Baylor St. Luke's Stroke Patients Experience Positive Outcomes with New Thrombectomy Device

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center is the first hospital in Houston to treat stroke patients with Embotrap II, the newest FDA-approved thrombectomy device to remove blood clots from blood vessels in the brain. 

A thrombectomy is the standard of care for certain stroke patients and the new Embotrap II device can potentially help improve surgical outcomes. Peter Kan, MD, neurosurgeon at Baylor St. Luke's and Director of Cerebrovascular Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, has performed multiple procedures, noting successful outcomes.

"We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this field, offering patients access to the latest technology in stroke care," said Dr. Kan. "We've seen positive results and patients' conditions have significantly improved."

The differentiator between this device and other stent retrievers is the two-layer design, including an inner stent and outer cages. This design allows for an immediate channel for blood flow upon deployment, while the outer cages provide the removal of the clot. It also has an umbrella-like piece to catch any blood clots that may occur or break off during the procedure, which could result in the patient still suffering a significant stroke despite a successful thrombectomy. This piece is a first for stent retriever devices.

Dedicated to the highest levels of neurological care, the neurosciences program at Baylor St. Luke’s, along with Baylor College of Medicine, is at the forefront of adopting new technology like the Embotrap II to improve outcomes for stroke patients.