Mechanical thrombectomy linked to lower mortality in intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism
New research presented at TCT 2026 and simultaneously published in JSCAI found that, in the primary analysis, mechanical thrombectomy was associated with lower short- and long-term mortality among patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism compared with anticoagulation alone.
A new study, presented at TCT 2026 and published in JSCAI, suggests that mechanical thrombectomy may lower mortality in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism compared to anticoagulation alone. Researchers analyzed 12 studies involving 4,268 patients, of which 1,878 (44%) underwent mechanical thrombectomy. The primary analysis revealed lower 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year mortality rates, as well as a reduced risk of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, in the mechanical thrombectomy group.
However, 30-day mortality did not show a significant difference in a sensitivity analysis limited to studies exclusively enrolling intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism patients. Despite the observational nature of most available evidence, the findings suggest potential benefits of mechanical thrombectomy for this patient population.
Further larger randomized trials are needed to confirm these results and identify which patients might benefit the most.
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