Mechanical Thrombectomy for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism on ECMO: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

Cohort studyJournal of vascular and interventional radiology : JVIR· Jul 2026

Mechanical Thrombectomy for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism on ECMO: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

Andrea Gorodezky, Ernest Barral, Alexis Medema … Jonathan G Martin

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Venous ThromboembolismCohort studyQ2IF 1.9

Mechanical thrombectomy with ECMO for high-risk pulmonary embolism had 35% 30-day mortality.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism on ECMO: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

Andrea Gorodezky … Jonathan G Martin

Journal of vascular and interventional radiology · Jul 2026 · Q2 in General Medicine

Purpose

To evaluate the use of mechanical thrombectomy (mechanical thrombectomy) in patients who require veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) for the management of acute high-risk pulmonary embolism.

Methods

This retrospective case series included patients who underwent veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation followed by mechanical thrombectomy for the treatment of pulmonary embolism between January 2017 and December 2025.

n = 20 patients

35%

Results

35%

over a third of high-risk PE patients on ECMO thrombectomy died within a month

n = 20 patients

More results

A total of 20 patients met inclusion criteria.

Procedure-related complications were present in 45% (n=9) of patients.

Acute bleeding events occurred in 30% (n=6) of patients, and neurologic events occurred in 15% (n=3) of patients following ECMO cannulation and mechanical thrombectomy.

More results

No variables evaluated were significantly associated with mortality.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

In this single-center retrospective cohort, patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy while supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for high-risk pulmonary embolism demonstrated a 30-day mortality of 35%.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Further studies including matched controls and larger cohorts are needed to better define the role of mechanical thrombectomy in this critically ill population.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism on ECMO: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism on ECMO: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

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