NEW YORK – Embolic protection devices to prevent debris from causing complications in percutaneous cardiac procedures also have a role when treating occlusions in the lower extremities, according to an expert who reviewed data and spoke about his experience at a symposium on vascular and endovascular issues sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
In this video interview, Peter Schneider, MD, chief of the division of vascular therapy at the Hawaii Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Honolulu, provided an expert’s opinion about when filters can be helpful to reduce risk of complications.
According to Dr. Schneider, filters do have relative disadvantages so he does not advocate their use when risk is low. Among these disadvantages, the wire used to place the filter can make the endovascular procedure more difficult.
However, he said that there are well-documented cases in which debris in the runoff of a lower limb endovascular procedure resulted in adverse clinical consequences. Importantly, these may not be acute clinical events. Rather, occlusions in the tibial or pedal collaterals may remain asymptomatic for months or years.
Outlining those clinical situations that pose the greatest risk, Dr. Schneider identified several specific patient groups for whom he would advocate filters, particularly those with a large thrombotic burden. Based on his own experience, he provided some tips about situations in which he now employs embolic protection devices routinely.