Victims of potentially fatal strokes are being saved—with no permanent loss of brain function– in the Hadassah Medical Center’s renowned Stroke Unit, thanks to a revolutionary technique performed with a corkscrew device called the “Mercy Clot Retriever.” Introduced through the femoral artery under general anesthetic, the device can retrieve a blood clot, re-establishing blow flow to the brain and preventing neurological damage.
Moshe, a 64-year-old father of 10, recently underwent the procedure following a massive stroke and left Hadassah with full function restored.
When Moshe arrived at Hadassah, he was in a comatose state, having suffered an acute stroke brought on by a heart condition. As the blood in his heart stagnated, a blood clot formed and subsequently dislodged into his cerebral circulation, blocking his right aortic artery. Moshe’s speech and the muscles of his left side were affected. Had Moshe not been treated in the next few hours, a massive number of his brain cells would have died. Had he survived, he would have been permanently disabled. The Mercy corkscrew was his only option.
A two-hour surgery by Director of Hadassah’s Endovascular Neurosurgery and Invasive Neuroradiology Unit Prof. José Cohen and his stroke team successfully removed the four-centimeter clot. Moshe awoke, with full neurological function. After a short hospital stay, Moshe was able to resume his regular life.
