Current status of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy. Part II. Devices and mechanisms of action

PERCUTANEOUS mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) refers to the use of mechanical energy to clear thrombus percutaneously with use of any combination of mechanical dissolution, fragmentation, and aspiration. In the preceding part of this three-part review, we introduced the basic principles of this heterogeneous group of devices and techniques (1). In this second part, a classification scheme for PMT devices is proposed, and the pertinent cumulative literature on these devices is reviewed, with emphasis on design, mechanism of action, experimental and clinical efficacy, and potential complications.