New Data on Blood Clot Remover

Data from a multicenter trial of 141 ischemic stroke patients ineligible for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment have shown that 48% had their blood flow successfully restored by a new device that removes blood clots from the brain.

The study involved the use of the Merci Retriever system, developed by Concentric Medical (Mountain View, CA, USA). The participating doctors navigated the Merci Retriever into the brain, using standard catheterization techniques. Under radiologic guidance, they inserted a catheter into the groin and routed it through the blood vessels leading to the brain. The Merci Retriever was then introduced through the catheter directly to the targeted area. Once in position, the device was deployed to engage and ensnare the clot, pulling it back through the catheter and out of the body.

The study's authors noted that 48% was a significantly higher number than the established historical control of 18%. In addition, they found that patients with successful recanalization had good neurologic outcomes with less mortality, compared to patients with unsuccessful recanalization. The results were reported in the July 2005 issue of Stroke. The Merci Retriever has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"These data reveal that the Merci Retriever showed success in patients with severe strokes who would otherwise have died or suffered severe disability and for whom, before this device was available, there was no approved alternative treatment,” noted Dr. Gary Duckwiler, investigator for the Merci study at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA, USA). "Also important to note is that there were very few complications, such as hemorrhages, which can create serious problems in cases where other treatments such as ‘clot busting' drugs are used. Ultimately, this new tool could very well revolutionize stroke treatment as we know it.”




Related Links:
Concentric Medical
UCLA