Saline-jet aspiration thrombectomy catheter - Clinical results in patientswith venous thrombosis

Purpose: To evaluate hydraulic thrombectomy using a saline-jet aspiration t hrombectomy catheter in the treatment of venous thrombosis. Material and Methods: Ten patients underwent 12 hydraulic thrombectomy proc edures using 2.7 or 4.0 mm catheters, The site of the thrombus was either c entral, peripheral or in portal veins. The age of the thrombi was between 2 and 60 days (mean 19.7 days). The efficacy of hydraulic thrombectomy was e valuated based on the aspirated thrombus ratio (ATR), i.e, the volume of th e thrombus aspirated divided by the volume of the thrombus before thrombect omy. ATR was estimated by comparing the angiograms of the lesion before and after thrombectomy. Results. Soft thrombi were usually rapidly removed. ATR was >2/3 in 3, 2/3- 1/3 in 2, 1/3-0 in 4, and 0 in 1 patient. The activation time of the inject or was 23-224 s (mean 102 s) and the volume of aspirated blood was 30-680 m i (mean 250 mi). Compensatory infusion of saline was performed for blood lo ss, and 400 mi of packed red blood cells was transfused in 1 patient. No co mplications of the hydraulic thrombectomy mere observed. Thrombolysis or ad ditional treatment were performed in 9 patients. Conclusion. Hydraulic thrombectomy using this catheter can contribute to th e treatment of venous thrombosis.