Catheter And Treatment Methods For Lower Leg Ischemia

摘要

A method of treating lower leg ischemia includes advancing a wire guide upstream through a vascular access sheath extending into an artery, and increasing a downstream flow of blood 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.