摘要
Purpose
Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a blood clot, usually from the deep veins of the legs, travels through the bloodstream and becomes lodged in one of the arteries of the lungs. This blockage can be life-threatening if it significantly impairs blood flow to the lungs. Current therapies for PE, such as anticoagulation and thrombolytic agents, often require prolonged bed rest and carry risks of complications.
Methods
To overcome these limitations, the study designs a submillimeter miniature ultrasound catheter compatible with human pulmonary arterial vessels. This catheter emits acoustic vortex, generated through unique ultrasound waveform interference, to enhance thrombolysis by inducing streaming and lateral forces in the thrombus area.
Results
The microscopic experiments and in vitro sonothrombolysis experiments indicated that the combination of thrombolytic agents and acoustic vortex can increase the thrombolysis efficiency up to 35% comparing with the t-PA only group. The pig experiments confirmed the performance of the miniature ultrasound catheter, where successful thrombolysis was achieved within 2.5 h, along with reduction of pulmonary artery pressure to normal levels.
Conclusion
Overall, this approach presents a promising solution to improve PE treatment outcomes, potentially reducing treatment durations and complications associated with conventional therapies.