WHAT IS INVOLVED IN VENOUS THROMBOLYSIS?
Essentially, a thin catheter is placed at the site of the blood clot through a small puncture wound through the skin into a main vein. Mechanical and well as chemical removal of the blood clot is then performed. Venous thrombolysis can be performed under local or general anesthesia, as dictated by the situation. An angiogram through the catheter confirms the extent of the clot. There are several mechanical catheters that can be used to essentially agitate the clot and suction it out. These catheters include the “Bacchus device” or the “Angiojet.” This mechanical debridement of the clot is performed often in conjunction with clot dissolving medications that are infused directly into the clot, such as TPA. The rationale for such an approach is that by debulking the amount of clot, the normal vein flow patterns can be re-established. Thus, in the legs, the valve structures that play an essential function is normal vein pressures are preserved, and the chance of chronic venous stasis chang
