[Suction pump-supported aspiration thrombectomy: an in-vitro comparison with a thrombus fragmentation procedure].

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy of vacuum pump controlled aspiration thrombectomy (VPCAT) with the Amplatz thrombectomy device (ATD) for treatment of thrombotic occlusions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a flow-model a superficial femoral artery is simulated. VPCAT provides the connection either of an aspiration catheter (AC, 8 F) or a multipurpose catheter (MPC, 8 F) with a vacuum pump (-110 mbar underpressure). 7 day old porcine blood (n = 30; 7.4 g +/- 0.1g) was treated with AC and MPC (VPCAT technique) and with the ATD.

RESULTS

Complete thrombectomy was achieved with all techniques. Thrombectomy time was short for ATD (8.8 +/- 0.94 s; p < 0.01). MPC caused the least overall weight of emboli related to thrombus weight (5.14 0/100; p < 0.01). ATD caused the least embolisms at 1000 microns (3.27 mg; p < 0.05), and the most embolisms at 100 microns and at 10 microns (26.5 mg and 26.9 mg; p < 0.01). The aspirated volume of the MPC (33 +/- 17 ml) was half the volume of the AC (65 +/- 25 ml).

CONCLUSIONS

In-vitro, VPCAT proves to be an alternative procedure to ATD. The use of a wide lumen multipurpose catheter is advantageous. In vitro, embolism rates of all methods are sufficiently low.