title: Combined use of aspiration catheter and distal embolisation protection device to facilitate angioplasty of a totally occluded saphenous vein graft.
abstract: Angioplasty of totally occluded saphenous vein grafts is a very challenging procedure and the likelihood of distal embolisation and no-reflow is much higher than in any conventional angioplasty. The use of thrombus aspiration and distal protection devices, although not well studied in a large number of patients, has been shown to be quite effective in preventing such complications. In this case we report our satisfactory experience from the combined use of a novel aspiration catheter and a distal protection device for the treatment of a totally occluded saphenous vein graft.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Michalis I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Hamilos
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Kochiadakis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karalis
authors.forename: Emmanuel I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Skalidis
authors.forename: Nikolaos E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Igoumenidis
authors.forename: Panos E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Vardas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002404:Catheterization; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents