SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY
Blood-Sucking Device Saves Heart Patients, Study Shows
from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required)
A vacuum-cleaner-like device that sucks blood clots out of the arteries of heart attack victims before angioplasty reduces the death rate in the following year by nearly half, researchers reported today.
By physically removing clots, the device prevents loose fragments from breaking off, flowing through the bloodstream and blocking other vessels.
Based on preliminary results from this study and others, cardiovascular surgeons in many large centers are already using the technique to improve outcomes for their patients.
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