Percutaneous Thrombectomy for the Treatment of Acute Massive Pulmonary Embolism: Two Case Reports

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third commonest cause of death in hospitalized patients after myocardial infarction and stroke. Surgical thrombectomy is a standard option in cases of a clinical massive PE with hemodynamic instability and in patients in whom systemic thrombolysis is contra-indicated. Percutaneous thrombectomy is a new minimally invasive alternative treatment for clinical massive PE, and it has a high efficacy, with fewer complications. We report two patients with acute massive PE that were treated successfully using the endovascular technique with suction thrombectomy.