Recirculation-type Amplatz clot macerator: determination of particle size and distribution.
OBJECTIVE
A high-speed mechanical clot macerator was tested in vitro, and the distributions and sizes of residual particles produced by this device were determined.


METHODS
Human thrombi aged for 4 days and 10 days were macerated using a recirculation-type Amplatz thrombectomy device with an 8-F, high-speed screw propeller. The device was activated for 15, 30, and 60 seconds. Two different methods of particle measurement were used to determine overall particle distribution and to determine the size and number of large particles.


RESULTS
The recirculation device liquefied 99.2% of 4-day-old and 98.8% of 10-day-old thrombi, producing particles ranging in size from 13 to 1,000 microns; all particles were smaller than 1,000 microns. Particle size and distribution results were identical for the 30-second and 60-second activation times.


CONCLUSIONS
The recirculation-type thrombectomy device appears to perform well as a method of macerating human thrombi. Clinical trials need to be conducted to test the device further and to determine if it can be used safely on venous as well as arterial occlusions.
Yasui
K
K
Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Qian
Z
Z
Nazarian
G K
GK
Hunter
D W
DW
Castañeda-Zúñiga
W R
WR
Amplatz
K
K
D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010316:Particle Size; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*