What is pharmacomechanical thrombolysis?
A. Pharmacomechanical thrombolysis is a method of destroying and removing clots located in deep veins, which combines clot-dissolving agents and mechanical devices to soften, break up and then remove the clot debris through suction. The technique is most commonly used in patients with deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. Unlike anticoagulant drugs, or blood thinners, which are used to prevent the formation of new clots in the majority of individuals with DVT, pharmacomechanical thrombolysis removes the existing clot, preventing possible vascular damage and reducing the risks that can occur when DVT clots break away from the vein where they are located. Pharmacomechanical thrombolysis is often preferred over the traditional method of thrombolysis, which involves delivery of clot-dissolving drugs but does not use a mechanical component to break apart clots. Q. How is the pharmacomechanical thrombolysis procedure performed? A. The pharmacomechanical thrombolysis procedure is usually performed un
