Rheolytic Thrombectomy with or without Adjunctive Indwelling Pharmacolysis in Patients Presenting with Acute Pulmonary Embolism Presenting with Right Heart Strain and/or Pulseless Electrical Activity

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Possis rheolytic thrombectomy with or without indwelling catheter-directed pharmacolysis for the treatment of massive pulmonary embolus in patients presenting with right heart strain and/or a pulseless electrical activity (PEA).  Retrospective review of patients undergoing pulmonary pharmacolysis was performed (07/2004–06/2009). Pre- and posttreatment Miller index scoring weres calculated and compared. Patients were evaluated for tPA doses, ICU stay, hospital stay, and survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis.  11 patients with massive PE were found, with 10/11 presenting with a Miller score of >17 (range: 16–27, mean: 23.2). CTPA and/or echocardiographic evidence of right heart strain was found in 10/11 patients. 3 (27%) patients presented with a PEA event. Two (18%) patients had a contraindication to pharmacolysis and were treated with mechanical thrombectomy alone. The intraprocedural mortality was 9% (n = 1/11). Of the 10 patients who survived the initial treatment, 7 patients underwent standard mechanical thrombectomy initially, while 5 received power pulse spray mechanical thrombectomy. Eight of these 10 patients underwent adjunctive indwelling catheter-directed thrombolysis. The mean catheter-directed infusion duration was 18 hours (range of 12–26 hours). The average intraprocedural, infusion, and total doses of tPA were 7 mg, 19.7 mg, and 26.7 mg, respectively. There was a 91% (10/11) technical success rate. The failure was the single mortality. Average reduction in Miller score was 9.5 or 41% (P = 0.009), obstructive index of 6.4 or 47% (P = 0.03), and perfusion index of 2.7 or 28% (P = 0.05). Average ICU and hospital stay were 7.4 days (range 2–27 days) and 21.3 days (range 6–60 days), respectively. Intent to treat survival was 90% at 6, 12, and 18 months.  Rheolytic thrombectomy with or without adjunctive catheter-directed thrombolysis provides a safe and effective method for treatment of acute PE in patients who present with right heart strain and/or a PEA event.

Related papers:

title: Catheter-directed embolectomy, fragmentation, and thrombolysis for the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism after failure of systemic thrombolysis.
abstract: PURPOSES
The standard medical management for patients in extremis from massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is systemic thrombolysis, but the utility of this treatment relative to catheter-directed intervention (CDI) is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of CDI as part of a treatment algorithm for life-threatening PE.



A retrospective review was performed on 70 consecutive patients with suspected acute PE over a 10-year period (from 1997 to 2006) who had been referred for pulmonary angiography and/or intervention. The criteria for study inclusion were patients who received CDI due to angiographically confirmed massive PE and hemodynamic shock (shock index, > or = 0.9). CDI involved suction embolectomy and fragmentation with or without catheter thrombolysis.



Twelve patients were treated with CDI. There were seven men and five women (mean age, 56 years; age range, 21 to 80 years). Seven patients (58%) were referred for CDI after failing systemic infusion with 100 mg of tissue plasminogen activator, and five patients (42%) had contraindications to systemic thrombolysis. Catheter-directed fragmentation and embolectomy were performed in all patients (100%). Additionally, catheter-guided thrombolysis was performed in eight patients (67%). Technical success was achieved in 12 of 12 cases (100%). There were no major procedural complications (0%). Significant hemodynamic improvement (shock index, < 0.9) was observed in 10 of 12 cases (83%). The remaining two patients (17%) died secondary to cardiac arrest within 24 h. Ten of 12 patients (83%) survived and remained stable until hospital discharge (mean duration, 20 days; range, 3 to 51 days).



In the setting of hemodynamic shock from massive PE, CDI is potentially a life-saving treatment for patients who have not responded to or cannot tolerate systemic thrombolysis.

title: Use of rheolytic thrombectomy in treatment of acute massive pulmonary embolism.
abstract: The 6-F Xpeedior ( Possis Medical, Minneapolis, MN) rheolytic thrombectomy catheter (RTC) uses high velocity saline jets for thrombus aspiration, maceration, and evacuation, through the Bernoulli principle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thrombus removal using the RTC in patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE).



Seventeen patients (mean age, 51.7 + 16.6 years; range, 30-86 years; 9 men, 8 women) with massive PE initially diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) or VQ scan and confirmed by pulmonary angiography were treated with the RTC. All patients had acute onset of PE symptoms and all presented with hemodynamic compromise and dyspnea. Ten of 17 patients had enough residual thrombus to warrant adjuvant catheter directed thrombolytic infusion with reteplase. Six patients had contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. One patient presented with renal cell carcinoma and tumor embolus as suspected cause of PE. Angiographic and clinical outcomes during the hospital stay were evaluated.



The RTC was successfully delivered and operated via a 0.035-inch guide wire in all attempted cases. Treatment resulted in immediate angiographic improvement and initial relief of PE symptoms (improvement in dyspnea and oxygen saturation) in 16 of 17 patients. One patient developed heart block during the procedure, and further treatment with the RTC was discontinued. Bradycardia occurred in one patient (managed with lidocaine). After thrombectomy, 10 patients received adjunctive reteplase thrombolysis for treatment of residual thrombus, and 12 received inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. In the patient with renal cell carcinoma, histopathologic analysis of the evacuated material confirmed tumor origin of the embolism. There were two deaths, both within 24 hours of treatment and secondary to PE. One death occurred in a patient who had only minimal thrombus removal after treatment with the RTC and no thrombolysis. The remaining 15 patients showed continued improvement in PE symptoms and were eventually discharged from the hospital with mean length of stay 10.3 + 6.5 days (range, 5-30 days).



Rheolytic thrombectomy can be performed effectively in patients with massive PE. However, a large portion of the patients in this study underwent adjuvant overnight thrombolytic infusion. Further evaluation in a larger cohort of patients is warranted to assess whether this treatment may offer an alternative or complement to thrombolysis or surgical thrombectomy.

title: Reporting standards for endovascular treatment of pulmonary embolism.
abstract: From the Division of Interventional Radiology (F.B.) and the Departments of Radiology (D.C.B.) and Surgery (D.M.L.), Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Rd, NW, Washington, DC 20007; the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California (W.T.K.); the Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia (L.G.M.); the Department of Radiology, University of Western Ontario, London, and Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada (S.F.M.); the Department of Interventional Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, NYU Medical Center, New York, New York (T.W.I.C.); Scarborough General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (S.K.); the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (D.K.R.); The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, Advanced Interventional Radiology, West Reading, Pennsylvania (D.S.); and Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania (J.F.C.).  2009; accepted September 28, 2009. Address correspondence to F.B.; E-mail: banovac@isis.georgetown.edu

title: Rheolytic thrombectomy with use of the AngioJet-F105 catheter: preclinical evaluation of safety.
abstract: A preclinical evaluation of the safety of the AngioJet-F105 rheolytic thrombectomy catheter.



The AngioJet-F105 catheter uses multiple retrograde high-speed fluid jets impinging on a primary aspiration lumen to create a hydrodynamic recirculation vortex that traps and fragments adjacent thrombus, with simultaneous evacuation of the resulting debris through the aspiration lumen. The effect of the AngioJet on treated vessels was evaluated in 10 canines. Vascular integrity on histopathologic examination and endothelial coverage on scanning electron microscopic study were examined in 15 vessel segments treated with the AngioJet-F105 catheter, compared with four vessel segments subjected to the Fogarty balloon maneuver, and 10 untreated vessel segments. The size distribution of particulate debris, upstream and downstream, after thrombectomy was determined in a flow-circuit model simulating the superficial femoral artery. Aliquots from the downstream effluent were then injected into the renal arteries of two healthy canines.



The device caused only minimal focal endothelial denudation and no significant deep injury. No significant difference in endothelial coverage occurred in AngioJet-treated vessel segments compared to untreated control vessels (mean +/- standard deviation: 88.0% +/- 7.9% vs 89.7% +/- 11.6%, P = .77). Vessels treated with the Fogarty balloon pullback maneuver had significantly less residual endothelial coverage (58.0% +/- 8.0%, P < .03). Particulate microemboli in the effluent of the flow model accounted for 12% of the initial thrombus volume (0% > 100 microm, 99.83% < or = 10 microm). Histopathologic evaluation of the four renal beds injected with the resulting debris demonstrated no signs of necrosis. A moderate transient increase in plasma-free hemoglobin occurred, with a mild corresponding decrease in hematocrit.



The AngioJet-F105 catheter resulted in only mild and focal injury to the treated vessels. The vast majority of resulting particulate debris consist of microscopic particles, without significant ischemic effect.

title: Suspected Pulmonary Artery Disruption after Transvenous Pulmonary Embolectomy Using a Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy Device: Clinical Case and Experimental Study on Porcine Lung Explants
abstract: To use porcine lung explants for reconstructing possible situations in which a vessel wall disruption might have occurred in a patient suffering fatal hemoptysis after pulmonary embolectomy with a hydrodynamic thrombectomy device.  A 76-year-old woman with massive pulmonary embolism underwent transvenous pulmonary embolectomy using a 6-F AngioJet Xpeedior catheter according to manufacturer's instructions. While activating the device in the middle lobe artery (∼8 mm diameter), massive and ultimately fatal arterial bleeding occurred through the tracheal tube. Because no autopsy was authorized, an experimental study was designed to examine possible causes for the vessel disruption. Five fresh porcine heart-lung preparations were examined inside a dedicated chest phantom. Access to the pulmonary vessels was provided through catheters inside the right and left ventricular outlets. A low-flow circulation was maintained with an external pump. The 6-F AngioJet thrombectomy device was activated at 42 sites inside vessels from 2 to 10 mm in diameter; in one lung, 8 activations were made after deliberately withdrawing the guidewire.  Vessels >6 mm in diameter remained intact. Vessel wall disruption occurred in 4 of 7 vessels between 4 and 6 mm in diameter and in 13 of 14 segmental arteries <4 mm in diameter (regardless of whether or not a guidewire was used). The signs of vessel wall disruption included extravasation of contrast material, arteriovenous fistula, and laceration of distal airspaces with contrast inside the bronchus.  The application of this system has to be considered potentially dangerous when activated inside vessels with diameters < 6 mm. The use of this device appears to be safe only inside main branches of the lung vessels at this time. Additional experiments will be required to substantiate these initial results.

title: Type III heart block with peripheral use of the Angiojet thrombectomy system.
abstract: The authors describe the occurrence of type III heart block in a patient undergoing a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt recanalization with use of the AngioJet thrombectomy system.

title: A new treatment for severe pulmonary embolism: percutaneous rheolytic thrombectomy.
abstract: The rheolytic thrombectomy catheter has been specially designed to remove intravascular thrombus from coronary and peripheral arteries. It demonstrates a practical application of Bernoulli's principle relating to a low-pressure zone in the region of a high-velocity jet. In this device, this effect is created by direct high-pressure saline jets located at the tip. Thrombus is drawn into this region and, because of the large pressure difference, undergoes mechanical thrombolysis due to the powerful mixing forces. The resulting microparticles are aspirated through the same catheter and removed from the body.



We report the use of this device in two patients presenting with severe pulmonary embolism and contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. The two procedures were successfully performed with an excellent immediate angiographic result at the site of the rheolytic thrombectomy. In both cases, the clinical improvement was maintained at follow-up with the same good angiographic result and a decrease to a normal level of the systolic pulmonary pressure.



This preliminary results suggest that this easy technical method may be useful in the treatment of life-threatening pulmonary embolism in patients with absolute contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. A larger cohort of patients is necessary to determine whether this treatment should be proposed as an alternative to the use of fibrinolytics in selected patients.

title: Case report: percutaneous removal of pulmonary artery thrombus in a patient with massive pulmonary embolism using the hydrolyser catheter: the first human experience.
abstract: Massive pulmonary embolism complicated by shock has a high mortality rate . Currently available therapeutic options include surgical and percutaneous embolectomy and thrombolysis . Limitations of the current treatment options include the need for immediate surgical resources to carry out operative pulmonary embolectomy. Also thrombolysis, although effective in moderate embolic events, may not produce a therapeutic effect quickly enough in massive embolism. Finally percutaneous catheter techniques such as suction removal  or use of catheters for fragmenting and dislodging the pulmonary artery thrombus [4], although effective in the acute situation, have not found wide acceptance. Other catheter or device based methods of treatment of pulmonary embolism are presently undergoing animal testing and are not yet clinically available . The Hydrolyser (Cordis) is a commercially available device which has been used to remove thrombus from renal dialysis arteriovenous fistulas, coronary saphenous vein by-pass grafts [6] and peripheral arteries. We report what we believe is the first case of removal of thrombus from a patient with acute massive pulmonary embolism using the Hydrolyser catheter.

title: Massive pulmonary embolism: treatment with the hydrolyser thrombectomy catheter.
abstract: To assess the efficacy of clot removal with use of the Hydrolyser thrombectomy catheter in acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE).



Eleven patients (eight women, three men) with a mean age of 61 (range, 37-79) years with acute massive PE underwent percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) with use of the Hydrolyser. In four patients with no contraindication, fibrinolysis was performed with use of urokinase at low doses after thrombectomy.



Ten patients (90.91%) recovered from massive PE and were discharged within 11 days. The Urokinase Pulmonary Embolism Trial angiographic severity indexes (mean +/- SD) were 14.7 +/- 2.6 and 7.5 +/- 2.7, respectively, before and after thrombectomy (P < .001). Partial arterial pressures of O2 increased from 72.8 mm Hg +/- 16.4 to 93.5 mm Hg +/- 5.6 (P < .005). Pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 45.5 mm Hg +/- 14.2 to 29.5 mm Hg +/- 13.6 after thrombectomy (P < .0001). Calculated by semiquantitative computed analysis, PMT with use of the Hydrolyser removed 74.06% of thrombus +/- 13.46%. One patient developed self-limited hemoptysis immediately after thrombectomy. One patient died during the procedure secondary to PE.



PMT with use of the Hydrolyser is effective and safe in massive PE, resulting in improved hemodynamics and blood oxygenation and decreased pulmonary artery pressure. It offers an alternative to fibrinolysis and surgical thrombectomy.

title: Massive pulmonary embolism: percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
abstract: Seven patients with massive pulmonary embolism (PE) causing cardiac arrest underwent percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) with Hydrolyser and Oasis catheters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Three received adjunctive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Thrombectomy was successful in restoring pulmonary perfusion in six patients (85.7%). One patient died of cardiac arrest. Systolic pulmonary pressure decreased after thrombectomy from a median of 73 mm Hg (range, 63-90 mm Hg) to 42 mm Hg (range, 32-81 mm Hg; P < .05). There was one groin hematoma that required blood transfusion. In conclusion, massive PE causing cardiac arrest can be treated with PMT simultaneously with CPR maneuvers to rapidly revert circulatory collapse, with restoration of pulmonary circulation. Larger series are needed to validate this method.

title: Percutaneous catheter thrombectomy device for acute pulmonary embolism: in vitro and in vivo testing.
abstract: To evaluate a percutaneous pulmonary embolism (PE) thrombectomy catheter that aspirates, macerates, and removes thrombus.



Nine in vitro tests were performed by using porcine thrombi at a PE test station that provides continuous fluid output of 2 L/min at a pressure of 50 mmHg. Macroembolization was defined as embolized particles larger than 1.5 mm in dimension; microembolization was defined as particles that range in size from 0.1 to 1.5 mm. In static in vitro tests, researchers measured plasma-free hemoglobin levels in a 36-year-old man to assess mechanical hemolysis. Investigational review board approval and informed consent were obtained. The Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Bureau, Bern, Switzerland approved in vivo tests. Researchers investigated device effectiveness in 10 pigs that developed cardiogenic shock but survived massive PE after injection of two or three porcine thrombi into the external jugular vein via a surgically implanted 24-F sheath. Pulmonary angiography and hemodynamic measurements, including mean aortic and mean pulmonary artery pressure, heart rate, and mixed venous oxygen saturation, were obtained at baseline, after embolization, and after thrombectomy. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to compare hemodynamic measurements at baseline, after embolization, and after thrombectomy. Cardiovascular structures were examined at necropsy for rupture, perforation, dissection, or hemorrhage.



During a mean aspiration time of 69 seconds +/- 19, thrombi were completely extracted from 14-mm test tubes, with an aspirated fluid volume of 201 mL +/- 64. Although no macroembolization was observed, microembolization was quantified at 1.9 g +/- 1.3. Catheter aspiration was not associated with an increase in plasma-free hemoglobin. In 10 animals, aortic pressure increased from 52 mmHg +/- 24 before thrombectomy to 90 mmHg +/- 32 after thrombectomy, mixed venous oxygen saturation increased from 48% +/- 19% to 61% +/- 12%, pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 33 mmHg +/- 9 to 22 mmHg +/- 4, and heart rate decreased from 162 beats per minute +/- 24 to 114 beats per minute +/- 14. We did not observe macro- or microscopic damage to treated or untreated cardiovascular structures.



The PE thrombectomy device was highly effective, facilitating rapid reversal of cardiogenic shock without device-related complications.

title: Massive pulmonary embolism: preliminary results of treatment with the Amplatz thrombectomy device.
abstract: To determine the feasibility of using the Amplatz thrombectomy device (ATD) to treat massive pulmonary embolism (PE).



Five patients (four men, one woman; mean age, 45.2 years) with massive PE underwent mechanical thrombectomy with the ATD, which creates a vortex that pulverizes and recirculates the clots within the pulmonary circulation. The patients were followed up for 7-18 months after thrombectomy.



Marked improvement in pulmonary perfusion was observed in three patients at angiography and ventilation-perfusion scanning. No changes could be assessed in one patient who died shortly after the procedure. One patient developed hemoptysis during the procedure, most likely because of a reperfusion syndrome. A reduction in pulmonary artery pressure was observed in only one patient; the remaining patients had increased pressure. The four surviving patients were discharged within 8 days.



Mechanical thrombectomy with the ATD provides rapid debulking of thrombus in some patients with massive PE and has the potential to improve treatment and outcomes of the most sick patients.

title: Massive pulmonary embolism: percutaneous emergency treatment by pigtail rotation catheter.
abstract: This study was designed to assess the feasibility, efficacy and safety of mechanical fragmentation of pulmonary emboli using a new rotational pigtail catheter system.



Acute massive pulmonary embolism associated with right ventricular dysfunction is frequently lethal, despite high-dose thrombolytic therapy. Adjunctive catheter fragmentation may prevent a fatal outcome.



In 20 patients (age 58.9+/-10.5 years) with severe hemodynamic impairment, massive pulmonary emboli were fragmented by mechanical action of the rotating pigtail. Fifteen patients received thrombolysis after embolus fragmentation or no thrombolysis at all (noninterference group).



Prefragmentation pulmonary arterial occlusion was 68.6 +/- 11.3% for both lungs. Pulmonary placement and navigation of the fragmentation catheter was easy and rapid. Fragmentation time was 17+/-8 min. The noninterference group showed a decrease pre- to postfragmentation of shock index from 1.28+/-0.53 to 0.95+/-0.38 (p = 0.011), mean pulmonary artery pressure from 31+/-5.7 to 28+/-7.5 mm Hg (p = 0.02) and a recanalization by fragmentation of 32.9+/-11.8% (mean angiographic score per treated lung from 7.4 to 5.0). Overall mortality was 20%.



Fragmentation by pigtail rotation catheter provided for a rapid and safe improvement of the hemodynamic situation and an average recanalization of about one-third of the pulmonary embolic occlusion. The method appears useful especially in high-risk patients threatened by right ventricular failure, to accelerate thrombolysis, and as a minimal-invasive alternative to surgical embolectomy.

title: Treatment of massive pulmonary embolism by percutaneous fragmentation of the thrombus.
abstract: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous thrombus fragmentation (PTF) for massive pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with contraindications to the administration of thrombolytics.



Between July 1999 and August 2005, 10 patients (7 males, 3 females, age 57+/-18 years) with massive PE and contraindications to the administration of thrombolytics underwent PTF. A transthoracic doppler echocardiogram was used to evaluate arterial oxygen saturation (Sat O2), the Walsh index (WI), mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), mean systemic blood pressure (SBP) and right ventricular function (RVF) before and after the procedure. Statistical analysis was conducted using the paired Wilcoxon test, of which p was significant when < 0.05.



After the PTF treatment there was an improvement in Sat. O2 [87.4 +/- 1.3% vs 92.3 +/- 3.1% (p < 0.001)], WI [6.4 +/- 1.07 vs 4.4 +/- 1.42 (p = 0.003)], PAP [31.8 +/- 4.6 mmHg vs 25.5 +/- 3.4 mmHg (p < 0.001)] and SBP [73.9 +/- 8.7 vs 85 +/- 8.3 (p = 0.001). The ten patients had severe RVF before the percutaneous treatment; however, within 10 days after PTF, 8 presented normal or discrete function and 1 presented mitigated function. There were no technical or vascular access site complications related to PTF. One patient died in the hospital (10%). The procedure was successful for the other nine patients.



The lack of adverse complications related to the procedure, proves that PTF is safe. The improvement in Sat O2, WI, PAP, SBP and RVF in 90% of the cases demonstrates the efficacy of the procedure, indicating that it is an alternative treatment for massive PE in patients with contraindications for the administration of systemic thrombolytics.

title: Percutaneous catheter fragmentation and distal dispersion of proximal pulmonary embolus
abstract: Rapid restoration of pulmonary blood flow is important in preventing death due to a massive pulmonary embolus. Devices developed specifically for percutaneous transvenous removal of pulmonary emboli are bulky and their insertion through a cut down or by the use of a large venous sheath can lead to bleeding at the entry site. In 3 patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism, conventional cardiac catheters were used to break up the embolus and disperse the fragments distally. Cardiac output was rapidly restored in all patients. There were no serious complications. This technique requires no more specialist equipment or skill than those needed for temporary cardiac pacing and could be important for the emergency management of patients with acute severe pulmonary embolism.

title: Catheter-directed embolectomy, fragmentation, and thrombolysis for the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism after failure of systemic thrombolysis.
abstract: PURPOSES
The standard medical management for patients in extremis from massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is systemic thrombolysis, but the utility of this treatment relative to catheter-directed intervention (CDI) is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of CDI as part of a treatment algorithm for life-threatening PE.



A retrospective review was performed on 70 consecutive patients with suspected acute PE over a 10-year period (from 1997 to 2006) who had been referred for pulmonary angiography and/or intervention. The criteria for study inclusion were patients who received CDI due to angiographically confirmed massive PE and hemodynamic shock (shock index, > or = 0.9). CDI involved suction embolectomy and fragmentation with or without catheter thrombolysis.



Twelve patients were treated with CDI. There were seven men and five women (mean age, 56 years; age range, 21 to 80 years). Seven patients (58%) were referred for CDI after failing systemic infusion with 100 mg of tissue plasminogen activator, and five patients (42%) had contraindications to systemic thrombolysis. Catheter-directed fragmentation and embolectomy were performed in all patients (100%). Additionally, catheter-guided thrombolysis was performed in eight patients (67%). Technical success was achieved in 12 of 12 cases (100%). There were no major procedural complications (0%). Significant hemodynamic improvement (shock index, < 0.9) was observed in 10 of 12 cases (83%). The remaining two patients (17%) died secondary to cardiac arrest within 24 h. Ten of 12 patients (83%) survived and remained stable until hospital discharge (mean duration, 20 days; range, 3 to 51 days).



In the setting of hemodynamic shock from massive PE, CDI is potentially a life-saving treatment for patients who have not responded to or cannot tolerate systemic thrombolysis.

title: Comparison of streptokinase and heparin in treatment of isolated acute massive pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Massive pulmonary embolism was confirmed by pulmonary arteriography in 23 patients. All were seen between 2 and 48 hours after the onset of embolism and none had pre-existing cardiorespiratory disease. Fifteen were treated with streptokinase and eight with heparin. Factors which might influence prognosis and rate of resolution were similar in the patients in each group, and there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of pretreatment haemodynamic or arteriographic findings. Haemodynamic and arteriographic findings after treatment for 72 hours provided an objective measurement of resolution, which was significantly greater in the streptokinase-treated patients. There was no mortality in either group, but treatment had to be changed in two heparin-treated patients because of clinical deterioration. The principal complication of treatment, seen more often in the streptokinase-treated patients, was bleeding from cut-down or operation sites.

title: Right ventricular function in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: analysis with electrocardiography-synchronized multi-detector row CT.
abstract: To prospectively assess electrocardiography (ECG)-synchronized multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) for the evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE).



All patients gave informed consent after the study details, including radiation exposure, were explained; institutional ethical committee approval was obtained. Nonsynchronized multi-detector row CT of the chest was performed in 66 consecutive patients (29 men, 37 women; mean age, 58 years+/-15 [standard deviation]) who were suspected of having PE. ECG-synchronized cardiac multi-detector row CT was performed to assess cardiac function. Dimension ratios for the RV and left ventricle (LV) were measured on nonsynchronized transverse and angulated four-chamber views. Furthermore, the RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were measured on ECG-synchronized multi-detector row CT scans. An independent samples t test was performed to compare the mean value of different groups. An analysis of variance post hoc test was performed to investigate whether the values of the variables varied between groups.



PE was detected in 29 of 66 patients. The location of PE was categorized as central (n=17) or peripheral (n=12). The RV/LV dimension ratio was larger on the four-chamber view (P=.002), and RV end-systolic volume was larger (P=.01) and ejection fraction was lower (P=.01) in patients with PE. The RV end-systolic volumes and RV/LV volume ratios, as assessed by using ECG-synchronized multi-detector row CT, showed significant differences (P<.005) between patients with central PE and those with peripheral PE. However, the RV/LV dimensions on nonsynchronized images revealed no significant differences.



Retrospective ECG-synchronized multi-detector row CT facilitates detection of RV dysfunction, depending on pulmonary embolus location.

title: Comparison of different echocardiographic indexes secondary to right ventricular obstruction in acute pulmonary embolism.
abstract: 1. Tulevski II, Groenink M, van Der Wall EE, van Veldhuisen DJ, Boomsma F, Stoker J, Hirsch A, Lemkes JS, Mulder BJM. Increased brain and atrial natriuretic peptides in patients with chronic right ventricular pressure overload: correlation between plasma neurohormones and right ventricular dysfunction. Heart 2001;  Tulevski II, van der Wall EE, Groenink M, Dodge-Khatami A, Hirsch A, Stoker J, Mulder BJM. Usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging dobutamine stress in asymptomatic and minimally symptomatic patients with decreased cardiac reserve from congenital heart disease (complete and corrected transposition of the great arteries and subpulmonic obstruction).  H, Hirsch A, Mulder BJM. Dobutamine-induced increase of right ventricular contractility without increased stroke volume in adolescent patients with transposition of the great arteries: evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging.  Rebergen SA, Niezen RA, Helbing WA, van der Wall EE, de Roos A. Cine gradient-echo MR imaging and MR velocity mapping in the evaluation of congenital heart disease. Radiographics 1996;3:467–481. 5. Krabill KA, Wang Y, Einzig S, Moller JH. Rest and exercise hemodynamics in pulmonary stenosis: comparison of children and adults.  Clinical course in pulmonary stenosis. Circulation 1977;56:138–147. 7. Helbing WA, Niezen RA, Le Cessie S, van der Geest RJ, Ottenkamp J, de Roos A. Right ventricular diastolic function in children with pulmonary regurgitation after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: volumetric evaluation by magnetic resonance velocity mapping.  Right ventricular function in congenital heart disease: pressure and volume overload lesions. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 1998;40:343–356. 9. Therrien J, Siu SC, McLaughlin PR, Liu PP, Williams WG, Webb GD. Pulmonary valve replacement in adults late after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: are we operating too late?  Vliegen HW, Van Straten A, De Roos A, Roest AAW, Schoof PH, Zwinderman AH, Ottenkamp J, Van der Wall EE, Hazekamp MG. Magnetic resonance imaging to assess the hemodynamic effects of pulmonary valve replacement in adults late after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Circulation 2002;106:1703–1707.

title: A new method for aggressive management of deep vein thrombosis: retrospective study of the power pulse technique.
abstract: Failure to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Anticoagulation, although effective at preventing clot progression, is not able to prevent postthrombotic syndrome. Catheter-directed thrombolysis is a more aggressive alternative, with some small studies suggesting a better long-term outcome, but the associated risks are significant, and the treatment can require 2-3 days in a monitored setting. This report describes the power pulse technique, in which mechanical thrombectomy is combined with thrombolytic agents to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment and reduce the need for prolonged infusion and its associated risks. A 24-patient retrospective study showed complete thrombus removal (>90%) in 12 patients, substantial thrombus removal (50%-90%) in seven patients, and partial thrombus removal (<50%) in five patients. All 24 patients had resolution of presenting symptoms. Only two patients required blood transfusion, and one patient experienced temporary nephropathy.

title: [Diagnosis and therapy of pulmonary embolism].
abstract: Management of venous thromboembolism has long been characterized by a high degree of complexity and a disappointing lack of both efficacy and efficiency. The non-specific clinical signs of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and the limitations of earlier imaging procedures such as the lung scan and pulmonary angiography led to the development of numerous sophisticated, multi-step diagnostic algorithms which, however, have proved extremely difficult to implement in clinical practice. As a result, the diagnosis of potentially life-threatening PE was frequently missed in many patients who subsequently died of the disease without receiving appropriate treatment, while other patients unnecessarily underwent a battery of invasive, time consuming procedures due to a vague, poorly documented clinical suspicion. Recently, the development of structured models for assessment of clinical pre-test probability, the widespread use of D-dimer testing in the outpatient setting, and particularly the technical advances of multidetector-row CT scan, had an enormous impact on our strategy for approaching patients with suspected PE. Contemporary diagnostic algorithms based on the above modalities are not only efficient and reliable but also simple and practicable. Furthermore, the importance of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, even in the absence of overt hemodynamic instability, was recognized, and a number of studies demonstrated the value of echocardiography and laboratory biomarkers for risk stratification of PE. At present, low molecular weight heparins are increasingly becoming established as the treatment of choice for hemodynamically stable patients without RV dysfunction (non-massive PE), while consensus exists that patients with massive PE and cardiogenic shock necessitate emergency removal of pulmonary thrombus using thrombolytic agents, surgical embolectomy, or catheter-based thrombus aspiration. On the other hand, the treatment of stable patients with RV dysfunction (submassive PE) remains the subject of debate, and a large randomized trial is urgently needed to address the possible clinical benefits of thrombolysis in this setting.

title: Interventional therapy for pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Venous thromboembolism is a common cause of death. Acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is life-threatening and may require vigorous more invasive treatment. Several risk factors are related to increased incidence of massive PE. Anticoagulation is the most traditional treatment for PE but may not suffice in cases of massive PE. Systemic thrombolytic therapy, catheter-directed thrombolysis, percutaneous embolectomy, and more recently, percutaneous thrombus fragmentation techniques with a multitude of devices are now available to treat the most severe cases of massive PE. Successful treatment of PE includes implementation of a treatment protocol and the use of associated techniques and devices.

title: Predictors of survival after deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: a population-based, cohort study.
abstract: Because reported survival after venous thromboembolism (VTE) varies widely, we performed a population-based retrospective cohort study to estimate survival, compare observed with expected survival, and determine predictors of short-term (< or =7 days) and long-term survival (>7 days) after VTE.



We followed the 25-year (1966-1990) inception cohort (n = 2218) of Olmsted County, Minnesota, patients with deep vein thrombosis alone (DVT) or pulmonary embolism with or without deep vein thrombosis (PE+/-DVT) forward in time until death or the last clinical contact.



During 14 629 person-years of follow-up, 1333 patients died. Seven-day, 30-day, and 1-year VTE survival rates were 74.8% (DVT, 96.2%; PE+/-DVT, 59.1%), 72.0% (DVT, 94.5%; PE+/-DVT, 55.6%), and 63.6% (DVT, 85.4%; PE+/-DVT, 47.7%), respectively. Observed survival after DVT, PE+/-DVT, and overall was significantly worse than expected for Minnesota whites of similar age and sex (P<.001). More than one third of deaths occurred on the date of onset or after VTE that was unrecognized during life. Short-term survival improved during the 25-year study period, while long-term survival was unchanged. After adjusting for comorbid conditions, PE+/-DVT was an independent predictor of reduced survival for up to 3 months after onset compared with DVT alone. Other independent predictors of both short- and long-term survival included age, body mass index, patient location at onset, malignancy, congestive heart failure, neurologic disease, chronic lung disease, recent surgery, and hormone therapy. Additional independent predictors of long-term survival included tobacco smoking, other cardiac disease, and chronic renal disease.



Survival after VTE, and especially after PE+/-DVT, is much worse than reported, and significantly less than expected survival. Compared with DVT alone, symptomatic PE+/-DVT is an independent predictor of reduced survival for up to 3 months after onset, implying that treatment for the 2 disorders should be different.

title: Pulmonary embolism as a cause of death. The changing mortality in hospitalized patients.
abstract: We studied the frequency and characteristics of death due to pulmonary embolism among all hospital and surgical patients in a university hospital from 1966 through 1980. Of 6,858 deaths, 3,412 autopsies were performed using a standardized and sensitive technique for pulmonary dissection. Our study showed that 6% of deceased patients (4.7% of surgical patients) had massive fatal embolism. Significant declines in embolism mortality were noted during this time period for hospital and surgical patients. The percentage of embolism cases among autopsies fell from 9.3% in the first five years to 3.8% in the last five years. Excluding patients receiving anticoagulants at the time of death, these percentages fell from 8.8% to 2.7%. The estimated hospital mortality rate for embolism fell during the same years from 0.37% of hospital discharges to 0.13%. During the years studied, the use of anticoagulants among all adult patients at the hospital increased from 4% of patients to nearly 12.3%. This and other evidence suggest the possibility that both the incidence rate and the case-fatality rate for pulmonary embolism have decreased in the hospital population we studied.

title: Major pulmonary embolism: review of a pathophysiologic approach to the golden hour of hemodynamically significant pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Major pulmonary embolism (PE) results whenever the combination of embolism size and underlying cardiopulmonary status interact to produce hemodynamic instability. Physical findings and standard data crudely estimate the severity of the embolic event in patients without prior cardiopulmonary disease (CPD) but are unreliable indicators in patients with prior CPD. In either case, the presence of shock defines a threefold to sevenfold increase in mortality, with a majority of deaths occurring within 1 h of presentation. A rapid integration of historical information and physical findings with readily available laboratory data and a structured physiologic approach to diagnosis and resuscitation are necessary for optimal therapeutics in this "golden hour." Echocardiography is ideal because it is transportable, and is capable of differentiating shock states and recognizing the characteristic features of PE. Spiral CT scanning is evolving to replace angiography as a confirmatory study in this population. Thrombolytic therapy is acknowledged as the treatment of choice, with embolectomy reserved for those in whom thrombolysis is contraindicated.

title: Acute renal failure associated with percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy for iliocaval venous thrombosis.
abstract: Mechanical thrombectomy devices are increasingly being used in selected patients with acute venous thromboembolic disease to rapidly decrease thrombus burden and establish venous patency. Hemolysis and hemoglobinuria secondary to red blood cell fragmentation is known to occur after the use of these devices. In this article we describe a case in which a 16-year-old female patient developed acute renal failure after use of a mechanical thrombectomy device for treatment of symptomatic iliocaval venous thrombosis.