Even in medicine, sometimes simple is best. Specialists at the OU Medical Center are finding a simple treatment yields impressive results in treating dangerous clots that form in arteries in and around the heart.

Dr. Jorge Saucedo, a cardiologist with OU Physicians, said the technique that utilizes a simple vacuum approach is helping to eliminate clots that had previously been thought virtually untreatable.

“We initially thought that the more complex the better, but I think the last decade particularly has shown us that the key for a successful angioplasty is what I would call the three S’s – simple, safe and speedy,” Saucedo said.

Patients suffering from heart attacks are often treated with balloon angioplasty. This procedure is common, but doesn’t remove the clot.

“There has always been this question behind this procedure: What about if we extract the clot instead of just squeezing the clot against the vessel wall?” Saucedo said.

While a number of high-tech devices have been developed over the years aimed at this goal, they didn’t produce the results physicians had envisioned.

However, a simpler approach is working in ways the high-tech devices never did. The technique uses a small catheter with a specialized tip to reach a clot. Negative pressure – like drawing a liquid into a syringe – is then used to remove the clot, he said.

“We have had very good results aspirating, as in a vacuum cleaner, quite a bit of the clot that is the culprit of causing a heart attack,” Saucedo said.

The technique has physicians literally seeing amazing results. After filtrating the blood doctors can see how much of a clot was removed.

“In some cases it’s been very dramatic – just a very large, rat tail-type of clot,” he said.

The procedure also meets the speedy standard – taking 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish. Depending on the heart attack, a patient could be on his or her feet a few hours later and sometimes able to return home the following day.

“So from the time when patients with heart attacks had to stay in the hospital for three months to the time where patients with heart attack can go home the following day or two days later, we’ve come a long way,” Saucedo said.

The simplified clot extraction technique has also been able to remove very large clots from grafts that became blocked after bypass surgery. These blockages had previously been considered untreatable.

“It is amazing how technology evolves and sometimes how the simpler procedure may allow for a better outcome,” Saucedo said.

For additional information, contact Theresa Green: (405) 771-2287