Catheter-directed therapy for acute pulmonary embolism: navigating gaps in the evidence.

ABSTRACT: Systemic thrombolysis for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) reduces the risk of death and cardiovascular collapse but is associated with an increased rate of bleeding. The desire to minimize the risk of bleeding events has driven the development of catheter-based strategies for pulmonary reperfusion in PE. These catheter-based strategies utilize lower-dose fibrinolytic regimens or purely mechanical techniques to expedite removal of the embolus. Several devices providing mechanical or suction embolectomy and catheter-directed thrombolysis, with or without facilitation by ultrasound, have been tested. Data are inconsistent regarding the efficacy and safety of mechanical and suction embolectomy. The most comprehensive data on catheter-based techniques stem from trials of ultrasound-facilitated ca

SUBMITTER: Chopard R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6868391 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature