The Royal London Hospital (London, UK) has become the first in Europe to use an innovative balloon guide catheter (BGC) called Emboguard (Johnson & Johnson MedTech Neurovascular) for mechanical thrombectomy procedures in clinical practice.
“Timely and effective treatment of stroke patients is critical to reducing lifelong disability or dependency,” said Levansri Makalanda (Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK). “We are big believers in using the most modern and evidence-based technology for patient-specific care. For us here at Barts Health, and others within the specialty, the benefits of BGCs are recognised for their ability to maximise patient outcomes. The Emboguard is a gamechanger—with its large bore and flexible design allowing better access to intracranial circulation. This significantly improves the chances for patients to live a functional and fulfilling life post-stroke.”
As stated in a recent announcement from Barts Health NHS Trust, the Royal London Hospital’s Stroke Mechanical Thrombectomy Network is the largest 24/7 service of its kind in the UK, serving more than eight million people across South and East England. And, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the service has been able to expand without additional infrastructure investment, reducing health inequalities across the region by providing timely access to life-saving stroke care for areas like Kent and Medway.
Since its expansion in 2020, the service has experienced a 300% increase in patient numbers, performing 256 thrombectomy procedures in 2021 alone. Over 22,000 suspected stroke cases have been processed, with a “remarkable” increase in thrombectomy success across the region, the announcement adds.
“We’re committed to using the latest technology to maximise outcomes for our patients,” Makalanda commented. “The introduction of Emboguard is a major step forward in stroke care, allowing us to deliver even better results for those we treat.”
Initial studies have suggested that, during mechanical thrombectomies, the Emboguard BGC may be able to achieve faster and more effective clot removal compared to the standard base catheters that are usually deployed in these procedures.
