculitis occurs in around 90% of patients and is the most common clinical manifestation. This includes parable purpura, leg ulcers and nailfold infarcts. It may lead to digital ischaemia, necrosis and gangrene if large vessels are involved. Another common manifestation is a vasculitic neuropathy due to involvement of the vaso nervorum. Around 40% have a sensory neuropathy and 20% have a mixed sensory motor neuropathy like the index patient. Ocular manifestations such as scleritis have been described and may be the first indication of rheumatoid vasculitis. Aortitis in rheumatoid vasculitis may present with aortic insufficiency and aneurysm formation. Pericarditis has also been described as a possible disease manifestation in patients with rheumatoid vasculitis. Our patient did not have any of these clinical features and the PET-CT scan was unremarkable, which could have been due to the steroids she was on prior to the scan. Clinically, there was pulseless gangrene of the left foot with CT angiogram showing multiple stenosis suggesting large vessel involvement in the absence of conventional vascular risk factors. Renal involvement in rheumatoid vasculitis is very rare. PAN like renal involvement and glomerulonephritis has been described. Our patient did not have any haematuria or any significant proteinuria, and imaging did not reveal any renovascular aneurysms. Isolated nailfold infarcts do not require any systemic treatment. Systemic involvement with rheumatoid vasculitis requires aggressive treatment with high-dose steroids with cyclophosphamide or rituximab. Our patient had neuropathy and gangrene of the left foot, hence she was started on rituximab accordingly. Key learning points Rheumatoid vasculitis is a rare but serious complication which can present with a vasculitic neuropathy/mononeuritis multiplex. Rarely, it can cause ischemia and gangrene. If there is systemic involvement, aggressive therapy with steroids, cyclophosphamide or rituximab is needed.

Rare Case of Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia in a 32-Year-Old Patient with Nephrotic Syndrome: A Case Report

AbstractChronic limb-threatening ischemia represents the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD), primarily affecting individuals over 60 years old. While quite rare, nephrotic syndrome (NS) is recognized for increasing the susceptibility to arterial thromboembolism (ATE). A 32-year-old male complained of resting pain in his left leg and pain after walking 50 meters with his right leg. He had a 9-year history of NS confirmed through biopsy and was on a daily regimen of 2 × 360 mg mycophenolic acid and 1 × 8 mg methylprednisolone. He had no history of hypertension, diabetes, or smoking. Atrophy and ulcers were observed on his left leg. Laboratory tests revealed elevated D-dimer and borderline high cholesterol levels. The right ankle-brachial index was 0.5, and for the left, it was 0.33. Computed tomography angiography identified occlusion in the left external iliac artery and right superficial femoral artery (SFA). The patient underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with a plain balloon on both legs and an additional drug-eluting stent on the left SFA. He was discharged on rivaroxaban, clopidogrel, aspirin, simvastatin, mycophenolic acid, and methylprednisolone, with no complaints. The mechanism behind NS-caused ATE remains unclear, although it is associated with the loss of anticoagulants in urine, increased procoagulant activity, altered fibrinolytic systems, thrombocytosis, and enhanced platelet activation. Prolonged corticosteroid therapy in NS management also amplifies the risk of thromboembolism by promoting a hypercoagulable state. We suspected NS and the prolonged use of corticosteroids as risk factors for ATE, manifested as PAD in our patient. While optimal NS therapy may reduce the risk of PAD, prolonged corticosteroid use should be closely monitored.

Hybrid management of lower limb huge pseudoaneurysm with arteriovenous fistula presenting 8 years after gunshot injury

All over the world, except during the war period, firearm injuries are encountered in daily life at varying rates depending on the region and country. In addition, late-term vascular complications may occur in injuries with a less traumatic appearance. In this present case report, we aimed to evaluate the hybrid treatment of giant pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula (AVf) in the left superficial femoral artery (SFA), which developed in a patient who had a pellet shot on his left thigh eight years ago. Postsurgical management was straightforward; the patient received antibiotherapy with ampicillin and sulbactam acid for 7 days, acetylsalicylic acid 100mg per day, and anticoagulant treatment with low molecular weight heparin for 1 month. The patient was examined in the cardiovascular surgery polyclinic on the 5th day after discharge uneventfully. Although endovascular treatment methods are widely used today in the treatment of vascular injuries, surgery still maintains its importance. In some special patient groups, a combination of these two treatment methods may be preferred.

Neglected fracture shaft femur presenting with pseudoaneurysm: a case report

A pseudoaneurysm is a collection of blood leaking from a damaged arterial wall. Development of the false aneurysm is due to either initial injury of the vessel or is a complication of internal fixation of the femoral fracture. Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms (FAPs) may close spontaneously if the tear is small enough to allow for clotting and sealing. On the other hand, rupture of the aneurysm can trigger thrombosis, distal embolization and compression of adjacent structures. We present a case of left superficial femoral arterial pseudoaneurysm in a 36-year-old male with fracture of left femoral shaft. A 36-year-old male with history of road traffic accident presented to our institute with pain and swelling in left thigh. Patient was investigated and diagnosed with fracture left femoral shaft with a pseudoaneurysm of the left superficial femoral artery (SFA). Stenting was done for SFA followed by open reduction and internal fixation of the femoral shaft fracture. Such cases require multidisciplinary approach and a proper planning with involvement of different medical specialities to achieve optimal results and to minimise any intraoperative and post operative complications.

Spontaneous Pseudoaneurysm of the Left Superficial Femoral Artery: An Unusual Case Report and Review of Literature

Pseudoaneurysms are rare to occur and the rarest to occur in those who have not undergone surgical/endovascular procedures like catheterization. Such pseudoaneurysms are known as spontaneous pseudoaneurysms which are very less reported and reviewed. This generally occurs due to underlying pathological causes, the most common being atherosclerotic disease. The most common clinical presentation is a femoral artery pseudoaneurysm. Other less common presentations include aortic and visceral pseudoaneurysms. We describe here the occurrence of a pseudoaneurysm in a patient who has no history of endovascular procedures in the past and has a pseudoaneurysm showing a secondary change along with superadded infection of Acinetobacter baumannii. The case was radiologically diagnosed by a computed tomography scan of the abdomen and thigh, after which a surgical excision of the pseudoaneurysm was performed and the specimen was sent for the histopathological examination, which revealed secondary changes.

Post-Covid-19 Recurrent Lower Limb Ischemia in Healty Young Patient

Background: Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is primarily a respiratory illness, complications such as arterial and venous thromboembolism have been reported during acute infection and in the period after its resolution.Methods: We report the case of a 33-year-old male, previously healthy patient with acute recurrent unilateral arterial thrombosis of the leg occurring one month after a mild Covid-19 infection.Results: The patient has recently been diagnosed with essential hypertension and did not have other known risk factors for arterial thrombosis. He presented to the Emergency Department with a pale left foot and absent dorsal pedal pulse and after confirmed arterial occlusion by Doppler ultrasound, he underwent urgent thromboembolectomy. The following day a computed tomography angiogram showed recurrent thrombosis of the superficial femoral artery which was then resolved in an Angio-suite by balloon dilatation. Three months later he experienced another occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery based on pronounced neointimal hyperplasia and again underwent endarterectomy with patch plastic.Conclusion: SARS-Cov-2 infection should be considered a risk factor in the development of both arterial and venous thrombo-sis during the acute phase and in the post-infective period

Abstract 10434: Very Late Stent Thrombosis Caused by Rupture of In-Stent Neoatherosclerosis 15-Years After Bare Nitinol Stent Implantation in Superficial Femoral Artery Visualized With Multimodality Imaging

A 77-year-old man complained of intractable rest pain in his left leg, which occurred one week before hospital admission. His past medical history included diabetes mellitus and history of smoking. He was prescribed cilostazol for treatment of peripheral vascular disease. He underwent endovascular therapy (EVT) 15-years earlier with a bare nitinol stent (BNS) implantation in his left superficial femoral artery (SFA), and no restenosis was detected by annual duplex ultrasound (DUS) follow-up until this session. DUS observed restenosis with 14.8 peak systolic velocity ratio, and initial angiography ( Panel A , white arrow) revealed subtotal occlusion at the stented lesion. Intravascular angioscopy ( Panel C ) demonstrated disrupted cavity with red thrombus attached. Optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) ( Panel D ) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) ( Panel E ) demonstrated fibrous cap disruption with a clear cavity formed inside the plaque (6 to 11 o’clock in Panel D and E), as well as thin sheet calcification. The other side (11 to 6 o’clock) shows a signal rich region with high attenuation that indicates fibroatheroma. The lesion was diagnosed as very late stent thrombosis (VLST) because multimodality images revealed rupture of in-stent neoatherosclerosis with red thrombus attached. After successful vessel preparation with a high-pressure 6mm balloon, 6 mm drug-coated balloons were used. The completion angiogram revealed an acceptable result with neither residual stenosis nor flow-limiting dissection ( Panel B ). Neoatherosclerosis has been reported as one of the major causes of VLST in the coronary arteries; however, it has rarely been reported in the peripheral arteries. This case illustrates valuable direct visualization with multimodality imaging of a case with VLST caused by rupture of in-stent neoatherosclerosis 15-years after BNS implantation, and the value of multimodality imaging for comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the mechanism of VLST in SFA.

PROSTHETIC VALVE INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS CAUSED BY SERRATIA MARCESCENS IN A PATIENT WITH SURGICAL WOUND INFECTION

PROSTHETIC VALVE INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS CAUSED BY SERRATIA MARCESCENS IN A PATIENT WITH SURGICAL WOUND INFECTION

Femoral artery variation was found during V-A ECMO catheterization

BackgroundHigh bifurcation of the deep femoral artery (DFA) is rare in clinical practice, and patients with this variation are less likely to receive venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) treatment. Therefore, the method by which V-A ECMO is introduced in patients with vascular variation is very important.Case presentationA 52-year-old male patient had ST elevation myocardial infarction due to coronary heart disease. Angiography showed tripartite coronary artery lesions, and coronary artery stenting supported by V-A ECMO was needed. Vascular evaluation before ECMO catheterization revealed high bifurcation of the bilateral DFA located at the inguinal ligament. After discussion, the perfusion cannula was placed in the left superficial femoral artery (SFA) towards the heart, and the distal perfusion catheter (DPC) was placed in the left SFA towards the distal end. Nevertheless, after the patient's heart recovered, necrosis of the toe of the left lower limb still occurred.ConclusionCommon femoral artery assessment must be performed before V-A ECMO for patients with high bifurcation of the DFA. Incision catheterization and DPC placement are recommended. After decannulation, arterial repair under direct visualisation is recommended, and rigorous distal vascular assessment and management are needed.

Delayed traumatic superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula over the left lower limb

A pseudoaneurysm is a pulsating, encapsulated hematoma in communication with a ruptured vessel (1); there is an accumulation of blood between the tunica media and tunica adventitia layers of the vessel. We report a case of a young male with complaints of swelling, skin discoloration, and a tingling sensation of the left lower limb. A peripheral angiography was performed, which revealed an arteriovenous fistula at the middle of the left superficial femoral artery. The patient underwent a left superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm excision and repair. In this case report, we discuss the presenting clinical features, methods of evaluation, and the management of the superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm accompanied with arteriovenous fistula.

Peripheral Vascular Bypass with Cadaveric Arterial Allograft in a Toddler with FemoralMycotic Aneurysm

<h3>Introduction & Objective</h3> Mycotic aneurysms are exceedingly rare in the pediatric population. The optimal surgical treatment for children with this disease is unclear as aneurysm resection and vascular reconstruction are uncommonly performed in young children. We present the unique case of a21-month-old child with a complex cardiac history who presented with leg ischemia and a femoral mycotic aneurysm that was successfully repaired with an external iliac to profunda femoris artery vascular bypass with cryopreserved arterial allograft and femoral vein reconstruction. <h3>Case Report</h3> Our patient presented with leg ischemia and blood cultures positive for <i>Aspergillus</i>, with CT angiography demonstrating complete occlusion of the left common femoral artery and proximal superficial femoral artery (Figure 1Figure 1Axial computed tomography shows large left common femoral artery mycotic aneurysm with dense inflammatory reaction.Figure 1). Upon operative exploration, there was an extremely dense inflammatory response with purulent material extruding from the region and bulky reactive lymphadenopathy (Figure 2AFigure 2A-B. (A) Intraoperative photograph demonstrating large mycotic aneurysm involving the femoral artery. (B) Intraoperative photograph demonstrating the completed anastomosis between the left common iliac artery and the profunda femoris artery, along with femoral vein reconstruction.Figure 2) with extension of thrombosis from the external iliac artery immediately at the inguinal ligament to the superficial femoral artery. The 2 mm profunda arterywas the remaining outflow to the lower extremity. A 6 mm cryopreserved artery allograft (CryoArtery) was used to perform the vascular bypass between the external iliac artery and the profunda femoris artery in an end-to-side fashion. The mycotic aneurysm and underlying vesselswere dissected and resected from the external iliac artery to the proximal superficial femoral artery. As the femoral vein was densely adherent to the inflammatory mass, a segment was removed and reconstructed in a similar fashion with CryoArtery. Completed anastomosis is shown in Figure 2B. At the conclusion of the procedure, the patient had biphasic doppler signal in the dorsalis pedis artery. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Successful vascular reconstruction can be performed in a young child with an Aspergillus mycotic aneurysm using cadaveric arterial allograft. For our patient, a cryopreserved artery allograft was used as the iliofemoral bypass conduit. Although an autologous conduit would have been the preferred bypass method, it was not possible in this case owing to the patients immaturevenous system and prior surgical manipulation. Not only is restoring flow to the distal extremity of the utmost importance in young pediatric patients to avoid future limb-length discrepancies, but flow must also be maintained in the bypass conduit postoperatively without conduit occlusion. Our patient received intravenous heparin in the immediate postoperative period and was bridged to prophylactic enoxaparin for three months and aspirin indefinitely. If the use of an autologous conduit is not possible, we show here that a cadaveric arterial allograft can be a suitable and durable alternative and report the successful vascular reconstruction of a 20-month-old with an Aspergillus mycotic aneurysm using cadaveric arterial allograft and no limb-length discrepancy as of thirty-six months follow-up.

Efficacy of navigating through the intraplaque route using AnteOwl WR intravascular ultrasound in femoropopliteal chronic total occlusion

BackgroundThere is no consensus on the optimal guidewire passage route for femoropopliteal (FP) chronic total occlusion (CTO). If intraplaque wiring can be performed, a stent-less strategy using a drug-coated balloon can be realized even with FP CTO, and there is a high possibility that good expansion can be obtained even when stent deployment is performed. AnteOwl WR (AnteOwl) is a novel intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device useful for navigating the second guidewire into the intraplaque route under IVUS observation from the subintimal space. Here, we describe representative cases of FP CTO in which CTO-specific IVUS was extremely useful.Case presentationCase 1 involved a 79-year-old man with total occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery (SFA). We used a contralateral antegrade approach, but the guidewire was advanced into the subintimal space. We advanced AnteOwl into the CTO. By utilizing the asymmetric structure of the transducer and the IVUS wire, we were able to reflect the positional relationship among the IVUS transducer, IVUS wire, and target plaque onto the angiographic image. By aiming the wiring in that direction, we succeeded in traversing the center of the plaque and finally succeeded in obtaining good expansion using the drug-coated balloon. Case 2 involved a 76-year-old woman with total occlusion from the SFA to the popliteal artery. We used an ipsilateral antegrade approach. When AnteOwl was placed on the wire and advanced to the popliteal artery, the subintimal space in the middle of the SFA could be visualized. We employed an IVUS-guided parallel wiring technique and succeeded in passing through all intraplaque routes. Although the CTO was long, we could easily advance through the intraplaque route by reflecting the information obtained from AnteOwl in angiography.ConclusionsAnteOwl is an effective IVUS for FP CTO and facilitates a complex IVUS-guided procedure.

Limb Preservation with Balloon Angioplasty in Critical Limb Threatening Ischemia: A Case Report

Introduction: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is a syndrome that represents the end-stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD) that increased the risk of major amputation and cardiovascular events. The initial treatment for CLTI may significantly impact the risk of major amputation or death. Objective: This case report aims to describe limb preservation with balloon angioplasty in a Critical Limb Ischemia patient. Case Presentation: A hypertensive 72-years old female complained of left leg pain followed by a wound on her left toe four months ago. Her toe was amputated, but the wound persists. On physical examination, the pulsation was diminished in her left foot. Duplex ultrasound showed monophasic spectral doppler from left popliteal artery to distal left anterior tibial artery (ATA) and distal posterior tibial artery (PTA). CT-Angiography showed short total occlusion (2cm) at the distal left Superficial Femoral artery (SFA), multiple stenoses with maximal 90% stenosis at the left ATA, and chronic total occlusion at the proximal-mid left posterior tibial artery (PTA). She was diagnosed with CLTI left inferior extremity Fontaine IV Rutherford 5. The angiography result was similar to the CT-angiography result. The patient was successfully treated with plain balloon angioplasty from distal left SFA to distal left ATA and drug-coated balloon angioplasty from the distal left SFA to the popliteal artery. Her wound was also consulted to the surgical department. Conclusion: Appropriate revascularization is fundamental to limb preservation. We successfully perform endovas- cular strategy with TIMI flow 3 from left SFA to distal left ATA and distal PTA in our patient, but we still need further holistic CLTI management.

Aneurysmal Dilatation of the Superficial Femoral Artery After Endovascular Intervention

A patient with occlusion of the left superficial femoral artery (SFA) underwent endovascular intervention. Six-month follow-up angiography revealed aneurysmal dilatation of the previously stented artery. This finding may be a result of maladaptive vascular remodeling or arterial injury resulting in aneurysmal dilatation secondary to subintimal crossing, atherectomy, and paclitaxel therapies. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.)

Endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusion of superficial femoral artery using retrograde approach from popliteal artery

An 55 years-old man with intermittent claudication was admitted to Hue central Hospital. Doppler ultrasound and digital subtraction angiography showed his left superficial femoral artery (SFA) was chronic total occlusion (CTO), and we performed endovascular treatment (EVT). We advanced a guide-wire by contralateral transfemoral approach, but guide-wire could not penetrate the occluded SFA lesion antegradely. Thus, we tried to approach the CTO lesion retrogradely. A guide-wire passed from popliteal artery to distal SFA. With a reverse-controlled antegrade and retrograde approach technique, we were able to pass the CTO lesion. Finally, two stents were implanted. We experienced a case in which retrograde approach via collateral channel from popliteal artery was effective to CTO of SFA.

Successful case of direct puncture of a prosthetic bypass graft in endovascular treatment for long superficial artery chronic total occlusion: a case report.

BackgroundThe access site for endovascular therapy (EVT) is often limited because of multi-vascular diseases. Prior lower limb bypass can potentially limit the availability of common femoral artery access when EVT is required.Case summaryAn 88-year-old woman who presented with non-healing ulceration in the dorsalis pedis of the left foot despite treatment for several months was admitted to our hospital. She had undergone axillo-bilateral femoral bypass surgery for right critical limb ischaemia 3 years previously. Ultrasound and contrast computed tomography demonstrated bypass graft occlusion, left superficial femoral artery (SFA)-popliteal artery long chronic total occlusion from the origin with severe calcification and severe stenosis in the bilateral common femoral artery close to the anastomotic site. EVT for the left SFA occlusion was necessary to save the left foot, but access sites for EVT were limited. We decided to puncture an occluded axillo-femoral prosthetic bypass graft. It is difficult to cross the wire with only an antegrade approach. Therefore, it was necessary to use a bi-directional approach with dorsalis pedis artery puncture and the Rendez-vous technique. Finally, angiogram demonstrated improved blood flow to the wound site, and haemostasis at the puncture site could be achieved by manual compression. The ulceration healed within a month.DiscussionDirect puncture of a prosthetic bypass graft and additional techniques resulted in complete revascularization. Thus, direct puncture of a bypass graft could be a useful EVT strategy for patients with complex and extremely long chronic total occlusion.

Successful re-entry using the outback\xae elite catheter via retrograde popliteal access with IVUS guidance for femoropopliteal occlusion: a case report

BackgroundThere are still cases that are difficult to treat for femoropopliteal chronic total occlusion (CTO). The Outback® Elite catheter is effective re-entry device to treat such kind of difficult cases, however, it might be difficult to use the Outback® Elite catheter antegradely in cases with severely calcified lesions. In this case, we performed EVT using the Outback Elite® catheter via the retrograde popliteal approach.Case presentationWe report a case of a 77-year-old male with end-stage renal disease who presented with pain and cyanosis of his left foot. Control angiography showed total occlusion from the middle of the left superficial femoral artery to the proximal portion of the popliteal artery. The CTO lesion was severely calcified, which prevented the antegrade advancement of any guidewire. Retrograde popliteal puncture was performed with the patient in the supine position. After intentional retrograde subintimal wiring, the Outback® Elite catheter was advanced via the retrograde approach after the identification of a suitable re-entry site using intravascular ultrasound. After wire crossing, one nitinol stent was deployed and sufficient antegrade flow was achieved without any complications.ConclusionsUsing Outback® Elite from retrograde should be considered in cases where antegrade advancement fails and bidirectional wiring cannot pass through the CTO lesion.

Duplication of superficial femoral artery: imaging findings and literature review

BackgroundDuplication of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) is an extremely rare anatomic variation, with few case studies reported. We report one case of the duplicated SFA, discovered by both ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography angiography (CTA). We also reviewed literatures concerning 6 cases of the duplicated SFA (including our present case), and summarized the clinical and imaging features of the anatomic variation.Case presentationA 55-year-old woman presented to our hospital with an intermittent cramp in the lateral aspect of the right leg. The patient underwent Doppler US examination on bilateral lower extremity arteries and veins to examine potential vascular abnormality. Incidentally, US discovered the duplicated left SFA and CTA of bilateral lower extremities revealed the anatomic orientation, course, length, diameter and distance of the duplicated left SFA. It was revealed to be divided into two trunks with similar luminal diameter and courses parallel. They reunited at distal thigh level. The findings of US and CTA examination did not correspond with the symptom of the patient, and the patient was discharged.ConclusionWe report a rare case of the duplicated SFA diagnosed with the combinations of US and CTA examination, which served as valuable imaging methods to detect and diagnose the vascular anatomic variation in lower extremities.