Re: 'Initial experience with the 5x300-mm proteus embolic capture angioplasty balloon in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease'

摘要

It is with great interest that we read the article by Zeller and colleagues, which described their experience using an embolic capture angioplasty (ECA) balloon catheter in TASC II (TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus) C and D femoropopliteal interventions. Distal embolization during percutaneous arterial interventions is a major concern due to potential severe ischemic consequences. The incidence of significant embolization in infrainguinal interventions has been estimated at 1% to 5%. Given the increasing number and complexity of lower extremity interventions, there is growing interest in discussing when and how to use embolic protection devices (EPDs), which have been used with success in carotid, coronary, and renal artery interventions and have become the standard of care in some circumstances.2 However, any conclusion that the ECA device was an effective tool for avoiding embolic events in long peripheral lesions and might be considered as part of routine clinical practice for complex TASC II C/D femoropopliteal lesions should be viewed with caution.