Ultrasound Assistant Thrombolysis Shows Positive Results In Cases Of For Extensive DVT Or Acute Limb Ischemia

Main Category: Vascular
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 24 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Karthikeshwar Kasirajan, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, presented the results of research conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound as an adjunct to facilitate pharmacological thrombolysis.

Methods: From December 2006 to August 2008, 37 patients (16 with deep vein thrombosis, and 21 with acute in situ arterial thrombosis) were treated with catheter direct pharmacological thrombolysis using 0.5mg/hour of the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase, Genentech, San Francisco, California) via the EKOS (EKOS Corporation, Bothell, Washington) infusion system.

Complete thrombus resolution was noted in all arterial patients. 4 patients with DVT had partial thrombus (40%) resolution; two patients had no change and all others had complete thrombus resolution.

Dr. Kasirajan concluded that the use of ultrasound may help decrease the total dose of lytic agents used. Larger prospective randomized studies are required to prove earlier recanalization compared to standard pharmacological thrombolysis.

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Source
Pauline T. Mayer
www.ptmhcm.com