Thrombus Aspiration in Acute ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction

Observational, cross-sectional study on 30 patients with STEMI treated with thrombectomy and PCI with stent implantation. Composition and characteristics of the coronary thrombi with respect to cell types, genetic expression and presence of specific markers of inflammation, platelet activity, endothelial activation, coagulation and fibrinolysis will be investigated in relation to the levels of these markers in the general circulation, and specifically related to the time axis from symptom to PCI, as well as to the degree of myocardial necrosis.

Intracoronary thrombus will be retrieved by standard aspiration catheter, washed with saline and stored on formalin as advised by the Department of pathology, OUS Ullevål. A specific protocol for morphological and immunohistochemical methods is prepared and has been shown suitable in a pilot study on 5 patients. Assessment of coronary TIMI flow and peripheral blush grade after thrombus aspiration and PCI will be done. At the same time, peripheral venous blood will be drawn, processed and stored at -80˚C for later analyses. Demographic variables will be recorded.