title: Thrombosuction utilizing an export aspiration catheter during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effective myocardial reperfusion after primary PCI for an AMI in lesions with a thrombus is limited by distal embolization and the slow/no reflow phenomenon. We evaluated the efficacy of a thrombus reduction technique using an export aspiration catheter for thrombosuction during primary PCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 62 patients with AMIs who underwent primary PCI and had a thrombi burden during thrombosuction using an EAC (EAC group; n=31) or without thrombosuction (control group; n=31).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thrombosuction with an EAC was performed safely in all the patients in EAC group without any complications. After the PCI, restoration to a TIMI flow grade 3 was significantly more frequent in the EAC group (26/31 vs. 20/31, p < 0.05). However, the TIMI perfusion grade did not differ between the two groups. Further, the corrected TIMI frame counts were lower in the EAC group (23.9 +/- 15.1 vs. 34.8 +/- 22.5, p < 0.05). Although there was no statistical significance, a greater incidence of distal embolization was observed in the control group (16.1%, 5/31) as compared to the EAC group (0/31) (p= 0.056). However, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events at 1 and 6 months did not differ between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For AMIs, thrombosuction with an EAC before or during PCI is a safe and potentially effective method for restoration of the coronary flow.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 1198 Kuwol-Dong, Namdong-Gu, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Woong Chol
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Tae Hoon
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Seung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wook-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Mi Seung
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kwang Kon
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: In Suck
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eak Kyun
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome