Side-hole catheters have higher thrombus aspiration efficiency than regular end-hole catheters in an in vitro model

We aimed to evaluate and compare thrombus aspiration efficiency between side-hole and end-hole thrombus-aspirating catheters.

Using an in vitro model of acute thrombus occlusion, we performed thrombus aspiration with two catheter designs. Two end-hole and two side-hole catheters, 8 F and 10 F in diameter, were examined. Thrombus aspiration was performed with each catheter 30 times, and the amount of thrombotic material aspirated in each attempt was determined. The mean weight of the thrombotic material and the mean weight of the non-fluid thrombotic material extracted in all 30 attempts by each catheter were also determined.

The 10 F side-hole catheter aspirated more thrombotic material than did the 10 F end-hole catheter (44.76 g vs. 28.35 g). The 8 F side-hole catheter had higher thrombus aspiration capacity than did the 8 F end-hole catheter in terms of the mean weight of the aspirated thrombus at each aspiration attempt (1.41 g vs. 0.58 g; P < 0.001) and the mean volume of the aspirated thrombotic material at each aspiration attempt (1.79 mL vs. 1.01 mL; P < 0.001). The mean weight of the non-fluid thrombotic material aspirated with the side-hole catheters was higher than that aspirated by the end-hole catheters with the same diameter size (31.06 g vs. 22.41 g for the 10 F catheters; P < 0.001; and 4.54 g vs. 2.99 g for the 8 F catheters; P < 0.001).

Side-hole catheters are more effective in aspirating acute thrombi. The added benefit of the side-hole design is more remarkable in smaller-sized catheters. Animal models are needed to examine their aspiration capacity in a real elastic vascular conduit and in the presence of wall-adherent thrombi.