Mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolysis for stroke

Treatment options

The Department of Neuroradiology offers several treatment options:

Thrombectomy

Rapid endovascular therapy is crucial for severe stroke where large cerebral vessels are occluded. In this procedure, a catheter is inserted via the inguinal artery and reaches the brain vessels where the blood clot is mechanically removed.

Thrombolysis

We administer a drug that either contains enzymes or activates the body’s own enzymes. These break down the blood clot and can remove minor blockages.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• Endovascular therapy has revolutionized the treatment of severe stroke. For occlusion of large cerebral vessels, this procedure is superior to previous forms of therapy, such as dissolving the clot with medication (thrombolysis).
• The treatment can dramatically improve neurological symptoms (paralysis, speech impairment).
• The likelihood of severe disability or death after a severe stroke is dramatically reduced.

Disadvantages

• Rarely, complications may occur (e.g. cerebral hemorrhage, strokes to other regions of the brain).
• Thrombectomy is not suitable for patients who reach the hospital only 24 h after a stroke or even later.

Course of treatment

Thrombectomy is an emergency treatment. Based on CT or MRI imaging we will quickly decide whether a thrombectomy can be performed. An anesthesia team prepares the patient for the procedure in a rapid, standardized process. An experienced interventional neuroradiologist from the emergency team then performs the procedure under anesthesia.

Aftercare

Immediately after the procedure, you will be examined to make sure everything went well. You will then be transferred to a specialized monitoring unit (stroke unit) where you will be cared for and monitored.