New UK treatment combats strokes by treating clots with 3-foot wire
- 7 years ago
LONDON — New medical technology implemented by British health authorities could save thousands of stroke victims from disability and death.
A stroke generally occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot in a vein. The treatment, known as a mechanical thrombectomy, involves a 3-foot-long wire being inserted into the patient’s groin and maneuvered to the clot’s location, reported the Guardian. Once there, the wire deploys a stent that traps the clot and relieves the blockage.
“Thrombectomy is a real game changer which can save lives and reduce the chances of someone being severely disabled after a stroke”, explained Juliet Bouverie, chief executive at UK-based charity Stroke Association.
The treatment was only initially available in a handful of hospitals, but is now being rolled out across England.
A stroke generally occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot in a vein. The treatment, known as a mechanical thrombectomy, involves a 3-foot-long wire being inserted into the patient’s groin and maneuvered to the clot’s location, reported the Guardian. Once there, the wire deploys a stent that traps the clot and relieves the blockage.
“Thrombectomy is a real game changer which can save lives and reduce the chances of someone being severely disabled after a stroke”, explained Juliet Bouverie, chief executive at UK-based charity Stroke Association.
The treatment was only initially available in a handful of hospitals, but is now being rolled out across England.