Rush Foundation Hospital Uses Cutting-Edge FlowTriever® Device for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism

Nov 22, 2021

Rush Foundation Hospital has recently become the first hospital in the area to use FlowTriever® for the treatment of pulmonary embolism. The FlowTriever® is the first mechanical thrombectomy device FDA-indicated and purpose-built for the treatment of pulmonary embolism, removing large clots from big vessels such as the pulmonary arteries without the need for thrombolytic drugs and consequent ICU stay.

A pulmonary embolism is caused when blood clots break free in the deep veins of the body and travel through the venous system to become lodged in the pulmonary arteries. The blockage of blood flow results in right heart strain as the right ventricle is unable to push blood past the clot. In severe cases, right heart failure may occur leading to a fatal event.  

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of preventable hospital deaths. Acute pulmonary embolism causes 100,000 to 180,000 deaths per year, is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death only after a heart attack and stroke. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, increased heartbeat, coughing up blood and very low blood pressure or fainting.

Anticoagulation or blood thinner is the most common treatment for pulmonary embolism. However, anticoagulation only prevents new clots from forming and will not actively break down existing clots. Intervention with thrombolytics (tPA) or “clot-busting” drugs help to dissolve clots for patients with intermediate-risk or high-risk pulmonary embolism. Conversely, this treatment is associated with a higher risk of major and fatal bleeding and requires an ICU stay.

The FlowTriever® procedure is typically a one-hour, single-session procedure, performed under conscious sedation. The device’s mechanism of action is to disrupt and aspirate the clot using nitinol mesh disks and large lumen aspiration Triever® catheters to rapidly remove the clot and restore blood flow.

“Inari Medical FlowTriever is an important new treatment option for intermediate to high-risk pulmonary embolism that can immediately relieve patients’ symptoms and improve their vital signs,” said Usman Salahuddin, MD, Interventional Cardiologist. “Because of its low bleeding risk, immediate symptom improvement, and faster patient recovery, FlowTriever represents a new dawn in the treatment of intermediate-risk and high-risk pulmonary embolism. This is a disease of the right heart, and we are proud to be among the first interventional cardiologists in the region to offer FlowTriever.”

Offering a full spectrum of cardiology services – including screening and diagnostic tests, advanced medical and surgical treatments, and cardiac rehabilitation and education programs – Rush Cardiology provides superior care. If you have a cardiac condition, find a cardiologist at Rush Foundation Hospital and learn if the Inari Medical FlowTriever is the best option for your needs.