Clot Lysis
Focused ultrasound, either alone or enhanced by microbubbles and/or thrombolytic agents, can dissolve blood clots.
Ultrasound energy causes vibrations that can either break the clot apart directly —via disruption of the fibrin matrix—or make it more susceptible to the effects of thrombolytic agents. In preclinical studies, researchers have shown the feasibility of treating both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke as well as inducing reperfusion of occluded blood vessels.
Conventional treatments for clots within the brain, particularly those due to intracerebral hemorrhage, require invasive action that can increase the risk of the procedure. Focused ultrasound may enable minimally invasive or noninvasive treatment of clots that causes no permanent damage to the surrounding tissue or blood-brain barrier. This approach is also being investigated for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
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