It is commonly performed in the cerebral arteries (interventional neuroradiology) as treatment to reverse the ischemia in some ischemic strokes (i.e., those in which the blockage is a suitable candidate for such retrieval).
Until recent times, systemic intravenous fibrinolysis was the only evidence-based therapy for patients with acute onset of stroke due to large vessel occlusion.
The world's first thrombectomy (in case of blood clot in the brain) was performed in 1994 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden by senior physician Gunnar Wikholm.
[2][3] In 2015, the results of five trials from different countries were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy with stent-retrievers in improving outcomes and reducing mortality for patients who present within six hours from their time last known well.
These trials showed that mechanical thrombectomy is a safe and effective treatment for individuals who have an acute ischemic stroke, even (in some cases) out to 24 hours after symptom onset.