ACS Q&A – Dr. Osman: What Is A Thrombectomy?

We often get asked about the newer technologies available for treating vascular disease. One of the advances we’re excited about is the use of thrombectomy devices.

Thrombectomy devices have been available for a number of years, and they are commonly used to treat patients experiencing a heart attack. The simplest way to think of a thrombectomy device is as a large vacuum that allows the physician to remove a blood clot from the affected blood vessel.

We can use these devices to remove clots from the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, as well as from the arteries that supply blood to the legs.

Today, thrombectomy devices are also used to treat patients with pulmonary embolism: a condition in which blood clots block the arteries that supply the lungs. These devices allow us to locate the clot and remove it safely.