Mechanical thrombectomy for treatment of postoperative venous obstruction in pediatric patients.

Four critically ill neonates and two small children have undergone a total of nine postoperative cardiac catheterizations involving mechanical thrombolysis and early post-procedure abciximab for significant venous thrombus obstruction. Bacterial infection was associated in five patients and suspected in a sixth. These procedures achieved near normal venous flow pattern and subsequent long-term seemingly normal central veins in the three survivors (by ultrasound in two patients and by autopsy in the other who subsequently died of sepsis).