title: US-assisted aspiration thrombectomy: in vitro investigations.
abstract: The authors describe the use of a new ultrasound (US)-aspiration thrombectomy technique. An oscillating US probe was inserted into a thin-walled, large-bore aspiration catheter. Experiments tested the ability of the new device and other catheter combinations to remove clot material from a Petri dish, as well as from small and large vessel models made of silicone and glass tubes, respectively. Results of the experiments demonstrated that an oscillating 1.0-mm US probe inserted into an aspiration catheter (7-9 F in diameter) promoted clot fragmentation and allowed continuous aspiration of thrombi of any size. When compared with simple large-bore catheter aspiration and with mechanical fragmentation by means of a US probe within a catheter that was flushed to cool the probe, US-assisted aspiration thrombectomy demonstrated significantly better results for percutaneous transcatheter removal of fresh thrombi.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Diagnostic Radiology, Klinikum der Rheinisch Westfälischen Technischen Hochschule, Aachen, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmitz-Rode
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller-Leisse
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D008961:Models, Structural; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation*