UCLA researchers' clot-retrieval device improves chances for stroke victims
A recent discovery by UCLA researchers might make a big difference to people who suffer strokes. In the treatment of stroke patients, time really is brain: A few minutes can mean the difference between patients living independently or suffering debilitating disabilities.
The new device is a new-generation stent clot retrieval device that aids in the removal of clots responsible for blocking blood supply to the brain. Faster removal of clots results in greatly improved medical outcomes for patients, as even a five-minute delay can negatively affect patients' chances.
The one-year study found that when blood flow was restored to the brain within four hours of the start of a stroke, 80 percent of patients had a very good outcome - meaning that they survived and were able to live independently three months later. The researchers also found that the odds of a poorer outcome increased by one percent for every five minutes that passed between the onset of a stroke and the time when doctors reopened the blocked artery.
The new device is a new-generation stent clot retrieval device that aids in the removal of clots responsible for blocking blood supply to the brain. Faster removal of clots results in greatly improved medical outcomes for patients, as even a five-minute delay can negatively affect patients' chances.
The one-year study found that when blood flow was restored to the brain within four hours of the start of a stroke, 80 percent of patients had a very good outcome - meaning that they survived and were able to live independently three months later. The researchers also found that the odds of a poorer outcome increased by one percent for every five minutes that passed between the onset of a stroke and the time when doctors reopened the blocked artery.