The Use of a Re-Entry Catheter in Recanalization of Chronic Inflow Occlusions of the Common Iliac Artery

Endovascular treatment of iliac artery occlusions can be unsuccessful due to a failure to break back into the true lumen, and lesions without a proximal stump can be particularly problematic. True lumen re-entry catheters have not been previously used for this type of lesion. The authors report eight patients, five males and three females, with lifestyle-limiting intermittent claudication referred for endovascular treatment. Imaging demonstrated unilateral chronic total occlusion of the common iliac artery in six patients and two patients with short patent stumps at the origin of the occluded common iliac artery. Endovascular therapy was initially unsuccessful due to an inability to re-enter the true lumen after crossing the occlusion in the subintimal plane. With the assistance of the Outback LTD catheter it was possible to achieve continuity of the dissecting tract with the true lumen, thus facilitating successful primary stenting in all eight patients. To our knowledge this is the first report of the use of the Outback LTD catheter in this type of lesion.