title: Early experience with a rotational thrombectomy device for treatment of acute and subacute infra-aortic arterial occlusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a rotational thrombectomy device in the treatment of acute and subacute/chronic thrombotic infra-aortic occlusions of native vessels and bypass grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2000 to February 2002, 98 patients (65 men; mean age 66+/-9 years, range 47-90) with 100 thrombotic occlusions (mean age of occlusion 31+/-33 days, range 0-140) measuring an average of 21+/-11 cm long (range 2-40) were treated with rotational thrombectomy (Rotarex). There were 33 acute (</=14 days) thrombotic/embolic native artery occlusions (group I), 58 subacute/chronic (>14 days) native artery occlusions (group II), and 9 acute bypass graft occlusions (group III).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The device activation time was 4.9+/-1.4 minutes, during which 4.0+/-1.4 passes of the device were performed. The amount of aspirated fluid was 240+/-119 mL. Slightly less than half the arteries (48%) were stented. Primary success (residual stenosis <30%) was achieved in 92% (94% for group I, 93% for group II, and 78% for group III; 100% for the ipsilateral approach, 56% for the crossover approach). Among the 18 complications, 3 were serious (2 amputations after unsuccessful intervention and 1 death); there were 8 vessel perforations and 7 cases of peripheral embolization. Thirty-day survival and limb salvage was 88% for group I, 100% for group II, and 66% for group III.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The device is an easy-to-handle, useful tool for ipsilateral treatment of acute and subacute thrombotic arterial and bypass graft occlusions. The use of this device is limited by the 8-F diameter of the catheter and the limited capacity for crossover interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Heart-Center Bad Krozingen, Germany. thomas.zeller@herzzentrum.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Karlheinz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bürgelin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flügel
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwarzwälder
authors.forename: Franz-Josef
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D017073:Atherectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000601:surgery*