EuroPCR 2015: Stroke risk clarified following routine clot removal after heart attack

(EuroPCR) Clearing blood clots from arteries during treatment for an acute myocardial infarction was a relatively common practice until a recent, large-scale study showed that the technique, known as thrombectomy, might actually increase the risk of stroke. Now, new insights from the TOTAL trial, presented here at EuroPCR 2015, indicate that the risk of stroke with thrombectomy during angioplasty, compared to angioplasty alone is evident very early following the procedure.