Mechanical thrombectomy in acute and subacute thrombosis with use of the Amplatz device: Arterial and venous applications

PURPOSE: To perform a feasibility study of the Amplatz Thrombectomy Device (ATD) in a variety of vascular territories with acute or subacute thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients (mean age, 44.6 years) with multiple risk factors who had acute/subacute thrombosis of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and iliac veins (n = 3), superior vena cava (SVC) and/or subclavian veins (n = 3), lower extremity polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft (n = 2), iliac artery (n = 2), portal vein and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) (n = 2), and an IVC to pulmonary artery Fontan conduit (n = 1), were treated by means of mechanical thrombectomy with use of the ATD. Thrombolysis failed to recanalize the vessels when used before thrombectomy for 12-34 hours in three patients, and was contraindicated in three other patients. Thrombolysis was used as a complement to the ATD procedure in five patients. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 11 patients, and procedure success was achieved in 10 patients. Failure was observed in the remaining three patients. One patient with a PTFE graft was successfully declotted but thrombosis occurred 2 weeks later, requiring surgery. The other patient with a PTFE graft did not improve and needed surgery to declot and treat the distal anastomosis and distal circulation. The two patients with an occluded iliac artery underwent successful declotting but rethrombosis occurred in one shortly after the procedure requiring thrombolytic therapy. One patient with TIPS thrombosis improved and another patient with a thrombosed portal vein did not improve after thrombectomy. CONCLUSION: The ATD is useful for recanalization of acute/subacute clotted native vessels and grafts. The application of the device is broad, and although declotting can be achieved in most cases, long-term success may be limited by anatomical and technical problems of the grafts and multifactorial clinical problems of severely sick patients, as was the case in the series. The use of additional thrombolytic therapy may be necessary in a number of patients.