Saint Francis Hospital Performs 100th Pulmonary Embolism Thrombectomy
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 14, 2026) – Saint Francis Hospital’s Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) recently performed its 100th thrombectomy procedure. PERT is a multidisciplinary team composed of providers from pulmonary/critical care, interventional radiology, cardiology, hematology, and cardiothoracic surgery, who coordinate and expedite the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism.
The Saint Francis PERT is led by Evan Nadler, MD, Pulmonologist and Haseeb Qazi, MD, Interventional Cardiologist, who completed the landmark case.
“We are so proud that Saint Francis is committed to continuous innovation in order to provide our patients with the best treatments available,” said Dr. Qazi. “Through cutting-edge technology and a truly collaborative approach, this milestone showcases how innovation, coordination, and expertise come together to deliver advanced, life-saving treatment for pulmonary embolism.”
Saint Francis has become the go-to referral site for all intermediate to high-risk pulmonary embolism patients in the region. The introduction of PERT demonstrated reduction in all cause 30-day mortality and length of stay in the intensive care unit.
“The multidisciplinary coordination through PERT has allowed us to help very sick patients survive and recover,” said Dr. Nadler. “Thanks to the expertise of our team, we are able to deliver faster treatment and improve outcomes for our patients. Our PERT program is one of the best in the region, and we are proud to be able to provide this extraordinary care to our community.”
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot becomes stuck in an artery in the lungs, blocking the flow of blood, making it more difficult for the lungs to provide oxygen to the rest of the body. To learn more about pulmonary embolism care at Saint Francis, visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org/PERT.
About Saint Francis Hospital
Saint Francis Hospital has been an anchor institution in Connecticut since 1897. Saint Francis is a member of Trinity Health Of New England and Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Saint Francis Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, is a 617-bed hospital, a major teaching hospital, and the largest Catholic hospital in New England. Other Saint Francis entities include the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center, the Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute, the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, the Smilow Cancer Hospital Yale-New Haven at Saint Francis, Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, and Community Health and Well Being, which includes the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry, and the Greater Hartford Family Advocacy Center. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X @SaintFrancisCT