Life-Saving Treatment

Approximately 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. For many patients, a stroke-causing blood clot can be treated with clot-busting medication called tPA. However, for strokes caused by a large blood clot, an advanced interventional procedure, mechanical thrombectomy, is often required.

In 2018, Lancaster General Hospital was the first and only hospital in Lancaster County to provide mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure that involves physically removing large blood clots from the brain. Until now, patients needing mechanical thrombectomy had to be transported to a hospital out of Lancaster County to receive treatment.

During mechanical thrombectomy, a large blood clot is removed with a wire-caged device, called a stentriever. Through a needle puncture in the groin, a series of small catheters are threaded through the body, and ultimately directed across the blood clot in the brain. Then the stentriever is inserted to remove the clot blockage, restoring blood flow.

Blood clots are a serious medical condition requiring essential fast and effective treatment. Mechanical Thrombectomy enables quick removal of blood clots from the brain, leading to better outcomes for stroke patients and greater independence and mobility.