Mechanical thrombus aspiration

Mechanical thrombus aspiration is a minimally invasive procedural technique used to rapidly remove blood clots from blood vessels, primarily in the context of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or peripheral vascular disease. The procedure involves introducing an aspiration catheter into a blood vessel and applying negative pressure, either manually or via a pump, to physically extract the clot from the vessel lumen. Innovations in catheter design include steerable or shape-changing tips and mechanisms for simultaneous maceration and transport of thrombotic debris. This technique is distinct from pharmacological thrombolysis, relying on mechanical rather than chemical methods for clot removal, and may be combined with other devices such as stent retrievers or fragmentation catheters if aspiration alone is insufficient.

Other names

Aspiration thrombectomyAspiration catheter thrombectomyThrombus aspiration

Physical removal of blood clots via suction (aspiration); sometimes combined with maceration or fragmentation