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Department of Neuroradiology
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Department of Neuroradiology

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Mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolysis for strokes

In an acute stroke, a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot. The result is reduced blood flow to the brain, which often leads to a cerebral infarction. This in turn is often accompanied by neurological deficits (e.g. hemiplegia, speech disorder, impaired consciousness).

Various treatment options

The Department of Neuroradiology offers various treatment options:

Thrombectomy

Rapid endovascular therapy is crucial for severe strokes with occlusion of large cerebral vessels. A catheter is inserted via the inguinal artery to the cerebral vessels and the blood clot is mechanically removed from the cerebral vessel.

Thrombolysis

A drug is administered that either contains enzymes itself or activates the body’s own enzymes. These break down the blood clot and can thus remove minor blockages.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Endovascular therapy has revolutionized the treatment of severe strokes since 2015. In the case of occlusion of large cerebral vessels, this procedure is clearly superior to previous forms of therapy, e.g. dissolving the clot using medication (thrombolysis).
  • Treatment can dramatically improve the neurological symptoms (paralysis, speech impairment).
  • This dramatically reduces the likelihood of severe disability or death following a severe stroke.

Disadvantages

  • Rarely, procedural complications may occur (cerebral hemorrhage, strokes in other regions of the brain).
  • Thrombectomy is not suitable for patients who only reach the hospital 24 hours after a stroke or even later.

Why choose the USZ?

The USZ is one of the largest stroke centers in Switzerland. An experienced team of specialists in neurology, neuroradiology and anesthesiology treats stroke patients quickly and with the appropriate therapy around the clock.

Many years of expertise

Our clinic is an internationally renowned institution in the field of diagnostics and minimally invasive, image-guided treatment. We treat diseases of the brain, the spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system and its associated organs (eyes, hearing and balance organs, etc.) and the surrounding structures on the head, neck and spine.

The latest treatment methods

At the Department of Neuroradiology, we use the most modern interventional methods, the most advanced materials and instruments and the latest imaging techniques. This enables us to offer every patient the best possible treatment.

Partner network

In weekly interdisciplinary conferences with experts from neurosurgery, neurology and neuroradiology, we develop an individual treatment concept for each case, which we then discuss with our patients. To ensure optimal therapeutic success, our international team of experienced neuroradiological interventionists works closely with experts from other highly specialized clinics as well as with outstanding nursing and rehabilitation specialists before, during and after the procedure.

Procedure

Thrombectomy is an emergency treatment. A decision as to whether a thrombectomy can be performed is made within a very short time on the basis of the CT or MRI imaging. An anaesthesia team prepares the patient for the procedure in a quick, standardized process. An experienced interventional neuroradiologist from the emergency team then performs the procedure under anesthesia.

Aftercare

Immediately after the procedure, you will be examined to make sure that everything went well. You will then be transferred to a specialized monitoring ward (stroke unit), where you will be cared for and monitored.

Hospitalization 3 – 4 days

Responsible senior physicians

Portrait Zsolt Kulcsar

Zsolt Kulcsar, PD Dr. med.

Director of Department, Department of Neuroradiology

Tel. +41 44 255 56 00
Specialties: Diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology, Minimally invasive treatment of neurovascular disease patterns., Neurovascular imaging

For patients

As a patient, you cannot register directly for a consultation. Please get a referral from your primary care physician, specialist.

Tel. +41 44 255 56 01
Mail neuroradiologie.patienten@usz.ch
Contact form

For referrer

Simply register your patient for our neurovascular consultation hours online or by e-mail to the patient secretariat.

Tel. +41 44 255 56 01
Mail neuroradiologie.patienten@usz.ch
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Responsible Department

Department of Neuroradiology

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