Extraction of Atrial and Pulmonary Thrombi Using Angiovac Aspiration System with Transesophageal Echocardiography and Fluoroscopic Guidance

Surgical embolectomy is widely used to treat massive or submassive pulmonary thromboembolism and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension [1]-[3]. However, recently a new minimally invasive transvenous approach to clot evacuation using the AngioVac aspiration system (Vortex Medical, Norwell, Massachusetts) such as AngioVac aspiration system has been successfully used for retrieval of right atrial clot [4]-[6]. This is the first case report describing evacuation of trans-septal thrombus using an AngioVac aspiration system utilizing transesophageal echocardiograph (TEE) and fluoroscopic guidance. This case report also highlights the potential complications involved in AngioVac system which were readily diagnosed using TEE. We present a 66-year-old Caucasian female with a right atrial thrombus extending into left atrium through a patent for ovale (PFO) defect and a pulmonary artery thrombus. She underwent suction evacuation with an AngioVac aspiration system under TEE and fluoroscopic guidance. The right atrial thrombus extending into left atrium through a PFO was successfully evacuated through the PFO. However, the evacuation of the clot in the pulmonary artery was complicated by a rupture of the right ventricle requiring emergent sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and transient extracorporeal mechanical oxygenation (ECMO) support. The patient rapidly improved post-operatively and was discharged from hospital. Echocardiographic documentation of right heart thrombus and pulmonary emboli has poor prognostic implications. This report delineates the utility of TEE for visualization of cannula placement and real time aspiration of clots through the cannula. Potential complications associated with this technique are mechanical dislodge of thrombus from its attachment with subsequent embolization and rupture of cardiac chambers. How to cite this paper: Ramamoorthy, S., Mahmoud, S.A. and High, K. (2017) Extraction of Atrial and Pulmonary Thrombi Using Angiovac Aspiration System with Transesophageal Echocardiography and Fluoroscopic Guidance. Open Journal of Anesthesiology, 7, 160-165. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojanes.2017.76017 Received: May 11, 2017 Accepted: June 24, 2017 Published: June 27, 2017 Copyright © 2017 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/