Rendezvous technique for recanalization of long-segmental chronic total occlusion above the knee following unsuccessful standard angioplasty.

Cao, Jun; Lu, Hai-Tao; Wei, Li-Ming; Zhao, Jun-Gong; Zhu, Yue-Qi

<bold>Purpose: </bold>To assess the technical feasibility and efficacy of the rendezvous technique, a type of subintimal retrograde wiring, for the treatment of long-segmental chronic total occlusions above the knee following unsuccessful standard angioplasty. <bold>Methods: </bold>The rendezvous technique was attempted in eight limbs of eight patients with chronic total occlusions above the knee after standard angioplasty failed. The clinical symptoms and ankle-brachial index were compared before and after the procedure. At follow-up, pain relief, wound healing, limb salvage, and the presence of restenosis of the target vessels were evaluated. <bold>Results: </bold>The rendezvous technique was performed successfully in seven patients (87.5%) and failed in one patient (12.5%). Foot pain improved in all seven patients who underwent successful treatment, with ankle-brachial indexes improving from 0.23 ± 0.13 before to 0.71 ± 0.09 after the procedure (P < 0.001). At the end of the follow-up period, the visual analogue scale improved from 6.86 ± 1.57 to 1.57 ± 1.27 (P < 0.001). Non-healing ulcers in three patients either healed (n = 2) or improved (n = 1). No major amputation was necessary. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that stenosis-free rate was 83.3% at six months and 41.7% at 12 months. <bold>Conclusion: </bold>The rendezvous technique is a feasible and effective treatment for chronic total occlusions above the knee when standard angioplasty fails.

PERIPHERAL vascular disease treatment; ANGIOPLASTY; CHRONIC diseases; COMPARATIVE studies; FEMORAL artery; LEG; LIMB salvage; VASCULAR resistance; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; PERIPHERAL vascular diseases; PROGNOSIS; RESEARCH; TIME; TRANSLUMINAL angioplasty; WOUND healing; DISEASE relapse; PILOT projects; EVALUATION research; STENOSIS; TREATMENT effectiveness; RETROSPECTIVE studies; ANKLE brachial index; POPLITEAL artery; KAPLAN-Meier estimator

Vascular, 2016, Vol 24, Issue 2, p157

1708-5381

Academic Journal

10.1177/1708538115589049