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  4. Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT)

Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT)

At ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½, we have a specialized Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) that cares for patients diagnosed with a Pulmonary Embolism (PE). Members of the PERT include specialists from Pulmonary and Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Vascular Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hematology and Internal Medicine. This group of specialized providers collaborate to rapidly evaluate and assess the need for advanced treatment plans for pulmonary embolism patients, particularly those with acute PE. Additionally, the PERT helps provide long-term follow-up care after patients are discharged.

If you are found to have a PE and the additional testing raises concerns, the pulmonary critical care team is alerted and promptly arrive to the bedside to evaluate you. If after assessment your PE is considered at an intermediate or high risk by the Pulmonary Critical Care team, a PERT alert is activated.

The location and severity of your PE will then determine which PERT specialist will arrive to your bedside next. The following specialists can be called:

  • Interventional Radiology specialists perform procedures that use continuous x-rays to help guide a catheter (small tube) to your lungs to retrieve the clot or to infuse a special blood thinning medication at the site of the clot. Sometimes a filter is placed to prevent a blood clot from traveling from your legs to the lungs. More information on these procedures is available below.
    • Catheter directed thrombolytic therapy - for more information click HERE
    • Mechanical thrombectomy - for more information click HERE
    • Inferior Vena Cava filter placement - for more information click
  • Vascular Surgery specialists may perform a procedure if you have a large blood clot in your leg to remove it. The vascular team may also place a filter to prevent a blood clot from traveling from your leg to your lungs.
    • For more information click
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery specialists are available for severe cases of PEs where you may need to be placed on a heart and lung machine which will help move oxygen throughout your body. The cardiothoracic surgery team may also determine to perform a surgical embolectomy where they make an incision through the chest wall to remove the clot surgically.
  • The Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine specialists may also determine if the PE is severe enough to require that a clot busting medication, such as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) or TNK (tenecteplase) be given immediately.
    • For more information on systemic thrombolytics click HERE

If the PERT determines you are not in any immediate danger, and do not need an advanced intervention, blood thinners are continued to help treat the PE in the hospital and then continued for three to six months after you are discharged. Be sure to take this medication as directed by your provider, do not miss any doses, and do not stop taking your medication unless directed by your healthcare provider.  Follow up with your primary care practitioner within one week of discharge.  You should also be further evaluated in the pulmonary embolism clinic within one month after discharge to make sure your lungs are improving.

Stony Brook University Hospital is one of the only hospitals on Long Island to have a PERT. Our interventionalists specialize in techniques that provide fast and effective treatments leading to better outcomes. ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ offers cutting-edge technology that enables our interventionalists to choose the best treatment options for our patients.

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