Endovascular thrombectomy for distal medium vessel occlusions: A literature review

Background: There is a lack of substantial evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy in treating distal medium vessel occlusions (DMVOs).

Objective: To summarize the current evidence regarding endovascular thrombectomy for DMVOs.

Methods: We conducted a narrative review of key articles related to the diagnosis and management of DMVOs. We manually searched PubMed and Google Scholar from January 2010 to July 2023, and only included articles published in the English language.

Results: While diagnosing and treating DMVOs is tricky due to access limitations and potential limited benefit from mechanical clot removal, recent improvements in catheter and retrieval technology suggest that endovascular thrombectomy might be a potential treatment option. However, more high-quality research is needed to confirm its effectiveness for DMVOs.

Conclusion: Experts disagree on how to classify DMVOs and what the best mode of endovascular treatment is.