Stanford's milli-spinner removes tough clots by shrinking them, not tearing them, with a 90 percent first-try success in stroke models.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 15 million people suffer a stroke every year worldwide.Ischemic strokes caused by blood clots blocking brain arteries account for about 87 percent of all cases.
During these emergencies, doctors estimate that nearly 2 million neurons die each minute blood flow to the brain remains blocked.Yet current clot-removal tools succeed on the first try only about 50 percent of the time. In 15 percent of cases, they fail completely.For tough, fibrin-rich clots, success rates drop to as low as 11 percent.To tackle this, Stanford engineers have unveiled a new clot-removal tool that could double the success rate of current treatments.Dubbed the “milli-spinner thrombectomy,” the device is designed to safely and quickly remove blood clots that block oxygen to the brain during ischemic strokes.Researchers say it could also help treat heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms, and other clot-related diseases.New mechanics to reshape clots, not rupture themConventional clot-removal methods either vacuum or snare the clot, often breaking it apart. This can lead to fragments traveling deeper into the body and causing further damage. The milli-spinner takes a radically different approach.“What’s unique about the milli-spinner is that it applies compression and shear forces to shrink the entire clot, dramatically reducing the volume without causing rupture,” said Renee Zhao, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the study’s senior author.The device, inserted through a catheter, spins rapidly and uses fins and slits to create suction. This enables it to roll and compact the clot into a dense ball. Once the red blood cells are freed from the fibrin tangle, they re-enter circulation, and the shrunken fibrin core is removed through the spinner.Close-up of the milli-spinner, a hollow rotating tube with fins and slits that create suction near clots. Credit – Andrew Brodhead/Stanford UniversityMassive improvement in first-pass success ratesThe milli-spinner significantly outperforms all existing devices. It removed even the toughest clots on the first attempt for 90 percent of cases.“For most cases, we’re more than doubling the efficacy of current technology, and for the toughest clots – which we’re only removing about 11 percent of the time with current devices – we’re getting the artery open on the first try 90 percent of the time,” said co-author Jeremy Heit, associate professor of radiology and chief of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention at Stanford.“It’s unbelievable. This is a sea-change technology that will drastically improve our ability to help people.”Serendipity leads to medical breakthroughThe milli-spinner evolved from Zhao’s earlier work on tiny origami-based robots meant to swim through the body. Originally designed as a propulsion tool, the device’s suction ability surprised the researchers during testing.“At first, we simply wondered whether this suction could help remove a blood clot,” Zhao said. “But when we tested the spinner on a clot, we observed a striking clot color change, from red to white, along with a dramatic reduction in volume. Honestly, it felt like magic.”After refining the design through hundreds of iterations, Zhao and her team are now exploring other applications, including using the milli-spinner to remove kidney stone fragments.Path to patient use underwayTo speed up clinical adoption, the researchers have launched a company licensing the technology from Stanford. Clinical trials are on the horizon.“We’re working to bring this into clinical settings, where it could significantly boost the success rate of thrombectomy procedures and save patients’ lives,” Zhao said.The study is published in the journal Nature.
Ischemic Stroke Medical Device Milli-Spinner Stanford Stroke Stroke Treatment Thrombectomy
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What Happened To Brian Muniz & Ingrid Rezende After 90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days Season 7?still image of Brian Muniz from 90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days Season 7
Read more »
Dow surges 1,160 points as US-China announce 90-day trade truce, fueling market optimismStocks rallied Monday after China and the United States announced a 90-day truce in their trade war.
Read more »
90 Incredible Shows on Netflix You Should Be Watching Right NowAs far as we're concerned, there are two key periods in modern life when it comes to the world of television: B.N. (before Netflix) and A.N. (after Netflix).
Read more »
Dow surges 1,160 points as US-China announce 90-day trade truce, fueling market optimismStocks rallied Monday after China and the United States announced a 90-day truce in their trade war.
Read more »
Dow surges 1,160 points as US-China announce 90-day trade truce, fueling market optimismStocks rallied Monday after China and the United States announced a 90-day truce in their trade war.
Read more »
Port of LA and Long Beach officials welcome 90-day China tariffs pauseLeaders at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Monday welcomed a 90-day pause and reduction of tariffs between the United States and China.
Read more »