CLINICAL NEEDS
NEEDS STATEMENT
A way to reduce the showering of blood clots in people who are at high risk of having pulmonary embolisms perioperatively using a removable device that can capture thromboemboli without hindering blood flow.
Pulmonary embolisms (PE) occur when there is an obstruction of the pulmonary artery by a clot (emboli) from elsewhere in the body. This blockage has a variety of pathophysiological responses including pulmonary infarction, impaired gas exchange, diminished cardiovascular function, and even death. The risk of PE increases dramatically for patients undergoing major surgery. As a result, there is a clinical need for an intracardiac device to be placed in the right atrium during surgery to catch emboli flowing through the pulmonary artery to prevent the occurrence of PE.
In 2018, there were 126 million surgical procedures done in the US alone. According to studies, PE affect 0.3%-1.6% of the general surgery population. Therefore, roughly 2 million patients are affected by PE each year.
