Catheter Thrombectomy in Clinically Intermediate-High Risk But Angiographically Massive Pulmonary Embolism

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with medical treatment results in high 30-day mortality rates, even when the patients present as hemodynamically stable. Catheter-directed treatment emerges as a viable first-line therapeutic approach for such patients (intermediate-high risk PE).

The authors describe the successful treatment of a patient with angiographically massive but clinically only intermediate-high PE, using percutaneous transcatheter mechanical thrombectomy, resulting in removal of an embolus of a rather unusually long length. The patient's clinical condition rapidly improved with excellent follow-up CONCLUSIONS: Interventional treatment of acute PE is emerging as an efficacious and safe strategy.