Duplex controlled angioplasty.
Duplex examination was carried out to assess lesions in peripheral arteries amenable to angioplasty. With the help of a special catheter, angioplasty of these lesions was performed under Duplex control. Sixteen patients presenting with claudication were examined by Duplex and 38 lesions were identified (31 stenoses, seven occlusions) and all the findings except one (vessel E1) were confirmed by subsequent angiography. Sixteen lesions were considered amenable to angioplasty and 13 lesions (in 10 patients) were selected for Duplex controlled angioplasty. A new catheter system which has a piezo-electric transducer at the centre of the balloon and integrated to a Duplex scanner via a catheter system interface, was used for the procedure. This allows the exact position of the balloon to be represented on the screen. Thirteen lesions (seven superficial femoral artery (SFA), three external iliac, two common iliac and one graft) were subjected to angioplasty under Duplex control. In one patient, the SFA was punctured directly under ultrasound control as the profunda was diseased. The guide wire was visualised in all cases and in the majority of cases, balloon size for the angioplasty was chosen by measurement of the arterial diameter by Duplex, which was also used for haemodynamic evaluation before, during and after the procedure. Eleven lesions (85%) underwent angioplasty entirely under Duplex control and additional X-ray control was needed in only two cases. In conclusion, Duplex allows the monitoring of both anatomical and haemodynamic parameters during angioplasty. It also reduces the risk of ionising radiation. Our initial experience has been encouraging as angioplasty was performed in the majority of lesions purely under Duplex control.
Ramaswami
G
G
Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, Academic Surgical Unit, St. Mary's Hospital, London, U.K.
al-Kutoubi
A
A
Nicolaides
A N
AN
Geroulakos
G
G
Ferrara-Ryan
M
M
Aref
F
F
Labropoulos
N
N
Sutton
G
G
D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*