Retrograde Tibioperoneal Access for Complex Infrainguinal Occlusions: Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of 554 Endovascular Interventions.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to report short- and long-term efficacy and safety outcomes of retrograde tibioperoneal access for endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs).

BACKGROUND

Antegrade recanalization of peripheral CTO is associated with a high failure rate and retrograde puncture of tibioperoneal arteries has been adopted to overcome this limitation.

METHODS

Within a retrospective single center cohort study, data of 554 infrainguinal occlusions were acquired in which a retrograde puncture of at least 1 infrapopliteal artery became necessary. Techniques used for access, retrograde lesion crossing, and antegrade treatment modalities were recorded. Next to short-term outcomes, long-term results through 4 years were described using survival analysis.

RESULTS

The majority of patients (71.5%) had critical limb ischemia (CLI) and occlusion locations were the femoropopliteal segment (35.9%), infrapopliteal segment (42.6%), or both segments (21.5%). Retrograde access was most commonly performed via the proximal (28%) or distal (34%) anterior tibial artery. Retrograde access could be established in 98.6% and subsequent lesion crossing was successful in 95.1%. Complications due to distal puncture were rare (3.3%). At 1 year, freedom from target lesion revascularization and restenosis were 74.6 ± 3.7% and 67.5 ± 4.4% in claudicants and 62.2 ± 2.8% and 36.0 ± 4.4% in CLI patients, respectively. Late complications at the distal puncture site after a median follow-up time of 234 days comprised 1 stenosis, 7 occlusions, and 3 clinically nonrelevant arteriovenous fistula occurring only in CLI patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Retrograde tibioperoneal access is a safe option for recanalization of complex CTOs after a failed antegrade approach. Complications at the puncture site were rare.