New approach to remove blood clots

Experts are now able to save patients from potentially fatal outcomes from blood clots, infected masses or foreign bodies from major cardiac blood vessels without performing open-heart surgery. The AngioVac is a catheter-based device in which thin tubes are inserted into two major veins in the body through the neck or groin area. Under X-ray guidance, the flexible tubes are advanced to the proximal veins, right-sided heart chambers and/or lung arteries. Each is equipped with an expandable, balloon-shaped funnel tip that, when attached to a bypass circuit, vacuums the targeted material, such as a blood, clot out of the body.

by via Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily