VESA-LA is the first in Los Angeles County to use FlowTriever® for the treatment of pulmonary embolism. The FlowTriever® is the first mechanical thrombectomy device FDA indicated and purpose built for the treatment of pulmonary embolism, removing large clots from large vessels such as the pulmonary arteries without the need for thrombolytic drugs and consequent ICU stay.
A pulmonary embolism is caused when blood clots breaks free in the deep veins of the body and travel through the venous system to become lodged in the pulmonary arteries. The blockage of blood flow results in right heart strain as the right ventricle is unable to push blood past the clot. In severe cases, right heart failure may occur leading to a fatal event.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of preventable hospital deaths1. Acute pulmonary embolism causes 100,000 to 180,000 deaths per year, is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death only after heart attack and stroke2,3. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, increased heartbeat, coughing up blood and very low blood pressure or fainting.
Anticoagulation or blood thinner is the most common treatment for pulmonary embolism. However, anticoagulation only prevents new clots from forming and will not actively breakdown existing clots. Intervention with thrombolytics (tPA) or “clot busting” drugs help to dissolve clots for patients with intermediate-risk or high-risk pulmonary embolism. Conversely, this treatment is associated with a higher risk of major and fatal bleeding and requires an ICU stay4. “The FlowTriever procedure a is clinically proven, minimally invasive and safe approach for intermediate-risk and high-risk pulmonary embolism patients”, Doctor M.
The FlowTriever® procedure is typically a one-hour, single session procedure that is completed under conscious sedation. The device’s mechanism of action is to disrupt and aspirate clot using nitinol mesh disks and large lumen aspiration Triever® catheters to rapidly remove the clot and restore blood flow.
“FlowTriever is an important new option for the treatment of pulmonary embolism. Patients now have a safer, less invasive option for the treatment pulmonary embolism that can immediately relieve their symptoms and improve their vital signs,” said Doctor P who has performed dozens of FlowTriever procedures. “Because of its low bleeding risk, immediate symptom improvement and faster patient recovery, I believe the FlowTriever procedure is the future of intermediate-risk and high-risk pulmonary embolism treatment” said Doctor P.
1. Society of Hospital Medicine, Maynard GA, Stein JM, US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Preventing hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism: a guide for effective quality improvement. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, US Dept. of Health and Human Services; 2008
2. Goldhaber SZ. Venous thromboembolism: epidemiology and magnitude of the problem. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2012;25:235-42
3. Goldhaber SZ, Bounameaux H. Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. Lancet 2012; 379:1835-46
4. Chatterjee S. Thrombolysis for pulmonary embolism and risk of all-cause mortality, major bleeding and intercranial hemorrhage. JAMA 2014; 311(23):2414-242
