WASHINGTON – The first device to remove blood clots from the brains of people suffering strokes – a new treatment option that could save lives and shave the $53 billion annual bill to treat strokes, has been approved by the government.
In 80 percent of strokes, a blood vessel in the brain becomes clogged by a blood clot, increasing the chance of severe disability or death.
The Merci Retriever, a tiny corkscrew threaded through an artery to remove the clot and restore blood flow, is produced by Mountain View, Calif.-based Concentric Medical.
According to the American Stroke Association, strokes are the third-leading cause of death among Americans. And stroke is the No. 1 ailment to nudge the elderly into nursing homes.
The device, approved by the Food and Drug Adminstration, was tested at 25 medical centers around the nation in 141 patients.
Dr. Gary Duckwiler, a University of California-Los Angeles professor among the investigators involved in that clinical trial, said 40 percent of patients whose blood clots were successfully removed had positive outcomes.
Duckwiler said the recovery included instantly regaining the ability to move or speak – while the patient was still in the emergency room.
Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of Duke University’s Center for Cerebrovascular Disease, called the approval “interesting” but added that it remains unclear how many patients would benefit from the new treatment option.
As part of the patient assessment, a catheter must be inserted through the groin and snaked up the artery for descriptive dye to outline blood vessels and point to obstruction, Goldstein said. The task requires skilled medical workers.
“It’s not the kind of thing that is capable of being done in any hospital anywhere,” Goldstein said. “The patient has to have a clot that is not only visible, but accessible. That is a major, major limitation to begin with.”
Duckwiler agreed. But many patients don’t qualify for the current treatment – a clot-busting drug – because too many hours pass before they recognize they’ve had a stroke. Some can’t qualify because they’re taking drugs that affect blood clotting.
Duckwiler said the new device dramatically increases the number of severe stroke sufferers who now can be treated.
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