Pilot Study Evaluating Catheter Directed Thrombolysis Device in Acute Intermediate Risk Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

June 26, 2026 updated by: Flow Medical Solutions, Inc.

Pilot Study to Evaluate the Safety and Feasibility of the Flow Medical Catheter for Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in Acute Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism

This is a pilot study of the Flow Medical Catheter, a catheter-based device used to deliver clot-dissolving medication directly to a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). The study evaluates whether the device can be used safely and as intended in adults with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism. All participants receive treatment with the study device; there is no comparison group.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

This single-arm, pilot study evaluates the safety and feasibility of the Flow Medical Catheter for catheter-directed thrombolysis in adults with acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. Participants undergo the catheter-directed thrombolysis procedure with the study device and are followed for procedure-related safety outcomes during the early post-procedure period. Eligibility criteria, study intervention, and outcome measures are described in the corresponding structured sections of this record.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects must meet ALL of the following criteria to be eligible:

  1. Age 18 to 75 years, inclusive.
  2. Clinical signs and/or symptoms consistent with acute PE with symptom onset ≤14 days prior to baseline CTPA.
  3. CTPA demonstrating acute PE with a filling defect in at least one main or lobar pulmonary artery.
  4. RV/LV diameter ratio ≥0.9 on baseline CTPA (site read acceptable for eligibility determination).
  5. Medically eligible for CDT and standard anticoagulation per institutional guidelines and the treating investigator's judgment.
  6. Willing and able to provide written informed consent and comply with all study procedures and follow-up requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects meeting ANY of the following criteria are not eligible:

  1. High-risk (massive) PE: Sustained SBP <90 mmHg for ≥15 consecutive minutes, >40 mmHg drop from baseline, vasopressor requirement, or cardiac arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the immediate hospitalization.
  2. Respiratory insufficiency: FiO₂ requirement >40% or >6 LPM supplemental oxygen to maintain SpO₂ >90%.
  3. Prior PE: Prior PE ≤180 days from index procedure.
  4. Absolute contraindications to thrombolytic therapy:

    1. Any prior intracranial hemorrhage (no time limit)
    2. Known structural cerebrovascular lesion or arteriovenous malformation (no time limit)
    3. Known malignant intracranial neoplasm (no time limit)
    4. Ischemic stroke or TIA within 3 months of baseline CTPA
    5. Intracranial or intraspinal surgery within 2 months of baseline CTPA
    6. Significant closed-head or facial trauma within 3 months of baseline CTPA
    7. Suspected aortic dissection
    8. Active bleeding or bleeding diathesis (excluding menses)
    9. Active intracranial or intraspinal disease
    10. Irreversible neurological compromise
  5. Relative contraindications to thrombolytic therapy:

    1. Severe uncontrolled hypertension at presentation (SBP >180 mmHg or DBP >110 mmHg)
    2. Major surgery within 3 weeks of baseline CTPA
    3. Major trauma (non-intracranial) within 3 months of baseline CTPA
    4. Traumatic or prolonged CPR (>10 minutes) within 3 weeks of baseline CTPA
    5. Recent internal bleeding within 4 weeks of baseline CTPA
    6. Noncompressible vascular puncture site(s)
    7. Active peptic ulcer
    8. Ischemic stroke more than 3 months prior to baseline CTPA
  6. Laboratory exclusions (within 6 hours of index procedure, not correctable prior to procedure):

    1. Platelet count <100,000/µL
    2. Hemoglobin <8.0 g/dL
    3. INR >2.0; or INR >1.5 if currently receiving warfarin
    4. aPTT >50 seconds in the absence of anticoagulant therapy
    5. eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m²
  7. Cardiac and pulmonary exclusions:

    1. Known LVEF ≤30% by any imaging modality
    2. Decompensated heart failure at presentation requiring inotropic or diuretic escalation unrelated to the index PE procedure
    3. History of chronic lung disease requiring supplemental oxygen therapy at baseline
    4. Known chronic severe pulmonary hypertension not attributable to the index PE episode (documented PASP >70 mmHg by right heart catheterization or echocardiography, or documented CTEPH)
    5. Profound bradycardia requiring temporary pacing or inotropic support
  8. Procedural and anatomical exclusions:

    1. Known or suspected clot in transit (right atrium or right ventricle), IVC clot, or intracardiac thrombus
    2. Intracardiac lead in the right ventricle or right atrium placed ≤180 days prior to the index procedure
    3. Actively progressing cancer actively treated with chemotherapy
    4. Anatomic or clinical conditions precluding safe venous access or catheter delivery to the pulmonary arteries
    5. BMI >45 kg/m² if, in the judgment of the investigator, body habitus poses unacceptable risk for vascular access, catheter delivery, or procedural bleeding management
  9. Device and drug hypersensitivity:

    1. Allergy or hypersensitivity to rt-PA (alteplase)
    2. Heparin allergy or history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
    3. Known hypersensitivity to nitinol (nickel-titanium alloy)
    4. Known anaphylactic reaction to radiographic contrast agents not amenable to premedication
  10. Prior thrombolytic use or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use within 3 days of baseline CTPA.
  11. Use of a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) within 48 hours of the index procedure, unless the investigator judges procedural bleeding risk to be acceptable and documents this determination, with rationale, in the subject's medical record.
  12. Pregnancy. A pregnancy test is required for all women of childbearing potential prior to enrollment; point-of-care testing is acceptable. Patients with a positive pregnancy test are excluded. Postpartum patients are eligible if all other criteria are met.
  13. Life expectancy <90 days in the investigator's judgment.
  14. Concurrent enrollment in another interventional clinical investigation.
  15. Previous enrollment in this study.
  16. Absolute contraindication to anticoagulation, or inability to receive post-procedure anticoagulation per institutional standard of care.
  17. Unable or unwilling to provide written informed consent.
  18. In the opinion of the investigator, the subject is at unacceptably high risk for bleeding complications or is otherwise not a suitable candidate for the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis (Flow Medical Catheter)
All participants undergo catheter-directed thrombolysis with the Flow Medical Catheter for treatment of acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. This is a single-arm study; all enrolled participants receive the same study intervention.
Catheter-directed thrombolysis is performed using the Flow Medical Catheter to deliver a thrombolytic agent directly into the pulmonary arteries. The device is positioned at the target site, and thrombolytic infusion is delivered per the study protocol.
Other Names:
  • PE Catheter
  • Catheter Directed Thrombolysis

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of device-related serious adverse events (SAEs)
Time Frame: 72 hours post procedure
Number of participants experiencing one or more serious adverse events assessed as related to the study device.
72 hours post procedure
Successful device deployment and thrombolytic infusion
Time Frame: Index Procedure through 24 hours post
Proportion of participants in whom the Flow Medical scaffold is successfully deployed and expanded within the target pulmonary artery, with confirmed initiation and maintenance of thrombolytic infusion through the device for the protocol-specified duration.
Index Procedure through 24 hours post

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Miguel Naranjo, MD, Hospital Regional de Talca

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 26, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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