Blood clot catcher saves lives at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

EXCLUSIVE: A VICTORIAN MAN who suffered a near fatal stroke had his life saved by a tiny tool that catches the blood clots pulls them out of the brain.

Dye injected into the arteries shows the blockage stopping blood from flowing to his brai

EXCLUSIVE: A VICTORIAN man who suffered a near-fatal stroke became the first in Australia to have a clot pulled from his brain by a new type of clot catcher.

George Pollalis was given just a 15 per cent chance of survival after suffering an ischaemic stroke.

The clot removal device helped restore blood flow to the brain, saving his life and limiting side-effects.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neurointervention Service director Associate Professor Peter Mitchell said the 67-year-old had a complete blockage in the basilar artery, which he said supplies blood to the brain and it was normally “not survivable”.

Mr Pollalis began to feel dizzy on December 2.

He went numb down the right arm and side and his face lost shape and his speech slurred.

He was taken to the hospital where they threaded the device, about 4mm in diameter, inside a tiny tube on a wire into his brain artery.

The tube was pulled back so the retriever expanded.

“As it expands, it grabs the clot and you can pull it out, unblocking the artery,” he said.

Associate Prof Mitchell said he was ecstatic with Mr Pollalis’ outcome. The day after the procedure he could move his right arm and leg, and even managed a short walk.

Although Mr Pollalis is still recovering, he said he felt extremely lucky.

“At the same time I feel grateful and humble that the procedure became available at the time when I needed it,” he said.

Associate Prof Mitchell said it was the first time in Australia the Trevo Pro Retrieval clot retriever had been used.

Unlike other devices, doctors can actually see this device expand inside the artery, potentially allowing quicker retrieval.

He said it was vital to clear the blockage and restore blood to the brain quickly to minimise damage.

This could be the difference between a patient left with subtle gait or fine motor problems, or someone who struggled to walk and talk.

He said most clot retrieval procedures were performed on conscious patients, which increased speed and potentially led to better outcomes.

A major trial involving 100 people is now under way to determine if clot retrievers are more effective in some stroke patients than clot-busting drugs on their own.

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