The AngioVac venous drainage system includes the Venous Drainage Cannula and Extracorporeal Circuit. The cannula is intended for use as a venous drainage cannula and for the removal of fresh, soft thrombi or emboli during extracorporeal bypass for up to six hours. The extracorporeal circuit is intended for use in procedures requiring extracorporeal circulatory support for periods of up to six hours.

What is AngioVac?

The AngioVac System includes the AngioVac Cannula and the AngioVac Circuit. The AngioVac Cannula is intended for use as a venous drainage cannula during extracorporeal bypass for up to six hours and for removal of fresh, soft thrombi or emboli during extracorporeal bypass for up to six hours. The AngioVac Circuit is intended for use in procedures requiring extracorporeal circulatory support for periods of up to six hours, and is designed solely for use with the AngioVac Cannula. The AngioVac System is for use with other manufacturer’s off-the-shelf pump, filter, and reinfusion cannula.

The AngioVac Cannula is a 22F coil-reinforced cannula, designed with a balloon-actuated, expandable funnel shaped distal tip. The proprietary funnel shaped tip enhances venous drainage flow when the balloon is activated, helping to prevent clogging of the cannula with commonly encountered undesirable intravascular material, and facilitates en bloc removal of removal of fresh, soft thrombi or emboli.

What is a procedure like?

Patients are typically under general anesthesia and are given a blood thinner during the procedure utilizing an AngioVac Cannula and Circuit. Physicians can perform the procedure percutaneous or open. In either procedure there are two access points required—an incision is made for the AngioVac Cannula and an incision is made for the reinfusion cannula. The access points may include any combination of the femoral vein and/or internal jugular vein. An extracorporeal bypass circuit is created outside the body consisting of an outflow line, a centrifugal pump, a filter and an inflow line. Once the AngioVac Cannula and the reinfusion cannula are inserted into the veins the centrifugal pump is activated. This creates a one-way flow that provides suction at the tip of the AngioVac Cannula.
The AngioVac cannula has a balloon activated tip. This unique proprietary tip enhances venous flow, prevents clogging of the cannula and facilitates the removal of fresh, soft thrombi or emboli from the venous system into the filter. At the same time, the circuit reinfuses the filtered blood back into the body to minimize blood loss and help prevent hemodynamic instability.

How does this compare to other therapies, like anticoagulants, catheter directed thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, pharmacomechanical thrombectomy or open surgery?
The AngioVac System offers a new alternative to existing therapies that treat venous thromboembolism. While there are minimally invasive therapies available, the AngioVac System facilitates the en bloc removal of fresh, soft thrombi or emboli. AngioVac can be utilized in a wide range of areas from the neck to the groin and expands the treatment options available for patients.