New Delhi, December 13 (IANS). Nearly 17 lakh Indians suffer a stroke every year, but due to expensive equipment, most patients do not have access to life-saving mechanical thrombectomy (clot removal procedure). Now AIIMS of Delhi has created history in this field.
The country’s first indigenous (Make in India) clinical trial ‘Grassroots’ (Gravity Stent-Retriever System for Reperfusion of Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke Trial) was successful, in which the most advanced Supernova stent retriever showed excellent results.
Dr. Shailesh B., Head of the Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Neuroradiology of AIIMS and National Principal Investigator of the trial. “This trial is a turning point for stroke treatment in India,” Gaikwad said.
The preliminary results of the trial have been published in the prestigious Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery (JNIS). This can prove to be life-saving in severe cases of stroke (large vessel occlusion).
The first mechanical thrombectomy (clot removal procedure) trial has a very high success rate. Excellent results were seen in restoration of blood flow. Brain bleed was seen only in 3.1 percent and the mortality rate was 9.4 percent. After 90 days, 50 percent of the patients showed functional independence, that is, they started handling their work on their own.
This equipment is quite economical compared to foreign equipment, due to which mechanical thrombectomy (clot removal process) will be available to more patients.
Make in India is a big achievement. India is now contributing to global stroke care.
This year CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) accepted the data and approved it for routine use in India.
The grassroots India trial confirmed the success of the device in treating life-threatening strokes. It was used in eight centres. Experts said this trial is a milestone for the Make-in-India initiative and establishes India as a global player in advanced stroke care.
Dr. Dilip Yavgal (University of Miami), Global Principal Investigator of the trial, said that this device has already treated 300+ patients in South-East Asia due to its low cost. Now with the approval of CDSCO in India, it will be available for routine use.
–IANS
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