Comparison of three mechanical thrombus removal devices in thrombosed canine iliac arteries

PURPOSE: To assess and compare intimal and medial vascular damage caused by three mechanical wall-contact thrombectomy devices: fogarty embolectomy catheter, Arrow-Trerotola peripheral thrombectomy device, and MTI-Castaneda over-the-wire brush. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bilateral external iliac arteries of 15 canines were thrombosed before mechanical thrombolysis. Ten thrombosed arteries were randomly assigned to receive each device. Animals were sacrificed immediately and histologic assessment of endothelial and medial damage in the vessels was performed. RESULTS: The vascular damage found with ail devices extended into the tunica media. The Fogarty embolectomy catheter and the Arrow-Trerotola device caused significantly more damage than the Castaneda brush. CONCLUSION: All devices caused lesions extending into the media. previous research has shown that the extent and depth of the vascular lesion may be contributing factors in promoting early atherosclerotic and accelerated hyperplastic intimal and medial changes. These findings warrant further study of these devices in an atherosclerotic model with longer follow-up.