WILMINGTON — Novant Health Deloris P. Jordan Neurosciences Institute becomes first in the state to introduce new stroke-care technology — Thunderbolt.
Penumbra’s Thunderbolt is an assisted vacuum thrombectomy — a smart computer which finds and removes dangerous blood clots. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month.
Dr. Justin Cappuzzo, with Novant’s Stroke Center, became the first neurosurgeon in the state to deploy the tool. He used a transradial approach — accessing the artery through the patient’s wrist as opposed to the groin, becoming the first neurosurgeon in the world to do so.
“Thanks to our advanced protocols, we are already removing clots faster than the national average, and this technology will allow us to be even more efficient in a situation where every minute counts to save brain cells,” Cappuzzo said.
Typically the procedure to remove blood clots takes 60 to 90 minutes. However, a spokesperson for Novant, Julian Mach told Port City Daily that Novant’s thrombectomy procedure time is typically under 10 minutes.
The Thunderbolt is the only CAVT in the U.S.
Prior to the Thunderbolt New Hanover’s Comprehensive Stroke Center used two types of thrombectomy. The first is a mechanical thrombectomy, a catheter that enters the patient via their wrist or groin and pulls out the block. The second is aspiration thrombectomy, relying on suction to remove the blockage.
The new technology uses modulated aspiration, when suction pressure is cycled as a means to detect and remove blockages such as blood clots. Clots can be pulled through a catheter rather than manually removed.
The Thunderbolt is meant to treat ischemic strokes — when a blood clot blocks an artery and blood can’t enter the brain, cutting off oxygen. Every 40-seconds someone in the U.S. suffers from a stroke as they remain one of the leading causes of long-term disabilities.
[Ed. Note: This article has been updated to reflect Novant’s thrombectomy procedure time.]
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