In a significant advancement for stroke treatment, the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) has achieved a medical milestone by performing the first-in-human procedure using Stryker Neurovascular's innovative Broadway System for treating ischemic strokes.
Breakthrough in Stroke Treatment Technology
The Broadway System, which received FDA marketing approval in December, represents a significant evolution in catheter-based clot removal technology. Dr. SoHyun Boo, Medical Director for Neurointerventional Surgery in RNI's Department of Neuroradiology, explains that the system's key innovation lies in its optimized design for clot extraction.
"One of the thoughts is that a bigger straw can suck the clot out better," Dr. Boo explains, using an analogy to describe the engineering challenge. "You have to develop something that is flexible enough to navigate around all the different turns of the blood vessels, but stiff enough that if you were to put suction on it, the straw doesn't just collapse."
Technical Specifications and Clinical Application
The Broadway 8 Catheter, featuring an outside diameter of 2.49 millimeters, is part of a comprehensive system that includes the FastPass Delivery Assist Catheter. This innovative design achieves a crucial balance between flexibility and size, enabling rapid access to blood clots for more efficient removal.
The inaugural procedure was particularly noteworthy as it successfully treated a patient with tandem occlusion – a complex condition involving blockages in both the carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery. This achievement demonstrates the system's capability to handle challenging cases effectively.
Impact on Patient Care
Time is a critical factor in stroke treatment, as Dr. Boo emphasizes: "Every minute the brain is not getting blood flow, about 2 million neurons are lost." The Broadway System's enhanced speed and precision in clot removal directly addresses this urgent need, potentially improving patient outcomes by reducing brain damage.
The development of the Broadway System represents a collaborative effort between RNI and Stryker, involving extensive testing and consultation throughout the FDA approval process. While RNI handles approximately 120 ischemic stroke cases annually, the technology is so new that it's not yet in regular stock at the hospital.
Clinical Significance
This advancement in stroke treatment technology comes at a crucial time, as rapid intervention remains essential in stroke care. The successful implementation of the Broadway System at RNI marks an important step forward in the ongoing effort to improve stroke treatment outcomes through more efficient and effective clot removal procedures.
