Optimisation of Volume Flow Rates when Using Endovascular Shunting Techniques: An Experimental Study in Different Bench Flow Circuits

OBJECTIVE: Acute tissue ischaemia may arise due to arterial emergencies or during more complex vascular procedures and may be mitigated by temporary shunting techniques. Endovascular shunting (ES) techniques enable percutaneous access and shunting from the donor artery without the need to completely interrupt the arterial flow in the donor artery. An endoshunt system may also cover longer distances than most conventional shunts. The aim was to investigate and optimise the flow rates in different endovascular shunt systems. METHODS: Step 1: The flow capacity of different ES configurations was compared with the flow capacity of a 9 Fr Pruitt–Inahara shunt (PIS). An intravenous bag with 0.9% NaCl, pressurised to 90 mmHg, was connected simultaneously to a PIS and to one of the tested ES configurations. The two shunt systems were then opened at the same time. The delivered fluid volumes from the shunt systems were collected and measured. The volume flow rate was subsequently calculated. Steps 2 and 3: Within a heart lung machine circuit, pressure–flow charts were constructed for the individual ES components and for the fully connected optimised endoshunt systems. The flow rate was increased in steps of 40–50 mL/min while monitoring the driving pressure, enabling the creation and comparison of the pressure–flow charts for the individually tested components. In total, seven individual inflow and outflow potential ES components were investigated with inflow and outflow diameters ranging from 6 to 15 Fr. RESULTS: ES systems based on standard donor introducers led to substantially lower volume flow than the corresponding PIS volume flow, whereas ES systems based on dedicated 6 or 8 Fr dialysis access introducers (Prelude Short Sheet, Merit Medical) matched PIS flow rates. The introduction of 30 cm long ¼′′ perfusion tubing within the ES system did not affect volume flow for any of the tested ES configurations. CONCLUSION: Endoshunting techniques can match PIS volume flow rates over short and long distances. The achieved ES flow rate is highly dependent on the components used within the ES system.