MERCI Retriever

Designed by University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, MERCI was the first device approved in the U.S. to remove blood clots in patients who had acute brain ischemia.

[2] In this carefully selected group it achieved 48% vessel re-canalization[2] and lower mortality rates than the use of r-tPA in revascularized patients.

The retriever consists of a long thin wire with a helical coil formed at the distal end.

[3] The MERCI Retriever obtained U.S. FDA clearance in August 2004 for re-canalization of cerebral arteries in acute stroke.

[2] Concentric Medical undertook a preliminary study of the MERCI retriever to assess its effectiveness.