Shredding embolectomy thrombectomy catheter for treatment of acute lower-limb ischemia.

We undertook a prospective evaluation to prove a new mechanical thrombectomy device, the shredding embolectomy thrombectomy catheter (S.E.T. catheter), for the treatment of patients with acute lower-limb ischemia. The study evaluated the success, patency, mortality, limb salvage, and complication rates for 51 patients treated from January 1994 through June 1996, with this device, which was an 8-F three-lumen catheter. The onset of symptoms was 8.6 +/- 9 days. Thrombus length was 18 +/- 9 cm situated in 44 native vessels and in 7 bypasses, 42 limbs were graded as threatened. Hydromechanical thrombectomy with the S.E.T. catheter proved to be a quick and safe adjunct for therapy of acute femoropopliteal thromboembolic occlusions with a high initial success rate and an acceptable mid-term patency rate.