SCAI Trains Interventional Cardiologists to Stop Strokes
WASHINGTON, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In the event of a stroke, every secondcounts in saving brain tissue and preventing disability or even death. Throughhands-on simulation, physicians are learning to capture and remove blood clotsin the brain through catheter-based treatments similar to the life-savingtreatments used to stop a heart attack. To train interventional cardiologistsand vascular specialists in what is called neuro-rescue, or strokeintervention, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions(SCAI) launched the first interactive, simulation-based stroke interventioncourse, 'SCAI Core Curriculum in Introductory Neuro Rescue.'
The program, developed for cardiologists already experienced in coronaryand carotid artery stenting, introduces physicians to acute strokeintervention and provides hands-on simulation in clot removal. Each session islimited to 20 experienced interventional cardiologists in order to provideextensive hands-on training, allowing participants to practice removing clotsfrom the brain on a unique simulation system. Clots are removed using a newlyFDA-approved catheter-based clot-retrieval device. Physicians thread aguidewire to the clot through the carotid arteries in the neck. The wire isthreaded through the clot, and when the device is deployed, the coiled wirewraps around the clot, acting like a basket and allowing the physician to pullthe whole clot from the body and restore blood flow to the brain.
'In the event of a heart attack, 'time is muscle,' and in the event of astroke, 'time is brain tissue.' Quick intervention can mean the differencebetween a full recovery and disability or even death,' said Christopher U.Cates, MD, FSCAI, Director of Vascular Intervention at Emory Hospitals inAtlanta, and SCAI Secretary and Program/Course Director. 'Cardiologists whoparticipated in the course were able to practice removing a clot from thebrain in the cardiac cath lab under the simulated circumstances that matchwhat they would experience while treating a stroke patient. They practicedusing the new interventional devices and experienced what it looks like andeven what it feels like to remove the clot from the blood vessels of thebrain.'
An estimated 750,000 people experience a stroke each year in the UnitedStates. Stroke is the No. 3 killer of Americans, responsible for one of every16 deaths, and the top cause of adult disability in the United States. In2007, representatives from interested medical disciplines, industry andgovernment convened the first Stroke Roundtable to develop guidelines andconduct research on stroke.
