Rapid clot removal for acute stroke therapy : Technical case report

Endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke offers hope to those patients who do not meet the strict inclusion criteria for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. Because no approach or device can be optimal for every patient, it is desirable to have options. This case is the first report on a novel retrieval device which proved to be very effective in our patient. A 69-year-old woman with an acute ischemic stroke was excluded from treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator because of an elevated international normalized ratio. We successfully treated this patient endovascularly using a device newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration. We achieved rapid recanalization and an excellent clinical outcome. Using a new retrieval device, we were able to rapidly and successfully treat an acute ischemic stroke in a patient not eligible for intravenous thrombolysis. This may offer another alternative in endovascular acute stroke therapy.