Thrombectomy in Emergency Medical Science

Stroke is the major cause of disability and the third leading cause of death among the adult population in Poland. Scientific studies have reported that approx. 60 000 Poles suffer a stroke each year. Approx. 80% of strokes are ischemic strokes. In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified stroke as a clinical syndrome characterized by the sudden onset of focal or generalized brain dysfunction, the symptoms of which last longer than 24 hours or are leading to death and have no other cause than vascular one.
In recent years, in order to restore patency in the clogged vessel supplying blood to the brain, the thrombolytic therapy with recombinant
tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) or streptokinase. This method, however, has a number of contraindications, therefore thrombectomy is an opportunity for those patients who are not eligible to apply thrombolysis. Thrombectomy is currently used only in patients with ischemic stroke in the 6 hour therapeutic window. It involves mechanical removal of the blockage using a catheter introduced into the cerebral vessels through the artery. The procedure is performed under angiographic control and takes about 40 minutes.
This is a direct form of treatment of the disease, at its most advanced stage. Scientific reports say that nearly 90% of thrombectomy
implementations is effective in case of acute stroke. Thanks to the progress of medicine, researchers aim at eliminating contraindications
against qualifying a patient for thrombectomy treatment.