tPA by Endovascular Administration for the Treatment of Submassive PE Using CDT for the Reduction of Thrombus Burden

Recombinant tPA by Endovascular Administration for the Treatment of Submassive Pulmonary Embolism Using Pharmaco-mechanical Catheter Directed Thrombolysis for the redUction of Thrombus burdEn

To demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the Bashir™ Endovascular Catheter for the administration of pharmaco-mechanical catheter directed therapy using low dose r-tPA for the treatment of acute submassive pulmonary embolism.

The Bashir™ Endovascular Catheter has been designed to administer therapeutic agents in the peripheral vasculature. Because of the unique design of the catheter, with its six expandable infusion limbs, the Bashir™ Endovascular Catheter has the ability to: 1. Create a much larger central channel for blood flow, thereby utilizing the body's own endogenous fibrinolytic agents to lyse the clot, and 2. Greatly enhance the radial dispersion of a catheter-administered thrombolytic agent throughout the thrombus. Expansion of the multiple arms of the basket in the infusion catheter causes fissuring of the clot. The net result is that a greater surface area of clot is exposed to both endogenous and exogenously administered lytic agents, thereby promoting clot dissolution.

This study will utilize the Bashir™ Endovascular Catheter and the Bashir Endovascular Catheter with a short basket (BASHIR™ S-B endovascular catheter) to administer catheter directed thrombolysis in patients with submassive PE who have consented and meet all eligibility criteria. The Bashir™ and BASHIR™ S-B endovascular catheters represent a new methodology for localized catheter-based delivery of thrombolytics. The thrombolytic to be used in this study is r-tPA (Genentech Corporation, South San Francisco, USA).

The design of the Bashir Endovascular Catheter with the multiple infusion limbs creating a basket-like formation when expanded, provides an immediate channel for blood flow through the thrombus and a greater surface area in the thrombus for the endogenous and exogenous thrombolytics to take effect, as described above.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Willing and able to provide informed consent;
2. Age 18 to ≤ 75 years of age;
3. PE symptom duration ≤ 14 days.
4. Filling defect in at least one main or lobar pulmonary artery as determined by contrast enhanced chest CT (CTA);
5. RV/LV diameter ratio ≥ 0.9 by CTA as determined by the investigative site;
6. Willing and able to comply with all study procedures and follow-up.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. CVA or TIA within one (1) year;
2. Head trauma, active intracranial, or intraspinal disease ≤ one (1) year prior to inclusion in the study;
3. Active bleeding from a major organ within one (1) month prior to inclusion in the study;
4. Intracranial condition(s) that may increase the risk of bleeding (e.g., neoplasms, arteriovenous malformations, or aneurysms);
5. Patients with bleeding diatheses;
6. Hematocrit < 30%;
7. Platelets < 100,000/μL;
8. INR > 1.5 if currently on warfarin (Coumadin®);
9. aPTT > 50 seconds in the absence of anticoagulants;
10. Major surgery ≤ 14 days prior to inclusion in the study;
11. Serum creatinine > 2.0mg/dL;
12. Clinician deems high-risk for catastrophic bleeding;
13. History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT Syndrome);
14. Pregnancy;
15. SBP < 90 mmHg > 15 minutes within two (2) hours prior to BEC procedure and is not resolved with IV fluids;
16. Any vasopressor support;
17. Cardiac arrest (including pulseless electrical activity and asystole) requiring active cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during this hospitalization at treating institution and/or referring institution;
18. Evidence of irreversible neurological compromise;
19. Life expectancy < one (1) year;
20. Use of thrombolytics or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor within 3 days prior to inclusion in the study;
21. Use of non-vitamin K oral anti-coagulants (NOACs), such as rivaroxaban (Xarelto®), apixaban (Eliquis®), dabigatran (Pradaxa®), edoxaban (Savaysa®) within 48 hours prior to inclusion in the study;
22. Profound bradycardia requiring a temporary pacemaker and/or inotropic support;
23. Previous enrollment in this study;
24. Morbidly obese patient who by the judgement of the investigator is high risk for bleeding;
25. BMI > 45kg/m2;
26. Absolute contraindication to anticoagulation;
27. Uncontrolled hypertension defined as SBP > 175mmHg and / or DBP > 110mmHg with pharmacotherapy within two (2) hours prior to inclusion in the study;
28. Currently participating in another study;
29. Any arterial line placement;
30. Current positive COVID diagnosis, or ≤ 8 weeks negative of COVID, or > 8 weeks from positive COVID test and with current symptoms, or current active viral pneumonia on chest CT scan;
31. In the opinion of the investigator, the subject is not a suitable candidate for the study.