CVIA Journal

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) remains a global health challenge with significant morbidity and mortality. High-risk PE, characterized by hemodynamic instability, and intermediate-risk PE, with evidence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, pose distinct therapeutic challenges. Traditionally, systemic thrombolysis and surgical embolectomy have been the primary therapeutic strategies. However, both approaches come with limitations, such as bleeding risks in thrombolysis and resource-intensive requirements in surgical embolectomy. In response, percutaneous catheter-directed therapies, including mechanical thrombectomy and catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), have emerged as promising alternatives.

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