Sheffield patient shows immediate improvement after IR team performs mechanical thrombectomy to remove clots

Helen Foster of Hackenthorpe is one of the first patients in South Yorkshire to benefit from a treatment to remove clots from the blood vessels in her lungs. Mechanical thrombectomy uses a novel medical device to physically suck blood clots out from the lung.

Performed by a team of radiologists with support from respiratory doctors and staff from the cardiac care unit, mechanical thrombectomy is carried out under local anaesthetic and normally lasts about an hour.

To access the veins, vascular interventional radiologists make a tiny incision into the groin. Using a catheter and guided by live low dose x-rays, the device is then pushed through the heart and into the blood vessels of the lungs. Once the pulmonary artery is reached, the mechanical device is deployed. For Foster, the benefits could be felt in minutes, with the team saying she visibly improved moments after the clots had been removed.

Consultant vascular and interventional radiologist Dr Dan Kusuma said: “The procedure involves close collaboration between several medical disciplines including respiratory care, cardiology, intensive care and interventional radiology. The outcomes have been quite remarkable, with patients who were quite unwell when they were referred to us improving significantly – and even visibly on the operating table – to the extent that they were able to be discharged home within one to two days.”

Picture: Consultant vascular and interventional radiologist Dr Dan Kusuma (right) and the team that performed the procedure on Helen Foster. Images from the procedure can be seen on the screen.

See the full report on page 22 of the October 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.

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