To fight blood clots in the brain, speed is key. While clots in arteries cut off the flow of vital blood, clots in veins put pressure on blood vessels in the brain, leading to possible bleeding. A team of researchers from NC State and Georgia Tech have invented a new method to remove these types of clots in veins faster than existing techniques. Their solution: use “ultrasonic vortices.”
Extremely effective
The new technique, illustrated in the latest issue of Research magazineis very suitable for treating a particular type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). A CVST occurs when a blood clot blocks blood vessels in the brain, preventing blood from flowing properly.
If this clot causes bleeding, it can cause a rare but insidious type of stroke: it affects only 0,5-0,7% of all strokes, but occurs more often in young adults and children. Current drug-based techniques are often slow (averaging 15, but up to 29 hours) and ineffective at removing a CVST. Ditto for the surgical approach, which can fail up to 40% of the time. This is where the ultrasonic vortices come into play.
Tiny ultrasonic tornadoes grow
The research team found that the use of spiral ultrasound waves, called vortex ultrasound, is more effective than traditional techniques for destroying blood clots. The ultrasonic vortices act like a real invisible drill.
In vitro tests have shown that this approach is at least 63,4% faster in restoring proper and unhindered blood flow compared to existing techniques.
The results
The team of researchers worked on a model 3D printed and filled with bovine blood. In the laboratory, an application of ultrasonic vortices freed the test conduit (7,5 cm long) in just 8 minutes without damaging the tissue in the slightest.
The next step will be to test the technique in animal models, and then move on to possible clinical trials in the future. If the technique were to be made available, it would be a huge leap forward.
