US-assisted aspiration thrombectomy: in vitro investigations. The authors describe the use of a new ultrasound (US)-aspiration thrombectomy technique. An oscillating US probe was inserted into a thin-walled, large-bore aspiration catheter. Experiments tested the ability of the new device and other catheter combinations to remove clot material from a Petri dish, as well as from small and large vessel models made of silicone and glass tubes, respectively. Results of the experiments demonstrated that an oscillating 1.0-mm US probe inserted into an aspiration catheter (7-9 F in diameter) promoted clot fragmentation and allowed continuous aspiration of thrombi of any size. When compared with simple large-bore catheter aspiration and with mechanical fragmentation by means of a US probe within a catheter that was flushed to cool the probe, US-assisted aspiration thrombectomy demonstrated significantly better results for percutaneous transcatheter removal of fresh thrombi. 