title: Thrombus aspiration with microcatheter for distal embolization during primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction: technical notes.
abstract: We describe a new technique for removing distal emboli that became visible on angiography during percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction. Three patients presented with distal embolization as a filling defect with an abrupt cut-off in 1 of the peripheral coronary vessels of the infarct-related coronary artery. After a failed attempt to retrieve the thrombus with a conventional aspiration catheter, the thrombus was trapped at the tip of a microcatheter by aspiration and was successfully retrieved. This procedure can achieve prompt restoration of distal coronary flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sakurakai Takahashi Hospital, 5-18-1 Oikecho, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. a-takahashi@wine.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004617:Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D062666:Vascular Access Devices