CATHETER AND TREATMENT METHODS FOR LOWER LEG ISCHEMIA

摘要

A method of treating lower leg ischemia in a patient includes advancing a wire guide upstream through a vascular access sheath extending into an artery of the patient at a percutaneous entry point in the lower leg, and increasing a downstream flow of blood through the artery at least in part by dilating a constriction in the artery with a treatment mechanism guided into the constriction via the wire guide. The method further includes withdrawing a catheter which is coupled with the treatment mechanism from the patient at the percutaneous entry point via sliding the catheter downstream through the vascular access sheath. A low profile balloon may be used as the treatment mechanism, and is advanced through the artery while the vascular access sheath protects the artery from irritation such that spasm of the artery is less likely to occur. Reduced risk of spasm advantageously enables retrograde access to chronic total occlusions such that multiple entry points into a patient's body are not necessary.

主权项

1. A method of treating lower leg ischemia in a patient comprising the steps of:
advancing a wire guide in an upstream direction through a vascular access sheath extending into an artery of the patient at a percutaneous entry point in the lower leg; guiding a treatment mechanism into a constriction in the artery via sliding a catheter coupled with the treatment mechanism over the wire guide from the percutaneous entry point; increasing a flow of blood in a downstream direction through the artery at least in part by dilating the constriction with the treatment mechanism; and withdrawing the catheter from the patient at the percutaneous entry point via sliding the catheter in the downstream direction through the vascular access sheath.