Thrombolytic efficacy of histotripsy combined with thrombolytic-loaded echogenic liposomes

• Published in: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2022-10, Vol.152 (4), p.A247-A247
• Main Authors: Centner, Connor, Bhargava, Aarushi, Huang, Shaoling, McPherson, David D., Bader, Kenneth B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0001-4966; 1520-8524
• DOI: 10.1121/10.0016159

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a substantial burden to the American public. Thrombolytics drugs are the front-line approach to treat the most egregious forms of DVT. Histotripsy is a bubble-based focused ultrasound therapy that enhances thrombolytic activity while simultaneously breaking down erythrocytes within the thrombus mechanically. Loading thrombolytics inside echogenic liposomes may accentuate the action of histotripsy via site-specific thrombolytic release and prompt bubble nuclei. The objective of this study was to assess clot degradation under the action of histotripsy and echogenic liposomes in an in vitro venous flow model. Histotripsy pulses were applied along the length of the clot at pulse peak negative pressures of 0 (control) or 42 MPa. Echogenic liposomes were diluted into the perfusate such that the thrombolytic concentration was 0 or 2.68 μg/ml. The combination of histotripsy and echogenic liposomes displayed increased clot mass loss, thrombolytic activity, hemolysis, and intact erythrocytes in the perfusate relative to echogenic liposomes alone (ANOVA p