On behalf of the members of the PERT Consortium® and in conjunction with our corporate partners, we are delighted to publish this supplement to Endovascular Today focusing on pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a significant public health risk; it is the third leading cause of cardiovascular mortality behind stroke and myocardial infarction, yet awareness, prevention, and treatment lag behind. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PE may cause 60,000 to 100,000 deaths in the United States annually.1 The PERT Consortium® was formed in 2013 with the aim of bringing together multiple disciplines to improve the care of patients with PE. What began as a true “coalition of the willing” has grown into a global phenomenon, with hospitals in countries such as China, Brazil, and Kuwait having embraced multidisciplinary care of patients with acute PE.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has brought the care of patients with PE to the forefront of medical science, and the PERT Consortium® is leading the charge. Data are emerging that clearly link the virus to thrombosis and PE. Challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COVID-19 and PE abound, and the PERT Consortium® has taken a leadership role in addressing this issue. Our recently created COVID-19 PE database will undoubtedly contribute to a better understanding of PE in conjunction with the novel coronavirus.

Given that the PERT Consortium® is a multispecialty organization, the articles contained within this supplement span multiple interests and reflect the breadth of experience and knowledge of the members of the PERT Consortium®. From an in-depth examination of the basic science of thrombosis and platelet function to a thorough review of current interventional techniques and results for PE, the PERT Consortium® represents all aspects of PE care. Our commitment to improving understanding and care of PE is perhaps best demonstrated by our PERT registry, an ongoing initiative with both research and quality improvement capabilities. The PERT registry currently contains discrete data points for more than 3,400 patients who experienced PE, representing the contribution of nearly 30 centers.

Finally, our yearly educational meeting on PE, held each October and attended by over 500 people, will be a virtual meeting this year due to the pandemic. We are very excited by the potential of a virtual platform to expand and enhance the educational value of this one-of-a-kind meeting. Visit pertconsortium.org for upcoming details.

We at the PERT Consortium® are passionate about the science, prevention, and treatment of PE, and we hope this passion is reflected in this supplement. Thank you for your interest.

Brent Keeling, MD
Chair, PERT Consortium®
Board of Directors




Richard Channick, MD
President, PERT Consortium®

On behalf of the PERT Consortium® Board of Directors:

President: Richard Channick, MD

President Elect: Robert Lookstein, MD, MHCDL, FSIR, FAHA

Vice President: Kenneth Rosenfield, MD

Immediate Past President: Victor Tapson, MD

Treasurer: Geno Merli, MD

Executive Director: Michelle Lanno

Board of Directors:

James Horowitz, MD

Brent Keeling, MD

George Davis, PharmD, BCPS

Jana Montgomery, MD

Jay Giri, MD, MPH

Christopher Kabrhel, MD, MPH

Rachel Rosovsky, MD

Tom Todoran, MD

Tim Morris, MD

Belinda Rivera-Lebron, MD

Aaron Weinberg, MD

Martin Burvill

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data and statistics on venous thromboembolism. Accessed June 9, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/data.html