HIT is a life-threatening complication associated with a high risk of
thromboembolism. Systemic anticoagulation for the treatment of
thrombosis may not be sufficient in the presence of PE.
Catheter-directed treatment may be indicated in patients with PE and associated
right ventricular dysfunction. Literature describing the use of nonheparin anticoagulation with
catheter-directed thrombolysis in the setting of HIT, particularly in the context of PE, is limited. A 76-year-old Caucasian woman with recent cardiac surgery was hospitalized with bilateral PE.
Unfractionated heparin was initiated, but the patient was switched to
argatroban upon suspicion of HIT due to recent
heparin exposure. The patient clinically improved and was switched to
rivaroxaban on hospital day 7 for long-term anticoagulation. She developed worsening
dyspnea on hospital day 9, and a computed tomography angiogram revealed an increased clot burden. On hospital day 12, the patient underwent USAT with
alteplase and
argatroban using the EkoSonic Endovascular System (EKOS Corporation, Bothell, WA). The
catheters and sheaths were removed after approximately 20 hours, and the patient had marked hemodynamic improvement with reduced bilateral pulmonary arterial pressure. She was transitioned to
warfarin therapy and discharged on hospital day 19.
CONCLUSION: