Physicians at Swedish Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma Center located in Englewood, Colo, announce their performance of a stroke procedure in less than 17 minutes using a new update to the Penumbra System.
Ben Atchie, DO, and Don Frei, MD, board-certified neuroradiologists with Radiology Associates PC, successfully performed a mechanical thrombectomy, a stroke procedure to remove blood clots in brain vessels, using the newest update to the Penumbra System. The system creates vacuum to allow clots to be gently aspirated out of intracranial vessels.
Swedish Medical Center is reportedly the first hospital in the world to use the newest edition of this system in a patient experiencing an acute ischemic stroke, according to a media release.
“This is a new more powerful aspiration source providing suction to remove deep clots,” says Atchie, primary physician on the case.
“When the patient arrived to us, tPA had been administered but the vessel was still occluded. We were able to recanalize the blood vessel in under 9 minutes with the entire procedure lasting less than 17 minutes. This is not only a credit to the technique but also the team, and everyone involved,” he continues.
Per the release, the physicians are hopeful that the newest update to the Penumbra System will only increase the ability for Swedish to perform lifesaving stroke procedures in record time.
“I have not seen better stroke care in any other place that I’ve worked or visited,” Atchie shares. “From the ER door all the way to the patients getting discharged, it is a well-oiled machine. Everyone knows what to do and that time is of the essence. It is an amazing place to work.”
[Source(s): Swedish Medical Center, PR.com]
