Mechanical trombectomia in Acute ischemic Stroke | 3D Animation |

Surgical thrombectomy

What is a surgical thrombectomy?

It is a type of surgery performed to remove a blood clot from inside an artery or vein.

Normally, blood flows freely through blood vessels, arteries, and veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood and nutrients to the body. Veins carry waste products throughout the body to remove them and then bring low-oxygen blood back to the heart. In some cases, blood thickens and pools to form a clot in one of these vessels. Blood flow is then blocked. When this happens, nearby tissues can be damaged.

During a surgical thrombectomy, a surgeon makes an incision in a blood vessel. The clot is removed and the blood vessel is repaired. This restores blood flow. In some cases, a balloon or other device may be placed in the blood vessel to keep it open.

Why might you need a surgical thrombectomy?
You may need it if you have a blood clot in an artery or vein. This surgery is often needed for a blood clot in an arm or leg. In some cases, it may also be necessary for a blood clot in an organ or other part of the body.

A blood clot can cause many possible problems, including:

Swelling, pain, tingling, or numbness in an arm or leg

Feeling cold in the area

Muscle pain in the area

Enlarged veins (postthrombotic syndrome)

tissue death

Loss of organ function

Blood clot that moves to the lung and causes difficulty breathing and risk of death (pulmonary embolism)

Your healthcare provider may advise surgical thrombectomy if you have a very large clot. Or he or she may advise surgery if the blood clot is causing serious tissue damage.

Surgery is not the only type of treatment for a blood clot. Many people with blood clots are treated with medications called anticoagulants. They are administered as a pill, injection, or intravenously. They serve to prevent a blood clot from increasing in size. Other medications used to dissolve large blood clots that cause serious symptoms are called thrombolytics.

All blood clot treatments have their own risks and benefits. Ask your healthcare provider if surgical thrombectomy might be a good option for you. You may find it helpful to talk to a provider who specializes in blood vessel problems. This type of provider is called a vascular specialist.