Thrombectomy Devices- A Boon to the World of Medical Technology

We all know that during a stroke, blood supply to an organ is lost and, it’s caused due to an artery blockage. The blockage, commonly known as blood clot, needs to be removed at the first place to avoid further complicacies which can even lead to death. Even a few years back, drug therapy was the only medium used by doctors to clear the artery and restore blood flow accordingly. But then, drug therapies are effective only in case of small blood clots and is often not enough for the treatment of large clots.

This is where thrombectomy devices peep in. The word ‘thrombectomy’ has derived from thrombus+ectomy. When the phrase ‘thrombus’ means a blood clot formed within the vascular system of the body that inhibits blood flow, ‘ectomy’ means removal. This way Thrombectomy means surgical removal of an unwanted blood clot from a blood vessel. The surgeon, with the aid of a thrombectomy device, makes an incision into the blood vessel and removes the clot. This way, the blood vessel gets repaired, and normal blood flow is restored.

Once, the surgeon puts a final nod for thrombectomy; an informed consent is signed by the patient before he/she goes under the knife. This form makes sure that the risks and benefits of the procedure are completely understood by the patient’s family. Also, it ensures that one gets all their queries answered and is willing to go ahead with the process. Also, one should ask, how they would prepare for the surgery. Letting the doctor know about whatever medicines he/she is taking would be the wisest act from the patient’s end. You might be asked to stop certain medications ahead of time, especially those that are the likes of blood thinners. Not a single detail should be left from your end. Be it mere allergies or a problem as big as asthma, you must tell your surgeon about it.

Generally, three mechanisms and techniques are followed to take out the clot from the vessel. They are namely rheolytic thrombectomy, aspiration thrombectomy and mechanical thrombectomy.

In Rheolytic thrombectomy, AngioJet system is used and with the same, a spurt of saline is directed at the thrombus in the coronary artery from the tip of a catheter. Then, the mash is sucked through another conduit of the catheter.

In suction thrombectomy, the catheter tip is positioned adjacent to the clot and suctioning through a 50 or 60 ml syringe through the proximal catheter port, a negative pressure is created at the distal catheter opening. And, this helms in clot aspiration into the catheter. The fact that the procedure uses widely available endovascular equipment causes fewer embolic events and vasospasm. And, it’s considered as one of the biggest advantages of the process.

In mechanical thrombectomy, on the other hand, surgeons happen to use a mechanical device to split up or remove the blood clot at the source.

Once done with the process, the surgeon will keep a watch on the patient for next several hours. The vital signs caused during the process will be severely watched upon. Then, depending on one’s condition, they will be asked to stay in the hospital for few days more. Also, the patient will be given medicines for some time to recover on a speedy note. One is suggested to completely abstain from drinking and smoking, as doing otherwise may lead them to experience delay in the healing process. Also, this would lower the risk of clot formation in the future.

At the same time, one must attend all their follow-up appointments to help the doctor keep a track of their recovery. Moreover, the patient as well as his/her family members should be cautious enough to call the concerned doctor in case the swelling gets worse. The patient may also feel feverish or experience numbness in the surgical area and the medical practitioner should be informed right away.       

Prevalence of chronic diseases due to unhealthy living habits and rise in geriatric population have led to increase in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. And, it was worked as one of the major growth factors of the thrombectomy devices market. Again, mounting demand for minimally invasive procedures, and cutting-edge healthcare infrastructure have led to innovations in technology. These factors have further fueled the growth of the market. At the same time, although, lack of trained professionals and complicated use of these devices have checked the growth to some extent, but high-end technological advancement in this realm has almost nulled the cause.

To conclude, it can be stated that the market of thrombectomy devices is no more in the nascent stage, rather, it’s evolving in nature and is expected to thrive in yet more in the years to come.

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