The technology, introduced to southwest Missouri in November 2004, offers a way to remove the clot from the blood vessel it is blocking by pulling it out with a corkscrew-like device. First, the catheter is inserted in the femoral artery in the groin and maneuvered to the carotid artery and into the brain. The coils on the device grab the clot and remove the clot from the body.

“There is a need for the technology, because there are cases when it’s invaluable to have the device,” says Michael Workman, MD, a board-certified radiologist and fellowship trained interventional neuroradiologist at Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute LLC.

The Merci Retriever lengthens the window of care for stroke victims. The device can be used up to eight hours following a stroke, whereas standard therapies were only available up to three hours following a stroke. Dr. Workman, one of two physicians trained to use the technology for CoxHealth, says the benefits outweigh the risks. The average time of the procedure is two hours. Recovery is based on where the stroke occurred, size of stroke and how much of the brain was saved.

According to Dr. Workman, “this is just one tool in the tool box to treat stroke. The main goal is to clear blood clots from the artery. However that’s done, in the safest say, is what matters.”