CTMC Offers Innovative New Procedure For Dissolving Blood Clots

Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC) today announced that the facility will be the first in the region to offer the EKOS® Acoustic Pulse Thombolysis™ procedure, a life-saving technique that dissolves blood clots in the vascular system via a catheter. The EKOS® procedure is minimally invasive, uses lower doses of medicine and is used to treat conditions including pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and peripheral arterial occlusion. The hospital expects to begin using the procedure in April.

During catheter-assisted thrombolysis treatment, a catheter is guided through blood vessels to the location of the blood clot. The catheter will deliver special clot dissolving medicine called thrombolytics to help dissolve the clot. EKOS also delivers ultrasound energy to mechanically dislodge and loosen the clot. The EKOS® procedure increases thrombus (blood clot) removal and clinical improvement compared to either standard catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) or thrombectomy. Additional benefits include:

• Speeds time-to-dissolution
• Lowers the risk of bleeding and other complications
• Provides more effective drug delivery and superior thrombus clearance
• Reduced procedure time

“Implementing the EKOS procedure is the latest example of how CTMC continues to be at the forefront of heart-related services in our region,” said Anthony Stahl, Chief Executive Officer at CTMC. “With this new technology, we are able to lower patient risk while achieving higher procedure predictability. Our team is committed to improving patient outcomes, and procedures like these help us achieve that mission.”

For more information about EKOS® Acoustic Pulse Thombolysis™, visit ekoscorp.com/learningcenter.htm or visit their booth at the CTMC HealthCheck event on April 12 at Embassy Suites Hotel, Spa & Conference Center in San Marcos.