EMERGENT THROMBECTOMY OF HIGH RISK PE

Abstract

SESSION TITLE: Fellows Pulmonary Vascular Disease Posters SESSION TYPE: Fellow Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: October 18-21, 2020 INTRODUCTION: Some physiologic consequences of high risk pulmonary emboli (PE), such as shock and refractory hypoxemia, require urgent reperfusion therapy. Delaying management in those cases may lead to catastrophic consequences including hemodynamic collapse. However, comorbid conditions often limit treatment options complicating management. Here we present two cases of acute onset severe hypoxemia attributable to PE. Neither patient was a candidate for pharmacological thrombolysis due to recent or active GI bleeding. CASE PRESENTATION: Patient A, a 52-year-old male with prior colectomy due to ulcerative colitis, was admitted with duodenal perforation and post-ERCP pancreatitis with one day of significant dyspnea and hypoxemia. He underwent testing with a computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) which revealed pulmonary emboli. Despite intubation, FiO2 of 100%, recruitment maneuvers, and inhaled vasodilator therapy with epoprostenol, he had persistent and refractory hypoxemia (Table). After the initiation of heparin, he had recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage and required vasopressors. Patient B, a 71-year-old female with multiple myeloma and on chemotherapy with pancytopenia and lower GI bleed two weeks prior, presented with acute onset of dyspnea for less than one day and high oxygen requirements and labile hemodynamics with signs of hypoperfusion (Table). CTA confirmed pulmonary emboli. Point of care ultrasonography demonstrated signs of right heart strain. DISCUSSION: Both patients had bilateral pulmonary emboli and filling defects in distal left main pulmonary artery extending into left upper and lower lobar arteries and lobar and segmental arteries on the right. After rapid discussion with a multidisciplinary PE response team, percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy via the FlowTriever System was utilized in both patients. The FlowTriever System is a large bore catheter device which is FDA approved for mechanical thrombectomy in the pulmonary arteries. Both patients were successfully treated with acute clinical and technical success, with intraprocedural improvements of mean pulmonary artery pressures of > 25%. Patient A had immediate improvement of hypoxemia. Patient B had improvement in her hemodynamic stability and organ perfusion. Both patients did require packed red blood cell transfusions. This is partially attributed to both patients having active GI bleeding, but can be exacerbated aspiration of blood during thrombectomy if multiple passes are required. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous thrombectomy is an alternative treatment option in critically ill patients with high risk of hemodynamic collapse or refractory hypoxemia, especially in those with contraindications to thrombolysis. One limitation is the possibility of intraprocedural blood loss which should be anticipated and address with volume expansion with or without transfusion. Reference #1: Marshall PS, Mathews KS, Siegel MD. Diagnosis and management of life-threatening pulmonary embolism. J Intensive Care Med. 2011;26(5):275-294. doi:10.1177/0885066610392658 Reference #2: Wible BC, Buckley JR, Cho KH, Bunte MC, Saucier NA, Borsa JJ. Safety and Efficacy of Acute Pulmonary Embolism Treated via Large-Bore Aspiration Mechanical Thrombectomy Using the Inari FlowTriever Device. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019;30(9):1370-1375. doi:10.1016/j.jvir.2019.05.024 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Brian Cody Adkinson, source=Web Response Consultant relationship with Bellerophon Please note: $1001 - $5000 Added 06/01/2020 by Roger Alvarez, source=Web Response, value=Travel Advisory Committee Member relationship with United Therapeutics Please note: $1001 - $5000 Added 06/01/2020 by Roger Alvarez, source=Web Response, value=Consulting fee No relevant relationships by Adhiraj Gosine, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Susanna Leonard, source=Web Response