VIDEO: Pulmonary Embolism Treatment with Dr. Downing

by Dr. Trevor Downing

A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that usually forms in the veins of the leg and moves into the lungs. When this happens, it can be life-threatening.

WATCH NOW > Pulmonary Embolism Thrombectomy

Dr. Trevor Downing, an Interventional Radiologist for Mission Health, explains how these dangerous clots can be removed, “It’s not surgery, we don’t make any big incisions or anything like that. We put you on an x-ray table and give you sedation through an IV; we numb up a spot in the right groin and put a small tube into that groin. We then guide that up into the lungs under x-ray guidance, and then we essentially suck the clot out with a mechanical thrombectomy.”

This method of removal allows for less recovery time and instant improvement.

Downing continues, “It’s been really revolutionary over the last few years at getting those blood clots out. We see immediate improvement on the table and the patient’s vital signs improve immediately.”