Real-Time Guidable-Tip Wire Aids in Surgically Treating Strokes

Our brains contain an intricate network of arteries that carry blood throughout the organ along winding paths. For neurosurgeons, following these paths with a wire — which is just a third of a millimeter in diameter and enters the body through the femoral artery — to reach an obstructed blood vessel can be tricky. For instance, if they want to point the wire in a different direction, they often have to pull the instrument out and then reinsert it, lengthening surgery times and increasing the risk of complications.