Thrombectomy

Mechanical thrombectomy, or simply thrombectomy, is the removal of a blood clot (thrombus) from a blood vessel, often and especially endovascularly as an interventional radiology procedure called endovascular thrombectomy. It contrasts with thrombolysis (clot dissolution) by thrombolytic medications (e.g., alteplase, reteplase), as either an alternative or complement.

Thrombectomy is commonly performed in the cerebral arteries as treatment to reverse the ischemia in some ischemic strokes (i.e., those in which the blockage is a suitable candidate for such retrieval). Open vascular surgery versions of thrombectomy also exist. The effectiveness of thrombectomy for strokes was confirmed in clinical research conducted in 2015.