PURPOSE: To describe the use of percutaneous directional atherectomy to aid in the diagnosis of atypical Takayasu arteritis in the lower limb vessels. CASE REPORT: In a 24-year-old woman with severe peripheral artery disease (Rutherford-Becker category 5), imaging showed bilateral occlusion of the superficial femoral arteries (SFA), but no lesions of the proximal or supra-aortic vessels. The right SFA was treated first; after guidewire passage through the occlusion, 7 passes of the SilverHawk Peripheral Atherectomy Catheter debulked the lesion, followed by balloon angioplasty. Catheter biopsy showed inflammatory infiltrates consistent with Takayasu arteritis. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transluminal atherectomy is not only an interventional device but also a diagnostic tool and can be used to distinguish between inflammatory and atherosclerotic lesions.
PURPOSE: To describe the use of percutaneous directional atherectomy to aid in the diagnosis of atypical Takayasu arteritis in the lower limb vessels. CASE REPORT: In a 24-year-old woman with severe peripheral artery disease (Rutherford-Becker category 5), imaging showed bilateral occlusion of the superficial femoral arteries (SFA), but no lesions of the proximal or supra-aortic vessels. The right SFA was treated first; after guidewire passage through the occlusion, 7 passes of the SilverHawk Peripheral Atherectomy Catheter debulked the lesion, followed by balloon angioplasty. Catheter biopsy showed inflammatory infiltrates consistent with Takayasu arteritis. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transluminal atherectomy is not only an interventional device but also a diagnostic tool and can be used to distinguish between inflammatory and atherosclerotic lesions.
Authors: Brian L Stauffer; Erich J Kushner; Ted Wulfman; Thomas Zeller; Rebecca Sobus; Christian M Westby Journal: Clin Transl Sci Date: 2008-12 Impact factor: 4.689