Objective: To analyze the feasibility and results of up-and-over access (UOA) for catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in acute iliofemoral popliteal venous thrombosis (IFPVT).
Methods: From June 2020 to June 2021, a total of 26 patients (26 lower limbs) undergoing CDT for IFPVT were included. According to the vascular access, the patients were divided into UOA group (n = 11, 10 left limbs and 1 right limb) and ipsilateral popliteal vein (ILPV) (n = 15, 15 left limbs) access group. The differences in preoperative characteristics and technical details between the two groups were compared.
Results: Patients in UOA group were older than those in ILPV access group (67.64 ± 4.11 years VS. 52.73 ± 15.63 years, p = .003). The BMI of UOA group was significantly higher than that of ILPV access group (26.03 ± 1.62 kg/m2 VS 24.71 ± 1.46 kg/m2, p = .039). There were significantly more patients with simultaneous three comorbidities in UOA group than in ILPV access group (45.5% vs. 0, p = .043). Compared with ILPV access group, the duration of operation and fluoroscopy of UOA group were significantly longer (20.64 ± 3.41 min vs. 10.20 ± 1.42 min, p < .001; 18.18 ± 2.99 min vs. 6.13 ± 0.92 min, p < .001), but the technical success rate was significantly lower (54.5% vs. 100%, p = .007). In UOA group, the operation-related complications occurred, including catheter straying into lateral sacral vein (9.1%), retroperitoneal hematoma (9.1%), and thrombus shedding into filter (9.1%).
Conclusion: The UOA may be attempted in patients who are unable to be prone, but this access is not an optimal pathway for CDT.
Keywords: Up-and-over; access; catheter-directed thrombolysis; popliteal; venous, thrombosis.