Single-center experience with the JETi Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy System for acute limb ischemia

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) remains a vascular emergency with high morbidity and mortality. While the JETi Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy System (Abbott) offers a percutaneous approach to fragment and aspirate the thrombus in patients with arterial occlusions, data on its efficacy and safety are limited. This study reports our early experience using the JETi device to treat ALI at our institution.

This is a single-center, retrospective review of patients with ALI treated with the JETi device between September 2020 and December 2022. Patients were included if the JETi device was used either as a primary intervention or as an adjunct procedure. The primary endpoint was technical success defined as <50% residual thrombus after intervention. Secondary endpoints included achieving complete resolution of the thrombus on angiogram, acute kidney injury (AKI), major bleeding, 30-day major amputation, and 30-day mortality.

A total of 59 JETi procedures for ALI (median age 62 years [interquartile range: 56-71 years]) were performed on 39 male and 20 female patients. The median time from onset of symptoms to hospitalization was 24 hours (interquartile range: 4-168 hours). Rutherford classifications were I (10), IIa (27), IIb (14), and undocumented (8). Etiology of ALI was native vessel thrombosis (27), embolism (16), graft/stent thrombosis (14), and iatrogenic (2). A total of 124 vessels were treated, with an average of 2.1 vessels per procedure. The primary outcome was achieved in 86% (107/124) of the arteries, with 82% (102/124) successfully opened using the JETi device alone without the need for any adjunctive therapy. Complete resolution of the thrombus using JETi was achieved in 81% (101/124) arteries, with or without the use of adjunctive therapy. A total of 6.7% (4/59) patients required a major limb amputation within 30 days despite successful recanalization, and one 30-day mortality was recorded. Complications included distal embolization (5), access site hematoma (2), and AKI (4). No major bleeding, hemolysis-induced AKI, or vessel dissection or perforation was observed.

The JETi device appears to be a safe and effective percutaneous treatment option in the management of ALI. It provides definitive treatment with a high technical success rate of 86% and a good safety profile.