The WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) has once again achieved a milestone with the first in-human use of the Broadway System, an innovative medical device set to transform stroke care. This procedure represents a significant advancement in the rapid and effective treatment of strokes caused by blood clots.

The Broadway System provides fast and direct access to the brain’s arteries blocked by clots, enabling life-saving intervention for ischemic stroke patients. By improving access to blocked blood vessels, the system enhances the speed and precision of clot removal, which is critical to minimizing brain damage and improving patient outcomes.

“This system has made it very easy and fast to access the brain arteries with some of the largest bore catheters we have for stroke treatment called endovascular thrombectomy,” SoHyun Boo, M.D., medical director for Neurointerventional Surgery in RNI’s Department of Neuroradiology, said. “Other ‘super’ bore catheters currently available are a bit more technically challenging to get them to the brain vessels.”

The first successful use of the device was performed on a patient with a “tandem” occlusion, which is blockage of both the carotid artery in the neck and a blockage of one of the main arteries in the brain called the middle cerebral artery. With the system’s advanced technology, Dr. Boo and his team were able to quickly restore blood flow to the patient’s brain, demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in a real-world clinical setting.

“‘Time is Brain’ is a consistent mantra for stroke care; this procedure makes it easier to perform faster,” Boo said. “Every minute the brain is not getting blood flow, about 2 million neurons are lost. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke in order to get to a center, be rapidly evaluated, and potentially get this procedure done as quickly as possible.”

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and death worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for innovative treatment solutions. The Broadway System represents a significant step forward in addressing this critical public health challenge by providing a more efficient and effective way to manage stroke emergencies.

This procedure was the culmination of the RNI’s work with Stryker Neurovascular in the development of this system including working with their research and development team in consultation and testing in cadavers to achieve FDA approval for the device to be used in clinical care. WVU Medicine continues to prioritize advancements in stroke care through cutting-edge research, technology, and clinical expertise.

For more information on the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/RNI.