title: The effect of thrombectomy on myocardial blush in primary angioplasty: the Randomized Evaluation of Thrombus Aspiration by two thrombectomy devices in acute Myocardial Infarction (RETAMI) trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may cause thrombus dislodgment leading to microvascular function impairment, which is a negative independent predictor of myocardial function recovery. Compared with conventional stenting, pretreatment with aspiration thrombectomy during primary PCI significantly improves coronary epicardial flow and myocardial tissue perfusion parameters. We sought to evaluate the angiographic findings of two different manual aspiration thrombectomy devices (Diver-Invatec (DI) and Export-Medtronic (EM)) in STEMI patients undergoing primary angioplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomized 103 STEMI patients referred to our hospital to undergo primary PCI (<12 hr from symptoms onset) to DI (n = 52) and EM (n = 51) devices. The primary angiographic composite end-points were the rates of post-thrombectomy thrombus score (TS) < or =2, TIMI flow grade > or =2, and post-stenting myocardial blush grade (MBG) > or =2 in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline, clinical, and angiographic preprocedural findings did not differ between the two groups. After aspiration thrombectomy, a TS < or = 2 was more frequently present in EM group (92.3 vs. 69.3%, P = 0.0052). Also the rate of post-thrombectomy TIMI > or = 2 (69.3 vs. 92.2%, P = 0.0052) and post-stenting MBG > or =2 (88.2 vs. 69.3%, P = 0.029) were significantly higher in EM group. No significative differences were observed in terms of clinical events at 1 and 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this single-center, prospective, randomized study, a EM use before stenting in STEMI patients seems to remove more thrombotic burden compared with DI, providing a greater post-thrombectomy epicardial flow and a better post-stenting microvascular perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Morphologic Sciences, University La Sapienza, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy. rino.sardella@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sardella
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancone
authors.forename: Bich Lien
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Roma
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colantonio
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrolini
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fedele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome