Thrombolysis Through Punctured Coronary Balloon and 014 Wire Mediated Guitaring After IVC Filter Insertion in Iliofemoral Deep Vein Thrombosis

This is a report of a patient who presented with iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis, and was treated with pharmaco-invasive and pharmaco-mechanic methods using coronary balloon and mechanical disruption of clots with coronary 014 wire. A 65-year-old male presented with acute deep vein thrombosis extending from the left common iliac to the popliteal vein. The patient had significant swelling and pain. An inferior vena cava (IVC) filter was inserted, and catheter-directed thrombolysis was planned. A technical difficulty was encountered entering the proximal common iliac vein. Hence, a 014 balance middle weight (BMW) wire with coronary balloon support was introduced through a Cordis(®) 6 F. diagnostic catheter, and the 014 wire was advanced with guitaring technique up to the femoral vein. Thereafter, the coronary balloon was ruptured at high pressure, and thrombolysis using streptokinase was performed along the balloon tract up to the ostium of the common iliac vein. The patient symptomatically improved significantly and is currently on anticoagulants. Follow-up after one year showed minimal residual oedema, and less pain in the ankle region. Pharmaco-mechanical treatment is possible using coronary balloon dilatations and thrombolysis through a ruptured coronary balloon. Mechanical disruption of clots to some extent is feasible using 014 wire by a guitaring technique. LEARNING POINTS: In difficult cases with deep vein thrombosis, coronary hardware could be used for balloon angioplasty, especially when the iliac bifurcation cannot be crossed. Even suboptimal results can lead to significant symptomatic improvement in deep venous thrombosis treatment.