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New Device Offers Hope for Stroke Victims

Doctors now have a new, revolutionary tool to help their patients who've experienced an ischemic stroke, which occurs in over 600,000 Americans annually. An ischemic stroke is caused when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot, which can impair brain function and cause severe disability or death. For someone experiencing an ischemic stroke, prompt medical intervention to restore blood flow is critical.

The Merci Retriever is an innovative option that enables doctors to remove clots, resulting in the restoration of blood flow to victims of an ischemic stroke. The device was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus is one of the first hospitals in the Bay Area to use it.

According to Raymond Stephens, M.D., a neurologist on staff at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus and John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus, there are about 500 cases of stroke treated each year at both campuses. "The Merci Retriever is an exciting development for use in the intercranial arteries," said Dr. Stephens. "We need interventions like this that will help us treat patients experiencing ischemic stroke."

Prior to the release of the Merci Retriever, doctors had limited options for treating ischemic stroke victims. In fact, the only treatment available was to give the patient the clot-busting drug t-PA, which must be administered to the patient within three hours of the onset of a stroke. Because many people don't recognize that they're having a stroke within this narrow window of time, as well as other patient variables, it makes them ineligible for the drug.

"Many people suffer strokes when they are sleeping, so they don't exactly know what time the onset of the stroke began," said David Goldberg, M.D., an interventional radiologist on staff at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus and John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus. "Because of this, many aren't candidates for t-PA. But with the new Merci Retriever device, we can now respond within eight hours—a much larger window of time." Dr. Goldberg added that the best possible patient outcome is a complete reversal of stroke with no long-term damage.

A Revolutionary "Corkscrew"

The Merci Retriever looks like a tiny corkscrew. Doctors insert the device through a small hole in the patient's groin, in the same manner in which a catheter is inserted. It is then fed through an artery in the leg that leads up to the brain. When the Merci Retriever reaches the clot, it captures it and removes the clot from the area, restoring blood flow to the brain.

According to researchers, the Merci Retriever is the first medical device cleared by the FDA for the removal of blood clots from the brain in people experiencing an ischemic stroke. However, it's not for use on patients who've experienced the other type of stroke, called a hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by bleeding in the brain.

Number Of Stroke Victims Increasing Each Year

According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the third largest cause of death, preceded by heart disease and cancer. It is also the leading cause of severe, long-term disability. Research indicates that in the U.S. there are about 600,000 new stroke victims and 200,000 recurrent stroke victims annually. Data shows that 90 percent of those who survive their first stroke will have long-term impairment of movement, sensation, memory or reasoning, ranging from slight to devastating.

Know The Symptoms Of Stroke And When To Seek Medical Help

Responding immediately to a stroke is vital to your survival.

General symptoms of a stroke include:

• Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg, typically on one side of the body.
• Vision problems in one or both eyes, such as dimness, blurring, double vision, or complete loss of vision.
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding others.
• Difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Severe headache.
• Unconsciousness.

Make sure you can recognize the symptoms of a stroke. If you think you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of a stroke, seek emergency care immediately. Treat it as seriously as you would symptoms of a heart attack.

(Posted December 21, 2004)