A thrombectomy could prove to be a lifeline for some stroke patients and save the NHS money in the longterm. Here, one patient says he’d be dead or severely disabled if it wasn’t for the procedure
strokes, the most common type of stroke caused by a clot cutting off blood flow to part of the brain.
A thrombectomy is most effective in major strokes where the clot is too big to be dissolved by drugs. In Antonio’s case, a tear in an artery in his neck caused a bleed, leading to a clot which travelled up to his brain and lodged in a blood vessel.
A specially-designed clot removal device was inserted through a catheter to pull out the clot and restore blood flow to his brain.
When used with other medical treatments on a specialist unit, evidence suggests thrombectomy can significantly reduce the severity of disability a stroke can cause. Evidence also shows that mechanical clot retrieval is as safe as other treatments.
Antonio attended the Wales Stroke Conference in July and was one of the guest speakers. In an auditorium full of health professionals from around the world, he talked about this traumatic event, and how lucky he feels.
It was one of the first times he’d shared his story, and it gave him a chance to publicly thank the hospital staff who may have saved his life.
“If I hadn’t had it, I’d be either dead or severely disabled now,” he adds.
“To look at me, you would never know I’d had a stroke. I do have a bit of weakness on my right side which makes me feel a little nervous in crowded places because I’m less steady than I was, but it’s nothing too bad.
“It was a massive shock mentally though, and I did attend some stroke groups for support. I saw the damage a stroke can do. I was so lucky to have been treated with thrombectomy so fast.”
While the clot-busting drug treatment thrombolysis can only be given up to four-and-a-half hours after a stroke, thrombectomy can continue to be effective six hours after symptoms start.
There is also ongoing research to explore longer time windows in carefully selected patients where thrombectomies could be performed up to 24 hours later.
While the body tends to break down clots naturally, any temporary blockage caused by a clot can cause serious disability or even death, which is why it’s so important to clear the blockage as soon as possible after the stroke happens.
Trials have found that compared to standard treatments, more of those patients who received thrombectomies made a full neurological recovery.
In one example, 49% of patients who received a thrombectomy had a good outcome compared to only 13% who received standard medical treatment alone.
A thrombectomy is also cost-effective. Although the procedure may cost between £9,000 and £12,000, the savings in the long-term health, care and welfare needs of the patient are significant.
A thrombectomy can give stroke survivors a big boost in their quality of life compared to other treatments for a relatively small amount of investment.
However, currently only a fraction of those eligible for the treatment actually get it.
It is estimated that around 9,000 patients a year could benefit from thrombectomy in the UK but that fewer than 10% of those eligible actually receive it.
At present, patients need to travel to hospitals in England for the treatment after services stopped in Cardiff due to a lack of appropriately-trained staff.
Patients in north Wales can access a commissioned service at the Walton Hospital in Liverpool. However, it is