Expandable intravascular catheter: percutaneous use for endoluminal retrievals.

Percutaneous use of an expandable vascular access catheter that can be deployed to temporarily occlude the entry vessel during retrieval of embolic material is described. The catheter was used to facilitate removal of two intraarterial objects, a postangioplasty free atheroma fragment and a displaced Gianturco coil. The expanded catheter end was equal to the arterial lumen, thus preventing distal embolization. The large distal lumen also facilitated plaque or foreign body removal by allowing deployment of various endovascular tools.