Catheter for percutaneous thrombectomy: first clinical experience.

The authors evaluated a double-lumen thrombectomy catheter that functions by way of the Venturi effect in seven consecutive patients with thrombus in the superficial femoral artery. The estimated age of the thrombotic material was between 3 days and 9 weeks. Thrombectomy was successful in all patients, and mean time required was less than 20 minutes. In five patients, diagnosis, thrombectomy, and therapeutic intervention were successfully performed in one session.