BCBS of Virginia and Stroke Recovery

BCBS of Virginia, purchased through USA-Online-Health-Insurance.com, has learned that there has patients recovering from strokes can great benefit from a new procedure to open blocked arteries.

Arteries that become blocked in the brain are often the results of stroke, and can keep the patient from recovering after he has a stroke. But now, a stint has been developed that can alleviate that problem. BCBS of Virginia will probably approve this medical procedure for most of its policies.

The stents are placed in arteries that become blocked in the brain. The stents are removable, and have proven to be remarkably effective in helping stroke patients recover. Considered in interventional procedure, it was performed on 140 patients nationwide, at 18 different medical centers. Oregon Health & Science University did the largest number at 35 procedures. Dr. Wayne Clark, director of the Oregon Stroke Center, says that the stent retriever procedure has proven that they can open blood vessels. But perhaps the most remarkable result of the procedure is that many people fully recover from their strokes. The team and OHSU that performed the procedure were made up of neuro-interventionists.

Clark says that patients received the procedure within 8 hours after having an acute ischemic stroke. This is a medium/large stroke that is caused by reduced blood flow into the brain. This is often caused by blood clots. In the procedure, the stroke doctor will utilize a catheter, inserted at the groin, to place a stent into the affected artery in the brain. The Solitaireý Flow Restoration Device is the stent used for this procedure. Itýs made from a mesh of platinum and titanium. This stent will expand the walls of the artery, allowing blood to flow back into the affected area, reducing the amount of brain damage. In addition, the clot is absorbed by the mesh. After 5 minutes, the stent is removes, bringing the clot with it.

This procedure is called the SWIFT, for Solitaire With the Intention For Thrombectomy. In the study, this procedure was compared with the traditional method of using a corkscrew device that pulls the clot out. The corkscrew is rotated into the clot, sometimes needing more than one try to pull the clot out successfully. In the comparison of the two procedures, BCBS of Virginia has learned that 33% of those who had the corkscrew procedure showed improved neurological outcome, while 56% of those who had the stent procedure improved. The death rate was reduced with the stent, as well. Stroke victims who had the corkscrew procedure has a 38% death rate, while with the stent, the death rate was reduced to 17%.

According to reports made available to BCBS of Virginia, the stent procedure is actually easier and safer than other treatments available at this time. Considering that the success rate is exponentially better in improvement of patientýs conditions, this is very promising for the use of helping victims of stroke not only recover quickly, but survive, as well.