Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the technical success and the early clinical outcome of patients undergoing percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy (PAT) for the treatment of arterial thromboembolism following percutaneous infrainguinal transluminal angioplasty (PTA).
Methods: In this single-center study, during a period of 7 years retrospectively, 47 patients (22 male, 47 %) with a mean age of 73 (range 53-96) years were identified in whom PAT was performed for the treatment of thromboembolic complications of infrainguinal PTA. Primary technical success was defined as residual stenosis of <50 % in diameter after sole PAT, whereas secondary technical success was defined as residual stenosis of <50 % in diameter after PAT and additional PTA and/or stenting. Clinical outcome parameters (e.g., need for further intervention, minor/major amputation) were evaluated for the 30-day postinterventional period.
Results: Primary technical success was achieved in 64 % of patients (30/47); secondary technical success was obtained in 96 % of patients (45/47). Clinical outcome data were available in 38 patients. In 87 % of patients (33/38), there was no need for further intervention within the 30-day postinterventional period. In three patients, minor amputations were conducted due to preexisting ulcerations (Rutherford Category 5 respectively).
Conclusions: PAT enables endovascular treatment of iatrogenic thromboembolic complications after PTA with good technical and early clinical results and minimal morbidity.