Mechanical thrombectomy for acute stroke

Most strokes happen when a clot blocks an artery in the brain. When a large artery is blocked, mechanical thrombectomy can remove the clot: a catheter is guided through an artery, usually from the groin or wrist, up to the clot, and a small device then traps the clot or sucks it out. Brain scans decide who can have it at the hospital, along with how long ago symptoms began and the size of the brain damage already caused by the blocked artery. It has been shown to help selected people up to 24 hours after a stroke, and some people also receive clot-dissolving medicine first. Not everyone can have thrombectomy, and it does not help everyone who has it. The procedure may be done under local anaesthetic with sedation, or under general anaesthetic, and afterwards you are looked after in a stroke unit or intensive care. Risks include bleeding in the brain, damage to the artery, and the clot not being fully removed. Rehabilitation and long-term follow-up are provided by neurology and rehabilitation teams, while Dr. Aggour treats the first, urgent stage, in the first few hours, at the hospitals where he works.