Project Description: 

During an ischemic stroke, performing a thrombectomy to remove the clot restricting blood flow can save lives and prevent severe disability. Currently, surgeons perform this endovascular procedure by entering through the femoral artery, but these procedures can fail if the surgeon is not able to navigate the catheter from the groin to the patient’s brain. This often occurs in older patients or those with tortuous vasculature. Direct carotid artery access can reduce the intervention time in half and save 60 million neurons, but this procedure is rarely performed due to the absence of an approved, on-label closure device for the carotid artery on the market. Our device, carSEAL, is specifically designed to safely and effectively close the common carotid artery, enabling surgeons to perform direct carotid thrombectomies with greater confidence and ease.