The role of vascular surgery and suction thrombectomy in a community hospital's pulmonary embolism response team

Introduction

Numerous pulmonary embolism response teams (PERT) have emerged to direct management of pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients; few of these teams consist of vascular surgeons.

Methods

This study presents a single-center retrospective review aimed at evaluating the outcomes of patients who underwent suction thrombectomy by vascular surgeons within the timeframe of 2022 to 2023. Differences in preoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared using a samples t-test for continuous data. Statistical analyses were performed using JASP Team 2022, JASP (Version 0.16.3) [Computer software]. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

50 patients were assessed that underwent suction thrombectomy. The majority of patients were female (64 vs 36 %). Ages ranged from 26 to 94 and the mean was 65 years old. The majority of patients were Black or African American (62 %). The majority of patients (52 %) had moderate right heart strain (RHS) preoperatively. There were no postoperative wound infections or bleeding complications. All-cause mortality within 30 days was 2 %; procedure-related or pulmonary embolism-related mortality was 0 %.

Conclusion

Suction thrombectomy remains a safe option for management of pulmonary embolism; a PERT can successfully comprise vascular surgeons as the primary proceduralists.