Endovascular Treatment of Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a common disease that recurs frequently, and is associated with reduced survival and substantial health-care costs. Anticoagulation remains the standard of care for treatment, preventing DVT or PE extension or recurrence. Interventional treatments to rapidly remove the thrombus and prevent associated short and long-term morbidity and mortality have always been attractive. Catheter-directed interventions (CDI) for acute iliofemoral DVT have been increasingly used over the past decade to address severe acute symptoms and prevent or lessen the risk of postthrombotic syndrome. In recent years, DVT therapies have been utilized for patients with acute PE. While systemic thrombolytics and surgical thrombectomy are still used for the treatment of PE, CDI are gaining popularity as a potentially safer minimally invasive alternative.