Retrograde pulmonary embolectomy in 11 patients.

Eleven consecutive patients who had received diagnosis of massive and submassive pulmonary emboli underwent operations. After performing conventional pulmonary embolectomy, we tried to evacuate the impacted thrombus from the minor branches with the retrograde pulmonary vein perfusion. The combined amount of the removed clot was much more than that removed with the antegrade technique (p = 0.001). Postoperative echocardiography showed a significant decrease in systolic pulmonary artery pressure and right to left ventricle dimensions (p = 0.008 and 0.007, respectively). Although the results should not be excessively interpreted, this technique seems to be effective in removing the distal thrombi.