Endovascular Stroke Treatment
The treatment of acute ischemic stroke has changed substantially in the past two decades.
Stroke is most commonly caused by a blood clot that has formed within the heart or the supraaortic vessels (neck vessels supplying the brain) that migrates to the brain. As a result the blood flow to brain tissue is impeded causing a neurological deficit. The symptoms may vary according to the part of the brain that is affected by the diminished blood supply (e.g. hemiplegia, impaired speech, impaired consciousness).
(A) The illustration shows a stent-retriever which was opened at the level of a blood clot in a cerebral blood vessel. The blood clot is compressed between the stent-retriever and the vessel wall.
(B) An aspiration catheter (turquoise) is then advanced to the blood clot. The suction force applied through the catheter, aspirates the blood clot and squeezes it between the catheter and stent-retriever.
(C) The blood clot is being pulled out by simultaneous traction on the aspiration catheter and the stent-retriever. During this pull, a balloon on the guide catheter is inflated - this prevents blood clot fragments from being washed into the brain.