A recent medical study showed that removing blood clots from brain arteries within 24 to 72 hours of an ischemic stroke may improve recovery chances and limit disability in some patients, even after the traditional treatment window has passed.
The medical website Medscape reported on Sunday that the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, included 336 patients at 35 specialized stroke treatment centers in China. It showed that combining mechanical thrombectomy with standard medical treatment led to better functional outcomes after three months compared to medical treatment alone.
Researchers from the Naval Medical University in Shanghai, China, conducted a randomized clinical trial, dividing participants into two groups. The first group received standard medical treatment, including antiplatelet drugs and supportive care, while the second group underwent mechanical thrombectomy alongside medical treatment 24 to 72 hours after symptom onset.
Positive Recovery Results
The results showed that approximately 49 percent of patients who underwent thrombectomy were able to live independently after 90 days, compared to 35 percent of patients who received medical treatment alone. The first group also recorded greater improvement in mobility and performance of daily activities.
The results indicated that 26.9 percent of patients in the thrombectomy group suffered no significant disability, compared to 15.6 percent in the other group, along with improvements in quality of life indicators and the ability to manage daily affairs.
Procedure Mechanism and Conditions
Mechanical thrombectomy is performed by inserting a thin catheter through a blood vessel to reach the blocked artery and remove the clot, with the aim of restoring blood and oxygen flow to brain tissue. This procedure is typically used within the first few hours of an ischemic stroke in eligible patients.
The study results suggest that some patients may benefit from this procedure even after 24 hours have passed since the stroke, provided that imaging tests show salvageable brain tissue and doctors determine that potential benefits outweigh the risks.
A stroke is a medical condition caused by the interruption of blood flow to part of the brain due to a clot or bleeding, leading to oxygen deficiency and damage to brain cells. It can affect movement, speech, and cognitive abilities.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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