Endovascular catheter thrombectomy in overall prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism.

The authors performed 72 endovascular catheter thrombectomies (ECT) in patients with "high" floating thromboses of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Thrombi from the IVC were completely evacuated in 48 and from the common iliac veins - in 4 patients. Partial thrombectomy from the IVC was accomplished in 20 patients. As a result of the interventions, a number of problems were solved: the source of embolism was eliminated, the conditions were created for cava filter (CF) placement to the standard position distal to the openings of the renal veins; after complete ECT the patency of the IVC and normal laminar flow were restored. The patency of the IVC at the hospital stage was maintained in 92.9% and in the long-term period - in 83.3% of patients. The study of the short and long-term results enabled the authors to work out an algorithm of using ECT in overall prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and in the treatment of floating thromboses of the IVC as dependent on the patient's condition, coexistent diseases, the etiology, site, extension of thrombosis, and risk factors of rethrombosis.