THE USE OF DOUBLE GUIDEWIRES THROUGH A SINGLE VASCULAR SHEATH FOR OBTAINING PROFUNDA FEMORIS ARTERIAL ACCESS

We describe a double guidewire/single vascular sheath technique that facilitates dilatation of stenotic lesions within both the superficial femoral and profunda femoris arteries following a single antegrade common femoral arterial puncture. Such a technique prevents inadvertent loss of vascular access during maneuvers to catheterize the profunda femoris artery or the superficial femoral artery. Angioplasty within the superficial femoral artery with simultaneous safety-wire placement within the profunda femoris artery has been described previously, but we present, in this technical note, successful profunda femoral angioplasty with the safety wire within the superficial femoral artery. © 1990 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.