Minimally-invasive surgery to evacuate intracranial hemorrhages improved outcomes (ENRICH trial)
BrainPath device saved functional independence, among a highly selected group of patients
Patients with certain spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages treated with minimally invasive surgery had improved functional outcomes compared to those treated with usual care, the ENRICH randomized trial showed.
Treatment options for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage have remained severely limited, with little improvement in outcomes over decades. Craniotomy is generally considered a salvage therapy reserved for patients who appear near death; it has never been shown to improve functional outcomes.
Numerous minimally invasive surgery techniques for intracerebral hemorrhage have been produced and tested over the past decade. In the ENRICH trial, investigators used a new surgical tool called the BrainPath device (Nico Corporation).
The BrainPath device uses imaging guidance to allow a neurosurgeon to navigate between the folds of the brain, producing minimal damage to healthy brain tissue while advancing a catheter that can access the area of supratentorial hemorrhage. A separate devic…
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