[Pulmonary embolectomy in pulmonary embolism: surgery and endoluminal techniques]

Since Trendelenburg's first attempts in 1908, the techniques of embolectomy have progressed considerably. The reference method remains embolectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass, the development of which has reduced the operative mortality to 30-40% instead of 60% when embolectomy was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. In the last few years, several techniques have been developed to perform embolectomy by percutaneous endoluminal methods. These procedures are difficult to initiate, little experimented in humans or still at the experimental stage in animals. Advances in the medical treatment of massive acute pulmonary embolism have reduced the indications of embolectomy which has become the exception reserved for the most seriously ill patients in whom the other methods are contraindicated or have failed.