Thrombosuction utilizing an export aspiration catheter during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction.
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.
Kang
Woong Chol
WC
Division of Cardiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 1198 Kuwol-Dong, Namdong-Gu, Incheon, Korea.
Ahn
Tae Hoon
TH
Han
Seung Hwan
SH
Chung
Wook-Jin
WJ
Shin
Mi Seung
MS
Koh
Kwang Kon
KK
Choi
In Suck
IS
Shin
Eak Kyun
EK
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