February 16, 2005 NBC Drama ER to Profile Newest Technology in Stroke Treatment on Show Tomorrow FDA-Approved Treatment a Success at Regions Hospital St. Paul, Minn., - The hit NBC medical drama "ER" will profile the newest advanced technology in the treatment of stroke on their Thursday, February 17th episode airing at 9 p.m. on KARE-TV. As one of 100 sites in the nation using the MERCI Retriever system, the first FDA-approved device to remove blood clots from the brain in patients suffering from ischemic stroke, Regions is on the cutting edge of stroke treatment in the nation. "ER" will feature by guest star Cynthia Nixon, former "Sex In The City" star, playing a mid-thirties soccer mom who suffers an ischemic stroke, the most common kind, which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot, potentially impairing brain function and causing severe disability or death. Doctors in the ER turn to an interventional neuroradiologist, a specialist who treats the life-threatening condition with the MERCI (Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia) Retriever System, to treat ischemic stroke by removing the clot and restoring blood flow to the brain. According to Michael Madison, M.D., interventional neuroradiologist at Regions, the MERCI Retriever marks a milestone in the treatment of stroke. "For those of us who see the devastating consequences of stroke day in and day out in our emergency centers, the device is a tremendous achievement in advanced technology that we are able to offer to our patients." Manufactured by Concentric Medical, the MERCI Retriever uses standard catheterization techniques. A catheter is inserted into the groin and routed through the blood vessels leading to the brain under X-ray guidance. The device is then introduced through the catheter directly to the targeted area. Once positioned, it envelopes the clot, pulling it back through the catheter and out of the body. According to the American Stroke Association, stroke affects 700,000 people annually and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. It is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. Between 15 and 30 percent of stroke survivors are permanently disabled and three months after onset, 20 percent still require institutional care. In 2003, stroke-related medical costs in the U.S. exceeded $50 billion.
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