Coronary thrombo-aspiration

Persistence of a thrombus after coronary angioplasty can be treated by tran scatheter aspiration. This technique has been used in the right coronary ar tery of three patients. Coronary arteriography showed the occlusion of the proximal segment in two patients and a stenosis in one. In the two patients with an occlusion, there was no residual stenosis after balloon angioplast y, but a long thrombus remained; in the third patient, the thrombosis of th e midsegment of the right coronary artery was secondary to a spasm of the p roximal and mid-segments. In all patients, the guiding catheter was gently advanced Lip to the thrombus that was aspirated with a syringe. The immedia te result was excellent, and the control angiogram performed after a delay of 1 to 15 months showed the patency of the artery and the absence of resid ual stenosis.