Radiology, Vol 178, 677-679, Copyright © 1991 by Radiological Society of North America
US-assisted aspiration thrombectomy: in vitro investigations
T Schmitz-Rode, RW Gunther and C Muller-Leisse
Clinic for Diagnostic Radiology, Klinikum der Rheinisch Westfalischen Technischen Hochschule, Aachen, Federal Republic of Germany.
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.
