Key result
Polish PERT network expansion linked to ~7-fold increase in catheter-directed mechanical thrombectomy.
Why the study?
Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams have been increasingly implemented to support rapid multidisciplinary decision-making in acute PE, but contemporary data on their structure and treatment trends in Poland were lacking.
Cross-Sectional (n=17)
Yes
Polish PERTs are well established and have demonstrated a marked increase in procedural activity and the utilization of advanced catheter-directed therapies for complex pulmonary embolism from 2020 to 2024.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
PERT expansion linked to more advanced PE interventions; leaves open outcome and cost-effectiveness benefits.
Background: Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERTs) have been increasingly implemented to support rapid, multidisciplinary decision-making in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), particularly in complex and high-risk cases. Aims: Our aim was to provide a contemporary overview of the structure, operational models, and procedural activity of Polish PERTs, and to assess temporal trends in therapeutic strategies over the recent years. Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted among Polish PERTs in February 2025. A structured questionnaire collected data on organizational models, team composition, communication and referral pathways, patient risk profiles, therapeutic availability, and procedural volumes. Centers reported real-world practice data between 2020 and 2024. Analyses were descriptive. Results: All 17 identified PERTs participated. Teams were cardiology-based and multidisciplinary, with universal access to systemic thrombolysis and 24/7 cardiac surgery via on-site services or referral agreements. Intermediate-high and high-risk PE predominated, with substantial inter-center variability. Standard catheter-directed thrombolysis and medium-bore mechanical thrombectomy were available in 88% and 94% of centers, respectively. Ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis and large-bore thrombectomy in 41% each. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and inferior vena cava filters were accessible in 88%, and transcatheter thrombus-in-transit removal in 59%. Between 2020 and 2024, mechanical thrombectomy increased from 33 to 244 procedures annually (+639%) and catheter-directed thrombolysis from 11 to 77 (+600%). The annual percentage of patients treated with anticoagulation alone decreased from 77.7% in 2020 to 61.8% in 2024, whereas surgical embolectomy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation remained infrequent. Conclusions: Polish PERTs are well established, with expanding interventional capabilities and increasing procedural activity, reflecting the maturation of a nationwide multidisciplinary PE care model.
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Stępniewski et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Acute pulmonary embolism (n=17). Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERT) network expansion was evaluated on Temporal trends in therapeutic strategies and procedural volumes (e.g., catheter-directed mechanical thrombectomy). Between 2020 and 2024, the Polish PERT network expanded and procedural activity increased markedly, with the annual number of catheter-directed mechanical thrombectomies rising by 639%.
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