WILMINGTON, NC — A new clot-removal system is now being used in North Carolina, and doctors say it could make a real difference for people having certain kinds of strokes. The device, called Thunderbolt, is designed to help remove ischemic stroke clots faster, while Novant Health says its Wilmington team is also using a less-invasive wrist approach that may reduce discomfort and bleeding.
Stroke care is always a race against time. The sooner blood flow is restored to the brain, the better the odds of saving tissue and preserving speech, movement and other vital functions.
1. Thunderbolt targets the most common kind of stroke
Thunderbolt is meant for ischemic strokes, which happen when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain. Those strokes make up about 87% of the more than 795,000 strokes Americans experience each year, according to the source material.
Doctors can also treat hemorrhagic strokes, which happen when a blood vessel ruptures and bleeding occurs in or around the brain. But Thunderbolt is built specifically for clot removal, not bleeding-related strokes.
2. Novant Health is first in North Carolina to use it
Novant Health says it is the first health system in North Carolina to use Thunderbolt. The work is being done at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Justin Cappuzzo, who practices at the Deloris P. Jordan Neurosciences Institute, was the first doctor in the state to use the device. He also completed the world’s first Thunderbolt procedure through an artery in the wrist rather than the groin.
3. The device uses suction to pull out the clot
Thunderbolt is a mechanical thrombectomy device, meaning doctors guide it through a thin tube to the clot and remove it directly. Once the device senses that it has reached the clot, it uses controlled suction to loosen and extract it.
That matters because treatment choices depend on the type of stroke, the timing of symptoms, imaging results and the patient’s medical history. Some patients may receive clot-busting medicine, while others may need a procedure like thrombectomy instead.
4. It changes suction quickly to help free stubborn clots
Traditional clot-removal tools often rely on steady suction. If the clot is firmly lodged, doctors may need more than one attempt or extra devices, including metal stents, to get it out.
Thunderbolt works differently. It adjusts suction many times each second, alternating the force instead of pulling in one constant motion. Cappuzzo compared it to gently wiggling a cork free rather than yanking it straight out.
5. Wrist access may make recovery easier
Using the wrist instead of the groin can lower the chance of bleeding where the procedure starts. It may also mean less pain afterward, and patients can sit up and walk right away after the procedure.
Novant Health says this wrist approach, combined with Thunderbolt, is helping the team remove clots faster than the national average. Doctors hope that speed gives patients a better shot at a strong recovery from stroke.
6. The goal is to protect brain tissue and lives
Officials at Novant Health say the new technology gives people across coastal North Carolina access to advanced stroke care close to home. The aim is not only to save lives, but also to preserve healthy brain tissue before it is damaged beyond repair.
Both Dr. Cappuzzo and Dr. Jeffrey Beecher have completed specialized training to perform the procedures. That training is part of what makes the service available in Wilmington now.
7. Stroke warning signs still demand an immediate 911 call
Doctors stress that technology only helps if patients get to the hospital quickly. Common warning signs include face drooping, arm weakness and slurred or garbled speech, and families can use the BE FAST checklist for balance, eyes, face, arm, speech and time.
If symptoms appear, call 911 right away even if they seem mild or improve. Emergency crews can start evaluating the patient on the way and alert the stroke team, which is why waiting at home can cost precious brain cells.
What recovery can look like after a stroke
Some stroke patients recover fully, while others may face lasting problems with movement, thinking or communication. Outcomes depend on the stroke’s location and severity, how quickly blood flow returns and the rehabilitation that follows.
New Hanover Regional Medical Center also offers post-acute stroke care to help survivors and families manage the practical and emotional side of recovery after leaving the hospital.
