European heart journal
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European heart journal · Dec 2008
Review Meta AnalysisAdjunctive manual thrombectomy improves myocardial perfusion and mortality in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
The benefits of adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are still a matter of debate. Growing interests are on manual thrombectomy devices as compared with other mechanical devices. In fact, they are inexpensive and user-friendly devices, and thus represent an attractive strategy. The aim of the current study was to perform an updated meta-analysis of randomized trials conducted with adjunctive manual thrombectomy devices to prevent distal embolization in AMI. ⋯ This meta-analysis demonstrates that, among patients with AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, the use of adjunctive manual thrombectomy devices is associated with better epicardial and myocardial perfusion, less distal embolization and significant reduction in 30-day mortality. Thus, adjunctive manual thrombectomy devices, if not anatomically contraindicated, should be routinely used among STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) patients undergoing primary angioplasty.