Percutaneous Aspiration Thrombectomy for Arterial Thromboembolism during Infrainguinal Endovascular Recanalization

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy (PAT) for infrainguinal arterial thromboembolism in patients undergoing endovascular recanalization (EVR) and to investigate the predictors for thromboembolic complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 23 patients (23 limbs) who underwent PAT for thromboembolism (PAT group, PG) during EVR and 237 patients (302 limbs) who underwent successful EVR without thromboembolic complications (control group, CG) were enrolled. Immediate post-operation and follow-up outcomes were compared between the two groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the predictors of thromboembolic complications. Technical success of PAT was defined as achievement of <30% residual stenosis and restoration of mTIMI grade 3. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 95.7% in PG. After intervention, the ankle–brachial index (ABI), restoration of blood flow and improvement in dorsal/plantar arterial pulse score showed no significant differences between PG and CG. During follow-up in PG, a sustained ABI improvement was observed in 63.6% (70.9% in CG), an improvement in walking distance in 68.8% (79.9% in CG,), ulcer healing in 75.0% (71.7% in CG) and restenosis/occlusion in 31.8% (25.2% in CG). The limb salvage rate was 100% in PG (96.0% in CG), and pain relief was observed in 66.7% patients with critical limb ischaemia (81.6% in CG). Superficial femoral artery involvement [0.233; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.108–0.461; P < 0.001], de-novo lesion occlusion (683.8; 95% CI, 36.5–12804.6; P < 0.001) and intraluminal angioplasty (118.4; 95% CI, 8.0–1758.0; P = 0.001) was associated with high incidence of thromboembolism. CONCLUSION: PAT is a safe and effective treatment for thromboembolism during infrainguinal arterial EVR. SFA involvement, de-novo lesion occlusion and intraluminal angioplasty may be predictors of thromboembolic complications.