Stroke Awareness Foundation Blog

New medical devices are continually improving the treatment of stroke.  Below is a link to an interesting case history on the Merci Retrieval System, that is literally able to pull blood clots out of the brain.

This article demonstrates a case where the use of tPA treatment could not be risked and the Merci Retrieval System was used.  In this case as in other instances, the device has shown to immediately reverse paralysis and loss of specch on stroke patients.  Click here to read the full article.

It would be great to hear comments on this or other new devices that are being developed or put in to use for the treatment of stroke.

A mini stroke or a TIA (transient ischemic attack) lasts only a few minutes and occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted. After a short time, blood flows again and the symptoms go away. With a stroke, the blood flow stays blocked, and the brain has permanent damage.  TIA is a warning: It means you are likely to have a stroke in the future. If you think you are having a TIA, call 911. Early treatment can help prevent a stroke. If you think you have had a TIA but your symptoms have gone away, you still need to call your doctor right away.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Botox could help free muscles for stroke patients.  Rehab physicians often use botox to help with muscle spasticity but relatively few doctors are trained to do the injections, which go much deeper than dermatologists do to erase frown lines.

 New York Times  Published March 23, 2009