Aspiration Thrombectomy for Treatment of Acute Massive and Submassive Pulmonary Embolism: Initial Single-Center Prospective Experience

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of aspiration thrombectomy in patients with acute massive or submassive pulmonary embolism (PE). Materials and Methods This prospective study analyzed patient demographic data, procedural details, and outcomes in 18 consecutive patients (8 men and 10 women; mean age, 60.1 y; range, 36–80 y), 10 with acute submassive PE and 8 with massive PE, treated with an Indigo Continuous Aspiration Mechanical Thrombectomy Catheter between January 2016 and February 2017. Three patients underwent concomitant systemic fibrinolytic treatment with 100 mg tissue plasminogen activator. Technical success was defined as successful placement of devices and initiation of aspiration thrombectomy. Clinical success was defined as stabilization of hemodynamic parameters; improvement in pulmonary hypertension, right heart strain, or both; and survival to hospital discharge. Complications were also analyzed. Results The procedure was considered a technical success in 17 patients (94.4%) and a clinical success in 15 (83.3%). Echocardiography showed significant improvements in right ventricle size (46.36 mm ± 2.2 before treatment vs 41.79 mm ± 7.4 after; P  = .041), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (16 ± 3 before treatment vs 18.57 ± 3.9 after; P  = .011), and systolic wave (10 ± 2.1 before treatment vs 13.1 ± 3.8 after; P  = .020). Two patients died of massive PE, and 1 died of submassive PE. Two patients who received systemic fibrinolytic agents experienced intracranial bleeding, and abdominal bleeding developed in 1. Conclusions Aspiration thrombectomy is a feasible option for the treatment of acute massive or submassive PE in patients with hemodynamic compromise or right ventricular dysfunction.