Monterey, CA New Hope For Stroke Victims

After three decades of experimentation, researchers have finally found a treatment that dramatically improves the outlook for stroke victims that have the most debilitating type of strokes.  They have found that by directly removing large blood clots in the brain, they can save brain tissue that would have otherwise died, allowing the patient to live a normal life.  Many in the medical community are elated about the study which was just published in The New England Journal of Medicine because the procedure is relatively simple.  A small type of snare is placed on the end of a catheter that is inserted in the groin and then threaded through an artery to the brain.  When it reaches the clot, the device is opened and pushed into the clot.  The doctor then grabs the clot and pulls out the device with the clot attached.  Smaller clots can be dissolved with the drug tPA.  This is a remarkable breakthrough and could save many lives not to mention helping those who would otherwise be living the rest of their life with a terrible disability.