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AdventHealth Tampa is the first on Florida’s West Coast to treat stroke patients with novel TIGERTRIEVER™ stroke device

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Dr. James Lefler investigates a blood blot.

“We are proud to be the first in our area to revolutionize blood clot removal for patients suffering from an acute stroke,” said Dr. James Lefler, neurointerventionalist, AdventHealth Tampa.


TAMPA, Fla. (PRWEB)

AdventHealth Tampa is the first hospital on Florida’s west coast to remove a blood clot in the brain using Rapid Medical’s new TIGERTRIEVER™ device. The device is the only clot removal tool that is adjustable within the arteries to the brain following a stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control, stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the United States. With the assistance of TIGERTRIEVER, neuro interventionalists can better remove blood clots and restore blood flow quicker to the brain following a stroke.

“We are proud to be the first in our area to revolutionize blood clot removal for patients suffering from an acute stroke,” said Dr. James Lefler, neurointerventionalist, AdventHealth Tampa. “Every second counts when it comes to stroke and by adding this retriever as an option, some of our most critical stroke patients have a better chance of survival.”

TIGERTRIEVER™ is the first and only adjustable clot retriever, providing neurointerventionalists Dr. James Lefler and Dr. John Deveikis with greater control using real time x-ray, to adjust the retriever to match the vessel size and better capture the clot. Traditional clot retrievers (called stent retrievers) can’t be adjusted for blood vessel variability(1).

Clot retrievers are tiny mesh tubes that are delivered to the brain through the blood vessels. They expand into the clot to capture and remove the blockage. TIGERTRIEVER™ is inserted through the groin and maneuvered to the clot in the brain for removal.

“AdventHealth Tampa is where you want to be when you need complex, comprehensive stroke care,” said Dr. Douglas Ross, Chief Medical Officer, AdventHealth Tampa. “The clinical expertise of our multidisciplinary stroke care team is unmatched, and we look forward to expanding how we’re able to provide stroke patients with the latest in neurological advancements to provide the best care possible.”

AdventHealth Tampa is certified by DNV GL Healthcare as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and is one of a select few in Tampa to be designated a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Agency for Health Care Administration. AdventHealth Tampa is home to an elite stroke program and neurology experts who have been awarded the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke GOLD Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and have been recognized as a recipient of their Target: Stroke Honor Roll for our expertise in stroke care. These accolades serve as proof of AdventHealth’s commitment to leading care and better outcomes.

About AdventHealth Tampa

AdventHealth Tampa is a not-for-profit 536-bed tertiary hospital specializing in cardiovascular medicine, digestive health, neuroscience, orthopedics, women’s services, pediatrics, oncology, endocrinology, bariatrics, wound healing, sleep medicine and general surgery including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. Also located at AdventHealth Tampa is the renowned AdventHealth Pepin Heart Institute, a recognized leader in cardiovascular disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and leading-edge research. The modern adult and pediatric-dedicated emergency rooms introduce the emergency physician at the beginning of the visit, an example of how AdventHealth Tampa is committed to providing compassionate and quality healthcare. Part of AdventHealth, AdventHealth Tampa is a leading health network comprised of 23 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.AdventHealthTampa.com.

About Rapid Medical

Rapid Medical develops the premier responsive interventional devices for neurovascular diseases such as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Utilizing novel manufacturing techniques, Rapid Medical’s products are remotely adjustable and fully visible. This enables physicians to respond in real-time to the intravascular environment and have greater control over procedural outcomes. TIGERTRIEVER™ 17 and 21, COMANECI™ and COLUMBUS™/DRIVEWIRE are CE marked and FDA cleared. TIGERTRIEVER 13 and are also CE marked. More information is available at http://www.rapid-medical.com.

1. Jahan R, Saver JL, Schwamm LH, Fonarrow GC, Liang L, Matsouaka RA, Xian Y, Holmes DN, Peterson ED, Yavagal D, et al. Association between time to treatment with endovascular reperfusion therapy and outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated in clinical practice. JAMA.2019;322:252-263.

2. Gupta R, Saver JL, Levy EI, Zaidat OO, Yavagal DR, Liebeskind DS, Khaldi A, Gross BA, Lang MJ, Narayanan S, Jankowitz BT, Snyder KV, Siddiqui AH, Davies JM, Lin E, Hassan AE, Hanel R, Aghaebrahim A, Kaushal R, Malek AR, Mueller-Kronast NH, Starke RM, Bozorgchami H, Nesbit GM, Priest R, Horikawa M, Liu J, Budzik RF, Pema P, Vora N, Taqi MAA, Samaniego EA, Wang QT, Nossek E, Dabus G, Linfante I, Puri AS, Abergel E, Starkman S, Tateshima S, Jadhav AP. A New Class of Radially Adjustable Stentrievers for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Primary Results of the Multicenter Tiger Trial. Stroke. 2021 Mar 19. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.034436. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33739136.

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