We read with interest Dr. García-Tejada’s article in regard to utilization of guiding catheter thrombectomy combined with an embolic protection device.
As has been shown with a randomized trial looking at saphenous vein graft embolic protection , embolic protection is necessary for saphenous vein graft work. However, in some cases embolic protection cannot be utilized. We agree with García-Tejada’s article that guiding catheter thrombectomy is one useful and easy technique to remove thrombus.
Another technique has been utilized by our group for over 10 years in over 200 saphenous vein, coronary and carotid interventions using what we call a suck-u-surge technique. We originally described this in 2002 ( Figs. 1–2 ). In cases where there clearly is thrombus, it is not sufficient to just use a filter, you might consider thrombus aspiration.
