Initial experience with a novel coronary rinsing and thrombectomy system: "Rinspiration".
BACKGROUND
Intracoronary thrombus is often problematic during percutaneous coronary intervention. Rinspiration is a new thrombectomy catheter system designed to mechanically disrupt and remove intravascular thrombus.


METHODS
Rinspiration thrombectomy was performed in 15 patients with angiographically visible thrombus in native coronary arteries (10 cases) and in saphenous grafts (5 cases). Indications included acute myocardial infarction in 11 patients and postinfarction ischemia in 4 patients.


RESULTS
The Rinspiration system appeared relatively simple to use. There were no device-related complications. Thrombectomy resulted in an improvement in thrombus grade from 3.8 +/- 1.6 to 2.5 +/- 1.7 (p = 0.02), and TIMI flow from 1.5 +/- 1.3 to 2.2 +/- 1.0 (p = 0.047). Stenting further improved thrombus grade to 0.8 +/- 1.6 and TIMI flow to 2.6 +/- 0.8. At 30-day follow up all patients remained free of repeat revascularization and reinfarction; 1 patient died from hemorrhagic stroke.


CONCLUSIONS
The Rinspiration system appears capable of safely removing intracoronary thrombus and warrants further evaluation.
Webb
John
J
Cardiology Department of St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Chandavimol
Mann
M
Hamburger
Jaap N
JN
Pate
Gordon
G
McManus
Bruce
B
Krucoff
Mitch
M
Mancini
G B John
GB